New Zealand moves forward with 8.5 TWh pumped hydro project
The New Zealand government will investigate the viability of establishing a pumped hydroelectric facility on the South Island. The project could provide up to 8.5 TWh of annual generation and storage capacity to support the nation’s transition to 100% renewable electricity generation.
US residential solar quotes hit average of $2.85 per watt
EnergySage says Qcells is now as the most quoted solar panel maker in the United States.
Solar curtailment vs. storage
Swiss researchers have looked at whether storage could be cheaper than curtailment in medium-voltage distribution networks with significant amounts of PV capacity. They considered storage costs, operational costs, grid constraints, electricity costs, PV generation models, and loads.
New tool to estimate efficiency, savings of ground-source heat pumps
Researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a free, web-based application that calculates the savings and energy efficiency of residential ground-source heat pumps compared to gas heating.
Cape Verde kicks off tender for 3.4 MW of solar
The government of Cape Verde is seeking developers to build four solar plants across four islands in the archipelagic nation.
New global solar capacity additions hit 191 GW in 2022, says IRENA
Global renewable capacity increased by 295 GW last year, bringing the world to a cumulative installed capacity of 3,372 GW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Saudi Arabia’s solar market
Saudi Arabia aims to add 10 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2027, with solar to account for the lion’s share. The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) describes the main market drivers that could make this target achievable.
Solar-powered cooling solution for off-grid applications
Phaesun and Solar Cooling Engineering have developed a PV-powered cold room for small-scale farmers in Africa. The solution, which has been installed at a farm in Kenya, includes a 2.8 kW solar array and vapor compression heat pumps.
Only5min! – Prospects for balcony solar
Karolina Attspodina, the CEO of Germany-based We do Solar, speaks with pv magazine about the tech behind the startup’s balcony solar kits. She discusses potential savings, shading impacts, and concerns about electrocution and fire risks with plug-in solar modules.
Green Akku introduces balcony solar modules with storage
Green Akku’s “selfPV” solution is available in versions featuring one or two solar modules, with prices ranging from €2,057 ($2.215) to €2,434. It says homeowners can self-consume all of the generated solar power, without having to feed it into the grid.
