Author: solarenergy
By Contributing Author June 4, 2024 by Kari Lydersen, Energy News NetworkAn ongoing billing problem in the ComEd area of northern Illinois has some solar companies bracing for turbulence.When the issue is resolved, community solar subscribers will see a backlog of credits on their utility bills, as well as accrued costs for participating in the project. It’s the kind of surprise that can sour customers on community solar and cause them to opt out of a project. A new tool being marketed to community solar developers promises to use artificial intelligence to help intervene before such customers churn.Subscriber churn is…
Researchers in Italy have investigated the potential of deploying energy communities based on east-west PV systems and concluded that these projects, despite their lower energy yields compared to south-oriented installations, show higher shared energy values. However, they also warned that the presence of a net metering system is critical to making the east-west layout the preferred option. June 4, 2024 Emiliano BelliniA group of researchers led by the Politecnico di Torino in Italy investigated the optimal orientations and tilt angles for PV systems used in energy communities and found that east-west oriented arrays deliver higher shared energy values than south-oriented…
US-based start-up SorbiForce does not use toxic products or metals in the production of its batteries. It claims its systems are cheaper and safer than lithium-ion batteries and have virtually no end-of-life waste. June 4, 2024 Marija MaischFrom pv magazine ESS news placeUS-based SorbiForce says it has designed its battery energy storage systems to be fully recyclable, reducing environmental impact and promoting a circular economy.The technology does not rely on fossil raw materials, but uses agricultural by-products, such as straw and brine from desalination plants, making them a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.The company uses its own ultraporous carbon, water…
The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) has provided Tandem PV with $4.7 million in funding to advance the commercialization of the company’s thin-film solar technology. June 4, 2024 Ryan KennedyTandem PV, a perovskite solar panel developer, said it has received a $4.7 million award from the DoE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office to advance the commercialization of its thin-film solar technology.The prize is part of a bigger picture Investment of $71 million by the DoE in projects that support the U.S. solar supply chain.The company is developing solar panels that combine conventional silicon cells with perovskite materials for panels, giving them…
A good scammer sees opportunity everywhere, including in their own downfall. In 2006, the police showed up at Gustav Daphneâs house in Beverly Hills. They had come once before, when a neighbour complained about his trash. Daphne happened to be swimming in his pool at the time, and because he is French, he came to the front door in a tiny little bathing suit. The police were appalled; they gave him a reprimand about storing his garbage more tidily and scurried away.This time was different. The cops came straight into the house. There were a dozen of them, wearing bulletproof…
Romanian energy company TMK Hydroenergy Power has completed the country’s first floating solar project. The facility, located on a pond in the province of Caras Severin, is connected to a hydroelectric power station. June 3, 2024 Pilar Sanchez Molina Romanian energy company TMK Hydroenergy Power – part of the Evryo Group, a subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ – has launched Romania’s first large-scale floating PV system in collaboration with Innovation Norway.The 1 MW system is located in the province of Caras Severin, next to the 22 MW Grebla hydropower plant, owned and operated by CEZ. The floating PV project…
With a capacity of 150MW/300MWh, the Ferrybridge site will be three times the size of SSE’s flagship battery storage site in Salisbury. Image: SSE Renewables. The first batteries have arrived at SSE Renewables’ battery storage project in Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, where installation will continue until the end of June. A total of 136 units will be installed at the site, which will be SSE’s second operational battery storage facility. The project, located at the company’s former coal-fired power station Ferrybridge, is being developed in collaboration with battery technology supplier Sungrow Power Supply and construction partner OCU Services and will utilize…
The Ocotillo Wells Solar project with 50 MW of solar capacity and 200 MWh of battery storage is now operational in Borrego Springs, California. The project, built by Qcells, is the largest utility-scale solar project in San Diego County. Renewable energy from the project will be purchased by Meta, one of the world’s largest buyers of renewable energy. As of 2020, Meta’s global operations are powered by 100% renewable energy and have achieved net zero emissions. The company also has an ambitious goal to achieve net zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2030. Mr. IP Kim, President of…
Seven months after Hurricane Otis devastated the resort town of Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coast, this Category 5 hurricane offered lessons for locals and businesses. The metal roof solar project at Grupo Comercial Chedraui, a supermarket chain, suffered serious damage. However, the Acapulco store’s metal solar roof (293 kWp) was one of the few to survive the onslaught of wind and rain, attributed to the clamp mounting that secured the solar panels to the roof. the roof and the entire infrastructure.Just a month before Hurricane Otis made landfall, solar EPC Energía Real completed the solar PV installation on the store’s…
Fronius has announced that its GEN24 string inverter, which has won several awards in Europe, has now been developed for the North American market. “We are excited to launch the Fronius GEN24 Roadshow on June 20, which will introduce solar installers in the US to the new Fronius GEN24 inverter,” said Richard Baldinger, director of sales and marketing at Fronius USA. Shadow reduction Even with shaded PV modules, the integrated Dynamic Peak Manager ensures that the Fronius GEN24 delivers the highest possible energy yield, while the intelligent and highly efficient MPP tracking algorithm in this system eliminates the need for…