Author: solarenergy
Researchers in Pakistan have tested different configurations of an off-grid PV hydrogen system intended to power EV chargers. The system achieved the lowest levelized electricity costs when combined with battery storage. September 27, 2024 Lior KahanaAn international research team has conducted a techno-economic analysis of a standalone EV charging station that uses solar energy and hydrogen as electricity sources and can also be linked to a lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery.The analysis was carried out using the simulation software HOMER under the environmental conditions of the southeastern Pakistani city of Jamshoro. “Hybrid PV-hydrogen and PV-hydrogen battery are the two different scenarios that…
Three years after the historic Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) was signed into law, Illinois state lawmakers and solar industry leaders are recognizing the legislation’s achievements and building on its foundation to achieve its goals . CEJA, signed by Governor JB Pritzker on September 15, 2021, launched Illinois on a path to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and led to exponential growth in the solar industry through forward-looking programs that equitably expand access to clean energy in Illinois , building family-supporting careers and investing in the economy. “CEJA has made an important commitment to democratize energy production and equitably…
Spain aims for 81 percent green energy by 2030 Spain on Tuesday adopted a target for 81 percent of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 to meet its climate goals. In the plan, adopted by ministers and sent to the European Commission, the government committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent compared to 1990 levels. This represents an increase of nine points compared to the 23 percent target from the last plan for 2021. To achieve this, the government has pledged to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources to produce 81 percent of Spain’s…
The company plans to invest £2 billion in renewable energy projects by 2030. Image: Octopus Energy. The generation arm of British energy giant Octopus Energy has announced it has acquired four new solar projects across England as part of a plan to invest £2 billion in renewable energy projects by 2030. Four new solar farms currently under development have been acquired from renewable energy developer BayWa.re, with a combined generation capacity of 222 MW. One of the sites will also host a 30 MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The projects will be spread across England, with locations in Bristol,…
German inverter manufacturer SMA Solar Technology AG has launched a restructuring plan aimed at saving €200 million ($223 million) for financial stabilization and market repositioning. September 26, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt Image: SMA Solar Technology AGBy pv magazine GermanySMA Solar Technology AG has launched a “group-wide restructuring and transformation program”. The board hopes to achieve cost savings of an estimated €150 million to €200 million.“With the restructuring and transformation program that has now started, we will stabilize SMA financially in the short term and at the same time adapt the business strategy for the medium and long term,” said Jürgen Reinert,…
Everoze Partner Nithin Rajavelu considers the critical importance of properly measuring and managing battery health (SoC) for the efficiency, longevity and safety of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, especially in lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP) devices, which are widely used for large-scale storage. September 26, 2024 Nithin Rajavelu SoC is typically expressed as a percentage of a battery’s total energy storage capacity. For example, an SoC of 50% means that a battery is half charged. Accurate and reliable SoC measurement is essential for optimizing battery performance and maximizing revenue. Inaccurate SoC measurements can have significant financial consequences. For example, overestimating…
The battery is intended for two hours of storage in large-scale and C&I applications. It is said to have a round trip efficiency of 88% and a lifespan of 8,000 cycles. September 26, 2024 Emiliano Bellini By ESS newsChina-based energy storage systems provider Relyez has launched a 5 MWh battery for utility-scale, commercial and industrial (C&I) applications.“This modular, non-walk-in container is designed for rapid deployment, minimizing both installation and maintenance costs,” said company CEO Naomi Zhang. ESS news.The GridUltra 5016 is a two-hour energy storage system with a capacity of 5,016 MWh. It consists of 12 RelyEZ Battery Racks connected…
Panasonic will integrate new smart thermostats and energy management software into its Aquarea system from November. The new solutions are also designed to enable PV system owners to manage their heat pumps based on local weather forecasts. September 26, 2024 Emiliano Bellini Panasonic’s Aquarea heat pumpImage: PanasonicPanasonic has said it will integrate a range of home energy management solutions into its Aquarea air-to-water heat pumps for multi-home commercial and residential applications from November.The company said its product will be equipped with the Balance smart thermostats and Heat Pump Optimizer X management system from Germany-based Tado.“This new integrated solution is managed…
First Solar held the grand opening of its new 3.5 GW solar panel manufacturing facility in Lawrence County, Alabama. The $1.1 billion fully vertically integrated thin-film solar panel manufacturing facility is First Solar’s first U.S. factory outside of Ohio. Once at full capacity the site could support 800 jobs. “This is the first of two fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing facilities that strengthen the role of the Gulf Coast states in enabling America’s comprehensive energy strategy,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar. “This energy technology manufacturing facility produces American-made solar panels, with American-made components sourced from a supply chain…
An international research group demonstrated the first perovskite solar cells on polycarbonate substrates, suitable for flexible PV applications. Using an industrially compatible manufacturing method, the group produced devices with an energy conversion efficiency of 13.0%, of which 87% was retained after 1000 bending cycles at a 20 mm radius. September 26, 2024 Valerie ThompsonAn international research group demonstrated a method to fabricate perovskite solar cells on polycarbonate substrates that is compatible with industrial production processes for flexible PV devices.“Here we developed the very first perovskite solar cell on polycarbonate films with an energy conversion efficiency of 13.0% by developing a…