Author: solarenergy
Nearly a decade after ‘Powerwall 1’, US EV giant Tesla has launched its home battery system, Powerwall 3, in the UK and Germany. The Powerwall 3 will be officially presented this week at The smarter E Europe. June 20, 2024 Lior Kahana, Sandra Enkhardt and Carrie Hampel From pv magazine ESS news placeTesla says its new home battery, the Powerwall 3, has twice the power of the previous model with a battery capacity of 13.5 kWh and a maximum charge and discharge power of 4.6 kW. The size of the overall installation varies depending on customer needs: Up to four…
Reliable assessment of the local solar radiation source is an important part of the development and financing of large-scale PV power plant projects. This assessment is generally based on the assumption that long-term average annual solar radiation from previous years does not differ significantly from the expected future availability of solar energy. In many parts of the world, solar radiation availability in 2023 was significantly higher (up to 10-12%) than the long-term average, and this could overshadow the fact that a large proportion of large-scale PV power plants are underperforming. June 20, 2024 International Solar Energy Association (ISES)Björn Müller and…
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have developed a new silver-free adhesive for shingled solar cells. The new adhesive is based on the PEDOT:PSS polymer and can reportedly reduce silver consumption to approximately 6.3 mg/W. June 20, 2024 Blathnaid O’DeaA group of scientists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have shown that conjugated polymers, a class of electronically conductive plastic materials, can be used as an intrinsically conductive adhesive (ICA) to bond solar cells together.“This is a new application for a unique class of plastic materials that we are very excited about,” said the study’s…
By installing solar panels, you can become independent from the electrical grid, allowing you to produce renewable electricity from the sun. Further, investing in solar panels can help you save on your monthly utility bills and reduce your greenhouse emissions, which helps you be more eco-friendly. If you are a homeowner or business owner in North Carolina, you have come to the right place to learn all about solar panels and how 8MSolar can help you meet your solar goals. Our solar panel consumer guide has everything you need to get started with your solar energy system. Types of Solar Panels Understanding…
The US energy storage market set a first quarter record for installed capacity in the first quarter of 2024, with 1,265 MW deployed across all segments. This is the highest storage capacity ever installed in a first quarter in the United States, representing an 84% increase from Q1 2023. According to Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association (ACP) recently released report ‘US Energy Storage Monitor’, the grid-scale segment installed 993 MW, producing the highest Q1 ever for the grid-scale segment. Nevada, California and Texas accounted for 90% of the new added grid-scale capacity. “The rapid growth of the…
Californian startup Planted Solar uses construction robots and high-density arrays to deliver higher energy yields and lower system costs, according to the company. June 19, 2024 Ryan KennedyBy pv magazine USAPlanted Solar, a solar startup based in Oakland, California, received $20 million in Series A funding from Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Kholsa Ventures, as well as from the Department of Energy Funds to scale its terrain-following solar installation design.The company installs its arrays as a sheet, densely packed, instead of using the usual row spacing. Rather than developing the land flat and uniformly, the company’s solar installations follow…
The cause of the fire in the battery container in Thuringia, Germany is still unclear. The damage caused is enormous. June 19, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt The cause of the fire is still unclearImage: Johannes Krey, www.jkftv.deFrom pv magazine ESS news placeBatteries in an overseas container caught fire on June 7 at Suncycle’s engineering and testing center in Thuringia, Germany. According to local media reports, it took firefighters more than four hours to extinguish the fire. The damage is estimated at €700,000. The cause is still unclear, but it is suspected that there is a technical defect.The fire produced significant amounts…
A completed community solar project by Castillo Engineering & Recon Corporation (Source: Castillo Engineering) Castillo technique has been selected as Engineer of Record (EOR) for three portfolios of community solar projects in Illinois, totaling 56 MW across 14 projects. The portfolios consist of three projects totaling 23 MW with Recon Corporation, seven projects totaling 21 MW and four projects totaling 12 MW. These fixed-tilt and bifacial solar module projects will rely on the company’s internal civil, electrical, structural and energy system studies in addition to the project management office. “We are grateful that the market…
A research team in China has developed a new thin silicon wafer reinforced ring (TSRR) to protect ultra-thin wafers and solar cells during production. This technique consists of applying the ring to the edge of thin wafers and is compatible with all silicon solar panel technology. June 19, 2024 Valerie ThompsonA research team from China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Sun Yat-sen University has shown that applying a new thin silicon wafer reinforced ring (TSRR) to the edge of thin wafers makes the PV material much less susceptible to breakage. The TSRR was demonstrated on silicon wafers with a thickness…
Obtaining planning permission for new solar projects in the UK can be a long process, made even more difficult by several rounds of consultation. Ahead of Britain’s general election, the Green Party’s manifesto sets an ambition to reach 100 GW of solar power by 2035. Labour’s manifesto promises to triple solar energy. The Liberal Democrats do not mention any figures, but want to have 90% electricity from wind and solar energy by 2030. While some of this can be met with rooftop solar, and while the manifestos promise to equip all new homes with solar panels and other low-carbon technologies,…