Germany’s ‘big four’ utilities have all referred to the growing importance of renewable energy in their business models in reporting their latest financial results.
Manufacturing equipment supplier Manz, which regards solar and energy storage as two of its three key strategic business segments, claims recent restructuring is starting to pay off, reporting some positive developments in its latest financial reports.
Despite preparing investors’ expectations for flat revenues in 2016, inverter maker SMA Solar Technology has reported an increase in sales for the first quarter and exceeded management expectations by more than €10 million (US$11.4 million).
Germany’s renewable energy trade associations have spoken up collectively about their country’s plans to introduce tenders to award rights for new large-scale projects.
Microinverter maker and energy management specialist Enphase has started taking orders from installers for its AC battery for home PV systems in Australia and New Zealand, with shipments to start arriving in August 2016.
Oil and gas company Total has proposed to buy battery company Saft, which produces devices for the stationary storage industry as well as for transport and other applications.
GCL Systems Integration (GCL), the Silicon Module Super League’s newest member, has officially launched 2.5kWh and 5.6kWh energy storage systems for the Australian residential market.
Global maker of construction and mining equipment Caterpillar has launched an integrated micro-grid solution which combines solar PV and energy storage with the company’s power generation equipment.
Construction has begun on Aurora, a distributed solar project in Minnesota which in 2014 was ruled by a judge to be a better, more cost-effective investment decision than natural gas.
Tucson Electric Power (TEP), a utility in Southern Arizona with around 420,000 customers, has received approval to build two 10MW energy storage systems, including one co-located with solar, from the state’s regulator.
