commercial

On 11 March, for the first time ever, over 50% of California’s power needs were met with solar power, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Alongside finance and political considerations, customer education has been identified as a key driver of Africa’s emerging commercial and industrial (C&I) solar sector, according to market experts.

Commercial, industrial and residential solar provider SolarAfrica has installed what is claimed to be East Africa’s largest industrial solar system in Kenya.

The government of Canadian province Alberta is creating a C$36 million rebate programme for solar installations on residential and commercial buildings.

News in brief: Enel Green Power provides PV modules to power a new surgery in a Ugandan hospital, California's LA Solar Group announces new rooftop solar programme, Borrego Solar completes a new commercial PV system in San Diego, California and Hannon Armstrong secures a new US$144 million investment for more than 690MW worth of new solar projects, and more.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is to embark on several new pricing options for rooftop solar customers, following an approval by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) of the utility’s new rate plan.

US news in brief: A pair of bills expand Nebraskan community solar, Texas utility CPS Energy expands its residential and commercial solar rebate programme by US$15 million, and GRID Alternatives receives a US$2 million grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to continue expanding its work in low-income solar access.

The Filipino subsidiary of Germany’s Phoenix Solar has been awarded a contract to build four commercial rooftop PV systems, totalling 3.04MWp.

Shattering all previous quarterly results, a whopping 4,143MW of solar PV were installed in Q3 2016, at a rate of one megawatt every 32 minutes, according to new analysis by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The Canadian federal government has pledged to run all its operations on renewable energy by 2025, according to environment minister Catherine McKenna.