Three major Chinese PV manufacturers, Longi Silicon Materials, Trina Solar and Tongwei, via its polysilicon subsidiary, Sichuan Yongxiang, are to form a Joint Venture (JV) to own and operate a previously planned 5GW monocrystalline silicon ingot pulling production plant in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China, by Longi.
Mexico's SENER forecasts massive solar growth, with a 20-fold increase totalling 5.4GW by the end of 2019. In Spain, the long-anticipated renewable energy auction is given a confirmation for the first quarter of this year. Over in Chile, solar energy is being used to power the Santiago metro, through SunPower's El Pelícano project.
The wholly-owned subsidiary of ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Canadian Solar, CSI New Energy, has completed the sale of two Chinese solar plants to state-owned Shenzhen Energy for US$32.2 million.
China-based PV manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology (GCLS) has teamed with Vietnam-based OEM producer, Vina Solar Technology to establish a 600MW solar cell plant at Vina’s Bac Giang facilities.
Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) are planning to hit the Islands' goal for 100% renewables by 2045 five years ahead of schedule under a new Power Supply Improvement Plan (PSIP).
Goldman Sachs-backed rooftop solar specialist Asian Clean Capital (ACC) and SUMEC New Energy & Development are to develop a 100MW solar pipeline in China.
Even though monkeys were allegedly wreaking havoc on India’s solar rooftop systems last year, 2016 was remarkable for the Indian PV sector. With solar taking 1% the nation’s electricity share and India set to become the world’s third largest market in 2017 , Bloomberg New Energy Finance has proclaimed that ‘solar is king of Indian renewables’. Add the completion of the world’s largest solar plant to these accolades and you have a good indicator of the South Asian giant’s ambitions. Even India’s biggest oil, steel and mining companies are getting on board the solar rush.
Brazil’s solar industry will still see strong growth despite the cancellation of Brazil’s only solar and wind auction this year, representatives of ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Canadian Solar have told PV Tech.
UPDATED: The minimum import price (MIP) for solar products being sold into the EU will drop significantly in 2017, according to official correspondence seen by PV Tech.
Indian minister for energy and mines Piyush Goyal has said that the whole world laughed at India when it announced its plans to reach 100GW of solar power by 2022. Azure Power progresses on 14MW rooftop for Delhi Metro. Fonroche divests from India to focus on Latin America.
