Sustainability

A number of companies are now racing to find new materials to replace toxic or otherwise unsafe elements in PV modules, in pursuit of circular economic ideals. In a similar vein, many researchers are also looking for ways to recycle and reuse some of these materials at the end of solar panel lifetimes. In line with these efforts, artificial intelligence and machine learning now play a critical role in identifying new chemical footprints for PV modules and cells.

Government ministers Barbara Pompili and Bruno Le Maire today unveiled a national strategy for carbon-free hydrogen to the French Association for hydrogen and fuel cells and other major players in the state’s hydrogen economy.

Researchers say the technology could help drive clean energy deployment in countries with limited grids or in isolated, coal-based energy systems. According to their model, Kosovo could see a strong increase in wind and PV capacity if power-to-heat is coupled with thermal energy storage for fixed-capacity district heating.

The transnational West African Power Pool is seeking consultants for an environmental impact study as well as transaction advisors for a project under development since October.

In a national park in Chile, a hydropower plant has been combined with a solar system and battery storage to replace diesel generation.

KilowattSol CEO Xavier Daval has criticized the absence of references to solar in the French government’s post-Covid recovery plan, which has allocated €30 billion to the energy transition. The head of the PV technical advisory says solar must become more central to France’s strategic choices and China must not be allowed to retain its near-monopoly on PV panel manufacturing.

The plant was installed by developer Floating PV NV on five hectares of a lake created by sand extraction and owned by sand and minerals company Sibelco in Dessel, Antwerp province.

As nations begin to move towards clean energy, fossil fuel exporting countries will need to rethink and reshape their economies. Taking Russia as an example, an MIT study has examined the likely impact on oil, gas and coal exports and the opportunities the energy transition could offer.

German company Wystrach has developed a 350-bar hydrogen refueling station for heavy duty vehicles which can be installed anywhere.

Around 4.2 MWh of energy storage capacity will be connected to a solar and diesel micro-grid on Rarotonga, the largest of the islands in the South Pacific nation. Three 40-foot containers with a total power output of 4.8 MVA will be used as a power reserve and for grid support by utility Te Aponga Uira.