PV modules

Almost all of the energy supplied in the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan comes from 1.67 GW of hydropower capacity but with a rising population and energy demand, and an expanding economy, the 12 GW of solar the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates the Himalayan nation could host might reduce the risk of climate change-related blackouts.

The Italia Solare Forum event held in Rome laid bare the difficulty of securing permits for large scale projects at national and regional levels. Fast-tracking the process for big solar parks appears necessary to get Italian PV back on track.

A Malaysian study has compared the techniques used to reduce total harmonic distortion caused by PV systems. The paper, which considers the benefits and drawbacks of the approaches studied, suggests the use of adaptive filters.

Southern Water has issued a request for information about sourcing solar power through bilateral power purchase agreements. The company is considering buying electricity from generation facilities on its sites in southern England.

The U.S. residential solar market – and 15 states – are at record highs according to analyst WoodMac’s ‘don’t call it a comeback’ Q3 report, driven by new market forces. The research firm held its 2019 U.S. solar forecast at 13 GW.

Dutch transmission system operator Enexis, gas provider Gasunie and oil company NAM are considering diverting excess solar capacity in Drenthe province into hydrogen production. The companies are assessing which wind and solar projects may have been excluded from the grid.

Spanish energy company Endesa is planning to build a 1,725 MW renewable energy complex in the Spanish town of Andorra, in the province of Teruel. The €1.48 billion project is set to comprise 1,585 MW of solar generation capacity, 139 MW of wind turbines and a large scale storage system, and will replace coal power plants Endesa wants to close in Andorra (Teruel) and Compostilla (León).

A week after the Danish government announced it may stop holding auctions for new solar and wind capacity a 155 MW unsubsidized solar project has been announced for the Jutland region. The plant will initially sell electricity to the Nordpool electricity market but its developers are also considering private supply deals.

Scientists have developed a new mathematical model which indicates floating solar on fish farms could be a lucrative option in land-scarce Taiwan. Although floating arrays could hinder fish production, the losses would be largely compensated by electricity-related income.

Estonian researchers have developed a new monograin powder technology made of microcrystals, which can form parallel connected miniature solar cells in a large module. By replacing copper with silver in the absorber material, the researchers were able to increase the efficiency of the cells by more than 2%.