Semi-transparent solar module for greenhouse applications
Manufactured by scientists in Italy, the 3.88%-efficient organic solar panels are able to filter the light from the roofs of greenhouses. They are also capable of supplying a portion of the electricity required to power the greenhouse’s temperature and humidity sensors.
Solar heat pump solution for water, pool heating
U.S. solar thermal specialist Fafco is set to launch a new photovoltaic-thermal heat pump solution for water and pool heating. The system consists of photovoltaic-thermal panels, a 5 kWh thermal battery with a heat pump, and an electric hot water heater.
VSUN tests flow battery technology with standalone PV-powered EV charger
Australian energy storage company VSUN Energy claims to have identified the ‘missing piece of the renewable energy jigsaw’ after successfully testing a standalone electric vehicle battery charger using solar PV supplied by a vanadium redox flow battery.
Belgium’s rooftop solar potential estimated at 99.6 GW
According to recent analysis by Belgian institute EnergyVille, rooftop PV and onshore wind have the technical potential to reach 118 GW of capacity in Belgium. Of the three Belgian macro-regions, Flemish-speaking Flanders is the one with the largest solar potential for rooftop systems, at 67.56 GW, followed by French-speaking Wallonia, with 31.54 GW, and the Brussels metropolitan region, with 4.23 GW.
Hunting the sun with Harris hawks optimization algorithm
An Iranian-Canadian-based research group has conceived a nature-inspired algorithm to estimate the model parameters of PV systems. The proposed tool mimics the exploring, exploiting and attacking strategy of the Harris hawk, a bird of prey species that cooperates when hunting.
Ultra-thin 2D perovskite solar cell with 18.3% efficiency
The solar cell was built with a layer of organic cations between the iodide on top, and lead on the bottom enhanced interactions between the layers. Its creators designed the device after they discovered that, when the sunlight hits a 2D perovskite, it contracts the space between atomic layers in the material.
UPDATE: Spanish start-up offers flexible kit for balcony solar power generation
The kit consists of one or two modules, a microinverter, and a five-meter cable. Thanks to its plug-in technology, it can be connected to any electrical outlet and immediately begin generating electricity.
Pilot floating platform for offshore hybrid wind-solar-wave projects
Developed by German company Sinn Power, the floating platform currently hosts solar modules totaling 80 kW and may also embed small wind turbines and wave energy converters.
Korean research institute claims 12.2% efficiency world record for flexible CTZS solar cell
Korean manufacturer SolarFlex Ltd will now seek to bring the solar cell to commercial production.
Hydrostor plans 400 MW / 3200 MWh compressed air energy storage in the U.S.
The plant would be able to deliver 400 MW of electricity for 8 hours, and would be comparable in size to some of California’s largest fossil fuel power plants.
