Markets & Finance

According to figures released by China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), a combined total of 5.04GW of new solar capacity was grid connected in the first quarter of 2015.

Australian utility company AGL has called on the country’s regional and local government to “set both binding and aspirational medium and long-term emission reduction targets”, while outlining its own commitments to carbon reduction.

SunEdison’s rural electrification business, which aims to give 20 million people access to electricity, will be headed up by Cathy Zoi.

Solar developer Solairedirect has been valued at €386 million (US$414 million) after it announced its indicative share price range ahead of its forthcoming IPO.

Bundling a number of solar power generation assets into one investment fund through so-called ‘yieldcos’ is lowering the cost of renewables, while the yieldco market itself is expected to experience substantial growth in the next few years, an investment banker has said.

Six PV projects totalling 415MW have been selected under the fourth round of South Africa’s national renewable energy procurement programme.

Solar cell and module manufacturer Suniva announced that it is powering a PV project with battery storage from Vermont-based utility Green Mountain Power (GMP.)

International downstream PV firm Conergy and developer Holocene have jointly reached financial close on a 28MW portfolio of PV projects in North Carolina.

French developer EDF Energies Nouvelles and Japanese industrial conglomerate Marubeni have entered Chile’s solar market with a 146MW project.

NRG Energy and its yieldco NRG Yield have formed a partnership to invest in residential solar leases.