Swiss consortium switches on 325 kW vertical PV system on retaining wall
K2 Systems and Solarmotion deployed the vertical array on a retaining wall along a car road in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Ausserhoden. The system utilizes 756 glass-glass modules and is operating under Switzerland’s feed-in tariff program.
CATL: Staying on top of the battery game
For the seventh year in the row, China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) looks set to claim the title of the world’s biggest battery maker. There are a number of reasons why it continues to maintain its lead in the electric vehicle (EV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) markets..
Spanish gas provider tests hydrogen-powered residential water heater tech
Madrileña Red de Gas is testing a heating system prototype developed by Germany company Vaillant that uses exclusively green hydrogen. The 25 kW system is equivalent in shape and size to a current natural gas heating system.
LeTID minimal issue for gallium-doped Czochralski silicon PERC products
Scientists from Trina Solar, Longi, Fraunhofer ISE, and other entities have looked at light and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID) in gallium-doped Czochralski silicon (Cz-Si:Ga) PERC cells. They have found little relevant degradation.
EnerVenue offers pre-assembled nickel-hydrogen battery vessels
The stationary energy storage solution includes nickel-hydrogen batteries, the battery management system and cabling.
Photovoltaics for marine wildlife telemetry devices
A US research team has tested mini solar modules in marine data collection devices, using animal hosts for water column profile measurements. The findings suggest that submarine PV can effectively operate in these applications at depths of up to 22 meters.
French developer to build 129 MW of solar-aviary capacity
French renewables producer Unite has started building 10 photovoltaic aviaries in France, with 127 MW of total capacity. Completion is expected in two stages in spring 2024 and January 2025.
Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells have practical efficiency potential of 39.5%
Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE have provided guidelines for future research on perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells by identifying the most significant loss mechanisms at the perovskite/ETL interface, in the series resistance, and in light management.
Solar irradiance modeling method for east-west oriented vertical PV
A Finnish-Norwegian research group has investigated model chains for horizontal-to-vertical solar irradiance conversion in east-west oriented vertical PV systems located at high latitudes. They have found that accuracy and bias of the model chains are different for the east and west sides of solar array.
Workflow for integration of BIPV in historical buildings
Italian researchers have outlined a four-step method to assess the technical feasibility of building-integrated PV (BIPV) projects in historical buildings. They applied the proposed approach to a courtyard building from the 16th century in the historical Italian town of Marcianise.
