The vertical tilt, or angle, at which the solar panels are installed in a photovoltaic system will have an impact on the amount of electricity they can generate. A panel will collect solar radiation most efficiently when the sun's rays are perpendicular to the panel's surface – however the angle of the sun varies throughout the year. The optimal tilt angle for a solar panel will differ throu...
Photovoltaic rail transport: How does it work? Rail companies can install solar modules on the roof of trains to generate power for onboard services, such as air conditioning, lighting, and security. They can also install solar panels nearby or on train tracks to generate electricity to run trains and distribute power to the grid. This could provide a solution for rail networks that rely heavily o...
The business case for desert PV plants Demand for renewable energy is rising around the world as governments and businesses move away from fossil fuels — a trend that has only gained impetus with the energy crisis prompted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. There are opportunities in developing regions such as Africa and India, where economic development is driving up electricity access and con...
Are the Nordic regions a good place for PV installations? While solar energy might not be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of Nordic countries, these nations are now harnessing the sun’s power in ways that defy traditional stereotypes. Even though it may seem counterintuitive due to their climate, Nordic countries are remarkably well-suited for PV installations. Solar irrad...
This tiny country is short on land. But a forward-thinking government and innovative solutions are overcoming the lack of space. In the Dutch countryside, about 130 km east of Amsterdam, an unusual-looking hill towers and glistens above farmhouses, leafless trees, and muddy grassland. The hill - 25 metres tall - is built from 15 years' worth of household and business waste. What's remarkable is wh...
Solar power is the most opted source, with many homesteads, offices, and institutions moving towards solar energy. It is the cheapest of all renewable energy sources. What happens when your solar panel produces more power than you need? The solar power harnessed by the PV panels is in DC. With most appliances using alternating current, having a PV inverter to convert power from DC to AC is necessa...
Solar panels add three-dimensional structure and complexity to an environment. They can provide animals shelter from predators and the elements, much like artificial reefs in lakes and oceans. They can also act as perch or nesting structures. Solar infrastructure also creates a mosaic of sun and shade patches – and so provide many “micro-habitats” for plants and animals. Research...
Photovoltaic power stations are built in wilderness, desert, and high-rise buildings, and need to face different natural disasters all year round. Among them, the most common are various hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes. According to the global wind distribution map, gales with wind speeds greater than 10 m/s cover more than 60% of the world's regions; over the past 160 years, more than 50% of ...
Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure presented a national plan last week to deploy 800MW/3,200MWh of solar energy storage capacity, including Israel’s first large-scale storage facility. The plan covers the construction of four 200 MW/800 MWh facilities, to be installed in phases according to system needs, and to employ different energy storage technologies. The four faciliti...
Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure presented a national plan last week to deploy 800MW/3,200MWh of solar energy storage capacity, including Israel’s first large-scale storage facility. The plan covers the construction of four 200 MW/800 MWh facilities, to be installed in phases according to system needs, and to employ different energy storage technologies. The four faciliti...
