Author: solarenergy

Researchers in Canada designed an air source heat pump integrated with an air-based solar collector and underfloor heating for cold climates, demonstrating that the proposed system configuration could improve the coefficient of performance from 2–4 to 2–6 and significantly reduce annual energy consumption. April 30, 2026 Lior Kahana Researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada have investigated the thermodynamic performance of an air source heat pump (ASHP) integrated with an air-based solar collector (SAC) for underfloor heating in cold climates. The system was simulated in the Transient System Simulation Tool (TRNSYS) under Calgary ambient conditions. “Heat pumps integrated with…

A group of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) claims to have identified a mechanism that helps explain why lead halide perovskites (LHPs) are highly efficient for photovoltaic applications despite their ‘messy’ structure. They found that flexoelectric polarization plays a key role at voltage-induced domain walls, generating internal electric fields that separate charge carriers, suppress recombination, and enable long-distance transport despite rapid intrinsic exciton decay. The scientists explained that their work was initially motivated by the question of why perovskite solar cells can match the performance of silicon despite being fabricated using simple, low-cost solution processes,…

Although the exact specifications of the new product, such as dimensions and weight, have not been revealed, the available images indicate potential transport issues. April 30, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech has announced that its first Gotion Grid Gen2 high-voltage cascade energy storage system, with a capacity of 5 MW/18.8 MWh in one cabin, has passed a scientific and technological performance assessment and has been awarded the title of ‘international leading’. High-voltage cascade energy storage is a modular battery architecture in which multiple battery inverter units are connected in series to jointly achieve grid-level…

Spanish researchers found that combining agrivoltaic energy with regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) can reduce tomato irrigation water use by about 50%, while improving land use efficiency through simultaneous crop and solar energy production. April 30, 2026 Lior Kahana A research group from Spain has used regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) under agrivoltaic systems to grow tomatoes in both Madrid and Seville. RDI is a technique used to reduce irrigation water use by deliberately watering plants during less sensitive growth stages, while monitoring leaf water potential to prevent excessive stress and maintain yields. “This innovative combination aims to reduce the evaporation needs…

Independent energy producer (IPP) Matrix Renewables has closed £245 million in project financing to support a 500MW/1,000MWh two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) in Scotland. The non-recourse project financing will support the construction of the BESS in Eccles-Leitholm, southern Scotland, which commenced in November 2025. Commercial activities are expected in the third quarter of 2027. Matrix Renewables has looked for optimization and route-to-market services for the project of energy company EDF and has Tesla enabled as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the BESS. MUFG Bank, the London branch of CIBC and NatWest underwrote the financing. Nicolás Navas,…

RCT Hydrogen has started operations at a new electrolyzer production facility in Saarbrücken, Germany, with a planned annual production capacity of 250 MW and an initial 5 MW system planned for installation in 2026. April 29, 2026 Lior Kahana German-Chinese green hydrogen company RCT Hydrogen has started operations in a new production facility in SaarbrückenGermany. The factory is part of a joint venture with Brücka German manufacturer of forged and ring-rolled products for industrial applications. The facility is expected to produce electrolysis systems with a combined annual capacity of 250 MW. “We see that companies need concrete solutions to address…

From the magazine When lithium prices started to rise in late 2025, headlines warned of runaway battery inflation, threatened project pipelines and a storage market on the brink. Then something unexpected happened. Despite lithium carbonate prices rising more than 102% in six months and lithium ferrous phosphate cell costs rising 15% to 30%, total investment in BESS projects in the United States, Germany and China increased less than 15%. Even if battery cell price increases are fully passed through the supply chain, they are barely registered at the system level. This disconnect reveals a deeper truth about the current cost…

A UNSW-led research team proposed two low-power ride-through strategies for standalone PV electrolysis systems to maintain stability during sudden fluctuations in solar energy without using battery storage. April 29, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team led by Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney has proposed two new low-power ride-through (LPRT) project configurations for stand-alone PV electrolysis systems (PVEC). LPRT is a control option for electrical equipment that allows it to remain connected and continue to operate, with reduced power, during brief mains disturbances, such as voltage drops, frequency deviations or partial power loss. When used in PV-powered electrolyzers,…

Independent energy producer IPP) Sonnedix has started work on a 40MW solar PV project in Devon. The Gammaton site is Sonnedix’s first large-scale solar project in the UK and was one of five of the company’s projects awarded a Contract for Difference (CfD) agreement in the government’s AR5 and AR6 allocation rounds. Sonnedix said the project is “strategically located” near the Alverdiscott power station, providing access to existing network infrastructure and the “potential for future co-location opportunities”. Gammaton is designed to allow sheep and cattle to graze “around and through” the solar panels, Sonnedix said, and is expected to generate…

According to the announcement, the agreement between FIMER and AMP is intended to support the rollout of AMP’s Battery Box energy storage solution.The AMP product is connected to the local electricity network and manages the timing differences between electricity consumption and intermittent energy generation.From July 2026, FIMER will supply AMP with 400 units of PVX-215 at appropriate locations, with an expected completion date by the end of the year. FIMER notes in its announcement that its PVX-107/215-HV technology is a modular energy storage system with capacities ranging from 107 to 215 kWh.Because the ESS is suitable for C&I projects and…