Author: solarenergy

Freight costs are rising as companies rush to import goods ahead of higher tariffs that newly-elected US President Donald Trump has promised on Chinese and European products. November 19, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Image: Catherin Kerrs, Unsplash Xeneta, a Norwegian platform for comparing sea and freight rates, has warned that spot rates for container shipping could rise following the recent re-election of Donald Trump as the next US president. “Trump has promised blanket tariffs of up to 20% on all US imports and additional tariffs of 60% to 100% on goods from China,” the company said in a statement. “Data from…

Researchers in Canada have developed an open-access online tool that reportedly allows homeowners to realize significant savings when deploying rooftop PV systems. The tool is claimed to provide accurate construction engineering calculations while ensuring compliance with building regulations. November 19, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from Canada’s Western University have developed a… open source online tool to streamline the engineering Ananalysis process for the deployment of a PV system on roofs. “The tool could be easily adapted to other countries,” said the study’s lead author, Joshua M. Pearce pv magazine. “The snow load in Canada combined with regulations in Ontario means…

Xcel Energy is now delivering carbon-free electricity from one of the nation’s largest solar projects to customers in the Upper Midwest, marking a major milestone in the company’s clean energy transition and the first of several major investments at the Sherco location in central Minnesota. “Our progress at Sherco Solar shows that we’re not just talking about the future of clean energy, we’re building it,” said Bob Frenzel, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy. “This is the first large-scale solar facility we own and operate, and it is an important milestone on Xcel Energy’s journey to achieve our carbon-free…

JA Solar says it has launched a hydrogen business with the establishment of JA Hydrogen, a new unit based in Beijing with a registered capital of CNY 100 million ($13.8 million). November 19, 2024 Vincent Shaw YES solar energy said it has established JA Hydrogen in Beijing under its subsidiary JA Solar Investment (China) Co., Ltd., with a registered capital of CNY 100 million. The new company will operate as a unit of the group in the hydrogen energy sector. Since 2019, several leading Chinese solar companies, including Sungrow, Longi Green Energy and Trina Solar, have launched similar hydrogen-focused subsidiaries.…

The US Treasury Department and the IRS announced this today final regulations for the direct wage provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that will help entities that co-own clean energy projects access clean energy tax credits. Before the Inflation Reduction Act, many entities—such as state and local governments, tribes and territories, public school districts, rural electric cooperatives, and tax-exempt organizations such as churches, hospitals, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits—could not take advantage of tax credits for clean energy because they had little or no federal tax liability. Direct payment allows these entities and organizations to access the full value…

“The MENA region – the next hot energy storage market?” I asked in an article in October 2017. It took a little longer than I expected, but seven years later it’s time to replace the question mark with an exclamation point. It is indeed warm. November 19, 2024 Florian Mayr By ESS news The MENA region is beginning to witness a dramatic increase in large-scale battery energy storage system (“BESS”) projects, accompanied by rising renewable energy penetration. This happened at a pace that seems to have surprised many market analysts. In the past, forecasts for the MENA region showed a…

Ossila, a UK-based supplier of scientific equipment and materials, has launched a new version of its slot die coater for research laboratories. It is suitable for teams working on thin-film solar photovoltaics in the feasibility testing phase. November 19, 2024 Valerie Thompson Scientific equipment and materials supplier Ossila has launched a new version of its slot diecoater for PV research labs working on the feasibility of scaling up thin-film devices. Compared to a previous version of the product, it reaches a higher hob temperature, up to 140 C, and has a larger coating surface. “Slot-die coating is the gold standard…

Scientists will create solar lasers for space power, inspired by nature An international collaboration, including researchers from Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University, has announced a groundbreaking approach to harnessing solar energy in space by converting sunlight into laser beams. This technology aims to enable long-distance energy transmission between satellites, from satellites to moon bases and possibly back to Earth. The team draws inspiration from natural photosynthesis: how plants, bacteria and other organisms convert light into chemical energy. The project will integrate naturally derived photosynthetic structures as part of the laser system design. The potential impact of this innovation extends to powering future…

The Penobscot Nation has been selected Sunnova Energy International to deploy a 500 kW battery energy storage system (BESS) for the tribe’s community and commercial facilities. This BESS will better prepare Maine’s electrical grid for adverse weather events. The system will capture excess solar production, estimated at 549,678 kWh per year, and provide resilience through load management. The microgrid can supplement on-site generation and continue to restore the BESS without grid support, providing a continued source of renewable energy during grid outages. “The Penobscot Nation is particularly vulnerable to multi-day outages when severe weather occurs due to our location on…

The European Commission, Austria, Lithuania and Spain have announced new financial support measures for the development of renewable hydrogen, as the European Union prepares for the second auction of the European Hydrogen Bank. November 19, 2024 Sergio Matalucci The European CommissionAustria, Lithuania and Spain have announced new financial support for the development of renewable hydrogen. The three Member States will participate in the ‘auctions-as-a-service’ program as part of the European Hydrogen Bank’s second auction, which was launched on December 3. “In addition to the €1.2 billion in EU funding from the Innovation Fund, the three EU Member States will deploy…