Author: solarenergy

According to the US Solar Market Insight Q4 2024 Report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, tThe U.S. solar industry installed 8.6 GW of new electricity generation capacity in the third quarter, marking a 21% year-over-year increase and the largest third quarter ever for the industry. The utility-scale segment led the sector with 6.6 GW of new projects coming online. Utilities and businesses are driving this growth as they purchase significant amounts of solar energy to meet rising electricity demand. The commercial and community solar markets also posted strong gains in the third quarter, growing…

Scientists have built a 1.8 kW agrivoltaic setup in India to grow peppers under the PV modules. The proposed project design is described as an agrivoltaic insect net house that can be used for all crops requiring rigorous pest management. December 4, 2024 Lior Kahana A research group from India’s Vellore Institute of Technology has designed an agrivoltaic system containing an insect net to protect crops that require pest control, such as peppers. “Agrivoltaics may not be suitable for some crops that require rigorous pest management,” the scientists said. “Normal agrivoltaic systems fail to control pests and insects, further reducing…

Enphase Energy has released new software to help homeowners install larger solar and battery systems without major electrical panel upgrades. It uses real-time measurements of current transformers to make immediate decisions. December 4, 2024 Lior Kahana The American Enphase Energy has released new software that intelligently manages the power to prevent overloading the busbar while guaranteeing maximum solar and battery yield. Busbar Power Control software allows homeowners to install larger solar and battery systems without major electrical panel upgrades. “This advanced technology is designed to maximize the power of solar and battery systems while ensuring the safety of the busbar,…

APA Group has officially opened a solar energy project designed to withstand sustained winds of almost 300 km/h, along with a co-located battery energy storage system in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. December 4, 2024 David Caroll By pv magazine Australia Australian gas and electricity company APA Group has revealed that construction of its solar farm and battery project at Port Hedland in Western Australia’s Pilbara region is now complete and commissioning is underway. Commercial operations are expected to start in January 2025. The Port Hedland project includes a 45 MW solar farm linked to a 35 MW/36.7 MWh battery energy…

Record efficiency achieved with perovskite and organic tandem solar cells Researchers from the University of Potsdam have unveiled a tandem solar cell that combines perovskite and organic materials, setting a new efficiency benchmark of 25.7%. This advancement uses low-temperature processing methods to reduce the carbon footprint while maximizing energy absorption across the entire solar spectrum. The new solar cell uses two materials that absorb different parts of sunlight: perovskites capture blue and green wavelengths, while a new organic layer focuses on red and infrared wavelengths. These tandem designs optimize the use of sunlight for higher efficiency compared to traditional technologies…

ConnectDER has secured $35 million in Series D funding to support its meter socket adapter (MSA) business, which integrates solar, storage, EV charging and more while avoiding major electrical panel upgrades. December 4, 2024 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA ConnectDER, a provider of home energy technology, announced it has secured $35 million in Series D funding to scale its meter connection adapter business. ConnectDER’s product, a meter socket adapter (MSA) called IslandDER, is designed to cost-effectively connect home energy devices, such as solar, battery storage, EV chargers and other distributed energy sources, to the electric grid. Many homes in…

By pv magazine USA The U.S. energy grid is under unprecedented pressure, driven by rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled data centers and the rapid adoption of electrification and electric vehicles (EVs). As these two sectors expand, their combined energy demands are driving the country’s energy consumption to new highs, forcing the electric grid to adapt to support modern technological and environmental ambitions. The rapid advancement of AI-powered data centers alone is expected to be responsible for this 8% of total US energy consumption by 2030, up from 3% in 2022, while the energy consumption of the EV infrastructure is…

The 1.5 MW installation is part of the cheese maker’s efforts to reduce emissions. Image: Conrad Energie. Conrad Energy has started construction on a 1.5 MW on-site solar project for Belton Farm. In collaboration with building technology specialist Ivegate, the independent energy producer (IPP) has officially taken the first step in the field of ground-mounted solar PV installation. Once work is completed on site, Conrad Energy says the installation will reduce Belton Farm’s Co2 emissions by up to 350 tonnes next year. Belton Farm is a cheese maker that has been producing cheese at its site in Whitchurch, Shropshire since…

An international research team has manufactured a perovskite solar cell using sulfur-based additives to improve its resistance to moisture. The device not only achieved high efficiency levels, but was also able to maintain approximately 96% of its efficiency after 1000 hours. December 3, 2024 Emiliano Bellini One of the key challenges for the scientific community and the PV industry to commercially produce perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is the need to improve moisture stability. Protecting the perovskite layer from moisture is essential to prevent excess water from forming on the layer itself, as this can damage the crystallinity of the cell…

PowerChina has signed a contract with Manila Electric for the 1.05 GW Terra solar project in the Philippines, as part of the 2.45 GW Terra Project, which also includes 3.3 GWh of energy storage. December 3, 2024 Vincent Shaw Power Construction Corp. from China (PowerChina) has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Manila Electric Co. for the 1.05 GW Terra solar project in the Philippines. The plans are part of the 2.45 GW Terra Project, which includes 3.3 GWh of energy storage. Micro quantity has shipped its self-developed 50 MW perovskite-α modules to China Huaneng for a…