New solar tree design offers improved module cooling, lower shading losses
Researchers in Hungary have proposed to build photovoltaic trees with a significant distance between the solar panels. The proposed sunflower-shaped design reportedly reduces shading losses between the panels while improving cooling and heat dissipation.
Slovakia’s solar additions hit 220 MW in 2023
The Slovak solar market showed encouraging signs of growth last year, according to provisional figures from the Slovak Association of the Photovoltaic Industry. It says the country could add 300 MW of new PV capacity in 2024.
Romanian utility Electrica launches 27 MW solar tender
Electrica SA has asked engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to apply for its new 27 MW solar tender before the end of January.
Enphase to lay off 10% of workforce
Enphase says it plans to let go of 10% of its employees, in addition to shutting down contract manufacturing in the United States and Romania.
Master-slave technique for deploying parallel inverters in PV systems
Scientists in Czechia have proposed to use parallel inverters in PV systems to not only reduce instability, but also to increase power yield. The proposed approach reportedly results in higher maximum power point tracking (MPPT) performance.
Corab debuts residential brine-water heat pump
Polish manufacturer Corab has developed a new ground-source heat pump with several components supplied by Denmark’s Danfoss. It offers 8 kW to 16 kW of rated thermal power.
PPAs offer protection
Europe is witnessing a surge in power purchase agreements (PPAs). Over the past four years, the number of European PPA transactions has trebled. More than 180 deals were signed in 2022 alone and the trend is expected to continue, especially for solar projects.
The Hydrogen Stream: GM, Autocar aim for hydrogen vehicle production by 2026
GM and Autocar Industries have agreed to jointly develop hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles using GM’s Hydrotec power cubes, while European lawmakers have reached a provisional agreement on common market rules for renewable gases and hydrogen.
New model to predict defrost cycles, behavior of air-sourced heat pumps in cold weather
UK-based researchers have developed a novel method to estimate the amount of defrost cycles a heat pump will experience in the winter and how much energy it would require to implement the cycles. The results of their simulation showed a strong relationship between the number of defrost cycles and the ambient temperature.
The Hydrogen Stream: Rolls-Royce opts for SAF, not hydrogen in large aircraft
Rolls-Royce has told pv magazine that it prefers sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for large commercial flights, but it continues to invest in hydrogen for mid-size aircraft in partnership with easyJet.
