News

Perovkiste solar cells need proteins
A U.S. research team has used protein bacteriorhodopsin to improve the efficiency of what it called ‘bioperovskite’ solar cells. The scientists used Förster Resonance Energy Transfer to predict the strength of long-range excitonic transport between the perovskite and protein layers.
Oct 28, 2019 // Technology, USA, solar cells, North America, Perovkiste, Shashank Priya
Is Eskom turning to solar?
The South African utility has issued a 20-strong tender for 50 kW solar inverters and mounting structures, to be used in four power plants. Although it is unclear whether the tender marks the energy company’s first step into solar energy, the procurement follows the recent publication of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan. Eskom is reportedly developing a renewables-linked large scale storage project which may explain the need for inverters.
Oct 28, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Inverters, tender, Africa, Chris Ahlfeldt, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, K.W. Miller
Four out of five fossil fuel giants dismiss findings of report into EU lobbying efforts
U.S. oil major Chevron did not respond to pv magazine’s questions. Exxon Mobil and BP did not produce figures for their clean energy investment activity and Total responded only with its ‘low carbon electricity’ spending. Shell stated it had invested €1.6 billion in clean energy from late 2016 up to June.
Oct 28, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, USA, Europe, North America, shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and BP
PV against cancer
Research from the United States has demonstrated how PV technology can be used to kill cancer cells. Although still at an embryonic stage, the findings of the study and initial test results suggest solar power could be an effective tool in relation to light-activated fluorescent dyes for disease diagnosis, image-guided surgery and site-specific tumor treatment.
Oct 28, 2019 // Technology, PV technology, cancer, Michigan State University, solar glass
Afghanistan kicks off tender for another 40 MW solar project
The facility will be developed under the World Bank’s Scaling Solar initiative on a public-private partnership basis in Herat province.
Oct 28, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, tender, Asia, Afghanistan
PV ModuleTech 2019: Interview with Frédéric Dross, VP Technology Americas with DSM
At the recently held 2019 PV ModuleTech conference, held in Malaysia, PV Tech talked with Frédéric Dross, VP Technology Americas with DSM after his presentation that highlighted PV module materials for performance and reliability.
Oct 28, 2019 // Solar, Malaysia, pv power plants, pv modules, bifacial, c-si manufacturing, Asia, pv moduletech 2019, royal dsm, Frédéric Dross
8minute, Doosan GridTech to collaborate on predictive solar-plus-storage dispatch controls
Leading US solar developer 8minute Solar Energy is to collaborate with Doosan GridTech to use advanced, predictive software controls to dispatch energy from solar-plus-storage plant in California.
Oct 28, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, USA, pv power plants, solar pv, solar-plus-storage, North America, Doosan Gridtech, 8minute Solar Energy, Tom Buttgenbach, predictive software, frequency response
Statkraft enters Irish solar foray with 320MW deal
Nordic renewables giant Statkraft has confirmed its entry into Ireland’s nascent solar power market, acquiring nine solar projects in the country.
Oct 28, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Ireland, Europe, utility-scale, Statkraft, Kevin O’Donovan, JBM Solar
BayWa r.e. adds to European floating solar momentum with double project completion
BayWa r.e. has taken two utility-scale floating solar projects to the finish line in the Netherlands, bringing a sizeable installed capacity boost to the segment in Europe.
Oct 28, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Floating PV, Germany, solar pv, floating PV, Europe, Huawei, Netherlands, baywa r.e., GCL-SI, zimmermann pv stahlbau, Benedikt Ortmann
PSPCL floats tenders for 30-MW solar rooftop projects
Giving a push to solar power energy, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has floated a tender for empanelment of companies to install 30 MW of grid-connected solar rooftop projects in the range of 1 kw to 1,000 kw.
Oct 26, 2019 // Grids, Rooftop PV, India, tender, Asia, rooftop PV, PSPCL
Large Brattleboro solar array has new owner
One of the largest solar arrays in Vermont has a new owner.
Oct 26, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, USA, Canada, Vermont, North America, Brattleboro, Robert Sher, Bob Spencer
CleanChoice brings community solar to municipal level
CleanChoice Energy is introducing town partnerships for its CleanChoice Community Solar offerings. The company’s first Community Solar Partnership is with the Village of Wappingers Falls, where CleanChoice Energy will serve as the town’s preferred provider of community solar, allowing local residents to realize savings while working toward the town’s sustainability goals. Wappingers Falls’ residents can subscribe to CleanChoice Energy’s new portfolio of local community solar farms and save up to 10% on their utility bills.
Oct 26, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Residential, Grids, Tariffs, Rooftop PV, USA, cleanchoice energy, North America, Matt Alexander, Tom Matzzie
Dominion acquires 72-MW South Carolina solar project from First Solar
Dominion Energy has acquired a 72-MW solar project still under construction in Beaufort county, South Carolina, from First Solar.
Oct 26, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, USA, First Solar, Dominion Energy, North America, South Carolina, Carolina, Keller Kissam
SEIA urges court to reject new fixed charges on Puerto Rico solar customers
In an Amicus Brief filed today in federal court, the Solar Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) urged United States District Judge Laura Taylor Swain to reject the proposed Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) for Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)’s over $8 billion in outstanding debt.
Oct 26, 2019 // Solar, Abigail Ross Hopper, SESA, RSA, Laura Taylor Swain, PJ Wilson
Citizens Energy completes 1.4-MW solar array for cerebral palsy organization
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Citizens Energy Corporation announced the completion of a 1.4-MW solar project in the Mohawk Valley. Located in Oneida County, Upstate Cerebral Palsy is the sole beneficiary of the commercial solar project.
Oct 26, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, USA, NYSERDA, North America, Citizens Energy Corporation, Oneida, Alicia Barton