United Kingdom

Developers dodged more onerous supply-chain and carbon-footprint commitments in the results of a recent consultation exercise announced by BEIS but appear set to lose all Contracts for Difference top-up payments during periods of negative electricity prices.

Lead-free perovskite-inspired materials still provide efficiencies that are too low for solar cells in outdoor environments. A British-Chinese research team, however, has demonstrated they have strong potential for indoor PV devices due to their ability to capture visible light.

A British-German research team claims that organic PV technologies may become mature enough to compete with crystalline silicon and thin-film products not only in BIPV, but also in power generation in the electricity market. In order to get there, however, organic PV products will have to achieve higher efficiencies.

The City of London Corporation signed a £40m solar power purchase agreement on the same day the prime minister outlined a net-zero strategy which failed to even mention solar.

Hong Kong-owned UK Power Networks is aiming to commission 250 MW of grid flexibility from energy storage assets with capacities as small as 10 kW, on contracts ranging in length from six months to seven years.

The government has commissioned a study into the feasibility of generating solar power in space and beaming the energy down to earth now that commercial space launches have changed the rules of the game.

Focusing on the big picture is always challenging, particularly in light of the current all-consuming coronavirus pandemic. However, there are some key issues related to the U.K. solar sector, which will feature significantly on the domestic agenda in the months ahead.

The nation’s electricity system operator said it wanted more energy storage facilities and to procure new stability products following a big power outage last year. Some 12 months on, the country’s biggest battery storage company has rolled up its sleeves to take on a new role.

Often dependent on fuel imports from the mainland and frequently powered by fossil fuels, islands have taken center stage at an online forum which builds on a political process kicked-off by Croatia’s presidency of the European Council.

The Norwegian hydropower business wants to pay €131 million for the London-based clean energy developer which claims to have brought to life 1.2 GWp of project capacity in seven countries since 2013.