Sandra Enkhardt
Stadium in Austria now hosting Europe’s largest PVT system
Austria has installed Europe’s largest photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar system at a stadium, using Sunmaxx modules combined with geothermal energy and brine heat pumps to provide climate-neutral electricity and heat.
Germany registers 130 hours of negative day-ahead power prices in May
Germany registered 130 hours of negative day-ahead power prices in May, driven by midday solar oversupply, as PV output regularly outpaced demand. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) says prices dipped below €1/($1.14)MWh for 160 hours.
Fraunhofer ISE creates startup for agrivoltaics
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Fraunhofer ISE) has launched Diveo GmbH to plan and construct different kinds of agrivoltaic facilities without focusing on specific technologies.
Swiss developer breaks ground on 800 MW/1.6 GWh redox flow storage project
Flexbase Group has broken ground on an 800 MW/1.6 GWh redox flow battery project in Laufenburg, Switzerland, in what could become one of Europe’s largest flow storage systems. The multi-use site will integrate utility-scale storage, an AI data center, and district heating.
Germany’s Voltfang offers battery warranty independent of number of cycles
The Aachen-based company has further developed its energy management system (EMS) under real-world conditions, to minimize the cyclic aging of its batteries.
Germany deploys 838.5 MW of PV in April
Germany installed 838.5 MW of solar in April as the PV market sharply contracted in the first four months of 2024, according to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). Total installed capacity reached 104.9 GW by the end of April.
Rising demand for home solar storage in Switzerland
Trade group Swissolar has called for a national energy storage strategy to support the growing popularity of home solar-plus-battery systems in Switzerland.
Austria records 20% decline in PV capacity expansion in first quarter
In the first three months of 2024, the addition of new PV systems in Austria was just under 500 MW. This year, according to estimates by PV Austria, the figure is around 20% lower in the same period. The association is appealing to the government not to further stifle the market.
Net electricity prices for end customers fall below zero for first time in Germany
As PV and wind power plants caused a significant oversupply on May 11, the electricity price fell to a low of minus €250 per megawatt-hour. Charging PV storage systems or electric cars during these hours thus generated income for customers with dynamic electricity tariffs between 12 pm and 3 pm.
RWE installing 86.5 MW of PV systems along motorway in western Germany
The PV power plants are expected to be connected to the grid by the end of the year. RWE is already testing agrivoltaic systems in the immediate vicinity and has installed hybrid power plants with storage.
