Highway to the inflection point
Electric vehicles, both fully electric and plug-in hybrid EVs, look set to become dominant in new car sales within years in many parts of the world, but overall changes to car fleets face significant inertia. What impact will this have on the future grid, and where’s the opportunity for solar? Tristan Rayner gets behind the wheel.
Power to be heard
The wide-open spaces of the Australian outback make it ripe for solar development, but doing so without the true inclusion of Indigenous communities may repeat the mistakes made by resource extraction companies in the past. However, Indigenous-led companies and an innovative new initiative are looking to put power and ownership into the hands of the land’s traditional owners, reports pv magazine Australia’s Bella Peacock.
Standards to unlock V2G
Mass adoption of electric vehicles presents opportunities for significant battery deployment to support our grid and power our homes. Developing and adopting standards for vehicle-to-grid bidirectional technology is needed to accelerate the path to these opportunities, reports pv magazine USA’s Tim Sylvia.
Overview of home charging stations in Germany
It is not a leader, but Germany is moving quickly on the adoption of electric vehicles. And with a relatively high uptake of rooftop solar, homeowners are keen to ensure they’re “driving on sunshine” as often as possible. A market survey of EV chargers in Germany provides key insights into what is available today and what is in store as EV uptake continues to accelerate. Michael Fuhs, pv magazine’s head of editorial, reports.
Charging with solar at home
Using the electrons generated on your roof to power your car may be an idea that appeals to many homeowners. However, it is not yet a given among EV chargers available in Germany. And it may not make financial sense, according to the market overview carried out by pv magazine Deutschland.
Rolling solar
The new year opened with the announcement from a prestige brand about an electric vehicle (EV) designed to extend the horizon of zero-emissions transportation – and solar was a part of the vision. Mercedes-Benz announced the launch of its Vision EQXX EV, with the headline figure that it can travel 1,000 km on a single charge of its 100kWh battery.
Staying charged
The integration of solar cells into passenger vehicles appears to be progressing in lockstep with the increasing penetration of electric vehicles, which itself looks to have hit an inflection point. But how does one know whether a solar roof is still in good working order in the testing environment of the open road? German flasher provider Wavelabs is looking closely at the issue, and CEO Torsten Brammer provides some insights into the challenge.
Vehicle integrated, in production
Producing solar products for integration into a range of electric vehicles will be a fundamentally new development and production process, says Robert Händel, the CEO and founder of Opes Solutions. The offgrid and solar mobility producer has developed its first two vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) modules and is preparing for the market opportunity ahead.
Silicon carbide’s second coming
Silicon carbide (SiC) has promised inverter makers higher power density, higher efficiency, and a total bill of materials that comes in closer to its more established rival in silicon. Has SiC finally arrived? Tristan Rayner spoke to the people at the forefront of the wider-bandgap material to find out the back story and what’s next.
The changing geopolitics of green hydrogen
With 90% of world economies committed to net zero targets, the disruptive nature of the energy transition is becoming clear. Climate targets require us to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, phase out coal by 2040, end fossil fuel subsidies, and ensure support for a just transition. While hydrogen is sure to be a key technology in this energy transition, the exact role it will play is not yet clear, reports Felicia Jackson.
