Emiliano Bellini
EU Energy Committee’s proposal to upgrade 2030 RE target to 35% welcomed
The European Parliament has proposed both an upgraded, binding RE target of 35%, and plans to reduce energy consumption by 40% by 2030. The two resolutions, along with other provisions to remove fees or taxes on self-consumption, now have to be approved in January. SolarPower Europe has welcomed the news, saying the move will boost jobs and investment.
Brazil’s BNDES offers new financing conditions for projects in upcoming auction
The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) has changed its loan committments, and will now cover 80% of the financing of all competing technologies, compared to the previous auctions, where this percentage was granted solely to solar. As in the previous auctions, financing will only be allocated to projects using locally-manufactured equipment.
Burkina Faso commissions 33 MW PV plant
The country’s largest solar facility was officially inaugurated in the presence of French president Emmanuel Macron. The project was financed by France’s Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union.
Netherland’s Ballast Nedam expands into large-scale solar business
The Dutch construction group is currently developing four PV plants with a combined capacity of 50 MW in the Netherlands.
Danish Energy Agency releases draft plan for joint wind and solar auctions
The introduction of similar auctions was proposed by the government in the summer, and backed by the Danish People’s Party in September.
Wagner Solar, Ino Solar partner on 25 MW PV park in Turkey
The solar facility, located closed to Gaziantep in the south of the country, consists of 25 unlicensed sub-units of 1 MW each.
Portuguese government backpedals on tax for renewables
The leading party of Portugal’s left-wing government coalition, the Socialist Party, said that the extension of the CESE tax to renewables would have hindered the further development of clean energy across the country.
Portuguese Parliament says renewables are not exempt from tax
The CESE tax, so far paid only by conventional energy companies, will be extended to existing RE power plants under the special tariff regime.
France deployed 484 MW of PV in first nine months of 2017
As of the end of September, the country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 7.68 GW.
ADB finances 20 MW of solar in Afghanistan with $44.7 million
The funds will be used to build a solar plant in Naghlu, in the capital Kabul’s Surobi district.
