Markets & Finance

Renewable energy developer the Juwi Group has secured a €252 million (US$336 million) loan, calling it an “act of faith” in the sector.

Austria will install a record amount of solar PV capacity this year, according to the country’s PV trade group, Photovoltaic Austria.

To manage areas of high and low irradiance and prevent project clustering, China has introduced new tariffs based on geographical location.

Distressed capital management firms, Clearwater Capital Partners and Spinnaker Capital are working with Suntech Power Holdings to prepare a major restructuring plan for the ailing PV module manufacturing, including downsizing through asset sales and a recapitalisation that could mean majority share takeover by unidentified investors.

Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry (METI), has requested an increase in the nation’s clean energy budget of 62%, partly to help relieve bottlenecks of solar power projects.

Running at near full-capacity for the first time since 2010, JA Solar’s quarterly revenue for six consecutive quarters has basically flatlined.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance has issued forecasts for the amounts of distributed PV and utility PV to be installed in China between this year and 2030.

Renewable energy technology developer Abengoa has completed construction of South Africa’s first solar tower.

JFE Engineering has been contracted to build a 21.7MW photovoltaic power plant on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido by Japanese investment management firm Sparx Group.

In an attempt to debunk recent reports from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and IHS over the timing and location of the next wave of PV equipment capital spending, NPD Solarbuzz expects the upturn to be delayed due to PV module manufacturers adopting ‘fabless’ and ‘virtual manufacturing’ strategies through to the second-half of 2014.