Austria adds 500 MW of PV in Q1
Austria’s Federal Association of Photovoltaics (PV Austria) says the nation added 500 MW of new solar capacity in the first quarter, driven by investments in private rooftop PV systems benefiting from a value-added tax (VAT) exemption.
Austria offers incentives for PV systems above 35 kW with European modules
The Austrian government has introduced incentives for PV systems over 35 kW that feature made-in-Europe modules. The measure aims to create new jobs and support the energy transition, offering a 20% higher subsidy for qualifying projects.
New research identifies advantages of thermoplastic polyolefin encapsulants in dual-glass solar modules
Austrian researchers performed tests on thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) encapsulant as an alternative to conventional ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer and polyolefin elastomers (POE) to assess its use in glass-glass modules. They report that all of the TPO specimens outperformed EVA and POE, especially TPO-3.5 encasulants.
Fronius to cut 350 jobs
Fronius has revealed plans to cut 350 jobs due to “persistently weak sales” from its solar energy division. The Austrian inverter manufacturer significantly expanded production and hired new employees in 2022 and 2023.
Lightweighting vehicle-integrated photovoltaic modules
A European research team has investigated interconnection and encapsulation strategies to improve the damp heat and mechanical resilience of vehicle integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) modules, finding carbon-fibre reinforced plastics to be promising.
The Hydrogen Stream: Europe launches pilot to improve market transparency
The European Commission says it has started working on a new pilot mechanism, and Italy has agreed to expand collaboration with Austria and Germany, while also supporting cooperation between Italian companies and Finland’s Wärtsilä.
The Hydrogen Stream: Climate group dampens hopes for blue hydrogen
Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) says in a new report that blue hydrogen might not be an effective climate solution, while TotalEnergies and its partners have agreed to explore green hydrogen potential in Tunisia.
Austrian startup offers double-axis tracking system for agrivoltaics
Anywhere Solar says its new trackers have a module area of 75 m2 and can host PV systems up to 19 kW in size. When deployed horizontally, the systems allow vehicles up to 4.3 meters high to pass underneath.
M-Tec presents residential air-source heat pump
The Austrian manufacturer said its new heat pump can achieve a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 4.7 and flow temperatures of up to 75 C. It is available with sizes ranging from 2 kW to 7 kW.
Powering drones with ultra-thin, flexible perovskite PV cells
An Austrian research team has demonstrated lightweight, flexible and ultra-thin perovskite solar technology in palm-sized autonomous drones, showcasing the stability and energy-harvesting potential of the technology. The champion single junction cell in the study had an open-circuit voltage of 1.15 V and 20.1% efficiency.
