Author: solarenergy
By SB staff April 9, 2024 Ameresco Inc. has completed the installation of a solar energy facility on the roof of Northeastern University’s Boston campus.The installation takes the form of a solar energy system on the roof on top of the university’s monument Snell Library Building. In total, the implemented solar system provides 157.78 kWp DC of power for the university library, which receives more than 2 million visitors per year. The solar system was declared active and online on March 13 after a successful commissioning.As Northeastern University develops environmentally responsible strategies to decarbonize its campus, the Snell Library Rooftop…
Tackling the dangers of lead pollution from solar batteries in Africa A study conducted by the University of Manchester indicates significant health and environmental risks from the informal recycling of lead-acid batteries used in off-grid solar energy systems in Malawi. These batteries are essential for electricity supply in regions without traditional electricity grids, a crucial step towards broader access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers noted that a typical battery recycling process releases between 3.5 and 4.7 kg of lead, which exceeds safe levels by more than a hundred times the lethal dose for adults. Dr. Christopher Kinally, who led…
Cordier, a winery in Bordeaux, France, is building solar carports at two of its facilities in southern France. The two PV arrays will be linked to twenty EV charging stations. April 29, 2024 François Puthod By pv magazine FranceFrench renewable energy company Idex is deploying two solar carports in the parking lots of facilities owned by Bordeaux-based winery Cordier in Languedoc and Gironde, France.The two carports will use a total of 1,118 bifacial solar panels from Chinese manufacturer DMEGC and 20 EV charging stations.One of the two projects is nearing completion in Trilles, Département Hérault. The annual production of solar…
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) has shown off its latest lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery at an auto show in Beijing. The Chinese company says it has an energy density of 205 Wh per kg, almost 8% higher than the current state of the art for such batteries. April 29, 2024 Marian Willuhn Chinese battery manufacturer CATL presented its new Shenxing Plus LFP battery at the ongoing Auto China 2024 exhibition in Beijing.The energy density is also higher due to the improved battery architecture. The battery housing, which consists of one block, is adapted to the structure of the cells.…
Swedish thin-film solar panel manufacturer Midsummer has selected a factory in southeastern Sweden to develop its new solar panel manufacturing facility, which will produce copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) solar cells for the European market. April 29, 2024 Patrick Jowett CIGS thin-film solar PV cellsImage: Midsummer ABSwedish manufacturer Midsummer has selected a location for its upcoming 200 MW factory that will produce CIGS thin-film solar cells for the European market.The factory, which is partly financed by a €32.3 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund, will be located in the municipality of Flen, in south-eastern Sweden. Midsummer will take over the property next…
Colorado Springs is blessed with more than 300 sunny days per year, making it a fantastic location for solar energy. However, the winter months bring snow, and with snow comes the need for maintaining solar panels. A crucial aspect of solar panel maintenance is cleaning.
Last month we launched our Carbon Credit AI, and invited you to submit your questions. Now that this service has been running for a few weeks, it’s becoming increasingly evident that one of the questions you’re most curious about is who issues carbon credits and how, so we decided to write this blog post and give some insights. Hopefully you’ll find this useful… What is a Carbon Credit? Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our planet today. The burning of fossil fuels and other human activities have led to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which in…
OMCO Solar, a racking manufacturer based in Phoenix, Arizona, invested $10 million into its second factory in Alabama, which opened last month. OMCO is leasing a factory building in Huntsville, Alabama, outfitted the facility for the production of solar racking that will employ 70 people once operating at full capacity. Credit: OMCO Solar “OMCO has a heritage in steel fabrication dating back decades and has built a national manufacturing footprint through savvy investment projects,” said State Commerce Secretary Ellen Secretary McNair. “I’m proud that this great company, dedicated to manufacturing its products in America, has decided to expand its presence…
AES Hawai’i has completed the West O’ahu solar + storage project in Kapolei – the company’s first facility combining solar generation and battery energy storage on O’ahu. The launch was commemorated with a blessing ceremony at the project site and a reception on the nearby campus of the University of Hawai’i-West O’ahu. Located on 66 acres of open University of Hawaii land, the West O’ahu solar + storage facility generates 12.5 MW, supported by a 50 MWh battery energy storage system, under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Hawaiian Electric. “This is a momentous day for AES Hawai’i as it…
Foresight Solar expects to bring its 50MW Sandridge BESS project online in 2024. Image: Foresight. Solar and battery storage investment company Foresight Solar Fund has confirmed it has achieved a record year for electricity production in 2023. In the fund’s 2023 annual results, Foresight said its 58-project portfolio, which has a total capacity of 969 MW, exported 1,094 GWh of electricity to the grid. As a result of this record generation, Foresight, which marked its tenth year of operation in 2023, also achieved a record high cash distribution from assets at £120.4m, up 8% year on year. Foresight’s strong performance…