Solar tech company raises €10.5 million: Denmark-based technology startup FarmDroid has raised a €10.5 million investment to expand its business globally with the funding round led by Convent Capital with participation from EIFO and Navus Ventures. The company develops autonomous, solar-powered agricultural robots that can sow, remove weeds, and reduce pesticide usage with a new micro-spray system, explains the company. These robots are easy to operate, lightweight and affordable, it adds. It claims FarmDroid reduces certain pesticide use by up to 100% compared to conventional methods, thus promoting sustainable agriculture, reducing manual labor and cutting down operational costs. FarmDroid already has over 500 robots operating in 23 countries, according to the company. The funding enables it to now target both organic and conventional open-field farming.
GW-scale RE in Albania: Abu Dhabi’s Masdar has signed a joint venture term sheet agreement with Korporata Elektroenergjitike Shqiptare (KESH) – Albania Power Corporation to explore GW-scale renewable energy projects in Albania. The focus will be on wind, solar, and hybrid renewable energy projects with potential battery storage technology. They plan to deploy this capacity in Albania to supply power within and outside the country through cross-border interconnections.
Tongwei strengthens European presence: Chinese solar PV manufacturer Tongwei has opened its European Marketing Center in Germany’s Frankfurt. On the occasion, it signed a 500 MW high-efficiency solar module supply agreement with EEN Energy to supply the latter this capacity over the next 3 years. It also signed a 163 MW project supply agreement with GoldenPeaks Capital Holding Limited, and a 100 MW module agreement with BayWa r.e.
164 MW agriPV-wind project in Austria: A 164 MW agrivoltaic (also agrisolar/agriPV) project in Austria is advancing with the Burgenland Energie having completed the piling, and the substructure with trackers been installed. Around 210,000 solar panels, making up 80% of the required volume, are also fully installed on-site in Tadten/Wallern in the Neusiedl am See district. The initial commissioning of the project is planned for the end of 2024. On completion, it will be one of Europe’s largest agriPV-wind projects. Organic farming will take place between and under the rows of modules with organic chickpeas and organic potatoes. The company also promised to create new biodiversity areas. It is confident of the project generating 10% more electricity than conventional rigid PV systems on the same area.
Banco Santander backs hybrid RE project: England-based global infrastructure investor Equitix has secured €271 million financing from Banco Santander to refinance, construct and develop a hybrid renewable energy system across Spain with over 326 MW capacity. It combines wind, solar and battery storage technologies which makes it the 1st financing of such a multi-technology hybrid project in Spain, according to international law firms Watson Farley & Williams, and Ashurst that advised Banco Santander on the transaction.
Pre-seed funding for feld.energy: German agrivoltaic startup feld.energy GmbH has announced securing €1.7 million in pre-seed funding from a host of investors led by HV Capital. Other investors are Angel Invest, CoInvest (Marc Diekmann), Karljo Seilern, Cord Amelung, Alex Mahr, Christian Hardenberg, Nikas Rickmann (MVST Ventures), Jan Rabe, and Colin Hanna. As per its business model, feld-energy supports farmers to generate additional income of up to €4,000/hectare by using their land for both agriculture and PV power generation. It plans to use the proceeds to enhance its operational capacity and expand the team.
Hoymiles in France: China-headquartered global module-level inverters and storage systems supplier Hoymiles has signed a cooperation agreement with French energy solution provider Solipac. They plan to cooperate for the French market as well as for the larger European market. Hoymiles said it will fully leverage Solipac’s market channel advantages to promote its high-quality products and innovative technologies.
Huasun in Italy: Chinese heterojunction (HJT) leader Huasun Energy recently participated in the 7th International Workshop on Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell, held at the University of Catania in Italy. The company’s Chief Scientist Dr. Wenjing Wang and the Head of Product Development & Management Center, Jiehua Tian shared the company’s HJT technology evolution as it now has a vertically integrated HJT-specific ingot, wafer, cell and module production. They shared field results from installed projects for their modules. The company is now a global supplier to more than 80 countries and regions.