Germany

German consultancy VDE Renewables and global reinsurer Munich Re have outlined an approach to quantify the impact of risk mitigation measures applied to PV projects, as well as the advantages that may be derived by relying on an insurance solution. Risk mitigation expert Ulrike Jahn has spoken with pv magazine on how the new approach was shaped and what kind of performance issues should be taken into account by PV asset owners.

Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH) has partnered with engineering company Mencke und Tegtmeyer GmbH (IB-MuT) to develop a large-area reference solar cell for high precision cell measurements. The BigRef device is claimed to be the only rugged encapsulated large-area reference solar cell available on the market.

Through a strategic partnership, the two companies want to equip 1.5 million buildings in Europe with photovoltaics, storage systems, recharging solutions for electric vehicles, and heat pumps by 2030.

A US-German research group has used above-bandgap light to improve ion mobility in ceramic materials used in lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells. It found that the grain boundary conductance of gadolinium-doped cerium oxide, which is a ceramic used as a solid-state electrolyte in fuel cells, can be improved by a factor of approximately 3.5 at 250 degrees Celsius, by applying the proposed light technique.

The first Model Y electric cars have rolled off the assembly line at the US electric car manufacturer’s first European factory.

Elsewhere, the Fraunhofer ISE research institute has unveiled a new tool for high-resolution power-to-X kinetic analysis, and German entities have signed partnership agreements with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Scientists in Germany have identified the main challenges that are preventing aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) from becoming a mainstream storage technology for power grid applications. According to their analysis, the two main hurdles that must be overcome in future research are the increase of the specific energy of the full Zn-ion cell and the prevention of the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction occurring during the Zn electrodeposition step.

Rystad Energy has joined BloombergNEF with a significant forecast for gray and blue hydrogen off the back of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the analysts, the impact of the war has sent prices of fossil fuel-tied forms of hydrogen production surging, leaving the gradual but consistent downward price trend of green hydrogen now looking remarkably competitive.

According to the Korea-based photovoltaic manufacturer, the court of appeal in The Hague has extended the cross-border injunction against Longi. It now applies in eleven countries in which Longi is not allowed to sell the solar modules affected by the patent litigation, Hanwha Q-Cells states.

Elsewhere, the Danish government announced a plan to deploy up to 6 GW of electrolyzer capacity by 2030 and Germany and Norway agreed to conduct a feasibility study on large-scale hydrogen transport, including via pipeline.