Solar mini-grid to protect Austrian highway from blackouts
The Austrian motorway company Asfinag is planning to power, with solar-plus-storage, all its maintenance facilities. These installations are planned to power the stations at night and in the event of a grid failure.
Mongolia has first smart grid management system installed–from the UK
Covid-19 border closures meant the first ‘active network management’ system was planned and commissioned for the Asian nation by the U.K. division of Saudi-owned smart grid specialist ZIV Automation.
Solar could play big role in helping renewables displace UK’s planned gas fleet
Each 1.8 GW of new gas generation capacity could be replaced by 1.7 GW of solar as part of a cleaner, 6.3 GW collection of renewables and energy storage facilities–and that alternative already comes in cheaper than the business-as-usual approach, according to the Carbon Tracker thinktank.
New power electronic device to manage surplus solar power–Part II
The first pilot tests have been conducted for the EU-funded project ‘renewable penetration levered by efficient low-voltage distribution grids (RESOLvD). pv magazine has looked into the demonstrator and the related energy sharing algorithm.
Dutch grid operator mulls incentives to reduce or curtail solar
The Limburg section of the network could face congestion problems for a decade, according to transmission system operator Tennet, prompting talk of offering auction-determined incentives to clean-power generators to reduce their output.
Shell acquires Next Kraftwerke
Through the operation, Shell wants to consolidate its position in the virtual power plant market.
These 3 technologies could deliver more solar and wind to the US grid
In a U.S. study of the added renewables capacity made possible by grid-enhancing technologies, Brattle Group found that both solar and wind power would benefit in Kansas and Oklahoma through 2025.
Austrian solar industry wants Covid-recovery funds spent on renewables-friendly grid
The national PV body in the country wants €1 billion from the EU’s recovery and resilience fund to be allocated to upgrading the electricity network to host more solar power generation capacity.
Renewables compete with coal and shale oil as Jordan pursues energy independence
The kingdom has had a ban on new large scale clean energy projects since January 2019 as Covid-19 exacerbated a situation in which generation capacity already outstripped supply. Lifting that embargo, and re-starting renewables auctions would be a step in the right direction, according to IRENA.
European Commission: Natural gas can be part of green transition
The EU today confirmed natural gas-fired power and heat generation facilities can qualify for Covid-recovery spending as long as they fulfil a maximum emission target or are accompanied by credible member-state plans to ramp up renewables usage.
