Projects

Major PV energy provider SunPower has said its recently launched ‘Helix’ Roof product was able to be installed by at least two and a half times faster than competing commercial rooftop systems, after consultancy DNV GL undertook a ‘Mounting System Installation Efficiency Test’ in December 2015.

Swiss developer HopSol has selected First Solar modules for a 5MW project in Namibia, south-west Africa.

Market research firm IHS remains bullish on the global solar PV market in 2016, forecasting installations to reach 69GW in 2016.

The Indian state of Odisha plans to set up solar energy projects in 198 villages as part of India’s rural electrification programme.

India’s ministry of railways has issued tender documents for 50MW of rooftop solar plants with another 100MW in the pipeline.

As another big US CSP project bites the dust having previously rejected the suggestion that it should re-apply as a PV project, John Parnell explores whether CSP, especially power towers, risk becoming the Betamax of solar energy.

Brazil’s solar energy sector will create between 60,000 and 90,000 new job opportunities up to 2018, according to the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (Absolar).

The Indian city of Chandigarh is planning on becoming the second municipality in India to make rooftop solar mandatory on all buildings.

Leading cadmium-telluride (CdTe) thin-film producer First Solar has lowered revenue guidance slightly for 2016, while solar module shipments guidance of 2.9GW to 3.0GW remains unchanged.

The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is to hold an auction for solar energy in August this year requiring a total investment of more than BRL1 billion (US$253 million), according to the state's government.