Sonnen secures €60 million investment from Shell Ventures
Germany-based PV-storage provider sonnen has closed a new funding round from a group of investors led by Shell Ventures. Sonnen has already began to draw on the funds as it continues to expand market shares in the U.S. and in Australia. Shell Ventures is now a major sonnen investor and future cooperation agreement has been agreed to.
Extension of P2P green loans program after successful first 12 months
Continuing demand and a good first year means that the CEFC and RateSetter have agreed an extension to the green loans agreement, with over 150 new installations every month.
Interview: “We played a huge role in large scale solar becoming commercially viable”
The booming large scale and rooftop PV market in 2018 is providing many reasons to be optimistic about the future of solar under the Australian sun. In reflecting on his six-year tenure as CEO at ARENA, ahead of his departure in August, Ivor Frischknecht points to the role the agency has placed in bringing down the costs of large scale solar in Australia as ARENA’s greatest achievement.
US: Rush to gas risks hundreds of billions in stranded assets
A new report by Rocky Mountain Institute finds that gas plants proposed across the United States over the next 15 years could be replaced by clean energy portfolios at a net savings, and that these projects are at risk of becoming stranded assets.
Sungrow announces residential storage market entry in Australia
Sungrow is best known for its PV inverter range – which covers the residential, C&I and power plant market segments. The Chinese inverter maker has hopes to see it gain increased traction in Australia by broadening its product portfolio in the country.
More U.S. jobs in solar than coal and nuclear combined
A new report from a think tank headed by former U.S. Energy Secretary Moniz reveals an additional 100,000 jobs with a part-time solar component, and hints at the political powerhouse that solar is becoming.
A cautionary tale: Sourcing modules in a tight market
German EPC Goldbeck Solar shares the unfortunate details of a botched module supply deal with China Sunergy. To date, Goldbeck Solar claims it is yet to receive a single module and has been let badly out of pocket.
US: Huawei and Locus to monitor residential solar power from Amazon’s cloud
The three companies are coming together to monitor Huawei’s FusionHome Smart Energy Solution. Customer data security system robustness drives move.
ARENA provides funding to seed ‘solar gardens’ for apartment dwellers, renters
Community solar arrays or ‘solar gardens’ for people who can’t install a residential rooftop PV system could become a reality in Australia, with ARENA pouring in funds to fertilize the concept.
Kokam steps forward as supplier of batteries for Alinta’s 30 MW gas/battery hybrid
Korean battery manufacturer Kokam has stepped forward as the supplier of the 30 MW/11.4 MWh electricity energy storage system installed at Alinta Energy’s Newman Power Station in North West WA. The producer says its Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide delivers advantages in high power utility and industrial applications.
