Despite the Winter 2021-22 default tariff price cap being a new record at £1,277, the latest forecast from Cornwall Insight modelling indicates that the Summer 2022 cap will see a further increase of approximately 14% increase against the Winter 2021-22 cap – taking the Summer 2022 cap to £1,455 per annum for a typical dual… Read more »
Category: Solar
Morningstar Corporation’s Advanced Solar Technology Helps Oil & Gas Production Facilities Reduce Carbon Emissions
‘Digital oilfields’ are going solar to reduce carbon emissions, minimize maintenance, and maximize power availability for efficiency and safety Newtown, PA, USA, Sept. 20th, 2021 – Morningstar Corporation announced today its TriStarTM solar charge controllers are installed in a group of solar-plus-energy storage systems for major oil companies in locations around the globe. The advanced… Read more »
FIMER TO POWER UP INTERSOLAR 2021 WITH NEW INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
FIMER is set to unveil its new era of technologies at Intersolar 2021, including the world premiere of its ‘best-in-class’ platforms for residential applications. Intersolar 2021 will mark the official launch of FIMER’s new residential platforms, which combine the latest technological innovations with high-end design features, as well as providing a first look at its… Read more »
Delta to Showcase New High-Power M250HV Solar Inverters and High-Efficiency Flex Series 3-Phase Inverters at Intersolar 2021
Delta, a global leader in power and thermal management solutions, will be exhibiting its new solar photovoltaic inverters at Intersolar 2021 in Munich from October 6–8. The highlight of the booth includes the brand new M250HV, with input voltages from 550 to 1500 VDC specially designed for large ground-mounted PV plants; and the new Flex… Read more »
Sustainable solar powered clothes: Art by Physicist teamed up with ARMOR ASCA
Sept. 16, 2021. Art by Physicist, a Silicon Valley tech-fashion startup, focusing on sustainable, electronically enhanced fashion for women, teamed up with ARMOR ASCA to create solar-powered clothes allowing people to charge their electronic devices on-the-go. This project is part of the new technology-powered collection Art by Physicist successfully launched on Kickstarter in June 2021…. Read more »
New NESTRO® Dedusters NE J – A New Criterion
The development of this new generation of dedusters from NESTRO® Lufttechnik GmbH, Germany, sets a new standard for the industry: This is the first series of dedusters equipped with IE5 reluctance motors and frequency converters. Users can save up to 22% energy costs compared to those using IE3 motors. In this way, the Thuringian company… Read more »
The future is now for autonomous solar panel cleaning
With the increasing demand for renewable energy, solar energy production is rapidly growing around the world and the size of solar plants is increasing as well. More and more nations come to realise the potential of planting solar panels in deserts which creates value on low fertility grounds. Extending up to several million square metres… Read more »
Technologies fit for a new era for utility-scale solar
The deployment of solar PV across the world is on an upward trajectory, with recent reports highlighting the growing popularity of both commercial and utility-scale projects. Despite the disruption of the past 12-18 months, in its most recent Renewable Energy Market Update, the International Energy Agency (IEA), said that in 2020, annual renewable capacity additions… Read more »
Vegetation management has a robotic future
Renu Robotics, based in San Antonio, Texas, is developing new innovations in autonomous technology for the renewable energy industry. PES spoke to CEO Tim Matus to learn more. PES: Tim, tell us how Renu Robotics is serving the renewable energy industry – particularly solar – and what’s the latest on the company’s innovations? Tim Matus:… Read more »
FTC Solar’s New Voyager+ Solar Tracker for Large Format Modules Withstands Winds up to 120 Miles Per Hour
FTC’s proprietary damper design eliminates torsional galloping, working like a shock absorber. Company collaborated with engineering and environmental engineering consulting firms RWDI and Engineered Power Solutions (EPS) on data analysis and wind tunnel testing to independently validate structural stability. The 2P tracker is designed for modules 550 watts and higher. More than 1GW of Voyager+… Read more »
EVs are predicted to increase electricity demand by 71.6TWh
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 »
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 »