Western Europe

In the module prototype, all components that are not directly used to convert light into electricity are made of biodegradable or recyclable materials or renewable raw materials. The module is the result of the E2 – E-Quadrat project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Sweden installed 460 MW of solar in the first half of 2024, following a record deployment year in 2023. However, market growth has been sluggish due to lower electricity prices and uncertainty around green tax deductions for batteries, according to Svensk Solenergi.

Varta says it now expects high demand for its Varta.wall DC high-voltage battery. It initially presented the product at Intersolar 2022, but has struggled with its market introduction.

Linde has signed a long-term deal to supply clean hydrogen in Alberta, Canada, while Hyundai Motor and Pertamina have agreed to jointly develop Indonesia’s hydrogen ecosystem.

The US Navy has funded Danish research on preventing biofouling while maintaining visible light transmission on underwater solar cells. The top solution uses ultra-low concentrations of nano-sized, seawater-soluble pigments. Power generation stayed close to 100% after 13 weeks underwater.

German manufacturer EKD says its new Ampere.StoragePro E3 battery uses lithium-iron phosphate cells and can be cascaded to reach up to 231 kWh.

A European consortium of commercial and research groups is developing lighter weight, solar-powered, cost-conscious, three and four-wheel prototype vehicles for passengers and cargo. The $13.4 million project aims for a platform that has standardized components, including the battery, powertrain, and solar PV parts, as well as support for end-of-life, maintenance, and refurbishment.

According to the Bonn-based analysts, the momentum for home battery storage systems with a capacity of up to 20 kWh is driven by emerging markets such as Poland and Hungary. In Germany, however, they expect a 5% drop in new installations compared to the previous year.

As a new phase of government-backed flexibility tariff trials gets underway in the United Kingdom, LCP delta analyst Shaz Shamim tells pv magazine how phase-one research revealed consumers can be convinced to hand over control when cost savings are combined with better understanding.

Under the first-ever time-limited contract in the Netherlands, Giga Storage will have the right to take electricity from the grid or feed it back in from its 300 MW/1,200 MWh Leopard project at least 85% of the time.