AI powered solar forecasting helps UK grid operator reduce balancing costs
Open Climate Fix says its Quartz Solar tool saves Great Britain’s grid operator GBP 30 million ($39 million) per year through more accurate forecasting, which reduces the reserve capacity needed for balancing the electricity system. The non-profit company has used machine learning techniques with satellite, weather and historical generation data to reduce forecasting errors by half.
All low-cost PV monitoring systems at a glance
A group of scientists in China conducted a comprehensive review of existing low-cost photovoltaic monitoring approaches. They found that only 11 out of 88 studies related to PV monitoring incorporate machine learning. The researchers urge the scientific community to place greater emphasis on lightweight machine learning solutions and smartphone-based integration.
New Python-based tool optimizes PV plant deployment on hilly terrain
Researchers in India have developed a novel layout design tool to identify the optimal locations for solar panel installation on undulating terrain. The tool consists of two components: a filtering module that excludes unsuitable land patches, and an algorithm that determines the optimal distribution of panels across the remaining usable area. The approach was demonstrated on a test site in India.
Protecting the grid from extreme weather
IEC Standards help to make the grid more resilient as the impact of climate change intensifies.
High pressure boosts eastern solar as storms hit North America’s northwest
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that North America experienced a highly variable solar performance in October, as a strong high-pressure system boosted irradiance across the eastern regions while cooler, cloudier conditions reduced solar potential in the Pacific Northwest.
Watch: Industry leaders on how distributed solar solves the U.S. power crisis
The finale of pv magazine USA Week 2025 promises an in-depth exploration of the most immediate, versatile solution to America’s escalating energy demands and rising electricity rates: distributed energy.
Key takeaways from RE-Source 2025: Complexity grows in PPA market
After a record year, the European power purchase agreement (PPA) market has declined sharply. At an industry gathering this week in Amsterdam, participants highlighted rising PPA complexity and potential solutions, including how to handle negative prices in solar PPAs and the move toward hybrid PPAs with battery storage.
Short circuit in cable causes fire at Taiwanese floating PV plant
Project contractor United Renewable Energy Engineering says 10 MW of the 192 MW site was preventatively shut down during the incident, which around 30 meters of cable line being damaged. The fire was brought under control within an hour, with the company anticipating no lasting damage to the surrounding area.
How to reduce PV module temperature with frame perforations
Scientists in China have investigated how frame perforations can help reduce the operational temperatures of solar modules through air cooling. Their findings show that the number of perforations must be carefully calibrated, and that more is not necessarily better.
Alfa Laval launches once-through steam generator for thermal storage
The Swedish company stated that its new product was designed for use in compact, molten salt energy storage applications, eventually in combination with PV power. In its standard configuration, it can reportedly withstand temperatures up to 400 C and pressures up to 60 bar.
