Author: solarenergy
The UK is likely to copy EU regulations on end-of-life BESS projects, experts say. Image: RES A partner at a major British law firm has said that Britain is ‘likely’ to emulate EU regulations on waste batteries in the coming years. In conversation with our sister site Energy storage.news, Suriya Edwards, construction and engineering partner at law firm Freeths, highlighted some of the key issues with the lack of legislation for end-of-life batteries in BESS or EV applications, as well as the ways in which EU policy is leading the way on environmental responsibility for batteries. The EU recently introduced…
The Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has adopted several changes to the grid connection processes, including the implementation of an auction-based grid connection mechanism for power stations above 5 MW from 2026. August 5, 2024 Patrick JowettThe Romanian National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has approved a competitive auction-based mechanism for grid connections of new power stations of at least 5 MW. The new rule will come into effect from January 1, 2026.The approved methodology reflects the process outlined in the draft proposals published earlier this year. Auctions will take place annually, with a ten-year allocation period starting from the second…
Researchers at James Cook University have developed a process to synthesize graphene from tangerine peel oil, which they then used to recover silver from waste PV material. To demonstrate the quality of the recovered silver and synthesized graphene, they created a dopamine sensor that reportedly outperformed reference devices. August 5, 2024 Valerie ThompsonA team from Australia’s James Cook University has synthesized “free-standing” graphene using non-toxic and renewable tangerine peel oil that can reportedly be used for the recovery of silver from end-of-life organic PV devices.“Not only did it result in high-quality graphene, but it also demonstrated a remarkable ability to…
Cadmium telluride solar cells are usually based on non-ohmic back contacts that affect the open-circuit voltage of the device. Researchers in the United Kingdom attempted to address this problem by adding a nickel oxide back buffer layer, which formed an ohmic back contact and increased open-circuit voltage levels. August 5, 2024 Emiliano BelliniResearchers at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have designed a cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell with a buffer layer of nickel oxide (NiO) deposited without oxygen, which reportedly significantly improves the device’s open-circuit voltage.They explained that CdTe cells generally suffer from low open-circuit voltage levels because these…
New research from Britain shows that Oman could use a floating PV farm at the Wadi Dayqah Dam to generate hydrogen. The scientist said the project is technically feasible, although only with advances in hydrogen storage technology could it become economically viable. August 5, 2024 Lior KahanaScientists from the University of Exeter in the UK have explored the potential of installing a floating PV (FPV) farm on Oman’s Wadi Dayqah Dam and linking it to a hydrogen storage system.Using various software programs to simulate and optimize the project scope, the researchers found that the project is technically feasible, albeit at…
US-based PeroNova specializes in metal halide perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells made with a new stability-enhancing interfacial treatment. It targets a range of applications including the aerospace and rooftop markets. August 5, 2024 Valerie Thompson PeroNova, a US-based startup specializing in solar perovskite technologies, has developed a solar perovskite module for building-integrated solar photovoltaics (BIPV) and space applications.“Our new interfacial treatment technology improves the stability and reliability of perovskite films in testing and under manufacturing conditions. Thermal cycling resistance tests have shown more than 80% of initial energy conversion efficiency after 2,500 cycles,” a PeroNova spokesperson said pv magazine.The company is…
Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) is accepting bids to set up 2 GW of solar PV projects with 1 GW/4 GWh energy storage systems on a build-own-exploit basis. The projects can be implemented anywhere in India and must be connected to the inter-state transmission system. August 2, 2024 Uma Gupta By pv magazine IndiaSolar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) has invited bids for setting up 2 GW of solar PV projects with energy storage systems (ESS) in India. The projects must be developed on a build-own-operate basis. These can be located anywhere in India and must be connected to…
The AES Corporation today introduced “Maximo,” an AI-powered solar installation robot. Maximo is a robotic solution that works with construction teams to help meet the rapidly growing demand for renewable energy. AES released its first AI installation robot in 2021, called Atlas. According to the IEA, the annual increase in solar energy is expected to triple by 2035 and the workforce will need to almost double. Maximo can install solar panels in half the time and half the cost, working with on-site crews to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, reducing time-to-power for customers. “Maximo is the first proven solar…
Energy Charts and Agora Energiewende both report a production of 10.3 TWh of solar energy last month. Of this, almost 9.5 TWh was supplied to the grid. In addition, there were more than 80 hours of negative electricity prices in July. August 2, 2024 Sandra EnkhardtBy pv magazine GermanyWith the significant increase in photovoltaic solar energy in Germany, PV records are being reached faster. In July, installed PV systems produced a record total of 10.3 TWh, according to data from Agora Energiewende and Energy Charts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.According to the Agorameter analysis, PV systems generated…
New study highlights the role of old technology in future clean energy A Bronze Age technology could provide a fast and cost-effective method to meet the United Nations climate goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, according to recent Stanford-led research published in PNAS Nexus. The technique involves the use of heat-absorbing bricks, also called ‘refractory bricks’, stored in an insulated container to capture the heat generated by solar or wind energy. This heat can later be released by passing air through channels in the rock piles, allowing cement, steel, glass and paper factories to run on renewable energy even when…