Americas

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has approved a new community solar agreement in Tucson.

Spanish inverter specialist Power Electronics is to supply its HEC V1500 inverters for two 30MW solar projects in Brazil owned by Gas Natural Fenosa.

The theme of this week's Movers & Shakers is international expansion. PAYG off-grid solar provider Azuri Technologies is strengthening its leadership team to target West Africa, while Vancouver, Canada-based Solar Alliance Energy targets US assets and expands its sales team to accommodate for this. ABB appoints new regional heads to ensure direct market contact with Europe and the AMEA region.

Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) has capacity to add up to 2,800 rooftop solar systems to a previously oversubscribed solar programme.

The Caprock solar plant, a 25MW solar farm near Tucumcari in Quay County is now online in New Mexico.

Struggling China-based PV manufacturer Yingli Green Energy reported a full-year 2016 net loss of US$293.6 million with the majority of losses attributed to manufacturing impairment and supplier bad debt provisions incurred in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Berlin, Germany-based renewable energy firm skytron energy will be focusing on international expansion this year.

Czech solar company Solek Group announced this week that it plans to issue public bonds worth roughly US$19.9 million — which the company will use to finance part of a 70MW solar portfolio in Chile.

Enel, through its local subsidiary Enel Green Power Panamá, announced Wednesday that its 42MW Sol Real PV project has commenced commercial operation.

Global clean energy investment in the first quarter of 2017 was down 17% compared to Q1 2016, as market leaders China and the US scaled back support for wind and solar farms.