Author: solarenergy
Sonnedix has secured €3.25 billion ($3.38 billion) through two refinancing transactions. The renewable energy producer says the transactions will play an important role in accelerating the growth of its pipeline across Europe. December 19, 2024 Patrick Jowett Renewable energy producer Sonnedix has secured €3.25 billion through two refinancing transactions. Spain’s CaixaBank arranged the first transaction, worth €750 million, to refinance Sonnedix’s 197 MW regulated asset portfolio in Spain. The deal consolidated seven financing rounds into one. Fifteen commercial lenders and institutional investors handled the second transaction, worth €2.5 billion. This refinancing covers a portfolio of 1.1 GW of renewable assets…
The approval is the latest victory in a successful year for BSR. Image: BSR British Solar Renewables (BSR) has announced that it has been granted planning permission for a new solar PV power plant in Braintree, Essex. At a recent planning meeting, Braintree Council approved the 49.9 MW Knowl Green Solar Park for an operational life of 40 years. BSR attributes its success in obtaining building permits to a rigorous community consultation process, which lasted five weeks and resulted in notable changes to the proposed development plans. These include removing specific building materials to minimize the impact of the construction…
The Ismaili Muslim community in Texas, representing the largest Ismaili presence in the United States, recently completed a significant solar project. The Ismaili Jamatkhana in San Antonio has become the first purpose-built Jamatkhana in the nation to adopt solar energy. This project is in line with Aga Khan Development Network’s goal to become net zero carbon by 2030 across all of its institutions and agencies worldwide. The installation, completed by Big Sun Solar, is a 145-kW rooftop solar system and is projected to generate approximately 206,289 kWh annually. This will not only reduce the Jamatkhana’s carbon footprint but also reinforces…
The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (PVPS) says the building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) sector faces significant challenges due to a lack of clear testing and certification procedures. It says international consensus and the harmonization of certification processes will be crucial for widespread adoption of the technology. December 19, 2024 Patrick Jowett There is an urgent need to harmonize testing and certification standards for building-integrated solar photovoltaics (BIPV), according to the latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (IEA-PVPS). The program’s Task 15 report, Advancing BIPV standardization: addressing regulatory gaps and…
Five community solar sites in Maine operated by Ampion Renewable Energy became commercially operational and began producing clean energy in November. These community solar sites, in both Versant Power and Central Maine Power utility areas, add nearly 25 MW of clean energy to the grid. The solar projects, located in Franklin, Aroostook, Penobscot and Washington counties, offer local subscribers up to 15% savings on electricity costs while supporting the generation of new, clean energy for the state of Maine. Ampion has registered 1,700 private and 70 commercial customers for these communal solar parks. Ampion will also manage ongoing billing and…
Qcells reported that it has achieved a new world record, with an efficiency of 28.6% on a full-area M10 tandem solar cell that can be scaled up for mass production. The efficiency measurement was carried out independently by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab. “The tandem cell technology developed at Qcells will accelerate the commercialization process of this technology and ultimately deliver a quantum leap in photovoltaic performance,” said Danielle Merfeld, Global CTO at Qcells. “We are committed to advancing the next generation of solar energy efficiency and will continue to invest significantly in research and development to drive progress in this area…
A Dutch renewable energy subsidy scheme saw the number of solar applications fall to 501 this year from 1,130 in 2023, as grid congestion and negative electricity prices reduced the attractiveness of investments. December 19, 2024 Patrick Jowett Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Dutch state agency that manages the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE++), says that the subsidy scheme was signed this year. The program, aimed at companies and non-profit organizations that generate sustainable energy on a large scale, was open from September 10 to October 10 and received 761 registrations. In total, companies have applied…
Leeward’s Horizon Solar project. Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) has announced the completion and commercial operation of its 200 MW Morrow Lake Solar project. The project, located in Frio County, Texas, will supply renewable energy from Microsoft under a previously announced long-term power purchase agreement. Morrow Lake Solar is the first of two solar facilities developed under the agreement with Microsoft and is LRE’s second project in Frio County, located across from the 200 MW Horizon Solar project. Morrow Lake Solar created more than 300 jobs during peak construction, including 112 local employees. The project uses thin-film modules from First Solar.…
Trina Solar has achieved a world record efficiency of 27.08% for a new n-type fully passivated heterojunction (HJT) solar cell. The Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH) has verified the result. December 19, 2024 Vincent Shaw Trina Solar has achieved a world record efficiency of 27.08% for its latest n-type fully passivated heterojunction (HJT) solar cell. The Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH) has verified the result. The record-breaking cell uses Trina Solar’s thin-film passivation technology and half-cut, phosphorus-doped n-type silicon wafers measuring 210 mm x 105 mm, produced via the Czochralski process. The company said…
The BESS project is being funded with £62 million in funding, which will be built on a three-acre plot on the south-west corner of the 4,500-acre Teesworks site. Image: Teesworks. Energy Optimization Solutions (EOS), a developer backed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, has submitted plans to build a 100MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Teesworks development on Teesside. If Redcar & Cleveland Council grants planning permission for the facility, construction is expected to take approximately twelve months. The BESS project is being funded with £62 million in funding, which will be built on a three-acre plot on the south-west…