South Australian rooftop solar switched off in search for stability
The search for power system security has sparked an Australian first with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) confirming South Australian energy authorities switched off 67 MW of rooftop and large-scale solar PV at the weekend when electricity demand plunged to a near-record low.
Key indicators to identify the best photovoltaic heat pump
Researchers in Spain have compiled a list of key performance indicators intended at evaluating not only the quality of a heat pump or a PV generator; but also the quality of their integration. pv magazine spoke to research co-author Celena Lorenzo about the potential and challenges of this combination. According to her, heat pumps powered by PV alone are efficient enough for both cooling and heating.
RedEarth deal to see thousands of new Australian homes built with solar-battery systems
Battery storage manufacturer RedEarth has partnered with a major Australian housing developer to offer new-home buyers solar and solar/battery systems tailored to their needs from the get go – and with the opportunity to sell excess energy at optimized prices where the grid needs it most.
French self-consumption specialist launches virtual battery for PV system owners
The virtual battery records the surplus solar power injected into the grid on sunny days and returns it at night or in winter. If the production of the PV plant is not sufficient to cover all the electricity needs, MyLight Systems provides the household with green energy supplied by Swiss energy company Axpo.
Canary Islands allocates 255 MW of PV through rebate scheme
The Solcan scheme had a budget of €20 million. Most of the assigned PV capacity will be located in the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
Solar tile made in Germany
German manufacturer Autarq is selling its solar tiles at a price ranging from €25 to €30 per piece. It claims a PV system built with these products can cover around 70% of household needs.
Russia introduces net metering for small-sized PV
The new net metering provisions came into force three years after the legislative process was launched. Power surplus will be sold to the grid at a rate of up to RUB2/kWh ($0.026).
Solon is back–and with it, the ambition of offering superior PV products
The German photovoltaic manufacturer was once a trademark for German quality. After two bankruptcies, it is again active in Europe, primarily in the commercial and industrial rooftop segment. It sticks to the same philosophy: to offer superior solar solutions.
Australia’s largest energy provider acquires solar installers
AGL has revealed plans to acquire Epho and Solgen Energy Group, which will make it Australia’s largest climate polluter and its largest commercial solar provider.
Hybrid operational strategy to use lithium-ion storage in commercial PV arrays
Lithium-ion batteries can not only improve self-consumption in commercial PV systems but are also able to efficiently perform peak shaving and price arbitrage, according to an international research group which has proposed a new strategy to calculate the best system configuration in terms of costs and revenue. The scientists specified, however, that the novel strategy may become effective only if storage system prices will drop under $250/kWh.
