Commercial & Industrial PV

Scientists in India carried out a comprehensive study into the impacts of soiling on PV modules – measuring the amount of performance loss caused by different types of dust and bird droppings, and for modules installed at various tilt angles, in the hot-dry climate of Vellore in southern India. Their findings could allow developers to better take into account and mitigate the effects of soiling during site selection and system design.

To achieve its 2050 carbon neutrality commitment, Japan must eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, as they comprise nearly all of its emissions. Fortunately, Japan has everything it needs to become energy self-sufficient, in the form of solar, wind, and pumped hydro energy storage.

Virtual power plants (VPPs) coordinate distributed resources and demand for a more resilient, cost-effective energy transition. And they are gaining traction in the United States.

A flurry of clean energy announcements in the European Union this year bodes well for the expansion of renewables but there will be a race against time to get key legislation adopted before next summer’s European elections.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, presents the solar irradiance data it collected for South-East Asia in May.

An international research team has designed a floating PV system that can reportedly withstand wave heights above 10 meters. The system uses splitters to link one mooring tether to multiple floating modules. This reportedly ensures sufficient structural capacity, while avoiding the need for too many mooring lines.

Indian manufacturer Gautam Solar released n-type TOPCon solar modules for the residential, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale PV markets at Intersolar Europe 2023. It is offering the modules in all black, silver frame, glass-to-glass bifacial, and lightweight bifacial variants.

New PV capacity additions in Southeast Asia are expected to bounce back this year for the first time since 2020, according to the Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association. The market is expected to grow by 13% in 2023, for 3.8 GW of new installations.

IRENA’s report Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023 shows that in 2022, Asia accounted for nearly 60 percent of the worldwide increase in renewable energy generating capacity, resulting in a total of 1.63 Terawatt (TW) of renewable capacity by year end. A huge part of this increase occurred in China.

The world installed 239 GW of new solar capacity in 2022, according to SolarPower Europe. The rooftop PV segment accounted for 49.5% of additions – the highest share in the past three years. The rooftop sectors in Brazil, Italy, and Spain grew by 193%, 127%, and 105%, respectively.