Leading CdTe thin-film PV module manufacturer First Solar held a ground breaking ceremony on 8 June 2018 for the construction of its new 1.2GW manufacturing plant near its existing flagship facility in Perrysburg, Ohio.
Finland’s Fortum has signed an agreement to sell a 54% share of its solar power company that operates four solar plants in India, with an aggregate capacity of 185MW, to UK Climate Investments (UKCI) (40%) and Elite Alfred Berg (14%).
Major Thailand-based financier TMB Bank has issued the country’s first green bond, with the World Bank's IFC as the sole investor of the US$60 million bond, the funds of which will be used exclusively to finance climate-smart projects, particularly renewable energy.
India has approved implementation of Phase-Ill of its ‘Off-grid and Decentralised Solar PV Application Programme’, which targets an additional 118MW off-grid solar PV capacity by 2020, in street lights, study lamps and home systems.
China-based solar PV project developer and operator ReneSola is one of the first companies to publically echo the impact expected from the Chinese government’s decision to significantly curtail solar deployment, highlighting the solar module ASP decline of modules as a key benefit to downstream developers.
Pakistani financier JS Bank has partnered with local solar firm Nizam Energy on a PV module financing solution directed at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
India’s newly-formed Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) will hold a public hearing regarding the case on whether to impose Safeguard Duties on imports of solar cells and modules on 26 June in New Delhi.