Author: solarenergy
Smart panel maker Lumin has announced that the Lumin Smart Panel now integrates with the Tesla Powerwall family of home batteries to read and respond to charge status. This includes Powerwall+, Powerwall 2 and Powerwall 3 batteries. Lumin products have always been compatible with all batteries, inverters and charging centers, including Powerwall. This latest integration enables intelligent energy optimization based on battery charge status, resulting in longer backup runtime. By monitoring the battery’s state of charge, Lumin automatically offloads less important loads as the battery discharges, based on the homeowner’s priorities. For the integration, homeowners must have the latest version…
On April 11, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published final rules for leasing and rental rates for renewable energy projects on public lands. The final rules closely follow recommendations from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to streamline clean energy development on federal lands. The new rules will: Reduce rents and fees for renewable energy projects until 2035 and eliminate double payments for renewable energy developers; Extend lease terms for sustainable projects to 50 years; Eliminate competitive leasing requirements in priority development areas; And Make it easier to develop standalone energy storage projects on public lands. Below is…
Anker SOLIX has announced the commercial launch of the Anker SOLIX X1 Home Energy Storage System across North America. The X1 home backup power system using LFP chemistry features a stackable and compact modular battery design, wide temperature range performance and an innovative energy optimizer. This combination aims to redefine residential backup power, offering significant cost savings and increased energy independence. The Anker SOLIX X1 is available to order by contacting the sales team. “Soaring energy bills, power outages and the shift toward eco-friendly living are driving more people to residential solar energy backup,” said Shaun Xiong, General Manager of…
Industrial activities of Amphenol has officially announced that solar junction box production has begun in January 2024 at its new factory in Mesa, Arizona. The company spoke exclusively to World of solar energy about the planned solar supply chain factory last October. Amphenol’s Arizona plant houses a dozen production lines, each with a capacity of approximately 100,000 junction boxes per month. The first line is operational and produces approximately 3,000 junction boxes per day. Two more lines are added. (If a 400 W module is used as standard, World of solar energy estimates the facility’s full annual production potential at…
By SB staff April 9, 2024 Ameresco Inc. has completed the installation of a solar energy facility on the roof of Northeastern University’s Boston campus.The installation takes the form of a solar energy system on the roof on top of the university’s monument Snell Library Building. In total, the implemented solar system provides 157.78 kWp DC of power for the university library, which receives more than 2 million visitors per year. The solar system was declared active and online on March 13 after a successful commissioning.As Northeastern University develops environmentally responsible strategies to decarbonize its campus, the Snell Library Rooftop…
Tackling the dangers of lead pollution from solar batteries in Africa A study conducted by the University of Manchester indicates significant health and environmental risks from the informal recycling of lead-acid batteries used in off-grid solar energy systems in Malawi. These batteries are essential for electricity supply in regions without traditional electricity grids, a crucial step towards broader access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers noted that a typical battery recycling process releases between 3.5 and 4.7 kg of lead, which exceeds safe levels by more than a hundred times the lethal dose for adults. Dr. Christopher Kinally, who led…
Cordier, a winery in Bordeaux, France, is building solar carports at two of its facilities in southern France. The two PV arrays will be linked to twenty EV charging stations. April 29, 2024 François Puthod By pv magazine FranceFrench renewable energy company Idex is deploying two solar carports in the parking lots of facilities owned by Bordeaux-based winery Cordier in Languedoc and Gironde, France.The two carports will use a total of 1,118 bifacial solar panels from Chinese manufacturer DMEGC and 20 EV charging stations.One of the two projects is nearing completion in Trilles, Département Hérault. The annual production of solar…
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) has shown off its latest lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery at an auto show in Beijing. The Chinese company says it has an energy density of 205 Wh per kg, almost 8% higher than the current state of the art for such batteries. April 29, 2024 Marian Willuhn Chinese battery manufacturer CATL presented its new Shenxing Plus LFP battery at the ongoing Auto China 2024 exhibition in Beijing.The energy density is also higher due to the improved battery architecture. The battery housing, which consists of one block, is adapted to the structure of the cells.…
Swedish thin-film solar panel manufacturer Midsummer has selected a factory in southeastern Sweden to develop its new solar panel manufacturing facility, which will produce copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) solar cells for the European market. April 29, 2024 Patrick Jowett CIGS thin-film solar PV cellsImage: Midsummer ABSwedish manufacturer Midsummer has selected a location for its upcoming 200 MW factory that will produce CIGS thin-film solar cells for the European market.The factory, which is partly financed by a €32.3 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund, will be located in the municipality of Flen, in south-eastern Sweden. Midsummer will take over the property next…
Colorado Springs is blessed with more than 300 sunny days per year, making it a fantastic location for solar energy. However, the winter months bring snow, and with snow comes the need for maintaining solar panels. A crucial aspect of solar panel maintenance is cleaning.