Technology

France-based Luciole & Basilic has developed a tracking system that can be manually oriented according to the zenith every 15 days. The startup recently introduced the first prototype and is now looking for distributors.

Stanford University researchers have created a model to assess how much compressed air storage capacity might be needed for the deep decarbonization of power systems, while compensating for the variability of wind and solar-based power systems. They applied the model to California’s energy system and found that compressed air could be very competitive on a dollars-per-kilowatt-hour basis.

Netherlands-based One Solution says its new FlexTherm Eco battery can be used in combination with rooftop PV systems and residential photovoltaic-thermal installations. It consists of a thermal charging station that converts power directly into heat and stores it for the provision of hot water.

San Miguel, which is now behind on its original plan to deliver a 1 GW/1 GWh fleet of battery energy storage systems (BESS) by the end of 2022, continues to roll out big batteries across 32 sites in the Philippines, in order to integrate up to 5 GW of renewables into the island nation’s grid.

Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy says that hydrogen pipelines will be “far better” than vessels at moving hydrogen over short- and medium-range distances in the years ahead.

America’s booming solar industry has hit a major speed bump due to supply-chain disruption and the inflationary pressures driven by Covid, war in Ukraine, and trade restrictions with China. As a result, utility scale solar deployment dipped 40%, year-on-year, in 2022.

China’s GSL Energy has started selling two versions of its new battery inverter, with storage capacities of 10 kWh and 20 kWh. It says the devices have a maximum charging and discharging current of 80 A.

Scientists in Belgium have developed perovskite solar panels with a thermally stable device stack. The encapsulated bifacial panels they created with this configuration were able to retain around 92% of their initial efficiency after 1,000 hours.

Enteligent, a residential PV solutions specialist, has introduced an optimizer model that can be paired with two solar panels. It claims that it features rapid shutdown and monitoring capabilities.

Indian scientists have replaced Spiro-OMeTAD with copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) as a hole-transporting material in a perovskite solar cell. They say that the new precursor can offer the same efficiency levels, while reducing moisture leakage.