Western Europe

Egypt is taking several steps to support renewable and hydrogen projects, aiming to produce 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Meanwhile, a team of researchers led by UCLA developed a method for predicting platinum alloys’ potency and stability; Iberdrola and bp are working on strategic collaboration, including large-scale green hydrogen production hubs in Spain, Portugal and the UK.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince traveled to the Greek capital of Athens this week, representing his first official trip to Europe since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. His visit was marked by the signing of several agreements between the two countries and some big statements issued by the Saudi leader regarding green energies and hydrogen.

Ardian said that GreenYellow’s value is estimated at around €1.4 billion ($1.42 billion).

A Chinese-German research group developed the cell with an ink of graphene oxide (GO) mixed with Nafion that can be spin-coated on an n-type silicon wafer to form a high-quality passivating contact scheme. The GO:Nafion layer simultaneously creates a p–n junction with silicon and passivates the surface defects at the GO:silicon interface.

FutraHeat has designed a heat pump that can operate at reduced speeds without oil, recover waste heat from as low as 70 C, and deliver high-grade heat up to 150 C. The electrically powered heat pump utilizes waste heat from all sorts of industrial processes, including drying, distillation, and brewing.

A Spanish scientist has developed a system that reportedly produces hydrogen on-site without expensive electrolysis. The prototype utilizes a water tank that is initially filled with water, ferrosilicon, and sodium hydroxide.

In other news, German energy company Uniper said it will test a new salt cavern built for hydrogen storage, while Serbia and Hungary signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on renewable hydrogen.

A government department has put $3.5 million to $7 million aside to help the development of wireless power transmission and ultra-high concentration solar panels.

The retroactive measure should affect PV systems totaling more than 500 MW. The Flemish government claims the cancellation of the green certificates may help save up to €1.2 million, while the local renewable energy association ODE Vlaanderen is ready to question the legal underpinning of the draft law.

The panel has an absorption area of 1.96 m2 and a weight of 27 kg per square meter. According to the manufacturer – Swiss startup TVP Solar – it may be a real booster for thermal output, by combining it with photovoltaics and heat pumps to provide enhanced output per square meter, in particular for low-temperature applications such as district heating.