Emiliano Bellini
Ukrainian region of Kherson to host 35 MW solar plant
The Kherson Oblast, Ukraine’s southernmost region, will host a 35 MW PV plant. The region could also see the installation of around 250 MW of PV power this year, according to local authorities.
Scatec Solar releases solid 2016 financial results
The Norwegian solar developer saw a significant increase in revenue in 2016. Project backlog also increased to 731 MW. Last year, Scatec secured 309 MW in new projects in Malaysia, Mozambique and Brazil.
Centrotherm’s order intake rose 55% in 2016
The German PV equipment manufacturer saw its order intake grow by 55% to €141.8 million (US$152.3 million) last year. The solar division was able to increase its turnover by 31%.
Ghana’s new government relaunches solar program
The Ghanaian government has resumed plans to promote large-scale solar and wind projects, as well as distributed generation, in order to solve a crisis in Ghana’s power system. Competitive bidding for power capacity procurement will be introduced in the frame of a reviewed Renewable Energy Act.
Lebanon approves plan to install 180 MW of solar
Lebanon has approved a plan to promote the development of solar and renewable energy in the country. The plan aims at deploying 180 MW of PV capacity by 2020. The first auction for utility-scale solar projects was launched in mid-February.
Vattenfall to invest $226 million in solar and storage over next two years
The Swedish power utility announced a plan to invest heavily in renewable energies over the next two years. The company said investments in solar and storage will reach 2 billion SEK ($226.3 million).
Sweden allocates $25.6 million for solar rebates in 2017
The Swedish Energy Agency Energimyndigheten has allocated 225 million SEK ($25.6 million) for the support of solar energy in 2017. The funds will be used for the country’s solar rebate program.
Strategic siting can boost solar development in Africa, says Berkeley Lab
A report from U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) assesses the wind and solar potential of Africa. According to the study, the two technologies can play a major role in the energy economy of the continent, especially if strategic siting and international interconnections are implemented.
French energy regulator publishes tender for commercial PV projects for self-consumption
The French Energy Regulatory Authority has published the tender for the installation of renewable energy and PV projects for self-consumption ranging in size from 100 kW to 500 kW. Through the tender the French government aims to allocate 450 MW of renewable energy capacity over the next three years.
Eurotron’s sister company opens testing facility for back-contact solar in the Netherlands
Eurolab, a sister company of Netherlands-based equipment provider Eurotron, has opened a new testing facility for back-contact PV modules. The laboratory will facilitate pre-production of back-contact solar panels, R&D projects, and small-scale production for solar challenge teams
