Czech electricity grid to get €400 million upgrade
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €400 million ($420 million) loan to Czech utility ČEZ to upgrade and expand Czechia’s electricity distribution grid. The upgrades are expected to help absorb up to 5.5 GW of new renewable capacity.
Enphase Energy rolls out software to prevent busbar overload
Enphase Energy has released new software to help homeowners install larger solar and battery systems without major electrical panel upgrades. It uses real-time measurements from current transformers to make immediate decisions.
The great grid transition in the age of data centers and EVs
Rapidly increasing energy consumption due to data centers, EVs and AI, requires adopting innovative energy strategies like distributed energy resources and microgrids that offer viable solutions for a more resilient, responsive energy infrastructure.
Germany commits €24 billion to build national hydrogen network
KfW Development Bank has offered €24 billion ($25.2 billion) grant to bridge the gap between network operators’ high investment costs and the initially low revenues from network charges.
Envision completes testing of world’s largest grid-forming energy storage platform
China-based Envision Energy says that its 5.5 MW /14 MWh grid forming energy storage demonstration platform is the first and biggest single-unit grid-forming energy storage system globally to receive certification under rigorous, full-scenario testing standards.
New algorithm may help mitigate unequal power curtailment
Developed by researchers in South Africa, the proposed technique is based on the water cycle algorithm (WCA), a population-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm that is inspired by the water cycle process in nature and how streams and rivers flow into the sea.
Digital twin for autonomous aerial monitoring of PV power plants
An international research team has created a digital twin that purportedly enables analysis of different scenarios on PV plants’ aerial monitoring. The new tool is claimed to reduce the risk associated with real-world experimentation and help identify the most effective strategies to improve PV system monitoring.
Heat pump rollout could mitigate impacts of higher energy prices
Researchers simulated the United Kingdom’s heat pump rollout through 2050, finding that expansion strategies could help to mitigate high energy prices. They used the UKENVI computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the UK economy to project a range of scenarios.
The Hydrogen Stream: HiiROC, Siemens tie up on thermal plasma electrolysis
HiiROC and Siemens have signed a memorandum of understanding to make advanced control technologies and ensure the safe automation of hydrogen production.
Data center specialist begins building 120 MW of solar in South Africa
South African data center company Teraco has started building a 120 MW solar plant. The project, which secured grid capacity in February, is expected to go online in 2026.
