Technology and R&D

Indian scientists have created a hybrid power exploitability index to identify optimal locations for constructing new solar and wind hybrid power plants. They have evaluated retrofitting existing standalone plants and have discovered that all but one of the eight plants could be hybridized, with up to a 400% annual increase in power output.

Irish researchers have created a mobile app that calculates the best route for solar-powered vehicles based on user preferences for time and energy efficiency. The app’s experiment predicted the most energy-absorbing route with 51.65% accuracy and chose the most energy-consuming route with 86.65% accuracy.

Mauritian researchers have developed a solar tracker prototype that increases current by around 37%. The device uses a simplified and mechanical tracking system.

Thin-film technologies have long promised to make a major impact on the solar industry but have largely been constrained to niche applications and research labs if they were not shredded by the market. After several false starts, current trade dynamics and promising research programs may help solar thin films find their place in the sun.

India’s Jakson says its new lithium battery inverter offering consists of a 3 kW battery energy storage system with a 3 kW hybrid inverter and a 4.8 kWh, 48V lithium-ion battery module. It can be expanded to megawatt scale, depending on power backup requirements.

South Korean scientists have developed a WD-ER cooling system that can lower the operating temperature of a PV panel by up to 14.9  C, with an average heat transfer coefficient of 64.1 W/m2.

Australian researchers have developed a novel adaptive decentralized control strategy for electric vehicle (EV) integration, incorporating both microgrid and EV-side conditions into the primary frequency control. They have proposed new indices to evaluate the charge and discharge capabilities of EV batteries, as well as the satisfaction levels of EV owners.

Badenova has installed 912 glass-glass PV modules along a cycling path in the city of Freiburg, Germany, as part of a new pilot project.

Beny Electric’s new 600 W microinverters are designed for balcony solar modules, with a 96.5% efficiency rating and a European efficiency of 96%. They are available in three versions, with outputs of 500 W, 550 W, and 600 W.

Built Robotics says its RPD 35 autonomous robotic pile driving system is three to five times faster than manual pile driving platforms.