Author: solarenergy

China’s growing photovoltaic industry recognizes its global potential On a huge salt pan in the city of Yinggehai, located in Ledong Li Autonomous County in southern China’s Hainan Province, a significant installation of 434,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels now provides a continuous stream of clean energy. As the largest centralized PV base in Hainan, the newly completed facility can generate approximately 720 million kilowatt hours of clean energy annually. This output equates to a saving of 288,000 tonnes of standard coal and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 715,000 tonnes per year. “The salt pan area is exceptionally rich in solar…

Scanifly announced an integration with Energy Toolbase (ETB), a provider of software for energy project modeling and financial analysis. This strategic partnership streamlines the solar project lifecycle, from initial customer quotes and remote design tools to detailed site assessments, accurate PV layouts, technical documentation, installation and ongoing monitoring. The combination of ETB and Scanifly drives operational efficiency throughout the life cycle of a solar project, eliminating duplication and manual data entry between disparate systems. Solar developers can leverage ETB Developer’s extensive financial and energy modeling capabilities, including custom rate schedules, utility forecasts and storage simulations, in coordination with Scanifly’s easy-to-use…

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) says the country’s PV industry has registered a significant increase in production in the first half of 2024, while Trina Solar has announced a new research collaboration with Singapore’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE ). August 9, 2024 Vincent Shaw The Chinese MIIT has reported substantial growth in the country’s photovoltaic (PV) industry for the first half of 2024. Production in key segments – polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules – increased by more than 30% year-on-year. Polysilicon production rose 74.9% to 1.06 million tonnes, while wafer production rose 58.6% to…

Stacking molecules improves the efficiency of organic solar cells Harnessing solar energy is essential for a sustainable future. Efficient optoelectronic devices such as solar cells are crucial for this. Researchers from Osaka University have discovered a new method to improve the efficiency of these devices by controlling the stacking of light-absorbing molecules. Organic optoelectronic devices, including solar cells, are gaining popularity due to their flexibility and lightweight nature. Their efficiency depends on how well their light-absorbing organic molecules convert light into ‘free charge carriers’ that generate electric current. The energy required to create these carriers is known as ‘exciton-binding energy’.…

Arevon Energy hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion and commencement of operations of its 200 MW/800 MWh Condor Energy Storage Project in San Bernardino County, California. The project will provide power to up to 150,000 homes annually for up to four hours during peak electricity demand periods and will generate an estimated $25 million in property tax revenue over its lifetime, supporting both the county and local school district. Attended by project stakeholders, the ribbon-cutting event celebrated not only the completion of the project, but also the community’s support to help San Bernardino County achieve the goals of…

From pv magazine 24/06Falling component costs and attractive investment regimes have made PV projects a cornerstone of new global generation capacity, but challenges remain in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing markets.JETPs are intended to rid such markets of oil and coal. Solar energy is expected to dominate in sub-Saharan Africa, with the need for access to electricity and abundant solar radiation. PV installations can take shape faster than thermal or large hydropower projects. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Africa has at least 40% of the world’s solar potential, but was only responsible for 1% of capacity in 2022.Although…

A European research team has proposed a new methodology for optimal design of hybrid wind-solar power plants. Their approach is based on 1-minute resolution data, which the scientists say provides much more accurate information about potential curtailment and clipping losses compared to 1-hour resolution data. August 9, 2024 Lior KahanaA European research team has investigated the effect of different time resolution data on the design of hybrid PV-wind power plants (HyPPs) and found that lower resolution can result in an overestimation of the net present value (NPV) of the facilities by up to 3%.“When conducting feasibility studies for HyPPs, hourly…

The Global Polysilicon Marker (GPM), the OPIS benchmark for polysilicon outside China, was valued at $22,567/kg this week, reflecting stable market fundamentals.Industry insiders in the global polysilicon market are currently rattled by news of a delay in preliminary ruling results from US investigations into imported cells and modules from four Southeast Asian countries.According to a source, the deadline for the countervailing duty investigation, originally expected around July 18, has been postponed to September 30. The preliminary results of the anti-dumping investigation, initially expected in early October, are now expected to be postponed by a week, with the possibility of further…

On August 6, 18 House Republicans, including Andrew Garbarino (NY), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR), and Erin Houchin (IN), sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson asking him to keep the IRA after raising concerns heard about withdrawal. “We hear from the industry and our constituents that they fear that the energy tax regime will once again be upended as a result of Republican repeal efforts,” the letter said. The group of congressmen points out that they still think the IRA is “deeply flawed” and “the developing life-saving treatments, empowering the IRS to harass small businesses and disrupt energy markets,” but that…

Solar panels above highways can significantly reduce emissions and increase road safety Covering highways around the world with solar panel roofs could significantly reduce carbon emissions and improve road safety, new research shows. This study, which assessed the costs and benefits of installing solar roofs on global highways, suggests that such a move could reduce CO2 emissions by about 28% by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The research proposes a network of solar panels, high above highways and main roads, that would generate electricity while protecting vehicles from bad weather. This study was published in Earth’s Future, an open-access AGU…