Technology and R&D

KStar’s new all-in-one energy storage system for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications features a 5.12 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system with a 50 kW inverter. It includes two clusters of batteries with 10 modules each, for a maximum capacity of 102.4 kWh.

Honda has revealed that it is testing a pilot stationary fuel cell stationary power system in California.

Seraphim is offering four versions of its new SIV N-TOPCon modules, with power outputs between 565 W and 580 W. The power conversion efficiency ranges from 21.87% and 22.45%.The Chinese manufacturer said the panels can be used for distributed-generation PV projects and ground-mounted power stations.

Emilio Jorquera, technical account manager at Senergy Technical Services (STS), tells pv magazine that greater standardization is needed in the battery storage market.

MAN Energy Solutions is building an industrial-scale heat pump that generates steam without using gas. It will produce steam to dry dairy ingredients at a milk farm in New Zealand.

France’s Carbon says it has decided to build a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) solar production facility in Fos-sur-Mer, France.

UK researchers have proposed the use of photovoltaic-thermal energy for desalination purposes, via an approach based on synergistic electro-thermal coupling mechanisms. They have found that some system configurations could offer a lower levelized cost of desalinated water, in addition to higher efficiencies.

When it comes to gravity batteries, pumped-hydro storage is the gold standard, but its cost and topography-specific limitations are driving innovations ranging from freight-train braking to super-dense liquids. We consider whether any of the new technologies can punch above their weight.

Electriq and Zenith Energy Terminals are teaming up on hydrogen powder production in Amsterdam, while Universal Hydrogen has completed the world’s first passenger flight based on hydrogen fuel cell propulsion.

An international group of researchers has designed a new hybrid photovoltaic-liquid air energy storage (PV-LAES) system. Their economic evaluation for the proposed 2 MW PV-LAES project showed that the investment payback period can be within 10 years, and the accumulated net profit can reach up to $2.2 million from a life-cycle perspective.