Major horizontal single-axis solar tracker firm Soltec is opening the first of its kind ‘Bifacial Tracking Evaluation Center’ (BiTEC) in Livermore, California to further scientifically evaluate the performance of bifacial PV modules and the tracking performance with single-axis trackers.

PV CellTech 2018 saw Chief Technology Officers and senior executives from the world's top solar cell manufacturers and equipment suppliers give key indications of which cell technologies will be driving the industry in the coming years.

China-based PV module materials and N-type mono and IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) bifacial module manufacturer Jolywood is partnering with European research and innovation hub centre, imec to bring to market an industrialized bifacial solar cells with an average front-side conversion efficiency up to 21.9%.

‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Solar, subsidiary of LONGi Green Energy, the leading integrated monocrystalline PV manufacturer has set a new P-type mono bifacial ‘shingled’ cell formatted module conversion efficiency record of 20.66%.

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has created a Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) compliance cell to improve enforcement of this key policy for clean energy deployment.

East coast solar received a boost as New Jersey’s governor finally put his signature on key clean energy legislation.

The Latrobe Council in Tasmania has approved the Wesley Vale Solar Farm, a 12.5MW PV project which will become Tasmania’s largest solar installation upon completion.

Chinese PV panel manufacturer Risen Energy has signed a mandate letter with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for financing for a 63MW PV project in Kazakhstan.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a roughly US$40 million project financing package for Vena Energy, formerly Equis Energy, to build four solar plants in eastern Indonesia, which are said to be the Southeast Asian country’s first utility-scale PV plants.

Voltalia has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 50MW solar project located in Kopere, Nandi county, Kenya.

NLC India commissions 300MW in Tamil Nadu, India approves MoUs on renewables cooperation with Morocco and France, Largest municipal solar project in Virginia

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) aims to support 18MW of solar energy in Mauritius and Rwanda.

Aurora Solar Technologies (AST) has launched the DM-121 and DM-321 measurement systems for heterojunction technology (HJT) cell TCO layer quality control.

Gas Natural Fenosa Renovables, the renewables subsidiary of Spanish utility Gas Natural Fenosa, has started construction on a 50MW PV project in Spain.

US energy provider Southern Power has entered into an agreement to sell a 33% minority stake in its PV portfolio to Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited for a purchase price of US$1.175 billion.

Chinese PV module producer Risen Energy has started construction on the 121MW Yarranlea solar farm project, located 50 kilometres southwest of Toowoomba, in Australia's Queensland state.

Vermont-headquartered inverter supplier Dynapower and Mumbai-based technology firm Raychem RPG have commissioned what they claim to be India’s first 1MW microgrid using solar, diesel and energy storage at a Central Electronics Limited (CEL) facility in Sahibadad, Uttar Pradesh.

Shell leads investment in battery storage manufacturer sonnen, Panama must upgrade regulatory environment says IRENA, Afghan utility adds rooftop solar.

UPDATED: Oregon-based utility Portland General Electric Company (PGE) has issued a request for proposals (RfP) seeking 100 average megawatts of renewable energy capacity.

Morgan Stanley has taken a 5.1% stake in China-based polysilicon producer Daqo new Energy, according to an SEC filing.

China-based integrated polysilicon and merchant PV manufacturer Tongwei Group has signed a major 55,000MT polysilicon supply deal with leading integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology.

EPC, O&M and energy storage development company Conti Solar has started construction on the largest landfill solar project in Ohio.

Institutional investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) has signed off on a transaction to acquire a majority stake in Invenergy Renewables, a North American privately held renewable energy company.

E.On and Google are to bring their Sunroof platform to British households in the coming weeks as the companies hope to replicate the success of the solar modelling tool in Germany, where it has been used by more than 10,000 customers.

The project can demonstrate how large amounts of solar and batteries can be integrated with microgrids.

Australian firm Carnegie Clean Energy has raised AU$5.3 million (~US$4 million) to grow its solar PV, battery storage and wave energy businesses.

Spanish firm Solarpack has been selected, via its subsidiary Ekialde Solar, to develop five solar systems with a total power of 133MW in the Indian state of Karnataka.

Consulting and EPC firm Pöyry has completed work on the 30MW Assuruá Energia Solar PV power plant — with the Brazilian installation commencing operations in the first quarter of 2018.

Philippines' AC Energy to sell coal unit stake to boost renewables, GameChange Solar bags 305MW of tracker and racking orders in Florida, T-Plus starts construction of 105MW of solar in Russia.

Softbank's JV, SB Energy has won all 200MW available in the latest solar auction in the Indian state of Karnataka with a tariff of INR 2.82/kWh (US$0.041).