A researcher in Haryana has revealed a revolutionary manufacturing process for silicon solar cells that has the potential to drastically reduce the price of these cells. Swasti Bhatia, a PhD student at IIT Bombay at the time, demonstrated a silicon solar cell with 12% efficiency, fabricated entirely at below 100C. By using new, non-toxic materials such as TiO2, these low-temperature solar cells replace predominantly high-temperature processes that also use harmful gases such as phosphine.
Rezolv Energy has acquired a 51% stake in two new wind farms in Constanta County, Romania. The Adamclisi and Deleni wind farms are expected to complete financing in 2023. The two wind farms will generate enough clean energy to power more than 332,000 homes and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 220,000 tons per year. Rezolv was founded in 2020 with €500 million backing from Actis, a global investor in sustainable infrastructure.
Babcock International's Rosyth Shipyard has been awarded a £45 million ($56.6 million) contract to maintain three research vessels. The initial three-year contract was announced earlier this month by UK Industry and Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani. The state-of-the-art facility will be programmed for planned maintenance and upgrade work.
The 2023 Annual Conference will bring together more than 2,500 leaders from government, business and civil society. The areas of climate and clean energy will require the greatest collaboration. India has taken several initiatives, including the formation of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), to increase its domestic renewable energy target to 450 GW by 2030. Hydrocarbon-rich countries can use their hydrocarbon resources to turn this challenge into an opportunity.
German utility Uniper has teamed up with United Arab Emirates (UAE) clean energy company Masdar to produce green hydrogen. Uniper declined to provide further details at this stage. Masdar and Uniper will build a 1.3 gigawatt (GW) solar plant that they hope will produce clean hydrogen through electrolysis starting in 2026, Bloomberg reported.
Tim Hannon of Futureproof Clare is taking on Ireland's fast-growing data center industry and its growing carbon footprint. The proposed 450 million-euro data center on the outskirts of Ennis would require 200 megawatts of electricity, "the equivalent of 200,000 homes," he said. According to planning documents, the center's electricity use will generate 657,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions per year. Ireland has experienced unprecedented growth in the data center industry, accelerating from a blip on the international radar a decade ago to become the largest data center market in Europe. The traditional advantages of setting up shop in Ireland, such as political stability and a well-educated, English-speaking workforce, are combined with Dublin's key advantages - the transatlantic cable system and 44km fiber ring linking all major business parks.