Saturday, 18 July 2026

Germany's LuFo Klima program is backing THWS and Kasaero with nearly EUR 2 million to develop a modular hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion kit for the Taifun 17 H2, according to Hydrogen Fuel News.

The kit is designed as a retrofit-ready system for ultralight aircraft, Hydrogen Fuel News reported.

The propulsion system combines PEM fuel cell technology with a lithium-ion buffer, according to Hydrogen Fuel News.

The Taifun 17 H2 featured in the project is a two-seat touring aircraft, Hydrogen Fuel News reported.

DRIFT Energy, a UK startup, is rolling out a fleet of sailing vessels designed to produce green hydrogen at sea, according to Hydrogen Fuel News.

The wind-powered vessels use underwater turbines and onboard electrolysis to generate the hydrogen offshore before delivering it to ports, Hydrogen Fuel News reported.

The boats are designed to travel along optimal wind corridors and return to port carrying compressed hydrogen, according to the same report.

Sungrow and TÜV Rheinland have released a quantitative corporate framework for assessing the long-term reliability of photovoltaic (PV) inverters, according to pv magazine. The two firms describe the standards as a corporate-level method for measuring how inverters hold up over years of operation.

The framework is built on two standards, according to pv magazine. One, 2 PfG 3325, targets insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules and lays out testing methods for power semiconductor components under thermal and power cycling stress. The other, 2 PfG 3328 Part 2, covers system-level testing and lifetime assessment of power conversion equipment.

Sungrow said the standards close a gap between how inverters are qualified in the lab and how they perform in the field over time. Existing qualification methods were not built to capture the varied and demanding conditions of modern PV plants, the company said.

The two organizations have worked together before, publishing a joint white paper earlier in 2026 on a risk-based approach to battery energy storage system (BESS) safety, according to pv magazine.

ASL has made changes to key renewable energy tenders to ensure that successful wind and solar projects can move beyond winning an auction to actually being built, according to RenewEconomy.

ASL is the company charged with managing key tenders in NSW and other states under the federal government's Capacity Investment Scheme, RenewEconomy reported.

The changes will take effect initially in NSW, which is running its own tenders to secure the capacity to replace ageing coal fired generators, all of which are due to retire within the next decade.

Bright Saver will sell its plug-in solar kits nearly nationwide, everywhere except Maine, New York and Vermont, according to pv magazine, which cited nuances in those states' plug-in solar laws.

Member pricing is set at $285.30 for a 180-watt kit and $414.17 for a 360-watt kit, according to pv magazine. Non-member pricing runs to $499 and $699 respectively.

Basic membership costs $29 per year and grants participants the right to purchase the at-cost kits, along with access to a members-only community and future offers from the nonprofit, according to pv magazine.

Each balcony kit includes one or two 180-watt panels measuring 46 by 34 inches and weighing 11 pounds, per pv magazine. The panels pair with a 120V microinverter fitted with a 15-foot, three-prong power cord and instructions for do-it-yourself installation on a balcony using zip-ties or screws.

The kits target a maximum output of 360 watts to maintain safety, according to pv magazine. The nonprofit ties that ceiling to the National Electrical Code rule that continuous loads use no more than 80% of a circuit's rated capacity. On a standard 15 amp circuit, the resulting 3 amp buffer equals 360 watts at 120 volts.

The offering follows a wave of state-level legislation. Following Utah's 2025 passage of HB 340, legislators in 33 other states took up similar plug-in solar bills, according to pv magazine. Nine state legislatures passed the bills during their 2026 session.

Offshore wind has shown it can support the electricity grid during major heat waves, according to Canary Media.

Earlier in the month, dangerously hot and humid temperatures settled over the eastern United States, Canary Media reported.

US offshore wind farms have already demonstrated the ability to keep electricity flowing during severe winter storms, according to Canary Media.

France, Spain and Italy each set daily solar generation records in early July, according to pv magazine. France reached its all-time high on July 6 at 199 GWh.

Spain broke its own record two days later, reaching 277 GWh, while Italy registered a new record on July 10 with 167 GWh, pv magazine reported. On the same day, Germany recorded its second-highest solar figure in history, generating 494 GWh, which also marked its highest figure during a day in July.

Among the analyzed markets, the Italian market had the highest weekly average electricity price, at EUR 144.09/MWh, followed by the British market at EUR 118.92/MWh, according to pv magazine.

Gas prices climbed over the same period. TTF gas futures on the ICE market for the Front-Month reached a maximum settlement price of EUR 50.10/MWh on July 9, the highest since May 20, according to AleaSoft's analysis. The consultancy attributes the rise to intensified hostility between the United States and Iran that threatened liquefied natural gas (LNG) traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Carbon prices also rose. CO2 emission allowance futures on the EEX market for the December 2026 reference contract reached a maximum settlement price of EUR 81.81/tonne CO2 on July 6, which AleaSoft says marks the highest level since February 5.

ZeroAvia and Marshall Aerospace have partnered to assess hydrogen fuel cell powertrains for military aircraft, according to Hydrogen Fuel News. The work aims to boost endurance, cut signatures and chart a certification path.

Marshall Aerospace is described by Hydrogen Fuel News as the UK's largest independent aerospace and defense engineering company.

The partners are examining how hydrogen fuel cell powertrains could integrate into future military aircraft, according to Hydrogen Fuel News, without committing to a specific airframe or customer at the outset.