Western Europe

Construction has commenced on a massive battery energy storage system (BESS) project at Cellarhead in the West Midlands, with 54 BESS containers installed in only 38 days.

Researchers from China University of Petroleum have reported on hydrogen-microorganism interactions in underground storage, while Sungrow Hydrogen has won a $4.1 billion bid for an integrated hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol project.

Firefighters in Gersthofen, Germany, have extinguished a fire at a hydrogen refueling station that was inaugurated on June 17 as part of a pilot project supported by the German government.

The National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) is carrying out two agrivoltaics research projects on solar parks operated by BayWa r.e. and Valorem in several regions of France. Despite the different climatic conditions, similar positive trends were observed with a drop in temperature and an increase in soil humidity under the solar panels, as well as a better quality of forage that made it more digestible for animals.

Austria installed 2.6 GW of solar capacity last year. Newly installed PV capacity has nearly tripled, supporting employment.

Voters will soon go to the polls for a UK General Election which has seen the cost-of-living featuring high on the agenda. Much of what’s in store for solar and the wider renewables industry in the United Kingdom may depend on decisions made by the next government – as key deadlines for net-zero draw near.

According to a new survey, 91% of respondents support the expansion of renewable energy sources in Jordan. Strategic interests of geopolitical actors, in particular the US, are seen as hindering the country’s energy transition, however.

The “largest European thin-film solar cell manufacturing plant” will begin operation after receiving production certification. Midsummer executive Erik Olsson tells pv magazine Italy that production is expected to start after the summer, at a time of sharp increase in demand for thin-film photovoltaic cells from the commercial and industrial solar segment.

The Generali Group company has signed an agreement to acquire a minority share of Enel Libra Flexsys, which aims to roll out 1.7 GW of battery energy storage projects in Italy. “Revenues are fully contracted for 15 years through capacity agreements with Enel as well as capacity payments from Enel that are backed by Terna, Italy’s transmission system operator,” Sosteneo says.

In the apostolic letter “Brother Sun,” the pontiff announced the agrivoltaic system for the “complete energy sustenance” of the country. The plant will be built in the countryside of Rome’s 49th district.