Germany

The European Commission says 41 cross-border energy projects will receive €1.25 billion ($1.3 billion) in funding, with one-fifth allocated to hydrogen, while Lhyfe has started building its fifth hydrogen production site in northern France, set to provide green hydrogen by 2026.

Last year, the number of newly installed residential battery energy storage systems in Germany fell slightly. In contrast, the capacity of large-scale storage systems with a power output of more than 1 MW doubled within a year.

A new study in Germany shows the advantages of thermal energy storage in the decarbonization of industrial processes. The researchers noted clear cost advantages and high potential for flexibility in the power grid.

Luxcara says preparatory work for its Bodø electrolysis plant is underway in Norway, with commercial operations set to begin in 2026, while ACWA Power and Snam have signed an agreement to deliver hydrogen from Saudi Arabia to Europe.

The Energy Industries Council (EIC) says 41 hydrogen projects are set to begin development across Africa in the next five years, led by North African nations like Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco.

A European team is developing technologies and processes to show how end of life PV panels and electric vehicle (EV) batteries can be used in three distributed energy market segments: agrivoltaics, plug-in PV for households, and low-budget solutions. It will also demonstrate efficient recycling processes for critical raw materials recovered from panels and batteries that cannot be reused.

Fraunhofer ISE researchers have developed a new metallization process that can produce ultra-fine line contacts for solar cells. The proposed technique is based on the so-called LIDE technology and can reportedly help increase overall PV device efficiency.

Scientists have simulated the installment of PV modules on the balconies of cruise ship cabins. They tested the systems with three DC configurations and simulated them while cruising in the Caribbean and along the Norwegian and Danish coasts.

Algeria, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Tunisia have agreed to develop the Southern Hydrogen Corridor linking North Africa and Europe, while Sungrow Hydrogen has signed a deal to supply electrolysis gear for ACME’s 320 MW green ammonia project in Oman.

A research team in Germany has proposed to use direct wire bonding to reduce silver consumption in heterojunction solar cells. The scientists used low-cost copper wires as electrodes with conductive paste applied in discrete pads to replace the traditional metallization and interconnection process.