News

Suppliers of encapsulant materials – plastic sheets that are heated to laminate together the components in PV module stacks – are rapidly expanding to keep pace with module manufacturing in Asia and other parts of the world. Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) continues to dominate the market, but new developments in module technology are driving a slow shift to more costly polyolefins.

The state-run power producer, which already has a 140 MW solar project operational at Bilhaur in Uttar Pradesh, has announced part commissioning of a second PV project in the town.

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited has installed a 150 kW/528 kWh battery energy storage system at Ranibagh Substation in New Delhi. The system will support the utility in managing the peak load, voltage regulation, power factor improvement, frequency regulation, and deviation settlement mechanism at the substation level. Besides, it will provide a power backup of 150 kW for 4 hours duration to preferential consumers in case of a grid outage.

The Recommended Practice guide, on top of describing the most common requirements for building a floating PV array, provides a series of technical guidelines for electrical safety, anchoring and mooring issues, operation and maintenance, and specific plant design that can withstand site-specific environmental conditions.

A new report compares the European Union and Indian regulatory frameworks for managing end-of-life solar panels. It also assesses and analyses the PV waste market and processing capacities in India and shares recommendations for the Indian stakeholders.

A new report says that combining rooftop solar with storage presents an enormous opportunity for India as the combination becomes economically viable soon. It highlights the best practices from Australia—a nation with the world’s highest rooftop solar capacity per person—to serve as a guide in planning for this integration.

German solar manufacturer Axitec has revealed plans to start selling its new half-cut PV modules from the second quarter. It manufactures the panels with 182 mm wafers.

The Indian multinational has landed a second order from an existing client for the turn-key execution, operation, and maintenance of a solar project. With this, its cumulative order book in the USA has swelled to around US$ 260 million (INR 1,880 crore).

Bidders have until April 15 to lodge their interest in the grid-connected solar project, which must be commissioned within a year from the award of contract. Operation and maintenance of the plant for five years also falls under the bidder’s scope.  

The module can be used for residential and commercial PV projects. It is available in five versions with power outputs claimed by the company of 390-415 W and reported efficiencies of 20.0-21.3%.