Author: solarenergy
Solar energy will be the Vatican’s sole energy source, Pope decides Pope Francis has ordered the Vatican to install a solar power plant that will provide electricity to the entire city-state as the pontiff does his part to tackle climate change. Francis, a longtime advocate of environmental protection, issued an official letter on Wednesday demanding the creation of an “agrivoltaic” factory in Santa Maria di Galeria, an extraterritorial area of Vatican City north of Rome. Agrivoltaic projects combine solar energy production and agriculture, with panels usually installed over fields or pastures. “We must transition to a model of sustainable development…
Scientists in Spain have implemented recursive least squares (RLS) algorithms for detecting anomalies in PV systems and have found that they can provide a “more realistic and meaningful assessment” than traditional energy analyses. June 27, 2024 Lior KahanaA group of Spanish researchers have developed two new methodologies for the detection of abnormal operation of photovoltaic systems, based on minimal data requirements. The first is intended to identify sudden short-term efficiency losses, while the second is a long-term technique designed to monitor the degradation of a plant.“The manuscript introduces two different methodologies using supervised machine learning (ML) techniques,” the academics said.…
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is expanding its presence in the Middle East and Europe through a 4 GWh long-term supply agreement with Israeli integrator BLEnergy. June 27, 2024 Marija Maisch From pv magazine ESS news placeAs part of its international expansion strategy, Israel’s BLEnergy has deepened its partnership with the world’s leading battery manufacturer CATL. With their latest 4 GWh supply agreement, the companies expand their partnership beyond Israel and the Middle East, focusing primarily on the growing European energy storage market. “We are pleased to extend the successful inter-party cooperation from Israel to Europe [this] represents an important step…
World4Solar has launched a pre-assembled residential solar canopy, HelioWing, at an event at its warehouse in Miami, Florida. June 27, 2024 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USAWorld4Solar recently held a launch event at its warehouse in Miami, Florida, to introduce HelioWing, a pre-built solar canopy structure.The HelioWing is available in two basic models, HelioWing 5 with 7.38 kWp and the HelioWing 7 with 9.84 kWp. The HelioWing 7 roof is made of 24 Aptos 400W bifacial solar panels. The company uses Sol-Ark hybrid two-phase inverters of 12 kW for its canopy.The canopy design can be customized with features such as…
Authorities in Oman have announced the preferred bidders for a 500 MW solar tender for the Ibri III Solar IPP facility. June 27, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Oman Power and Water Procurement Co. (OPWP) has shortlisted the preferred bidders for a tender it launched in January to select independent power producers (IPP) to build a 500 MW solar farm.The IPP The project will be built in Ibri, a city in Ad Dhahirah Governorate, in northwestern Oman. “In response to its request for qualification, Nama Power and Water Procurement Company received twelve (12) submissions for qualification submitted by local and international developers,”…
Lightstar, op partnership with the city of Detroit, announced the launch of a new solar project that combines urban agriculture and renewable energy. Called “Locally-Sited Utility-Scale Solar,” this initiative marks the beginning of a multi-phase initiative aimed at interweaving solar infrastructure growth with sustainable agricultural development in partnership with Detroit’s vibrant communities. Phase I of the project will bring a 10 MW solar portfolio to two community-oriented locations: State Fair and Gratiot-Findlay. With successive phases looking to further expand this innovative fusion of technology and agriculture, Lightstar and city leaders are laying the foundation for a future where Detroit leads…
As part of our Intersolar 2024 interview series: pv magazine spoke with Yana Hryshko, Head of Solar Supply Chain Research at Wood Mackenzie, about overcapacity, falling panel prices and expected PV demand in the coming years. She revealed that there are currently unprecedented, “ridiculously” low bids for Chinese module purchasing programs, but she also noted that the $0.08/W threshold is now difficult to cross. Hryshko also expects that many manufacturers will backtrack on previously announced capacity expansion plans and renegotiate module supply contracts. June 25, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Yana Hryshko and pv magazine News Director Emiliano BelliniImage: pv magazineThis content…
By pv magazine USAThe Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC) has released its report Index of PV modules 2024 report evaluating the reliability, quality and performance of solar panels.Solar panels are subjected to various accelerated stress tests to evaluate these parameters. Comparative test results allow project stakeholders to select products that are best suited for a particular environment, location or portfolio.To identify the best of the best, RETC assessed and ranked the overall data distribution across three disciplines: quality, performance and reliability. At the end of this report you will find the overall top performers.ReliabilityBack cover ultraviolet durabilityTop performers: JA Solar,…
A new report from BeZero Carbon, a carbon assessment company, reveals that a $100 billion carbon market could protect 150 million hectares of land, equivalent to the size of Peru, and spur annual investments of $700 billion in carbon projects. The report, “$100 billion for Planet and People”, highlights the potential environmental and economic benefits of a global carbon market of this size. BeZero also estimates that such a market could support 12.4 million jobs in forestry, nearly 3 million in sustainable agriculture, 310,000 in renewables and 50,000 in adjacent industries. Tommy Ricketts, CEO and co-founder of BeZero Carbon, stated:…
Through partnerships with steel equipment manufacturers in Ohio and two locations in Texas, Origami Solar can have its steel solar panel frames shipped from manufacturer to module manufacturer in one to two days. June 26, 2024 Anne FischerBy pv magazine USAOrigami Solar has announced partnerships with three U.S. steelmakers that will domestically produce steel frames for solar modules in Ohio and Texas. The company expects to ship steel frames to customers in the first quarter of 2025. By producing regionally, the frames will reach the module manufacturers within one to two days.“America has one of the strongest steel industries in…