solar cell

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).

A new provisional agreement to reform the European Union’s electricity market design is a “clear path forward for long-term investments into renewables,” says SolarPower Europe. However, the organization has criticized the deal’s capacity remuneration mechanisms for “prolonging Europe’s dependency on coal.”

Denmark-based slot-die coating equipment manufacturer FOM Technologies raised DKK 43.60 million ($6.3 million) to finance the next stage of growth, which includes expansion of sales in the United States.

The leaders of Germany’s three major political factions have agreed to cut an unspecified amount of solar spending, among other initiatives, to plug a €60 billion ($64 billion) budget shortfall triggered by a German federal court ruling in November. However, the Federal Association of Solar Economy (BSW-Solar) has criticized the announcement and said that concerns remain about other major solar projects that are potentially at risk.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) is drafting a new rooftop PV decree that rules out the possibility for homeowners to sell excess energy back to the grid. Apricum analyst Moritz Stitcher tells pv magazine that the mechanism sends the wrong message for the sector.

JinkoSolar says it plans to sell a 49% stake in Jinko Energy Storage to investment firm Haining Xinchao.

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.

India’s solar panel imports in the first half of fiscal 2024 surpassed the total value imported for all of fiscal 2023.

TU Deflt researchers made a first attempt to validate reconfigurable solar modules using prototypes in outdoor tests. The panels consist of two or more blocks of solar cells that are connected to a switching matrix and reportedly achieve a 10.2% higher energy yield than conventional shade-resilient modules under partial shading conditions.

Energetica Industries, an Austrian PV manufacturer, can no longer meet its payment obligations. A total of 120 creditors and 94 employees are affected by the insolvency proceedings.