Ernst & Young ranks India, China, US as world’s most attractive solar markets
India is the top market for solar investment, according to the latest edition of Ernst & Young’s renewables attractiveness index. Spain, Germany and the United States are the top three markets for corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Photovoltaic signboard with 18.5% efficiency
Dansk Solenergi, a Danish building-integrated PV specialist, has launched a round, 95 W solar module that works as a PV signboard. Its 35 solar cells, which remain hidden behind an image of Earth, have an efficiency of 18.5%.
Floating ‘artificial leaf’ for solar-to-hydrogen production
University of Cambridge scientists have developed lightweight floating photocatalyst devices that produce green hydrogen and syngas. The leaf-like photoelectrochemical devices show potential for scalability.
Offshore wind farm in North Sea to host 5 MW floating PV plant
SolarDuck, an offshore solar developer in the Netherlands, has been chosen to build a 5 MW floating PV project with energy storage. It aims to start operations in 2026.
The economic case for heat pumps in Poland
A new Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) study shows there is a strong economic case for owning and operating heat pumps in Poland, which was Europe’s fastest-growing market in 2021. Air-to-water heat pumps cost about €8,000 ($8,210) in the country, with lifetime operating costs estimated at €12,500.
Brazilian developer working on world’s largest PV project
Brazil’s Omega Energia’s new 4.6 GW solar project is set to become the world’s largest PV installation upon completion. However, the Brazilian state of Ceará has postponed plans to grant it an environmental license until Dec. 1.
Wärtsilä releases 12.4 MW grid-balancing engine
Finland’s Wärtsilä has unveiled its next-generation grid balancing technology. It has an efficiency of 52.3% and can be used for baseload production. It connects to the grid in 30 seconds and operates on natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen blends.
Solar in exchange for desalinated water
Israel and Jordan have agreed to pair 600 MW of solar with an undisclosed amount of storage. The deal, which was brokered by the United Arab Emirates at COP27, will see Jordan provide electricity to Israel in exchange for desalinated water.
Solar gaining traction in Sao Tome and Principe
The island nation of Sao Tome and Principe switched on the initial phase of its first 2 MW solar project in August. Construction of 1.4 MW of PV capacity is now underway at two airports, and developers plan to install a total of 1.7 MW by 2023.
Portugal switches on first solar-to-hydrogen plant
The Portuguese Fusion Fuel and Ballard Power have announced the successful commissioning of the H2Évora plant on Portugal The grid-connected pilot project will produce an estimated 15 tons of green hydrogen per year.
