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NREL has published a paper showing an experimental solar cell, with a unique technique for wiring two separate solar cells into one, that increased the cell’s efficiency by 4%. The document also offers a respectable review of other technologies being developed.

As part of a series of interviews on renewable energy and geopolitics, Indra Overland – head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs – explains why some countries will take the lead in the energy transition. All of the countries in Africa, with the exception of a few oil exporters, will be part of the solar revolution, he said, noting the recent release of the GeGaLo Index. He also looks at why big economies such as the United States, Germany, China and Australia are not geopolitically well-situated for the energy transition, and why others, such as Japan, France and Spain, are positioned more favorably. In addition, Overland discusses why it is particularly important that nations under strong political pressure grasp the benefits of clean energy.

The Hong Kong-listed, Chinese state-owned solar developer is in a race against time to settle a US$350 million bond which is due to mature on January 25. The bail-out, which will be put to the vote on December 30, will leave the company a further US$125 million shy.

Trade body SolarPower Europe’s preliminary statistics suggest this could be the continent’s best year for PV since 2010, with capacity additions set to soar 104% year on year. Spain is leading the way with an expected 4.7 GW of new solar, followed by Germany, with 4 GW.

The EIB and the Hydrogen Council aim to jointly develop new ways to generate funding for hydrogen projects under the European Commission’s InnovFin Advisory program. The two parties, however, have not disclosed the financial terms of their planned collaboration.

Some 7,525 renewables projects with a total generation capacity of 6,223 MW are under review by the Dutch Ministry of Economy in the second round of the SDE+ program for this year. Solar accounts for 74.7% of the submitted capacity.

The Shaanxi-based solar manufacturer has made its 14th announcement this year of an intent to expand its ingot, wafer, cell and module output. Thus far – and we’re still three weeks short of year-end – the bill for the 112 GW of extra production spelled out in 2019 comes to a near $4.2 billion.

The province’s Alternative Energy Resource Authority is seeking proposals for three utility scale PV projects ranging in generation capacity from 800 kW to 4 MW. Two of them should be coupled with large scale batteries with a total storage capacity of up to 2.4 MWh.

The European Commission has approved use of funds given by seven member states to back Europe-wide R&D projects across the lithium-ion battery value chain, with the aim of potentially unlocking an additional €5 billion in private sector investment.

The state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company wants to build 11 solar-diesel-storage projects in isolated rural areas. Pre-qualified bidders in the tender include Engie, Canadian Solar, Akuo, Longi, Jinko, GCL, Abengoa, Total and Belectric.