Until now, balcony inverters were mostly simple micro inverters, with batteries integrated via MC4 connectors. A hybrid inverter should improve this situation.

China’s Utmo Light showcased its first full perovskite PV module at this week’s SNEC PV trade fair in Shanghai, underscoring the technology’s ongoing shift toward commercialization.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) has shown its latest lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery at an auto show in Beijing. The Chinese company says it has an energy density of 205 Wh per kg, almost 8% higher than the current state of the art for such batteries.

Vanadium offers unique characteristics as a battery material, as it can shed electrons without shifting from its ionic state, ensuring high cycling stability. South Korea’s Standard Energy has developed a battery with just 1% degradation after 20,000 cycles. The company has already completed 10 MWh of projects in its home market and now aims to expand internationally.

PreussenElektra has revealed plans to potentially develop Europe’s largest battery storage facility at the decommissioned Brokdorf nuclear power plant site in Germany, with 800 MW/1,600 MWh of capacity. The site operator now needs to secure approval to dismantle the nuclear plant.

Germany’s VoltStorage says its containerized 50 kWh vanadium redox flow battery solution can be scaled up to 500 kWh.

For a long while, it looked as if hydrogen fuel cells would be the technology of choice for emissions-free road transport. However, truck manufacturers and freight forwarders recently turned their attention to battery-electric vehicles. This will require special charging technology and PV looks set to play an important role.

The expected lifetime of PV inverters is significantly shorter than that of modules. In many projects, inverter replacement is included in financial calculations from the start, despite the high costs. Research is being conducted into the causes of faults to develop more durable inverters and components. But plant design can already improve the lifespan of inverters in use today, reports pv magazine Germany’s Marian Willuhn.

How much hydrogen is actually needed? Several German research institutes have examined 40 energy scenarios for hydrogen ramp-up and found that 15 million GWh of hydrogen will be needed worldwide by 2050.

With a new start-up and a consortium in the Netherlands, German automotive supplier Schaeffler wants to significantly reduce the costs of green hydrogen.