Fortescue provides backing for Dutch PV module maker
Fortescue Future Industries continues to advance its green energy ambitions, announcing it will provide new funding for Dutch solar PV module maker HyET Solar, in a move designed to accelerate a planned expansion of the company’s manufacturing plant in the Netherlands.
France publishes second-quarter FITs for PV systems up to 500 kW
France has increased feed-in tariffs for all PV system categories, ranging from €181.40 ($190.90)/MWh for installations below 3 kW in size to €96.90/MWh for arrays ranging in capacity from 36 kW to 100 kW.
Module brands that earn the trust of solar installers
The latest global PV installer survey by Germany’s EUPD Research offers a hint of the solar brands which installers, mostly based in Europe, gravitate toward. This year’s report also ventured to South Africa and considered mounting systems for the first time.
Belgium’s Flanders region allocates 57.2 MW of PV in fourth renewables auction
Belgium’s latest renewables procurement exercise resulted in final prices for PV that ranged from €0.03 ($0.0316)/kWh to €0.06/kWh.
Floating PV for unused swimming pools
Ciel & Terre Japan has deployed a floating solar plant on the swimming pool of a school on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Local developer ELM says the project could be extended to more than 6,000 facilities across the country.
The Hydrogen Stream: Acid-treated cells produce about 200% more hydrogen
US scientists have improved the performance of intermediate-temperature electrolyzers based on protonic ceramic electrochemical cells. Germany and India have signed a hydrogen cooperation deal, while ArcelorMittal has tested the use of green hydrogen in the production of direct reduced iron at a steel plant in Canada.
Germany deployed 916 MW of solar in March
Germany’s cumulative installed PV capacity for all subsidized and unsubsidized PV systems stood at around 58.2 GW by the end of March.
Alkaline polysulfide-air redox flow battery with 40% efficiency
UK researchers have developed a stable alkaline-based hybrid polysulfide-air redox flow battery that reduces “crossover” issues via a new dual-membrane-structured flow cell.
Titanium oxide nanoparticle-based perovskite PV cell with 24.05% efficiency
A new perovskite PV cell based on titanium dioxide nanoparticles exhibits low efficiency losses when scaled up from cell to module.
Grid company appeals for flexibility from energy consumers
Tennet has suffered well-cataloged problems attempting to absorb solar projects into parts of its Dutch grid network and is now appealing for help in two pinch provinces.
