Italy’s steeplechase towards battery deployment
In the next ten years, according to Milanese consultant REF-E’s simulations, storage in Italy will mostly be driven by opportunities in the ancillary services market. After 2030, when renewables will provide most electricity, REF-E believes the price spread between different hours of the day should be high enough to cover the cost-per-cycle of energy-intensive storage. Energy expert Virginia Canazza discussed the topic with pv magazine.
New Fraunhofer study details multi- versus single-MPPT inverters
PV inverter manufacturer Kaco has quantified the compatibility problems of multi-MPPT inverters and high-performance modules in their own study. In this pv magazine Webinar, our speakers will present new research results on the use of multi-MPPT versus single-MPPT inverters and explain why string inverters with only one MPPT do not have such problems compared to multi-MPPT inverters.
Enel mulls building heterojunction solar module factory in the US
In a recent media brief, new Enel Green Power CEO Salvatore Bernabei said the company’s heterojunction solar module factory in southern Italy will be scaled up from 200MW to 3GW by mid-2024. He also revealed that another factory may be built abroad, with the United States being a possible location.
Low-cost deposition tech for perovskite solar cells
Italian and Iranian researchers have developed the new “deposition via an antisolvent-soaked applicator” technique, which they describe as an easily scalable process to produce uniform, pinhole-free perovskite films. They tested the process on a 6.7%-efficient solar cell based on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, raising its power conversion efficiency by 82%.
New rooftop PV bracket for sloped tile roofs
Sun Age, an Italian mounting system supplier, has developed a special bracket for rooftop PV installations on sloped tile rooftops. It is made of stainless steel and can be deployed by fixing it to the surface with dowels or glue.
Spanish start-up unveils 1kWh portable battery for multiple uses
The portable storage system contains lithium batteries, a charger, and an inverter, all fully integrated into a sealed and protective case.
New hybrid inverters for rooftop PV from Germany
The BW-HY3600 and BW-HY4600 inverters can be integrated with existing on-grid or off-grid PV systems and a battery storage system of 48V. Both devices, according to German manufacturer Bosswerk, have AC and DC coupling and are particularly suitable for residential and commercial solar arrays.
Quantum dot layer pushes perovskite solar cell efficiency up to 25.7%
Researchers in Switzerland have replaced the electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells with a thin layer of quantum dots. On an area of 0.08cm2, they achieved a record efficiency of 25.7% and high operational stability.
European Commission advisory body slams plan to label gas and nuclear ‘sustainable’
The Platform on Sustainable Finance was unstinting in its criticism of a suggestion made by the EU executive on New Year’s Day, that the divisive energy sources be considered eligible for support in the bloc.
Czechia’s first floating photovoltaic plant
Operated by Czech utility CEZ Group, the pilot solar plant will be located at different heights during the charge and recharge cycles of a pumped-hydro plant and the difference in height may reach up to nine meters.
