Welcome to today's Green Tech Daily Digest! Here are the top 6 stories making waves in renewable energy and sustainable technology.
1. Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Cells Break Efficiency Records, Nearing Commercial Scale
Researchers at NREL, in collaboration with Oxford PV, announced a new 30.2% efficiency record for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells in laboratory settings. This breakthrough, detailed at a conference in San Jose, California, significantly pushes the technology closer to mass production, with pilot lines in Europe expecting commercial modules by late 2027.
2. First Phase of ScotWind's Groundbreaking Floating Offshore Wind Farm Begins Operation
The 'Caledonia Array,' a 750 MW floating offshore wind farm project from a consortium including Equinor and Ocean Winds, has commenced initial operations off the Scottish coast. Located in depths exceeding 150 meters, this first phase of the ScotWind development showcases the viability of large-scale floating technology, aiming for a total capacity of 2.5 GW by 2030.
3. North American EV Charging Network Receives Major Boost from Automaker Alliance
A coalition of major automakers, including Stellantis, Hyundai, and BMW, alongside Electrify America, unveiled plans to deploy an additional 4,000 ultra-fast charging points across the U.S. and Canada by early 2028. This $3.5 billion initiative aims to alleviate range anxiety and standardize charging experiences, with the first 500 stations expected online in key corridors by year-end.
4. Texas Grid Fortified with New 600 MWh Sodium-Ion Battery Storage Facility
A new 600 MWh sodium-ion battery energy storage system, developed by Eos Energy Enterprises and deployed by Vistra Corp., has gone online near Houston, Texas, providing critical grid stability and peak shaving capabilities. This project marks one of the largest deployments of non-lithium grid storage in the U.S., leveraging cost-effective and abundant materials to support ERCOT's growing renewable portfolio.
5. Green Hydrogen Set to Decarbonize European Steel Production with New Supply Deal
H2 Green Steel announced a landmark 15-year off-take agreement with Ørsted for green hydrogen supply to its new Boden facility in Sweden, starting in 2028. The deal will enable the production of 2.5 million tons of near-zero emission steel annually, leveraging a dedicated 800 MW electrolyzer plant, significantly reducing the industry's carbon footprint.
6. EU Parliament Approves Stricter Industrial Emissions Directive, Accelerating Decarbonization
The European Parliament today voted to approve an updated Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), imposing more stringent greenhouse gas reduction targets and mandating best available technologies for heavy industry. This landmark policy, effective 2027, is expected to drive over €50 billion in private and public investment into carbon capture, green hydrogen, and electrification technologies across key sectors like cement and chemicals.
This digest is automatically generated from trusted renewable energy news sources.