Europe

Berlin-based greentech startup Zolar has raised an additional €10 million (US$11.9 million) in an investment round led by Energy Impact Partners, bringing its series B funding to €35 million.

A round-up of the latest solar project news from around the world, including updates from R.Power, Grenergy Renovables and Duke Energy Florida.

Polysilicon provider Wacker witnessed a sales recovery in the second half of 2020, but ongoing cost reductions coupled with weak first half demand led to polysilicon plant utilisation rates averaging 85%.

Among the three n-type options (n-PERT/TOPCon, IBC, HJT), there is a growing belief that the smart money will be on heterojunction.

Spain’s government and the EU will provide funding to support the development of 65 new solar projects in the Canary Islands by the end of next year.

Oil group Eni and Italian state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) have created a joint venture (JV) that will invest more than €800 million in Italy’s renewables sector by 2025.

French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen is aiming to more than double its renewable power capacity in the next four years.

Meyer Burger has accelerated plans to target the US high-end residential rooftop market with its heterojunction (HJ) PV modules.

German utility RWE has selected the site of a biomass and coal-fired power plant in the Netherlands for its first floating solar project, which will have a capacity of 6.1MWp and be commissioned by the end of 2021.

Total has signed a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) with telecoms operator Orange that will allow for the development for 12 solar projects in France.