Technology

Although the solar industry sees itself as young, its assets are aging. Owners still struggle with the complexity of making the best use of big data analysis to improve plant efficiency and profitability. Ragna Schmidt-Haupt, of Everoze, examines why this has not changed, and what can or should be improved. Artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, automated assessments and smart monitoring software – holistic solar asset management starts here.

The panels were provided by Chinese manufacturer Jolywood, which claims the Zonnepark Rilland project is the first utility-scale solar plant built with n-type bifacial modules in Europe.

The European Commission says renewables are playing a central role in lowering spot prices and stopping rises in network charges and fees. In the EU energy market, however, coal and gas still dominate, ensuring power prices are unpredictable.

Vanadium redox flow battery supplier Cellcube spoke to pv magazine about the latest political developments in the U.K. and what the effects on storage could be.

The EIB said supporting the battery supplier will help Europe realize its clean energy targets. The funds are earmarked for the company’s European R&D, as well as stemming ‘operational burdens’ from its growth rate. Sonnen recently made headlines by opening a factory in Australia to supply its virtual power plant in Adelaide.

Chinese manufacturers Risen Energy and LONGi have both announced conversion efficiency records for PERC cells as the twin quest to drive down costs and increase energy output shows no sign of abating.

Two power-to-gas projects promise to improve the technology. In Brandenburg, Edis and Gasag want to transform renewable power into hydrogen, driving sectoral coupling. And Sunfire has switched on its first co-electrolysis project.

The energy giant’s finance subsidiary placed a bond in Europe to finance its renewable energy and infrastructure projects and secured 70% of Poland’s demand response capacity market for the 2021-2023 period, in the first auctions of their kind in the nation.

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company, founded 114 years ago, is filing for bankruptcy and may be broken up by regulators. None of which is good news for solar project owners holding contracts with the utility.

Many manufacturers are converting large parts of their production capacities to half-cut cell technology. Is this a niche or will the traditional full cell module eventually disappear? The use of the new technology has clear advantages for manufacturers and buyers, say the experts.