Europe added 8.61 GW of solar in 2017 with Turkey taking top spot
Annual growth of 28% on 2016’s performance points to promising future as Turkey’s 1.79 GW saw the nation overtake Germany as Europe’s most dynamic solar market. Former shining star, the U.K. slinks away from top table after shrinking 54%.
UK: London backs solar with funding for 1 GW PV scheme
London has launched a £34 million Energy for Londoners scheme, which includes goal of generating 1 GW of energy from solar by 2030. Shirley Rodrigues, deputy mayor for the environment and energy, presented parts of London’s energy vision this week at the Energy Storage Connected Systems conference.
GE, Arenko form partnership to deliver 41 MW battery to UK
Large-scale battery energy storage system will be supplied by GE and tap into U.K.’s growing demand for stationary storage solutions.
Swedish government backs Northvolt battery plant to tune of €15m
The Swedish Energy Agency has granted SEK 146 million to support Northvolt Labs’ large-scale battery manufacturing plant in Västerås, Sweden. Project already secured financial backing from ABB, Vestas and Scania.
The weekend read: Five key questions facing rooftop solar in 2018
Distributed solar can arrive in many forms, from the typical small array installed on a family home, to vast, multi-megawatt installations atop large warehouses and factories. Each market sector faces its own challenges and opportunities, and pv magazine has identified five key questions that could well shape these various rooftop sectors throughout 2018 and beyond.
UK’s Faraday Institution announces further £42m for storage research
Backed by the U.K. government, the Faraday Institution’s latest program sees four consortia receive funding to conduct application-inspired research into addressing challenges in electric vehicle batteries.
Greenest year ever for UK as renewables outstrip coal by three-to-one
Analysis of the U.K.’s energy figures for 2017 show that renewables provided more power than coal on 315 days of the year, with solar a dominant player throughout the summer months.
UK government figures show 902 MW year-on-year solar growth
For the 11 months up to the end of November, the U.K. added 902 MW of solar PV capacity to reach a cumulative total of 12,642 MW, which is around 7% higher than last year.
Shell snaps up British energy firm First Utility
Acquisition of the British company by Dutch-British oil giant Shell will support growth of First Utility’s smart energy solutions and aid incorporation of battery technology and renewables, company CFO says.
Associated British Ports to scale up its solar portfolio to 28 MW
The UK’s port operator has announced plans to build a 20 MW solar array on multiple warehouses at the Port of Immingham. Custom Solar has been contracted to install solar panels.
