Author: solarenergy

Allegro Energy, an Australian developer of redox flow batteries, is looking to “rapidly accelerate” its production capacity after closing a AUD 17.5 million ($11.6 million) funding round that has attracted major domestic and international investors. September 10, 2024 David CarollBy pv magazine AustraliaAustralian battery storage startup Allegro Energy has announced the completion of a AUD 17.5 million Series A funding round led by US-based venture capitalist The Grantham Foundation and Australian energy giant Origin Energy.Allegro Energy CEO Thomas Nann said the funding round, which also included Australian investors Melt Ventures and Impact Ventures and US group Lightbank, provides the company…

British scientists have designed a new heat pump concept that they claim could be particularly beneficial for newly developed areas or potential residential complexes. The system uses ice or ice slurry as a heat source and its energy consumption is reportedly lower than that of several types of commercially available heat pumps. September 10, 2024 Emiliano BelliniA research group at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom has developed a heat pump system that uses water or ice as a heat source and uses existing gas pipes for energy transfer.The researchers explained that heat pump systems with an ice…

AMS Renewable Energy, a distributed solar and storage EPC based in New York City, has announced the strategic acquisition of Collective Solar, a leading distributed solar construction company based in Oswego, New York. This acquisition marks a significant milestone for AMS Renewable Energy as it continues to expand and address a rapidly growing pipeline of EPC work in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets. Collective Solar, which offers more than 160 MW of solar construction experience, brings an experienced team and a wealth of project-level expertise to AMS Renewable Energy. With the acquisition of Collective and its construction platform, AMS will…

The Intersolar South American trade fair attracted 650 exhibitors and 55,000 visitors in August, highlighting the industry’s growth with new pavilions on storage and electric mobility. According to Brazilian PV association ABsolar, Brazil is on track to reach 47.2 GW of installed solar capacity by the end of this year, with 11 GW of new PV capacity. September 9, 2024 Lívia Neves and Emiliano BelliniBy pv magazine BrazilThe Intersolar South America 2024, held in Sao Paulo at the end of August, demonstrated the resilience of the Brazilian PV market in the face of global challenges such as overcapacity, price pressure…

An international team of researchers demonstrated perovskite solar cells treated with a molecular passivator based on π-conjugated terpyridine-Lewis base molecules that achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 25.24%, of which 90% was retained after 2,664 hours of light exposure . The treatment reportedly works at high concentrations without damaging the perovskite film or reducing cell performance. A protocol was published to reproduce the results, opening the door for testing on a range of perovskite absorbers. September 9, 2024 Valerie ThompsonAn international team of researchers applied π-conjugated terpyridine-Lewis base molecules as a perovskite absorber passivating treatment in a study that showed…

The Swangate Project (pictured) uses Trina Storage’s Elementa technology. Image: Econergy. Independent energy producer (IPP) Econergy Group, through its UK arm, has successfully signed a financing agreement and route-to-market agreement with Goldman Sachs to support a battery energy storage project (BESS) in Yorkshire. The Swangate BESS will have an installed capacity of 50MW/102MWh and is expected to be connected to the grid by the end of this year. Goldman Sachs International Bank has provided financing of €32 million (£27 million). The loan structure supports both project development and operational needs, with approximately £25 million earmarked for construction costs and to…

Chinese multinational Envision Energy has unveiled the world’s most energy-dense grid-scale battery energy storage system, packaged in a standard 6-meter container. September 9, 2024 Marija Maisch By ESS newsShanghai-based Envision Energy launched its latest grid-scale energy storage system at the third Electrical Energy Storage Alliance (EESA) Energy Storage Exhibition held in Shanghai this week. The product’s energy density is 541 kWh/㎡, making it the largest in the industry to date.The product release follows CATL’s launch of the 6.25 MWh energy storage system in April and several other companies launching 6 MWh+ storage systems packaged in a standard 20-foot container, ushering…

Researchers in Austria have developed a new predictive control algorithm that can reportedly improve comfort levels in homes equipped with heat pumps. The algorithm also enables price predictions based on analysis of day-ahead electricity prices. September 9, 2024 Lior KahanaResearchers from the Austrian University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna have presented a new, low-tech model-predictive control (MPC) algorithm for the grid-friendly operation of heat pumps. It is based on an algorithm introduced last year that was aimed at optimizing thermal comfort. In the meantime, the group has improved the algorithm to also take into account day-ahead electricity…

Singapore-based fund manager Clime Capital is investing up to $10 million in Upgrade Energy Philippines (UGEP). The money will go toward supporting commercial and industrial (C&I) and large-scale solar deployment. September 9, 2024 Patrick Jowett Image: Chirayu Trivedi, UnsplashClime Capital, a Singapore-based fund manager, is investing in Philippines-based solar developer UGEP. The investment, made through Clime Capital’s South East Clean Energy Fund II, will total $10 million.Clime Capital said the cash injection will help UGEP deploy both C&I and utility-scale solar projects. Manila-based UGEP completed its first solar installation in 2015 and is expected to surpass 50 MW of installed…

Scientists in China have designed a ventilated, building-integrated photovoltaic system that relies on flexible solar panels weighing 6 kg/m2. The system also uses an airflow duct beneath the PV panels to reduce their operating temperature and increase their power output. September 9, 2024 Emiliano BelliniResearchers from Nanjing University of Science and Technology in China have designed a ventilated building-integrated photovoltaic system (VL-BIPV) that they claim could be an optimal solution for roofs with limited load-bearing capacity of less than 15 kg/m2.“The VL-BIPV system adds only 6 kg/m² load when applied to roofs, effectively addressing the challenges faced by conventional modules,”…