France announces new FIT rates for PV systems up to 500 kW
France’s new feed-in tariffs (FITs) for the period from August 2023 to January 2024 range from €0.2077 ($0.2270)/kWh for installations below 3 kW to €0.1208/kWh for arrays ranging in size from 100 kW to 500 kW.
Fraunhofer IWU unveils online tool for sizing of rooftop PV systems
Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (Fraunhoer IWU) has developed a new online tool to calculate the size of rooftop solar arrays, heat pumps and batteries.
Renewables covered almost 60% of German electricity demand in 2023
New statistics from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) show that PV systems in Germany generated around 59.9 TWh of solar power in 2023, with 6.4 TWh used for home consumption.
Photovoltaics may increase safety in nuclear power plants
New research from Iran shows that PV installations linked to battery storage may help prevent accidents and increase safety in nuclear power plants by acting as an emergency load. The scientists proposed a system design that considers both technical and economics factors.
Norway deployed 300 MW of solar in 2023
Norway reached 597 MW of cumulative installed PV capacity at the end of 2023. The authorities have attributed the record growth the country has posted over the past year to the successful connection of two large-scale PV plants.
Ocean Sun completes 270 kW off-grid floating PV system at Spanish port
Norwegian floating solar specialist Ocean Sun has deployed a 270 kW system based on its novel membrane technology at the saltwater port of Tazacorte on La Palma, one of Spain’s Canary Islands.
Lebanon introduces peer-to-peer renewable energy trading
The Lebanese parliament has ratified a new law that allows peer-to-peer renewable energy trading between private sector entities, in addition to enshrining net metering in the country’s legal system for the first time.
Researchers apply thresholding to PV soiling image analysis
Thresholding methods have commonly been used to characterize the soiling accumulated on glass coupons. Researchers led by the Sapienza University of Rome have identified 16 automatic thresholding methods that may be used for analyzing soiling on PV panels.
Asantys Systems offers containerized solar-storage solutions in Sierra Leone
Asantys Systems has developed containerized solar-storage solutions in Sierra Leone, featuring solar containers with capacities ranging from 30 kW to 130 kW. The containers include inverters from German manufacturer SMA and batteries from Hoppecke Batterien.
PV-driven liquid air storage system for buildings
An international research group has developed a PV-driven liquid air energy storage (LAES) system for building applications. Simulations suggest that it could meet 89.72% of power demand, 51.96% of heating demand, and 11% of cooling demand in a PV-powered building.
