Africa & Middle East

Around 20 bidders have entered the frame for the latest 800MW phase of Dubai’s flagship solar project, according to the Middle East Solar Industry Association.

Leading cell technologists from all of the big-six Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) suppliers (Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q-Cells, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Trina Solar and Yingli Green) have now been confirmed as speakers at PV Tech’s inaugural solar cell conference, PVCellTech, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 16-17 March 2016.

Investment firm CrossBoundary Energy announced the first close of CrossBoundary Energy Fund I — Africa’s first dedicated fund for commercial and industrial solar.

Enel Green Power is partnering up with mini-grid technology solutions provider and developer Powerhive to construct and operate mini-grids in 100 villages located across Kenya.

The chairman and secretary-general of the new Global Solar Council speak exclusively to PV Tech ahead of its launch in Paris this weekend.

Search engine and information tech giant Google has purchased the output of renewable energy generation facilities totalling 841MW across several global territories.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has allocated up to US$500 million in support of Egypt’s solar energy programme in 2016.

The UK branch of Swiss PV manufacturer Luxra claims to have lined up a 300MW PV pipeline in Nigeria.

Dust and sand on PV arrays in the desert can have a negative impact on module performance, but so too can the automated solutions available to clean them.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and a Saudi Arabian prince are among the names signed up to support the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, an initiative launched as COP21 climate talks begin today in Paris.