Europe

After the emissions scandal, many customers have turned their backs on diesel, partially due to environmental concerns, partially out of fear of a future bans on the fuel. Porsche says it has not had diesel engines in its portfolio since February, and will now scrap production altogether.

Labour this morning unveiled plans for an energy system free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but it is unclear what proportion of the party’s “clean energy” mix would be met by nuclear.

The European Solar Manufacturing Council has been launched at EU PVSEC in Brussels. Participating research institutes, mechanical engineers, material and PV manufacturers stress the importance of having big solar manufacturers in Europe.

The new Selectively Coated Ribbons (SCR) technology could improve yields by 2.2 Watts on module level, says the manufacturer. The new ribbons can also be used with existing equipment, omitting the need for manufacturers to invest in new production outlay, at a time when profit margins in module manufacturing are squeezed.

More than 100 free storage systems will given to residential and commercial users to maximize utilization rates of storage systems while reducing costs for grid operators. The algorithms behind the technology would improve the supply situation and shave peak demand.

The EU PVSEC conference and exhibition in Brussels began this morning with presentations from key figures in PV development, who celebrated the technology’s achievements so far and predicted even bigger things in the coming years. pv magazine‘s Mark Hutchins was on hand to hear all about it.

The Italian developer and largest shareholder of inverter maker Elettronica Santerno, said on Friday it would delay its financial results for the first half. Its statement also revealed the loss of a contract to build a 120 MW solar plant in Spain and a $5 million loss linked to another project in the US.

The car manufacturer is deploying its second island project this year. Smart EV charging – and second-life EV batteries for stationary storage – are expected to help increase self-consumption, reduce carbon footprints and improve energy independence. The news comes amid a rising uptake of EVs in Europe.

New measures under preparation by the Spanish government include the setting of a calendar for new auctions, elimination of the solar tax and support for community solar and PV irrigation projects. Spanish developer X-Elio has secured a PPA for two 50 MW solar projects in the southern region of Murcia.

Vague on detail, the first proposal to build a ground-mounted solar plant in the eastern European country has come from China’s CCCII.