Germany

TÜV Rheinland, Rheinische Netzgesellschaft, and GVG Rhein-Erft have supplied 100 households in Erftstadt, Germany, with gas mixed with 20% hydrogen. They have found there were no disruptions to systems, devices, or the network itself.

German power utility EnBW says its new pumped hydro storage project will require an investment of €280 million ($304.9 million). It is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

Scientists have used the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) HOMER software to calculate the degradation of solar panels deployed in two rooftop PV systems operating in Germany since 2003. Their calculations focused on the energy productivity of the systems.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has replaced the 2011 UL 1699B standard with its new IEC 63027 standard for inverters, incorporating arc fault detectors. The objective is to improve safety and efficiency in inverter technology.

Dutch and Brazilian ports have signed a cooperation deal involving port development and green hydrogen production, while Thyssenkrupp Nucera has released a new alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) module.

India will use its internal market to scale up hydrogen projects, with Germany as a possible export destination. As part of a broader strategy, the countries will collaborate on a financial and technological level on energy transition projects.

The new test field includes laboratory and field measurements, allowing PV modules to be evaluated faster and more accurately by combining and comparing indoor laboratory measurement results with those from the test field. The new location complements existing Fraunhofer ISE testing sites on Gran Canaria and in the Negev desert in Israel.

Growing interest in European-made solar modules for rooftop systems and PV plants reflects a willingness to increase investments, according to Enerparc COO Stefan Müller. In a recent interview with pv magazine, Müller discusses the market for corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) and the viability of German solar PV tenders.

Sales of gas and oil heating systems are also increasing, however, as the current figures from the Federation of German Heating Industry show. Overall, the market grew by 38% to 306,500 new heaters sold. However, the German Renewable Energy Federation warns against postponing the country’s Building Energy Act requirements to 2027.

The Australian government has presented its 2023-2024 budget, with AUD 2 billion ($1.35 billion) to be invested in hydrogen, while Austria, Germany, and Italy said they have started moving forward on a southern hydrogen corridor from North Africa to Northern Europe.