Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance bet on batteries as AI fuels power demand surge
Tech giants Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance are ramping up investments in renewable energy and storage to meet the soaring electricity demands driven by AI.
Solar tops EU power mix in June with record 22% share
Solar accounted for 22% of electricity in the European Union in June, surpassing nuclear as the largest source, while renewables supplied 54% of net power in the second quarter, driven by rising PV output.
Using Asterisk Sudoku for PV system reconfiguration under shading conditions
Researchers in Qatar have used an algorithm relying on a variant of the popular logic-based puzzle to determine the optimal way to eliminate cluster shading. They have tested the new approach under fixed and moving shadows.
Voltage Energy releases two wiring solutions for PV projects
The US-based electrical balance of systems provider stated its new products are designed for utility-scale projects and the mid-capacity range. Both systems are IP68-tested.
KAUST achieves 28.7% efficiency in perovskite-perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell
An international team of researchers led by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has fabricated a triple junction perovskite-perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell that achieved a world record efficiency for this cell architecture. The device incorporates stabilized perovskites that ensure improved performance and stability.
AI platform compiles data on Spain’s renewable energy projects
Orka Energía has unveiled an artificial intelligence platform that compiles and updates data on more than 4,000 renewable energy projects under development in Spain, including capacity, status, substations, and developers.
New model to optimize desert PV plant cleaning schedule
Scientists have used a CPLEX-based MIP model and tested it on a section of the 10 MW Masdar City Solar Photovoltaic Plant. In their simulation, they assume the use of two robotic cleaners to operate over a 90-day horizon. Total cleaning costs were estimated at $7,987.
Agrivoltaics for arboriculture
Swiss company Insolight inaugurated a 250 kW agrivoltaic installation on apple, pear, and apricot orchards in Conthey, producing 300 MWh per year for the grid, in collaboration with Agroscope, Romande Energie, and the canton of Valais.
One-year testing shows ground-mounted PV achieves ‘superior’ performance ratio in Sahara
A 12-month testing of a 1.1 MW pilot PV facility built in 2016 in Algeria’s desert has shown that tracking-equipped ground-mounted PV can reach high performance ratio values under Saharan conditions. The plant was built with a variety of PV module technologies.
Ireland allocates over 860 MW of solar in fifth renewables auction
Ireland’s fifth onshore renewable energy auction provisionally allocated 860 MW of solar with the final average price for PV coming in at €0.10063/kWh. ($0.12/kWh).
