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.
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. Marija Maisch reports.
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, offers bite-sized analysis on solar PV module supply and price trends.
In the third article of a series, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Aga Michalak, the head of marketing, BD and ESG at JinkoSolar EU. She says networks among the solar industry is where women can build meaningful relationships, get support, find role models, and, most of all, where they can have a voice and are heard within a safe space.
The Atacama Desert in Argentina and Chile is the sunniest region on earth. Despite the excellent solar radiation resource availability and plenty of room on rooftops and on the ground, solar PV is not as widespread in either country as would have been expected based on the initial deployment of large-scale PV power plants in both countries some ten years ago.
Polish grid operator Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE) has announced its third disconnection of renewable energy capacity this year. This time it has initiated the reduction of 1,201 MW to 1,877 MW of PV in response to oversupply.
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.
Sweden-based Nordcell Group announced plans to build a 1.2 GW module factory in its home country. With a site decision coming soon, module production is planned to start in the first half of 2025.
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.
Retail giant Walmart has signed a number of new agreements with solar developers across the United States, furthering its position as a corporate leader in PV adoption.
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) says that the nation’s cumulative PV capacity hit 646.2 GW at the end of February.
The Israeli government said that earlier this month, for several minutes, renewable energy accounted for most of the nation’s energy production. In particular, solar covered 45% of total generation.
The Dutch authorities have approved “capacity limitation” contracts, allowing owners of PV and wind power assets to inject less electricity into the grid during peak times for “reasonable” remuneration, but standard contracts will be crucial for wider adoption.
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has established minimum efficiency standards for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar modules to qualify for inclusion on the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM).
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced up to $22 million in funds under its Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program.
Maxeon has filed a lawsuit against Canadian Solar in a US court, claiming patent infringement on an unspecified TOPCon solar cell technology.
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.
French startup Colas raised eyebrows in the PV industry when it introduced its Wattway technology in 2016, due to mechanical issues with roadway PV modules. However, it now claims that IEC certification is a step toward commercialization.
High interest rates, inflation, and customer uncertainty could slow down residential PV growth in Sweden this year, despite record solar installations in 2023, but interest in utility-scale PV remains strong.
Modular solar array manufacturer 5B has started building the solar component of an 89.7 MW hybrid microgrid that will help Bellevue Gold’s gold mine in Australia with up to 100% renewables.
Maxeon said it has achieved a 24.9% efficiency rating for a full-scale Maxeon 7 solar panel using its IBC technology. The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) confirmed the result.
The Turkish government has decided to impose a tariff of $25 per square meter on solar modules imported from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, and Jordan.
Chinese polysilicon manufacturer Xinte Energy has reported a lower full-year net profit for 2023 due to falling polysilicon prices.
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ plan for a multibillion-dollar polysilicon production plant in Australia has received a major boost, with the Queensland state government clearing the way to fast-track the project.
Developed by scientists in Saudia Arabia, the device is reportedly the most efficient perovskite solar cell ever reported to date with an organic electron transporting layer. The cell achieved an open-circuit voltage of 1.13 V, a short-circuit current density of 24.7 mA cm2, and a fill factor of 77%
Researchers in the U.S. have repurposed a commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities to develop an all-liquid, iron-based redox flow battery for large-scale energy storage. Their lab-scale battery exhibited strong cycling stability over one thousand consecutive charging cycles, while maintaining 98.7% of its original capacity.
ACWA Power’s preliminary analysis of a leak in the hot molten salts tank at its 150 MW solar plant in Morocco indicates a forced outage until November this year.
The new products are intended for commercial applications and and multi-dwelling buidlings. They have a size of 20 kW to 30 kW and use R290 as the refrigerant.
India’s NTPC has allocated 1,584 MW of renewables-plus-storage projects at $0.056/kWh. The winning developers will set up renewable energy projects backed by energy storage systems to provide firm, dispatchable renewable energy, developed on a build-own-operate basis.
There may be a global solar boom but a drastic revision of California’s net metering program has ruptured the industry overnight and is affecting everyone from installers to financiers to makers of power electronics.
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