Author: solarenergy
Portugal’s Ministry of Energy has allocated €99.75 million ($107.6 million) for grid flexibility and energy storage projects to be installed by the end of 2025. August 1, 2024 Marija Maisch By ESS newsPortugal is trying to promote flexibility and balance its energy system with energy storage, as the country continues to break records in solar energy production. To that end, the country’s Ministry of Energy announced on Wednesday that it has allocated €99.75 million ($107.6 million) in an effort to support 500 MW of energy storage projects.Eligible projects can receive up to €30 million and can be developed at both…
The new framework, called SolarNet+, would calculate the PV potential of cities not only by finding the orientation of roofs in spatial images, but also by identifying superstructures such as windows or chimneys. It was tested using aerial photographs from Munich and Brussels and found to be superior to reference frames. August 1, 2024 Lior KahanaA group of scientists from Germany have developed a new deep learning-based method for the potential of city-scale PV rooftops based on aerial imagery. The novelty of the proposed technique consists in the possibility of considering superstructures on roofs.“Those parts of the roof surface may…
Install, the parent company of rooftop solar mounting companies such as IronRidge, Esdec and PanelClaw, has acquired Schletter Group, a German supplier of solar mounting systems. Schletter’s current shareholders, Avenue Capital Group and Robus Capital, will become minority shareholders in Enstall to support the company’s long-term strategic plans, in partnership with existing shareholders Blackstone and Rivean Capital. Schletter’s headquarters in Germany. Schletter “On behalf of the Enstall team, I would like to welcome all Schletter employees to the Enstall family,” said Stijn Vos, CEO of Enstall. “Schletter is Germany’s long-standing solar installation champion, with a strong reputation for quality and…
Nautilus Solar Energy announces the opening of the first community solar project developed on a former Defense Used Land (FUDS). Located near the Northeastern Industrial Park in Guilderland, Albany County, New York, this innovative initiative demonstrates the transformation of a liability into a significant environmental asset. The 2.8 MW project will provide clean energy to more than 260 New York households and anchor subscribers in National Grid’s utility footprint. “The successful development of this community solar park on a FUDS site sets a new precedent in sustainable energy projects. It is a proud moment for Nautilus as we contribute to…
Between January and May 2024, the value of imported solar cells and modules fell to just under €605 million compared to the same period last year, and the value of exported PV products also fell to €216 million. For the first quarter, the Federal Statistical Office reports a drastic drop in the number of modules manufactured in Germany to just under 495,600. August 1, 2024 Sandra EnkhardtBy pv magazine GermanyIn 2023, Germany imported almost €3.6 billion worth of PV systems, mainly solar cells and modules. Compared to the previous year, the value fell by 12.5%, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis)…
Anna Perry, CEO of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, emphasized the importance of a sustainable organisation. Image: BEC. Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) is working with Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) to build a 240 kWp rooftop array at the airbase. According to the groups, the plant is expected to produce more than 200,000 kWh annually, reducing annual bills for the air ambulance charity. It is part of the South West Local Solar Scheme (SWLSS) project pipeline. “It is really exciting to see the project at GWAAC becoming a reality,” said Helen Martin, CEO of BEC. “Through the solar installation…
The Dutch company, which was itself acquired by Blackstone and Rivean Capital, will become the majority shareholder of the German photovoltaic company. Schletter’s former shareholders will retain a minority stake in Enstall going forward. August 1, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt Schletter’s headquarters in Kirchdorf, GermanyImage: SchletterBy pv magazine GermanyEnstall announced the acquisition of Schletter on Thursday.The two providers of photovoltaic mounting systems did not provide information about the financial details. The Dutch company, which was acquired by Blackstone and Rivean Capital in 2022, said only that it would become Schletter’s new majority shareholder. In addition, the German company’s former shareholders, Avenue…
The solar strike price will increase by 30% from £47 per megawatt hour (MWh) to £61/MWh. Image: Matt Austin. The government announced on July 30 that the budget for the sixth auction round (AR6) of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) program will see an increase of £500 million, to £1.5 billion. It is the largest ever budget for the scheme and includes £1.1 billion for offshore wind energy, allocating more budget to it than all previous auction rounds combined. Ed Miliband, the Energy Minister, called the previous auction round (AR5) a “catastrophe” because no offshore wind was awarded a contract.…
The project will be connected to the electrical grid via the existing substation in Chickerell (photo). Image: Statera / National Grid. Statera has received planning permission for a 400MW/2,400MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Weymouth. The project, at East Chickerell Court Farm, had caused local controversy due to the size and fire risk of lithium-ion batteries, but neither the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service nor the national Environment Agency objected. The vote was six to two in favor at a Council meeting in Dorset. Supporters of the project said its contribution to the UK’s decarbonisation efforts,…
A large-scale battery delivery overturned on a highway after the truck carrying the batteries collided with a car, overcorrected, tipped sideways and dumped the load, leading to a fire that lasted more than 24 hours. August 1, 2024 John Fitzgerald WeaverBy pv magazine USAA truck full of batteries caught fire after an accident on a California highway on Friday, July 26, just before 6 a.m. PST, leading to significant delays as the lithium product burned through the weekend.According to the California Highway Patrol:The collision occurred when the driver of a 2020 Freightliner, which was loading a flatbed truck with a…