Engie commissions 2.3 MW lightweight rooftop PV system in Belgium
Installed by Engie’s Sun4business subsidiary, the C&I project features solar PV panels from Dutch manufacturer Solarge that weigh just 7 kg/m2.
The Hydrogen Stream: US researchers explore trapped geologic hydrogen
US researchers have started studying hydrogen formation in the Midcontinent Rift in the United States, while Dutch scientists have discovered that hydrogen emissions from industrial complexes are higher than previously estimated.
General Motors launches residential storage system
The US-based automotive manufacturing company said its new storage system offers the option of integrating with PV systems. It can be scaled to reach a capacity of up to 35.4 kWh, which the company said would enable approximately 20 hours of storage.
Nepal’s 800 MW grid-tied solar tender oversubscribed
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has received proposals from 134 companies for a total of 3.6 GW. It says that 259 projects from 127 developers passed the technical bid evaluation and will be considered when financial proposals are opened on Oct. 22.
Western Europe sees September solar slump
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that low-pressure systems caused cloudier skies and reduced irradiance in Southern and Western regions in September, while areas further north and east enjoyed sunnier weather. A series of low-pressure systems centered over France led to the biggest drop in irradiance by up to 25%.
Off-grid solar appliance repair training a must for remote communities
An Australian Research Council funded report co-authored by Sydney-based University of New South Wales and UK-based charity SolarAid says the off-grid solar sector should do more to enhance its product repair initiatives.
Powering restaurants with rooftop PV, reversible fuel cells
Researchers have simulated the operation of bifacial PV and proton exchange membrane reversible fuel cells across restaurants in five different US states. Taking into account varying rates of bifacial PV’s rearside gains, they found that LCOE was as low as $0.029 per kWh.
California farmers developing 20 GW solar-plus-storage plan
The Golden State recently signed AB 2661, granting the Westland Water District authority to develop transmission lines that will enable solar energy and storage projects on 130,000 acres of drainage-impaired farmland.
Grid defection is profitable in some solar-rich U.S. locations
Researchers from Canada’s Western University assessed eighteen case studies across thirteen US states and found in areas an economic case for disconnecting from the electricity grid in some areas with high solar irradiation and high electricity rates. They say economic grid defection and utility death spirals are becoming salient issues in the US.
Hungary expected to surpass 300,000 residential solar installations
Hungary’s Ministry of Energy says it will support more than 25,000 households with residential solar installations through its subsidy scheme, which launched earlier this year, taking the total number of installations to in excess of 300,000.
