Technology

Also on the rise: An American at Intersolar. Why a long-term maintenance plan is essential. Solar that works in the shade. Scout Clean Energy buys nearly 400 MW of First Solar modules. Pine Gate purchases 2.4 GWh of EnerVenue batteries. And more.

University of Illinois scientists have developed a way to remove snow and ice from solar panels at a much faster rate than conventional approaches. It is based on a glass coating on a film with high optical transparency and superhydrophobicity.

Also on the rise: 1 TW of solar annually by 2030. Piloting solar for low- and moderate-income customers. Energy storage adds resiliency to Army garisson. 30 patents for lithium-ion battery alternatives. And more.

Joint Center for Energy Storage Research is developing alternative chemistries for batteries that may provide safer and longer lasting alternatives to the commonly used lithium-ion. The group has over 30 license-ready patents.

The Long Duration Energy Storage for Everyone, Everywhere Initiative, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will advance energy storage systems toward widespread commercial deployment by lowering the costs and increasing the duration of energy storage resources.

Various visions of the disruption that the transition to cleaner, cheaper electricity sources will have on energy markets and supply exist. Critics anticipate expensive chaos, while advocates see a powerful new network emerge. Serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist and energy futurist Bill Nussey has put his thoughts together in a new book, Freeing Energy, and pv magazine’s Tim Sylvia met the author to discuss its findings.

An international research group has published the details of a two-year project to develop reliable ways to assess light-elevated temperature-induced degradation in operational PV modules.

ACE Green Recycling announced plans to build a 400,000 square foot Texas plant to recycle both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

Also on the rise: Western and Southeastern utilities’ progress in advancing 194 GW of solar projects is a mystery. Michigan utility seeks land siting utility scale solar. Approximately 858 GWdc of solar and over 1 TWh of batteries are in development. Summit Ridge energizes Montgomery County’s first ground-mount community solar project. PG&E $11 million pilot programs to accelerate vehicle-to-everything technologies. 50 states of solar incentives: Rhode Island.

Pacific Gas & Electric is developing three pilot programs to test how bi-directional EVs and chargers can send power to the grid.