Amelia Hub unveils all-in-one solution for pile-driving and tracker installation
The Spanish company has launched the Hincator, a device that precisely measures key pile parameters, and Amelia Solar, a cloud platform that processes data in real time, to ensure pile-driving and trackers in PV plants are installed correctly and within project tolerances.
ZGR presents new range of 4500 kW central inverters and PCS at Intersolar
The entire range is prepared to operate under the future 2000 V regulations, allowing them to operate in various international markets, including Europe and Latin America.
Spain’s Smartbox presents 100% autonomous cleaning robot
It comes with two plug-and-play batteries, each with 4.5 hours of battery life, and is capable of cleaning up to 4,000 panels in 10 hours.
‘Blaming renewables for Spain’s blackout is like faulting the thermometer for the fever’
The recent blackout in the Iberian grid should not be interpreted as failure of renewables. But it did provide Europe with a sign the energy system is changing, shedding light on the necessity to govern 21st-century technologies with 21st-century control systems.
European markets break records for solar production in April
AleaSoft Energy Forecasting’s latest analysis finds Germany, Portugal and Spain broke their records for solar production on a day in April last week, while Italy recorded its second highest daily figure ever. Meanwhile, weekly average electricity prices increased across most major European markets.
Artificial light tests for indoor PV
Researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain evaluated 12 PV devices from 11 suppliers for indoor use, identifying several systems capable of powering remote sensor nodes with a 10 cm² surface area and advancing to testing under natural indoor light.
Is solar really the root cause of Spain’s massive power outage?
Some media outlets have speculated that Spain’s April 28 blackout may have been caused by a disconnected solar plant, but DNV grid analyst Andrea Mansoldo tells pv magazine that it was likely due to a combination of grid weakness and low-frequency oscillations.
How to integrate solar-plus-storage with heat pumps
Scientists in Spain have simulated a system that uses both power-to-heat-to-power thermal batteries and lithium-ion batteries for energy storage. The hybrid system reportedly achieved a 7% lower LCOE compared to a PV system relying solely on lithium batteries, while simultaneously increasing PV self-consumption by up to 20%.
Spain blackout not caused by renewables, says prime minister
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says Spain’s recent blackout was not triggered by excess renewables or a lack of nuclear power. He claims the government will reform the grid, seek an independent report from Brussels, and launch a national inquiry.
History repeats as Iberian blackout demonstrates urgent need for battery storage
The vast blackout that gripped the Iberian Peninsula on April 28 has echoes of a similar event in an Australian state in 2016. The solution in both cases appears to be the same.
