A bright spot in the darkest hour
Solar is not only helping to keep the lights on in Ukraine – it also has a vital role as part of Europe’s energy transition and clean energy economy.
Australian developer moves forward with solar-to-hydrogen project
The Hydrogen Collective (H2C), an Australian project developer, has revealed plans to build a solar-powered production facility in the state of Queensland. The facility, set to be operational from later this year, will supply commercial customers with green hydrogen. Construction is scheduled to start in the coming weeks.
PPA prices falling across Europe, says Pexapark
Pexapark says power purchase agreement (PPA) prices are falling in Europe, with prices in Spain and Portugal down by 6.4% and 6.2% to €40.90 ($43.99)/MWh and €39.60/MWh, respectively.
Panasonic releases propane heat pump for residential applications
Japan’s Panasonic has developed an air-source heat pump that uses propane (R290) as the refrigerant. It can produce between 5 kW and 9 kW of heat, as well as domestic hot water up to a temperature of 75 C. It says the heat pump can be paired with rooftop solar to maximize self-consumption. The new Aquarea series also includes a heat pump with R32 as the refrigerant.
Global rooftop PV additions soar by 50% to 118 GW in 2022
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.
Reflective membrane to increase albedo, energy yield in bifacial PV
Thrace Group has developed a reflective, permeable membrane made of polypropylene resins and coated with a thin white layer that reflects ultraviolet (UV) rays. It claims that the membrane increased the energy yield of a large-scale pilot installation by 4.5%.
SolarEdge unveils power optimizers for residential, commercial PV
SolarEdge has released new optimizers for residential PV applications with a DC power rating of 500 W, a maximum efficiency of 99.5%, and a weighted efficiency of 98.6%. The optimizer for commercial and industrial applications offers 1.4 kW of rated DC power.
Recom launches 460 W all-black TOPCon solar modules with 23.6% efficiency
Recom is offering five versions of its new all-black panels, with power outputs ranging from 440 W to 460 W and efficiency ratings of 22.5% to 23.6%. They feature 108 half-cut monocrystalline cells with n-type and back-contact technology.
India’s Punjab state tenders 1.2 GW of solar power
Punjab state in India has issued a tender for 1.2 GW of solar power, inviting potential bidders to establish grid-connected solar projects throughout the region.
Renac unveils battery inverter solution for C&I applications
Renac Power’s new all-in-one energy storage system for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications features a 110.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system with a 50 kW inverter.
