Author: solarenergy
The automotive industry stands at a historic turning point as electric vehicles (EVs) revolutionize how Americans think about transportation. Gone are the days when electric cars were viewed as slow, impractical alternatives to traditional vehicles. Today’s EVs offer cutting-edge technology, impressive performance, and ranges that meet or exceed the needs of most drivers. With federal tax incentives, state rebates, and lower operating costs, electric vehicles have become more attractive to consumers across all demographics. The transformation is happening at an unprecedented pace. Major automakers are investing billions in electric vehicle development, with new models arriving in showrooms monthly. From practical…
A coalition of seventeen attorneys general led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell sent a letter urge congressional leaders to safeguard the investments that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has supported across the country. The AGs emphasize the benefits of the IRA to states across the political spectrum in improving domestic energy security, lowering energy costs, supporting manufacturing, modernizing infrastructure, creating good-paying jobs, and reducing the pollution. According to A., the IRA has had a “catalytic impact”. Rhodium Group Report tDescribed here are the significant private investments in clean technologies encouraged by the IRA. The AGs highlight examples of…
According to the latest report from the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), solar capacity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will grow by 25% by 2024, with local production and energy storage also accelerating. January 17, 2025 Patrick Jowett There was significant growth in the MENA solar energy market in the region by 2024, according to the latest report from MESIA. The association “Solar Outlook Report 2025” provides an overview of the trends, innovations, technical advances, challenges and opportunities of the region’s solar landscape. MENA’s solar capacity is forecast to reach 24 GW (AC) by 2024,…
The service is offered to all current and future Brill Power customers. Image: Brill Power Battery intelligence company Brill Power has announced the launch of what it claims is the world’s first battery management-as-a-service (BmaaS) offering. Under the system, Brill Power customers will gain access to the combined power of BrillCore hardware, BrillOS firmware and BrillAnalytics-based analytics software, enabling more advanced monitoring and more efficient use of battery energy storage systems (BESS). Customers pay a recurring monthly fee for access to BrillAnalytics, with BrillPower supporting them in the process of commissioning and operating their BESS assets. Once batteries are deployed,…
The new 51.2 kWh modular storage system connects to European wholesale electricity markets such as NordPool and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to track and analyze dynamic rates. It provides three-phase backup and is virtual power plant ready. January 17, 2025 Marija Maisch By ESS news Lithuania-based solar panel and battery manufacturer SoliTek has launched a new commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system, SoliTek VEGA, with its proprietary AI-powered energy management system (EMS). The high-voltage system uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells. The battery modules integrated into the product are manufactured on SoliTek’s automatic production line in Vilnius with…
SOLRITE Energy and sonnen are launching a new virtual power plant (VPP) power purchase agreement in the ERCOT market in Texas. Under the program SOLRITE will install solar panels and sonnen batteries at eligible customer households with no upfront cost. Instead, homeowners pay a lower-than-average rate for the solar energy they produce each month, saving them money compared to typical electricity rates in Texas. Since September 2024, SOLRITE has already committed over 40 MWh of residential battery power to the Texas market through this program, working with top solar installation professionals statewide. The sonnen batteries provide backup power for each…
Solar energy project developer Verogy today released information that a planned 975 kW solar project on a former landfill in Windham, Connecticut, has generated an estimated bill of $26 million for grid interconnection. Typically, transmission interconnection upgrades for projects less than 1 MW cost approximately $50,000 to $300,000. Local utility Eversource, which serves customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is the entity proposing the $26 million estimate. Verogy said the landfill solar project is now at risk of cancellation due to the unexpectedly high cost of the interconnection, which the project developers are expected to have to pay in…
Qcells has initiated an intellectual property (IP) dispute over alleged unauthorized use of its patented laser-enhanced contact opening (LECO) technology in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells. The case underlines growing tensions in the PV industry over TOPCon patents. January 17, 2025 Jonathan Gifford South Korea-based PV manufacturer Qcells has initiated an IP dispute with “several” unnamed “global manufacturers” over its LECO technology. Qcells adopted the technology in 2022. This is mainly used in the production of TOPCon, to improve the sustainability and efficiency of solar cells. Earlier this week, Qcells sent a number of manufacturers an infringement notice,…
A new study from Stanford University shows that sodium-ion battery developers can take several key routes to compete on price, especially against a low-cost variant of the lithium-ion battery known as lithium iron phosphate (LFP). January 15, 2025 Marija Maisch A sodium ion accumulator stack Image: Ra Boe, Wikimedia Commons By ESS news In recent years, sodium ion batteries have emerged as a major competitor to the dominant lithium ion technology, which has suffered from supply shortages and price volatility for key minerals. Although often described as a cheaper alternative, mainly due to the abundant sodium and low extraction and…
The African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) says utility-scale projects will dominate new solar additions in Africa in 2024, with storage installations increasing tenfold. January 16, 2025 Patrick Jowett Africa will deploy an additional 2.5 GW of solar energy by 2024, according to AFSIA’s new “Africa Solar Outlook 2025” report. AFSIA’s figures, which exclude residential installations, put the continent’s combined solar capacity at 19.2 GW. According to the report, last year’s new solar additions represented 0.5% of all new global capacity – a level last recorded in 2013. “Such a low corporate share does not do justice to Africa’s solar potential,…