The latest figures from Cornwall Insight’s ‘Benchmark power curve’ forecasts that by 2040 EVs will contribute an additional 71.6TWh, this is a massive 31 times higher than the current level of demand for electricity from electrified transport and 25% of current annual demand which stands at 299TWh (excluding losses). According to our latest ‘Benchmark power curve… Read more »
Category: Solar
Solarfox Solar PV Plant Displays Now Available Through Solar Data Systems
Solar Data Systems, Inc. (Solar-Log North America) has teamed up with Solarfox to offer display solutions for solar PV plants. Solar Data Systems can offer local support and resources to mutual, U.S.-based Solarfox and Solar Data Systems customers. “Solarfox solutions are a natural fit for solar Monitoring as a Service (MaaS),” says Silvia Blumenschein, CEO… Read more »
First agrivoltaic system for carbon-neutral orcharding being tested
As part of the project “APV-Obstbau”, BayWa r.e. and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have cooperated with other research partners to set up an agrivoltaic system for research purposes at the “Bio-Obsthof Nachtwey” in Gelsdorf, Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the first system of its kind in Germany. The total test area for the… Read more »
Q CELLS reaches agreement to license use of its patent-protected technology with a German solar module manufacturer
Agreement allows unnamed German solar company access to Q CELLS’ patent-protected cell passivation technology. [Berlin, Germany, September 13, 2021] Q CELLS has today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with a German solar module manufacturer to allow the company access to Q CELLS’ patent-protected solar cell passivation technology. The terms of the… Read more »
O&M equipment for solar parks from a single source
SunBrush® mobil and AVANT SA establish sales office in South Africa Lachen, Germany, September 13, 2021. With immediate effect, solar park operators and operation and maintenance companies from South Africa and Namibia can purchase SunBrush® mobil cleaning equipment made in Lachen, Germany, with the matching loader vehicles from AVANT. For this purpose, the expert for… Read more »
Plant inspections on the fly
Move over drones, could airplanes be the next big thing for site inspections? PES had a conversation with Wesii CEO, Mauro Migliazzi to find out why he believes the advantages of this solution will forever change the way the solar industry inspects PV plants. PES: A very warm welcome back to PES Solar Mauro, it’s… Read more »
Recycled rubber components: engineering more sustainable products for the solar market
TCT-Europe is a UK based, European company focused on the design, engineering, prototyping and volume manufacturing, using compression moulding, of products made from recycled rubber crumb. The company was set up three years ago, with operations in the UK and Poland, to take advantage of the growing innovation in sustainable materials emerging in Europe. According… Read more »
A partner with forward thinking solutions
Facing the fast and dynamically growing photovoltaic (PV) capacity worldwide, the market leader for PV connections is prepared to serve and improve the safety of this still young industry. Stäubli Renewable Energy offers tailored services along the PV project lifecycles for eBoS (electrical Balance of System) applications and is investing in product innovation, resources and… Read more »
Why AC coupled doesn’t hold up in a blackout
Do you know the difference between AC and DC coupled connections? Is it even relevant to most people thinking of investing in energy storage? What does an AC battery do when compared with a DC version? Which is best for back-up power in a power outage? These are just some of the questions people regularly… Read more »
Clear thinking
As the world steers its way towards carbon neutrality and the immediate effects of climate change are brought into ever sharper focus, Claire Gardner, Marketing Manager, Europe, at Solis spoke to PES about what the future may have in store and how solar technology looks set to play its part. PES: It’s great to welcome… Read more »
The path to climate neutrality
Being ‘climate neutral’ means only releasing as much greenhouse gas as can be recaptured or absorbed. Many nations have set themselves this goal, however the path to doing so is lengthy and exacting on all involved. Germany, for instance, has declared its intention to be climate neutral by 2045. To do this in the time… Read more »
Grid-forming takes charge
Grid-forming is an emerging technology that allows solar and inverter-based energy sources to power up the grid independently. We spoke with Blair Reynolds, product manager for energy storage with SMA America, about his perspective on the technology, case studies and how the future of the industry may change in response to grid-forming. PES: It’s lovely… Read more »
The sun as a natural power plant
Powerful vacuum technology and reliable tightness control for improved efficiencies of solar receivers When solar energy for electricity generation is discussed, photovoltaic systems most often come to mind. However, concentrated solar power systems are gaining popularity as an interesting alternative. In this type of power plant, collector systems concentrate sunlight and collect it on an… Read more »
ISO 9060: 2018 reflects the reality much better than its predecessor
In late 2018, the ISO 9060 standard for solar radiometers underwent a remarkable update that brought significant changes to the classification of solar radiation measurement quality. At first glance, ISO 9060:2018 appears to be mainly a renaming of radiometer classification launched in the original version from 1990. But, as often, the devil is in the… Read more »
Reaching cost-efficient climate neutrality: the essential reboot of the European PV Industry
Climate neutrality by 2050. That is the stated goal. But how does Europe achieve it? The European Photovoltaic (PV) sector has faced an era of rapid and complex change over the past two decades. If we flashback to the early 2000s, some argued that European PV manufacturing growth would be continuous and dominant. That did… Read more »
Quality made in Germany
In Rangsdorf, 30 minutes outside Berlin, surrounded by beautiful fields and lakes, an impressive building appears. This is where Germany’s only manufacturer of solar mounting systems, Mounting Systems GmbH, is located. The company specialises in the development and manufacture of the entire product range for pitched and flat roofs, as well as solar carports and… Read more »
Solar powering the digital oilfield
What exactly is meant by the digital oilfield? From its origins in the early 1970s when the first pressure/temperature gauges were fitted into subsea wells and data logging via satellite began, the digital oilfield concept has evolved from simple data gathering activity to the automation, control, and optimization of nearly every process involved upstream (exploration,… Read more »
FuturaSun PV modules for the largest photovoltaic installation ever built in Latvia
This summer, on the roof of SIA Lyngson’s production building, the largest solar panel park in Latvia was completed. The project was successfully implemented in cooperation with the largest Latvian private energy group AJ Power and has a total capacity of 489 kW generated by 1580 FuturaSun photovoltaic panels. Currently, it is the biggest solar panel… Read more »
Revolutionary mounting solution for sandwich roofs
AEROCOMPACT launches patented support system for PV installations Satteins, Austria, Sept. 9, 2021. The Austrian expert in PV mounting solutions AEROCOMPACT has developed a new support system for solar power systems on sandwich panels. The patented racking system is the first solution on the market that neither stresses nor damages the panels as it transfers… Read more »
Toshiba’s Polymer Film-Based Perovskite Large-Area Photovoltaic Module Reaches Record Power Conversion Efficiency of 15.1%
Contributing to carbon-neutrality by advancing practical application of light and flexible next-generation photovoltaic modules that can be widely installed TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502), the world-leader in development of perovskite photovoltaic modules for next-generation solar power generation, has developed a new coating method for the perovskite layer that boosts power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 15.1% for… Read more »
Q CELLS successfully develops, sells 50 MW Spain solar PV plant to NextPower III
Q CELLS successfully developed the Agenor project in Spain, and sold a 100% equity stake to NextPower III ESG (“NPIII ESG”), NextEnergy Capital’s international institutional solar fund, in June. Now the construction work is in full swing. [Berlin, Germany, September 9, 2021] Q CELLS’ Green Energy Solutions (GES) division has successfully developed a new 50… Read more »
Bifacial solar modules: how to measure them in production
Abstract Bifacial modules are entering the large-scale solar installation market. This article briefly describes the technology behind bifacial modules and focusses on what is needed to measure them with a sun simulator to show the extra power gain they provide. The procedures described here are based on the Technical Specification IEC 60904-1-2:2019, touching also on… Read more »
Keeping an eye on video technology
It is the nature of the beast that solar parks are often sited in remote locations and with so many valuable components, keeping them secure from theft and vandalism can be a challenge. PES had a great interview with Marc Thurn, CEO of LivEye International Group, along with his colleagues Arkadiusz Plaskowicki, CCO, LivEye International… Read more »
Prevention is better than cure
Video surveillance provides an excellent deterrent against intruders on solar farms. Just as the technology never switches off, neither does the research and production of the systems themselves, particularly when it’s in such high demand. Providing remote video monitoring for solar farms is a 24/7 operation so it’s perhaps only fitting that the production of… Read more »
Size Matters!
The photovoltaics market continues to grow: the cumulative installed PV capacity in Europe reached 151.7GW at the end of 2020. The potential for both residential and commercial applications is still huge. But the market requirements change. In addition to larger modules with higher outputs, visual aesthetics play an increasingly important role. This also influences the… Read more »
One-stop-shop solution for wiring PV plants
PV projects are divided into specific phases before the plant is finally connected to the grid. The installation phase in particular is key for success. HIS is there from the start and optimizes the project along the value chain, as well as after the COP. Whether high quality single components, pre-assembled solar cables or individually… Read more »
Thinking small to make it big
PES caught up with Dr. Daniel Faltermeier, Founder and Managing Partner of helioconsult, to see how the pandemic and its aftermath has impacted the market for small scale renewable energy systems. Could flexibility hold the key to high market demand in this sector? PES: Welcome to PES Daniel, it’s great to meet you again. Perhaps… Read more »
Well stored
As residential PV systems are becoming increasingly complex and new technologies come to market, PES was keen to hear from Thomas Haering, Managing Director of GoodWe, about its installer program and how it’s becoming a one-stop-shop for complete storage systems. PES: A warm welcome to PES Thomas, it’s lovely to have you with us. It… Read more »
Keeping clean solar on track
Balancing the ever-rising cost of raw materials against the rate of return is always precarious and never more so since the pandemic and the resulting logistics issues. PES caught up with Arturo Herrero, Chief BD Officer at GameChange to see how he’s using his experience to good effect for EPCs and developers. PES: A very… Read more »
Living in a digital world
The market for sustainable energy is growing and in today’s fast-paced, always-on world giving potential new customers the information they need, when they want it is a challenge for installers and suppliers. The answer lies beyond the online calculator tool. Things are looking good for the PV industry as more and more homeowners are considering… Read more »
Calibrate, document, design and simulate
A newly developed app from ETU Software enables quick and precise measurements of a building, by taking digital measurements based on a photo and target-oriented inputs to simulate the photovoltaic system. This allows the user to document and provide initial estimates while still on site. SimpleMeasure saves time in the bidding phase and enables the… Read more »
Bigger, better, bifacial
EKO Instruments are betting big on bifacial PV, delivering industry-leading accuracy with the most comprehensive package of bifacial and albedo measurement solutions available. Bifacial photovoltaic (BPV) technology has been around for a long time, but only since 2012, when the first cost-effective bifacial panels entered the market, has it started to attract serious market consideration…. Read more »
Sustainability through team work
As the effects of climate change continue to be felt around the world, the need for sustainable resources to dampen the effects of our environmental impact becomes ever greater. PES had some more questions for Alessandro Anderlini Business Manager responsible for the EMEA markets in Coveme’s PV Solar and Specialty Films Divisions and Steve Davies… Read more »
Best in show State-side
As exhibition season dawns in a new post-pandemic era with all that it may still entail, there’s a packed programme of events to look forward to. Our first show preview comes from New Orleans, where plans for Solar Power International, Energy Storage International and Smart Energy Week 2021 are in full swing. Solar Power International… Read more »
Renewed energy for the world of solar
Intersolar Europe Restart 2021 looks set to be full of energy from October 6th to 8th. PES takes a look at what innovations, products and solutions you can expect to see. If social life has been largely at a standstill since the beginning of the corona pandemic, this does not apply to the new energy… Read more »
Modernizing control system for absolute cavity radiometer
Accurate measurements of broadband solar irradiance require radiometers with proper design and performance characteristics, correct installation, and documented operation and maintenance procedures, including regular calibration. With any measuring tool, calibrations must be traceable to a recognized reference standard. For direct normal irradiance (DNI) measurements of broadband solar radiation, the World Radiometric Reference (WRR) is the… Read more »