German decommissioned nuclear plant to become 800 MW/1,600 MWh battery
PreussenElektra has revealed plans to potentially develop Europe’s largest battery storage facility at the decommissioned Brokdorf nuclear power plant site in Germany, with 800 MW/1,600 MWh of capacity. The site operator now needs to secure approval to dismantle the nuclear plant.
Weekend Read: Famine to feast – China’s solar market in 2023
China’s solar industry rebounded in 2023 after years of pandemic-related sluggishness. As the year draws to a close, pv magazine looks back at key highlights of 2023 and considers the prospects for 2024.
Heat pump sales declining in Europe
European heat pumps sales were strong in the first quarter of 2023, but this was short-lived as sales figures slid by 14% in the third quarter – a worrying reflection of 2022 figures and what could come, warns the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA).
Belgian grid operator publishes grid capacity map
Belgian network operator Elia says its new grid map shows available capacity, in addition to existing and already reserved capacity. The map, which considers growth in residential load and generation, shows that there might still be enough free capacity for 3.3 GW of solar and 2.8 GW of storage.
Corab debuts residential brine-water heat pump
Polish manufacturer Corab has developed a new ground-source heat pump with several components supplied by Denmark’s Danfoss. It offers 8 kW to 16 kW of rated thermal power.
Battery energy storage analytics platform Modo Energy secures $15 million
UK-based Modo Energy, a battery analytics platform developer, has raised $15 million to finance new product development and develop international markets.
US energy storage deployment surges in Q3
Wood Mackenzie says that grid-scale energy storage deployment rose by 37% on a quarterly basis in the third quarter.
Batteries in hybrid hydro-PV systems could increase profitability by 2%
Researchers from Norway have discovered that adding batteries to projects that combine hydropower and floating PV could increase annual profits by as much as 2%, due to revenues from ancillary services and capacity markets.
Australian oil company secures approval for 500 MW solar farm
Australian oil and gas producer Woodside Energy’s plans to install up to one million solar panels and a grid-scale battery in Western Australia’s Pilbara region is a step closer to realisation after the project won local development approval.
Solar’s ‘success story’ could soon be over, says SolarPower Europe
European Union member states have installed a “record-breaking” 56 GW of PV over the last 12 months – consistent with the last three years of 40% year-on-year growth, according to SolarPower Europe. But the association warns that solar’s moment in the sun could soon be over, as energy prices stabilize and project interest rates skyrocket.
