Tag Archive for: solarpanels

The nation is set to add 108 gigawatts of solar power to the grid this year, up from 54.88 gigawatts in 2021.

China is on track to double its solar panels from last year’s record

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China will add enough new solar power this year to nearly double last year’s record amount of installations as the the country accelerates its clean energy drives.

The nation is set to add 108 gigawatts of solar power to the grid this year, up from 54.88 gigawatts in 2021, state-owned CCTV reported on Monday, citing the National Energy Administration. There are 121 gigawatts of solar projects currently under construction, the NEA said.

China currently has the world’s largest renewable power fleet with 323 gigawatts of solar and 338 gigawatts of wind. President Xi Jinping is aiming for 1,200 gigawatts combined by 2030, but rapid deployment means the country is likely to reach the target years early.

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Source: Bloomberg

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The researchers found that by using bifacial solar modules, snow losses could be cut from double digits to just 2% on an annual basis.

Bifacial solar modules shine in snowy environments

As solar costs have dropped, it now makes economic sense to implement them even in the deep north, yet there is concern about the effects of snow on energy generation. While solar panels operate best in colder temperatures, panels covered in snow will generate less energy, known as snow loss.  A study conducted at Western University in Ontario, Canada, shows how to beat snow losses using solar energy systems.

The difference between bifacial and monofacial modules is that bifacial modules absorb light from the front and back, while monofacial only collect sunlight on the front. The study analyzed snow losses on these two types of systems using hourly data including energy, solar irradiation and albedo, the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation.

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Source: PV Magazine

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Google's Mountain View, CA offices feature curved roofs and textured solar panels that optimize the hours they can generate electricity.

At Google’s new campus, ‘dragonscale’ solar panels capture sunlight from all different angles

At Google’s newly opened campus in Mountain View, California, it isn’t immediately obvious that the roofs are covered in solar panels. But the sprawling canopies on each building—looking a little like futuristic circus tents—are covered in 50,000 small, silver-colored “dragonscale” photovoltaic panels, shaped to optimize the times they can generate solar power throughout the day.

It’s part of an approach that the company, along with architects from Bjarke Ingels Group and Heatherwick Studio, took to making the new campus, which covers more than a million square feet, as sustainable as possible. In an area currently undergoing a severe drought, it’s designed to save water. A massive geothermal system, the largest in North America, makes it possible to heat and cool the buildings without fossil fuels. The landscaping helps support biodiversity. The buildings’ solar skins, along with local wind power, will help the campus work toward Google’s goal of running on 100% renewable power, 24-7, by the end of the decade. (Right now, it runs on 90% renewable power.)

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Source: Fast Company

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With the help of a new solar module, the efficiency in the daily operation of heavy duty cargo bikes can be vastly improved.

New solar solution increases range of electric cargo bikes by up to 20%

Leading custom solar panel manufacturer OPES Solutions has partnered with the green logistics experts from Urban Mobility to equip e-cargo bikes with robust and lightweight solar panels. Developed especially for vehicles, the integrated solar solution provides up to 20% more range in delivery practice if the heavy payload of 250 kg plus driver is fully utilized.

The Germany based Urban Mobility GmbH has developed an heavy duty cargo bike for urban delivery services. The heavy duty UM CargoBike has a very large 2,0m³ cargo box and is classified as Pedelec25, an e-bike with a maximum speed of 25km/h. It can be operated tax-free, and without a driver’s license. Additionally, it can be used on bike lanes and some pedestrian areas. These aspects give it an enormous commercial and operational advantage compared to classic delivery trucks.

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Source: Automotive World

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Digital Realty unveiled two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 158 MW of solar energy in California and Georgia.

Digital Realty to source 158 MW of solar in California, Georgia

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US data centres outfit Digital Realty (NYSE:DLR) today unveiled two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 158 MW of solar energy in California and Georgia as a step toward 100% renewable electricity.

One of the deals is a 12-year contract that will support a new 130-MW solar project in Kern County, California being developed by US renewables developer Terra-Gen as part of its Edwards Sanborn Solar Storage energy project. The solar-plus-storage facility is expected to be completed late this year.

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Source: Renewables Now

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A better way to clean solar panels

Solar power is expected to account for 10% of global power generation by 2030, and much of that power is likely to be harvested in desert areas, where sunlight is abundant. But the accumulation of dust on solar panels or mirrors can reduce the output of photovoltaic panels by as much as 30% in just one month.

The regular cleaning that solar panels require currently is estimated to use about 10 billion gallons of water per year—enough to supply drinking water for up to 2 million people. Water cleaning also makes up about 10% of the operating costs of solar installations since water typically has to be trucked in from a distance and must be very pure to avoid leaving deposits on the surfaces. But waterless cleaning methods are less effective and labor-intensive and tend to scratch the panels, which also reduces their efficiency.

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Source: MIT Technology Review

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Tesla takes a 9400 mile, solar-powered road trip

A team of scientists from Australia and the UK are embarking on an epic, 9400-mile Tesla road trip across some of the most remote regions of the world– and they’re doing it on 100% solar power.

The project is called “Charge Around Australia,” and the team hopes to get Aussies to think about new ways to prevent climate change while showing off the range and flexibility of the electric Tesla sedan. Out in Australia’s most remote regions– where the scorching temperatures, vast distances, and lack of water simply prohibit comfortable human habitation– the project’s roll-up solar panels will be put to the ultimate test.

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Source: Clean Technica

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Santa Monica solar panel recycling pilot wraps up

Santa Monica solar panel recycling pilot wraps up

On June 27, 2018, the Santa Monica was awarded $50,000 in funding from the Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). The City worked with the California Product Stewardship Council and other partners to survey stakeholders, conduct outreach, and coordinate panel pickups from homeowners and solar installers.  The CA Conservation Corps picked up and hauled panels and a Universal Waste management company called CalMicro, recycled the panels.

Results
Overall, 281 working and non-working panels were collected from 8 locations for an estimated total recycling weight of 7,920 lbs.  The cost for hauling and recycling solar panels was about $0.62 per pound or $17 per panel.  An additional 78 working panels were diverted for reuse.

Next Steps
Since the pilot is concluded, the City does not have staff or budget to dedicate to processing solar panels at this time, however, there are Universal Waste recyclers in Southern California that are certified to process solar panels and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Los Angeles is accepting unwanted working panels.  The California Product Stewardship Council created a website dedicated to the proper handling of unwanted solar panels: calpsc.org/solarpanelstewardship.

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Source: City of Santa Monica

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MI universities may be developing the next big thing: clear solar panels

Silicon is king when it comes to solar panels, but the reign of that dark, opaque material could be near its end.

An unassuming stretch of windows on Michigan State University’s campus is poised to revolutionize solar energy, a fast-growing and increasingly prevalent source of power. The panes installed last year look like regular glass, but they harvest enough sunlight to power the lights in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences building’s atrium.

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Source: Detroit News

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