Investigating smoke dispersion in rooftop PV fires
Researchers have conducted a small-scale experiment on the behavior of smoke in PV-related fires. They have found that in homes featuring rooftops with a pitch of less than 45 degrees, residents only have about four minutes to safely evacuate.
Sunwind releases vertical PV kit with anti-theft structure
Sunwind’s patented Vertisolar solution features two 352 W full-black PERC solar modules, a microinverter, a connection system, and a monitoring device. The package includes an anti-theft system that also protects the wiring and the microinverter.
Viessmann unveils air source heat pump for residential, commercial applications
German manufacturer Viessmann says its new heat pumps have a coefficient of performance (COP) of up to 4.57 and a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of up to 4.4. The pumps have a heating output ranging from 32 kW to 128 kW, and a cooling capacity of 34 kW to 139 kW.
LG launches new residential storage solution
LG has developed two versions of its new enblock E storage system, each with usable energy capacities of 12.4 kWh and 15.5 kWh. It says the two models, sized at 451 mm x 330 mm, can be easily deployed in small spaces.
Engadiner Kraftwerke energizes second PV plant on Swiss retaining wall project
Swiss hydropower company Engadiner Kraftwerke said the new PV system went into service in the Swiss Canton of Graubunden to generate 230,000 kWh per annum. The array utilizes solar modules provided by Lithuanian manufacturer Solitek.
New approach to integrate PV-powered heat pumps into greenhouses
Scientists have proposed to use PV energy and heat pump-driven HVAC system in greenhouses conceived to grow tomatoes in the Mediterranean area. The system was found to have a payback time of only 2.9 years in southern Spain.
Rooftop solar’s success results in ‘struggling’ large-scale segment in Australia
As rooftop solar racks up records in Australia, price cannibalization has resulted in a “struggling” large-scale market segment. Bruce Mountain, head of the University of Victoria’s Energy Policy Centre, says that increasingly depressed wholesale electricity prices during the day are squeezing out big PV.
U.S. publicly traded solar installer Sunworks files for bankruptcy
The residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural solar installer files for bankruptcy amid troubled macroeconomic conditions for distributed solar nationwide.
Weekend Read. COP: A solar flop?
Tripling clean energy generation capacity to 11 TW by 2030 was a leading pledge from the United Nations’ (UN) climate change conference in Dubai. With few details about infrastructure and energy storage and no clear PV targets, however, it is hard to judge the effectiveness of the 28th global Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting. Angela Skujins considers possible impacts for the solar industry.
Stormy January impacts irradiance across North America
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that North America saw irradiance below average, primarily due to the stormy conditions that prevailed during the second half of January.
