Author: solarenergy

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits program will fund research and development, technical work, and stakeholder engagement activities that promote the compatibility of solar energy with the natural environment. December 25, 2024 Brian Publicover Image: Susquehanna University By pv magazine USA The US DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office announced this Solar Energy with Benefits for Animals and Ecosystems 2 (SolWEB2) Funding Opportunity Noticewhich will award up to $11 million to improve the compatibility of large-scale solar energy facilities (LSS) with wildlife and agriculture. The funding is intended to support research and development, technical assistance…

GCL Energy Technology and Ant Digital Technologies have raised CNY200 million ($27.4 million) by tokenizing solar energy in an effort to pioneer blockchain-based financing in renewable energy. December 25, 2024 Brian Publicover GCL Energy Technology, in partnership with Ant Digital Technologies, has launched China’s first blockchain-based real world asset (RWA) issuance in the PV sector, raising CNY 200 million in cross-border financing. The companies said the initiative, announced on December 23, aims to set a new standard for green finance by combining blockchain technology with renewable energy sources. The project has tokenized two solar power plants in China’s Hunan and…

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has approved 79 MW and 50 MW battery storage projects in Suffolk County, New York State. It grants Key Capture Energy capacity and dispatch rights under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPA). December 24, 2024 Michael Puttré By pv magazine USA The LIPA board of directors has done that approved two battery storage projects proposed by developer Key Capture Energy. The 79 MW Hauppauge project and the 50 MW Shoreham facility, both in New York’s Suffolk County, will provide the utility with capacity and distribution rights under 20-year PPAs. The Hauppauge project will sell LIPA…

Gareth Simkins, senior communications advisor for industry body Solar Energy UK, looks at the year’s progress in the solar sector. The introduction of stricter energy efficiency regulations in new homes in England has led to a sharp increase in the number of solar installations – although these can be relatively small in capacity compared to renovations. The share of new homes and buildings equipped with photovoltaic solar panels has more than doubled in the past twelve months. SEUK estimates that 36,506 new-build homes were completed in England in the third quarter of this year, with the latest figures available.[1] Figures…

British startup Volter has launched software to simplify monetization for commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop solar owners. It also supports installers and power purchase agreement (PPA) providers operating in the commercial rooftop solar markets. December 24, 2024 Valerie Thompson Volter, a UK-based software startup, has launched a subscription software platform that allows commercial and industrial (C&I) property owners to manage their rooftop solar and generate revenue. It also offers productivity modules for commercial rooftop solar installers and power purchase agreement (PPA) providers. The software has modules to support billing, real-time operational monitoring and reporting, billing and management-related functions. “Typically our…

The search for sustainable solutions to water scarcity has prompted scientists to explore unconventional sources: rain and fog. In regions where water is limited but fog is prevalent, like coastal and mountainous areas, communities are adopting technologies that combine solar power with rain and fog harvesting systems. These hybrid systems collect water from the atmosphere while generating renewable energy, offering a dual solution to the challenges of water and energy shortages. Harnessing Fog as a Water Source Fog, an often-overlooked atmospheric resource, holds potential as a reliable water supply, especially in coastal regions. Composed of tiny water droplets suspended in…

Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Empowering Rural America Program is available to rural electric cooperatives in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska and Texas. December 24, 2024 Anne Fischer By pv magazine USA Awards of more than $4.37 billion through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program are intended to support at least 5,000 jobs, reduce electricity costs for businesses and households, and reduce climate pollution to be reduced by 1.1 million tonnes each year. The New ERA program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, makes funding available to member-owned rural electric cooperatives…

Researchers in Switzerland have fabricated perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells that use a heterojunction cell as the bottom device. The cell is said to circumvent the film formation problem associated with the use of phosphonic acid and achieve high levels of efficiency. December 24, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Scientists from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have fabricated a tandem solar cell based on a perovskite top cell and a heterojunction (HJT) bottom device with a thickness of 100-150 μm and double-sided microstructured surfaces. “The concept of double-sided textured bottom cells is a major design adjustment of current champion…

Researchers in France have proposed a numerical decision-making framework to determine the optimization of the tilt angle of solar panels in extreme wind conditions. They say the framework challenges traditional engineering practices and provides a scalable solution for increasing resilience in the real world. December 24, 2024 Patrick Jowett Researchers from the Center for Material Forming at PLS University in Sophia Antipolis, Francehave proposed a numerical decision-making framework for protecting solar panels against extreme weather conditions. The research paper “Combining machine learning and computational fluid dynamics to optimize the tilt angle of solar panels in extreme wind conditions”, available in…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) has completed a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to Hanwha Qcells to support its solar power plant in the state of Georgia. It aims to rebuild key parts of the U.S. solar supply chain by manufacturing blocks, wafers, cells and solar panels. December 23, 2024 Rachel Metea By pv magazine USA The U.S. DoE Loan Programs Office (LPO) has announced the closing of a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to Hanwha Qcells. With the goal of restoring critical parts of the U.S. solar supply chain, the loan guarantee will support Qcell’s solar manufacturing facility, which will…