Panama

Scientists from Israel have calculated how long it would take for PV plants and afforestation projects to offset their warming impacts caused by the darkening of land. The results showed that in drylands, PV fields could be over 50 times more efficient than afforestation.

The US module provider said the panels produced at the facility will be 100 percent compliant with the U.S. Commerce Department’s Withhold and Release Order on Hoshine silicon.

A new solar project has been switched on in Penonomé, in the province of Coclé, Panama. It was built with 450,000 solar panels and 89 inverters.

The government of Panama has outlined a new strategy for distributed-generation PV. The Central American country currently has an installed distributed-generation solar capacity of 46.63 MW.

Selected projects will secure five-year power purchase agreements and will have to begin commercial operation on January 1.

The PV Cycle Association collects and recycles PV waste. Having treated more than 30,000 tons since its creation, it estimates 150,000 tons of PV modules will reach the end of their lifecycle by 2030.

The Estrella Solar project will be completed in June 2018 and will be realized thanks to an investment of US$8 million.

Income from solar power generation would be used to provide additional funds for two social security programs endangered by the Fund’s precarious financial situation.

The Sol Real project is the largest PV plant built in the Central American country to date.

With seven large-scale PV projects connected to the grid last year, Panama has reached a cumulative PV capacity of 89 MW.