Mark Hutchins
More subsidy free solar + storage for the UK
Local authority West Sussex County Council has commissioned the 7.4 MW Westhampnett Solar Farm, co-located with a 4.4 MW lithium-ion battery. The project was built without government subsidy, according to the council, and is expected to deliver significant income over its 25-year lifetime.
Petroleum Development Oman awards contract for 100 MW PV plant
State owned oil company Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded an independent power producer contract for a 100 MW solar project to a consortium led by Japanese conglomerate Marubeni. Once constructed, the plant will power PDO’s operations in Oman under a 23-year PPA.
QWAY to develop 500 MW of renewables in Angola
Belgian developer QWAY energy has announced plans for 500 MW of renewable energy capacity in Angola, up to 300 MW of which it says will be solar PV. The company has signed a contract for the projects with Angola based company Thueia.
Electricity and hydrogen, from one cell
Scientists at the United States Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory have created a hybrid device which can produce both hydrogen via water splitting and electricity via photovoltaics.
Juwi signs contract for third project in Vietnam
German renewables developer Juwi has signed a contract to provide EPC services for a 50 MW project located near to the coast in central Vietnam’s Binh Dinh province. This project brings Juwi’s pipeline in the Southeast Asian country to 130 MW.
Risk of a ‘bridge to nowhere’ effect in Africa’s electrification
A report from the United States’ Rocky Mountain Institute finds more work is needed on the demand side for microgrids and other rural electrification projects in Africa. Such projects, says the report, often focus on building generation capacity, with little consideration for the ability of end users to make good use of energy.
Azure Power raises $400 million in debt and equity
Azure Power has raised the capital since June 30th, and says it is “the largest amount of financing raised by a solar power company in India during this period”. Azure says the fund leaves it well positioned to deliver a 2 GW project pipeline.
GCL Poly expands capacity of new polysilicon factory
Chinese polysilicon producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings yesterday announced plans to increase the production capacity of its new factory, currently under construction in Xinjiang, China, to 60,000 metric tonnes (MT) per year. Accordingly, the company expects total investment in the project to increase to around $862 million.
EDF takes 50% stake in BBOXX Togo
French energy giant EDF has acquired a 50% stake in off-grid developer BBOXX’s operation in Togo. The two will work together to boost access to electricity in the West African country, according to EDF, and the partnership is the first step, with plans to extend cooperation to more countries in Africa.
REC Silicon posts loss for second quarter running amid poly market slump
The Norwegian polysilicon producer posted an EBITDA loss of $6.1 million for the third quarter of 2018, as it continues to struggle with low demand and prices. Revenue for the company’s solar materials segment fell almost 70% on the previous quarter.
