Senegal switches on inaugural solar-plus-storage facility
Africa REN has commissioned a 16 MW solar plant with 10 MW/20 MWh of battery storage in northern Senegal, billed as the first grid-connected solar-plus-storage facility in West Africa.
Genneia switches on 180 MW solar park in Argentina
Argentina’s Genneia has begun commercial operations at the 180 MW Anchoris solar park in Mendoza province, a $160 million project aimed at supplying large industrial consumers through the country’s Renewable Energy Futures Market.
Glass-free PV modules tested on bulk cargo ships
Japan’s Eco Marine Power announced a trial of an integrated solar PV system aboard a bulk cargo ship to demonstrate both practicality and performance. It features glass-free monocrystalline silicon modules from U.S.-based Merlin Solar Technologies.
Photovoltaic-thermal solar air heater based on PCM cylinders, air convection
Researchers in Malaysia designed a photovoltaic-thermal system that can be used in solar drying, space heating, rooftop systems, and off-grid thermal applications. It relies on a double-pass cooling technique based on air convection and phase change material that can reportedly increase PV efficiency from 7% to 9% and thermal efficiency by 31.45%.
Netherlands installs 4.32 GW of solar in 2024
The Netherlands installed 4.32 GW of solar capacity in 2024, bringing its cumulative total to 28.62 GW by year-end, according to official data.
Agrivoltaics on rice fields, not a lost cause
Researchers in Japan have made another attempt to make agrivoltaics on rice fields technically and economically feasible, despite well-known productivity issues when rice is grown below solar modules. They used double-axis tracking, finding potential with careful management of shading and tilt angles.
Australia rooftop solar installs slow as battery uptake surges
Australia’s uptake of rooftop solar is showing signs of slowing with new data revealing that little more than 205 MW of new rooftop PV capacity was added in July, just a month after installation rates dropped to their lowest point of the year.
US agency set to revoke $7 billion in solar access grants
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to rescind $7 billion in Solar For All grants disbursed to state-run programs that expand solar access for low- and moderate-income households, according to reports.
How long do residential solar batteries last?
Multiple factors affect lifespan of a residential battery energy storage system. We examine the life of batteries in Part 3 of our series.
Quebec to offer rebates for home, commercial solar
Hydro-Québec says it will offer financial aid to residential and business customers deploying solar in the Canadian province from next year, with CAN 1,000 ($726.28) available for each installed kilowatt.
