Batteries and hydrogen to make residential off-grid PV technically feasible
Researchers in Finland have demonstrated the technical feasibility of an off-grid residential PV system combined with short-term battery storage and seasonal hydrogen storage. The proposed model is applicable only to northern climates, as higher levels of solar radiation in southern locations would mean a reduced need for seasonal storage. It was tested in an existing single-family house in Finland with a 21 kW rooftop array and a ground source 6 kW heat pump.
Vikram Solar module factory gets a rooftop PV plant
The 919.73 kWp captive solar plant at the module manufacturer’s Falta unit in West Bengal uses multiple PV technology advancements, including its own SOMERA monocrystalline, half-cut and full-cut cell panels.
India, Vietnam sign MoU on solar energy cooperation
The National Solar Energy Federation of India and Vietnam Clean Energy Association signed the pact to exchange best practices and explore business opportunities in solar energy.
Solar tariff drops below INR 2/kWh
The solar electricity price in India has dipped further to an all-time low of INR 1.99/kWh in a 500 MW Gujarat auction held recently, which is 0.5% lower than the previous record of INR 2/kWh set a month ago.
BHEL seeks minimum six million solar cells
Bids are invited to supply an aggregate 6,568,000 quantity of five-busbar multicrystalline and mono-crystalline PERC silicon solar cells in peak output ratings of 4.62Wp, 4.67Wp, 4.72Wp, 5.27Wp, 5.44Wp and 5.62Wp. The delivery period is three months.
BESCOM seeks consultant as it plans 1.06 GW rooftop solar
The work includes consultancy for demand aggregation and implementation of 1060 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar PV systems. Applications can be submitted until January 1, 2021.
Structural factors driving down solar tariffs in India
An analysis by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) says improvements in PV panel designs and costs, lower financing costs, and state-specific sectors such as the location’s solar potential and certain waivers have driven the decline in Indian solar tariffs.
MG Motor partners TES-AMM for EV battery recycling
The British carmaker has joined hands with the electronic waste recycler to get the lithium-ion batteries of its ZS electric vehicles recycled at the end of their life.
The long read: Rotary printing rocks!
Cell metallization is getting a makeover. Some ‘rocking’ research projects spearheaded by Fraunhofer ISE are now set to introduce new printing methods that could deliver more than a doubling of throughput. There are hurdles to overcome across various process steps and on a materials basis, but initial results appear encouraging.
Borosil Renewables raises INR 200 crore though QIP issue
The solar glass manufacturer plans to utilize the funds to more than double its solar glass production capacity from 450 tonnes per day (TPD) to 950 TPD.
