Sandra Enkhardt
Germany sets new ceiling prices for solar auctions
The German grid agency has set a ceiling price of €0.0737 ($0.081)/kWh for ground-mounted PV and €0.1050/kWh for rooftop solar installations.
Germany’s solar funding in firing line after €60 billion budget shortfall
The leaders of Germany’s three major political factions have agreed to cut an unspecified amount of solar spending, among other initiatives, to plug a €60 billion ($64 billion) budget shortfall triggered by a German federal court ruling in November. However, the Federal Association of Solar Economy (BSW-Solar) has criticized the announcement and said that concerns remain about other major solar projects that are potentially at risk.
SMA to build 3.5 GW inverter factory in US
SMA Solar Technology AG says it will open a new 3.5 GW inverter factory at an unspecified location in the United States in 2025. The German manufacturer is currently talking with several US states and potential partners to select the best production site.
German heating specialist unveils photovoltaic boilers
Nexol says its new boilers use a special controller to facilitate the management of special heating elements. It recommends the use of a storage tank with a volume of up to 300 liters.
Bauer Solar introduces 440 W glass-glass solar modules
Bauer Solar is expanding its “Premium Protect” series with its new 440 W glass-glass solar modules. Since the beginning of December, the German PV manufacturer has only offered glass-glass modules.
Energetica Industries files for insolvency
Energetica Industries, an Austrian PV manufacturer, can no longer meet its payment obligations. A total of 120 creditors and 94 employees are affected by the insolvency proceedings.
Swiss utility plans 70 MW of Alpine solar
Energy supplier BKW is developing six solar power projects at high-altitude locations in Switzerland.
Swiss consortium switches on 325 kW vertical PV system on retaining wall
K2 Systems and Solarmotion deployed the vertical array on a retaining wall along a car road in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Ausserhoden. The system utilizes 756 glass-glass modules and is operating under Switzerland’s feed-in tariff program.
Imec integrates silicon heterojunction solar cells into curved surfaces
Imec has successfully integrated silicon heterojunction PV cells into curved surfaces, resulting in a 6% efficiency increase compared to passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) half cells. The cells are suitable for applications in vehicle-integrated and building-integrated PV (BIPV).
Limited success for large-scale PV auctions in Austria
The Austrian authorities have only used 35% of their 2023 budget for large-scale solar auctions thus far.
