solar energy

In the first eight months of 2018, newly installed PV capacity in Germany totaled almost 2 GW, and is already well above the previous year’s level. New residential and commercial PV systems, with a combined capacity of nearly 241 MW, have been reported to the Federal Network Agency. In October, solar incentives will drop by another 1%.

The Portuguese utility expands its renewable energy business – traditionally dominated by wind – with a new storage station in Romania and the acquisition of a start-up, which offers off-grid home solar solutions in Bangladesh.

The Chinese company said the transaction will enable a larger deployment of resources for its downstream clean energy business. The potential buyer is Asia Pacific Resources Development Investment Ltd.

At the EU PVSEC in Brussels this week, prominent representatives of the solar industry joined an appeal to rebuild a major European PV production line along the entire value chain. They called on the EU Commission and member states to introduce eco-labels and recycling criteria for solar modules, to stimulate PV expansion and align research policy with the revival of the solar industry.

The new funds will come from Brazilian development bank, BNDES and will help small businesses, individuals and communities to implement commercial solar PV and wind power projects. Financing will be granted to projects using equipment that complies with local content requirements.

Although the “solar flow battery” is currently considered too expensive by its own creators, a further improvement of its design and the use of emerging solar materials and new electrochemistry may open new opportunities for this kind of technology.

The Munich-based chemical group believes that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce may make a decision at the end of October. Wacker’s U.S. plant is still in the start-up phase following a temporary shutdown due to an explosion.

In a meeting with domestic energy associations, the Italian government has confirmed the general thrust of the draft decree for solar and renewable energies. It has also proposed changes favorable for PV linked to projects for asbestos removal and the rehabilitation of polluted or soil-degraded areas for large-scale projects selected in upcoming RE auctions. Alberto Pinori, president of Italy’s renewable energy association, Anie Rinnovabili, has praised the government’s new attitude and its agencies. He further stressed the importance of the obligation of only using new components for renewable projects, solar included, which will likely be included in the decree.

Two weeks after issuing a tender for solar up to 1 MW, the Danish Energy Agency has now launched a second tender scheduled for this year, for large-scale solar and wind projects. Selected schemes will be eligible to receieve a premium feed-in premium over a 20-year period.

The Accelerating Battery Storage for Development program is intended to leverage US$4 billion in new investments, and to support projects for utility-scale solar parks with battery storage, off-grid systems, including mini-grids, and stand-alone batteries.