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An international team of industry and researchers is developing technology and methods to improve the industry’s ability to recycle decommissioned solar panels, avoiding waste and targeting recovery of silicon, silver, glass, and polymers with a purity sufficient for further use in the PV industry or beyond.

Average electricity prices fell across most major European markets during the fourth week of January, according to AleaSoft Energy Forecasting’s latest analysis, but prices remained above €100 ($103.72)/MWh in all analyzed markets bar the Nordic market.

The European Commission says 41 cross-border energy projects will receive €1.25 billion ($1.3 billion) in funding, with one-fifth allocated to hydrogen, while Lhyfe has started building its fifth hydrogen production site in northern France, set to provide green hydrogen by 2026.

AREP, a subsidiary of French railway operator SNCF, has deployed a prototype of a mini-reversible solar power plant on non-running rails to test it for six months. The solution is shipped in standardized ISO containers including inverters and storage batteries.

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Maria Colom, Head of Distributed Solar, Storage & Green Mobility at France’s Engie. She says recruitment and promotion processes must be clear, fair, and merit-based to ensure equal opportunities for all. “By implementing measurable and data-driven approaches, organizations can build trust and foster a truly equitable workplace,” she states.

The Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) has introduced a fire safety test that simulates a fire starting on the roof membrane beneath a PV system. The researchers noted the importance of realistic construction methods, including factors such as anchors, adhesives, membrane welding, and ballast use.

Last year, the number of newly installed residential battery energy storage systems in Germany fell slightly. In contrast, the capacity of large-scale storage systems with a power output of more than 1 MW doubled within a year.

The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) says Romania installed 1.7 GW of solar in 2024, as increased funding, higher renewable targets, and a streamlined permitting process drove market growth.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that atmospheric conditions led to variations in solar conditions across North America. According to analysis using the Solcast API, ISO New England and PJM outperformed long-term trends in capacity-adjusted performance, whereas ERCOT performed only slightly above average.

Frost & Sullivan says the future of the global heat pump market hinges on clear policies and supportive regulations, following a growth slowdown in recent years.