Spain curtails PV for first time
The Spanish authorities applied solar curtailment for the first time on Easter Sunday, when power generation exceeded demand and the wholesale electricity price went from €168.50 ($182)/MWh to just €3.70/MWh.
District heating via solar-powered heat pump using industrial waste heat
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems is assessing how a solar-powered heat pump system that uses waste heat from a distillery at a low-temperature level could be used to provide district heating. Waste heat is injected into an ice storage tank, to which heat pumps are connected on the source side.
Glass-integrated BIPV module from Japan
Japanese glass manufacturer AGC has developed a building-integrated PV (BIPV) panel for different building requirements. It can be installed on facades, canopies, and curtain walls where normal glass can be placed.
EU adopts directive allowing reduced VAT on several goods, including solar panels
The Directive No. 2022/542 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on April 5. According to the new provisions, member states will be free to apply a VAT rate of 0% to 5%.
Concentrating solar power system for building applications, usable with PV
Conceived by a German start-up, the system is claimed to achieve a 75% efficiency in converting direct radiation into heat. It may be either equipped with solar trackers or photovoltaic modules, which would both occupy the same space on the front and lateral sides of the installations.
Bosnian Serb republic to introduce net metering for residential PV
Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), a utility in the Republic of Srpska – one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina – will introduce a net-metering scheme for residential PV before the end of this year.
Residential heat pump produces water up to 75 C
Scientists in Spain have developed a new heat pump that can produce 6.49 kWh of heat for each kilowatt-hour of power it consumes. The device could generate hot water at a temperature of up to 75 C.
Austria launches €240 million rebate scheme for rooftop PV
The Austrian government has more than quadrupled the budget for the 2022 edition of its rooftop solar rebate program.
Ikea invests €340 million in solar
Ikea’s holding company, INGKA Holding, will invest €340 million ($371 million) to acquire nine PV systems from Enerparc. In the future, Ikea said it will work with Svea Solar to sell residential PV systems.
Germany introduces new provisions to support solar, wind
Germany has come up with new measures that could lead to a cumulative installed PV capacity of 215GW by 2030. Higher feed-in tariffs for rooftop PV will likely be announced soon.
