Sol-Bright introduces automated robotic cleaning system for utility-scale solar
China’s Sol-Bright Technology has developed a sixth-generation automated robotic cleaning system for solar panels in utility-scale PV installations. The robot features gear transmission and has a cleaning efficiency of minimum 99.5%.
Integrating sky images, global solar irradiance into solar forecasting algorithms
A research team in the United States has created a novel approach to integrate raw sky images and global solar irradiance measurements, solar nowcasting, and intra-hour forecasting. The methodology utilizes low-cost radiometric IR cameras instead of expensive ceilometers.
Mitsubishi testing 5.5 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzers in Japan, Norway
Mitsubishi has conducted short-term validation tests of its 5.5 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzers in Norway and long-term validation tests in Japan. It plans to incorporate the design of these two single-stack pressurized alkaline electrolyzers into a US project.
Loom Solar unveils 5 kWh/10 kWh storage system
India’s Loom Solar has developed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based, all-in-one energy storage solution for homes and businesses, featuring lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Kenya’s first hybrid solar-hydro plant goes online
Located near Nairobi, the project consists of a 150 kW solar array, a 50 kW crossflow turbine and a 240 KWh storage facility. SolarNow director and CFO Ernst Vriesendorp told pv magazine that despite the project’s humble size, it has ‘large’ benefits.
Bslbatt introduces high-voltage battery for residential PV
China’s Bslbatt says its new batteries feature individual battery modules with voltages of 102.4 V and a capacity of 52 Ah. They can be stacked in series with two to seven battery modules.
Reducing solar module temperature via dew-point evaporative cooling
Japanese scientists have designed a cooling system that reduces the solar panel operating temperature at the air inlet of the module. It consists of a dew-point evaporative cooler that supplies the near-saturation air to wet air channels that are attached to the back of a PV panel.
Sodium-seawater batteries for short, long-term stationary energy storage
Italian researchers studied sodium-seawater batteries (SWBs) for short- and long-term energy storage on Sardinia and found that SWBs with wave energy smoothed out power fluctuations, while enabling a fully decarbonized power generation system over the long run.
Weekend Read: The solar-battery-EV dream
For those who combine solar, batteries, and electric vehicles (EVs) at home, driving on sunshine is a realistic goal. However, there are many factors to consider when analyzing the economic payoffs, as well as the technical possibilities and limitations of such systems.
1Komma5° announces TOPCon solar module factory in Germany
1Komma5° says it plans to start production at a new TOPCon solar module factory in Germany from next year. The Hamburg-based startup aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 1 GW, with further expansion targets set to reach 5 GW by the year 2030.
