Germany

German high-end auto giant BMW said Wednesday it had struck a deal with a Chinese supplier covering all of its own lithium needs for electric car batteries for the forthcoming five years.

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.

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.

European solar panel makers have combined efforts with research centers to developed improved procedures for CIGS manufacturing. The venture codenamed SUCCESS aims at production line efficiency exceeding 20 percent for modules sized 30 cm x 30 cm

The new total area efficiency record has been confirmed by TÜV Rheinland on a module surface area of 120 x 60 centimeters, using Manz production equipment at the NICE Solar Energy R&D facility in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.

Aleo’s new product will become commercially available in January 2020. Within the framework of the recent trend, the Germany-based photovoltaics maker is tending to increase the cell size. The advanced PV device is said to provide up to 333 watts of power production.

The naysayers aren't stopping big automakers and startups from developing the technology. There are some ideas where the payoff for success would be so huge that you just have to try.

The manufacturer of assembly systems will continue production exclusively at its Chinese facility. At the same time, the company plans to continue cooperating with its German and other foreign production partners. Stopping manufacture in Germany will result in job losses.

The latest peak conversion rate over 23 per cent for a large version of n-type photovoltaic cells achieved by China-based Trina Solar has been recognized by German ISFH calibration and test center.

The accusation has been brought against IBC Solar of importing the Chinese photovoltaic modules declared in the wrong way, which has resulted in nonpayment of about €23m duties. Both the headquarters and the top management’s homes have been subject to search.

German project developer for renewable energies BayWa r.e. Renewable Energy GmbH has launched a new solar systems distribution business in Makati City, the Philippines.

A team of German scientists from HZB has performed a thorough research of methylammonium lead iodide structure. The crystal is among the most high-potential perovskites for solar cells. The researchers have discovered some properties, which are likely to help cope with the existing challenges and create cells that can boast both high efficiency and stability.

Shikun and Binui Renewable Energy will be the owner of the 120 MW Zeélim solar park in the south of Israel.

The Carl Zeiss Foundation has invested €4.5m in the R&D project by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. The KIT research team is going to invent whole new photovoltaic cells, which are supposed to provide all the benefits of organic, crystalline silicon and perovskite solar cells, such as printability, stability and ferroelectric properties.

Seoul-headquartered solar supplier Hanwha charges rivals in the United States, Germany and Australia with having violated its patent. In U.S., Jinko Solar – together with REC and Longi – have requested an intermediate review by USITC. Today, Jinko is expecting the judge to decide in its favor.