December’s international climate deal in Paris offers PV a platform to become one of the world’s dominant energy sources. Now that the circus has left town, Ben Willis and John Parnell look at where the solar industry goes next to turn opportunity into reality.
The deregulated electricity market which Japan launches in April could be a long-term way for PV’s contribution to the country’s energy mix to exceed the industry and government target of 7% by 2030.
Chile’s cumulative installed solar capacity has surpassed 1GW, according to the latest figures from Chilean renewable energy research institute (CIFES).
Brazil’s energy regulator ANEEL has approved a further nine projects from its 1.5GW Reserve Energy Auction held last November, bringing the total of qualified renewable energy projects to 52 out of the 53 awarded.
The Philippines installed a total of 122MW of grid-connected solar PV in 2015, taking its tally to 144MW, up from 22MW the previous year, according to the latest figures from the Philippines Department of Energy (DOE).
Turner Renewable Energy, owned by media moghul Ted Turner, will be one of the new owners of a 20MW thin-film PV plant in the US constructed by Solar Frontier Americas.
India-based solar EPC firm Sterling & Wilson (S&W) plans to open four offices in Africa by the end of this year, having opened a new solar division in Lagos, Nigeria.
Recent reports that the US and India are close to reaching an agreement in the trade dispute over India’s local content rules for solar equipment have been refuted by a top US trade official.
