German decommissioned nuclear plant to become 800 MW/1,600 MWh battery
PreussenElektra has revealed plans to potentially develop Europe’s largest battery storage facility at the decommissioned Brokdorf nuclear power plant site in Germany, with 800 MW/1,600 MWh of capacity. The site operator now needs to secure approval to dismantle the nuclear plant.
Enphase unveils new three-phase inverters
Enphase has released 208 V three-phase inverters for the small commercial market. The advancing hardware comes with a specialized support team and tailored design tools.
SMA to build 3.5 GW inverter factory in US
SMA Solar Technology AG says it will open a new 3.5 GW inverter factory at an unspecified location in the United States in 2025. The German manufacturer is currently talking with several US states and potential partners to select the best production site.
China’s Akcome to expand HJT solar cell capacity by 4.6 GW
Akcome Technology has expanded its heterojunction (HJT) solar cell capacity by an additional 4.6 GW, while China Energy Construction Corporation (CECC) has kicked off a 42 GW inverter tender for 2024.
Competition heats up
Oversupply is hitting some solar manufacturers hard but grid constraints and labor shortages are unlikely to hold the solar industry back in 2024.
China’s monocrystalline PERC cell prices extend losses while TOPCon cells hold steady
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Batteries in hybrid hydro-PV systems could increase profitability by 2%
Researchers from Norway have discovered that adding batteries to projects that combine hydropower and floating PV could increase annual profits by as much as 2%, due to revenues from ancillary services and capacity markets.
Portable off-grid solar devices provide electricity, water filtration, hot water
Power Panel has developed a portable PV device to support humanitarian needs and off-grid living.
Swedish zinc-ion battery startup secures funding for megafactory
Enerpoly, a Swedish startup that produces zinc-ion battery storage systems with durations of two to 10 hours, plans to scale production up to 100 MWh per year by 2026.
Bifacial PV on rooftops can provide energy yield gains of up to 22.6%
Scientists in Australia have combined Monte Carlo Ray Trace (MCRT) techniques and electrical modeling to assess the potential energy gains of bifacial rooftop PV systems compared to monofacial arrays. They found that rooftop reflectivity is a key factor in increasing a bifacial PV system performance, and that system and module design should also be carefully considered.
