Israel

EDF has won an Israeli solar tender with a bid of $0.019/kWh, securing a 100 MW project to sell energy at a record price of ILS 0.07 ($0.02)/kWh.

AgRE.tech, which is developing a robotic operating system for existing photovoltaic infrastructure, has raised $2 million from EDF and Zemach Regional Industries. The company says it will soon set up commercial fields.

Agri-Light has launched its first pilot agrivoltaic project, using a two-axis solar installation on a rail system to move solar panels horizontally above a vineyard in the Negev Desert. The results are due this summer, and the company plans to build commercial projects in Israel and Spain next year.

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is expanding its presence in the Middle East and Europe via a 4 GWh long-term supply agreement with Israeli integrator BLEnergy.

Israel’s Ministry of Energy says it will exempt hybrid solar inverters from purchase tax and customs duties. It claims that these policy mechanisms will help during energy emergencies.

An international consortium led by Israel-based Al-Zahrawi Society announced the first European installations of a multi-year project to test crop-responsive PV systems combined with carbon dioxide enrichment in greenhouses.

The Israeli authorities have proposed a plan to deploy 250 MW of floating solar and agrivoltaics through four PV plants in the Negev Desert near Ramon Airport.

Scientists in Israel have tested three different PV technologies to power a greenhouse hosting 400 cucumber seedlings. Their analysis has revealed that the PV module cover on the greenhouse’s roof has a “negligible” impact on crop yield, but they also noted that the greenhouse cover’s spectral transmittance and accumulated dust may negatively affect solar module performance.

Greece has grand plans for an interconnector network that runs from the Middle East through to the heart of Europe. pv magazine examines the latest developments on the road to a Mediterranean super grid and what it might mean for the regions involved.

Wevo Energy becomes a subsidiary of SolarEdge, and together the companies plan to integrate the Wevo’s software solution into the SolarEdge ONE energy optimization system for the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment.