Decarbonizing disaster response
Diesel generators have been the workhorse of disaster relief for decades but as the frequency of extreme weather events rises, so do calls to decarbonize the emergency response. Sustainability may not be the only benefit to using solar in a crisis, as pv magazine discovers.
DEPCOM Power is constructing Puerto Rico’s largest hybrid solar project
The company is developing a 90 MW solar / 51.5 MW energy storage project with an agrivoltaic pilot program.
BYD unveils new agrivoltaics module
Chinese module maker BYD is producing a new bifacial monocrystalline module at its manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The module has a power output of up to 355 W and a conversion efficiency of 16.33%.
Masked engineer highlights strangest mistakes in solar deployment
A Brazilian engineer on Instagram, always wearing a mask, has become a sensation in the Brazilian solar industry, attracting 12 sponsors with a mission to educate companies and consumers about common errors to avoid in rooftop PV installations.
Caribbean could become offshore floating solar PV giant, researcher says
Land is scarce but water is abundant for the Caribbean’s 700 islands. Solar economy professor Christian Breyer tells pv magazine that the region’s archipelagic makeup is not a drawback but a benefit for renewable energy generation.
Solar power generation soars in Mexico, southwestern U.S.
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that areas across Mexico and Southern Texas saw reduced cloud, leading to 120-130% of average September irradiance.
Sunnova to participate in battery emergency program in Puerto Rico
Distributed solar and storage customers sign up with Sunnova to participate in the Flex Power Program. By compensating customers for the power supplied by their batteries, they are incentivized to participate in the program designed to provide energy that reduces strain on the grid and minimizes blackouts at critical times.
DOE announces over $450 million for solar-plus-storage in Puerto Rico
The funding will support the installation of solar and storage, as well as providing outreach to identify and connect eligible households.
Maxeon’s PV module capacity hits 2.5 GW in Mexico
Maxeon Solar Technologies says it has invested $70 million to upgrade its panel factory in Mexicali, Mexico, to 1.8 GW. The remaining capacity is provided by a 700 MW facility that the Singapore-based manufacturer operates in Ensenada.
Sunrise brief: Caltech researchers beam solar from space
Also on the rise: FEMA funds $97 million Puerto Rico microgrid with 15 MW solar, 12 MWh storage. Redflow to build 20 MWh redox-flow battery in California. And more.
