Commercial & Industrial PV

A research team in China assessed the accuracy of the WRF-Solar numerical weather prediction model in simulating global and diffuse radiation. The group’s work highlighted the model’s sensitivity to aerosol optical depth, cloud optical thickness, and solar zenith angle.

ENEA and Enel have developed an ‘algovoltaic’ system to cultivate high-value microalgae, ranging from €100 ($106.19)/kg to €600/kg for pharmaceutical uses or cosmetic purposes. This is possible due to the integration of a fully automated cultivation system with a 7 kW solar array.

Europe awakened to its energy dependency on Russian gas as the Russia-Ukraine conflict unfolded and the war has pushed the European Union to accelerate its energy transition. Italy could play an important role.

Bangladesh has implemented a new rule stating that new buildings with rooftop spaces exceeding 92.2 square meters must install net-metered solar power systems as a prerequisite for grid connection.

Mibet has developed a new solar carport with a waterproof design, allowing the deployment of framed and unframed solar panels with tilt angles ranging from 5 degrees to 15 degrees, in either portrait or landscape configurations.

As renewable energy generation grows, demand is rising for grid-forming inverters to deliver the same functions as traditional rotating synchronous generators. The UNIFI Consortium is now taking the lead in advancing the development of this new inverter technology.

Polish lawmakers are preparing plans to legislate the sharing of grid connections and regulators are easing the establishment of off-grid, direct-to-consumer power lines but obtaining a permit for a solar site could be about to get more tricky.

Off the back of recent legislative changes leading to ‘spurred’ solar PV development, combined with an extremely liberal market, a senior solar analyst from cleantech advisory company Apricum told pv magazine that the Philippines is ‘the place’ to rollout solar projects in Southeast Asia.

The UK’s largest transmission system operator, UK Power Networks, recently launched an 850 MW flexible electricity tender. The company’s Distribution System Operator’s head of flexibility markets, Alex Howard, tells pv magazine that the tender will manage demand growth and help get more renewable projects in a ‘big queue’ connected to the network.

Scientists in India have proposed to combine solar PV with tidal energy and storage to cover the entire electricity demand of island resorts. They found the system could help to reduce energy costs for residents and businesses.