Netherlands

A new report from the association of Dutch grid operators predicts strong growth for the Dutch PV sector, regardless of potential international scenarios.

Scientists in the Netherlands have developed a new crystalline solar cell based on poly-SiOx passivating contacts. The poly-SiOx tech results in a 20% efficiency rating, but 4T tandem perovskite-silicon solar cells based on the poly-SiOx cell can reach an efficiency of 28.1%, and 2T tandem perovskite-silicon devices can hit 23.2%.

Hungary’s Platio has inaugurated a solar footpath in the Dutch city of Groningen. The installation consists of 2,544 monocrystalline Patio solar pavers with a 21.8% efficiency rating. It will generate 55,000 kWh of electricity per year and can purportedly withstand a pressure of 2 tons without microcracks.

Netherlands-based One Solution says its new FlexTherm Eco battery can be used in combination with rooftop PV systems and residential photovoltaic-thermal installations. It consists of a thermal charging station that converts power directly into heat and stores it for the provision of hot water.

UK-based Ideal Heating has announced plans for a new GBP 10 million ($12.5 million) heat pump R&D research center in Hull, England. Heat Transformers, meanwhile, said it has raised €15 million ($16.4 million) to accelerate heat pump deployment in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

As efficiency records tumble and devices become more stable, Europe is seeing the beginnings of a race to commercialize high-efficiency perovskite-silicon tandem solar products, reports Valerie Thompson.

The latest edition of Solar Solutions, the largest solar trade show in the Netherlands, showed that the Dutch PV market is set to stabilize in terms of volumes, while preparing to integrate more heat pumps and storage. The solar sector is asking to move away from net metering to create a more resilient distributed-generation PV market.

The consortium says it intends to develop a simplified approach and best practices to produce 2T perovskite-silicon tandem solar products. The modules should have a bifacial design, glass-glass encapsulation, and a power output of over 300 W/m2.

Scientists in the Netherlands have proposed the extension of the IEC 61853 standard to bifacial solar modules, with some key corrections. In particular, they recommend changing the third and fourth parts of the standard.

A Dutch consortium recently tested four different PV system configurations along water in the Netherlands. The country has approximately 17,000 km of dikes and a preliminary study has shown that they offer the potential for 11 GW of solar capacity.