Author: solarenergy

By Brad Kramer May 23, 2024 The annual one CLEANPOWER conference and exhibition brings together a large cross-section of the large-scale renewable energy industry, including solar, wind and green hydrogen. Hosted by the American Clean Power Association (ACP) on May 6 and 9 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota, the event attracts more than 8,300 visitors from all over the world.I was there to keep up with the latest news and trends in large-scale solar energy development. While I will report in more depth in the coming months, here are my overall takeaways from the conference.Major changes: DOE rules…

KMFA Classical 89.5, a classical radio station from Austin, Texas, invested in an 89.64-kWDC rooftop solar project. In addition to solar panels, KMFA’s parking lot will soon host four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, all equipped with universal chargers, for employees and guests to use. Credit: KMFA Classical 89.5 KMFA has partnered with locally owned Axis Solar to install an array composed of 166 solar panels, the maximum number allowed within city code. Once operational, the solar array will offset an estimated 133,000 kWh of electrical consumption annually. The PV project will be interconnected, supplying power to Austin Energy’s power…

Solar energy heats materials to more than 1,000 degrees Celsius Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a method to generate heat of more than 1,000 degrees Celsius using solar energy. This innovation could replace fossil fuels in energy-intensive industries such as steel and cement production. The study, published in the journal Device on May 15, uses synthetic quartz to capture solar energy, demonstrating the potential for clean energy in these industries. “To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonize energy in general,” says Emiliano Casati of ETH Zurich. “People tend to think of electricity only as energy, but in fact…

SolarPanelRecycling.com today opens its new recycling center in Breckenridge, Texas. The location can fully recover and reuse solar energy equipment, including panels, inverters, cabling and batteries. The center, owned and operated by SolarPanelRecycling.com (SPR), can recycle 300 MW of solar panels annually, the company says. The Texas Recycling Center will serve as a central hub for solar panel recycling activities in Texas and surrounding states. SPR plans to open additional regional recycling facilities over the next two years. “As the world embraces the shift to renewable energy sources, it is imperative that we hold our industry to a higher standard…

Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the federal government’s A$1 billion ($662.2 million) Solar Sunshot initiative could see domestic production reach 20% of will cover the country’s need for PV panels. May 23, 2024 David CarollBy pv magazine AustraliaEstimates suggest Australia will need to install nearly 28,000 solar panels per day over the next six years to meet its 2030 decarbonization and renewable energy targets.Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen has tipped the local manufacturing sector to capture a big share of that market. He said that under “ideal conditions” about 20% of the national need for solar panels could be…

Gamesa Electric has released a white paper on harmonic losses in PV installations, including an independent study comparing the performance of inverters with ultra-low total harmonic distortion. May 23, 2024 Pilar Sanchez MolinaIt is estimated that by 2030 there will be more than 1,675,000 distributed inverters for renewable energy generation connected to electricity grids worldwide. But there is an element associated with these devices that is often overlooked and is critical to a stable electrical grid: harmonics.In DC/AC inverter based systems, such as solar and storage, the injection of total harmonic distortion (THD) into the grid can be very damaging…

Groton Middle School is one of two buildings in Connecticut’s Groton Public School district to receive a solar installation.The Groton Board of Education in Connecticut expects to save $40,000 per year in energy costs after installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at two schools in the city. The system at Groton Middle School has 560 panels rated at 230 kW, and the Mystic River Magnet School has 256 panels rated at 100 kW.The Connecticut Green Bank provided Groton Public Schools with guidance through the Solar Municipal Assistance Program (MAP), which simplified the process of switching to solar energy, allowing the district…

The subsidiary of Chinese-Canadian solar manufacturer Canadian Solar says the funding will go towards the development and construction of solar and battery energy storage projects in Spain, Italy, Britain, the Netherlands, France and Germany. May 23, 2024 Patrick JowettReturning energya developer of utility-scale solar and energy storage assets based in Austin, Texas, has secured a multi-currency revolving credit facility worth up to €1.3 billion ($1.41 billion).The credit facility will be available for three years with optional extensions. Its size initially amounts to €674 million, but includes a potential expansion to approximately €1.3 billion, according to the company’s statement.The funding will…

Rolec EV and Solar Advisory Service combine their range of solar PV and EV charging points for business and private customers. Image: Rolec EV Rolec EV, a leading UK manufacturer of EV charging points, and The Solar Advisory Service, a solar panel engineering and installation company, have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the adoption of green energy solutions in the UK. The partnership will combine Rolec’s expertise in EV charging infrastructure with The Solar Advisory Service’s knowledge of solar energy systems, providing consumers and business customers with a one-stop shop for their renewable energy needs. This partnership comes at…

European Green Transition announces agreement to acquire a future carbon credit project in Ireland (NewsDirect) European Green Transition co-founder and non-executive director Cathal Friel joined Proactive’s Stephen Gunnion with details of an exclusive option agreement to explore the potential to develop a peatland carbon sink program at the Altan farm in Donegal, Ireland . European Green Transitioin has optioned approximately 1,370 hectares of peatland near Altan, aiming to generate carbon credits by rewetting the land, allowing the country to monetize these credits. Friel emphasized that this method is less capital intensive and has significant growth potential. The company’s approach involves…