German energy market records 78 hours of negative prices in May
Rabot Charge’s monthly analysis shows significantly more hours with negative prices on the Germany electricity market than in April. However, the average price in daily transactions was €6.72 ($7.32)/kWh – higher than in the previous month.
Perovskite tandem PV integrator secures $4.7 million of US funds
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has provided Tandem PV with $4.7 million in funds to advance the commercialization of the company’s thin-film solar technology.
India’s NHPC launches tender for 2.4 GW of solar
NHPC has started accepting bids from developers to set up 2.4 GW of solar power projects on a build-own-operate basis anywhere in India. Bidding closes on June 29.
US startup uses agricultural waste to produce low-cost, safe batteries
US-based start-up SorbiForce uses no toxic products or metals in production of its batteries. It claims its systems are cheaper and safer than lithium-ion batteries and have near zero end-of-life waste.
High-efficiency, all-solid-state sodium-air battery achieves energy efficiency of 86%
Researchers in South Korea have successfully demonstrated the use of free ambient air as a fuel leveraging a sodium-based solid electrolyte to tackle the carbonate issue that has been holding back the rollout of metal-air batteries. Their sodium-air battery cell has demonstrated high efficiency, incresed energy density, and a broad voltage range.
Romania turns on first floating PV plant
Romanian energy company TMK Hydroenergy Power has switched on the country’s first floating solar project. The facility, located on a pond in Caras Severin county, is connected to a hydropower plant.
Texas to host 300 MW of geomechanical energy storage projects
Quidnet Energy, a provider of geomechanical energy storage (GES) technology, has joined hands with distributed energy resources developer Hunt Energy Network to deliver 300 MW of storage projects in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid operating region.
Japan reports radio interference from PV systems
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says that since 2021, it has received 44 reports of unwanted radio wave emissions from solar power systems, including interference with defense facilities and emergency wireless equipment. The ministry warns that PV systems may be removed by law if they continue to cause problems.
Funding round opens for off-grid solar across West Africa
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is offering grants from $10,000 to $250,000 in the second funding round of the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP) to develop off-grid solar in 13 West African and sub-Saharan African countries. The application deadline is June 23.
IEC lays ground for flexible silicon solar module standards
In its second monthly column for pv magazine, the IEC highlights the research on flexible crystalline silicon solar cells led by researcher Zhengxin Liu, the Vice Chair of IEC Technical Committee 82, which prepares standards for solar PV energy systems.
