Solar PV is “charging ahead” across the world as it outpaces other renewables, but far more significant action is required if a climate crisis is to be averted, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned.

Seraphim Solar has signed agreements to provide modules for two separate PV projects totalling 80MW in Vietnam, developed by a joint venture between Vietnam-based firm AMI Renewables and AC Energy of the Philippines.

The solar industry gets to grips with the bewildering array of new module technologies at the second edition of the PV ModuleTech event in Penang, Malaysia. The conference raised a huge number of questions such as how to evaluate bifacial technology and whether it might rise faster than predicted, how long p-type multicrystalline has left in the running and the perennial issue of quality, to name a few.

Indian state-run utility NTPC has issued a tender for 1.2GW of solar PV to be connected to the national grid (ISTS) through NTPC Generating Switchyards in Western Region.

Jordan's energy minister Hala Zawati has laid the foundation stone for a 52MW solar project being developed by a consortium between US-based firm AES Corporation, Japan's Mitsui and Qatar's Nebras Power, in Al-Madounah, East Amman.

Representatives from First Solar, Origis Energy and other organizations gathered together to celebrate the start of construction on what will be the largest PV project developed in Georgia.

Two community energy suppliers in California followed up an agreement to buy power from a large-scale solar-plus-storage farm with another, project developer EDF Renewables has announced.

Remote mines, cement factories and shopping malls are a major catalyst for commercial and industrial (C&I) PV in Africa. A new survey from consultancy THEnergy aims to capture the progress so far and the scale of the opportunity to come. The firm's managing director Dr Thomas Hillig explains more, including how you can help assist the work.

Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, has issued a US$1 billion in green bond in order to finance clean energy projects, including solar and energy storage plants in North and South Carolina.

French renewable energy company Voltalia has started construction of the 32MW Râ Solar project, its first solar power plant in Africa, located in the Ben Ban solar park, in Aswan region, Egypt.

Contruction of a Tesla powerpack battery at the 60MW Gannawarra solar farm in Victoria, Australia - said the be the first battery storage system that has been retrofitted to an existing solar farm in the country - has been completed ahead of schedule.

ReneSola entered into a letter of intent (LOI) to sell its 55MW of solar projects in Poland to Chroma Impact Investment, a global investor in renewable energy that focuses on large-scale solar, B2B and storage projects.

Major PV inverter manufacturer SMA Solar Technology reported third-quarter 2018 financial results that were largely impacted by cuts in utility-scale and Distributed Generation (DG) deployments in China as the 531 New Deal and US residential issues take hold.

The global energy storage market will grow to a cumulative 942GW/2,857GWh capacity by 2040, attracting US$1.2 trillion in investment, caused by sharply decreasing battery costs, according to a Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) report.

Conti Solar completes EPC work on complex landfill site, Huawei's role in post-subsidy Spain and the EBRD seeds energy efficiency gains in Albania including residential solar.

International infrastructure investor John Laing Group has closed financing on its 174.9MW Finley Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia, which is being developed by Esco Pacific.

The European Union has provided a grant of roughly €60 million to the Philippines government for the implementation of a programme that would expand access to clean electricity services and promote new energy efficiency strategies in remote areas.

SE Energy Investment Co, a UK subsidiary of Chinese equipment manufacturing conglomerate, Shanghai Electric Group, and solar developer Hive Energy have formed a joint venture to build and operate 50MW of solar PV in the Mariel Development Zone, Cuba.

PV Tech caught up with Lou Trippel, vice president of Product Management at US-based thin-film solar manufacturer and developer First Solar, to discuss how the company’s new Series 6 module has been received, sustainability gains from the transition and even the firm’s consideration of recycling capabilities beyond its thin-film remit.

PV energy asset owner-operator Lightsource BP has signed 20-year power purchase agreements with California's Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (CDEC) for a PV pipeline of 25MW in the Western US.

Leading PV microinverter supplier Enphase Energy reported lower than expected revenue for the third quarter of 2018, citing continued critical component shortages for the flat sales and shipments.

‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Trina Solar is selling its Netherlands-based solar cell manufacturing plant through an online tender sale by Troostwijk Auctions.

SMA Solar Technology is to deliver equipment including inverters to a 50MW solar project in Minbu, Myanmar.

Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) member LONGi Solar, a subsidiary of LONGi Green Energy Technology, has reported that TUV-SUD has verified its 60-cell P-type monocrystalline PERC module to have a conversion efficiency of 20.83% - yet another new industry record.

The first three renewable energy projects developed under the US$50 million United Arab Emirates-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (UAE-CREF) have broken ground in the Bahamas, Barbados and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC).

ib vogt has completed the Scaldia PV project, with the installation standing as the largest solar park in the Netherlands with a capacity of 54.5MW and more than 140,000 solar panels.

Dutch rooftop mounting manufacturer Esdec has acquired US-based EcoFasten Solar.

By adopting and modifying technology initially developed by NASA, SunSniffer is able to provide STC (Standard Test Conditions) values of each individual module, on a constant basis during pv power plant operation. This unique technology has been developed with the German Aerospace Center, which consists of software managing Big Data with artificial intelligence and high-precision measuring hardware.

The cost of solar technology is no longer a barrier to PV reaching grid parity in China, according to manufacturer LONGi.

Trade delegations from India and Taiwan have failed to reach an agreement in a dispute regarding India’s safeguard duty on solar cell and module imports from developed countries as well as China and Malaysia, according to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) filing dated 2 November.