Author: solarenergy

The Belgian transmission and distribution system operator says it plans to connect solar panels and batteries to the grid for households with a plug and socket from May 2025. September 12, 2024 Patrick JowettSynergrid, the federation of Belgian transmission and distribution system operators for electricity and gas, will soon allow solar panels and household batteries with a plug and socket to be used on the country’s electricity distribution networks. The measure applies to mobile plug-and-play solar panels and batteries that function as standard household appliances and can be purchased from well-known retailers.Synergrid is adapting C10/11, a legally binding rule in…

Norwegian developer Scatec ASA has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 1 GW solar array and 100 MW/200 MWh battery storage project in Egypt. CEO Terje Pilskog says this is the first hybrid solar-plus-battery project in Egypt. September 12, 2024 Patrick Jowett Norway’s Scatec has signed a 25-year PPA with Egyptian Electricity Transmission Co. (EETC) for a hybrid project of 1 GW solar energy and 100 MW/200 MWh battery storage in Egypt.“This will be the first hybrid solar and battery project in Egypt,” said Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec. “We will now finalize the leasehold agreements, grid…

CAB Solar has released a new above-ground cable management system, ModulAir. The free-air solution meets NEC requirements for utility-scale solar projects and has been tested to certify that the cables can be run to their designed current limit without exceeding temperature ratings. CAB Solar’s ModulAir Hanger system uses a layered cable separation system, optimizing airflow around cables to improve eBOS performance and eliminate the need for cable reduction. The suspension system can be combined with the company’s patented overhead cable management system with integrated grounding. “With ModulAir, CAB Solar customers will enjoy the benefits of maximizing the capacity potential of…

In a paper published in Nature, the Chinese module maker explained that the 33.9% efficient tandem device it unveiled in December 2023 is based on a double-layer, interleaved passivation strategy that combines efficient electron extraction with further suppression of non-radiative recombination. It also revealed that its two-terminal tandem prototypes achieved an efficiency of 34.6%. September 12, 2024 Vincent Shaw and Emiliano BelliniChinese solar module manufacturer Longi has revealed that it has achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 34.6% in prototype dual-terminal tandem perovskite solar cells.“Currently, the two-terminal tandem prototypes developed by Longi’s tandem team have been authoritatively certified with a…

Fluke today introduced two new products: the Fluke 283 FC Digital Solar Multimeter and the Fluke a283 FC True-RMS Wireless Clamp Meter, allowing solar professionals to work with more confidence without compromising safety in high-voltage environments, such as testing individual panels, strings or inverters in a utility-scale solar PV array. Fluke’s new 283 FC Digital Multimeter is designed to increase safety and increase productivity, while also giving technicians accurate, reliable and repeatable results. The Fluke 283 FC/PV Solar Kit includes CAT III 1500 V DC safety accessories that allow technicians to work with confidence in high-voltage environments. Staubli MC4 test…

The U.S. Department of the Interior has given the green light to Nevada’s largest solar and storage development, the Libra Solar Project. It has also opened a comment period on the Bonanza Solar Project, which features a 195 MW/780 MWh battery storage system. September 12, 2024 Marija Maisch Secretary Deb HaalandImage: Bureau of Land ManagementBy ESS newsThe American Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced this on Monday given a final decision approval of Arevia Power’s $2.3 billion, 700 MW solar, plus 700 MW/2.8 GWh battery storage Libra Solar projectthe largest colocation project in the state of Nevada.Developed by Arevia Power…

New research from India shows how to deploy bifacial solar panels to achieve strong performance in floating PV projects planned on tropical freshwater. Their experimental setup showed that higher efficiency gains are achievable by measuring panel height, water depth and tilt angle. September 12, 2024 Lior KahanaAn international research team has created an experimental setup and a model for optimizing floating bifacial solar panels intended for deployment in tropical freshwater.The research group used a response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD). CCD is a specific methodology for designing experiments that fits RSM models that can represent…

When it comes to the solar panel technology space, there’s honestly not much to talk about. Everyone seems pretty comfortable in the PERC and TOPCon camps, making sure they have a panel for each market. Every panel manufacturer booth at the RE+ trade show seemed to have at least one bifacial panel, one ‘smaller’ module for the residential market and large panels for large scale use (one way or another) using both M10 and G12 cell designs. Much of the talk at this year’s show focused on domestic manufacturing and policy changes, but I was able to spot some exciting…

According to Aurora Energy Research, RESS 4 mitigates the lack of success in RESS 3, making Ireland’s capacity targets appear “more achievable”. Image: Christian_Birkholz (Pixabay). Preliminary results from the fourth round of the Irish Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS 4) show that approximately 1,334 MW of onshore renewable electricity has received support. Of that total, 960 MW of solar PV and 374 MW of onshore wind energy were purchased at an average auction price of €96.85 (£81.73) per MWh, lower than the two previous auctions. The generation-weighted average price for solar energy projects was €104.76 per MWh. According to the…

The Canada-based manufacturer said its new panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.29% per C and an efficiency of up to 22.92%. They come with a 30-year performance guarantee for 89.3% of the initial yield. September 12, 2024 Emiliano Bellini The Silfab Utility NTC 620-640 XL moduleImage: SilfabSilfab Solar, a Toronto-based solar cell and module manufacturer with a factory in South Carolina, United States, has launched a new systemjpe bifacial modules for applications in large-scale PV projects.“Silfab is pleased to announce its Silfab Utility NTC 620-640 XL bifacial modules with nearly 23 percent efficiency, improved shade tolerance and low-light performance,…