Sun-tracking floating solar islands from Portugal
Portugal-based Solaris Float has developed a swiveling floating solar platform with one- or two-axis tracking. It has installed its first project on a lake in the Netherlands. The project consists of 130 PV modules on a single-axis tracker, with an installed capacity of 50.7 kW.
From solar module production to recycling
Environmental impact is a growing consumer consideration when investing in renewable energy. Millions of solar modules are produced every year and a huge amount of energy and high-value materials like silicon, silver, and glass go into their making. As part of moving toward a circular economy, module recycling processes need to be improved and scaled up as a tool to retain the value of those materials. And this will also require improvements in transparency and compliance when it comes to the sourcing and documenting of materials.
In this pv magazine Webinar, we will examine the processes that go into sustainable module production and recycling.
Ernst & Young ranks India, China, US as world’s most attractive solar markets
India is the top market for solar investment, according to the latest edition of Ernst & Young’s renewables attractiveness index. Spain, Germany and the United States are the top three markets for corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Roadmap to increase solar acceptance
The PV sector has significant implications for the economy, society and the environment. Positive impacts show that PV is a key contributor on the path to sustainability, and that highlighting these benefits could raise social and political acceptance in the transition to sustainable energy.
The mobility rEVolution: Carmakers set to make more ICE cars than sustainable
Global production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is on track to far exceed sustainable levels from a climate perspective, according to a new German-Australian study. Foxconn, meanwhile, has started building an EV factory in Thailand.
Floating ‘artificial leaf’ for solar-to-hydrogen production
University of Cambridge scientists have developed lightweight floating photocatalyst devices that produce green hydrogen and syngas. The leaf-like photoelectrochemical devices show potential for scalability.
French consortium to set up 5 GW factory for 4T tandem perovskite-silicon modules
Voltec and the Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France (IPVF) have revealed plans to set up a pilot line for their new panel technology in 2023.
The Hydrogen Stream: Africa could become key green hydrogen market by 2050, says Masdar
Masdar says Africa’s annual hydrogen exports could hit 40 million tons by 2050, while Israeli researchers have published a new study on the discharge characteristics of oxidized intermediates formed under water photo-oxidation conditions.
Wärtsilä releases 12.4 MW grid-balancing engine
Finland’s Wärtsilä has unveiled its next-generation grid balancing technology. It has an efficiency of 52.3% and can be used for baseload production. It connects to the grid in 30 seconds and operates on natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen blends.
Ultra-thin, radiation-resistant solar cells for new space applications
UK scientists have developed a solar cell based on a layer of gallium-arsenide just 80 nanometers thick, with similar performance to much thicker devices. It showed excellent resistance to damage from radiation exposure, making it ideal for high-radiation satellite/space applications.
