In the Swiss town of Neuchâtel, CSEM have developed a new technology called KALEO which allows for solar panels to be personalized with photographs. The first six panels of this kind can now be admired in the gardens of the Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise (BCN), a major sponsor of this project.
During a recent congress, German Development Minister Dr. Gerd Müller announced further support for the growth of renewable energies in Africa. He used the congress as a platform to present his new concept of a green civil energy, which is strongly based on investments by communities and cooperatives.
Spain is planning its next tender for renewable energies, which is expected to take place in July. Only photovoltaic and wind power projects will compete in the auction. Just like in the last tender, wind power will probably be awarded a large quantity of the projects again, as the Spanish government leaves the rules for the tender unchanged.
2016 was the strongest year ever for renewable energies. The growth of the PV sector consisted of a remarkable 71 GW and exceeded that of wind energy for the first time since 2013.
<< UPDATE: Meanwhile, the GST was lowered to 5% instead of 18%. >> The Indian government is planning on an 18% tax for solar cells and modules as part of the new Goods and Service Tax (GST) Bill. However, this number is considered bewildering by many and is highly discussed. The final tax might eventually be an entirely different one.
Until end of May, Czech companies can apply for funding if they are planning a PV installation with a storage option. This is meant to increase the available storage capacities, as 5 kw/h of battery storage is required for every kilowatt of PV power.
