The government of Afghanistan is inviting expressions of interest from developers to bid for up to 2GW of solar as part of an effort by the Central Asian country to boost its energy self-reliance and meet growing electricity demand.
The developing post-subsidy solar market in Europe has taken another step forward with the news that UK-based investor Octopus has extended five power purchase agreements in Italy with renewable energy trader EGO Group.
PV Tech caught up with Ku Junheong, senior sales director, Asia-Pacific and Middle East (APME) at China-based PV manufacturer Trina Solar, to discuss global demand profile and the rising markets of Southeast Asia.
Earlier this year, the African Development Bank announced plans to facilitate 10GW of solar across the barren, semi-arid Sahel region of Sub-Saharan Africa. PV Tech investigated how increasing human pressure on the land and the widespread cutting down of trees for wood and charcoal for fuel can be alleviated by solar PV technology.
Australia's Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has made its largest equity investment in renewable energy, with AU$100 million (US$72 million) in the Australian Renewables Income Fund (ARIF), aiming to encourage institutional investors to further expand their reach into clean energy.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will no longer finance thermal coal mining or coal-fired electricity generation and will focus instead on renewable energy as part of its new five-year decarbonisation energy strategy.
PV inverter supplier SMA Solar is to lay off 425 full-time staff and discontinue China as a location as part of a restructuring plan announced in September in order to return the company to profitability quickly.
After a solar risk mitigation plan was announced at the first International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit in March 2018, the World Bank and French development bank AFD are now working together on a scheme to help remove barriers to solar in developing countries, which is held back by perceived risk.
8minutenergy Renewables, J.P. Morgan Asset Management and an affiliate of Upper Bay Infrastructure Partner have entered into a joint venture that will provide equity capital for 8minutenergy’s 10.7GW portfolio of utility PV and storage projects.
