To achieve net zero energy status, solar-powered buildings should not exceed 10 floors
Researchers in Canada have found that nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) with on-site solar energy generation should not exceed an energy use intensity (EUI) of 50 kWh/m2a, which they said corresponds to a maximum of 10 floors. They also ascertained that the maximum permitted EUI by net-zero energy status is 17 to 28 kWh/m2a.
Sunrise brief: Tesla solar down 38%, energy storage up 222% in Q2
Also on the rise: Array Technologies to secure domestically made steel from new mill in Texas. Separator tech to prevent battery fires. And more.
Separator tech to prevent battery fires
Nuvola Technology says it has developed a direct deposition polymer separator technology that can eliminate the primary cause of lithium-ion battery fires.
Sunrise brief: European warehouses store 40 GW of unsold solar panels
Also on the rise: New York Green Bank provides $25 million credit debt facility for energy storage. Federal agencies urged to tap 25 GW potential of solar on canals. And more.
Fraunhofer ISE unveils 15.8%-efficient organic solar cell
Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE has achieved a world record efficiency for organic cells at the lab level. It now aims to bring the PV technology to market maturity.
Sunrise brief: Bifacial perovskites show 93% backside efficiency
Also on the rise: First Solar inks 5 GW supply deal with Energix. EPA announces two grant opportunities for clean tech projects. And more.
Flow battery capacity and longevity boosted by an unexpected ingredient
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory demonstrated the use of sugar water to improve the performance of flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage.
Solar generated 7% of U.S. electricity in April
Solar electricity was up 16% from 2022, a relatively modest increase due to lower deployed solar capacity in 2022 than in 2021. For the year, solar has covered 5% of all electricity so far, with emission-free sources greater than 43%.
U.S. national labs evaluate potential for floating solar in Southeast Asia
The labs assessed the technical potential for floating PV and underlined its co-benefits in environmental protection and food security.
Using existing fences as near-zero-cost racking solution for PV deployment
Researchers are proposing to use steel zip ties to attach solar modules to fences in animal farms as a low-cost racking solution for agrivoltaic applications. They found the proposed approach is technically and economically viable, provided careful wind load tests are conducted on the fences.
