Western Europe

Dubai-based Weco has unveiled a new lithium battery solution that can operate in parallel as a low-voltage storage system or in series as a high-voltage battery with no hardware changes. The batteries can be mounted on walls or set up in a stack configuration.

Solar developers can submit applications from today. The rules of the procurement exercise were published by the nation’s Directorate-General for Energy and Geology.

Dutch EV start-up Lightyear is already producing prototype roofs to extend the range of its Lightyear One solar car. The roofs will feature interdigitated back contact solar cells made by U.S. company SunPower and backsheets from Dutch multinational DSM.

The performance ratio of an installation is stable, yet the yield and the revenues drop significantly. A U.K. case study shows that faults can compensate for performance ratio value, meaning this value is not always a good key performance indicator on its own. This issue will be discussed during the upcoming asset management session at the pv magazine virtual roundtable Europe 2020.

Four years after the expiration of green certificates for PV systems up to 10 kW, the authorities in Belgium’s Flanders region want to support solar again – but this time in the form or rebates. A new scheme will likely go into force in 2021, with up to €1,500 to be awarded per PV system.

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB are trying to understand the causes of light and elevated temperature induced degradation (LeTID) in PERC solar cells. Initial investigations should provide a comprehensive understanding of the process and material dependency of LeTID and related degradation effects in monocrystalline and multicrystalline PERC solar cells.

Fiat Chrysler has begun construction of a vehicle-to-grid pilot at its Mirafiori manufacturing facility in Turin. The project, which also includes 5 MW of PV, will eventually become a virtual power plant.

The Scottish water provider is seeking proposals for the development and construction of several solar plants ranging in size from 50 kW to 50 MW. The installations can be a combination of ground-mounted PV systems and rooftop arrays.

German equipment manufacturer teamtechnik announced it has received an order from a European module manufacturer for several stringers to process nine busbar half cells. Already a major trend among module makers in China, 9BB technology now looks to be headed further afield.

The Dutch PV system provider’s MHI panels feature multi-busbar technology and 120 half-cut, monocrystalline cells. The series has a power output of 355-375 W and efficiency of 19.2-20.3%.