Author: solarenergy

The German Panelretter now offers German customers plug-in solar energy devices that use renovated solar panels from a second life. There are three different models with a power ranging from 400 W to 810 W. Prices for the complete sets start at € 220. December 6, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt By pv magazine Germany Germany-based green energy supplier Naturstrom has partnered with startup Panelretter to commercialize refurbished second-hand solar panels for balcony PV systems. “There are more and more solar panels that have been retired from old photovoltaic systems, but are still functional and powerful,” says Tillmann Durth, co-founder of Panelretter.…

A new method increases the efficiency of organic solar cells The integration of polymeric insulators into organic solar cells has led to major advances in this field, addressing challenges in molecular conformation, film crystallinity, and defect state reduction. Traditionally, these improvements were attributed to improved film morphology due to insulating materials. However, a new discovery by Professor Hang Yin’s team at Shandong University has revealed a previously unknown mechanism driving performance improvements in organic semiconductors. The research introduces the concept of the “insulator-donor electron wave function coupling effect”, which provides a new approach for improving electron mobility in donor systems.…

Above Surveying, a UK-based services and software company, has announced the addition of large-scale PV condition monitoring to its Solargain digital twin tool as a result of its collaboration with Kiwa PI Berlin and 2DegreesKelvin. December 6, 2024 Valerie Thompson British services and software company Above Surveying has added condition monitoring and quality assurance support to its digital twin tool for large-scale PV – Solargain. The expanded functionality is made possible through collaboration with Germany-based Kiwa PI Berlin and 2DegreesKelvin, based in the United Kingdom “The geospatial spread of solar photovoltaics continues to expand, with adoption growing faster than skills,”…

By pv magazine USA Solar projects generally fall into two categories: they are large, ground-mounted, utility-scale projects connected to the electric grid, or they are smaller, distributed projects with a capacity typically of 20 MW or less. In California and many other US states, smaller, distributed projects, especially those behind the meter, are under attack from utilities and legislatures. scapegoat for high electricity rates. An article by Mark Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, explains why we should support behind-the-meter solar installations nationwide. Distributed, small-scale solar projects are often classified as behind-the-meter (BTM) or front-of-the-meter (FOM),…

The French TotalEnergies will acquire the German sustainable energy company VSB Group for 1.57 billion euros. It has also agreed to sell 50% of a 2 GW solar plus storage portfolio in Texas for $800 million. December 5, 2024 Patrick Jowett Image: Jadon Kelly, Unsplash Total Energies has agreed to the acquisition of German renewable energy developer VSB Group from Swiss asset manager Partners Group. The transaction, worth €1.57 billion in equity value and shareholder loans, remains subject to the approval of the applicable merger control authorities. VSB has more than 475 MW of sustainable energy capacity in operation or…

The proposed plan for Elements Green’s solar power plant. Image: Elements Green. British renewable energy developer Elements Green has announced that it will turn its 800MW solar power plant in Newark, Nottinghamshire, into a “biodiversity paradise”. The developer is working with the RSPB, Sherwood Forest Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the Trent Rivers Trust to ensure wildlife benefits from the Great North Road Solar Park. The project will be renamed ‘Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park’ to reflect Elements Green’s commitment to improving the local environment. UK project director Mark Noone said: “Our commitment will ensure that 850 hectares…

In October 2024, a monumental milestone occurred on Navajo and Hopi lands in the southwestern United States. Navajo Power Home, a local solar energy provider for off-grid homes in the Navajo Nation, partnered with Basis Climate to complete one of the smallest tax credit transfers to date – a $355,000 ITC tied to 100 homes on Navajo and Hopi lands. Unremarkable and unknown to many, this sale of tax credits serves as evidence of the democratization and progressive nature of the new tax portability scheme. A standalone deal of this magnitude would not previously have been possible with traditional tax…

Scientists in the UK have simulated how a 1 GW off-grid agrivoltaic facility could be used to power hydrogen-powered electric vehicles in Australia, California, China, Nigeria and Spain. Their techno-economic analysis showed that the proposed combination could deliver a levelized hydrogen price ranging from $3.90/kg to $8.13/kg. December 5, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK have simulated 1 GW agrivoltaic hydrogen generation in Australia, California, China, Nigeria and Spain and found that tomatoes could be the most suitable crop to grow under solar panels. “Producing hydrogen with agrivoltaic energy would be technically and economically…

The Treasury Department and the IRS released the notice final rules for the Sec. 48 Energy Credit – also known as the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC). For decades, the ITC has spurred U.S. clean energy development by providing a tax credit for investments in qualifying clean energy real estate – generally 30% of the cost of the project, although the level of the credit in varies over time and by technology. Credit: Primoris Renewable Energy While the ITC has promoted clean energy projects, its effectiveness has been limited by the need for recurring short-term and retroactive legislative extensions, creating…

DAS Solar has unveiled a new, flexible PV mounting system. The company claims the system, now installed over a fishery in China, has already withstood a particularly strong typhoon, demonstrating its reliability. December 5, 2024 Lior Kahana Flexible mounting installation Image: DAS Solar Chinese PV module manufacturer DAS Solar has released its fourth-generation flexible mounting system, which can reach heights of up to 9 meters. The system has two span options: a medium span of 20 meters and a large span of 40 meters. “DAS Solar’s flexible mounting system has a space cable network structure. The system uses prestressing in…