Research

Soltec single axis tracker research shows greater production in a two-in-portrait configuration versus a single module by just over 2%, driven mostly by lower module temperatures as well hardware design adjustments.

A report from US research labs shows natural gas as the leading reason wholesale electricity pricing has fallen over the last decade across the country, however, looking at key markets it is clear there are larger downward effects where wind and solar have been most heavily deployed.

National Renewable Energy Lab researchers hourly modeled the whole of the United States, and when more than half of all electricity is coming from solar power, there would be no technical deal killers, but many spring days with free electricity that we would have to learn to use, and a need to financially recognize the predictability and grid stabilizing attributes of solar and storage.

Seven early-stage solar manufacturing firms have won U.S. Department of Energy grants to develop prototypes, which they could use to help attract private investment. DOE’s 21 PV research and development grants may hold more interest for established manufacturers.

DNV GL has released its 2019 Battery Scorecard, looking at various factors weighing on battery degradation, with a focus on the financeability of energy storage projects.

NREL opened the doors as scientists spoke of advancing perovskites with fundamental research, fast drying solar inks, refining solar windows, and actively pushing into high speed, high volume manufacturing capacity on the multi-terawatt scale.

The Brattle Group has released an analysis suggesting that New England should double its electricity output and deploy between 158 and 285 GW of zero-carbon resources if it is to meet its regional goal of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2050.

Hello wonderful people and welcome to a super-rare Friday edition of the pvMB. Today we’ll be checking out Ben & Jerry’s and Sierra Club’s renewable energy partnership, Virginia’s first EVgo station, CleanSpark’s feasibility study of off-grid power solution for cannabis growers and more!

NREL has made its capacity planning model freely available for anyone to use. The model can optimize the amounts of solar, wind and storage to be added to the U.S. electric grid. Documentation is included, but a powerful computer and additional software are required.

pv magazine USA is at Solar Power International in Salt Lake City, Utah this week and showing off some hardware from the floor. And most impressive is that innovation is still happening in solar modules, but also in many other complementary technologies.