Eskom is conditionally committing to follow through with South African president Jacob Zuma’s announcement that the utility will indeed sign the remaining PPAs under the government’s renewable procurement programme (REIPPPP).
Investment confidence has rebounded in utility-scale Australian renewables with more than 20 projects under or about to start construction this year, according to analysis from the Clean Energy Council (CEC).
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems highlighted the confidence it had in a series of major new orders for high-efficiency n-type PERC and n-type bi-facial cell equipment including the first of a multi-phase 1GW turnkey project order during the reporting of its first 2017 fiscal quarter.
After 33 hours of bidding, Mahindra Renewables, Acme Solar and Solenergi Power have emerged triumphant in the 750MW solar auction in Madhya Pradesh, with the lowest price smashing records at just INR2.97/kWh (US$0.044) in year one before an annual escalation kicks in.
Integrated PV manufacturer SolarWorld is to shift its production focus to monocrystalline PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Contact) cells and modules and away from multicrystalline to build economies of scale with high-efficiency only products. With the realignment of production to mono PERC products, including bifacial modules, around 400 jobs would be lost by the end of 2019.
Jacob Zuma, the South African president, announced on Thursday that the country’s biggest utility Eskom will indeed sign the outstanding PPAs won in the fourth round of the successful Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
Oriental Renewable Solutions, a subsidiary of the Oriental Group has formed a 50:50 equity partnership with GreenWish Partners to co-develop a 50MW solar PV project in Jigawa State, Nigeria.
Thin film perovskite solar cell developer Dyesol has had an application granted by the Australian government for a AUD$2.5 million (US$1.9 million) in funding for an 18 month project to develop a large-area on glass product prototype that would coincide with the company establishing pilot line production in Australia.
This week's Movers & Shakers segment features a company rebrand, a global expansion for India's Adani and good news for US solar, which has experienced 25% jobs growth year-on-year.
