PV plant

Complexul Energetic Oltenia, a Romanian coal-fired power producer, plans to build 310 MW of PV capacity across four sites at one of its facilities. The projects are part of the company’s restructuring efforts and decarbonization plan.

The International Water Management Institute is promoting the Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) initiative to expand the use of solar irrigation systems throughout Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Proponents of solar irrigation pumps say that they can have a strong positive impact on groundwater.

German contractor Belectric has deployed a 480 kW array on a reservoir near the Mishmar HaEmek kibbutz in northern Israel.

U.S. researchers have investigated whether energy storage deployment could actually drive up greenhouse gas emissions in the short term in some energy markets. The fact the existing literature considers only the dispatch of energy from storage facilities in the current fossil fuel-renewables energy mix, though, could understate the long-term emissions reduction benefits of such facilities.

French oil and gas company Total is planning to install nearly 500 MW of solar generation capacity on farmland by 2025. The power company will work with French seed and agricultural supply company inVivo group to install agrivoltaic systems.

Coal producer SESM is planning a 10 MW off-grid hybrid solar plant in South Sumatra. A palm oil producer will buy the solar electricity generated under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

French developer Voltalia has contracted to supply solar power to Brazilian thermoplastic resin company Braskem. The solar plant which will generate the electricity is planned as an expansion of two facilities allocated by the Brazilian government in a public renewable energy auction.

It is not clear whether panels will line the Rijksweg 59 highway or be sited next to a stretch of it. UK oil giant Shell is planning the installation as part of a renewables cluster to also feature wind power.

The commune of Châteauneuf-du-Rhône, in the French department of Drôme, has signaled its approval of a floating PV project submitted by the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône which still requires a permit from the planning authorities.

The 15-year payments will come into force when new renewables FITs are published in the country’s official journal within the next few days. The government wants to allocate 15 MW of solar facilities ranging in size from 10 kW to 1 MW through the scheme, with larger projects having to compete in auctions.