California lawmakers urge CPUC to enforce utility interconnection timelines
A coalition of 18 California legislators has formally urged the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to enforce regulations under “Rule 21” regarding the interconnection of customer-sited solar and energy storage systems.
The Hydrogen Stream: EWE begins work on 320 MW hydrogen plant in Germany
EWE says construction has started on its 320 MW hydrogen plant in Germany as it seeks regulatory reforms, while Japan Suiso Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have broken ground on a commercial-scale liquefied hydrogen terminal set to begin operations in 2030.
Denmark’s TITAN Containers adds solar to ArcticStore cold units
TITAN Containers says its new ArcticStore Horizon cold storage units integrate solar generation, advanced insulation and lower-GWP refrigerants to cut electricity use by 55% compared with conventional refrigerated containers.
Plenitude tests perovskite-silicon tandem solar modules in utility-scale installation pilot
The Italian renewable energy company said it will validate Swift Solar’s 28% efficiency perovskite-silicon tandem technology in a utility-scale project.
Photonic curing could accelerate transition to copper-metallized solar cells
Researchers in the United States have developed a photonic curing technique using laser sintering to rapidly heat and cure copper pastes on temperature-sensitive solar cell substrates without causing thermal stress. The process purportedly produces dense, low-porosity copper layers with strong adhesion to indium tin oxide, achieving low bulk and contact resistivity.
California sees sustained decline in natural gas use as solar output rises
California’s electricity mix is shifting as utility-scale solar generation nearly doubles its 2020 output and battery storage increasingly displaces natural gas during evening peaks, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Community-based energy trading system for home solar-plus-storage
A research team led by Washington State University has developed a cloud-based system for trading and sharing energy from solar panels and batteries within a neighbourhood. The concept displayed potential energy cost savings of around 12% over a five-day test period.
US energy offices folded into new structure at Department of Energy
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has removed renewable energy, grid modernization, and carbon-management units from its organizational chart and consolidated them into the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, a shift confirmed in newly published federal documents.
The Hydrogen Stream: Inpex launches blue hydrogen, ammonia demonstration plant in Japan
As Inpex launches its hydrogen park in Japan, ITM Power announces a possible delivery of 710 MW of electrolysers to Germany’s Stablegrid and Shell works on a 100 MW electrolyser in Germany.
Skyven Technologies commissions steam-generating, industrial heat pump
The company’s demonstration centre in Dallas, Texas, showcases its Arcturus steam-generating heat pump, which it says is eight times more efficient than natural gas boilers and six times more efficient that electric boilers and thermal energy storage.
