Patrick Jowett
Solarcentury Africa gets green light for 60 MW of merchant PV in Namibia
Solarcentury Africa and SolNam have secured a generation licence from Namibia’s Electricity Control Board (ECB) to build a 60 MWp solar project in the southern part of the country.
Philippines proposes register for PV system installers
The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) is moving ahead with plans to require solar system installers to officially register with it. The DOE says that only registered installers will be recommended to government entities seeking PV installation services.
Zambian utility launches EPC tender for 7.5 MW of solar
State-owned power utility Zesco has kicked off the first stage of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender for a 7.5 MW solar plant in Lusaka province, Zambia. The deadline for expressions of interest is Feb. 16, 2024.
Kosovo reveals shortlisted bidders for 100 MW solar tender
Kosovo has shortlisted six bidders in its first solar auction. The bidder chosen to construct the 100 MW plant will secure a lease for up to 30 years, backed by a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Kostt, the national market operator.
Greek utility secures funding for 550 MW PV plant at former coal mine
Greece’s Public Power Corp. (PPC) has secured funding for the construction of a 550 MW solar plant at a former lignite mine. The state-owned utility says that, upon completion, the plant will cover almost 2.5% of domestic electricity generation.
Best practices for end-of-life PV management
SolarPower Europe says it expects some of the European Union’s solar fleet to reach end-of-life (EoL) status within the next decade. Its new report outlines sustainable methods for handling EoL solar panels.
South African property company signs offtake deal for wind, solar, hydro
South African real estate trust Growthpoint Properties has signed an offtake deal with local electricity trader Etana Energy for 195 GWh of renewable energy. The contracted power will be sourced from wind, with a smaller component of hydro and large-scale solar capacity.
Fred. Olsen 1848 deploys floating PV pilot in Norway
Fred. Olsen has completed a 124 kW pilot project to serve as a testing ground to refine its Brizo floating solar solution. The tech is designed to address challenges posed by wave and wind loads.
Energy Vault signs gravity storage deal covering southern Africa
Under a new 10-year agreement, Gravity Energy Storage Solutions (GESSOL) has secured the rights to deploy Energy Vault’s gravity energy storage tech throughout the 16 nations of the Southern African Development Community region. Energy Vault CEO Robert Piconi says the deployments will smooth out load shedding and optimize grid performance.
Mauritania secures $289.5 million for solar projects, interconnection line
The authorities in Mauritania have obtained $289.5 million of financing for two solar projects, including a $272 million loan – the largest ever granted to the country by the African Development Bank – for a recently approved 225 kV electricity interconnection.
