Developers accelerating construction of large-scale solar across Africa
The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has identified the top five solar markets in Africa. Its latest report also looks at the most notable large-scale projects across the continent.
Utility-scale PV and string inverter market trends
In this pv magazine Webinar, we’ll hear about utility-scale PV market developments in Europe and accompanying technology trends. String inverter market changes and the changing equation for LCOE will be brought into the spotlight.
Lithium iron phosphate battery for rooftop solar off-grid applications
Zola Electric’s new lithium iron phosphate battery system charges from solar and the grid and can power AC and DC appliances. It has a nominal voltage of 12.8 V and a nominal capacity of 50 Ah.
Botswana launches tender for multiple solar plants
Botswana has kicked off a tender for seven solar projects. The installations are expected to help the sub-Saharan country to reduce its dependence on electricity imports from South Africa.
PV-powered seawater desalination for afforestation carbon capture
Finnish researchers have proposed the use of solar, wind, and storage to provide desalinated seawater to restore forests. Their model predicts that an additional 10.7 TW of PV would be needed to actually do this by 2100, leading to a cumulative carbon dioxide sequestration potential of 730 gigatons.
Construction begins on 23 MW solar plant in Gambia
Gambia National Water and Electric Co. (Nawec) says the World Bank and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have agreed to finance a 23 MW solar plant in the African nation.
Financial close for 20 MW of PV, 5 MWh of storage in Madagascar
Axian has secured MGA 47.1 billion ($10.9 million) to finance a 40 MW solar plant and a 5 MWh storage facility in Madagascar. The installation is the island state’s largest solar park.
The Hydrogen Stream: World’s largest hydrogen airplane makes first flight
ZeroAvia tested its new 19-seat hydrogen-powered aircraft, Chinese scientists unveiled new tech to promote bubble removal in electrolyzers, and Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology researchers claimed that the most efficient hydrogen production systems are based on waste heat.
Weekend Read: Small change, big effect
Starting this year, ground-mounted solar modules in Germany can be replaced before the end of their service life, unlocking gigawatt-scale potential for new generation capacity without lengthy permitting processes or the need for new sites. Opinions differ as to what should happen with the decommissioned but still functioning modules, as pv magazine Deutschland’s Sandra Enkhardt reports.
Second-life batteries might beat new ones on solar LCOE in remote locations
UK scientists have discovered that second-life batteries could provide a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) than conventional batteries in school buildings equipped with PV in East African schools. They said the cheapest system configuration uses either 7.5 kW or 10 kW of solar with 20 kWh of storage.
