New model for diffuse, shadow effects on vehicle-integrated photovoltaics
Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Madrid have validated a model to simulate solar resources for vehicle integrated PV in urban settings, taking into account reflections and shadows of buildings and objects.
Sunrise brief: Gavin Newsom rules that schools and farms cannot use their own solar energy production
Also on the rise: Solar plan under development for Love Canal chemical site. How to quickly add gigawatts of batteries to the PJM grid. And more.
Hitachi Energy expands transformer and switchgear manufacturing
The company plans to expand its high-voltage switchgear and breakers factory in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, a distribution, power, and traction transformer factory in South Boston, Virginia, and to build a distribution transformer factory in Mexico.
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.
How to quickly add gigawatts of batteries to the PJM grid
Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM has a ready opportunity to enable substantially more battery capacity and prevent a near-term resource adequacy shortfall, says a trade group report.
Sunrise brief: California bill requires utilities to evaluate grid-enhancing technologies
Also on the rise: Polysilicon prices steady amid global trade policy uncertainties. First floating solar installation in Utah. And more.
Solar-plus-storage dominating future U.S. power grid
A report from Berkeley Lab reveals a significant expansion of solar-plus-storage facilities in the U.S. power plant market, highlighting an evolution from frequency to arbitrage and curtailment mitigation markets. The best is yet to come, as ongoing price decreases are still being absorbed by the market and are already being used to fill the interconnection queues with terrawatts of capacity.
U.S. solar industry on track to install 250 GW in five years
According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2024 report, in the two years since passage of the IRA the solar industry has added 75 GW of new capacity to the grid, representing over 36% of all solar capacity built in U.S. history.
Reaching 45% solar generation would save Southeast utilities $20 billion/year
Annual savings of $20 billion are possible across six Southeastern states by reaching 45% solar generation by 2035, according to a national laboratory study.
Thin-film tandem solar in the U.S.
Tandem solar-cell technology featuring silicon has been widely researched but materials such as perovskites, paired with established thin-film solar or with other perovskite cells, are pointing to a new development path.
