India’s Borosil Renewables buys 86% stake in Europe’s largest solar glass maker
Borosil Renewables signed a binding offer to acquire 100% of Germany’s Interfloat Group in April this year.
Photovoltaic-thermal solar tiles
Germany’s Paxos is currently testing the solar tile in a testing facility connected to an air heat pump. The panel can provide heat and electricity at the same time, while also improving the heat pump’s coefficient of performance by around 25%.
The Hydrogen Stream: Penta-Ocean opens factory exclusively powered by solar, hydrogen
Japan’s Penta-Ocean has opened a new factory powered by a 670 kW PV system and fuel cells. Plug Power, meanwhile, has revealed that it will provide fuel cells, hydrogen storage, and fueling infrastructure to FreezPak Logistics.
Underground heat exchanger to cool down solar panels
Spanish scientists have built a cooling system featuring heat exchangers on solar panels and U-shape heat exchangers installed in a borehole at a depth of 15 meters. The researchers claim that this reduces panel temperatures by up to 17%, while improving performance by about 11%.
Recom launches bifacial heterojunction solar panel with 395 W output
Recom’s newest solar panels feature efficiencies of up to 21.68% and a temperature coefficient of -0.24% per degree Celsius. The company is offering a 30-year power output guarantee for 91.25% of the initial yield.
Banks Group to install 2.8 GWh battery at former UK coal power station
Banks Group’s latest announcement underscores the fact that the UK battery storage market has one of the world’s fastest-growing project pipelines.
Portugal offers remuneration boost to solar auction winners
The Portuguese government said in a new legal decree that it will adjust the prices, according to inflation, of winning bids from its record-breaking solar auctions in 2019 and 2020. It will also extend the period during which projects can sell electricity at spot market prices by 12 months.
Impact of vertical PV on grasslands
A French consortium has commissioned an 89 kWp pilot project featuring 252 vertically installed solar panels. The companies are now trying to assess the impact of vertical bifacial solar panels on grasslands.
Renewable Solutions
South Korean industrial giant Hanwha launched its new Q Energy business over the summer, and is moving forward with an ambitious strategy of energy projects across the European continent. pv magazine caught up with Sang Chull Chung, CEO of Q Energy Group, for a look at its plans to accelerate deployment of renewables to alleviate Europe’s energy challenges.
New solar-powered tubular motor for blinds
Next Series technology, produced by Italian smart home specialist Nice, facilitates a 35% reduction in energy consumption, compared with analog motors. The company says the solar kit is sustainable and easy to install.
