News

Markus Kayser: solar sinter 3D printer
London-based markus kayser, a masters candidate in design products at the royal college of art, converts the raw resources of sunlight and sand into glass products with his fully automated, solar-powered ‘solar sinter‘ 3D printer.
Sep 20, 2019 // BIPV, Technology, bipv, UK, Europe, London, 3D printer, solar sinter, Markus Kayser, Building-integrated photovoltaics
UK scientists find way to cut down indium
A research team led by the University of Liverpool has developed a transparent conductive oxide material to replace tin with molybdenum. The results demonstrated better performance and potentially lower material costs than the transparent conducting layers used in today’s commercial solar cells.
Sep 19, 2019 // Technology, UK, Europe, TCO, indium, Tim Veal, Liverpool University
Uzbekistan builds 40 MW solar park to power free economic zone
The self-consumption project, being built by EPC contractor Helios Energy, is being realized by the Ministry of Innovative Development. The energy generated will power a free economic zone in the Chust district of the Namangan region.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Asia, Uzbekistan, Helios Energy, Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Moldova sets renewables tariffs
The energy regulator has set a 15-year payment of $0.10/kWh for PV projects with a generation capacity of 10 kW-1 MW. The first auctions for large renewables projects are planned for early next year and will grant a fixed rate rather than a variable premium.
Sep 19, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Tariffs, auctions, Europe, Moldova, ANRE, Vitali Zveaghintev, Zaw Energy
A common language for bifacial PV
This week pv magazine was in Amsterdam for the sixth edition of the BifiPV workshop, where the discussion focused on the impressive achievements made by bifacial solar modules and the challenges the technology faces as it moves toward mainstream adoption.
Sep 19, 2019 // Technology, USA, Canadian Solar, Europe, Netherlands, Amsterdam, LONGi, PERC, North America, BifiPV, Jolywood, Jenya Meydbray, Joshua Stein, Netherlands Energy Center, U.K. National Physics Laboratory
The blackest black for more efficient solar cells
MIT scientists claim to have created a material 10 times more black than anything witnessed to date. It is said to be able to absorb more than 99.96% of incoming light and reflect 10 times less light than other superblack materials. The invention may be interesting for the development of black silicon PV technology and carbon nanotube-based solar cells.
Sep 19, 2019 // Technology, USA, Canadian Solar, Massachusetts, solar cells, MIT, North America, Brian Wardle
Safety is paramount
When Sony first commercially introduced lithium-ion batteries in 1991, the industry recognized their potential to revolutionize portable electronics. Ever since, there have been countless efforts to improve the technology, with many researchers focusing on energy density and longevity, in line with demand from emerging applications such as electric vehicles (EVs) and on-grid energy storage. Julian Jansen and Youmin Rong of IHS Markit discuss the effect of safety concerns on this rapidly growing global market.
Sep 19, 2019 // Storage, Opinions, USA, China, Li-ion batteries, Asia, North America, Sony, Julian Jansen, Youmin Rong
Korea’s South Jeolla province is becoming a solar hub
According to Korean government, around 18,000 unlicensed projects up to 1 MW in size are being developed in the area. Restrictions on such projects, which are driving this year’s strong solar growth in the country, are being introduced to reduce their environmental impact.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Residential, Korea, MOTIE, KEPCO
Austria mulls mandatory PV as new rebates for solar and storage launched
With the region of Styria considering making PV mandatory on all new buildings, the nation’s Climate Fund will support PV and storage projects in agriculture and forestry. Applications can be submitted by November 2020 – or until the pot is empty.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Residential, Storage, Rooftop PV, storage, Europe, Austria, Styria
NextEra Energy Partners offering US$500 million of senior unsecured notes
NextEra Energy Partners has announced a private offering of US$500 million in senior unsecured notes due 2026 by its subsidiary company NextEra Energy Operating Partners (NEP OpCo).
Sep 19, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, USA, North America, NextEra, senior notes
“Largest” Dutch PV project taps blueberries to nail landscape integration
UK solar developer Solarcentury and Dutch counterpart PowerField have unveiled plans to build the “largest” solar project in the Netherlands on behalf of Impax, the British asset manager that owns the site.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Grids, UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR, UK, Europe, Netherlands, solarcentury, powerfield, dutch solar, impax
Constellation secures three customers for 175MW of solar power in Virginia
Baltimore-based power provider Constellation has inked a deal to sell power from a 175MW solar facility in Virginia to Johns Hopkins University, spice and seasoning mix company McCormick & Company and department store corporation TJX Companies.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, USA, Virginia, North America, constellation, exelon, johns hopkins university, mccormick & company, tjx companies, renewable energy certificates, baltimore
Scatec Solar expects annual PV power plant project completions of over 1.5GW from 2022
Integrated solar power producer, Scatec Solar has raised its growth targets in its key markets, due to strong demand.
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Raymond Carlsen, Scatec Solar, pv power plants, Latin america, Asia, Africa, bifacial modules, Vietnam, single-axis trackers, mena
Brexit cannot avert the ‘fundamental issue’ of energy transition, event told
Energy companies are lacking any kind of certainty over Brexit and how it will affect the sector, but cannot allow it to have any impact on the “fundamental issue” of climate change and the energy transition, some of Europe’s leading utilities have said.
Sep 19, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Policy, storage, UK, utilities, Europe, policy, Brexit, Emeka Chukwureh
India’s state utility plotting 5GW solar plant, according to reports
India’s state utility plotting 5GW solar plant, according to reports
Sep 19, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Grids, India, NTPC, Asia, gujarat, utility scale