Technology

The state is also reportedly set to this year unveil ‘Asia’s largest floating solar plant’, in the shape of the 150 MW Rihand Dam installation.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new kind of thermal battery that can greatly increase the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of many industrial processes and shows great promise for use in the solar industry. Liz Thompson reports that Argonne’s Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS) can rapidly capture and store surplus heat so that it can be used as needed. With its pioneering modular design and material advancements resulting in greater efficiency, TESS is a big step forward in thermal battery technology.

The company has bagged an order from state-run Chittaranjan Locomotive Works to supply transformers for goods and passenger locomotive engines.

Scientists led by MIT have suggested chitin, a carbon and nitrogen-rich material made from waste shrimp shells, could produce sustainable electrodes for vanadium redox flow batteries and other energy storage technologies.

The super-hydrophobic coating using functional nanoparticles repels dust deposition on the solar panels and cleans itself by the action of water on the modules. 

The solar plant—to be set up under a ‘build-own-operate’ basis—is part of the Dholera Solar Park capacity tendered by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd under ninth phase. July 16 is the last date to lodge the interest.

Scientists measuring air pollutants and PV performance in the city have found the lockdown conditions imposed since late March have brought about a significant reduction in air pollution which has led to an 8% increase in solar irradiation reaching rooftop arrays.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) and NLC India—both under India’s Ministry of Coal—would form a joint venture with 50:50 equity participation to develop 5 GW of power assets, including 3 GW solar and 2 GW thermal.

The renewable energy developer—which owns and operates 172 MW of wind capacity in India—has claimed its first solar tender win in the country with a SECI award for 300 MW power.

The winning bid, for 300 MW of generation capacity by Spanish developer Solarpack in a 2 GW auction is 3.3% lower than the previous record of Rs2.44.