Energy output is over 100 times the input needed to manufacture solar panels
According to a third-party study, the projected output over the 40-year warranty period of Maxeon solar panels exceeds the energy demand of manufacturing them by over 100-fold. Plus, more details from the Maxeon 2021 sustainability report.
New residential battery from the Netherlands
Dutch startup Charged has developed a lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of 5 kWh. It can be stacked in a six-unit configuration to reach 30 kWh. It measures 400 mm x 500 mm x 200 mm and weighs 45 kg.
The long read: Structural solar matters
While it comes with clear performance advantages, the move to larger module formats has created plenty of confusion since it began in 2019. As the dust settles and standards emerge, pv magazine caught up with Hongbin Fang, director of product marketing at Longi Solar, to discuss the latest on wafer and cell dimensions.
Perovskite: The disruptive element
Perovskite solar cells have the potential to produce more energy at significantly lower costs than conventional silicon PV cells. Efforts are underway to speed up their commercialization by addressing issues such as limited stability.
Massive pumped-hydro storage facility comes online in Switzerland
The Nant de Drance facility began commercial operations on July 1 and is currently one of Europe’s largest pumped-hydro storage stations.
Agrivoltaics adding value to crops with low agricultural yield
A group of 35 French agricultural entrepreneurs decided to change their agricultural practices to adapt to the low quality of their groundwater and chose agrivoltaics as a way to compensate for crop yield losses.
German consortium plans to build world’s largest heat pump
Basf and Man Energy announced a plan to build a 120 MW renewables-powered heat pump for steam production at an industrial site operated by Basf in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, Germany. The feasibility study for the project should be completed by the end of this year.
GAIL launches funding scheme for renewable, electric-mobility startups
Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), a state-owned natural gas supplier, has started accepting proposals from startups in the renewable energy and electric mobility sectors for equity investment under its “Pankh” initiative.
Recycling options for PV panels, batteries could drive circular economy, says NREL
Renewable hardware that lasts longer and uses fewer materials could bolster recycling efforts and help to build an effective circular economy for solar and battery technologies, says the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Green hydrogen pilot project targeting fuel dispensation at 700 bar
GH2 Solar is the project partner for a new green hydrogen pilot based on proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. It will have the capacity to produce 10 normal cubic meters of green hydrogen per hour.
