Western Europe

A lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system recently exploded in a home in central Germany, preventing police and insurance investigators from entering due to the high risk of collapse. The explosion may have been preceded by off-gassing, but it remains unclear whether an external ignition source was the cause. Some scientists say thermal runaway may have triggered the blast.

Researchers in Italy have used protective buffer layers in perovskite solar cells to mitigate damage during the sputtering of indium tin oxide in the production process. They claim the buffer layers were able to fulfill this mission without impairing the cell’s average visible transmittance.

Scientists in Finland have developed a new method of assessing the long-term performance of vertical bifacial PV systems in Nordic conditions. The experimental setup consisted of a east-west oriented vertical array equipped with power, temperature, and plane-of-array irradiance sensors, wind speed and global horizontal irradiance sensors, and a weather station.

It is extremely unlikely that a battery storage system will smoke, burn, or explode, despite a spate of recent reports. But what happens if something does go wrong? Do insurance companies pay out? Do premiums go up? How do insurers assess the issue?

Jérémy Langon, head of energy sourcing and site development for Lhyfe, tells pv magazine that the France-based hydrogen producer is focusing on a combination of renewable sources, including offshore wind, to scale up hydrogen production.

A group of scientists across the world have created a list of recommendations that can help create solar neighborhoods. In a recently published study they highlight the importance of legislative frameworks and advanced computing.

A group of ETH Zurich students are currently competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. They are racing a solar car, powered by monocrystalline silicon PV modules, through the Australian outback.

Spain recorded more than 20 GW of installed solar capacity at the end of last year, according to recently published data from Wiki-Solar. The website’s founder claims that the country is becoming a PV powerhouse as utility-scale developers increasingly roll out projects.

Solarday presented its new commercial and industrial strategy at a recent event in Milan. pv magazine Italy spoke with Solarday Sales and Marketing Director Marco Vergani about the module manufacturer’s direct participation in large-scale installations and its new line of inverters.