Author: solarenergy
The American solar panel manufacturer has sent letters to Longi, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Canadian Solar saying the companies are infringing on its patents. November 4, 2024 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA The American solar panel manufacturer First Solar makes an appearance Q3 profit Call told analysts that it has sent letters through its lawyers to major solar energy manufacturers, warning that its patents are being infringed. “With respect to intellectual property, we recently sent notice letters to Tier 1 solar manufacturers that we believe are infringing on First Solar’s TOPCon patent portfolio,” said Mark Widmar,…
Metrel, a Slovenian supplier of measuring equipment, says its new safety tester for electrical installations can assess systems with a maximum voltage of up to 1,500 V and a maximum short-circuit current of 40 A. November 4, 2024 Lior Kahana The MI 3114 PV tester Image: Metrel The Slovenian measuring equipment manufacturer Metrel has released a new multifunctional safety tester for electrical installations for PV systems. The MI 3114 PV tester can test systems with a maximum voltage of up to 1,500 V and a maximum short-circuit current of 40 A. “It supports testing in accordance with the IEC 62446-1…
The winning bidder will design a 64 MW solar power plant for the tube network. Image: Belinda Fewings via Unsplash Transport for London (TfL) has opened a bidding round for developers looking to build purpose-built solar farms to power London’s underground network. As part of TfL’s ambitious plan to use 100% renewable energy across its network by 2030, TfL is looking for a supply partner who will design and deliver proposals for solar projects up to 64 MW, approximately 5% of the electricity used needed to run the London power station. Underground network through the capital. The project investigates the…
How space-based solar panels can tackle global energy crises As global energy prices and emissions from unsustainable processes rise, new research from Queen’s University could demonstrate a way to use space-based solar panels to solve problems on Earth. The university’s School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEESS) suggests that specially designed satellites could harness solar energy and send it to Earth non-stop, every day of the week, using microwave beams. With a groundbreaking prototype, they successfully unveiled it at the Center for Wireless Innovation (CWI), a division of EEECS and ECIT. The prototype, developed by Space Solar Ltd,…
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union are jointly investing $61.6 million in a 126 MW solar project in Uzbekistan. A special purpose company fully owned by French developer Voltalia will develop the factory. November 4, 2024 Patrick Jowett Image: Aboodi Vesakaran, Unsplash The EBRD and the European Union are financing the development of a 126 MW greenfield solar power plant in the Khorezm region in the northwest of the country. Uzbekistan. The EBRD’s $54.6 million financial package consists of a senior loan of up to $44.8 million and a special facility of $9.8 million.…
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (PVPS) says in its latest report that 2023 was a record-breaking but tumultuous year for solar energy development. It says the manufacturing industry is under pressure from an imbalance between supply and demand, with overcapacity causing prices to collapse. November 4, 2024 Patrick Jowett According to the IEA-PVPS, the global solar sector is achieving record growth but is facing significant pressure, especially in the manufacturing sector. His latest report states: “Trends in PV applications 2024”, that at the beginning of 2024, more than 1.6 TW of PV systems were operational worldwide,…
A research group has proposed a new method to control rates of increase in electricity networks. The control optimization is based on weather, load and production forecast data. The scientists simulated the operation of the proposed technique and achieved a reduction in the ramp rate of up to 76.2%. November 4, 2024 Lior Kahana A research team led by Japan’s Osaka University has proposed a new ramp rate control method using PV module cooling. The ramp rate refers to the rate at which the output of a PV system changes due to environmental conditions over a given time. Controlling this…
Namaste Solar The Maryland Energy Administration today announced the opening of the new Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Commercial Solar Grant Program, which offers major incentives to Maryland businesses and organizations to help pay the costs of solar energy systems that benefit Maryland’s low-to-moderate income, overburdened and underserved communities. “The agency developed the Commercial Solar Grant Program to promote equitable access to commercial-scale solar systems through more meaningful and focused incentives,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “The Commercial Solar Grant Program promotes partnerships with companies and groups led by minorities, veterans and people with disabilities to ensure strong…
A small slowdown in annual revenues is forecast towards the end of the decade, in line with Cornwall Insight’s forecasts for wholesale electricity prices. Image: Light source bp. British consultancy Cornwall Insight has published forecasts that profits from battery storage units will recover by 2026. The company’s GB Battery Revenue Forecast shows that, after “an extended period of underperformance”, annual revenues for 2-hour assets will increase from around £96/kW in 2025 to £108/kW in 2026. Other periods should undergo similar periods. growth, which is attributed to rising wholesale prices, additional price volatility and an increase in renewable energy sources in…
Jeffrey Saltman, partner at U.S. intellectual property law firm Fisch Sigler LLP, recently spoke pv magazine about the increasing number of patent lawsuits between manufacturers of PV modules. He said this increase in lawsuits is mainly driven by industry convergence on tunnel oxide passivated contact technology (TOPCon) and noted that the number of lawsuits is likely to increase in the near future. November 4, 2024 Emiliano Bellini pv magazine: There has been an increase in patent lawsuits in the global PV industry recently. What are the main factors causing tensions between module manufacturers? Jeffrey Saltman: Success often involves patent litigation.…