PV

New research from Germany outlines mechanisms behind a form of potential-induced degradation specifically affecting the rear side of bifacial solar cells. Results suggest that the issue may be more complex than previously thought; and avoiding irreversible damage to cells in the field will require a rethink of testing standards.

Conceived by French solar company Mecojit, the solar carport solution can be deployed without excavation work and can be coupled with EV recharging stations.

The fourth round of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is expected to allocate 12 GW of renewable energy capacity. Solar and on-shore wind, which the British government considers well-established technologies, are entitled to secure up to 5 GW, but the limited budget these two technologies have been awarded may not be enough to reach this level.

The project consists of an 8 M W solar PV plant that is scheduled to be operational in 2022 and a 12 MW wind farm that will be commissioned in 2023. Both facilities will be connected to an 8.25 MW battery and will cover 60% of the annual electricity consumption of the Fort-Dauphin mine, located in the south of the island.

The Japanese authorities have released new guidelines for the development of agrivoltaics projects and have excluded installations that do not host crops or livestock in the planning phase. Analyst Takeshi Magami says that agrivoltaics can be developed under the feed-in tariff scheme, in the free market via PPAs, or through a rebate scheme covering 50% of initial investments.

Canadian Premium Sand has revealed plans to build a solar glass manufacturing facility in the Canadian province of Manitoba.

India recorded 46.2 GW of installed solar capacity at the end of October, led by installations in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

Incorporating solar into our built environments represents an opportunity for hundreds of gigawatts to be installed worldwide without taking up any additional land. In many cases though, this will require solutions beyond typical rooftop PV installations and much closer cooperation between the PV and construction industries. A new report published by IEA PVPS looks to bring together the interests of both worlds, and clearly categorize both the building envelope and energy functions of different BIPV components.

The lack of proper business models, high upfront costs, and long payback periods are the key barriers to enabling the wider adoption of solar-powered heat pumps, according to recent research. Other factors reducing market acceptance are a lack of information on the technology and sociodemographic factors like public perception and peer effects.

Developed by Chinese specialist Mibet, the floating PV structure can reportedly endure wind and snow loads of up to 42m/s and 1KN/㎡, respectively, in all water environments. It was recently deployed in Poland, at a location where temperatures may reach as low as 40 degrees Celsius.