Germany records growth in solar self-consumption
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) has developed a new way to quantify PV self-consumption in Germany using national register and grid-operator data, amid a steady rise in onsite use as installations and storage capacity expand.
SMA launches new containerized medium-voltage substation for large-scale BESS and solar plants
SMA Solar Technology announces the commercialization in Europe of its new MVPS-9200 medium voltage station in a 12-meter containerized version for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and large-scale photovoltaic power plants.
German startup installs industrial heat pump producing 139 C steam
German start-up SPH has installed its ThermBooster heat pump at Philip Morris International’s Italian factory, producing high-temperature steam at 139 C. The system boosts energy efficiency, cuts gas use by up to 50%, and recovers 20–30% of water from exhaust.
Fraunhofer ISE achieves 30.6% efficiency for perovskite-silicon tandem based on industry-standard bottom TOPCon cell
Researchers at Fraunhofer ISE have developed a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell using a TOPCon bottom cell with standard textured front surfaces. Their results show that TOPCon bottom cells can perform comparably to heterojunction cells in tandem devices in terms of shunt resistivity, supporting scalable, cost-effective industrial production.
The Hydrogen Stream: EWE begins work on 320 MW hydrogen plant in Germany
EWE says construction has started on its 320 MW hydrogen plant in Germany as it seeks regulatory reforms, while Japan Suiso Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have broken ground on a commercial-scale liquefied hydrogen terminal set to begin operations in 2030.
Rescue bid for German solar glass maker GMB fails
The solar glass manufacturer started insolvency proceedings in July. An investor’s bid has now failed, leaving over 200 employees facing layoffs.
German developer commissions nation’s largest solar carport
Germany has brought a 17 MW photovoltaic carport online in Riedstadt, Hesse, spanning 76,000 square meters. It is expected to generate about 17 GWh per year, according to project developer Nawasol.
Nexwafe secures cash injection from EU scale up funding
German solar wafer manufacturer Nexwafe is one of eight companies receiving investment in the latest round of the European Commission’s Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up call, an initiative addressing a market gap in deep tech funding in Europe.
The Hydrogen Stream: Inpex launches blue hydrogen, ammonia demonstration plant in Japan
As Inpex launches its hydrogen park in Japan, ITM Power announces a possible delivery of 710 MW of electrolysers to Germany’s Stablegrid and Shell works on a 100 MW electrolyser in Germany.
Germany’s January-October solar additions reach 13 GW
The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) says Germany’s installation pace reflects shifting demand patterns between ground-mounted and rooftop PV systems.
