News

Toshiba achieves 16.6% efficiency for its polymer film-based perovskite solar module, setting a new record. The one-step coating process enables a faster production process and a lightweight panel ideal for difficult installation locations. By 2025, Toshiba plans to make this technology available for mass production.

Trina Solar has commissioned a 15.5 GW solar manufacturing complex in Vietnam, with 210mm monocrystalline wafers, 6.5 GW wafer capacity & 4-5 GW module capacity. This marks a big step forward in Trina Solar's international manufacturing expansion, ensuring a steady supply of materials worldwide.

Investors are pouring capital into the battery business, and lithium-ion producers like Northvolt are reaping the benefits with over $9 billion raised since 2017. Zeekr IPO will take Geely Holdings's EV maker valuation to $13 billion. Accure, Channel19, Electric Era, NaaS and Nickelytics have closed deals worth millions. Battery tech, EV makers and startups are popular investments.

FranklinWH Energy Storage Inc., a US residential energy storage systems (ESS) company, has raised USD 25 million (EUR 23.1m) in Series B funds. Particle Future led the round to enhance R&D, optimize supply chain, and expand operations and sales network. Franklin Home Power integrates solar, battery, grid and generator power sources. Founded in 2019 and funded by Sequoia Capital. Gary Lam says the new capital will make renewable energy options more accessible.

RWE AG is constructing an 8.4-MW solar farm with an 8-MWh battery storage system in Germany, consisting of 22,000 bifacial modules that will power 3,100 households. The project is part of a EUR 4 billion (USD 4.34bn) plan to build 1,000 MW of renewable energy in the Rhenish mining district by 2030.

Enel Colombia's 132.2 MW solar farm in Fundación, Colombia, is now delivering energy to the grid. With 244,800 solar panels spread across 237 hectares, this USD 109 million project was awarded a 2023-2037 power purchase agreement in Colombia's October 2021 renewable energy auction.

Orange Romania Group and Engie Romania have signed a 6-year VPPA to provide 30GWh of solar energy per year. This helps Orange achieve their net-zero carbon goal by 2040 and 80% green energy level by 2021 in 6 countries.

Masdar is partnering with Ethiopia to bring 500 MW of solar power capacity to the country, part of the UAE's Etihad 7 program, in an effort to improve access to clean energy in Africa. Masdar is also investing in renewable energy projects in Angola, Uganda, and Zambia.

European Energy unveils ambitious plans for the largest solar farm in the Baltics. Located in Anyksciai, Lithuania, it has a capacity of 65MW and will provide 24,000 households with clean energy when it is connected to the grid in Q4 2023. It will feature 140,000 solar panels and a total output of 90,000MWh per year.

Australian researchers develop record-breaking PSC on steel with 17.1% efficiency, leveraging ITO interlayer, SnO2 ETL, and OABra passivation strategy.

Celesc announces solar farm construction in South Santa Catarina, investing BRL 22 million in three solar farms with a combined capacity of 5 MW. Medium-sized consumers will benefit from the energy generated and credited to their bills.

MaxSolar GmbH is completing a 125 MW solar park in Bavaria that will generate 131 MWh of clean electricity yearly, heating & powering almost 40,000 households. Construction of a district heating system connected to the solar park has already begun. Official commissioning on September 28.

New research from the Netherlands has led to the creation of a monolithic perovskite-PERC tandem solar cell with a tunnel recombination junction, achieving an efficiency of 23.7%. This technology is expected to be beneficial for scaling up to larger sizes.

Engie, a global energy company, has signed a binding agreement to acquire Broad Reach Power, a US energy storage company, to support 10GW of battery capacity globally by 2030. Completion expected by end of 2023.

Avangrid has announced their first solar project in California: the 44MW Camino Solar to be constructed by Cupertino Electric in Kern County. It will create jobs, generate local taxes, and bring clean energy to the area. Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO, calls it a necessary step to address climate change.