Author: solarenergy
By pv magazine BrazilLivoltek, a Hexing Group company, has opened its first factory in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, with an investment of over BRL 70 million ($12.4 million). The Chinese company chose the capital Amazonas to produce photovoltaic inverters, lithium batteries and chargers for electric vehicles to serve domestic and international markets, with an eye on Latin America. The industrial complex covers 18,000 m² and is expected to generate 600 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs.Initially, given current market conditions, the plant’s production capacity is designed to supply 1.8 GW, or approximately 300,000 inverter units. However, it…
Sunrun now operates a vehicle-to-home power plant using a small group of two-way electric vehicles from customers in Maryland. The program includes three Sunrun customers in the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) service area who own an F-150 Lightning paired with Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System, sold exclusively through Sunrun. This program is the first operational bidirectional electric vehicle power plant in the United States using a cohort of customer vehicles. “This exciting partnership lays the foundation for the electric grid of the future, where electric vehicle owners can contribute to grid resilience and energy price…
UK solar capacity has increased by 8.5% in the past year. Image: Returning energy. New data from the UK government has shown that the UK now has 16.9GW of solar capacity online at the end of June 2024. The latest statistics from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) show that UK solar capacity has grown by 8.5% (1.3 GW) over the past year, capacity spread across more than 1.5 million residential and commercial solar installations. In 2023, 196,782 new solar projects came online. This represents the second-highest number of new solar projects in a given year, surpassed…
A new hydrogen import strategy is expected to make Germany better prepared for increasing demand in the medium and long term. Meanwhile, the Netherlands saw its hydrogen market grow significantly in terms of supply and demand between October and April. July 26, 2024 Sergio MatalucciThe German government has adopted a new import strategy for hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, outlining the framework “for urgently needed imports to Germany” in the medium to long term. The government assumes a national demand for molecular hydrogen, gaseous or liquid hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, naphtha and electricity based fuels from 95 to 130 TWh in 2030.…
A research team from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has developed a new generation of lithium metal batteries, marking significant progress in this field. The innovation focuses on micro-crack-free polymer electrolytes, which promise longer life and improved safety at temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius. July 26, 2024 Marija Maisch Image: University of Hong KongBy ESS newsRechargeable lithium metal batteries are a promising alternative to the ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage applications that require high energy density. However, its practical implementation is hampered by safety concerns and shorter battery cycle life due to a combination…
Acceleration areas and shortened approval procedures should ensure faster expansion of wind and solar farms and energy storage at the same locations. This step implements requirements from the 2023 EU Renewable Energy Directive. Approvals will also be facilitated for electrolyzers to boost hydrogen production. July 26, 2024 Sandra EnkhardtBy pv magazine GermanyThe German federal cabinet on Wednesday approved a draft law that would implement the EU’s renewable energy directive.The draft law, jointly drafted by the ministries of transport, environment and economic affairs, includes planning and approval provisions for onshore wind energy and solar photovoltaics. Acceleration areas and shortened approval times…
In a new weekly update for pv magazineSolcast, a DNV company, reports that the regions with the largest year-on-year variability in insolation include Central and Northern Europe, the east coast of Australia, northern Argentina and China, with Africa having the most year-on-year shows stable irradiation. July 26, 2024 SolcastUnderstanding the annual variability of solar energy potential is critical for network planning and storage optimization. An analysis using the Solcast API reveals regions with the largest variations in insolation from year to year. These data were compiled by looking at decadal variability, comparing the range of total annual irradiation with the…
NREL is exploring long-term strategies for sustainable perovskite solar panels Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are exploring the future of perovskite solar panels, focusing on scaling, deploying and designing panels that are recyclable. Perovskite solar panels could play a key role in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With the technology still in its development stages, researchers emphasize the importance of designing these panels to minimize environmental impact. “If you have a technology at a very early stage, you can design it better. It’s a cleaner slate,” said Joey Luther, a senior research fellow at the…
The developed process allows green hydrogen to be obtained from renewable electrical energy thanks to the design and use of materials that have redox properties and respond to microwave radiation. July 26, 2024 Pilar Sanchez MolinaBy pv magazine SpainA team from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ), a joint research center of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and the High Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), and the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (ITACA) of the UPV have the design of materials that can improve the process of obtaining hydrogen from water from microwave radiation.Among hydrogen production technologies, steam…
DCE Solar‘s Eco-Top Rooftop Mounting Structure is now compliant with the UL 3741 Standard. UL 3741 certification is a safety standard that ensures the implementation of proper photovoltaic hazard controls. Eco-Top Rooftop flat roof solar racking from DCE Solar achieves UL 3741 PV hazard standard. DCE’s Eco-Top mount uses an integrated wire management system to create more workspace, eliminating the need for additional wire management raceways and accessories. North-South rails include a wire support channel for integrated home run wire management and cable support. It has a direct racking-to-module frame bolt-through fastening and east-west rail support for proper roof load…