PowerChina Finalizes Construction of 480 MW PV Plant in Chile
PowerChina has finished building a 480 MW solar plant in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, which is recognized for having the world‘s highest solar radiation levels.
Renewables-Powered High Temperature Heat Pumps Are Cheapest Option for Industrial Steam
New research from Austria has compared different industrial heat-generating techniques and has found that wind or solar-powered heat pumps are the cheapest and most environment-friendly solution.
German Startup Suena Secures Cash for Its Battery Energy Trading Technolgy Business
The Hamburg-based battery energy trading software and services company has raised €3 million ($3.27 million) seed funding to expand its software-driven trading services across Europe. The capital will be used to introduce its software, dubbed Autopilot, and its trading services to new European markets.
Australia’s Rooftop PV Additions Hit 3.17 GW in 2023
A record 921 MW of PV was installed across Australian rooftops in the fourth quarter of 2023, taking new rooftop solar capacity to about 3.17 GW for all of last year.
BEC-Energie Consult Releases Self-Supporting PV Mounting System
German developer BEC-Energie Consult has developed a mounting system that uses less material than conventional systems. It claims the new tech can reach 1.45 MW of output per hectare. It can also be used for ground-level agrivoltaic systems.
UK Solar Capacity Hits 15.6 GW
UK government statistics show that the country added 871 MW of solar capacity in the first 11 months of 2023. However, the Solar Energy UK trade association says that more than 1 GW of solar was deployed last year.
France Announces New FIT Rates for PV Systems up to 500 KW
France’s new feed-in tariffs (FITs) for the period from August 2023 to January 2024 range from €0.2077 ($0.2270)/kWh for installations below 3 kW to €0.1208/kWh for arrays ranging in size from 100 kW to 500 kW.
SAX Power Unveils All-In-One Battery Inverter for Home Use
German manufacturer SAX Power says the capacity of its new all-in-one battery inverter solution ranges from 5.76 kWh to 17.28 kWh. It is suitable for new PV systems, as well as retrofit projects.
German Grid Operator Expects New 2023 Solar Capacity To Hit 14.1 GW
Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) says developers likely installed 14.1 GW of new solar capacity in 2023, with more than 260,000 balcony solar modules now in operation.
ClearVue Scores Commercial First With Solar Glass Tech
Australia’s ClearVue Technologies has secured an order to provide its clear solar glass technology for a AUD 12 million ($8.0 million), six-floor building in Melbourne.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Akcome Sets up Pilot Factory for Perovskite PV Cells
Akcome says it hopes to soon start commercial production of its heterojunction (HJT) perovskite solar cells, but it has yet to provide a specific time frame.
Recent ‘Auction Success’ in Ireland, UK Comes With Challenges, Consultants Say
Almost 2 GW of solar was tendered in the latest UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero auction, while almost 500 MW was recently awarded in the latest auction round spearheaded by Irish power transmission operator EirGrid. But these gains come with five challenges, according to analysts from New Zealand-based consultancy firm PSC.
Solar Manufacturers Unite To Develop Standards for 700 W-Plus Modules
Solar module size standardization will enhance supply chain efficiencies, boost production, and lower costs, according to the 700W+ Photovoltaic Open Innovation Ecological Alliance, which aims to accelerate the industrialization of PV modules above 700 W.
Denmark Supports First Energy Communities
The Danish Energy Agency says it dished out a total of DKK 4.2 million ($61,9542) in grant funding this year to nine local energy communities and projects supporting renewable energy. Projects include an energy community start-up guide for rural environmentalists to an energy community feasibility study in a decades-old garden association.
Johnson Controls Unveils Water-To-Water Heat Pump for Commercial Buildings
US-based Johnson Controls says its new 1,406 kW compound centrifugal heat pump is able to deliver high-temperature hot water as high as 77°C.The system reportedly has a combined coefficient of performance of 4.9.