US opens new ‘smart’ power plant
A power plant designed to balance both wind and solar energy has been completed in the US. Finnish company Wartsila wrapped up work on the 220MW Smart Power Generation plant for Portland General...
View ArticleE.ON sells Italian solar business
E.ON has sold its solar business in Italy to a private investment fund manager. The sale includes a total generating capacity of 49MW and seven ground-mounted solar power plants that were built between...
View ArticleSolar firm eyes UK rooftops for £125m investment
Solar energy company Lightsource has announced plans to invest more than £125 million in rooftop projects across the UK. It aims to deliver 120MW of installations on households, commercial buildings...
View ArticleM&S completes ‘UK’s largest rooftop solar array’
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has completed what it claims to be the largest roof-mounted solar array in the UK. More than 24,000 panels have been installed on its East Midlands distribution centre in...
View ArticleRWE buys minority stake in solar firm
German utility RWE has bought a minority stake in solar energy company Conergy. No details on the size of the stake were disclosed but the announcement is part of a larger $45 million (£30.5m) equity...
View ArticleSolar goes bananas
The shipping company responsible for handling 95% of the UK’s bananas is being powered by renewable energy. MMD Ltd, which imports more than half a million tonnes of produce every year, has a 1.16MW...
View ArticleRWE completes sale of 37MW UK solar plant
German utility RWE has completed the sale of its 37MW solar power plant in the UK. The Kencot solar farm, sold to Foresight Solar Fund, is located on a former wartime airbase around 20 miles west of...
View ArticleUK opens five new solar plants
A German company has built five new solar plants and connected them to the UK’s National Grid. They have a total capacity of 62.5MW – enough to power around 20,000 homes. The solar power plants enjoy...
View ArticleSmart grids ‘could generate €3.5bn in Netherlands’
Smart grids could save up to €3.5 billion in the Netherlands, a new survey claims. Renewable sources such as wind and solar power fluctuate due to the weather but smart grids help balance the supply...
View ArticleApple invests in solar projects in China
Apple has joined forces with solar panel maker SunPower to build two solar projects in China. They will be located in the Sichuan province and have a total capacity of 40MW – generating 80 million kWh...
View ArticleFloating solar farms open in Japan
Two “mega” floating solar power plants have been completed in Japan. Kyocera TCL Solar LLC installed the plants at the end of March at Nishihira Pond and Higashihira Pond in Kato City. They will...
View ArticleSolar lights to save 900,000 tonnes of CO2 in Africa
A charity-owned solar light company has sold a “record breaking” amount of lights in Africa, which will prevent 900,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This year SunnyMoney, which is owned by SolarAid,...
View ArticleChinese accused of solar tax evasion
European companies have accused the Chinese solar industry of tax evasion. This could mean there are hundreds of millions of euros in lost EU import duties, according to European solar industry...
View ArticleUS firm on the hunt for UK’s ‘solar savvy street’
Renewable energy firm SunEdison has launched a competition to find Britain’s “most solar savvy street”. The company is offering 10 years’ worth of solar-generated electricity to participating...
View ArticleSouth Korean solar firm adds 45MW in UK
A South Korean solar company has opened two plants in the UK with a total capacity of 45.2MW. Hanwha Q Cells has started operations at the 20.4MW Fenland Farm and the 24.8MW Green End solar plants near...
View ArticleHonolulu ordered to build $16m solar farm
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered the city of Honolulu to pay $16.1 million (£11m) for a solar project. It will also pay $875,000 (£564k) in fines after violating the federal...
View ArticleBright future for Edinburgh solar project
Community-owned solar panels are going to be installed in 25 council buildings across Edinburgh. Public buildings such as schools and leisure centres will be chosen and announced at a later date. The...
View ArticleSolar Impulse forced to land in Japan
A record-breaking attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean using a solar-powered plane has been aborted due to poor weather conditions. The pilot, Andre Borschberg, was 36 hours into what was expected to be...
View ArticleAkon to boost solar skills in Africa
African engineers and entrepreneurs will soon have the skills needed to develop solar power technologies. Senegalese-American singer Akon has launched an academy in Africa which aims to help bring...
View Article2014: Record growth for solar sector
Solar power generation hit another global record in 2014. Last year 40GW was connected worldwide, beating the previous year’s record of 38.4GW, according to SolarPower Europe’s new report. China, Japan...
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