Beretta unveils residential air-to-water heat pump
The Italian manufacturer said its new R32 heat pump has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.2 and a heating capacity of up to 16 kW. It is available in either single-phase or three-phase versions.
Middle East, North Africa solar manufacturing capacity to reach 44 GW by 2029, says WoodMac
Wood Mackenzie forecasts the Middle East and North Africa region will emerge as a tariff haven and overtake Southeast Asia as a top solar export hub, becoming the primary exporter of solar panels to the US towards the end of this decade.
UK grid operator streamlines grid connection process for renewables up to 5 MW
Regulator Ofgem approves higher threshold for a transmission system impact assessment requirement applying to distributed generation projects in England and Wales. The move is expected to lower development costs for projects with capacity between 1 MW and 5 MW.
Ireland to launch fifth renewables auction on May 29
Ireland will launch its fifth renewables auction on May 29, with grid operator EirGrid set to finalize the procurement process by Oct. 10.
Three-year field test shows TOPCon, HJT solar module reliability in desert areas
A three-year field experiment comparing the performance and reliability of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) modules in desert climates found that HJT modules exhibited the highest degradation, while TOPCon modules showed the lowest degradation.
CATL aims to raise $4 billion with Hong Kong listing
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) has launched a long-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) to raise $4 billion and fund overseas expansion, including a major battery plant in Hungary.
Financing secured for 62 MW solar project in Togo
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is backing a 62 MW solar project in Togo with a financing package totaling €26.5 million ($29.4 million). French power utility Électricité de France is developing the plant.
SunDrive signs China pact to scale up copper PV technology
Australian PV innovator SunDrive Solar says it has struck an agreement with two of China’s biggest solar equipment manufacturers to help launch its copper electrode technology onto the global market.
Heat pump deployment requires massive amounts of storage, finds UK researcher
Researchers in the United Kingdom found that approximately 175 TWh of hydrogen and compressed air storage capacity will be needed to fully decarbonize heating in the United Kingdom. Lead researcher Bruno Cardenas told pv magazine that, when domestic heat demand is 100% electrified, average annual electricity demand and peak load in the grid are 26% and 70% higher than current levels.
Danish startup launches solar tile for pitched roofs
Solartag has developed a 71 W solar tile with a weight 14.2 kg/m² and a power conversion efficiency of 16%. The new product relies on black PERC cells and is standardized for mass production, according to the manufacturer.
