Integrating low-temperature heat sources in industrial-scale heat pumps
The Fraunhofer ISE has designed a novel method for assessing the potential of low-temperature heat sources for large-scale heat pumps. The five-step process was tested on the German city of Fellbach, enabling the identification of heat sources with LCOH lower than €0.1/kWh.
German wholesalers hit by six-figure losses from new solar module scam
Suspected fraudsters are using false identities to claim they are interested in solar modules. The wholesalers typically respond by delivering the requested products, but the scammers never actually pay for their orders. These are not isolated cases, as a clear pattern has emerged.
PV-powered electric vehicles can have up to 30% higher range
A European research team has installed solar panels on a light commercial electric vehicle and has tested their performance for four months. The vehicle was able to extend the range by 530 km, although not all panels contributed equally. System efficiency was measured at up to 66%.
Balcony PV systems for cruise ships
Scientists have simulated the installment of PV modules on the balconies of cruise ship cabins. They tested the systems with three DC configurations and simulated them while cruising in the Caribbean and along the Norwegian and Danish coasts.
Germany records 457 hours of negative electricity prices in 2024
Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) says negative wholesale electricity prices occurred for 457 hours in 2024, up from 301 hours in 2023.
Germany deploys 1 GW of PV in November
Germany installed 1 GW of solar power in November, bringing its cumulative capacity to 97.55 GW by the end of the month.
Midea Hiconics releases new residential all-in-one battery storage systems
The Chinese company says its three-phase Hienergy series can pair with PV arrays of up to 8.5 kW, with battery storage reaching up to 40.8 kWh.
Researchers complete Europe’s first PV soiling loss assessment
A European research group has adapted a soiling model for use across the continent, analyzing scenarios with complete and partial rain cleaning to calculate energy losses and increases in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), marking Europe’s first techno-economic PV soiling assessment.
Why battery energy storage is essential for Germany’s solar targets
While Germany’s battery energy storage sector is booming, developers should be aware of the various hurdles to overcome and could learn lessons from the United Kingdom battery market.
Photovoltaic-thermal window achieves 3.6% electrical efficiency, provides hot water at 50 C
Scientists have developed a window that uses a semi-transparent amorphous silicon PV layer. The group tested the system in London at different inclination angles and found it can achieve a maximum electrical efficiency of 3.6% and a maximum thermal efficiency of 17.6%.
