Rebuild fire-devastated homes all-electric with solar
Stanford University professor Mark Z. Jacobson explains how the areas of Los Angeles that were recently hit by fire have now the opportunity to reduce energy bills and reconstruction costs by rebuilding only all-electric homes. “There is no reason to have both electricity and fossil gas in a building at the same time. There is nothing gas does that electricity doesn’t do better,” he states.
New method to identify best locations for offshore hybrid PV-wind projects
Scientists in Spain have created a new index that reportedly help project developers identify better areas in initial stages of hybrid wind-solar power plants development. The proposed approach is claimed to avoid deficiencies of previous criteria and overestimation caused by time delays.
Off-grid lessons help drive new battery tech
Battery manufacturer Vaulta is using lessons learned from Australia’s growing off-grid energy sector to spearhead the development of its next-generation battery energy storage technology.
Sun-tracking photovoltaics for stadiums
Researchers in Italy have developed a sun-tracking PV system design for stadium covers. The proposed approach is said to offer both strong structural response and high energy yield compared to systems based on fixed structures.
Solar, batteries, wind to make up 93% of 2025 US electricity capacity deployments
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects 32.5 GW of solar, 18.2 GW of energy storage, and 7.7 GW of wind will be deployed this year. These additions will make up nearly 93% of total new capacity, which is expected to hit a record 63 GW.
Power Roll developing 12.8%-efficient back-contact perovskite solar devices
Researchers from the U.K.’s University of Sheffield and Power Roll, a perovskite solar PV technology company, have achieved 12.8% power conversion efficiency in indium-free devices based on novel back-contact process. A slot-die coating process was demonstrated, compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing.
Hamworthy presents new air-source heat pump series
The Tyneham 290HT heat pump is intended for applications in commercial buildings. It uses propane (R290) as the refrigerant and has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.94.
Site safety measures help limit spread of fire at 600 MWh BESS in England
It took 24 hours for the firefighters to tackle the blaze at Statera’s 300 MW/600 MW battery energy storage site, which is currently under construction.
Key takeaways from Intersolar North America 2025
The flagship annual solar and storage conference drew over 500 exhibitors and nearly 10,000 attendees to San Diego, California, February 25-27 to advance solar and energy storage across the continent.
The Hydrogen Stream: US researchers link H2 impact to production
US researchers say hydrogen’s climate impact depends primarily on production methods and feedstock emissions, while Nikola Corp. has recalled 95 hydrogen-powered trucks and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
