Covid-19 weekly round-up: Q Cells has given a timely boost to EU solar as the clamor grows for a green recovery
Plus, there was plenty of hope in predictions made by Norwegian institute DNV GL but U.S. households are facing hefty energy bills just as data from Delhi showed the link between industrial shutdowns and cleaner skies.
Italian solar company changes hands
The operations and maintenance and the engineering, procurement and construction arms of PV company Enerray have been sold off by troubled industrial conglomerate Gruppo Industriale Maccaferri for cash, transferring 240 MWp of Italian generation capacity to the management of rival LT Renewables.
European Council resists calls for Just Transition Fund cash to be available for gas and nuclear generation
The heads of state of the 27 EU member states agreed to resist calls from a reported eight countries to expand the nature of projects eligible for energy transition support beyond renewables.
Poland preps remote solar investment
The government is said to be working on amending its renewable energy legislation to enable people without their own roofspace to benefit from the solar boom.
Covid-19 weekly round-up: Predatory takeover fears, Ieefa takes aim at the IEA and diverse perspectives on e-mobility
Analysts appear divided on the effects the public health crisis will have on the EV market even as sales of petrol-engined SUVs soar in China. And Portugal is plowing on with its Covid-delayed national solar tender, an exercise which may help establish whether clean energy thinktank Ieefa is right to predict PV prices will continue to fall.
Court appoints administrators to oversee Yingli restructure
The Chinese solar panel making division of the debt-saddled company appears likely to be broken up after admitting creditors will take controlling stakes in its business units following the successful petition of a court in Hebei province.
Electric aircraft engines could take to the skies over Australia
Zero-emission, low-cost regional flights with just eight other sanitized folk and a disinfected pilot! Yes, Covid-19 is warping our view of the future but the successful electrically-powered maiden flight of a Cessna Caravan last week offers the potential for new modes of transport to support a wider economic recovery in Australia.
Algeria plans 4 GW of solar tenders
The government has announced a plan to deploy new PV capacity at a mega site over the next four years. Around 800 MW of capacity is expected to be tendered annually up to 2024. To be eligible, it is anticipated all modules, cables and mounting structures must have been made in Algeria.
Covid-19 weekly round-up: US job losses raise concern but France and China continued to add new solar
Cell supply shortages could kick-start manufacturing activity in India, EV car sales are braced for a fall while still gaining market share and a new date has been set for the world’s biggest solar trade show.
New 400 MW solar module factory for Germany
Production is set to start in the first quarter of next year at the planned fab in Greiz, Thuringia. The facility will manufacture 370 W panels featuring half cells, large wafers and nine busbars.
