Switzerland

Switzerland installed 602 MW of solar in the first four months of the year, bringing its total installed PV capacity to around 6.8 GW by the end of April.

The Chinese PV industry has benefited from the availability of substantial finance over the past two decades, supporting the development of the renewable, zero-carbon capability essential for meeting the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Easy access to finance has led to unsustainably low prices and unnecessary losses, however, impacting China’s ability to sustain support for renewable energy systems. As the nation expands clean power installations and enhances grid-balancing capacity, maintaining consistent financial support has become more challenging.

The tandem solar cell is based on a perovskite top cell treated with an additive known as 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzylphosphonic acid (pFBPA), which reportedly improves its power conversion efficiency and fill factor. The tandem device also integrates a bottom heterojunction silicon cell made with a 190-μm-thick, 2 Ω.cm, n-type, float-zone, shiny-etched monocrystalline wafer.

Swiss researchers have engineered a device that uses solar energy to heat to more than 1,000 C. The technology could make it possible to use solar energy to decarbonize energy-intensive industries that require high temperatures for production processes.

Scientists have investigated different techno-economic scenarios for using hydrogen storage in combination with hydropower and pumped hydro storage in Switzerland. They have found that hydrogen storage plays no major role under most conditions.

The solar modules are based on the record-breaking 25.32%-efficient 2D/3D perovskite solar cells that the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne unveiled in July 2023. The panel has an aperture area of 27.22 cm2, and were encapsulated by glass-glass encapsulation technology combined with an edge seal of the module under UV light illumination. 

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy says the number of PV installations registered for subsidies with Pronovo, a Swiss government agency, rose 81% year on year in the first three months of 2024.

Norwegian Ship Design Co. has agreed to help build what it claims will be the two largest hydrogen ships in the world, while Norwegian Hydrogen has announced plans to team up with Australia’s Provaris Energy on hydrogen export opportunities.

Aurora Energy Research says it has recorded a sharp increase in green hydrogen projects, with 90% of them in early phases of development, while E.ON says that Germany’s hydrogen ramp-up is stuck due to an investment backlog.

The Swiss canton of Fribourg says it plans to cover a roadway with 14 MW of solar panels. The authorities are now conducting an in-depth feasibility study, to be followed by a financial plan for the project.