Growatt releases new battery for rooftop solar applications
Growatt’s new APX HV cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery has a storage capacity of 5 kWh and a nominal voltage of 650 V. It can be scaled up to six battery modules, for a maximum capacity of 30 kWh, or 60 kWh in parallel. It comes with a 10-year warranty.
Solar electric camper catamaran
Swedish startup POL has unveiled POL Lux, a catamaran boat design with dual electric motors and a solar canopy that can covert into a private sleeping area.
Europe added 41.4 GW of new solar in 2022
In another record year for solar, SolarPower Europe estimates PV in Europe grew by 47% in 2022, rising from 28.1 GW in 2021 to 41.4 GW this year. Germany installed the most with 7.9 GW, followed by Spain at 7.5 GW, and Poland at 4.9 GW. For the first time, the top 10 European solar markets all added at least 1 GW.
Roadblocks to rooftop solar in India
India is a long way behind its rooftop solar target of 40 GW by 2022, with just 10.4 GW installed through to September this year. To understand the issues, pv magazine speaks to Amplus Solar pv magazine in an interview about factors holding back rooftop solar development in the country.
California pulls plug on rooftop solar
The California Public Utilities Commission has approved Net Energy Metering 3.0 and has slashed payments to send rooftop solar electricity to the grid. New rooftop solar projects are now considered uneconomical without attached batteries.
Tokyo introduces mandatory PV requirements for new buildings, homes
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly has approved new provisions to make solar installations mandatory for new homes. The rules apply to homes with total rooftop areas of more than 20 square meters, and to buildings with rooftops smaller than 2,000 square meters.
New foldable solar system for rooftop applications
German manufacturer Kopp has developed an easy-to-install, four-module foldable PV array. The system uses n-type TOPCon solar modules with outputs of 430 W and efficiency ratings of 22.02%
World to expand renewable energy capacity by 75% by 2027, says IEA
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says the world will deploy as much renewable energy in the next five years as it did over the last two decades.
Customizable sticker to turn solar panels into advertising billboards
An Italian startup has created a fully recyclable sticker that can be used to cover solar panels on rooftops or facades. It replicates high-definition images that can help to improve the aesthetics of solar arrays or turn PV facades into advertising billboards.
France introduces solar requirement for parking lots
The French parliament has approved a new measure to make it mandatory for parking lots to include solar if their surface area is more than 1,500 square meters.
