Applications & Installations
Among energy technologies, solar is unique in its flexibility and range of applications. Rapidly growing niches including floating PV and agrivoltaics are proving their worth alongside the more established rooftop and ground mount market segments.
Hybrid systems combining solar with energy storage and other generation technologies are also becoming more common, in the pursuit of 24/7 emissions free energy. And this brings our industry into more frequent contact with other concerns, that need to be carefully managed.
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Notes from the field
Across Europe, North America and high-latitude regions in Asia, agricultural operators face rising energy demand, volatile markets and increasing dependence on electrically driven processes. So why isn’t agricultural solar more popular? Based on her observations on an alpine dairy farm in Austria, complemented by additional insights from other farms in the region, Austrian agriculture consultant Maria Weissenböck finds there is a gap in approaches. Farms tend to approach solar as a risk management decision rather than as an energy transition measure.
Jul 09, 2026
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How EPCs can de-risk solar carport projects
Commercial solar carports represent an immense, high-growth market opportunity, but their complex heavy construction demands rigorous engineering, upfront soil risk pricing, and specialized expertise to protect thin margins from catastrophic project failures.
Smart controllers help Brazilian PV projects bypass reverse power flow constraints
Brazilian solar installer Alba Energia is using smart power controllers combined with Aneel’s simultaneity rules to overcome reverse power flow restrictions and enable larger distributed solar arrays. The approach allows PV system owners to maximize on-site solar generation while keeping grid exports within utility-approved limits.
Germany energy provider builds 50 MW power-to-heat system
Enercity is building a 50 MW power-to-heat plant in Hanover to support its coal phase-out, decarbonize district heating, and absorb surplus renewable electricity. The facility will expand the utility’s flexibility by converting excess power into heat for the district heating network and storage systems.
Multi-drone platform for autonomous solar inspections, digital twin creation
Israeli startup vHive’s has created an autonomous multi-drone platform that streamlines utility-scale solar inspections through coordinated drone flights, thermal imaging, RGB mapping, and automated data collection. The system creates digital twins of PV assets, enabling faster, more efficient monitoring without requiring specialized drone pilots, according to the company.
Agrivoltaic facility supplies traction power directly to Austrian rail network
Austria has inaugurated its first tracking agrivoltaic system designed to feed solar power directly into the railway grid. The 6.6 MW facility in Donnerskirchen combines renewable energy generation, organic farming, and biodiversity measures on the same site.
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All Applications & Installations news
How EPCs can de-risk solar carport projects
Commercial solar carports represent an immense, high-growth market opportunity, but their complex heavy construction demands rigorous engineering, upfront soil risk pricing, and specialized expertise to protect thin margins from catastrophic project failures.
Smart controllers help Brazilian PV projects bypass reverse power flow constraints
Brazilian solar installer Alba Energia is using smart power controllers combined with Aneel’s simultaneity rules to overcome reverse power flow restrictions and enable larger distributed solar arrays. The approach allows PV system owners to maximize on-site solar generation while keeping grid exports within utility-approved limits.
Germany energy provider builds 50 MW power-to-heat system
Enercity is building a 50 MW power-to-heat plant in Hanover to support its coal phase-out, decarbonize district heating, and absorb surplus renewable electricity. The facility will expand the utility’s flexibility by converting excess power into heat for the district heating network and storage systems.
Advertisement
Multi-drone platform for autonomous solar inspections, digital twin creation
Israeli startup vHive’s has created an autonomous multi-drone platform that streamlines utility-scale solar inspections through coordinated drone flights, thermal imaging, RGB mapping, and automated data collection. The system creates digital twins of PV assets, enabling faster, more efficient monitoring without requiring specialized drone pilots, according to the company.
Agrivoltaic facility supplies traction power directly to Austrian rail network
Austria has inaugurated its first tracking agrivoltaic system designed to feed solar power directly into the railway grid. The 6.6 MW facility in Donnerskirchen combines renewable energy generation, organic farming, and biodiversity measures on the same site.
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Free online calculator shows Irish homeowners how to save with solar
Solar consultant Scott McKechnie told pv magazine his online platform, AirPV, is designed to cut through the information noise homeowners have to wade through if they want to save money and get shorter payback time on their panels.
Notes from the field
Across Europe, North America and high-latitude regions in Asia, agricultural operators face rising energy demand, volatile markets and increasing dependence on electrically driven processes. So why isn’t agricultural solar more popular? Based on her observations on an alpine dairy farm in Austria, complemented by additional insights from other farms in the region, Austrian agriculture consultant Maria Weissenböck finds there is a gap in approaches. Farms tend to approach solar as a risk management decision rather than as an energy transition measure.
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