Africa & Middle East

Italian energy and waste management company TerniEnergia has signed a deal to develop two solar power plants with a total installed capacity of 148.5MWp in South Africa.

The new South African subsidiary of module maker Suntech could include local manufacturing, according to the company.

A former Pakistani technology minister has attacked a new tax that has left containers full of imported solar equipment reportedly stranded at ports in the Asian country.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, and governor of the city of Luxor, Tarek Saad Eddin, inaugurated two solar power plants on Saturday, according to local news reports.

European branch of AGC Glass, AGC Europe has signed a Letter of Intent to enter into a joint venture with Saudi Arabian glass company, Obeikan Glass.

Iran is planning to spend US$60 million on solar projects this year, up from US$12 million last year, according to reports.

First Solar’s 52MW PV plant in Jordan has a new partner going forward. Mitsubishi Corporation, through their subsidiary Diamond Generating Europe, Ltd., will operate a 35% equity share of the Shams Ma’an plant.

System provider, Petra Solar, and its partner, the Washington DC-based renewable infrastructure business group, Caspian Renewable Energy, have completed a 5MW installation in Bahrain.

A new joint venture targeting India’s PV-diesel hybrid market has been established between a US independent power producer and an Italian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm.

Qatar Solar Energy (QSE), which recently announced the opening of a 300MW integrated PV module manufacturing plant, will use GT Advanced Technologies' next-generation ‘HiCz 200’ continuous feeding monocrystalline puller technology, the equipment supplier has confirmed.