Virtual power plants (VPPs) can greatly increase the value of home energy storage systems for a range of stakeholders including grid operators, utilities and their customers, according to SolarEdge, which has just launched a VPP software platform.
PV laser technology equipment specialist InnoLas Solutions has been sold to Swiss industrial investment and management firm, CGS for an undisclosed sum.
The International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz e.V. (ISC Konstanz) has signed a technology transfer agreement with PV module assembly equipment supplier based in Finland for R&D centre’s advanced ‘BiSoN’ (Bifacial Solar cell On N-type) and ZEBRA (diffused n-type IBC) solar cell technology.
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) thin-film producer Heliatek has announced another collaboration with French energy firm, Engie, which is an investor in the BIPV company.
UK-based water company Northumbrian Water has turned to renewable energy firm Lightsource BP for the development of 10 ground-mount solar farms to help power its operations.
Leading CdTe thin-film PV manufacturer First Solar may be benefiting from increased demand for its modules from utility-scale customers in the US, which has resulted in the announcement of a new 1.2GW Series 6 module production plant, yet bookings in Europe are fast approaching 1GW.
Leading PV manufacturing equipment supplier Meyer Burger is to outsource the manufacturing of its ‘SmartWire’ connection equipment to PV module assembly and automation specialist, Mondragon Assembly.
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Singulus Technologies has booked over €40 million (US$48.5 million) in new CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide) thin-film manufacturing equipment orders in 2018.