Legal

Floating solar specialists Ocean Sun and Inseanergy have been involved in a patent dispute over Ocean Sun’s floating solar structure since August 2022. The companies have now announced a settlement, with a “positive result” for both parties.

The European Commission has decided to refer three member states to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to turn the EU Renewable Energy Directive into national legislation. The commission is now requesting financial sanctions.

The new EU Batteries Regulation is a blueprint for product legislation, regulating the whole life cycle of batteries in the European Union. Advanced rechargeable and lithium batteries association Recharge says successful implementation of the new regulation requires the prioritization of safety, information reliability, feasibility, market surveillance, and enforcement.

As the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act demonstrated, companies preparing to spend big on batteries are at risk of being blindsided by supply-chain-related legislation. Here are some tips on how US developers can anticipate policy curveballs.

The European Commission listed tax exemptions, flexible aid, and the promotion of local manufacturing among its key strategies for the Green Deal Industrial Plan. However, the SolarPower Europe industry group has criticized the plan’s lack of focus on solar.

The US Patent Trial and Appeal Board has issued a favorable decision for Hanwha Q Cells over REC Solar’s patent claims. The court has ruled that the contested claims of REC’s US patent were not patentable. The decision is similar to those in courts in China and Europe, according to Q Cells.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIOT) recently introduced new ceiling prices for solar and wind projects that sell electricity to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). The ceiling price for ground-mounted solar has been slashed from $0.0709/kWh to $0.0502/kWh, threatening the financial viability of large-scale solar projects.

The European Union Commission President wants to introduce a new industrial plan to turn Europe into the global clean-tech market leader, with looser rules for state funding and less red tape.

Trina Solar said it will start operating a new 6.5 GW solar wafer factory in Vietnam from mid-2023 to exclusively supply the utility, commercial and industrial (C&I) segments in the United States, as well as the US residential solar market.

The Romanian president has passed a new law to shorten the permitting process for solar projects built on less than 50 hectares of agricultural land.