New model to predict defrost cycles, behavior of air-sourced heat pumps in cold weather
UK-based researchers have developed a novel method to estimate the amount of defrost cycles a heat pump will experience in the winter and how much energy it would require to implement the cycles. The results of their simulation showed a strong relationship between the number of defrost cycles and the ambient temperature.
Tesla Cybertruck can power homes
Tesla’s new trucks offer 11.5 kW of power output to homes, and 9.6 kW of output via five plugs.
California deals blow to rooftop solar
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has prohibited the use of battery-tied solar exports to offset delivery charges, following its decision to slash the value of standalone solar exports in order to encourage the pairing of systems with battery storage.
Daikin unveils series of residential air-to-air heat pumps
Daikin has released a line of residential air-to-air heat pumps, using difluoromethane (R32) as the refrigerant, with outdoor unit dimensions of 662 mm x 442 mm x 1022 mm. The output ranges from 2.5 kW to 3.5 kW, and the seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) is between 4.85 and 5.17.
Solitek launches solar carport for residential, commercial applications
Lithuania-based Solitek has launched a carport product line featuring 370 W glass-glass frameless modules. It is designed to withstand a snow load of up to 2.5 kN/m2 and 27m/s of wind loads.
China’s renewable energy capacity tops 1.4 TW
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) says the nation’s renewables capacity includes 420 GW of hydropower, 404 GW of wind power, 536 GW of PV, and 44 GW of biomass.
Scientists unveil tool to calculate feed-in, net metering tariffs in residential PV linked to storage
Developed by researchers in China, the novel calculator uses current and voltage sensors, a Raspberry Pi, and an algorithm for fuzzy logic to determine variations in frequency and demand. The tool sends Email notifications with the tariff values to the PV system owners.
California rooftop solar installations drop 80% following new net metering rules
Over 17,000 layoffs have occurred, representing 22% of the industry. More job losses are expected.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Tongwei, Canadian Solar announce new factories
Tongwei is planning a cell and module factory in the Sichuan province, while Canadian Solar is setting up a new wafer factory in the Jiangsu province.
European Solar production a mixed bag in November due to Baltic Low Pressure, Storm Ciarán
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Ireland, the west coast of Great Britain, Northern Italy, and the rest of Eastern Europe saw 10-30% above average November irradiance while other areas saw lower or close to average irradiance than normal.
