Vertical rooftop PV deployed in Spain with east-west orientation
Norwegian vertical PV specialist Over Easy is developing several vertical rooftop PV projects in Spain. It said one of the projects, a 2.4 kW vertical, has an east-west orientation and is located in the Elche business park, near Alicante, in the southern part of the country.
Canadian startup launches residential heat pump with 24/7 monitoring
Jetson said its new heat pump system has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.1 and an energy efficiency rating of up to 11.7. The new product integrates air quality sensors, an energy monitor, and a “smart” thermostat.
Bangladesh revises net metering rules to expand solar
Bangladesh has updated its net metering framework for solar. The new rules aim to expand access and raise self-consumption among prosumers.
PV system fire under investigation as suspected arson in Italy
A solar plant with about 5,000 panels caught fire earlier this week in Sardinia, Italy. Police are investigating suspected arson.
Panasonic testing new energy management system to combine solar, heat pumps, batteries
The Japanese company said the first pilot projects are being carried out in the Tokyo metropolitan area with the support of Japanese oil giant Eneos.
Italy issues new fire safety rules for PV and storage systems
Italy’s fire service has introduced binding guidelines for PV systems up to 1,500 V, adding rules on storage, spacing, compartmentalization, and maintenance.
Saharan dust events can reduce PV power output in Mediterranean area by up to 50%
New research from Hungary shows that Sarahan dust events can reduce PV power output in five Mediterranean countries by an average of 25-40%. The scientists stressed the need for including real-time dust monitoring and cloud interactions in solar forecasting.
Analysis of 6,276 connectors for rooftop PV systems
Sandia National Labs researchers have created a new dataset on the rates and types of rooftop PV connector failures. Their analysis has shown that tight wire bending radius, extra dirty connectors, and loose nuts are the most common failure causes in 6,276 connectors deployed between 2014 and 2017 across seven U.S. regions.
Aermec launches propane heat pumps for commercial, industrial buildings
The new heat pump systems use propane as the refrigerant and can provide hot water at a temperature of up to 75 C, according to the UK-based manufacturer.
Italy allocates 1.72 GW in rooftop PV tender for agricultural firms
The Italian government has awarded €2.35 billion ($2.74 billion) in subsidies to 22,942 rooftop solar projects totaling 1.72 GW, fully allocating the budget under its agrisolar program for agricultural firms.
