Flanders provides incentives for residential storage
Since the beginning of August the Flemish government has granted a €250/kWh rebate for the purchase of domestic batteries. The program is set to run until the end of next year.
Chinese solar production figures continue to ramp up
Quasi-governmental body the CPIA has released first-half figures for the world’s biggest solar marketplace which show production volumes for export markets continuing to expand and the domestic picture set to rebound after public solar subsidy levels were published.
First off-shore PV project launched in the North Sea
A floating solar array will be located in the North Sea near an aquaculture and an offshore wind power facility. The €2 million pilot project is being developed by a consortium including Tractebel, Jan De Nul Group, Deme, Soltech and Ghent University.
Belgium needs PV to meet obligations
Part three of our series on solar’s less covered markets takes us to Belgium, where despite impressive instsllation numbers from the rooftop market, a lack of volume means the country is unlikely to hit its EU mandated 2020 targets for renewable energy.
Belgium: Flemish regulator challenges smart meter residential PV agreement
The deal introduced a 15-year grace period for household PV system owners, during which they could choose whether to take net metering payments based on assumed energy use or a potential new system based on actual use and measured by smart meters.
Solid (state) plans announced by imec
Belgian research institute imec this week said it has set a performance record of 400 watt-hours per liter – at a charge rate of 0.5 – for a solid state lithium metal battery. The institute says it is working with the University of Hasselt to scale up production of solid state cells on a pilot line in Belgium.
Engie commissions 100 MW solar park in Belgium
Construction on the Lommel project started in October. The facility, owned by Flemish investment company Limburgse investeringsmaatschappij, will sell power to a zinc manufacturer and is also entitled to a premium of €0.0479 on top of the market power price.
Belgium sees the biggest PPA-driven solar installation commissioned since 2013
With a capacity of 2,2 MW, the rooftop array is at the industrial plant of Belgian company Ontex, which will buy almost all the electricity generated from project developer Menapy under a 15-year power supply deal.
Belgium: Flemish government grants feed-in premium of €0.078 to megawatt-scale floating project
The electricity produced by the floating array will power the Cable Park aquatic park, with surplus power injected into the grid. The project is part of a series of floating plants the Flemish government has been supporting since October.
Ikea’s solar offer in Germany criticized by consumer association
The Verbraucherzentrale NRW says advertising for the Solstråle solar system is misleading and has warned the furniture provider and its partner Solarcentury Microgen (Deutschland) GmbH it will begin legal action if the campaign is not changed.
