Western Europe

German equipment supplier M10 and research institute Fraunhofer ISE will unveil a new prototype stringer for shingled module layouts at the Intersolar Europe trade show later this week. Employing an offset layout for the shingles, the approach promises a relative efficiency gain of up to 6%, compared to a conventional half-cell module.

The move is part of the National Development Plan 2021-2030, which aims to increase the share of renewable electricity in the generation mix up to 80% and to allocate around 15.5 GW of wind and solar capacity through an auction scheme.

The modular battery can be cascaded up to 30.7 kWh of storage capacity. The Energy Butler is a storage kit made up of up to eight modules.

Iberdrola has revealed plans to halt new projects and renegotiate supply contracts in Spain, while companies and associations have asked the European Commission for help, amid warnings about investment risks and rising electricity prices.

A group of international researchers has observed how non-radiative charge recombination occurs in organic PV and claims to have identified a potential solution that could bring this solar tech closer to crystalline silicon in terms of power conversion efficiency.

The photovoltaic boiler can be easily be installed by the users themselves. The solar modules are connected to the boiler via an MC4 contact plug, and heat the water.

Dansk Solenergi ApS has developed a 13.6 kg tile that can be used for both new buildings and building renovation. The device is currently being produced in Denmark, where the company operates a 40 MW line.

Scientists in Germany developed a method to determine the structure and degradation of module backsheets and encapsulants in the field, by analyzing the material’s near infrared light transmission. Applying the theory to a multi-MW PV plant, the group was able to identify four different backsheet types. With further development, the method could be a valuable tool to monitor module degradation in the field and spot faults early on.

The Italian power electronics specialist has launched a single-phase inverter, a three-phase device, and a residential battery. The three products will be available for sale starting from January.

Mondragon Assembly’s continuous string process technique is purportedly 10% more productive than a standard stringing machine.