Nigeria’s solar workforce can help the world to net zero
With a rising chorus of voices calling for more solar industry recruits to perform the energy transition, Nigeria already has a skilled base of PV engineers and, with a little help filling the few gaps they have in their knowledge, the nation can step into the breach immediately, as Testimony Gabe-Oji, chief technology officer for Abuja-based installer Green Energy Spectrum, explains.
Renewables system with 76% share of PV could halve Indian electricity costs by 2050
A new study by Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology and Wärtsilä explores the feasibility of a net-zero power system in India by 2050. It shows that an all-renewables system paired with flexible generation tech could improve the affordability of electricity, while ensuring the reliability of system operations.
Zola Electric wants to solve the world’s energy inequality
pv magazine has spoken to Bill Lenihan, CEO of Netherlands-based energy system installer start-up Zola Electric – formerly Off Grid Electric – to find out how the business intends to spend the $90 million debt and equity investment it recently raised.
US developer lands $1.75m deal for Nigerian mini-grids
Former start-up Husk, which originally based its business on renewables powered by rice industry waste products, has agreed to develop seven solar-plus-storage mini-grids across rural communities in Nasarawa state.
PV-powered autonomous sea access for people with disabilities
Greek startup Tobea has developed a PV-powered platform for people with disabilities. The system consists of a fixed-track mechanism in which a moving chair can be shifted in and out of the water. It can be powered by conventional modules and relies on a battery supplied by a Greek manufacturer.
International group offers $68m loans for struggling off-grid clean energy distributors
‘More than 90’ suppliers of appliances such as solar lanterns and home solar panels, as well as mini-grid installers, will be offered low-interest credit by an assortment of government-backed and privately-financed entities.
‘The chance to reset with a green recovery has now been lost’
Norwegian consultancy DNV today published the latest of its annual surveys of the state of the energy transition and lamented the fact so very little has been achieved during the last five years. We are forging ahead into a world that will be 2.3C hotter this century, predicts the report.
Bangladesh prepares fresh $50m solar home system roll-out
A government spending committee has approved the deployment of 80,000 home solar panels in the mountainous districts of Chittagong.
Bringing water to 273 farmers with just 90 kW of solar pumps
Two solar water pumps installed by the Philippines’ National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will cover a total area of more than 500 hectares.
Europe had just 650 MW of solar cell manufacturing capacity at the end of 2020
The latest update to the Photovoltaics Report produced by research organization the Fraunhofer ISE has offered up the usual slew of interesting stats on the state of solar across the continent.
