Indian state-owned utility NTPC is collaborating with two German institutions, DLR Cologne and the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy (ISE), on a number of solar research programmes.
French PV company EREN Renewable Energy and developer Access Infra Africa, a subsidiary of Access Power, have begun construction of a 10MW solar PV plant in Uganda, which will be the largest project in the Eastern region of Sub-Saharan Africa once complete.
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.
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.
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited proposals for the implementation of its Solar Cities programme, involving turning 100 small townships, industrial towns and institutions into ‘green campuses’ involving renewable energy generation.
Industry veteran Nigel Morris, chief executive at RoofJuice Australia, who has been in the solar game for more than two decades, explains how Australia reached 5GW of solar and describes some of the political challenges ahead.
