Patrick Jowett
European Commission, ETIP PV partner on solar research
The European Commission is set to work with the solar sector on a co-programmed European Partnership, designed to enhance research and innovation. SolarPower Europe says the announcement is a “significant step for the industry”.
Germany has urgent need to expand solar module recycling capacities, IEA-PVPS says
Feedback from stakeholders involved in Germany’s end-of-life PV modules treatment chain found more needs to be done around the transparency of PV module waste volume, the take-back and collection process and module recycling, as the country prepares for significantly larger volumes by the end of the decade.
Gambia commissions 23 MW solar plant
The Gambia has inaugurated a 23 MW solar plant with 8 MWh of battery storage as part of the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP), which targets universal electricity access by 2025.
European coalition urges EU to support PV manufacturers
A position paper from Solar Industry Regions Europe (SIRE) says a balance must be struck between protecting the European solar market and reaching the market objectives of the energy transition.
Japanese researchers develop waterproof, flexible organic solar cell with 14.3% efficiency
The organic cell retained 89% of its initial performance after being immersed in water for four hours and survived a washing machine cycle. The researchers plan to develop the technology further, with an end goal of using it for wearable devices.
Bureau Veritas certifies SolarDuck’s offshore PV platform
Certification specialist Bureau Veritas has awarded what is says is the world’s first prototype certification for a floating offshore solar solution. It will now be deployed in the North Sea, off the coast of The Hague.
IRENA says solar capacity rose by 345.5 GW in 2023
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says developers installed 345.5 GW of solar throughout the world in 2023. China mainly drove the surge, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all new renewable energy, but IRENA says more equitable growth will be needed to hit 2030 deployment targets.
Quebec announces 300 MW solar tender
The government of the Canadian province of Quebec aims to deploy 300 MW of solar through tenders under utility Hydro-Quebec, in a bid to diversify the supply of renewables.
NREL updates online tool with data for Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has added a high-resolution solar data set covering Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East on its Renewable Energy Data Explorer tool.
Sweden records up to 1.4 GW of new solar for 2023
High interest rates, inflation, and customer uncertainty could slow down residential PV growth in Sweden this year, despite record solar installations in 2023, but interest in utility-scale PV remains strong.
