Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

Tata Motors has incorporated a 100% subsidiary, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited (TPEML). TPEML has been incorporated with an authorized capital of 700 million equity shares of ₹10 (~$0.13), aggregating to ₹7 billion (~$93.08 million). TPEML has been incorporated to manufacture, design, and develop all kinds of services related to electric vehicles/electric mobility and hybrid electric vehicles.

Toshiba has announced an 8.4% power conversion efficiency for a transparent cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) thin-film solar cell. The company claims this is the highest efficiency ever reported for any cell of this kind. It estimates that a Cu2O-Si tandem cell using this Cu2O cell on top of a silicon cell could reach an efficiency of 27.4%. One specific application of the high-efficiency cells being analyzed by Toshiba is in electric vehicles (EVs). Under the test criteria defined by NEDO, Toshiba estimates that the Cu2O-Si tandem cell could carry an EV 35 km without any need for recharging. Toshiba expects to complete manufacturing technologies for commercial products by 2025.

Solar and onshore wind developer Opdenergy has secured a 750 MW power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply electricity from 17 solar farms in Spain to an unnamed European investment grade utility. The company said that the 10-year PPA will deliver more than 1 TWh of electricity a year.  Opdenergy said it continues to develop solar projects to start construction during the first half of 2022. The projects will be located in the regions of Teruel, Zaragoza, Badajoz, Cuenca and Valladolid. Opdenergy has an extensive portfolio of secured long-term PPAs totaling approximately 3 GW of committed capacity in different markets. These PPAs cover the 584 MW of operating capacity and close to the 2.2 GW of future projects across the different countries it operates.

Zero-carbon hydrogen equipment specialist McPhy was selected as the preferred supplier to equip the GreenH2Atlantic project with a 100MW electrolysis plant. The project in Sines, Portugal, aims to demonstrate the viability of green hydrogen on a scale of unprecedented production and technological application. Under the name GreenH2Atlantic, Sines’s renewable hydrogen production project will be developed by a consortium composed of 13 entities. GreenH2Atlantic was one of the three projects selected by the Horizon 2020 – Green Deal Call to demonstrate the viability of green hydrogen production on an unprecedented scale. The €30 million (~$34 million) grant will help finance the hydrogen plant construction. The construction should start in 2023, and operation is expected to begin in 2025

The joint team of Fortum and Uniper wind and solar businesses in Europe is launching its first project. Fortum has made an investment decision to start the construction of the 380 MW Pjelax-Böle and Kristinestad Norr wind parks in Närpes and Kristianstad, Finland, in partnership with the Finnish energy company Helen. The project consists of 56 wind turbines, and construction with civil works will start in January 2022. The wind parks will be fully operational in the second quarter of 2024. Fortum will retain a 60% majority and Helen a 40% minority ownership in the project. The total capital expenditure of the projects is approximately €360 million (~407.7 million), of which Fortum’s share is €216 million (~$244.62 million).