Nova Scotia blocks ‘solar tax’ proposal
Utility Nova Scotia Power wanted to impose a monthly charge on net-metered solar system owners which the Canadian Renewable Energy Association said could have doubled the payback period for household and commercial arrays.
Short payback periods for PV-powered heat pumps in Spain
Spain’s National Confederation of Installers has released a technical paper about the advantages of coupling rooftop PV with heat pumps. It says that the payback time for a solar-powered heat pump can range between two and five years.
Taiwan sets solar FITs for 2022
The new feed-in tariffs range from NT4.0031 ($0.14) to NT5.8952 ($0.21) per kWh. PV systems of all types will be applied a grid tariff of NT0.0656 ($0.002)/kWh and the funds raised through this fee will be used to set up a PV module recycling scheme.
Italian region devotes €22 million to ‘energy communities’
Italy’s Lombardy region will use €22 million to build up to 6,000 “energy communities,” for a total installed capacity of up to 1.3GW.
Itochu starts leasing new residential battery in Japan
Itochu’s new 13.4kWh storage system is equipped with AI-based software for optimal battery control. It can be used for grid-connected and offgrid projects and has a charging feature for electric vehicles.
Reversible photovoltaic shade under the Madrid sky
The 8 kW photovoltaic shade was deployed on the outdoor rest area of a commercial building located in the northern part of Madrid. It was built with conventional solar modules provided by JA Solar and a structure made with light galvanized steel profiles for plasterboard partitions.
Ford, Sunrun to backup US solar homes with the electric F-150
With Ford Intelligent Backup Power and the Home Integration System, F-150 Lightning will automatically kick in to power the home if the grid goes down, while also giving customers the freedom to charge their truck or power their home using their residential solar installation.
Around 90% of newly built homes erected last year in the Netherlands are gas-free
The Netherlands is at the forefront of promoting sustainable heating in Europe and the share of new buildings that are not connected to the country’s gas grid may soon approach 100%.
SolarAPP+ permitting software reduces project times in pilot run
The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has released a free, web-based platform for automatic residential solar permit approvals.
Australian start-up targets rooftop solar increase with new tech to manage grid stability in low voltage areas
Queensland company eleXsys Energy has secured more than AUD450,000 to help finance a trial of next-generation technology designed to manage grid stability in low voltage areas, potentially allowing for an increase in the amount of distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar, that can be connected to the grid.
