As we closed out the first quarter of 2022, the energy storage industry continued to show stunning growth. When scrolling through the news, reading studies, and attending events, one can’t help but notice how critical battery energy storage is to a myriad of markets and industries. As innovative technologies emerge at a breakneck pace, they reveal three key trends in both market priorities and the sector’s current and future direction.

Vitaliy Daviy is the CEO of emerging markets focussed cleantech organization IB Centre Inc. and holds an optimistic view of Ukraine’s sector after the war. According to him, the country has the keys to energy independence and security.

On Feb. 10 in Belfort, President Emanuel Macron announced his vision for the French global energy industry to 2050. He reaffirmed France’s desire to massively develop renewable energies as intermittent sources on top of the baseload provided by the nuclear industry whose revitalization has already made headlines since. Macron claimed they are “the only means to meet [our immediate energy needs] in a profitable and competitive way”. By 2050, the capacity of the French solar park should be multiplied by more than 10 to exceed 100GWp, while the onshore wind capacity could double to reach 37GW. Offshore wind power should also experience a real take-off as France aims to develop and build 40GW over the same period.

As the world woke up to the news of war in Ukraine, the German Bundestag called a special session at which the finance minister, Christian Lindner, announced a package of measures in response to the crisis. A key plank, he said, would be a new focus on renewables.

This year International Women’s Day focuses on #BreakingTheBias and celebrating women’s achievements and increasing visibility in schools, universities, communities, and workplaces. One of the sectors where the participation of women needs a boost is the energy sector, says Evrydiki Fekka, Head of Lithium Batteries Product Management at Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems. In this article, she argues that women are key to unlocking a greener future for our energy needs.

The clean power numbers published annually by the International Renewable Energy Agency provide a snapshot of the global solar market and, this year, a lot of figures were unchanged from the previous dataset, especially in the off-grid segment.

Covid-19 has left Shunfeng International’s accountants unable to publish its official 2021 numbers on time, but its estimated figures announced a net current liability of almost $155 million and a “capital deficiency” of near $140 million.

Polysilicon maker Xinte is forging ahead with a huge expansion strategy just as solar developers at the opposite end of the industry continue to bleed cash.

Lack of locally-denominated finance, and of sufficiently long-term loans, are well established hurdles to the development of photovoltaics in Africa.

A decade on from energy rationing, head of state Sheikh Hasina is poised to announce the achievement of an historic goal which has been made possible with the help of off-grid photovoltaics.

ACE Green Recycling has announced plans to build a new plant in Texas to recycle both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

Subsidies for PV projects are a divisive topic in European countries. Mistakes of the past hang over fresh decision-making processes. Experts argue that changing market conditions are making even months-old schemes too generous, while missing the real issues.

Intersolar 2022 has provided FoxESS the ideal opportunity to showcase its all-in-one storage system, the sleek and compact design of which allows for advanced performance, ease of installation and suitability to both indoor and outdoor settings.

Meanwhile, Trina Solar has established a new branch for upstream operations and Longi has a officially changed its company name.

The Lebanese government has approved 11 licenses for 165 MW of PV capacity. The licenses are part of a 180 MW solar tender that the country initiated in January 2017.

DNV is spearheading two joint industry projects that aim to develop reference standards for the design, development, and operation of floating PV systems. Such standards are still largely lacking, potentially leading to delays and obstacles in permitting and authorization.

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell University, and Wuhan University have presented a completely precious metal–free alkaline fuel cell with enhanced performance using a carbon-coated nickel anode. Meanwhile, the Port of Rotterdam has offered to supply northwestern Europe with 4.6 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030. According to RMI, Europe will import green hydrogen between 2024 and 2030. RenewableUK sees room for hydrogen exports from the UK to the EU.

All the products rely on the company’s 210 rectangular silicon wafer (G12R) cell technology. The manufacturer claims these new products can increase the installed capacity of residential roofs by 5-7%. The largest panel is a 21.5%-efficient device with a power output of up to 580 W and the smallest features an efficiency of up to 21.3% and a nominal power of up to 425 W.

The lithium iron phosphate battery is sold with a storage capacity ranging between 7.1 kWh and 21.31 kWh, a voltage of 192 V to 576 V, and a nominal capacity of 37 Ah.

New Zealand’s transition to renewable energy has received a boost, as German investment manager Aquila Capital is teaming with renewable asset developer Far North Solar Farm to start construction on a 1 GW portfolio of large-scale PV projects.

Follow pv magazine live for the final day of Intersolar Europe 2022 to make sure you stay abreast of the latest news, analysis, techs and trends.

Meyer Burger CEO Gunter Erfurt spoke with pv magazine at Intersolar 2022 about its paXos-designed solar tile technology, and why the Swiss company won’t make the same mistakes as Tesla when it comes to the European market.

Germany’s paXos, whose solar roof tiles were bought by Meyer Burger and unveiled last year, has shown off its new “Beaver Tail” terracotta solar tiles at Intersolar 2022.

The University of New South Wales and the University of Newcastle have revealed plans to join forces to develop and commercialize “world-leading” technology in solar, renewable hydrogen, storage and green metals.

Schneider Electric and AutoGrid are partners on a fully integrated distribution management system and a distributed energy resources management system (DERMS).

Hanwha Q Cells plans to build a 1.4 GW solar panel factory at an undisclosed location in the United States. It has also announced plans to expand its cell capacity to 5.4 GW in South Korea. CEO Justin Lee spoke to reporters at the Smarter E event about the company’s plans and current supply chain issues.

The pv magazine team spent the first day of Intersolar walking the 132,000 m2 across 12 exhibition halls to meet with the established market leaders, the new kids on the block, and the industry’s analysts to bring you the latest PV and energy storage trends from the ground. Overall, 1,356 exhibitors are showcasing their innovative products, services, and business models, while more than 50,000 visitors are expected at the three-day show.

Gamesa Electric’s new Proteus PV inverter represents an upgrade over the previous Gamesa Electric 3X series. It has an output of up to 4,700 kVA and is compatible with DC/ESS interfaces for the connection of storage energy systems.

REC’s new heterojunction solar panel series features efficiencies of up to 22.3% and an operating temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius.

As part of The smarter E Europe show, Intersolar Europe 2022 will open its doors to the solar industry between May 11 and 13, in Munich, Germany. Once again, the pv magazine team will be on hand to report on the latest solar PV and energy storage product developments, technological trends, and insider gossip via our live blog. Stay tuned for our updates over the next three days!

IKEA and SunPower have agreed to launched a new partnership in California in the fall.

Weco’s new 5.3 kWh battery can be used as a wall solution or in a stackable configuration. Up to 15 modules can be stacked without additional components, thanks to a special casing.

UL’s new HOMER Front software is designed for standalone use, or hybrid solar and wind-plus-storage applications, with the aim of maximizing revenue streams.

Spain’s Ingeteam will supply a 70 MW/340 MWh facility based on almost 60 lithium-ion containers to provide storage services to the grid.

The IP65-rated battery reportedly has a depth of discharge of 95% and is able to operate for over 6,000 cycles. It measures 578 mm x 165 mm x 395 mm and weighs 45 kg.