Weekly news roundup

Most Important News

A new report from the American Psychological Association, written in collaboration with the climate advocacy organization ecoAmerica, has stated that climate change, and the natural disasters linked to it–like intense heat waves, stronger hurricanes, and more–could leave a lifelong trauma imprint on younger generations, as chronicled by Giri Viswanathan on CNN . This grim outlook was further exacerbated after reading on Daily News Hungary that a new bill implemented by Hungarian Energy Minister Csaba Lantos could have a negative effect on the adoption of solar energy in the country, as it will prevent households from generating extra income from their solar panels during the summer.?

However, not all is bad. As the Council of the European Union disclosed, a new Renewables Energy Directive has been adopted, with the intention of raising the share of renewable energy in the European Union’s overall energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030. These efforts are being boosted with a commitment of 118 billion EUR to climate change-related projects, which amounts to a third of the EU’s cohesion policy budget.?

Innovations

As we’ve noticed week by week, the solar industry is evolving at an extremely rapid pace, which is making it more affordable for people to adopt solar energy. Martin Green CBE , one of the most prolific figures in the solar industry, and who, in 1983, invented the PERC solar cell (which powers over 90 percent of all solar panels globally, as reported by Right Livelihood ), has echoed his optimism about our world’s energy transition, stating that affordability will be a key driver of faster adoption of renewables.?

In this regard, exciting announcements come from various corners of the globe. For example, in China, pv magazine Global has shared that Emeren Group has kickstarted a landmark solar energy storage project, which will be located in Ningbo. PV has also reported that in Germany, a group of scientists from the Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE is leading a breakthrough that is looking to apply, for the first time, the shingling interconnection technology to PVST solar cells. If successful, this would considerably boost efficiency, generating a positive ripple effect across the industry.

Efficiency is also what is driving the implementation of biosolar roofs, as reported by the Energy Post . Biosolar roofs combine a solar system with a green roof, something that could prove invaluable, especially in urban settings. For example, the article shares the well-known fact that, as solar panels heat up beyond 25 degrees Celsius, their efficiency decreases. Green roofs would substantially help to moderate the temperature, and mitigate this impact. Last, but not least, in more fascinating discoveries, it is a famous saying that space is the final frontier, and the solar industry is now conquering it. Brennan Nichols, MBA and Curtis Lancaster have written for the BBC that Space Solar , a British firm, is designing a solar space farm that will send power back to Earth. It is expected that it will be up and running by 2035, so buckle up!

More International News

It is time to, like every week, take some time to acknowledge some of the critical events happening worldwide:

• The solar panel supply chain is grappling with myriad issues, as a result of antidumping legislation and due to the increased enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which aims to take out of the market panels made by forced labor in China
• Because of its effects which disrupt food and water availability and cause natural disasters, climate change has been labelled as a “silent health threat”
• Scientists have warned that climate change is impacting the taste and quality of beer, according to the BBC
• Private entities have invested $4.4 billion to boost Egypt’s renewable energy capacity
• In line with what we reported last week, renewable energy stocks keep floundering
• A survey from City Plumbing has discovered that UK homeowners are eager to embrace solar energy
• In Nigeria, Auxano Solar has opened a new solar panel factory. The facility aims to generate additional capacity to help the Nigerian government meet its goal of generating 60% of the country’s energy demand with clean energy by 2050
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom has commissioned an analysis to determine whether it is feasible to install solar panels alongside highways, CNBC has reported

As we can see, it has been a week with mixed results, however, there are many signs for encouragement. I agree with what Martin Green said, that in order to fully embrace the solar revolution, it needs to be accessible to everyone. Seeing countries like Nigeria and Egypt jump on board is very empowering, because it shows that cleaner energies will change lives not only in developed nations but also in those that are building their economies based on more sustainable principles.?