Western Europe

As part of the EU Horizon 2020 CIRCUSOL project, Belgian PV installer and investor Futech investigated the technical and economic feasibility of integrating a second-life battery storage system at an existing 2MW solar plant in Belgium. The system originates from the automotive industry and was successfully commissioned in August 2021.

Brussels has asked interested parties how the permitting process for renewable energy sites can be simplified across the EU and how private PPAs can be made more attractive. Respondents can submit their thoughts until April 12.

France-based FHE Group has developed a 2.5 kWh storage device that can store electricity as heat during the day and release this heat at night to power a heat pump for space heating and hot water. According to the manufacturer, it can retain over 95% of its initial performance after 20,000 cycles.

Scientists in Italy designed the prototype as a microcavity enclosing a molecular dye known as Lumogen-F orange (LFO). The charging power of the device is described as super-extensive, meaning that it increases faster with battery size.

TOPCon solar cells are on their way to fully compete with PERC solar products, according to recent research from Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE. Efficiency gains for the TOPCon concept, however, are necessary to help it capture more market share, as production costs remain higher than those for PERC tech. A series of cost-driven strategies to make TOPCon modules advance were outlined in the study.

The solar skylight has a peak power of 20kW. It is made up of 70 crystalline silicon photovoltaic glass modules of different sizes and shapes.

Scientists at the Technische Universität Dresden, in Germany, have found that photon recycling and light scattering effects greatly improve light emission in perovskite solar cells, thereby boosting the upper limit for their efficiency to 31.3%.

The provisional figure took the nation to a cumulative 215MW at the end of the year, according to new statistics provided by Norwegian solar industry organization the Solenergiklyngen.

The 100kW pilot vertical PV plant is being developed by French energy giant Engie. It will be used to test the effects of agrivoltaics on the microclimate, soil and vegetation.

The energy giant acquired solar-konzept Italia Srl, which has a portfolio of solar projects at different stages of approval and development. The solar parks are planned to sell electricity to commercial and industrial customers.