Americas

The 50MW Hooper solar PV plant, designed and constructed by renewables firm SunPower, has begun commercial operations in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.

US Residential solar PV installer SolarCity has stopped operating in the US state of Nevada after the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a plan that will restrict net metering credits and boost charges against solar users in the state.

Renewable energy firm SolarCity was responsible for 34% of residential solar PV installations in the first three quarters of 2015, according to GTM Research’s ‘US PV Leaderboard: Q4 2015’.

The Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved a plan that will restrict net metering credits and boost charges against solar users.

Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, has acquired a 51% stake in the 200MW Garland PV project in California by signing an agreement with Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy.

The approval of the US investment tax credit (ITC) by lawmakers last week marks the start of “new energy paradigm”, according to an industry trade group.

Integrated PV module manufacturer Trina Solar will divide its downstream project development business to two separate entities.

Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has launched a programme encouraging consumers to generate their own power from renewable energy sources, with a particular emphasis on solar.

The expected ITC extension will open the door to utility-scale solar below four cents per kWh, according to GTM’s vice president of research Shayle Kann.

The solar investment tax credit (ITC) is set to be extended beyond 2022 with the current 30% level remaining until 2019.