Germany

German PV equipment supplier Singulus Technologies has reported a fall in both sales and profit year on year for the first quarter of 2018. The company, however, points out that its order books are full.

Insolvency proceedings have been opened on the assets of Photon Production GmbH, which was recently renamed RE Production GmbH. The proceedings were opened upon request of a creditor.

Interview: Saltwater technology is similar to that of lead battery storage, but only natural materials are used. Helmut Mayer, Managing Director of Blue Sky Energy, explains how this compares to lithium-ion, which currently dominates the residential PV sector.

The 2018 Ecosummit Berlin, a EU cleantech startup platform, focussed on smart green energy and mobility. Of the 99 speakers, 69 were startups presenting innovative solutions to a changing energy economy, catering to the needs of end-customers, developers and utilities alike.

In the first quarter, SMA saw its sales increase slightly, while EBITDA improved compared to the same period of the previous year. Net profit, however, was significantly below the level of the first quarter of 2017.

Sales were particularly strong in the solar segment. Despite the considerable improvement, the German PV equipment provider still remains in debt.

Interview: In recent years, customs authorities have repeatedly conducted searches and arrests for companies circumventing the existing PV antidumping and anti-subsidy measures in Germany. In a conversation with pv magazine, legal expert Alexander Rumpf draws on personal experience to explain the current legal situation.

The evolving outlook for project finance, as well as the gradual maturation of technologies, such as blockchain, present new challenges and opportunities for renewables, EY says in its latest Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) report. Uncertainty in the sector continues to drive a “relentless focus on cost” to soften the impact of protectionism, subsidy cuts and rising interest rates throughout the world, it adds.

Eon announced that, for the first time, more than 10 billion kWh of solar power were generated in Germany between January and April. Bruno Burger of Energy Charts has also determined that the last week of April was the best week for renewable energies in the current year, with a share of 53.2% in electricity generation across the country’s grid.

The German car maker entered the solar PV home storage business in mid-2016. In the future, its parent company, Daimler will align the stationary storage segment with its grid business.