Europe

Albania’s government is to find developers of a utility-scale solar project via a new auction later this year, complemented by plans to examine how PV can grow more extensively across the country.

Scientists at Switzerland’s University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil have demonstrated an aluminum conversion process which could be valuable for long-term renewable energy storage. Simulations suggest that by employing the process, a new multi-family building in Switzerland could meet all its energy demand from a 7-11 kWp solar system.

European research group Solliance says its perovskite modules have passed three key industry standard reliability tests: Light soaking, damp heat and thermal cycling. The group said it is the first time perovskite modules of that size have achieved such results and represents a milestone in the technology’s move toward commercialization.

Swedish Vattenfall will be constructing a huge solar array 70 kilometers north of the capital – in the city of Uppsala.

Innovative solar-plus-storage technology is being created in the United Kingdom.

The raised renewable energy ambition has been dismissed by the domestic solar association, which accuses president Miloš Zeman of wanting to destroy the Czech PV sector. In 2019, the country added only 7 MW of new PV installations.

Far from bringing the grid down, clean energy could help save it.

Fortum Corp is going to acquire 100% of the shares in Finland-based growing firm CrisolteQ Qy, specializing in hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium-ion batts.

Manz AG has signed an agreement with China’s Shenzhen Yinghe Technology for strategic cooperation in lithium-ion cell and module production.

The energy ministry has published a plan to radically simplify the renewable energy permitting process. The new system is expected to come into force as early as next month and will be applied retroactively to address a 22-month backlog in generation license applications.

UK renewables developer Anesco Ltd has secured 10 contracts to provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for 71 MW of solar farms in its home country.

Calyxo, a German cadmium telluride solar module manufacturer, has filed for insolvency for the second time, despite the recent emergence of new prospective investors. Meanwhile, Crystalsol – an Austrian flexible solar panel maker – has also initiated insolvency proceedings, due to losses of roughly €7 million.

JLC Infrastructure has announced a successful acquisition of Greenskies Renewable Energy – a utility and commercial PV system developer.

Netherlands’ Rijkswaterstaat is planning to deploy PV module installation along the Drenthe’s motorway. The panels will be installed on the 300ha area on the median and sides of the road. The project is being developed under the country’s target to find new spaces for clean energy solutions.

A fresh round of funding has bumped total investment in NextEnergy Capital's global solar fund, Next Power III (NPIII), to US$280 million.