Solar

JA Solar is expected to put another 3.5GW of cell capacity into operation by the end of June and Hong Kong-based IDG Energy Investment will venture into cell manufacturing by establishing a “foreign invested” project company.

In battery storage, there is no silver bullet chemistry type and as we move towards more ambitious decarbonization goals, room is being made for diverse systems. As an old technology with new vitality, zinc-based batteries are edging closer to commercialization, leveraging their unique ability to be configured for short and long duration operation. They are safer, longer lasting and, in some cases, reportedly up to 50% cheaper than lithium-ion batteries and, following recent game-changing advances, the prospects for zinc look much more exciting. pv magazine sat down with the manager of the newly established, global Zinc Battery Initiative, Josef Daniel-Ivad, to discuss the technology’s market position and developments.

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE have estimated the costs for both alkaline (AEL) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and have found that AEL systems have bigger margins for cost reduction. According to their calculations, the costs of a large scale AEL electrolyzer with a capacity of 100MW should drop from €663/kW in 2020 to €444 in 2030.

The country’s Ministry of Defence has decided to ban large scale solar plants in some regions bordering Russia claiming that these facilities may affect radio system performance. State-owned utility Eesti Energia is opposing this measure, stating the interested regions are the most suitable for the construction of big solar plants.

The French authorities have allocated 157MW of solar power in the country’s latest procurement exercise, with an average final price of €0.08312/kWh.

Indian developer ReNew Power has commissioned a 17.6 MW captive wind-solar project to supply clean energy to Grasim Industries Limited’s Chlor-Alkali unit in the Indian state of Gujarat. The second phase will involve an additional installation of 16.68 MW.

The Chinese inverter manufacturer said the new device can be used for residential and commercial projects as well as to replace diesel power generators or as back-up power. The device features an efficiency of 97.5% and a European efficiency of 98%.

Startup Rondo Energy closed a $22 million Series A funding round to decarbonize industrial processes with equipment that converts solar and wind energy into thermal energy.

Hyundai wants to use a partnership with South Korean PV equipment supplier Jusung Engineering to commercialize solar modules based on 24.45%-efficient heterojunction solar cells.

Jackery displayed its latest portable solar generators at the recent Quartzsite RV Show, which is the world’s largest event for recreational vehicle enthusiasts.