PV-Tech: Suzlon Acquires 5 Solar Companies

Pune-based wind turbine supplier Suzlon has announced today its acquisition of five solar firms for future project implementation in India.

The company has acquired Gale Solarfarms, Tornado Solarfarms, Abha Solarfarms, Aalok Solarfarms and Shreyas Solarfarms for an undisclosed sum, in a bid to further its renewable energy project ambitions. The acquisition spree comes on the back of a series of projects Suzlon has won in auctions since the beginning of the year.

Inside Energy: Four Insights From the New Director of NREL

The cost of wind and solar power have fallen dramatically in recent years. Still, renewables only account for a fraction of the energy produced in the United States.

That is one of the challenges facing the new director of the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado. Dr. Martin Keller took over following the retirement of Dan Arvizu late last year. Keller comes to NREL from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, where he served as Associate Laboratory Director for Energy and Environmental Sciences.

Keller, who originally hails from Germany, recently sat down to discuss his new job.

Smart Energy Decisions: Apple Has Slashed Carbon Emissions 60% Since 2011

Following Apple's splashy March  announcement that it now operates 93% of its facilities worldwide with renewable energy, the company revealed more details about its energy strategy in its 2015 corporate sustainability report.

In addition to powering its facilities with more renewable energy than ever, the company has also made strides in energy efficiency. Together, those efforts have reduced carbon emissions from Apple facilities by 64% since fiscal year 2011, according to the report.

Herald Scotland: Investors Sought for Pioneering Urban Hydro Energy Scheme

Community investors in Aberdeen will have the chance to back the construction of what is thought to be Scotland’s first urban hydro energy scheme.

The Donside Hydro renewable energy project is being developed by Aberdeen Community Energy, a community benefit society set up by members of the Donside Community Association. The project is expected to generate around £30,000 each year for community initiatives and enough electricity to power around 130 homes annually.

Bloomberg: Indian Bankers Said to Be Wary of Solar as SunEdison Totters

Indian lenders are becoming increasingly reluctant to finance solar-power projects by foreign companies as bankruptcy looms for SunEdison Inc. in the U.S., creditors familiar with the matter said.

Lenders in Asia’s No. 3 economy are hesitating as the world’s biggest renewable energy company totters and record-low Indian solar tariffs stoke concern that projects could struggle financially, the three people said, asking not to be identified citing the sensitivity of the topic.

That’s a threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of a roughly $100 billion expansion of solar power, aided by foreign investment, a target he set for energy security and to curb fossil-fuel pollution.