The impact of energy storage, pumped heat storage on global energy
With the percentage of renewables in the global energy mix increasing, and global energy demand projected to increase by 30% over the next two decades, energy storage is more important now than ever. But what are the main technologies for energy storage, and how will these technologies affect global energy? Gabriel Hurtado González, Energy Solutions Manager at Mitie, and Sasaenia Paul Oluwabunmi, Operations Officer at the OPEC Fund for International Development answer this pertinent question.
Shuangdeng Group wins Afghanistan’s tender for 40 MW hybrid solar project
The Chinese provider of storage and back-up power systems has been awarded the $59.7 million contract to build the facility, which will be located at an industrial area in the Nangarhar province. The tender had been issued in September 2017.
T Plus begins work on two solar facilities totaling 105 MW in Russia
The two solar plants, both located in the region of Orenburg, are scheduled for completion by early 2019.
Brazil now has 250 MW of solar under net metering
According to data from Brazilian association ABSOLAR, Brazil currently has 27,803 solar PV systems connected to the grid, which benefit 32,924 consumer units and total more than BRL 1.9 billion (around $515 million) in accumulated investments since 2012.
Water-stressed countries should resort to solar, World Resources Institute says
Unlike traditional power generation, wind and solar require zero, or a mimimum amount of, water for the operations of their respective technologies. This may help most Middle Eastern and North African countries solve their chronich water supply issues, as well as several more African, Asian, American and European countries.
Spain’s oil giant Repsol turns to renewables
Repsol President Antonio Brufau has ratified the company’s commitment to fighting climate change, while acknowledging the high levels of competitiveness achieved by the renewable energy technologies. In Repsol’s view, however, gas is still considered one of the main pillars of the energy transition, said to ensure a safer power supply than intermittent renewables.
Angola plans to join Scaling Solar program
The Angolan government has invited representatives of the World Bank, which runs the program, to discuss ways of increasing the share of solar energy in the African country in the period up to 2022. Several sites for the construction of solar parks have already been identified.
Italy: New Q1 PV additions total 89 MW, Sicily introduces moratorium on large-scale solar
The residential and commercial segments keep driving solar demand in the country. Meanwhile, the government of Sicily has decided to suspend all new permits for big solar parks, in order to verify their potential negative impact on the island’s landscape.
IBC Solar realises its largest stand-alone project in India
For the German PV-company the solar farm of 27 MW is its first in East-India. For the project IBC solar secured a tender for a PPA with a duration of 25 years.
India announces new policy for wind-solar hybrid systems
India has unveiled a national wind-solar hybrid policy that provides a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV systems for optimal and efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land, reducing the variability in renewable power generation and thus achieving better grid stability.
