Solar Leaders at Intersolar 2023: ‘France will be soon in the 5 GW league’
Xavier Daval, the president of Syndicat des énergies renouvelables (SER), the French renewables association – spoke with pv magazine at Intersolar 2023 about solar and nuclear power in France, as well as the prospects for PV prices and installations. He touched on the market for power purchase agreements (PPA) and the outlook for solar manufacturing in France, where PV installations could hit 3 GW this year.
Protecting solar cells from UV light
Scientists in France tested the effectiveness of various encapsulant materials, used to laminate solar cells into modules, at protecting cells and other components from damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light. Their findings show that encapsulants with additives specifically designed to absorb UV light tend to turn yellow over time, which can contribute to various other problems with performance.
EDF commissions utility-scale floating solar plant in France
EDF’s new 20 MW floating solar project is built close to an EDF hydropower dam near Lazer, in southern France.
The Hydrogen Stream: Europe signs deals with Chile, Argentina, Brazil
The European Commission has agreed to ramp up hydrogen sector investments in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, while Norsk Hydro has successfully produced the world’s first batch of recycled aluminum with hydrogen-fueled production methods.
Weekend Read: Race to the top
A flurry of clean energy announcements in the European Union this year bodes well for the expansion of renewables but there will be a race against time to get key legislation adopted before next summer’s European elections.
Ciel & Terre hits 1.5 GW floating PV pipeline
French floating PV specialist Ciel & Terre says it now has more than 1.5 GW of floating PV projects in the design phase or under construction. It has already completed 280 floating solar projects in more than 30 countries, totaling 820 MW.
Recom launches 460 W all-black TOPCon solar modules with 23.6% efficiency
Recom is offering five versions of its new all-black panels, with power outputs ranging from 440 W to 460 W and efficiency ratings of 22.5% to 23.6%. They feature 108 half-cut monocrystalline cells with n-type and back-contact technology.
France adds 601 MW of new PV systems in Q1
France reached 17.15 GW of cumulative installed PV capacity at the end of March.
CEA-INES, Enel achieve 27.1% efficiency for tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell
CEA-INES researchers and Enel have developed a new solar cell with an active area of 9 cm² and an open-circuit voltage above 1,900 mV. Their results improve on the 26.5% efficiency they achieved for the same kind of cell in March.
Akuo finalizes floating solar project in France
Akuo, a French independent power producer, has secured a 20-year power purchase agreement for a 8.7 MW floating PV array in southern France.
