Tunisia greenlights 500 MW of solar
The Tunisian government has granted licenses to four PV projects with a combined capacity of 500 MW. The selected developers are Qair International, Voltalia, Toyota Tsusho and Scatec.
Zendure launches new residential batteries
The US-based company unveiled a battery designed for balcony applications and a storage system for rooftop PV systems. Both products are AI-powered.
European PPA prices down in February amid lower deal volumes, says Pexapark
European power purchase agreement (PPA) prices fell in February amid sliding energy commodity prices, but deal flow held steady, says Swiss energy consultancy Pexapark, noting that a “landmark” 40-year, 15 MW solar PPA was signed in Wales.
Technical guidebook for building-integrated photovoltaics
As the global transition toward sustainable energy intensifies, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has emerged as a critical innovation in merging renewable energy with architectural design. The recently published guidebook “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics: A Technical Guidebook,” edited by IEA PVPS Task 15 experts Nuria Martín Chivelet, Costa Kapsis, and Francesco Frontini, offers a comprehensive resource for architects, engineers, and urban planners looking to integrate BIPV into the built environment. This article explores the book’s key insights, including applications, challenges, and future pathways.
The Hydrogen Stream: Chile selects electrolyzer companies for local assembly
Chile’s economic development agency Corfo has selected three companies – two Chinese and one Spanish – to build electrolyzer production facilities in the country. The projects, set to begin operations by mid-2026, will assemble alkaline and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers ranging from 50 kW to 5 MW.
PV-driven absorption cooling system for arid regions
Scientists in Saudi Arabia have simulated a solar-powered single-effect absorption cooling system that uses water-lithium bromide as a working fluid, under the environmental conditions of Riyadh. Exergy and exergy rates are calculated for each level of the system, with optimal generator performance being found to peak at 80 C.
Brazil’s PV capacity hits 55 GW
Brazil has installed 37.4 GW of distributed solar and 17.6 GW of large-scale PV capacity to date.
Agrivoltaics for radicchio
An Italian research team has found that radicchio seedlings grown in a lab-scale greenhouse with a perovskite solar PV roof exhibited faster growth and larger leaves than the bare glass reference. In addition, simulations of such a PV roof revealed a positive energy balance, satisfying the energy demands of a typical greenhouse located in Italy.
Research shows Germany’s investments in renewables are ‘paying back’
German researchers have found that the majority of subsidies required to reach the country’s renewable energy targets have already been paid, with an estimated 80% to 90% of subsidies for units in operation covered. The costs of newer renewable energy sources have decreased and are often competitive with remunerations from the wholesale market.
Ardian acquires Akuo
France-based Akuo currently operates a 1.9 GW renewable energy plant portfolio.
