Solitek launches bifacial solar panels for carports
The Lithuanian module manufacturer has unveiled 37O W bifacial dual glass modules for carports featuring 3 mm glass on both sides and an anodized aluminum frame. The new products are certified as overhead glazing by the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt), with a class 4 hail resistance and efficiency of 19.57%.
Iberdrola, FCC Ámbito to collaborate on solar panel recycling
Spain’s Iberdrola and FCC Ámbito have agreed to work together on the development of new circularity solutions for solar panels, to ensure that 100% of the materials in the modules can be recycled.
Atlantic blast hits European solar production
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that irradiance and PV production was more than 15% below normal during February across most of Europe, due to thick clouds in moist westerly winds from the Atlantic.
Mexico’s distributed solar installations hit 700 MW in 2023
Mexico had 3.33 GW of cumulative distributed solar capacity at the end of December 2023, on 700 MW of new additions for the full year.
Tests show rooftop fires propagate slowly with vertical PV systems
New tests conducted by the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute have shown that vertical PV installations offer improved fire safety compared to conventional diagonal or flat solar arrays. The experiment showed, in particular, how rapidly a fire can propagate under inclined panels.
After-sale support key to boosting off-grid solar
A new survey from US-based impact measurement company 60 Decibels shows off-grid energy customers are currently facing a series of challenges such as product affordability, gender inequality, customer support, further investment in minigrids, and over-indebtedness. The report, however, reveals that most users say the quality of their lives “very much improved” thanks to off-grid PV.
Colombia’s large-scale PV capacity additions hit 207 MW in 2023
Colombia’s cumulative installed utility-scale PV capacity hit 486 MW at the end of December 2023, on 207 MW of new installations for the full year.
European Parliament approves legal requirement to install solar on buildings
Legislation that would require EU member states to integrate solar installations into future building works, and retroactively install PV on buildings, is one step closer to becoming law, after being approved by members of the European Parliament.
Belgium’s 2023 solar capacity additions hit 1.8 GW
Belgium’s cumulative installed PV capacity surpassed 10 GW at the end of December 2023.
Policy recommendations to support U.S. rooftop solar installations
Rooftop solar has the technical potential to serve 45% of electricity demand, based on 2022 demand levels, according to a new report from Environment America. As of that year, it served about 1.5% of consumed electricity.
