Siemens Gamesa commissions 10 MW solar project for Coimbatore firm
Spanish-German renewable energy developer Siemens Gamesa provided engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) support for the 10 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar farm near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
JinkoSolar shipped 11.4 GW of PV modules in 2018
The Chinese manufacturer’s PV module shipments increased 16% to touch 11.4 GW in 2018, making it the top global supplier with market share of 12.8%.
Li-ion battery prices fall to $187/kWh
The benchmark levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for lithium-ion batteries has fallen to $187 per kilowatt-hour since the first half of 2018. The overwhelming cost improvement is making batteries paired with solar or wind projects challenge coal- and gas-fired generation for grid stability, according to BloombergNEF (BNEF).
Guidelines issued for enlistment of approved PV models and manufacturers
National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) will carry out inspections, verifications and quality checks on behalf of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
India to open bids for $5bn of new transmission line capacity
In response to feedback from the domestic renewable energy sector, the Indian government has revealed plans to launch $5 billion of tenders for new transmission lines, starting in phases from this summer.
Azure surpasses 100 MW of operating solar rooftop capacity
Independent solar power producer Azure Power’s operational rooftop capacity has a levelized weighted average tariff of Rs 5.82 (US 8.4 cents) per kWh—139% higher than the lowest solar power bid in India.
China, USA and India propel energy demand by 70%: IEA
Global energy consumption in 2018 grew by 2.3%. Electricity demand rose by 4%, nearly twice as fast as overall energy demand. China accounted for over 40% of the growth in renewable-based electricity generation, followed by Europe (25%). The United States and India together contributed another 13%.
Global solar PV tracker sales jumped over 40% in 2018: IHS Markit
Global solar PV tracker shipments exceeded 20 GW for the first time in 2018, with NEXTracker leading the market. While the Americas accounted for more than half of global PV tracker demand, the growth rate was strongest in the Middle East and North Africa.
Suzlon sells two solar arms to CLP India
Suzlon Energy sold to CLP Wind Farms its majority stakes in SE Solar and Gale Solarfarms for Rs 76.55 crore and Rs 22.54 crore, respectively. It had set up these subsidiaries, in partnership with CLP India, for a 100 MW solar project in Telangana and a 50 MW project in Maharashtra.
Innovation boosts Lithium-ion battery recycling rate to over 80%
Finnish clean-energy company Fortum has achieved the Lithium-ion battery recycling rate of over 80%—as against the current 50%—with a low-CO2 hydrometallurgical recycling process.
