Marie Beyer
SolarStratos reaches 8,224 m height
Swiss pilot Raphaël Domjan flew the SolarStratos solar-powered aircraft to 8,224 meters on Aug. 10, setting a personal record but falling short of the 9,235-meter world mark held by Solar Impulse.
French solar module maker CreaWatt placed in receivership
French solar module maker CreaWatt was placed in receivership on July 16, with a court hearing set for Sept. 3 to determine its future.
Open-source tools to build self-made management system for surplus PV power
French engineer André Buhart has published the plans and open-source software to create a DIY “solar energy router” to manage PV overproduction. Depending on the configuration, the device can direct excess photovoltaic energy to water heaters, pool motors, or underfloor heating, among others.
UK rejects CfD bid for 10.5 GW Morocco solar-wind subsea cable
The UK government has rejected a contract-for-difference (CfD) application for the proposed Xlinks interconnector, a 3,800 km submarine cable to deliver power from a planned 10.5 GW solar-wind facility in Morocco to the UK grid.
French company offers router capable of redirecting surplus solar to water heating
French energy cooperative Solarcoop has launched a solar router that redirects surplus photovoltaic power from self-consumption systems to electric water heaters or other resistive loads, and can also control additional devices such as heat pumps.
Hard times for pay-as-you-go model
While sales of off-grid solar kits increased slightly in 2024, the market has not regained the momentum seen before 2022. The latest report from the industry’s professional association, Gogla, includes data for the first time on solar generators (38,000 units sold in 2024) and walk-in solar cold rooms (578 units).
Mingyang presents semi-transparent PV panels
China’s Mingyang produces solar glass based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) cells and has launched a pilot production line for perovskite technology. It is positioning itself as a supplier to building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) companies.
Cybersecurity: European solar power plants under pressure
A report by the European solar association SolarPower Europe highlights the cybersecurity challenges of PV installations in the European Union. A main concern are the vulnerabilities of connected inverters and data management via cloud services outside of Europe.
French commune harnesses local solar power
The new 300 kWp power plant in the Haute-Loire commune of Rosières, designed with a mounting system made from local wood, is part of a collective self-consumption operation that sells surplus energy to green supplier Energie d’ici in the local currency, the LIEN.
Edilians launches tile-like mounting system for rooftop solar
Edilians introduced Easy Roof Integration, its new mounting system for residential PV panels, at the BePositive trade show this week in Lyon, France.
