Europe

Data collection and analysis in solar PV installations is increasingly sophisticated, particularly relating to grid interaction and weather forecasting.

'Advanced forecasting tools are already improving solar and demand predictions by over 30%,' writes Schneider Electric's Frédéric Godemel.

There is ‘no way around AI’ for solar companies or Europe’s solar industry as a whole, according to Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe.

Quality assurance provider Intertek has acquired Aerial PV Inspection, a specialist in drone-enabled solar site inspections.

Fixed-tilt trackers and bifacial modules installed vertically could be the most effective way of deploying PV systems in Arctic environments.

Chinese manufacturers dominate PV Tech Research’s new inverter bankability rating report, but recent EU and US policies targeting Chinese-made inverters may create opportunities for other companies.

A 77.5MW PV plant in Estonia is to be coupled with a 55MW/250MWh battery energy storage system to create what is claimed will be the country’s largest hybrid project.

EIB is investing US$40 million to construct and operate three PV plants in southwestern Romania, with a combined capacity of 190MW.

The French government has published its latest energy roadmap for the coming years, setting a reduced target of 48GW for solar PV by 2030.

Germany’s federal network agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has announced the results of its latest ground-mount solar auction, which closed with bids for more than twice as much capacity as was tendered.