France’s National Solar Energy Institute (INES) – a division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) – is developing ultra-thin TOPCon solar devices for space missions, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Voltec and the Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France (IPVF) plan to set up a pilot line for their new tandem panel tech in 2023 and their first 200 MW industrial demonstrator in 2025. They also plan to increase the factory’s capacity to 1 GW in 2027 and 5 GW by 2030.

Inno Neat has developed a solar-powered water filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals for rural communities.

French startup Koolboks has developed off-grid solar refrigerators that offer continuous refrigeration for up to four days via solar modules, ice storage, and lithium-ion batteries. The units are available for rental and include two LED lighting bulbs and USB ports to charge phones.

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has developed a recycling process for end-of-life PV modules, recovering silicon and silver, using supercritical CO2. Virginie Basini, head of CEA’s sustainable technologies department, discussed the technique with pv magazine France.

Auxano Solar has commissioned a 100 MW solar panel assembly factory in Lagos, Nigeria. It launched the project in 2016.

The French government has issued a long-awaited decree to expand the maximum permitted distance between members of energy communities from 2 km to 20 km.

Akuo plans to deploy 200 MWh of battery storage in New Caledonia, supplying 50 MW for three hours per day over 12 years. The facility will primarily support the operation of nickel mines.

In a recent study, researchers from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) questioned the planned development of new nuclear capacities in the energy strategies of the United States and certain European countries.

The French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe) has launched a tender for large-solar thermal installations and heat pumps for the production of hot water. Developers can submit their proposals until Oct. 15.