Utility solar systems in the US offer significant cost and environmental benefits over rooftop residential PV systems due to higher electric output and economies of scale, research suggests.
Developer Sky Solar has announced that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved US$55.7 million loan to finance the construction, operation and maintenance of six PV plants and their connected facilities in Uruguay. The China Co-Financing Fund and the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector, both led by IDB, will also offer additional loans of US$19.3 million and US$10 million, respectively.
Griguol Impianti Elettrici is at an advanced stage of constructing the world’s largest bifacial PV system ‘La Hormiga’ at 2.5MWp in Chile, using technology from Italy-based module manufacturer MegaCell, which is part of Mega Group.
The revised US trade duties on Chinese solar panels have created further ambiguity with SolarWorld welcoming the changes, even though the world’s top two producers appear to have benefitted from the changes.
Renewables including solar are expected to account for 26% of total microgrid capacity in the US by 2020, up from just 6% today, according to GTM Research’s latest report.
The US Department of Commerce has reviewed its final anti-dumping (AD) and anti-subsidy (AS) rates on Chinese solar firms with most tier-one firms having their rates cut.
Solar developer First Solar has agreed to sell power at US$0.0387/kWh, thought to be the lowest electricity price ever, from a 100MW solar plant to utility NV Energy, according to a filing with the Public utilities Commission of Nevada.
8minutenergy Renewables and D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) have started construction on the 137MW Springbok 1 Solar Farm, which will be developed 112 kilometres north of Los Angeles in Kern County, California.
A senior advisor to US president Barack Obama is expected to officially announce on Tuesday a number of measures aimed at making rooftop solar accessible for low income families, according to various reports.
