Europe

The European Court of Auditors says the European Union will likely fail to achieve its 2030 renewable hydrogen goals, while the US Department of Energy and Arches have agreed to build a $12.6 billion hydrogen hub in California.

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) says 220,000 balcony PV systems were installed in the country in the first half of the year, reaching 200 MW.

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Camille Zimmermann, Investment Director at France-based equity firm Omnes. She says that, when there are women at the helm of companies, it seems there is no problem in finding other talented women to join the ranks of their organizations.

A team of researchers in Germany has fabricated a non-fullerene acceptor-based organic photovoltaic cell featuring a bilayer solution-processed hole transporting layer. It recorded a power conversion efficiency of 17.1% and maintained 93% of its initial efficiency after 1,800 hours under continuous solar cell operation at 60 C.

Researchers in Italy have designed a water-source heat pump system intended for generating cooling, heating and domestic hot water in social housing stock built during the 1970s–1990s. The novel concept integrates photovoltaic-thermal energy with thermal storage and promises a seasonal coefficient of performance of 5.

A research group has examined the potential for PV on building walls and rooftops across Norway. It says that up to 36% of the feasible solar energy, or approximately 31 GW, could be integrated into the national power system to match generation and consumption patterns.

The U.K.-based technology company has launched Endurance, an electric transport refrigeration system with integrated battery and solar PV. It is built to compete with diesel-powered systems.

A computing pilot program, housed within Europe’s largest electricity utility, Iberdrola, found that some quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms matched or outperformed existing benchmarks for optimal placement of grid batteries.

Current market conditions are propelling grid-scale project deployment in a more diversified European energy storage market. Anna Darmani, principal analyst – energy storage EMEA, at Wood Mackenzie, examines revenue streams in different parts of Europe and emerging routes to the market.

Signs of a UK government that’s prepared to back solar have emerged within a fortnight of the Labour Party securing victory in the General Election. The government has already signed off on more than 1 GW of new solar capacity.