Using air conditioning to cool down PV modules, dry dishes
An international research team has investigated how air conditioning may be used to reduce the operating temperature of PV panels. The researchers not only found that the proposed approach is technically viable, but they also tested the use of excess heat from the panels for drying dishes.
Reconductor existing transmission to “unlock” renewables, says UC Berkeley study
Large-scale reconductoring of existing transmission lines could cost-effectively double transmission capacity within existing rights-of-way, a study says. Renewable energy projects near reconductored transmission lines could more easily interconnect.
Watch: Robots install solar project in Arizona desert
In its first commercial project, Terabase Energy successfully installed 17 MW of a 225 MW solar facility with its automated Terafab platform.
Mysterious, higher energy yields in vertical PV systems
Scientists in the Netherlands have sought to understand the reason for unexpected gains in vertical PV systems and found that these installations have a much higher heat transfer coefficient than their horizontally deployed counterparts.
Long-duration storage and renewables can cut global industrial emissions by 65%
A recent report from the LDES Council finds industrial carbon emissions comprise around a quarter of annual global greenhouse gasses, and are growing by 2% every year.
NREL presents new GaAs solar cell concept with 27% efficiency
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has identified a low-cost way to produce high-efficiency III-V solar cells with dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE). The synthesis involved a gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cell with a gallium indium arsenide phosphide emitter layer.
Analysis finds 10 GW of solar could have dropped unserved load by 15% during Winter Storm Uri
A report by GridLab and IdeaSmiths suggests 10 GW of additional solar panels could have powered one million homes for up to eight hours during Texas Winter Storm Uri.
Ascent Solar announces 17.55% efficiency for CIGS tech
Ascent Solar, a US-based manufacturer, has achieved an efficiency of 17.55% for its copper, indium, gallium and selenide (CIGS) technology. It says it plans to release a new CIGS solar module with this efficiency rating soon.
Solestial wins NASA contract to develop solar blanket wings for spacecraft
The company received nearly $1 million to develop ultrathin PV for the next generation for space infrastructure.
China expected to dominate solar manufacturing through 2026
A Wood Mackenzie report forecasts that China will hold more than 80% of poly, wafer, cell and module manufacturing capacity for the next three years.
