SNCF Energie, Neoen tie up on 172 GWh of annual solar capacity
SNCF Energie, a unit of French railway group SNCF, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Neoen for 172 GWh of annual solar power. The deal supports financing for a new 139 MWp solar park set to start operations in 2028, alongside 150 hectares of land for sheep farming.
Strawberry agrivoltaic project combines PV, shade screens, rainwater harvesting
Insolight, an agrivoltaic specialist, has inaugurated a 3,000 sqm greenhouse project for a strawberry farm in France. The facility combines solar panels, shade screens, and rainwater harvesting.
French startup unveils plug-and-play PV
France’s Sunology says its new Play Max system is “the world’s first plug-and-play station with an integrated modular battery.”
The Hydrogen Stream: India launches green ammonia auction
As the state-owned SECI launches a reverse auction to purchase 539,000 metric tonnes of green ammonia a year, Yara officially opened its 24 MW renewable hydrogen plant at Herøya, Norway.
Agrivoltaics for apricots
French developer Solveo Energies has developed a 247 kW agrivoltaic facility spread across 3,500 m2. The system features trackers controlled by the Cultiveo Dynamique algorithm, to protect an apricot farm in Pyrénées-Orientales, France.
Hedge planting for community acceptance of agrivoltaics
The Hauts-Plateaux de l’Yonne Energy Association (EHPY) has started planting 5.8 km of hedges in central France to integrate 14 agrivoltaic projects into the landscape. The initiative aims to improve project acceptance and promote biodiversity.
Solar modules deployed in France in 1992 still provide 79.5% of original output power
New testing conducted at France’s oldest PV system have shown that its solar modules can still provide performance values in line with what the manufacturers promised.
French agency warns against unchecked reuse of secondhand solar modules
Soren, the French environmental agency, has warned that uninstalled panels are often resold or exported through loosely regulated reuse channels, especially to developing countries.
French roofing specialist offers adhesive solar modules for low-load bearing roofs
France-based Iko is launching Iko Excel Solar, a lightweight PV solution for roofs that cannot withstand excessive loads. The 18.3%-efficient module weighs approximately 2.5 kg/m².
The Hydrogen Stream: Japanese scientists develop proton-conducting perovskites for fuel cells
Scientists from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) have developed a highly oxygen-deficient perovskite for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs), while the European Commission has approved its fourth Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI).
