Vehicle integrated PV system for retractable car-roofs
At a recent automobile industry event, Germany-based Webasto announced its retractable vehicle integrated PV system for car-roofs was integrated into a new electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) by an undisclosed US equipment manufacturer.
Hydrogen stations can avoid unplanned shutdowns with predictive models
New research from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) focuses on a specific model that uses data to reduce the frequency of unscheduled maintenance, while increasing the frequency of preventive maintenance.
Staubli invests in US developer of solar inspection robots
Switzerland’s Staubli Electrical Connectors says it has invested in California-based PV robot developer OnSight Technology to fund the advancement of its algorithms and artificial intelligence technology.
California energy storage facility hit by lithium-ion battery fire
Homes and businesses near the Valley Center Energy Storage Facility in California were evacuated this week and a shelter-in-place order was put into effect in the vicinity. Terra-Gen, the project’s owner, has issued a statement saying that the facility’s design systems contained the incident.
Silfab Solar to start US cell production, new line of TOPCon panels
Silfab Solar says that it has invested $150 million in a new manufacturing operation in South Carolina. It has also released new residential and commercial solar panels.
Solar giants bet big on US manufacturing
Major solar panel suppliers have announced the construction of three new factories, collectively adding 15 GW of manufacturing capacity. In 2021, there was only 7 GW of module manufacturing capacity in the United States.
Hoymiles introduces hybrid inverters for residential solar, storage
Hoymiles has developed new hybrid inverters for residential solar and storage applications. They support 120 V/240 V backup power without the need for an external transformer.
Research shows heat pumps perform better than fossil fuel heating in mild cold climates
A British research group has aggregated information from seven field studies on heat pumps from around the world and has found air-source devices have an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.74 when temperatures are above −10 C. Below that, COP is between 1.5 and 2.
Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning unveils residential dual fuel heat pump system
Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning has developed a residential dual fuel heat pump system that combines an air source heat pump and a gas furnace. The manufacturer says the furnace is designed to ensure there is no compromise in heating performance, even when temperatures are extremely low.
Sage demonstrates long-duration storage with underground reservoirs
US-based Sage Geosystems has presented field results showing that its Earthstore underground storage system can provide 18 hours or more of storage capacity, in addition to short-duration power. The solution is said to be cost-competitive with lithium-ion batteries and natural gas peaker plants.
