Netherlands to address renewables grid constraints with 1 GW of mobile substations
Dutch transmission system operator Enexis is deploying 11 “e-house” substations in the northern Netherlands, where grid capacity for large scale clean energy projects is limited. The company said it will invest €43 million in the plan “to speed up the energy transition”.
Solar and the snow
Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in the United States are working to quantify the effects of abundant snowfall on PV systems and to identify cost effective strategies to mitigate energy losses and reliability issues caused by snow and ice.
Total to buy 50% stake in Adani Group’s 2.1 GW solar portfolio
The French oil and gas giant—which is already a partner in Adani’s natural gas business—will now invest US$ 510 million to buy 50% stake in 2,148 MW operating solar plants owned by Adani Green Energy Limited.
Construction starts on 50 MW PV plant in Togo
The 50 MW Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed photovoltaic power plant is located in the Blitta region. The plant is being built by Amea Togo Solar – a subsidiary of Amea Power, a global renewables developer based in the United Arab Emirates.
Hanwha Q Cells acquires 1 GW of PV projects in Spain
The projects are located across several Spanish provinces. The seller is Spanish developer RIC Energy.
How solar parks change landscape perception
New research based on participatory photography and focus groups has shown how solar parks can change people’s landscape perception through a number of factors, not exclusively visual. According to the study, people that see landscapes in an idyllic way tend to oppose the presence of a solar park, while people with a more utilitarian concept of the rural landscape show stronger acceptance.
The best battery for grid level energy storage
A new paper published by researchers at China’s Tianjin University examines the state of the art in grid level energy storage, outlining the pros and cons of various battery technologies being deployed on grids around the world, and remaining challenges that could be overcome if research is pushed in the right direction.
Iraqi Kurdistan resorts to solar to reduce power shortages
A 2MW pilot project is now being developed in the Governorate of Duhok. The project was funded with $2 million by the European Union.
Fraunhofer ISE researchers develop bifacial hybrid HCPV module with output of 326 W/m2
The EyeCon module has a hybrid power output of 326 W/m² or a bifacial efficiency of 28%, calculated with the available global plus backside irradiance. According to the research team, the silicon cell generates between 23 and 42 W/m² of additional power when the diffuse irradiance component increases from 8 to 30%.
21-year solar PPA for three French airports
The airports of Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget will be provided with solar power by French solar company Urbasolar and energy provider GazelEnergie. The PV plants related to the contract are now in development and will begin delivering power in 2021.
