Europe

Creating a more resource-efficient solar power industry
PSS, which focuses on selling service and performance instead of products, is usually seen as a means to realize a circular economy, in which economic activity is decoupled from resource consumption and waste is minimized.
Dec 12, 2019 // Technology, Europe, recycling, CIRCUSOL, PSS, PVMINDS
AI-driven robots are making new materials, improving solar cells and other technologies
Ada, an AI-driven robot, searches for new solar cell designs at the University of British Columbia.
Dec 12, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, solar cell, North America, University of British Columbia, Curtis Berlinguette, Benji Maruyama, Apurva Mehta, Kristin Persson, Keith Brown, Joshua Schrier, John Gregoire
SENS to create 440 MW photovoltaic project in Sicily
German Steag Solar Energy Solutions GmbH (SENS) and KGAL Investment Management GmbH & Co. KG intend to come up with photovoltaic power projects in Sicily with an installed capacity of 440 MW.
Dec 11, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Germany, Europe, SENS
EIB’s new climate fight era takes it to 218MW Spanish PV pipeline
Yet another solar pipeline is in the works in Spain, with hundreds of megawatts slated for deployment with backing from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Dec 11, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Spain, Europe, eib, PV pipeline, Valdis Dombrovskis
Next-generation monograin layer solar cells containing silver
The scientific team from TalTech has finally succeeded in improving the performance of their innovative photovoltaic cells by replacing part of copper in absorbing layer with silver.
Dec 11, 2019 // Technology, Europe, TalTech, silver, solar sells, Tallinn
French research institute breaks efficiency record for silicon heterojunction solar cells
LITEN, a major European research institute, announces a 24.25 percent record, approved by the German independent calibration and test laboratory.
Dec 11, 2019 // Technology, France, solar cells, Europe, LITEN
Solar to the fore as Athens Airport announces plan for net zero carbon ground operations by 2025
Greece’s largest international airport has set a goal to operate as a net zero carbon emitter by 2025, mainly via investing in on-site solar. Should the goal be met, the airport will be Europe’s first to rely on self-generated electricity and operate with net zero emissions.
Dec 10, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Storage, Policy, Greece, solar pv, Europe, AIA, Olivier Jankovec
Europe approves $3.2 billion to support battery R&D
The European Commission has approved use of capital given by seven member nations to back Europe-wide R&D projects across the lithium-ion battery value chain, with the purpose of possibly unlocking an extra $5 billion in private sector investment
Dec 10, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Storage, Europe, lithium-ion battery
Chint launches a 103MW solar project in Netherlands
The photovoltaic park developed by Chint Solar was commissioned a month and a half ago. The PV modules for the project were manufactured by Astronergy, the company’s unit in Germany.
Dec 10, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Germany, pv modules, Europe, Netherlands, Chint Solar
Akuo bags 6-MW energy storage project in Tonga
French renewable energy producer Akuo Energy said Friday it has secured a contract to construct in Tonga a power storage system with a capacity of 23.4 MWh/6 MW.
Dec 9, 2019 // Storage, France, Europe, Oceania, Akuo Energy, Tonga
Engie purchases 50 MWp PV pipeline in Portugal
The Portuguese unit of France's Engie SA (EPA:ENGI) has obtained solar energy firm Ikaros Hemero together with a project pipeline of over 50 MWp, local press reported Saturday.
Dec 9, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Portugal, Europe, Engie SA, Ikaros, Hemera Duarte Caro de Sousa, Pedro Cruz
Oil giant BP increases stake in PV developer Lightsource
British Gas and Oil supermajor BP announced it increases its stake in solar developer Lightsource BP in an effort to help accelerate the organization's growth and its aspirations to develop 10GW of renewable energy assets by the end of 2023.
Dec 9, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Lightsource BP, Europe, bp
Energia Group buys two Co Meath solar projects
Energy company Energia Group has bought Irish solar developer Solar Farmers Ltd, which has two solar projects in Co Meath.
Dec 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Ireland, Europe, Energia Group, Solar Farmers Ltd
Scottish Power enters solar business
The distribution system operator for southern and central Scotland says it wants to optimize onshore renewables potential with the addition of storage and solar into its clean electricity business. The company said hybrid projects combining wind, storage and solar will become the market standard in 2021.
Dec 7, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Grids, UK, Iberdrola, Europe, Scottish Power
UAE Energy company to develop 400 MW photovoltaic projects in Armenia
The primary venture being organized under the joint enhancement understanding (JDA) is a 200MW utility-scale sun oriented photovoltaic (PV) plant in the west Armenia.
Dec 7, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, David Papazian, ANIF, Masdar, Europe, Armenia, Abu Dhabi, Armen Sarkissian, Suhail Al Mazrouei, Khaldoon Al Mubarak