Czechia amends electricity generation licence threshold
An amendment to Czechia’s Energy Act has increased the limit for mandatory electricity generation licences from 50 kW to 100 kW. The change applies to solar installations that produce electricity for direct consumption.
Ukrainian city switches on solar arrays for local water utility
Solar systems with a combined capacity of 340 kW have been switched on at three water supply and wasterwater facilites in the west Ukrainian city of Chortkiv, designed to provide residents with uninterrupted water supply.
Optimum tilt angle for PV systems ranging from 0° to 90°
A Slovak research team has developed a mathematical model for determining the optimum tilt angle of a solar system ranging from 0° to 90°. Their framework was tested on an experimental setup in Czechia and attained 93.9% accuracy in predicting the system’s energy balance.
The Hydrogen Stream: Japanese researchers develop low-temperature hydrogen battery
Institute of Science Tokyo researchers proposed a battery with magnesium hydride (MgH2) as the anode and hydrogen (H2) gas as the cathode. Meanwhile, researchers at Chung-Ang University proposed chloride-resistant ruthenium (Ru)-based nanocatalysts for direct electrolysis and hydrogen production from seawater.
PV-powered thermal distillation device with self-cleaning, cooling
Scientists in Hungary have built a prototype of a thermal distillation device, supported by PV power. The PV panels use an IoT component that self-cleans when dust is detected and cools itself when the temperatures are too high. The system achieved a daily freshwater yield of 6.1 L/m2⋅day.
Czech electricity distributor connects 253 MW of solar in H1
Czechia’s largest electricity distributor, ČEZ Distribuce, says 9,084 solar power plants were connected across its network during the first half of the year, 86% of which were equipped with an energy storage system.
Ukrainian hospital receives solar-plus-storage system
A solar-plus-storage system has been installed at a hospital in northeastern Ukraine in an area frequently impacted by electricity cut-offs due to Russia’s targeting of energy infrastructure. RePower Ukraine says the system offers the hospital reliable power to treat 50,000 patients annually.
Poland allocates record budget for home solar, storage rebate scheme
The budget for the sixth round of Poland’s rebate scheme for residential solar and storage installations was extended to a record PLN 1.85 billion ($511.8 million), up from an original PLN 400 million, after receiving 121,000 applications. Over half of the budget will be allocated to home energy storage facilities.
The Hydrogen Stream: Qatari team outlines solar hybrid station design
Qatari researchers tell pv magazine that they have designed the world’s first hybrid station concept combining PV, liquid air, hydrogen storage, and batteries for EV charging and hydrogen refueling.
Ukraine’s biggest battery storage project goes online
Ukraine’s DTEK has completed a 200 MW/400 MWh battery project, the nation’s largest, in just six months using remote commissioning with Fluence.
