Solar PV

In the latest edition of its long-term renewable energy outlook, IRENA calls for at least six-fold deployment of renewables by 2050, compared to the levels set out in current plans. Investment in low-carbon technologies needs to grow by around 30% to US$120 trillion to enable the energy transition and avoid escalating stranded assets, the report finds.

Coming hot on the heels of its Sky report, which envisaged a very strong role for renewables, particularly solar, well before 2050, the Anglo-Dutch company has now released a new report on a strategy for the energy transition, seeking to reshape itself and contribute to society’s shift away from fossil fuels towards the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

With its growing population and rapidly increasing energy needs, Pakistan’s energy security is undermined by the overriding share of imported fossil fuels in its energy mix. But, by turning to its untapped, tremendous solar, wind and biomass potential, the South Asian country could spur social and economic development, while improving energy access, says IRENA.

The Indian-headquartered EPC has set a June 2019 deadline for its plans to install 300 MW of new solar PV capacity in Vietnam, a market that is poised to boom over the next few years.

The U.K. investment firm will sell power to Sardinia-based power provider, Ego. The five solar plants will be located near Cagliari and are expected to be operational in the third quarter of this year.

What has been termed the continent’s first utility-scale floating solar PV tender has been announced. Bids are being invited to install a 4 MW plant in the Seychelles.

Global solar PV inverter shipment are expected to increase just 2% this year, to just over 100 GWac, GTM Research’s Scott Moskowitz tells pv magazine. He further reveals that Huawei knocked SMA off the top revenue spot in 2017, for the first time.

Manz AG today reported a fire at its Taiwan production site. A spokesperson confirmed that its solar PV operations were not affected. No one was injured in the incident, although the amount of damage is still to be determined.

Turkey has identified a number of regions set to host the next phase of its solar PV deployment, which is expected to comprise mainly large-scale systems.

A new report drafted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre shows that global solar energy investments overshadowed all other forms of electricity generation in 2017. China is leading the pack of the world’s largest renewables investors, followed by Australia, Mexico and Sweden.