Author: solarenergy

Scientists in South Africa conducted large-scale research into the effect of wind loads on mounting rails for PV panels for more than 100 days. Compared to standard design codes, they found lower combined wind load coefficients. Maximum loads occurred with easterly wind direction. September 4, 2024 Lior KahanaA group of researchers from South Africa have conducted a large-scale field measurement of the wind load effects on the mounting rail of a single-axis PV tracker. The data was collected over 109 days in the Western Cape province of South Africa via two instrumented PV module mounting rails. Actual results were also…

Sweden’s Enerpoly has ambitious plans to turn its 6,500 m² factory into the center of global and European zinc-ion battery innovation. The goal is to reach a final capacity of 100 MWh per year by 2026. September 4, 2024 Emiliano Bellini By ESS newsSwedish zinc-ion battery cell technology specialist Enerpoly has opened a large-scale factory in northern Sweden. The 6,500 m2 facility is a key development in Enerpoly’s ambitions to make Europe a manufacturing powerhouse for zinc ion cell technologies.The plant will boost Enerpoly’s ongoing co-development of market-ready battery products with customers, and allow the company to conduct pilots targeting…

While green hydrogen is an important element in the net zero plans, current and future salt caverns will be insufficient to meet all our hydrogen storage needs. Additional new underground solutions will be needed, says Martin Wright, founder and executive chairman of Gravitricity. Green hydrogen will become an important part of the low-carbon energy systems of the future. While the debate is still open about the role this CO2-neutral gas will play in domestic environments, it is clear that green hydrogen – produced via the electrolysis of water using renewable energy – will play an important role in industry, and…

The new system, devised by French scientists, uses ensemble learning and requires nothing more than a commercially available optimizer. Before making a decision, the method combines K nearest neighbors, support vector machines, and decision tree learning. Accuracy is reported to be up to 89%. September 4, 2024 Lior KahanaA research group led by the French University of Toulouse has developed a new detection method for snail trails in solar panels.The process uses an ensemble learning framework called ELDIAG to analyze the time-frequency characteristics and statistics of the PV panel. It collects data from commercially available optimizers without the need for…

Solar United Neighbors (SUN) has developed a state model policy to develop distributed power plants (also known as virtual power plants). By coordinating numerous small-scale solar and battery systems, Distributed Power Plants (DPPs) can add or subtract from electricity demand exactly when the grid needs it most. This helps prevent power outages and the use of expensive and polluting peak power plants. In return, solar owners earn credit for the use of their investment, while providing grid savings to all ratepayers. “DPPs are an important means of delivering savings for battery solar owners, while also providing valuable grid services to…

Helen, a Helsinki-based energy company, has unveiled plans for a large-scale district heating plant complex. Germany’s MAN Energy Solutions is supplying a 33 MW air-to-water heat pump, the largest ever used for a district heating plant, using ambient air and renewable electricity to generate heat. September 3, 2024 Patrick JowettEnergy company Helen is building a large-scale heating plant complex in Patola, a district of Helsinki, Finland.The location will have an industrial-scale heat pump and two 50 MW electric boilers. Once operational, it is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 56,000 tonnes per year. Construction will begin at the end of…

On August 30, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for 48E(h)the Clean Electricity Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The program promotes cost-effective clean energy investments in low-income communities, on Indian lands, in affordable housing, or that directly benefit low-income households. The proposed rules are a major step forward in implementing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, lowering costs for underserved communities and households and ensuring they share in the benefits of the growth of the clean energy economy. The 48E(h) Clean Electricity…

Voltalia will build and develop Ørsted’s new Irish solar park. Image: Ørsted. Voltalia, an energy services provider, will undertake the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for Danish renewable energy company Ørsted’s 128MW development in County Carlow, eastern Ireland. Voltalia already has a strong presence in Ireland, with a pipeline of 540 MW of projects operational and under construction. In August last year, the energy producer was selected to build and service several solar projects totaling 230 MW across Ireland, signing a 15-year agreement with independent energy producer Power Capital Renewable Energy. “We are pleased with this first collaboration with…

In what is likely a first for a silicon solar panel manufacturer operating in the United States, Canadian Solar has just announced that it has partnered with SolarCycle to offer recycling services to its U.S. customers. SolarCycle will serve as Canadian Solar’s preferred recycling partner, while Canadian Solar will offer recycling services at the time of purchase. Canadian Solar customers can now secure recycling services when they purchase their panels. “By including upfront recycling services to add to the price of a solar panel, Canadian Solar is moving the entire industry forward to ensure we are truly sustainable, from cradle-to-cradle.…

The US Department of Energy has announced $62 million for 20 projects to accelerate hydrogen technology, while international researchers have revealed how hydrogen injection into existing natural gas infrastructure could impact 115 million gas meters in the European Union. September 3, 2024 Sergio MatalucciThe US Department of Energy has announced nearly $62 million for 20 projects in 15 states to advance clean hydrogen technologies. The majority of the funds, $40 million, will develop and demonstrate low-cost, standardized hydrogen fueling stations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The government will also provide $8.5 million to develop gaseous and liquid hydrogen fueling components…