Burnt out, incompatible connectors
Quality control campaign: PV panel manufacturers selling plug connectors as MC4 compatible is nothing unusual. Two operators who have installed such modules are now struggling with lost insurance coverage and fires.
Quality: Minor differences in yield percentage make the difference between good and bad investment
Changing technology, pressure to cut costs, dizzying price slumps and a number of other issues make solar module quality control as relevant as ever. The danger that modules could fail outright remains slim, so module reliability is still decisive for the success of the investment, explains George Touloupas, Director of Technology and Quality at CEA, in preparation of the 4th pv magazine Quality roundtable at SPI.
Solar is displacing gas in California’s summer electricity mix
Increased renewable energy output, including solar, cut in-state thermal generation 20% during the summer of 2016.
USAID to fund solar research projects in India and Morocco
The U.S. Agency for International development (USAID) announced that it will provide USD10 million in funding to a number of projects aimed at addressing critical areas of development, two of the projects center on solar research in India and in Morocco.
Poor quality planning: Shifting the blame, passing the buck
An installation company in the Midwest reports how blame was laid at their door for defective PV panels. The actual cause of the defects probably lie elsewhere.
NREL: 30% wind and solar are feasible on the Eastern U.S. grid – without storage
NREL’s latest study looks at 25% wind and 5% solar on the Eastern Power grids, modeling the system in five-minute intervals.
SunLink Launches TechTrack Distributed
SunLink has launched TechTrack Distributed, its distributed single-axis tracker, featuring dynamic design, site flexibility and total cost reduction.
Energy Storage North America announces innovation finalists
Energy Storage North America (ESNA), the annual energy storage industry show, has announced the finalists for its 2016 ESNA Innovation Awards, which recognize excellence and impact in energy storage project development.
New faces and familiar faces: the pv magazine USA weekly digest
This week saw three new high-profile executive appointments, Berkeley Lab’s annual report showing ongoing solar cost collapses, progress on Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity, and more.
Renewables rise to 16.8% of U.S. electricity production in H1 2016
However, EIA data shows solar PV only making up 1.3% of total generation, a fraction of the portion in leading European nations.
