Chinese PV Industry Brief: Trina buys 40 GW of factory lines from Robotechnik
Trina Solar said it will use the equipment at its factories in Huaian, Yangzhou, Dongtai, and Tinghu, which are all in Jiangsu province.
Residential solar average payback period is 8.3 years in U.S., said EnergySage
Pricing is beginning to cool slightly, but financing terms have changed from 2.99% to 4.99% for a 25-year loan.
How long do residential solar panels last?
Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of this series, we look at the solar panels themselves.
PV-powered heat pumps with thermal, electrical storage
Italian researchers have looked at the potential of thermal and electrical energy storage to improve self-consumption rates in buildings when coupled with PV-powered heat pumps. They have concluded that such an approach could yield self-consumption rates of more than 80%.
China solar module prices dive to record low
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Toshiba unveils silicon carbide MOSFET for PV inverters
Toshiba has developed a 2,200 V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET for inverters and energy storage systems, in order to help inverter manufacturers to reduce the size and weight of their products.
Jetstream changes drive UK and Spain solar resource higher
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, presents the solar irradiance data it collected for Europe in August. The UK saw on average 110% of normal August irradiance, with values exceeding this in the north. Spain and Portugal received 10-20% more than normal, due to reduced cloud.
Key takeaways from Brazil’s Intersolar South America trade show
The 10th edition of Brazil’s Intersolar South America trade show grew from last year’s event in terms of exhibitors and visitors. The Brazilian solar market is now on track to maintain its position as one of the world’s largest, despite a slight contraction this year.
Gambia launches tender to deploy 1,100 solar systems on public buildings
Gambia’s Sustainable Energy Services Company is launching a tender to install 1,100 PV systems, ranging from 2 kW to 240 kW in size, on 1,000 schools and 99 health facilities.
Ascent Solar hits 15.2% efficiency in production trials for CIGS cell
Ascent Solar has achieved a 15.2% efficiency for a copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) cell in production trials by replacing cadmium sulfide with a new material in the manufacturing process.
