Novel nanomaterial to replace graphite in lithium-ion batteries
Porous nanostructured microspheres made of copper, iron, and iron oxide were used by an international research team as negative anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The new technique is claimed to provide three times more capacity than batteries based on graphite anodes.
Giant solar project under development in Romania
A group of international investors is planning to build a 700 MW solar plant in Arad, in western Romania.
Photon Energy update after ‘difficult’ quarter
The Amsterdam-based, Australia and central Europe-facing developer saw sales slump thanks to Covid-19 last year but has touted a growing operational project portfolio.
Poland granted preliminary grid-connection permits to 4.4 GW of PV last year
Data from the Instytut Energetyki Odnawialnej shows that the increasing number of grid-connection approvals may result in another record year for PV in the country in 2021.
Northvolt plans to expand gigafactory in Poland
The Northvolt manufacturing facility in Gdansk should become Europe’s largest factory for energy storage solutions. The production is scheduled to begin in 2022 with an annual capacity of 5 GWh. The company wants to expand it to 12 GWh.
Croatia announces 400 MW renewables auction
The procurement exercise will be the country’s second attempt to support large-scale solar and wind. The first 88 MW auction launched last year saw the allocation of just 25.5 MW. Solar secured 13.4 MW at an average price of $0.093/kWh. Selected PV projects range in size from 50 to 500 kW.
LCOE of off-grid solar-plus-storage in Russia’s remote areas ranges between $0.19 and $0.29/kWh
Off-grid PV has become a much more viable solution than diesel power generators to bring electricity to Russia’s remotest regions. Furthermore, solar-plus-storage is able to deliver with no interruption 24 hours per day and seven days per week, while fuel availability means diesel power can only ensure between four and seven hours per day.
Hungary’s second renewables auction concludes with lowest bid of $0.0549/kWh
The auction has been significantly oversubscribed and has seen 36 successful projects among 257 submitted. Around 390 GWh of power was contracted and will be provided exclusively by PV projects.
Midsummer ships CIGS production line to Russia
The production equipment was bought by Russian nanotechnology specialist Rusnano. The line will be used to produce BIPV modules at a factory in the Republic of Mordovia.
Photon closes €13m refinancing for Hungarian solar projects
Ten arrays commissioned in the last four months, with a total generation capacity of 14 MWp, have been refinanced with a 15-year loan.
