Hansainvest Real Assets has switched on Europe’s largest solar plant – a 605 MW installation in Saxony, Germany. The project spans 500 hectares and operates under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Shell Energy Europe.

Meyer Burger says it plans to lay off 500 people at its PV module factory in Germany, but some employees might be relocated within the company. It says about 400 workers will lose their jobs.

Trina Solar has developed all-black, 450 W solar modules, featuring n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells, with a power conversion efficiency of 22.5%.

Several containers with fake glass-glass module are said to be in circulation in Europe. Germany’s Bauer Solar has taken legal action against the counterfeiters, who are suspected to be based in China. It said the fake panels can be identified by the packaging and a lack of wooden reinforcements for the pallets.

Flaxres says it will leverage Hyundai’s capabilities to expand its business outside of Germany. The company has developed a solar module recycling technology that is based on short-term high-temperature heating using flash lamps.

Switzerland-based manufacturer Meyer Burger has developed black heterojunction (HJT) solar modules for balconies, featuring 800 W microinverters, smart control units, and mounting systems.

JinkoSolar is offering its n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) patents to competitors to encourage technological development and prevent legal conflicts.

Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (Fraunhoer IWU) has developed a new online tool to calculate the size of rooftop solar arrays, heat pumps and batteries.

The German grid agency has set a ceiling price of €0.0737 ($0.081)/kWh for ground-mounted PV and €0.1050/kWh for rooftop solar installations.

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.