Rising number of grid-connection permits shows 2020 could be another record year for Polish solar
Data from the Instytut Energetyki Odnawialnej shows 1.3 GW of solar projects secured preliminary grid-connection permits in the first half, with around 600 MW securing final approval. Last year, preliminary approvals totaled around 2 GW and final awards 730 MW.
Renewables and the Russian economy
As nations begin to move towards clean energy, fossil fuel exporting countries will need to rethink and reshape their economies. Taking Russia as an example, an MIT study has examined the likely impact on oil, gas and coal exports and the opportunities the energy transition could offer.
Will a watered down EU Just Transition Fund still be effective?
The EU Council has rejected a Covid-inspired European Commission proposal for a €40 billion warchest to help coal-dependent regions shift to renewables, with the heads of member states instead allocating €17.5 billion. Despite the final figure being €10 billion higher than that suggested by the commission before coronavirus battered Europe, questions have been asked about how useful the program will be.
Poland to tender 3.2 GW of solar by end of next year
The government expects to contract 1.5 GW of solar in this year’s two renewables auctions and is estimating a further 1.7 GW in two rounds planned next year.
Russian design for vanadium redox flow batteries
Researchers claim to have developed a cheaper, faster method of assembling the field flow plate layers of the membrane electrode assembly used in vanadium redox flow batteries, which they claim outperforms traditional components.
Russia’s first floating PV plant comes online
The facility was built with 140 heterojunction solar panels mounted on pontoon-type floats. The project is located at the site of the 320 MW Nizhne-Bureyskaya hydropower plant, owned and operated by Rushydro in the Russian Far East’s Amur region.
Battery manufacturing capacity set to increase fourfold to 1.3 TWh by 2030
Analysts at Wood Mackenzie have looked at plans for the incoming decade and concluded that about 119 manufacturing sites will be up and running by 2030. China currently sits firmly in the driving seat, with Asia Pacific comprising 80% of global manufacturing capacity, but Europe is catching up.
EBRD, KfW provide €135 million loan for next-gen cathode material plant in Poland
The new material is not commercially available yet, but in trials the materials allegedly proved its technical and economical superiority over NMC 622, NMC 811 and NCA batteries.
Poland’s PV capacity reaches 2.26 GW
The country has deployed around 916 MW of new PV capacity in the first seven months of the year.
Croatia tenders 50 MW of solar
The Croatian energy regulator is seeking to allocate 88 MW of renewable energy generation capacity. The tender is part of the country’s plan to procure 2.26 GW of renewables including more than 1 GW of solar.
