Author: solarenergy

The new Labor government has expressed a much more positive attitude towards solar energy projects than its predecessor. Image: British Government. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has committed to streamlining the approval process for 150 major infrastructure projects, as the government reiterates its commitment to clean energy. Unveiling the Government’s Plan for Change yesterday (December 5), Starmer said: “We will streamline the approval process in the upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill. If I go through that reform, I can announce another new goal. Not only 1.5 million homes, but also 150 major infrastructure projects, a milestone that will triple the…

Solar power stands at the forefront of innovation in the renewable energy sector. As we push the boundaries of sustainability, a new player has emerged on the scene: Quantum Dot Solar Cells. These microscopic marvels are set to transform the solar industry, offering new potential for harnessing the sun’s energy. What Are Quantum Dot Solar Cells? Quantum dot solar cells represent a cutting-edge technology in photovoltaics. At their core, they utilize tiny semiconductor particles called quantum dots. These nanocrystals, typically ranging from 2 to 10 nanometers in size, possess unique optical and electronic properties that make them ideal for solar…

The tandem cell was devised by a research team from Germany’s University of Potsdam and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and is based on a perovskite bottom cell with a wide band gap and an organic top device with a narrow band gap. The researchers used a compound known as cyclohexane 1,4-diammonium diiodide for surface passivation. December 6, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from the University of Potsdam in Germany and the Chinese Academy of Sciences claim to have achieved a record-breaking energy conversion efficiency of 25.7% for a tandem solar cell based on a wide bandgap perovskite bottom cell and…

German authorities have selected 119 MW projects for a total of 259 MW in the country’s latest rooftop PV tender. Final prices ranged from €0.0745 ($0.0787)/kWh to €0.0969/kWh. December 6, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt The German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has published the results of the country’s ninth tender for rooftop PV projects ranging in size from 300 kW to 1 MW. The agency assessed 209 bids with a total capacity of 434 MW and selected 119 projects, with a total of 259 MW. Final prices ranged from €0.0745 ($0.0787)/kWh to €0.0969/kWh. The final average price was €0.904/kWh. Most of the…

British battery supplier Echion Technologies has partnered with Australian Switch Technologies to demonstrate its ultra-fast charging technology in a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 series off-road vehicle. December 6, 2024 Ev Foley Image: Echion Technologies By pv magazine Australia UK-based battery supplier Echion Technologies has collaborated with the Perth-based company EV services company Switch Technologies is demonstrating its patented active node material technology for fast charging in a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 series off-road vehicle. The companies worked together for nine months to develop new XNO battery modules and packs to hybridize the Land Cruiser. They have now begun an extensive…

The German Panelretter now offers German customers plug-in solar energy devices that use renovated solar panels from a second life. There are three different models with a power ranging from 400 W to 810 W. Prices for the complete sets start at € 220. December 6, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt By pv magazine Germany Germany-based green energy supplier Naturstrom has partnered with startup Panelretter to commercialize refurbished second-hand solar panels for balcony PV systems. “There are more and more solar panels that have been retired from old photovoltaic systems, but are still functional and powerful,” says Tillmann Durth, co-founder of Panelretter.…

A new method increases the efficiency of organic solar cells The integration of polymeric insulators into organic solar cells has led to major advances in this field, addressing challenges in molecular conformation, film crystallinity, and defect state reduction. Traditionally, these improvements were attributed to improved film morphology due to insulating materials. However, a new discovery by Professor Hang Yin’s team at Shandong University has revealed a previously unknown mechanism driving performance improvements in organic semiconductors. The research introduces the concept of the “insulator-donor electron wave function coupling effect”, which provides a new approach for improving electron mobility in donor systems.…

Above Surveying, a UK-based services and software company, has announced the addition of large-scale PV condition monitoring to its Solargain digital twin tool as a result of its collaboration with Kiwa PI Berlin and 2DegreesKelvin. December 6, 2024 Valerie Thompson British services and software company Above Surveying has added condition monitoring and quality assurance support to its digital twin tool for large-scale PV – Solargain. The expanded functionality is made possible through collaboration with Germany-based Kiwa PI Berlin and 2DegreesKelvin, based in the United Kingdom “The geospatial spread of solar photovoltaics continues to expand, with adoption growing faster than skills,”…

By pv magazine USA Solar projects generally fall into two categories: they are large, ground-mounted, utility-scale projects connected to the electric grid, or they are smaller, distributed projects with a capacity typically of 20 MW or less. In California and many other US states, smaller, distributed projects, especially those behind the meter, are under attack from utilities and legislatures. scapegoat for high electricity rates. An article by Mark Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, explains why we should support behind-the-meter solar installations nationwide. Distributed, small-scale solar projects are often classified as behind-the-meter (BTM) or front-of-the-meter (FOM),…

The French TotalEnergies will acquire the German sustainable energy company VSB Group for 1.57 billion euros. It has also agreed to sell 50% of a 2 GW solar plus storage portfolio in Texas for $800 million. December 5, 2024 Patrick Jowett Image: Jadon Kelly, Unsplash Total Energies has agreed to the acquisition of German renewable energy developer VSB Group from Swiss asset manager Partners Group. The transaction, worth €1.57 billion in equity value and shareholder loans, remains subject to the approval of the applicable merger control authorities. VSB has more than 475 MW of sustainable energy capacity in operation or…