Emiliano Bellini
Silver price on the rise
The price of silver has increased over 30% since the beginning of the year, with a particularly strong increase being registered in the last few months.
PV system sizing for 100% self-consumption
A group of researchers has proposed a new method for the sizing of PV systems that do not rely on an anti-dump system and operate without the possibility of injecting power into the grid. The novel approach requires an estimate of the annual hourly profile and the minimum power demanded, as well as the use of an irradiance meter and an electrical network analyzer.
Storing solar power through aluminum-rock composite
UK-based Caldera has developed a new heat storage technology that can reportedly convert on-site generated solar power into on-demand heat, thus replacing conventional gas boilers. The system uses a composite of recycled aluminum and volcanic rocks to store heat at up to 500 C and produce steam.
A few micrograms of particulates enough to affect PV power generation
New research from South Korea has shown that even a 10 μg/m3 increase in atmospheric particulate matter can considerably reduce solar power generation and impact revenue of PV system owners.
NREL researchers want to use tetracene to make singlet fission solar cells
Tetracene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that is commonly used in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), or as a sensitizer in chemoluminescence. Singlet fission solar cells can produce two electrons from one photon, making the cell more efficient.
U.S. ethanol facility to host steam-generating heat pump
Western New York Energy says it will install an industrial steam-generating heat pump at its ethanol plant in Medina, New York, with a maximum output temperature of 215 C and a coefficient of performance of 2.7.
GE Vernova releases 2,000 V (DC) utility-scale inverter
GE Vernova has developed a 2,000 V (DC) utility-scale inverter, to be used in a North American pilot operation starting in early 2025. The inverter offers up to 6.0 MVA of output power.
World now has five times more PV than nuclear power
According to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024, the world had 408 operational reactors producing 367 GW in the middle of the year, which is significantly less than installed capacity predictions for solar by the end of the year and five time less the world’s cumulative PV capacity.
Sharp launches 450 W bifacial TOPCon module with 22.52% efficiency
Sharp’s new IEC61215- and IEC61730-certified solar panels have an operating temperature coefficient of -0.29% per C and a bifaciality factor of over 80%.
New refrigerant may improve coefficient of performance of air-source heat pumps by up to 21%
Developed by a Chinese research group, the novel refrigerant is made of a mixture of carbon dioxide (CO2) and a non-flammable hydrofluoroolefin. It has slightly higher costs compared to conventional compounds, but its creators claims these costs could be significantly reduced with large-scale industrial production.
