China auction allocates subsidies for 22.7 GW of solar with lowest bid of $0.0407/kWh
China’s National Energy Administration has given the greenlight to 3,921 ground-mounted and distributed generation projects. The approved energy price bids ranged from $0.0407 to $0.080, depending on system size, for an average price of $0.048.
Global renewables investment fell in the first half of this year
While Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and Brazil attracted more funds than last year, China’s transition to an auction-based procurement system and slow performance overall in Europe saw worldwide backing decrease. BloombergNEF does expect investments to ramp up in the second half, however.
Genex’s Kidston pumped hydro project lands $610 million federal loan
Australia’s first large-scale project to use pumped hydro to store solar generated power, the Kidston facility in north Queensland, has landed a $610 million loan from the Federal Government’s the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).
High voltage interconnection in place, installation set to get underway at WA’s largest PV project
Chinese PV module maker and project developerRisen Energyis pushing its 132 MW Merredin Solar Farm in WA’s Central Wheatbelt towards full scale installation. The company is hungry to meet its ambitious goal to develop 2 GW of large-scale solar PV projects in Australia.
Grid data transparency vital to making the case for renewables in Vietnam
With a glut of solar capacity having come online this year, cheaper financing would help keep some of that momentum but policymakers cannot be persuaded of the economic benefits of clean energy unless state-owned utility EVN opens up.
IHS Markit: Global EPC market grew 34% last year
China’s slowdown in installations last year was more than made up for by expansion elsewhere, according to IHS Markit. The news comes amid increasing market fragmentation – with the biggest engineering, procurement and construction business boasting less than 3% market share – and internationalization, with almost half of the top 15 companies operating across more than one region.
Vietnam overtakes Australia in commissioned utility PV following June FiT rush
Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy has placed Australian and Vietnamese solar markets side by side and found the Southeast Asian country has left Australia behind in terms of commissioned utility-scale PV capacity. A staggering 4,460 MW of connected PV capacity in Vietnam at the end of June came as a surprise to many.
Council approval for 81 MW Atherton Solar Farm in Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland is looking set for another large-scale solar farm as the Tablelands Regional Council approved the development of a 81 MW solar PV facility near the town of Tolga in the Atherton Tablelands.
South Australia gives 500 MW solar farm coupled with 250 MW battery go-ahead
One of Australia’s largest utility-scale solar arrays and the biggest energy storage facilities was given a tick of approval.
Under new asset management — Australia’s utility-scale solar farms
Year two of Australia’s utility-scale solar boom and the first wave of defects liability periods is rolling to an end, providing new opportunities for long-term maintenance and optimisation of plant performance. This week the Smart Energy Council and SolarPlaza raised a conference in the name of Solar Asset Management, to help address risks and responsibilities for these and future solar farming.
