Northern Ireland doubles solar curtailment in 2024
Northern Ireland turned down 16.9% of its solar in 2024, up from 7.9% in 2023.
Bangladesh seeking to improve net metering for rooftop PV
Bangladesh is seeking to overhaul its net-metering policy to encourage rooftop PV deployment by allowing 100% power injection and expanding eligibility to all grid-connected users, including those with single-phase and prepaid meters.
Indian startup testing 15%-efficient perovskite solar modules
P3C Technology and Solutions plans to initially produce the 30 cm2 modules at a pilot 60 MW manufacturing facility.
Tilt angle has greatest impact on power losses caused by soiling
Scientists in China have analyzed the impact of soiling of PV module performance and have found that tilt angle has the greatest impact, followed by irradiance intensity and dust deposition density.
Belgium’s Wallonia region added 92 MW of solar in 2024
The rate of solar installations slowed in the Belgian region of Wallonia last year, as government incentives for residential solar came to an end. Brussels-based renewable energy federation Edora says deployment will need to accelerate across all market segments if the region is to meet its 2030 solar targets.
Solar panel glare temporarily cancels air traffic at Amsterdam Airport
On March 4, Schiphol’s Polderbaan Runway has been unavailable to landing traffic between 10 am and 12 pm in sunny weather due to glare from solar panels.
Rooftop solar could supply two-thirds of global power, study finds
Researchers at the University of Sussex have found that widespread deployment of rooftop solar could cover the vast majority of the world’s electricity consumption, while lowering global temperatures by up to 0.13 C.
Combining liquid-based direct air capture with compressed air energy storage
Scientists in China have simulated a system that combines liquid-based direct air capture with diabatic compressed air energy storage, for the benefit of both processes. Exploring its economic feasibility, they found the system could achieve a levelized cost of energy of $0.53/kWh and a levelized cost of CO2 captured from air of $259/tCO2.
BloombergNEF expects up to 700 GW of new solar in 2025
BloombergNEF says global solar installations could reach 700 GW in 2025, with additions rising to 753 GW in 2026 and 780 GW in 2027.
Fuji Electric prototyping 150 C steam-generating heat pump
Fuji Electric said the new heat pump system is currently in the first stage of prototyping, with commercial launch being scheduled for 2026. It is being conceived for recycling of heat energy from wastewater in industrial facilities.
