Articles written by Jochen Siemer

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Österreich, Photovoltaik-Anlage, Aufdach, Stammersdorfer Straße
Austria allocates €12 million for solar-plus-storage rebates Austria will open its second 2026 PV funding round on June 17 with a total budget of €12 million, while continuing incentives for battery storage and European-made components. The first funding round showed strong demand and a clear shift toward PV-plus-storage systems, with around 90% of applications including batteries.
Sandra Enkhardt, Jochen Siemer
Jun 15, 2026
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Global PV equipment market to reach 2.6 times current size by 2035 A new study by Germany’s mechanical engineering association (VDMA) finds global capital expenditure on PV manufacturing equipment will grow to more than 2.5 times current levels by 2035, with European suppliers retaining competitive strengths for now despite structural challenges.
Jochen Siemer
Mar 25, 2026
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Volkswagen launches first large-scale battery storage project in Germany Volkswagen has connected its first 20 MW/40 MWh stationary storage system in Salzgitter, Germany, marking the start of its plan to integrate battery production, storage, and energy trading within a single corporate structure.
Jochen Siemer
Mar 10, 2026
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Gas-fired electricity two to three times costlier than renewable backups A study by Forum Ökologisch‑Soziale Marktwirtschaft (FÖS), commissioned by Green Planet Energy, says electricity from gas plants could reach €0.67 ($0.78)/kWh, largely due to externalized costs, while renewable-based backups remain far cheaper.
Jochen Siemer
Mar 10, 2026
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Photovoltaics reach 16.1% share of Germany’s electricity generation in 2025 Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) says solar generation rose to 70.1 TWh in 2025, up 17.4% from the previous year, even as wind and hydropower output declined and natural gas generation increased 10.2%.
Jochen Siemer
Mar 09, 2026
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High-temp sodium-zinc batteries reveal causes of rapid capacity loss Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) researchers have used operando X-ray imaging to reveal why sodium-zinc molten-salt batteries, operating at around 600 C and promising for stationary energy storage due to low-cost, abundant materials, experience persistent capacity loss.
Jochen Siemer
Feb 23, 2026
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German consortium launches web guide for BIPV planning Germany’s SolarEnvelopeCenter project has launched a web-based planning guide for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), offering standardized design solutions for roofs and facades that comply with building codes and industry standards.
Jochen Siemer
Feb 20, 2026
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Anti-glare film enables PV system at Brussels Airport Warehouses De Pauw (WDP) has installed an 8.5 MW solar system at a warehouse near Brussels-Charleroi Airport, equipping roughly 40% of modules with Phytonics anti-glare film to prevent air traffic disruption while maintaining near-full energy output.
Jochen Siemer
Feb 19, 2026
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German solar plant cleared to provide secondary control reserve Sunnic Lighthouse says Germany’s first prequalified solar project for secondary control reserve shows how quickly PV assets can move into advanced grid-services markets.
Jochen Siemer
Nov 17, 2025
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