Off-grid solar continues to expand
The off-grid solar sector has shown resilience in the face of pandemic-related challenges, with 70 million people gaining access to electricity from early 2020 to the end of 2021. However, the ability to pay for solar energy kits has taken a hit.
Storage could reshape solar market in MENA
Waleed AlHallaj, the head of business development for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at JinkoSolar, recently spoke to pv magazine about the prospects for the regional energy storage market. He said that storage systems have already penetrated markets with weak grids, such as Yemen and Lebanon.
Equity investment to back 150 MW of commercial solar in Africa
Norwegian developer Empower New Energy has secured $74 million of mostly public funds from investors and will top it up to build a $100 million, three-year cash pile.
The Global South’s solar e-waste problem
An international research group has examined the structural barriers to addressing the solar e-waste problem in the Global South. They argue that the focus should be on repairing devices, rather than recycling them.
Ultra-fast synthesis of nanocomposites for sodium ion batteries, supercapacitors
Researchers in Egypt have developed a synthesis method that uses the high microwave absorbance of silicon carbide content in rice straw ash and takes just 60 seconds to produce sodium iron phosphates-carbon nanocomposites (NaFePO4-C), which can be used as sodium ion battery cathodes and as symmetric supercapacitors.
The Hydrogen Stream: Canadian startup unveils 120 kW fuel cell system
In other news, Alstom tested its hydrogen train for long-distance transportation and the IEA released a report suggesting that hydrogen development may require an annual investment of around $60-130 billion through 2030.
The Hydrogen Stream: Siemens commissions 8.7 MW electrolyzer in Germany
As Siemens commissions Germany’s second largest electrolyzer at the Energy Park in Wunsiedel, Engie has taken the Final Investment Decision for a project in Western Australia, scheduled for completion in 2024. Meanwhile, two reports shed light on the future of green hydrogen: on the demand side, the MENA region could use it to become the global leader of green steel; on the supply side, BNEF welcomes the support commitments coming from Europe and the United States.
The case for residential, commercial Battery Energy Storage Systems in the MENA region
In this pv magazine Webinar, together with our partner JinkoSolar we will present energy storage solutions and some business cases for the MENA regions while discussing how projects may be conceived under local government policies and programs.
What ultra-powerful string inverters mean for utility-scale and EPCs
String inverters continue to grow in capacity to support the growing size and output of high-power and high-current PV modules becoming more normal at utility-scale. And that’s changing the equation for LCOE, at a critical growth point in the solar industry. In this pv magazine Webinar, we’ll hear from Sungrow about its new maximum-power three-phase 352kVA utility string inverter, the SG350HX, and discuss availability, certifications, and how LCOE is affected.
Demonstrating durability in n-type modules
The promises of a longer lifetime and better performance under harsh conditions, such as desert heat, are among the key reasons the PV industry is beginning to make the switch to n-type technologies. While the cell technologies themselves are a major factor, there’s a whole lot more to think about when it comes to ensuring long-term reliability for modules in the field. In this pv magazine Webinar, we examine the joint roles of advanced cell technology and proven bill of materials in ensuring reliability as expected lifetimes for PV modules move to 30 years and beyond.
