Author: solarenergy
A Terrasmart Innovation Engineer looks at ways to overcome weather challenges, especially when installing solar in Midwestern states. December 9, 2024 Ameer Abuhamdeh By pv magazine USA Freeze freeze is one of the most common problems in the Midwest and especially in Illinois, which is prone to freezes due to the combination of bitter winters and unique soil composition. Because frost heave is the process by which soil expands after it absorbs water and then freezes, Illinois and other states with periods of freezing temperatures for extended periods are especially vulnerable. It’s not possible to completely prevent the physics of…
The Jakarta-based Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) says 2025 will be a crucial year for Indonesia’s energy transition as the country has fallen behind targets in recent years. It aims to shift subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and urges the government to implement a clear, measurable plan for the next national energy policy. December 13, 2024 Patrick Jowett Indonesia’s energy transition must accelerate after limited progress in recent years, according to the latest report from the Jakarta-based IESR. The think tank said in its “Energy transition prospects for Indonesia 2025” that renewable energy currently makes up…
Waaree Energies has received NABL India accreditation for the PV Module Test Lab (PMTL) at its module manufacturing facility in Chikhli in the Indian state of Gujarat. December 9, 2024 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India Waaree Energies has obtained NABL India accreditation for the PV Module Test Lab (PMTL) at its module manufacturing facility in Chikhli, Gujarat. It was Waaree’s second NABL accreditation, after the first for the Thumb production facility. The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), a globally recognized laboratory accreditation body, has granted recognition under the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. This confirms the laboratory’s…
Australian solar panel production is approaching full-scale production as SunDrive has achieved a copper plate production yield of over 99% while also signing an agreement with Capral Aluminum. December 9, 2024 Ev Foley By pv magazine Australia Sydney-based SunDrive Solar has achieved copper plate production yields of more than 99% at its commercial pilot plant in Australia, converting cells into modules. It has developed a cell metallization technology using copper, which is about 100 times cheaper and 1,000 times more abundant than commonly used silver. The recent milestone is supported by an AUD 11 million ($7 million) grant from the…
The number of new patents to integrate artificial intelligence into global networks has increased sixfold in recent years, with China driving the overall innovation momentum. The European Patent Office, co-authors of the report, called on Europe to renew its efforts. December 13, 2024 Blathnaid O’Dea According to a new study, net-related patent activity has increased significantly in recent decades report by the EPO and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The organizations used global patent data to demonstrate innovation in both physical and smart grid technologies from 2001 to 2022. The report identified the years between 2009 and 2013 when innovation…
GoodWe has unveiled a new range of commercial and industrial (C&I) string inverters, with 100kW, 110kW and 125kW output models offering up to 10 maximum power point trackers (MPPT) and 21A DC input per string. December 9, 2024 Lior Kahana China-based PV inverter manufacturer GoodWe has launched a new series of C&I string inverters. The GT series includes 100 kW, 110 kW and 125 kW inverters, with a maximum input voltage of 1,100 V. The smallest inverter weighs 85 kg, while the other two models weigh 88 kg. They are all 93 cm wide, 65 cm high and 30 cm…
An international research team has observed how fire spreads in PV systems installed on flat roofs and discovered that a certain amount of energy is required for a fire to start and spread in the cavity under the solar panels . December 9, 2024 Emiliano Bellini A Slovenian-Norwegian research group has investigated how fire can spread in flat roof PV systems and found that the gap distance between the panels and the roofs, as well as the size of the ignition source, are key factors. “Our work builds on previous knowledge from experiments at Underwriters Laboratories (UL) more than a…
Policies and targets confirmed in a 138-page government plan to decarbonise Britain’s electricity generation by 2030. Solar energy and storage will play a key role alongside market reforms, changes to the planning process and a renewed queue for connections. December 13, 2024 Matthew Lynas The UK government has committed to having around 30 GW more solar capacity in the UK generation mix by 2030, as part of its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan unveiled on 13 December 2024. Targeting greater deployment of solar energy is just one of many measures included in the 138-page plan published by the Department for…
A Norwegian-Swedish research group has used multiple linear regression to assess whether 128 existing wind power plants in the Nordic countries can potentially be converted into wind solar power plants with cost-optimal PV capabilities and good net present value (NPV). Their modeling could potentially be used in all countries and latitudes. December 13, 2024 Emiliano Bellini A group of researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Energy Technology (IFE) and Sweden’s Uppsala University have outlined a new strategy to retrofit wind power plants into hybrid wind-solar installations. “Hybrid solar-wind power plants can be valued differently under different market conditions,” Øyvind Sommer…
Trina Storage recently installed a white paper about the safety and reliability of energy storage systems, written in collaboration with TÜV NORD. The white paper begins by analyzing the current landscape of energy storage systems, highlighting emerging market trends and application scenarios on the generation, transmission and demand sides. It highlights significant safety challenges, such as thermal flooding and electrical hazards, while outlining a framework for risk assessment and mitigation. The safety of energy storage systems fundamentally depends on the safety of the products that comprise them. The white paper emphasizes that ensuring intrinsic battery safety is key to stable…