China’s Covid recovery saw green bond issuance rebound in second half of 2020
The $18bn worth of sustainable finance instruments floated in the nation last year marked a retreat from previous highs but, with most of the bonds issued from July onwards, the recovery is under way, according to the IFC, which is anticipating a more-than-$100 billion sector in emerging markets over the next three years.
The smarter E Europe postponed to October
Due to the Covid-19 crisis the organizers of Intersolar and ees Europe, the largest photovoltaic and storage trade fairs in Europe, have decided to postpone it again. The Smarter E Europe will now take place from October 6th to 8th, 2021. However, the various awards will be presented digitally in July.
EU moves step nearer €11.5bn fund for coal-dependent regions
The European Parliament appears to have made the terms of the energy transition funding stream for public sector entities more favorable by securing a bigger slice of non-repayable grant cash for the bloc’s most deprived regions.
Solar kit for gardens and balconies, from France
French start-up Ekwateur is offering a solar kit consisting of a 330 W panel, a micro-inverter, a metallic structure, a monitoring sensor, and a few cables.
Solid-state solar cells based on metal-organic framework nanomaterials
Spanish scientists have fabricated solid-state PV cells with two different porous nanomaterials. Although low in terms of efficiency, one of the cells built with the MIL-125(Ti) metal-organic framework nanomaterial exhibited better photovoltaic performance than similar devices.
Silicon carbide passivating contact for 24%-efficient crystalline solar cells
The special passivating contact is claimed to feature high transparency, good conductivity, and at the same time, to offer enough hydrogenation for passivation. The cell built with this contact achieved an open-circuit voltage of 725 mV, a short-circuit current density of 40.87 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 80.9%. Its certified efficiency was 23.99%.
German organizations outline new standards for agrivoltaics
Representatives from 15 agricultural and solar businesses, research entities, and certification bodies in Germany have developed DIN SPEC 91434, a new set of proposed standards for agrivoltaics.
REC launches 405 W black solar module with gapless design
The new heterojunction panel series features an efficiency of up to 21.9 % and an operating temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius.
Italian ruling could facilitate more PV development
Italy’s Council of State has issued a new ruling that bodes well for renewables development. The consultative body has clarified a number of principles related to permits, but caution is still required.
How to attract bees into solar parks
According to new research from the U.K., solar parks may help maintain natural habitats for pollinators that could be, otherwise, destroyed by intensive farming. The study also highlights that biodiversity could be both positively and negatively affected by solar parks and associated land-use change.
