Spain covers 45.8% of H1 2018 electricity demand with renewables
Spain’s electricity grid operator, Red Eléctrica de España (REE) has announced that the country’s mainland covered almost half of its electricity demand in the first half of 2018 with renewable energies alone.
Germany: Renewables beat coal for the first time
According to numbers released by German association BDEW, in the first half of the 2018, renewables contributed 36.3% to gross electricity generation, while PV increased its share to 7.3%. Furthermore, the association said that the market-driven, phased exit from coal-fired power generation is already in full swing.
Italy’s Eni abandons race to buy RTR
Despite recent efforts to boost its solar energy business, the Italian oil giant has decided not to acquire RTR’s 343 MW solar plant portfolio.
Switzerland close to hitting 2 GW solar mark
According to new numbers provided by Swissolar, Switzerland’s solar market saw a 9% drop in new PV installations in 2017. Demand for PV installations up to 30 kW, however, remained strong.
EPFL Scientists develop 25.2% efficient perovskite/silicon tandem cell
Researchers from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a process for depositing a perovskite layer onto a silicon solar cell, which it says has already resulted in the creation of a 25.2% efficient tandem cell.
Swiss scientists develop machine learning algorithm to optimize home solar-plus-storage
The research team used real-world energy consumption data from 4,190 Swiss households to analyze how different cost scenarios may influence optimal photovoltaic-battery (PVB) system deployment.
Italy’s Fimer enters string inverter business, plans stock exchange listing
In an interview with pv magazine, managing director of the Italian central inverter specialist, Filippo Carzaniga discusses the company’s new strategy, explains the reasons for the listing. After delivering 1.5 GW of inverters in 2017, Fimer hopes to increase its shipment volume by around 10% this year, to between 1.6 GW and 1.7 GW.
Ecoligo crowdinvestment campaign for flower farm PV system in Kenya launched
Ecoligo has launched another financing round for the installation of a rooftop solar PV system at a flower farm in Kenya. The system is set to reduce the farm’s grid electricity demand by 50%, and lower its OPEX.
China’s CATL to invest €240 million in Europe’s first battery cell fab
The Chinese battery manufacturer has said it will establish a fab in Germany’s Thüringen with an annual capacity of 14 GWh. The battery cells will be primarily produced for the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Up to 600 jobs are expected to be created. In related news, BMW has entered a €4 billion long-term partnership with CATL.
Global EV market growing sturdily despite trade dispute setbacks
EnergyTrend recognizes recent tariffs developments will hit the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Despite this, environmental regulations, as well as costs and technological advancement, will prevail and continue to drive EV sales globally.
