United Kingdom

UK-based Caldera has developed a new heat storage technology that can reportedly convert on-site generated solar power into on-demand heat, thus replacing conventional gas boilers. The system uses a composite of recycled aluminum and volcanic rocks to store heat at up to 500 C and produce steam.

There’s a rejuvenated feeling in the UK solar market where a new government is making positive signals and considering key policy changes aimed at speeding up project commissioning. For storage, there’s still serious interest in utility-scale deployment with some significant projects in the pipeline.

ECL says it will build a 1 GW hydrogen-powered AI factory data center in Houston, Texas, with Lambda as its first tenant. The initial $450 million phase is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.

The novel propane heat pump has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.9 and can reportedly achieve a flow temperature of up to 55 C.

Researchers have measured the power loss of a 50 W panel stationed in a 30-meter wave tank. Based on ten different scenarios, they were able to draw an empirical equation for the prediction of power loss, with the highest loss being measured at 12.7%.

Ballard Power Systems says it has started restructuring its global operations to cut costs due to slower hydrogen infrastructure development and delayed fuel cell adoption.

Researchers in the United Kingdom have presented a new heat pump system that may avoid reducing heat supply during defrosting operations. The proposed concept can reportedly execute defrosting operations while ensuring continuous heating by condensing the refrigerant in the frosted evaporator.

A research paper from scientists at Swansea University describes their tool for analyzing thermodynamic limits of organic semiconductor-based photovoltaics (OPVs). One of the findings was that semi-transparent solar PV deployed in greenhouses may deliver comparable performance to conventional crystalline silicon PV.

UK scientists designed a new heat pump concept that they claim could be particularly beneficial to newly developed areas or potential residential complexes. The system uses ice or ice slurry as the heat source and its energy consumption is reportedly lower than that of several types commercially available heat pumps.

Cottam Solar Project secures approval through national infrastructure consent process. The 600 MW solar and storage development is the fourth major solar project to secure UK government approval in a three-month period.