German company scores $9m solar pump order in Bangladesh
Raach Solar and its Power Utility Bangladesh Ltd local partner have landed two contracts to supply more than 700 pumps in the north-western Bogra district, with the Asian Development Bank footing the bill.
Solar under net metering reaches 3.6 GW in Brazil
According to Brazilian solar association ABSolar, there are currently more than 300,000 distributed generation PV systems connected to the country’s grid.
Bangladesh net metering requirement may deter solar pump owners
The government has finally issued guidelines on how solar-powered irrigation system owners can be paid for exporting power back to the grid. However, for those who expect to have to use grid power to augment solar from time to time, there could be a sting in the tail.
Threat to US net metering
The Solar Energy Industries Association has urged the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to dismiss a petition to scrap net metering, solely on legal grounds. A filing by Solar United Neighbors, Vote Solar, and other groups makes a legal case and also rebuts the petition’s claims about net metering.
Dubai utility clamps down on net-metered commercial solar
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has published new regulations blocking ground-mounted commercial and industrial solar projects and capping rooftop installations at 2 MW.
France added 176 MW of solar in first three months of the year
Quarterly new additions were 15% lower than in the October-to-December window. The France Territoire Solaire thinktank said the lower volumes could be explained by the initial impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Zimbabwe launches smart-meter-led net metering and 500 MW solar tender
Utility the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company has offered solar power system-owning customers the chance to operate under new net metering rules. The state-owned utility has also started tendering for a total 500 MW of solar generation capacity, according to Reuters.
Covid-19 weekly briefing: Evidence abounds of renewable energy gains at the expense of fossil fuels as the clamor for a green recovery rises
Portugal set a new coal-free record because of the pandemic as Belgium and Israel moved to help the renewables industry. But there was grim news in Mexico and Turkey, and Bangladeshi clean energy firms have appealed for more assistance.
Covid-19 puts brake on Turkey’s solar sector
The energy regulator has suspended part of the licensing process for net metering applications, bringing the country’s PV sector to a halt.
Netherlands to support residential PV through net metering for the entire decade
The Dutch government is planning to reduce tariffs by 9% annually from 2023 to 2030. The plan should still ensure a reasonable payback time for homeowners willing to go solar, according to the authorities.
