United Kingdom

The U.K. Government is proposing closing both generation and export tariffs for renewables on March 31, 2019. The country’s solar trade association calls for clarity on the policy framework going forward, for both industry and potential investors.

Eelpower Limited has acquired a 20 MW battery storage scheme from Anesco in the U.K. Overall, it plans to invest £500 million in delivering 1 GW of storage capacity by 2022.

Labour politician Sadiq Khan has expanded his Solar Together group-buying scheme for rooftop installations in London after more than 1,000 households and small businesses signed up to discounts on residential systems under the initial phase.

The EPC provider, which is active in the MENA region, announced that it expects a 900 MW pipeline shortly. The company was recently acquired by U.K.-based Arjun Investment Partners and reportedly has increased its staff size by 30% this year. The company cites an increasing interest in asset diversification and good economics as reasons for MENA’s investment in solar PV.

Following the U.K. government’s announcement to significantly increase EV numbers on its roads, a call for applications was announced. Ramping up EV numbers does necessitate a convenient and low-cost charging infrastructure. To achieve this, public administration offices will fund trial phases of promising concepts. Businesses can apply until August 29.

Reflecting its rapidly changing energy landscape, the U.K. has surpassed 1,000 hours without using coal this year, up from 624 hours in the whole of 2017, and just 210 hours in 2016. Solar PV is also currently a leading energy source in the country.

Outlining energy pathways for the next 30 years and beyond, the U.K.’s National Grid has released four different scenarios, considering growing electricity demand and a significant increase in energy infrastructure from new renewable generation and EV charging networks. Only two of them meet the U.K.’s 2050 carbon reduction target on the back of a large growth of renewables and energy storage, and almost completely decarbonized transport.

The cell uses a novel approach that increases its conversion efficiency and longevity at the same time. Researchers claim it is a new world record for this type of application and highlight its importance in storing renewable energy in hydrogen to compensate for output and demand fluctuations.

This marks another world record conversion efficiency for perovskite solar cells. A newly developed process reportedly reduces non-radiative recombination of the cells. The new cell is the result of joint research between the England-based Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Surrey and China-based Beijing.

A report published this week by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change warns that the country is currently not on course to meet emissions reduction targets set out in its Carbon Budget legislation; and outlines a series of actions it believes the government should take in order to get back on track.