Netherlands

The Qurmit battery gel lead-acid battery has expanded to the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector with a larger capacity battery, and new technology has improved the lifespan.

The Netherlands-based manufacturer is targeting older home PV arrays with its M-ELV product, which does not require replacement of solar inverters.

Netherlands-based Nowos is expanding its micro-mobility battery repair business to cover a wider range of batteries as demand for its service grow in France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is now adding new repair hubs in Poland and Germany.

Scientists have developed a system that harvests rainwater running off PV panels for household use or hydrogen production. Their analysis showed that, in the southern Sahel, the system can meet both the energy and water requirements for electrolysis, with surplus rainwater covering up to 50% of a household’s daily water demand.

Dutch energy storage firm Return has started construction on the 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system in Waddinxveen, which will be the first project of the size to connect to the TenneT Netherlands high-voltage network in 2026. Vattenfall will manage and optimize half of the system’s capacity under an eight-year contract.

Researchers in Italy have designed a novel carbon dioxide heat pump that can work with photovoltaic-thermal energy, a finned coil heat exchanger and a U-tube borehole heat exchanger. Their experiment has shown that the simultaneous use of at least two energy sources always results in improved system performance even with limited heat transfer areas.

Aurora Energy Research says the global electrolyzer pipeline now totals around 1.3 TW, with 114 GW in development and 32% expected online by the end of 2026. The firm cites stronger EU policy support and growing momentum in hybrid power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Researchers at the Delft University of Technology have developed a top-down processing method localized the front contact in heterojunction solar cells. The new technique reportedly improves a cell’s short-circuit current density enabling higher power conversion efficiency.

Dutch utilities Eneco and Delta Energie will test lower electricity tariffs for consumers – regardless of PV system ownership – who shift consumption to periods of peak solar generation. The pilot aims to encourage flexible demand during midday hours.

Dutch transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT has unlocked over 9 GW of high-voltage grid capacity by introducing flexible contracts for off-peak hours, prompting a surge of interest from battery energy storage developers eager to secure grid access. While these contracts offer notable advantages, Aurora Energy Research says that their overall impact on the battery storage business case will be limited.