Germany

A German research team is conducting practical tests to see how solar modules with integrated radio technology can be linked to form an overall network. The “communicative” panels should represent a simple and cost-effective solution for monitoring and controlling small-scale photovoltaic systems.

Thermal solar company Vast Renewables and German-headquartered energy company Mabanaft have further cemented their partnership with a joint development agreement to advance Vast’s CSP-powered green methanol reference plant, Solar Methanol 1.

Australia’s first eight-hour battery energy storage system is set to go ahead with German energy major RWE announcing it has taken the investment decision and signed key contracts for the Limondale battery project being developed in southwest New South Wales.

German investment firm Hansainvest Real Assets has switched on Europe’s largest solar plant – a 605 MW installation in Germany’s Saxony region. The project spans 500 hectares and operates under a power purchase agreement th Shell Energy Europe.

German solar technology developer and retailer 1komma5° has continued to strengthen its presence in the Australian market with the acquisition of Queensland-based Arkana Energy Group.

Around 800,000 new workers will be required in Europe by 2025 for the battery industry alone and, more broadly, existing workers will need to be retrained as the continent’s industries transition away from fossil fuels. International competition for workers is becoming increasingly fierce. Where are these workers and the required skills supposed to come from?

Portable solar generators are making their way from the fringes of solar and energy storage to become a mainstream consumer item. The rise has been charged by a range of factors that have created massive brands. Where did the sector emerge from, who was buying before, who is buying now, and what’s next? Tristan Rayner reports.

AEG is currently offering three versions of its new ABC solar panels for rooftop applications, with power outputs of 445 W to 455 W and efficiency ratings ranging from 22.8% to 23.3%. They feature half-cut ABC cells with n-type technology.

A team of scientists at Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen Nürnberg has set an efficiency record of 14.46% for an organic PV module. The performance was certified by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institue for Solar Energy’s PV calibration laboratory.

SMA Solar Technology AG says it will open a new 3.5 GW inverter factory at an unspecified location in the United States in 2025. The German manufacturer is currently talking with several US states and potential partners to select the best production site.