Author: solarenergy

SSE Renewables’ first solar project, the 31MW Littleton Pastures solar farm in Worcestershire, started in August 2023. Image: SSE Renewables. As part of an agreement with Ortus Energy, SSE will acquire 13MW of rooftop solar PV projects and help develop up to 130MW of rooftop solar in the commercial market. SSE’s customer division, SSE Energy Solutions, will manage the existing assets, which are already installed in multiple locations. SSE will then have the exclusive option to finance the 130 MW pipeline over the next three years, with development and installation financed upfront. Ortus Energy will identify and develop the projects,…

Europe has been slow to recognize the role of energy storage devices in energy markets. Current market conditions, in terms of frequent oversupply, increasing numbers of zero and low energy prices, have all highlighted the limits of flexibility in the region.This limitation has now been recognized by the European government. More and more governments and transmission system operators (TSOs) are recognizing the crucial role of energy storage by including energy storage targets in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and national energy plans.As a result of current market conditions, the sector sees the emergence of a more diversified European…

First Solar says it is evaluating potential infringement of its patents for its tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology, secured through its 2013 acquisition of TetraSun. The American manufacturer of thin-film solar panels did not name the companies involved or provide a timeline for the investigation. July 19, 2024 Emiliano Bellini First Solar said it is investigating possible violations of the patents it holds for TOPCon solar cell technology.“First Solar has secured the US patent and related international counterparts through the acquisition of TetraSun, Inc. and has initiated an investigation into several c-Si solar manufacturers for possible infringement of their…

If you’re planning to go solar in Colorado Springs, you’ll need to choose between roof-mounted solar panels and ground-mounted solar panels. Each option has its advantages, meaning the best choice depends on your unique circumstances.

In a new weekly update for pv magazineSolcast, a DNV company, reports that Rio de Janeiro recorded the sunniest June in more than 18 years, with solar radiation 15% above the long-term average. This was part of a band of above-average sunshine that stretched through Bolivia, Paraguay and parts of Brazil. Conversely, southern Argentina saw a drop in insolation up to 30% below the long-term average, while experiencing its cloudiest June during the same period. July 19, 2024 SolcastThe shift in the jet stream in June has brought significant variations in weather conditions across South America. Rio de Janeiro experienced…

Researchers in Italy have designed a water source heat pump system intended to generate cooling, heating and hot water for domestic use in social housing stock built between 1970 and 1990. The new concept integrates photovoltaic thermal energy with thermal storage and promises a seasonal coefficient of performance of 5. July 19, 2024 Emiliano BelliniA group of researchers led by the Sapienza University of Rome has developed a new water source heat pump system (WSHP) that integrates photovoltaic thermal energy (PVT) and thermal energy storage (TES) for the production of integrated heating, cooling, domestic heating water production and electricity.The system…

Manufacturer of solar trackers Soltec unveiled a new foundation option for its SFOne single-axis solar tracker systems called 4×4. The mounting solution is designed to help single-axis solar trackers adapt to more terrains and locations while reducing land preparation work such as grading. A computer rendering of Soltec’s SFOne single-axis solar tracker using the company’s latest foundation solution, 4×4. 4×4 allows use on constant slopes up to 15% in both north-south and east-west layouts; and 4×4 functionality can adapt to non-constant slopes up to 20%. Soltec states in a press release that this functionality has been validated through field tests.…

Scanifly has partnered with SunRaise Technology to accelerate SLAs for residential solar leasing. Under the partnership, SunRaise can automatically pull milestone project data, such as site survey images, shade reports, CAD files and install punch lists, into their review queue from Scanifly’s software in real time. This eliminates the back-and-forth between contractors and SunRaise to collect the necessary data to unlock financing. The backbone of SunRaise’s confidence in Scanifly’s industry-leading accurate shade data is its proprietary Viewshed technology. The patented solution uses real-time, onsite drone data that is automatically scaled to produce a 3D scene and digitally simulate bankable shade…

A pilot computer program based at Europe’s largest electric utility, Iberdrola, found that some quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms matched or outperformed existing benchmarks for optimal grid battery placement. July 19, 2024 Tristan Rayner Iberdrola’s large battery at the Campo Arañuelo site in SpainImage: IberdrolaBy ESS newsSpanish energy giant Iberdrola has tested quantum computing to optimize the deployment of large-scale batteries in the electricity grid in terms of cost, voltage control and reliability. Accurately modeling large-scale networks and the elements of renewables and storage are notoriously strenuous tasks for classical computing.A ten-month pilot program between i-DE, Iberdrola’s distribution company in Spain,…

The British technology company has launched Endurance, an electric transport refrigeration system with integrated battery and solar energy. It is built to compete with diesel-powered systems. July 19, 2024 Valerie ThompsonGreat Britain established Solar change has launched Endurance, an electric transport refrigeration system with integrated battery and solar energy. It is built to fit a variety of transport trailers and compete with diesel-powered systems.Endurance is a purpose-built solar and battery-powered transport refrigeration unit (TRU), developed in-house by Sunswap, that enables frozen, refrigerated and multi-temperature configurations. It is described as a shift away from traditional diesel technology for cold storage transportation.…