Indian Railways could power one in four trains with its own solar panels
Feeding solar electricity directly from its own panels into overhead lines, on a fully-electrified rail network, would be more cost-effective for the state-owned company than buying that green power from the grid, according to a new study.
Green roofs may improve PV system performance by 8%
German solar company Polarstern sees many performance-enhancing effects when photovoltaic systems are combined with green roofs. These are provided by cooling, dust absorption and reflective behavior, which are favored by the plants on the roof.
The role of chlorine in thin film solar
Scientists in the UK have explained the mechanism behind chlorine used to boost the efficiency of cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells. With new understanding of the chemical processes at work in the manufacturing process, the group hopes to be able to push for cell efficiencies beyond 25%.
Lithium-ion vs lead-acid batteries
An international research team has conducted a techno-economical comparison between lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries for stationary energy storage and has found the former has a lower LCOE and net present cost. Through their analysis, which was performed assuming the use of the batteries in connection with a 10 kW, grid-tied PV system, the scientists concluded that lithium-ion batteries are the most viable solution.
English solar developers prep for New Zealand
Hive Energy, Ethical Power Group and Solar South West have set up a joint venture they hope will lead to 350 MW of utility scale installations in a country which does not suffer from grid congestion and which appears to have an energy transition-friendly administration.
Hydrogen-powered truck set for launch in Australia
Australian hydrogen vehicle manufacturer H2X will unveil the Warrego, a fuel cell electric hybrid pickup truck, in November.
EU approves France’s small scale solar FIT plans
The European Commission has determined France can offer the owners of building-mounted panels with a generation capacity of up to 500 kW a 20-year feed-in tariff without breaching the bloc’s state aid rules.
India’s Reliance Industries may acquire REC Solar
Mumbai-based Reliance Industries and REC Solar have declined to comment on rumors that the Indian company might acquire the Norwegian PV module maker, in a potential transaction that Indian media outlets have already valued at $1 billion to $1.2 billion.
Juno Solar starts operations with 418 MW of capacity
Juno Solar is one of five projects that SB Energy is building this year, with an additional 1.3 GW scheduled to go online over the next seven months.
International group offers $68m loans for struggling off-grid clean energy distributors
‘More than 90’ suppliers of appliances such as solar lanterns and home solar panels, as well as mini-grid installers, will be offered low-interest credit by an assortment of government-backed and privately-financed entities.
