Western Europe

A lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system recently exploded in a home in central Germany, preventing police and insurance investigators from entering due to the high risk of collapse. The explosion may have been preceded by off-gassing, but it remains unclear whether an external ignition source was the cause. Some scientists say thermal runaway may have triggered the blast.

The Assembly has decided to increase the viability gap funding for solar projects in member countries from 10% of the project cost to up to 35%, depending on the capacity and needs of the countries and their respective projects.

SJVN Green Energy Ltd will pilot a 2 MW floating solar project based on Norwegian firm Ocean Sun’s membrane-based floater technology. Once this pilot project succeeds, the two companies will collaborate to deploy this technology on a large scale in the southern part of India. 

Tanmoy Duari, chief executive officer at Axitec Energy India, told pv magazine that the planned capacity, 300 MW in Gujarat and another 300 MW in Tamil Nadu, will produce n-type TOPCon solar modules. Production will start in the first quarter of 2024.

Birla Carbon has acquired Belgium’s carbon nanotube manufacturer Nanocyl as it looks to establish a leadership position in materials critical to lithium-ion battery performance.

Swiss-Germany company LUXRA Group and India’s Rayzon Solar have agreed to form a joint venture for PV module production in India. The partnership will combine LUXRA’s technology and Rayzon’s operational expertise in PV panel manufacturing.

ABB has secured a complete power, propulsion, and automation systems order for Samskip Group’s hydrogen-powered container vessels. Built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India, these vessels are among the first in the world to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen fuel cells as a clean and renewable fuel source.

Adani Green Energy Ltd and French company TotalEnergies have agreed to create a new 50:50 joint venture (JV) with a 1,050 MW portfolio of solar and wind assets. TotalEnergies will make an equity investment of $300 million in the JV.

Surrey-based Gas Recovery and Recycle Ltd (GR2L) will supply its ArgonØ machinery that can recycle up to 95% of argon used in the fabrication of silicon wafers for solar panels.

The corporate solar solutions provider has raised an additional equity investment of INR 350 crore ($42.3 million) from Norfund after receiving $100 million in 2021. It is also tying up with IFC for INR 560 crore fund to execute projects in India.