A coalition of 25 Danish companies has signed a five-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy electricity from a new solar project in Denmark. The deal is with electricity supplier Reel Energy and developer Energicenter Nord.

An international research term investigated the feasibility of converting solar energy into chemical energy with the design of a hybrid device featuring a solar energy storage and cooling layer integrated with a silicon-based solar cell. Under testing, the device recorded a record energy storage efficiency and decreased the cell’s surface temperature by approximately 8 C under standard solar irradiation conditions.

A new initiative now allows businesses in Malaysia to purchase green electricity directly from renewable energy developers through the national grid. The country’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) estimates that it will generate more than MYR 10 billion ($2.4 billion) in direct investments.

Tokyo-based heavy industry manufacturer IHI Corporation has created a thermal utilization system that can convert surplus direct current power at solar plants into carbon-free steam. A test project that commenced in April has used all generated electricity and is operating stably, the company says.

Figures from the Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) show that 1.98 GW of renewable energy projects are under construction on the archipelago of Visayas, with solar accounting for more than one-third of the capacity.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest report warns that failing to support integration at the point of deployment could jeopardize up to 15% of solar and wind projects by 2030. This shortfall would reduce their combined share of the global electricity mix by 5%.

The European Commission has given the green light to a €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) state aid program in Poland that provides direct grants to companies producing solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and other renewable equipment components.

Cape Verde has inaugurated a 5 MW solar array on Sal Island – its largest PV plant to date, according to the Ministry of Energy and Commerce.

UK-based energy think tank Ember says it expects 593 GW of solar to be added throughout the world this year – 29% more than in 2023. It says 292 GW were installed by the end of July.

The Swedish government is considering reducing the subsidy for solar installations and removing the income tax reduction for households and businesses that micro-produce renewable electricity. Svensk Solenergi, Sweden’s leading solar association, has criticized the proposals.