Companies

News in brief: Enel Green Power provides PV modules to power a new surgery in a Ugandan hospital, California's LA Solar Group announces new rooftop solar programme, Borrego Solar completes a new commercial PV system in San Diego, California and Hannon Armstrong secures a new US$144 million investment for more than 690MW worth of new solar projects, and more.

US-based start-up WattGlass has secured a Series A round of funding led by material sciences firm, DSM that was said to support its efforts to commercialise its anti-reflective and anti-soiling coating for PV panels.

Brazil’s energy agency EPE has signed a technical cooperation agreement with Mexico’s National Energy Control Center (Cenace) to gain knowledge in renewable energy integration and other power sector challenges.

In a 76-49 vote last week, Republican legislators voted to get rid of Minnesota’s solar incentive programme that saw homeowners and businesses install thousands of panels since its inception in 2013.

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).

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).

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.