Meyer Burger reports 2024 EBITDA loss of $257 million
Meyer Burger has posted a CHF 210.4 million ($256.7 million) EBITDA loss for fiscal 2024, on sales of approximately €75 million. The Swiss PV manufacturer says its future is “highly uncertain” as it seeks new financing and works on restructuring plans to remain operational.
Current UV tests overestimate TOPCon solar module degradation
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Fraunhofer ISE) has found that current UV testing methods overestimate degradation in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar modules, as dark storage after UV exposure causes temporary efficiency losses that largely reverse under sunlight.
TWL unveils PVT panels for ground-source heat pumps
The German specialist for solar thermal energy and heat storage said its new PVT collectors rely on double-glass and monocrystalline TOPCon cells. The product has a power conversion efficiency of 22.5% and a maximal thermal ouput of 1,100 W.
European Solar Manufacturing Council urges Borussia Dortmund not to use JA Solar modules
The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) has criticized Borussia Dortmund’s decision to install 11,000 JA Solar panels on its stadium roof, citing the supplier’s exclusion from the US market over alleged links to forced labor. JA Solar responded to these accusations stating that SolarPower Europe’s Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) previously investigated its supply chain and found that it didn’t violate the SSI Principles
Borussia Dortmund plans 4.2 MW PV system at soccer stadium
Borussia Dortmund, a German soccer team, is partnering with JA Solar and RWE to install a 4.2 MW solar system with battery storage at its stadium, supplying 4 MWh for on-site consumption. A smaller PV installation is already in operation on the stadium roof.
Austria installs 2.2 GW of PV in 2024
Austria installed 2.2 GW of new PV capacity in 2024, bringing its cumulative total to 8.3 GW by the end of the year, according to industry group PV Austria.
Germany concludes rooftop PV tender with lowest bid of €0.079/kWh
The German authorities have allocated 317 MW in the nation’s latest rooftop PV tender. The final prices ranged from €0.0790 ($0.0852)/kWh to €0.0969/kWh.
Germany deploys 1.53 GW of PV in February
The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached approximately 102.3 GW at the end of February.
The impact of PV on peatlands
Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE and partners have tested different PV systems on peatland and have pointed out the importance of only developing drained and heavily degraded peatlands for the dual use of carbon storage in peat and solar power generation.
Germany deploys 16.2 GW of solar in 2024
Germany installed 16.2 GW of solar in 2024, bringing total PV capacity to 99.3 GW by the end of December 2024, according to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
