Singapore signs deals to import 400 MW of renewables from Indonesia
Singapore has advanced its goal to import 4 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035 by signing two new agreements with parties in neighboring countries, including Australia’s SunCable project.
Cellphone-linked portable device for real-time solar module characterization
Scientists in Colombia have conceived a new portable electronic device for on-site measurements of the I-V and P-V curves of photovoltaic panels. The novel system considers solar radiation, ambient temperature, electric current, and voltage signals from a PV panel via a cellphone through a mobile application.
Wärtsila releases new utility-scale battery
Finland’s Wartsila Energy has released a new turnkey battery energy storage system (BESS) with new fire-safety features.
Oxford PV starts commercial distribution of perovskite solar modules
Oxford PV is delivering its first commercial perovskite solar modules to US customers. The 72-cell solar modules have an efficiency of 24.5% and, according to the company, can generate up to 20% more energy than conventional silicon modules.
Green light wavelength-selective organic solar tech for greenhouses
Japanese scientists have built organic solar cells and modules by utilizing donors and acceptors that are green light selective. They used a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and fluorinated-naphthobisthiadiazole.
Timber framed solar carports for residential, commercial applications
Sweden-based Innoventum has launched a solar carport line equipped with bifacial modules in a larch wood structure. The solution may include electric vehicle charging, energy storage, LED lighting, and inverter systems.
Dutch hackers report flaws in Enphase IQ Gateway devices
Two “ethical” hackers from the Dutch Institute of Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD) have identified six vulnerabilities in Enphase IQ Gateway devices. The researchers are now working with the US inverter manufacturer to address the bugs in the next version of the product.
Assessing viability of agrivoltaics in corn fields
Researchers from Purdue University have studied the impact of traditional photovoltaic systems and agrivoltaics deployed in corn croplands. They conclude agrivoltaics could offer a viable strategy to ease the current tradeoff between energy production, greenhouse gas emissions, food production and farm profitability.
Combining hybrid wind-solar with pumped hydro in rural electrification
Scientists in Morocco have evaluated how hybrid wind solar plants may be combined with pumped hydro storage to power remote rural areas. The proposed system was found to have an LCOE $0.03831/kWh and a 86% use factor.
The effects of wind on single-axis PV trackers
Scientists in South Africa have conducted full-scale research on the effect of wind load on PV panel mounting rails for more than 100 days. Compared to standard design codes, they found lower combined wind load coefficients. Maximum loads occurred for an easterly wind direction.
