The Hydrogen Stream: Hydrogen production set for Tasmania
As Australia’s hydrogen project pipeline doubles in 12 months, Iberdrola announces investment in a green hydrogen and green methanol production plant in Tasmania. Meanwhile, projects in Scandinavia target the shipping industry.
PV system fires potentially exacerbated by gap between solar panels, rooftops
Norwegian researchers have published a new study showing that the space between solar panels and rooftop surfaces might play a critical role in contributing to PV system fires.
Solar panels with discarded ‘black gold’ from wafer production
A European consortium is trying to reuse discarded silicon powder from ingot and wafer manufacturing in several industrial applications, including PV production. The group is now identifying ways to decontaminate such materials.
Norway to nearly triple annual PV additions in 2022, says research firm
Norway’s annual PV capacity additions could grow from 54.5 MW in 2021 to 150 MW this year, amid rising electricity prices. The large-scale solar market is set to contribute the most at roughly 61 MW, according to EUPD Research.
Novel production process for solar-grade silicon
The SisAl Pilot project produces solar-grade silicon from Spanish quartz without using coal and with zero CO2 emissions. The company behind the project claims that the process is cheaper and more sustainable.
Equinor acquires Danish solar developer
Equinor is set to fully acquire developer BeGreen, which has a project pipeline of more than 6 GW in Denmark, Sweden and Poland.
SPIC, Ocean Sun switch on offshore floating solar-wind pilot
State Power Investment Corp. (SPIC) has started operating the world’s first offshore floating solar plant integrated with an offshore wind turbine, at a pilot site off the coast of China’s Shandong province. It features floating PV tech from Norway’s Ocean Sun.
PCM-based thermal battery to store solar power via heat pump
Norway’s SINTEF has designed a heat storage system based on phase change materials (PCM) that can support PV generation and peak shaving. The battery’s container hosts 3 tons of liquid biowax based on vegetable oil and is now beating performance expectations at a pilot facility.
The Hydrogen Stream: GHD Group, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft win contract for UAE national hydrogen strategy
Germany made efforts this week to expand hydrogen ties with the Gulf states, and Japan announced plans to team up with several nations to ramp up hydrogen production. ICIS, meanwhile, has started offering Europe’s first market-linked renewable hydrogen assessments.
Euro solar industry on course to support more than 500,000 jobs this year
Poland was the EU’s biggest solar jobs market last year, thanks to a national rooftop incentive program, but Germany’s push to repatriate solar manufacturing will help the bloc’s PV powerhouse back to the number one slot in three years’ time, according to SolarPower Europe.
