The effect of extreme dust conditions on PV system performance
Scientists in Romania have found that extreme dust conditions may cause losses of 45.35% and 38.14% in maximum power and short-circuit current under outdoor conditions for different kinds of solar modules. They warned that, if the effects of climate change escalate, resulting in less rainfall and more frequent sandstorm events originating from the Saharan region, extreme scenarios are very likely to occur in Europe.
Trane debuts air-to-water heat pumps
The new products use propane (R290) as a refrigerant and have heating and cooling capacities ranging from 8 kW to 30 kW.
Indian oil producer unveils alkaline electrolyzer
Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL) has developed an alkaline electrolyzer in collaboration with India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
Coupling ground-source heat pumps with heat storage, borehole heat exchangers
Scientists from China have developed a novel optimization method for medium-depth ground source heat pumps, using an improved chaos particle swarm optimization. They coupled it with either a heat storage tank or a shallow borehole heat exchanger and found that both system typologies increase the heat pump’s coefficient of performance.
The solar rebound effect in residential PV
The rebound effect consists of a reduction in expected gains from a more resource-efficient technology as a result of behavioral or systemic change. An international research team has investigated this phenomenon in the residential PV segment in Vietnam and has found that it could happen in any country where the policy supporting solar power is not fully and scientifically explained.
Global solar corporate funding up 42% in 2023
Investors and developers raised more than $34.3 billion in 160 deals last year, according to a new report by Mercom Capital.
India’s SJVN launches 1.5 GW wind-solar hybrid tender
Developers have until March 15 to express interest in setting up 1.5 GW of wind-solar hybrid power projects on a build-own-operate basis throughout India. The projects must connect to the interstate transmission system (ISTS).
Renewables for cultural recovery in rural communities
Spanish startup On Social 2 has proposed the creation of long-term, energy-adjacent jobs based on cultural recovery through compensatory measures in rural communities.
Brazil’s PV capacity surpasses 38 GW
Brazil has pushed past 38 GW of total installed PV capacity, with around 26.3 GW consisting of distributed-generation solar systems.
Hybridizing PVT energy with heat pumps, borehole storage
A European research group has tested an energy system combining PVT collectors, a water-to-water heat pump and borehole thermal energy storage in an Italian swine farm and has found the proposed system can completely replace fossil fuel-based power generation.
