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Wheat grows better in agrivoltaic facilities

New research from Italy shows lower wheat production under elevated agrivoltaic systems, but a simultaneous increase in nutritional value for livestock. pv magazine Italy spoke with the academics about their future research.
Markets & Policy

Greece’s 2023 PV additions hit 1.59 GW

Greece installed 1.59 GW of solar in 2023, bringing the country's cumulative PV capacity to 7.1 GW by the end of December.
Installations

Bureau Veritas certifies SolarDuck’s offshore PV platform

Certification specialist Bureau Veritas has awarded what is says is the world’s first prototype certification for a floating offshore solar solution. It will now be deployed in the North Sea, off the coast of The Hague.
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Markets & Policy

Suniva, Heliene to jointly produce US-made solar modules

Suniva has agreed to supply domestically manufactured solar cells to Heliene under a three-year sourcing contract, for integration into its solar modules.
Hydrogen

PV-driven green hydrogen may be sold in Australia at $2/kg by 2030

Australian researchers have calculated the levelised cost of green hydrogen under different installed capex scenarios for 2030. They also looked into the different possible sizing of PEM electrolyzers.
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Installations

New machine learning tech for short-term PV power generation forecasting

Researchers in China have applied a machine learning technology based on temporal convolutional networks in PV power forecasting for the first time. The new model reportedly outperforms similar models during all seasons.
Manufacturing

Japanese researchers develop waterproof, flexible organic solar cell with 14.3% efficiency

The organic cell retained 89% of its initial performance after being immersed in water for four hours and survived a washing machine cycle. The researchers plan to develop the technology further, with an end goal of using it for wearable devices.
Markets & Policy

Adani Green switches on 180 MW of solar in India

Adani Green Energy (AGEL) has commissioned a 180 MW solar plant under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI).

Press Releases

Remaining stocks, B-grade goods and returns: SecondSol reveals how to profitably operate in the business of such goods

Meiningen – SecondSol GmbH is an online platform where users can trade photovoltaic products among themselves. However, the SecondSol team also assists businesses in the trade and production sectors in making the business of remaining stock, B-grade goods, and returns more sustainable and efficient.

Sungrow Kicks Off South Australia’s 2nd Largest Energy Storage Project

Sungrow, a global leading PV inverter and energy storage system supplier, has been awarded Notice to Proceed (NTP) from ZEN Energy for the commencement of the 111MW/291MWh Templers BESS project in South Australia.

AES Andes obtains environmental approval for its Cristales project

The photovoltaic park will inject up to 340 MW into the National Electric System from solar energy and up to 542 MW for 5 hours from its battery storage system. The project involves an investment of up to US$ 710 million.

Sungrow Secures Strategic Partnership with Thailand’s Gulf Energy to Supply BESS and Inverter to 3.5GWp Renewable Energy Projects

Sungrow, a global leading PV inverter and energy storage system supplier, recently signed a strategic supply agreement with Thailand’s Gulf Energy Development Plc (GULF) to provide PV inverters and liquid-cooled energy storage systems for its 3. 5GWp project needs over the next 7 years.

Opinion & Analysis

Featured

Solar module prices remain steady amid unchanged market fundamentals

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

‘During my career, I had to deal with many sexist attitudes’

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Carolina Nester, Head of Operations Iberia at Sonnedix. She says one of the particular challenges women face is the perfectionism pitfall and self-confidence, which can lead them to be self-limiting and impact career development. Nester also explains that gender equality in management and board positions must be achieved and perceived as a natural development that begins in early career stages.

Australian solar evades clouds to perform in March

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, and New South Wales were over-performing solar regions in March. This overperformance in the southeast and southwest came despite most of the Australian continent seeing below-average irradiance, due to thicker-than-usual clouds over the sparsely-populated interior and tropics.

Environmental sustainability in PV technology advancements – life cycle assessment of PERC modules

As photovoltaic (PV) technologies evolve, understanding their environmental implications is crucial for a sustainable energy transition. IEA PVPS Task 12 analyzes the environmental impact of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology in PV installations in comparison to the monocrystalline silicon technology (AI-BSF) and the trend towards installing horizontal singla-axis tracker systems as opposed to fixed tilt systems. Primary data from one PERC and tracker manufacturer enable this study’s conclusions. Using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, the study compares two locations in Italy with different irradiation patterns to evaluate the sensitivity to solar irradiation. The findings reveal that PERC technology and horizontal single-axis tracker systems demonstrate lower environmental impacts compared to Al-BSF and fixed tilt configurations.

Dry Amazon delivers sunny start to 2024 for South America

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Chile, Uruguay and Argentina saw irradiance up 5% to 15% above normal in January and February. Responsible for the surplus sunlight across South America was the ongoing Amazon drought, and circulation changes that pushed weather fronts further south of the continent than usual.

Can anything topple lithium-ion?

The need for long-duration energy storage in a net-zero world is undeniable but with conventional battery prices tumbling, can anything dislodge the mainstream grip of lithium ion? S&P Global’s Susan Taylor provides an update on non-lithium storage technologies.

Markets & Policy

Featured

Weekend Read: A battery worth its salt

While lithium ion battery prices are falling again, interest in sodium ion (Na-ion) energy storage has not waned. With a global ramp-up of cell manufacturing capacity under way, it remains unclear whether this promising technology can tip the scales on supply and demand.

Germany has urgent need to expand solar module recycling capacities, IEA-PVPS says

Feedback from stakeholders involved in Germany’s end-of-life PV modules treatment chain found more needs to be done around the transparency of PV module waste volume, the take-back and collection process and module recycling, as the country prepares for significantly larger volumes by the end of the decade.

Potential effect of the 2024 solar eclipse on solar energy production

To compensate for potential loss of solar energy flowing to the grid, grid operators will have to be ready to rely on other sources to ensure grid stability, as was done during the 2017 and 2023 eclipse episodes.

Weekend Read: Solar giants enter the storage market

Energy storage is the new solar for an increasing number of Chinese PV manufacturers. However, China still requires enabling policies for storage to provide the end-market volumes needed to bolster the fortunes of manufacturers old and new.

Chinese PV Industry Brief: JinkoSolar breaks ground on 56 GW PV panel factory in Shanxi

JinkoSolar said its new factory will be vertically integrated and will be built in four 14 GW phases.

European Commission, ETIP PV partner on solar research

The European Commission is set to work with the solar sector on a co-programmed European Partnership, designed to enhance research and innovation. SolarPower Europe says the announcement is a “significant step for the industry”.

Installations

Growatt launches new balcony storage solution

The new product combines the NEO 800TL-X Microinverter and the NOAH 2000 Battery. Up to four batteries can be stacked, for up to 8,192 Wh of storage capacity.

Improving performance ratio of PV systems via shading effect

Researchers in Indonesia have investigated how shading effects may influence the performance ration of a PV system. Their analysis also considered payback period and return on investment.

Tracker sensors for agrivoltaics

Sensors from German electronics manufacturer SICK are used in solar PV tracking systems since 2021. Now they are making their way into agrivoltaic applications.

Vast majority of German farmers ready to embrace agrivoltaics

A new survey conducted by Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE showed that 72.4% of the country’s farmers are considering the deployment of an agrivoltaic project. Among the main factors behind this choice, the researchers identified the additional source of income coming from solar power generation and the perceived usefulness of the technology.

Assessing wind sensitivity of offshore floating solar

Researchers in China have conducted a numerical study on the wind sensitivity of offshore floating solar plants. They have tested six row-arrangements of panels and have found an optimal system configuration that is reportedly less sensitive to wind direction.

More than 1,100 GW of solar is awaiting transmission interconnection in the United States

Solar, wind and battery storage accounted for nearly 95% of the capacity in transmission interconnection queues as of year-end 2023, based on preliminary data from Berkeley Lab, presented in a staff report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Technology

Featured

Testing zeotropic fluids in high-temperature heat pumps

A German-Nigerian research group simulated the usage of mixtures of zeotropic fluids with varying boiling or condensing temperatures in industrial heat pumps. The best results were obtained with a mixture of cyclohexane and cyclopropane.

Non-fullerene organic solar cell with selenium acceptor achieves 19% efficiency

Researchers in China have designed an organic solar cell the uses an acceptor based on selenium as an alternative to commonly utilized non-fullerene acceptors. The new acceptor enabled the cell to have reduced non-radiative recombination loss and improved dielectric constant.

FuturaSun releases 580 W n-type solar panels with 22.4% efficiency

The Italian PV manufacturer said its FU570-580M Silk Nova panel features half-cut and multi-busbar technology. The new product has a temperature coefficient of -0.29/C and a power output ranging from 570 W to 580 W.

New design for organic/CIGS tandem solar cells promises 27.46% efficiency

Scientists in the Middle East designed a flexible two-terminal organic/CIGS tandem solar cell for wearable applications. The device achieved an open-circuit voltage of 1.89 V, a short-circuit current density of 17.55 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 82.79%.

Spanish scientists develop thermoelectric heat pump for thermal energy storage

A Spanish research group has investigated how thermoelectric heat pumps may be used as power-to-heat technology to increase temperatures in thermal energy storage systems. It found the proposed system configuration may achieve an overall efficiency of 112.6% at at 135 C.

Perovskite solar cell built with multifunctional hole transporting material achieves 26.41% efficiency

Researchers at China’s Tsinghua University developed   “The development of the new organic hole-transporting material, named T2, represents a significant breakthrough in perovskite solar cells, as it offers a performance advantage over conventional materials like spiro-OMeTAD,” the research’s corresponding author, Chenyi Yi, told pv magazine. “The novel characteristics of T2, including its unique electronic, structural, […]

Manufacturing

Solar waste may reach 1.2 GW annually in Australia

A new report has called for large PV waste and recycling facilities to be established in major Australian cities as a matter of priority with solar waste predicted to reach 100,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to 1.2 GW per year, by the end of the decade.

European coalition urges EU to support PV manufacturers

A position paper from Solar Industry Regions Europe (SIRE) says a balance must be struck between protecting the European solar market and reaching the market objectives of the energy transition.

Australia announces ‘pit to panel’ solar manufacturing program

The Australian government will allocate AUD 1 billion ($652.8 million) to help build a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry to underpin the nation’s future as a renewable energy superpower.

Meyer Burger announces 500 layoffs at German PV module factory

Meyer Burger says it plans to lay off 500 people at its PV module factory in Germany, but some employees might be relocated within the company. It says about 400 workers will lose their jobs.

Italian municipality offers free EV recharging via off-grid PV shade

The municipality of Falconara Marittima, Italy, has installed a free off-grid photovoltaic shade for electric vehicle charging at no cost to users. The system has a capacity of 7 kW and includes a 10 kWh battery.

NREL updates online tool with data for Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has added a high-resolution solar data set covering Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East on its Renewable Energy Data Explorer tool.

Energy Storage

Gambia commissions 23 MWp solar plant

A 23 MWp solar plant, linked with 8 MWh battery storage, has been inaugurated in the Gambia. The plant forms part of the country's Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project, aiming to achieve universal access to electricity by 2025.

Indian grid operator launches 500 MW/2,500 MWh energy storage tender

GRIDCO has started accepting bids to set up 500 MW/2,500 MWh of energy storage systems connected to the Indian grid. Bidding closes on April 23.

Lightsource bp wins approval for 750 MW of solar, 3,000 MWh of storage in Australia

The Australian government has granted environmental approval for UK developer Lightsource bp to proceed with its plans to build Australia’s largest solar farm and battery energy storage system on any of the country’s main electricity grids.

Northvolt breaks ground on 60 GWh gigafactory in Germany

Europe’s leading battery maker, Northvolt, has started building a battery cell factory in Heide, Germany. The facility will employ roughly 3,000 people with a maximum annual production capacity of 60 GWh. It will begin operations in 2026.

TICA introduces air-to-water heat pump for residential applications

The Chinese manufacturer said its new heat pump has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.3 and a maximum heating capacity of 16 kW. It can reportedly achieve a topwater output temperature of 80 C.

The Hydrogen Stream: Enapter secures 3 MW electrolyzer order

Enapter has secured four new orders for its AEM Nexus 1000 megawatt-class electrolyzer, while Fraunhofer IWU says it has started working on electron beam welding technology to overcome the speed limitations of laser beam scanner welding.

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