Ukraine uses PV to ensure gas supply system operation
The Ukrainian authorities are currently resorting to PV to keep gas substations running despite the destruction of the electricity grid by Russian troops. Meanwhile, PV plant owners are beginning to face serious financial difficulties due to power supply disruption or damages caused by the hostilities.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Talesun plans 5GW heterojunction PV module factory
Talesun announced the project for the PV factory adding it will also develop 5GW of agrivoltaics in China’s Hebei Province. Longi has also announced it has raised the prices of its wafers again.
Spain’s PV capacity tops 15GW
According to new statistics from the Spanish grid operator, around 3.3GW of new PV systems were deployed in the country last year.
Photovoltaic pavement based on transparent resin-concrete protective layer
Conceived by scientists in China, the pavement was built with a transparent resin-concrete material and amorphous silicon solar panels. Its performance and payback time are still far from bringing it closer to commercial production but its creators say viability may be reached with further improvements.
UK governments slashes VAT for residential PV, heat pumps to 0%
The new measure will come into force on April 1 and will be in place for five years.
Two-layer phase change materials for solar module cooling
Researchers in Iran have tested four different two-layer PCMs across several cooling system configurations and have found that the payback time of the proposed cooling tech is still far from reaching commercial viability. The system, however, was able to improve PV power generation by more than 3% and produce hot water with a temperature of up to 48 Celsius degrees from the solar module’s excess heat.
Ricoh launches mini hydropower system for remote locations, usable with solar-plus-storage
The pico-hydro generation system can be used with factory drainage systems and irrigation canals. According to the manufacturer, it is made with 3D-printed sustainable materials and is able to generate electricity even with a small stream of water. Solar and storage may be linked to the system to ensure stable power supply.
Energy storage installations set new records in the U.S. despite supply chain issues
Wood Mackenzie estimates that the US energy storage market broke records in Q4 2021, installing 1,613MW / 4727 MWh.
Australia’s AGL builds storage portfolio
Australia’s largest power utility, AGL, says it has received approval for a 200 MW/800 MWh grid scale battery to be developed at the site of its coal-fired Loy Yang power station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
Solar for train traction in South Africa
The Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) is seeking consultants for the deployment of 3MW of solar capacity to supply power to the traction system and some stations of the Gautrain system – an 80km railway in Gauteng linking Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni, and the O.R. Tambo International Airport.
