Markets

The 125 MW solar PV plant, which will supply the power-intensive zinc refinery near Townsville, is Australia’s largest operational industrial solar project.

At US$518.4 million, the quarterly turnover of the South Korean-German manufacturer was down 10.3% year-on-year, while its net result swung from a profit of $18.7 million in the second quarter of 2017, to a loss of $41.3 million in the latest quarter. Despite this, the outlook for full fiscal 2018 remains unchanged.

The driving force behind the innovative energy storage system installed at Amsterdam’s John Cruiff ArenA in the Netherlands, The Mobility House (TMH), talks to pv magazine about the death of the combustion engine, and how electric vehicles (EVs) are presenting both strong business cases, and unparalleled levels of flexibility via decentralized intelligence – blockchain technology – for electricity grids around the world.

SIMEC Zen Energy, the Australian energy arm of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has officially launched its landmark US$1 billion (AU$1.38 billion) renewable energy initiative, announcing the details of its first project – the 280 MW Cultana Solar Farm.

According to PV Info Link, the price for monocrystalline cells in China fell below that of the usually cheaper multicrystalline products. However analysts expect it to be a blip, with multi prices expected to fall and mono to be supported by the Top Runner Program, now China’s main source of demand for the rest of 2018.

The first batch of solar panels at the 42.5 MW solar project, located next to the idled Collinsville coal-fired power station, have been switched on. The project is slated to reach full commercial operation in September.

Green Investment Group, Macquarie Capital’s global green investment platform, has announced the acquisition of a significant solar development portfolio from German-headquartered EPC Conergy. The acquisition will see 88 solar experts join the GIG team.

While the global PV market is set to record its weakest Q3 demand since 2015, the Australian market will finish the year strong across all segments. GTM Research made the finding in its latest Global Demand Monitor, noting that oversupply and falling prices will result in a decline of modules, as a percentage of total utility scale developer cost, from 34% to 28% in Australia this year.

Amid the intense discussion surrounding the National Energy Guarantee’s promise to cut power bills by $550 a year, Australia’s biggest power producer has reported its full year profit almost trebled, and its underlying profit rose by nearly a third.

As pv magazine has learnt, the Saudi energy giant lowered its offer to $0.02752/kWh at the last minute, beating the bid lodged by Spain’s Fotowatio, which offered $0.02791 per kWh.