France

France’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 15.8 GW at the end of September.

Japan’s Itochu has announced a new tie-up with France’s Rosi Solar, which develops tech to recover and recycle high-purity silver, copper and silicon from solar modules.

Globeleq has revealed plans to build a green hydrogen facility in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and Air Liquide has agreed to run a hydrogen production unit for TotalEnergies in France. Doosan Fuel Cell, meanwhile, has said it will export 105 MW of hydrogen fuel cells to China by 2026.

A group of researchers from Italy has proposed formulas to determine the optimal tilt angle for PV installations in France and Italy, claiming improved positioning would result in an increase in collectible solar energy of up to 4%.

The French government has revealed that French lender Bpifrance will manage a fund to guarantee power purchase agreements for up to 500 MW of cumulative installed capacity.

French startup Unéole has developed a rooftop system that combines solar and silent wind turbines. It claims its system can produce 40% more energy than standalone rooftop solar arrays. It is now testing the device, with plans to commercialize it by 2023.

French scientists have studied the fabrication of silicon heterojunction cells with p-type wafers. With the adoption of gallium doping, the p-type products could come close to matching the performance of their n-type counterparts. But optimal doping levels will be key to advancing this tech, said the researchers.

French developer VSN Energies Nouvelles was able to almost double the capacity of one of its PV projects due to technological advances such as high-powered panels and new plant design concepts.

SNCF has agreed to buy 207 GWh of annual electricity supplies under a 25-year power purchase agreement with France’s Reden, which is building four solar plants to provide electricity to the railway operator.

A unit of Svevind has signed an agreement to invest up to $50 billion in a project on the Caspian Sea that could produce up to 2 million tons of green hydrogen per year. Stellantis, meanwhile, has revealed plans to mass produce light commercial hydrogen vehicles.