Category: Solar News

NIPSCO adds solar capacity through a 280 MW PPA

The Indiana utility plans to be coal-free by 2028 by adding a combination of cleaner energy sources to its existing mix of natural gas and hydroelectric generation. Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and a unit of Capital Dynamics signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for 280 MW of the power generated by a…
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Digital tool to monitor PV plant construction

U.K.-based Above has developed a digital approach to unifying PV plant testing and inspection data. The company said the new tool can create a permanent digital record for the future. Above, a U.K. aerial inspection and data analytics specialist, has developed a way to monitor the construction of large-scale solar projects. The company claims its approach…
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The US deployed 3.8 GW of solar in Q3

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, solar accounts for 43% of all new electric generating capacity additions through Q3 2020, more than any other electricity source. U.S. solar companies installed 3.8 GW of new solar PV capacity in Q3 2020. That was a 9% increase from Q2 installations as the…
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Solar module passive cooling with lapping fins

Malaysian researchers have proposed a new passive technology for solar module cooling based on fin heat sinks. The tech ensures lower PV system payback times and reduces operating module temperatures by up to 26 C. Researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia have developed a new passive technology to keep solar panels cool. They claim their new…
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Italy’s 2050 decarbonization plan needs 6 GW of new PV capacity annually

A recent forum held by Italian trade body Italia Solare has shown that Italy needs to streamline its large scale PV sector if it wants to reach its energy and decarbonization targets. Simplified authorizations for photovoltaic plants up to 10 MW on industrial land and an extension of the so-called Superbonus for rooftop PV linked to building…
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Solar facade for 3D-printed concrete house

Taiwan-based Heliartec has deployed a solar facade on a 3D-printed concrete house in Belgium. It said it installed the solar facade with the “circular construction” philosophy in mind. Taiwanese BIPV module manufacturer Heliartec Solutions has deployed a solar facade on a 3D-printed concrete house built at the Centre for Sustainability and Innovation in Construction in Westerlo, Belgium.…
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Solar greenhouse for crops

Scientists in Canada have created a greenhouse that is exclusively heated by solar panels. The rooftop PV system is not connected to the grid, but is linked to four batteries with a total capacity of 5.56 kWh. A research team at Canada’s Université de Sherbrooke has designed a greenhouse for fruits and vegetables that is heated…
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World’s largest residential virtual power plant coming from Alphabet-backed SIP and OhmConnect

Like Airbnb, but monetizing spare energy: “The first big step towards opening the door to a massively transactive grid.” Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) and OhmConnect are partnering to create Resi-Station, a 550-MW clean energy power plant that will go live in California next month. At full-scale, in three years, it will be the largest residential power plant in…
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US energy storage market redefined in Q3

Installations hit a record 476 MW/764 MWh in the third quarter, with California’s deployment figures alone shattering all previous quarterly records. According to the latest edition of Wood Mackenzie’s U.S. energy storage monitor, the country deployed 476 MW of energy storage in the third quarter, or 240% more than was installed in the second quarter,…
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Ikea extends PV offer to Spain

Starting from January, the Swedish furniture provider will launch its Solstrale PV panel offer in the Spanish market. Swedish furniture giant Ikea will begin selling solar modules online in Spain from January. “We want clean energy to be available to the majority of people,” the company said in a statement. “We know we have to make an affordable…
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