Livestream shows how eclipse impacts solar power production across the U.S.
The 2024 solar eclipse will bring a few minutes of total darkness to twelve states as it cuts its path from Texas to Maine, and interest in how it will affect solar production brings to light the importance of solar energy on today’s grid.
Sunrise brief: DOE funds heated sand energy storage project pilot
Also on the rise: Developing hydrogen fuel from iron-rich rocks. Off-grid solar bench with wireless charging and Wi-Fi, And more.
Developing hydrogen fuel from iron-rich rocks
Researchers at UT Austin received grant funds from the Department of Energy to produce hydrogen fuel from rocks in an emissions-free process.
Researchers discover additive that enhances perovskite coating process
By adding an ionic pair stabilizer to perovskite cells enables coating to take place in ambient air, simplifying the manufacturing process.
DOE funds heated sand energy storage project pilot
A modeled commercial-scale project storing energy in heated sand could produce 135 MW of power for five days. The U.S. Department of Energy is funding a pilot project intended to demonstrate commercial viability.
Sunrise brief: California pivots to propose $24 average fixed fee to electric bills
Also on the rise: Solar module prices remain steady amid unchanged market fundamentals. U.S. solar industry week in review. And more.
The great untapped potential in non-residential rooftop solar for LMI residents
The team used satellite imagery and AI to track unused rooftops with good solar potential, and found that it would bring reduced energy costs to residents.
Potential effect of the 2024 solar eclipse on solar energy production
To compensate for potential loss of solar energy flowing to the grid, grid operators will have to be ready to rely on other sources to ensure grid stability, as was done during the 2017 and 2023 eclipse episodes.
Iron-based redox flow battery for grid-scale storage
Researchers in the U.S. have repurposed a commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities to develop an all-liquid, iron-based redox flow battery for large-scale energy storage. Their lab-scale battery exhibited strong cycling stability over one thousand consecutive charging cycles, while maintaining 98.7% of its original capacity.
Inverter undersizing not universally effective to reduce soiling losses
An international research team explained that, although inverter clipping is initially effective in mitigating soiling losses, these losses could become more visible with time, as solar module degradation makes clipping less frequent. They also warned that inverter under sizing alone may not be enough to mitigate soiling losses and suggested cleaning as an additional way to reduce them.
