High pressure systems bring solar gains despite stormy January in Europe
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that January was an eventful month for European weather, with a series of named storms impacting Western Europe and Scandinavia. Solar irradiance was above average in the British Isles and around the Black Sea, where periods of high pressure allowed for clearer skies.
Aiko launches new rooftop solar panels with 24.3% efficiency
Aiko says its 480 W Neostar 2P solar panels, with 24.3% efficiency, are the highest-efficiency residential rooftop PV modules in Australia. The Chinese manufacturer credits its n-type all-back-contact (ABC) cell technology for boosting power output without increasing panel size.
Israel introduces tool to calculate rooftop solar potential
Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, in collaboration with the Israel Mapping Center, has launched a tool that calculates the potential and expected income from rooftop solar installations on residential, industrial, and public buildings.
Chile deploys 2.14 GW of solar in 2024
Chile installed 2.14 GW of new solar in 2024, bringing its total installed PV capacity to 10.5 GW by year-end, according to the National Energy Commission (CNE).
Fuzzy reconfiguration scheme to reduce power losses in PV systems under fault conditions
Scientists in Pakistan have developed a fuzzy reconfiguration method that can reportedly mitigate power losses due to shading and hotspot faults by up to 23.5% compared to conventional techniques. The proposed scheme is said to be suitable for both square and rectangular PV arrays of different sizes.
Hidden fastener solar mount requires no holes in exterior roofing layer
A new attachment for asphalt shingle and composite slate roofs enables solar installation without boring holes through the external roofing layer has been awarded a US-made Solar Prize semifinalist. It is developed by Martin Solar and Roofing.
Denmark launches online tool for rooftop PV potential
The Danish Energy Agency has developed an online tool to assess rooftop solar potential, using laser scan data and building registrar information. The solution does not assess the economics of projects.
Greece installs 2.6 GW of PV capacity in 2024
Greece deployed 2.6 GW of solar in 2024, bringing its cumulative installed PV capacity to 9.6 GW by the end of December.
Pressurized water cleaning can improve PV generation efficiency by 10%
Researchers in China have investigated the dust-scaling process and various water-based cleaning methods to optimize maintenance strategies for enhanced safety and efficiency in PV systems.
Providing a response to skills assessment in the solar PV market
The IEC is preparing a new skills competence scheme for workers involved in the solar photovoltaic market. The Secretary of IEC TC 82, George Kelly, tells us about this new scheme and reflects on the standardization challenges for his TC.
