BIPV likely linked to recent fire at Brussels’ first net-zero building
A fire broke out at Brussels’ first net-zero energy structure, the Treurenberg building, in late October. The blaze, likely caused by building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels on the facade, led to an evacuation, with no injuries reported.
Open-source tool to eliminate redundant engineering costs in rooftop PV deployment
Researchers in Canada have developed an open-access online tool that reportedly helps homeowners achieve considerable savings in deploying rooftop PV systems. The tool is claimed to offer accurate structural engineering calculations while ensuring compliance with building codes.
SAX Power releases 5.8 kWh residential AC battery
The German company said that its new storage solution also includes an integrated inverter function. It can be expanded to up to 17.3 kWh by connecting up to three modules.
Longi unveils heterojunction BC solar cells with 27.3% efficiency
The Chinese manufacturer said the device is based on dense passivating contacts that reduce parasitic light absorption and improve passivation. It used a streamlined manufacturing technique that is reportedly about one-third more effective than TOPCon mainstream technology.
California utilities scapegoat rooftop solar for high electricity rates
Utilites in California and nationwide are fighting rooftop solar, the major threat to their effective monopoly on the electricity market, said the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA).
EU upgrades open-access tool to assess residential solar-plus-storage yield
The European Commission has released version 5.3 of its free Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) tool, which calculates the yield of residential solar-plus-storage systems and provides global solar radiation and PV performance data.
Learning from leading rooftop solar markets
A report from the Council of Energy, Environment and Water has analyzed nine of the ten countries with the largest rooftop solar markets to offer recommendations to other economies looking to accelerate rooftop solar deployment.
Dutch parliament approves end of net metering in 2027
Trade body Holland Solar says the Dutch parliament has approved eliminating net metering in 2027, giving the solar sector clarity to move forward.
Stuck in a loop: The co-adoption dynamics of PV and heat pumps
Scientists in Switzerland have created a system-dynamics model for the adoption of PV and heat pumps in Swiss residential buildings up to 2050. They have examined several scenarios to see how the incentive for PV affects heat pump adoption and the other way around, and they have concluded that strong regulatory changes are necessary to completely decarbonize the residential sector.
Custom-colored modules increase social acceptance of building-integrated photovoltaics
A study by the University of Freiburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems finds that deploying color-matching solar modules on a building’s roof or facade further increases social acceptance of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).
