New model to predict cloud movements, improve grid integration for renewables
Meteo for Energy offers meteorological prediction and energy production models for photovoltaic, solar thermal, and wind power generation. The new model applies “deep learning” to images from the Meteosat satellite.
Australian researchers release heat maps for wind, solar project siting
Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have unveiled a new online tool to identify the best possible locations for the development of new large-scale wind and solar farms.
US government allocates $8 million to support agrivoltaics
The US government’s FARMS projects will examine multiple configurations of solar system design, crops, and cultivation methods in order to develop replicable models that may offer new economic opportunities.
Chilean developer builds solar plant on tailings dam
Guacolda Energía has completed a 3 MW solar project in Tierra Amarilla, Chile. It is the the world’s first solar project to be built on a tailings dam.
The Hydrogen Stream: US team assesses atmospheric methane risk for hydrogen
Princeton University researchers have published a study on how the transition to hydrogen-based energy systems would affect the tropospheric burdens of methane and hydrogen, while Provaris Energy said it is moving forward with its compressed H2 carrier.
New foldable solar system for rooftop applications
German manufacturer Kopp has developed an easy-to-install, four-module foldable PV array. The system uses n-type TOPCon solar modules with outputs of 430 W and efficiency ratings of 22.02%
Agrivoltaics for soybeans
Italian researchers have looked at how soybeans could be grown in agrivoltaic installations and have found that the impact of shading is less significant than previously believed.
Meyer Burger to commercialize 29.6%-efficient perovskite tandem solar cells
Meyer Burger is working with several research institutes in Switzerland and Germany to integrate perovskite tandem technology into its manufacturing processes.
Hydrophobic nanocoating to reduce soiling in solar panels
Scientists in Egypt have created a self-cleaning, hydrophobic coating for solar panels that reportedly increases their efficiency by more than 30%. They used a coating solution based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanocomposites, mixed with ethanol and isopropanol.
US organizations publish manual on energy storage safety
The International Code Council and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) have published a new handbook on installation codes, hardware standards, and lithium-ion risk-mitigation tools.
