Sharp unveils 228 W residential solar panel for limited rooftop spaces
Japan’s Sharp says its new 228 W solar modules have an efficiency rating of 20%.
Solarnative to open microinverter gigafactory in Germany
German startup Solarnative has invested €1 million ($ 1.07 million) in a surface-mount technology production line for its new microinverter plant in Germany. It says it plans to ramp up microinverter production from May.
New lithium iron phosphate battery for residential, off-grid PV
Discovery Battery’s new lithium iron phosphate battery system has a nominal voltage of 51.2 V and a capacity of 100 Ah. Up to six 5.12 kWh battery modules can be stacked in a single enclosure, and up to four enclosures can be connected in parallel for a total capacity of 120 kWh.
Photovoltaic-thermal system based on PCM cooling
Malaysian researchers have developed a system that can absorb heat from PV modules and transmit it to a nanofluid, in order to transform it into thermal energy and use it for different applications. The panels have an overall efficiency of 89%.
US startup secures funding for window mini-split air conditioner
Gradient’s first-generation heat pump heating and cooling system is available for preorder, and ships this summer.
Toshiba exits residential solar business
Japan’s Toshiba says it will now focus on commercial and industrial PV, as well as the development of perovskite solar panels.
Only5mins! – Sunnova’s micro-utility model challenging California utilities
US residential solar specialist Sunnova is seeking approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its micro-utility business model, which could potentially disrupt the state’s energy landscape. pv magazine speaks to CEO John Berger about plans to develop self-sustaining microgrids by equipping new homes and communities with solar and storage.
AC vs. DC in residential buildings equipped with solar-plus-storage
Scientists in Sweden have compared AC and DC topologies in PV-powered buildings using battery storage. They have found that DC distribution systems can achieve energy savings when they are combined with solar-plus-storage systems.
Romania allocates $666 million for solar rebates
The Romanian authorities say that its new state budget will facilitate the deployment of more than 150,000 PV systems.
Portugal installed 890 MW of solar in 2022
Portugal’s cumulative PV capacity hit 2.59 GW at the end of 2022, outpacing the growth of other renewable energy sources. The country failed to meet its own installation predictions, likely because some large-scale projects awarded in the 2019 and 2020 auctions ended up missing their commissioning deadlines.
