Technology and R&D

The Indian government has announced viability gap funding (VGF) of INR 54 billion ($631.5 million) to support 30 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS), allocating capacity among 15 states and the state-owned power producer NTPC. The scheme provides INR 1.8 million/MWh and requires projects to be commissioned within 18 months through competitive bidding.

An international research team has developed an index-based remote sensing method to see trends in the global development of water-based PV. It has found that China currently accounts for 80% of the global total deployed capacity.

Through a rigorous approach, with more than 4,000 simulations and a detailed analysis of each scenario, Enertis Applus+ offers a roadmap for understanding where, how, and under what conditions green hydrogen can be produced at competitive costs.

Researchers in China have used an argon plasma polishing pre-treatment (APP) to remove surface defects and increase passivation effectiveness in perovskite solar cells. The result is a perovskite device with a 2D interface that significantly improves stability and performance. 

Australian battery tech startup Voltavate has secured AUD 850,000 ($535,000) in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by global investment firm Artesian.

Hail damage remains a top risk to large-scale solar assets, according to an annual report from kWh Analytics.

Grid companies LEW Verteilnetz and Bayernwerk have launched a pilot project to feed renewable energy into the electricity network in a more grid-friendly manner. One of the energy storage sites to be used in the project will come from Green Flexibility.

Scientists have used photovoltaic charge lithography to imprint surface charges on passive dielectric substrates by shining a halogen lamp onto iron-doped lithium niobate. The technique may support next-generation microfluidic, biomedical, and chemical applications.

New research from Hong Kong confirms that rooftop PV systems significantly contribute raise daytime temperatures in urban environments. The scientists explained that, although their findings highlight important urban resilience considerations, they should not detract from the broader benefits of PV systems for energy sustainability and carbon reduction.

Researchers have designed a novel multigeneration energy system that provides five outputs, namely electricity, hydrogen, cooling, heating, and hot water. The system is mainly powered by a solar heliostat system and incorporates compressed air and pumped hydro storage technologies for storing surplus power.