German coal mines could host 3 GW of floating PV
Research institute the Fraunhofer ISE has estimated the technical potential of floating PV at mining sites in Germany at around 56 GW. With floating projects 10-15% more costly than land-based alternatives, researchers have called for further incentives, such as the staging of ‘innovation tenders’.
Quadran International wins Seychelles tender for large-scale floating PV with bid of $0.095/kWh
The 4 MW plant will be deployed in Lagoon le Rocher on Mahé Island. Construction will likely begin in the second quarter of this year, while details of the 25-year power purchase agreement should be finalized by the end of March.
Vietnam to hold auctions for 400 MW of floating solar
Following its decision to switch from fixed feed-in tariffs to reverse auction bidding for the setting of solar incentives, the Vietnamese government has decided to devote the first two pilot auctions to floating PV. A first procurement exercise, for a project which could reach 100 MW of generation capacity, will be held this year.
The year in solar, part III: Battery breakthroughs, inverter trouble, sustainable role models and new tech
Storage has long been expected to be the handmaiden of a renewable energy world and its long awaited advances started to finally emerge in the third quarter as researchers posited R&D achievements ranging from potentially potent tungsten disulfide nanotubes to the business case for 10-year solar panels.
UK water company seeks solar power from large scale, rooftop and floating plants
Southern Water has issued a request for information about sourcing solar power through bilateral power purchase agreements. The company is considering buying electricity from generation facilities on its sites in southern England.
Sungrow secures construction contract for 35 MW plant in Bangladesh
The Chinese inverter maker’s EPC unit has tied up the deal to build the plant being developed by Spectra Solar Park in the Manikganj district.
Aquavoltaic potential in Taiwan
Scientists have developed a new mathematical model which indicates floating solar on fish farms could be a lucrative option in land-scarce Taiwan. Although floating arrays could hinder fish production, the losses would be largely compensated by electricity-related income.
Offshore PV system goes online in North Sea
The 8.5 kW pilot project, which was launched in February 2018, will soon be expanded to 50 kW. The Dutch consortium behind the installation eventually plans to expand it to 1 MW and then up to 100 MW at a later stage. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) provided financial backing for the project.
How solar could save the Mekong
A simple feasibility analysis shows the Mekong River in Cambodia would benefit from floating solar plants coupled with storage, rather than more hydro.
Tender for 50 MW of floating solar launched in Portugal
The Alqueva Dam on the Guadiana River, in southern Portugal, will host ten floating PV projects mostly financed by a €45 million Council of Europe Development Bank loan.
