Author: solarenergy
Natural disasters can strike without warning, leaving communities without power when they need it most. In these critical moments, solar energy emerges as a lifeline, providing essential power for emergency response, medical care, and basic survival needs. From portable solar generators to rapidly deployable solar microgrids, this sustainable technology is revolutionizing disaster relief efforts worldwide. The Critical Role of Power in Crisis When disasters hit, power infrastructure often takes the hardest hit. Downed power lines, damaged transformers, and disrupted grid connections can leave entire regions in darkness for days or even weeks. This loss of electricity affects every aspect of…
University of Maryland to develop sustainable energy systems for ocean monitoring systems University of Maryland researcher Stephanie Lansing has been awarded $7.8 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead the development of a biologically powered energy system aimed at transforming power generation for ocean monitoring equipment worldwide. Today’s ocean monitoring devices, essential for understanding marine ecosystems, tracking climate change, and maintaining national security, rely heavily on lithium-ion batteries or extensive underwater cables for power. Lansing’s groundbreaking project aims to replace these conventional systems by harnessing microorganisms and specialized bacteria to fuel a marine microbial energy source…
Researchers from the University of New South Wales examined the impact of sodium-induced degradation in heterojunction solar cells under accelerated moist heat tests. They considered three different types of sodium salts and identified the degradation mechanisms attributed to each contaminant. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini A research team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Chinese-Canadian solar panel manufacturer Canadian Solar has investigated how heterojunction (HJT) solar cells are affected by sodium (Na) and moisture degradation under accelerated moisture-heat tests and discovered that most degradation modes primarily affect the cells themselves, making cell-level testing preferable. “The main motivation…
Professor Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University spoke with pv magazine about recent research showing that California can easily rely on a large electricity grid dominated by wind-water-solar energy. He says current electricity prices in the state are high due to several reasons that have nothing to do with renewable energy sources. These include high fossil gas prices and the costs of modernizing aging transmission and distribution lines. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini New research from Standford University has shown that California could rely massively on renewable energy to meet its electricity demand, without the risk of blackouts and high…
The Chinese manufacturer said its new LB-5D-G2 battery delivers excellent performance with a capacity of 5.12 kWh for a single unit and up to 81.92 kWh for 16 batteries operating in parallel. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini By ESS news Chinese microinverter manufacturer Hoymiles has unveiled a new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage system for residential and C&I PV systems. “The LB-5D-G2 battery offers excellent performance with a capacity of 5.12 kWh for a single unit and up to 81.92 kWh for 16 batteries in parallel, suitable for home and small C&I scenarios,” the company said in a statement.…
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has published aerial images of the Great Solar Wall, China’s largest renewable energy project. The installation is expected to reach a capacity of 100 GW by 2030. January 2, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Image: Michala Garrison, NASA NASA has published a new series of photos of the Great Solar Wall, a giant cluster of PV energy projects in the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia. “The Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, sandy and largely devoid of life, once had the reputation of being a ‘sea of death’. More recently, the dune fields have become…
The Saudi Power Procurement Company has announced its list of 33 prequalified bidders for its massive 2 GW/8 GWh BESS tender. January 2, 2025 Tristan Rayner Saudi Arabia has stepped up its targets for renewable energy generation capacity with the ultimate goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 Image: Nextracker By ESS news The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has released a list of 33 prequalified bidders Tender for 2 GW/8 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).. The tender, structured as a build-own-operate model, attracted major international players including Masdar, ACWA Power, EDF, TotalEnergies, Jinko Power and more. Prominent…
As the penetration of variable renewable energy increases, the curtailment of solar PV generation will only increase. Because curtailment will almost always be cheaper than investing in new transmission capacity or new grid-scale storage, curtailed energy must be rewarded so that PV investment decisions can include curtailment as one of the flexibility options for grid operators. January 2, 2025 International Solar Energy Association (ISES) Solar PV is experiencing unprecedented growth on a global scale. According to studies by IRENA, IEA, GEM, WNA and GWEC, the world’s total installed solar capacity exceeded nuclear capacity in 2017, wind capacity in 2022 and…
In the United States, the rise in solar energy project proposals is meeting growing opposition from communities raising concerns about Not in My Backyard (NIMBY). Researchers at Columbia University are monitoring local bans on renewable energy projects. In the past year alone, state bans increased 111%, local bans increased 16%, and contested projects increased 29%. These objections often stem from misinformation about sustainable energy projects and skepticism about the economic benefits. However, successful partnerships between engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies and solar developers are paving the way to overcome these challenges. Partnerships demonstrate how aligning community education, local workforce…
The reason given for the closure is the inability to “improve the levels of some important impurities” and it would not be able to deliver a quality product in the time required by the company’s main customer. January 2, 2025 Anne Fischer REC Silicon’s Moses Lake manufacturing facility in the United States Image: REC Silicon By pv magazine USA REC Silicon has announced it is ceasing production at its Moses Lake, Washington, plant that produces polysilicon used in solar energy production. The reason given for the closure was the inability to “improve the levels of some key impurities,” according to…