Thanks to PV systems and battery storage, millions of households in Europe are already partially self-sufficient. A German-Swiss research group has calculated the potential for European residential buildings to achieve grid independence with solar-plus-storage solutions. The team aimed to determine whether such homes could abandon the grid completely. They based their calculations on a database that combined detailed geographic data about European buildings and households with local climate and economic factors. Using advanced techniques to simplify the process on high-performance computers, they designed cost-optimized, self-sustaining energy systems for 4,000 representative single-family homes. These results were then applied to the 41 million single-family homes they analyzed using neural networks. “Under today’s conditions, 53% of the 41 million buildings are technically capable of powering themselves through the use of local rooftop PV systems alone, independent of external infrastructure, and this share could rise to 75% by 2050 due to improved technologies,” said researcher Russell McKenna. “If we now assume that building owners would be willing to invest up to 50% more than would be necessary for a comparable energy system with a grid connection, then up to two million single-family homes could leave the grid by 2050.” Energy self-sufficient residential buildings show great potential, particularly in regions with stable weather patterns like Spain and areas with high electricity costs such as Germany. Electrolysis could also be a key component in cost-optimized systems. “Our results show that a successful, cost-optimal and self-sufficient energy supply system for buildings in Central Europe will consist of photovoltaics for electricity generation as well as a combination of short-term battery storage and a long-term battery storage, seasonal hydrogen storage system,” said researcher Jann Weinand. The key question is whether widespread adoption of fully self-sufficient, off-grid supply systems aligns with an efficient energy system. Single-family homes can contribute significantly to stabilizing a renewable-based energy system through load management, on-demand solar power injection, and provision of balancing services.

Recently, Anhui's largest solar system passenger car parking lot was connected to the grid to generate electricity, with an installed capacity of 11MW. The project is located at the southern end of Susong Road in Hefei Economic Development Zone, covering an area of 130 acres, equivalent to the size of 13 football fields, and can accommodate more than 3,000 cars at a time. The solar energy system parking lot is designed with an optimal inclination angle of 3°, taking into account multiple functional values such as efficient power generation on the board, convenient parking under the board, sunshade, rain protection, and dust protection. The project is expected to generate more than 12 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equivalently reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 12,000 tons. Photovoltaic parking lots are one of the typical green energy usage scenarios in zero-carbon solutions in the automotive industry. The completion and use of this project has achieved a win-win situation between green energy usage and efficient utilization of the park.

Several European solar associations have published an open letter calling on the EU to develop an industry strategy for the European solar photovoltaic industry and oppose the introduction of tariffs and trade barriers. To address the sharp decline in solar PV module prices in Europe, the signatories to the open letter propose four approaches that can be implemented in the short term. First, the signatories ask EU member states and representatives to call on the European Commission to further adjust the EU state aid framework to allow member states to support the operating expenses of factories. Secondly, the signatories demand that the EU quickly adopts the EU Net Zero Law and establishes a concrete flexible tendering system in consumer markets in the coming months. If this is done, Article 20 of the Net Zero Sector Act should be adapted to allow member states to hold a limited number of specific tenders of growing capacity to reflect Europe’s growing capacity needs. The signatories added that any pre-qualification criteria for solar PV must be avoided, which could adversely affect the speed and cost-effectiveness of Europe's energy transition and solar development. Furthermore, the signatories ask EU Member States and representatives to call on the European Commission to develop an EU-wide financial support framework specifically for the solar PV supply chain, building on the state aid framework. This framework could be linked to innovation funds and existing national support funds, mechanisms or instruments. Finally, the signatories call on the EU to use resilience and recovery funds wherever possible to support solar PV production. In August this year, Norwegian Crystals, a silicon ingot manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy. NorSun, also a Norwegian solar silicon ingot producer, also announced that due to the influx of "unusually low-priced" Chinese solar modules in September, the company decided to temporarily suspend production and lay off employees. In addition to calling on the EU to develop measures for the solar industry, the signatories also oppose tariffs and market barriers that could jeopardize Europe's growing PV market and existing PV ecosystem. "It would also jeopardize political development goals and deny consumers the economies of scale that make solar PV most attractive for decentralized consumer markets and electricity market supplies," the signatories wrote. one of the energy generation technologies. We ask member states and representatives to reject such proposals.”

On August 23, the largest ground-based centralized solar panel project in Jiangsu Province - CNNC Huineng's Jiangsu Sihongdong Magnetic 700,000-kilowatt ecological energy integration project, Meihua District, was connected to the grid to generate electricity, marking a major achievement for Sihong County's large-scale solar energy system power generation base. The breakthrough is of positive significance for building a new energy system in Jiangsu and coordinating the integrated development of wind, solar, and storage. The project has an installed capacity of 700,000 kilowatts. After the full capacity is connected to the grid for power generation, it is expected to provide about 845 million kilowatt hours of green energy to the society every year, save more than 250,000 tons of standard coal, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 630,000 tons, and continue to contribute to the local economy. Injecting green kinetic energy into development and actively assisting the construction of the local ecological environment can effectively reduce environmental pollution and have good economic and social benefits. On August 16, the 80-MW Jiezun Gongdao Fishing and Photovoltaic Complementary Project in Gongdao Town, Hanjiang District was successfully connected to the grid to generate electricity, becoming the first market-oriented photovoltaic project connected to the grid in Jiangsu. The project covers an area of about 1,300 acres, has installed about 145,000 solar panels, and is equipped with a 16 MWh energy storage system power station. It adopts the "fishing and photovoltaic complementary" model to make full use of land resources and achieve an organic combination of breeding, power generation and energy storage. This photovoltaic project is one of the first batch of market-oriented photovoltaic projects in the province in 2021. "This project is equipped with a 16 MWh energy storage power station based on 10% of the installed photovoltaic capacity, which is equivalent to a 'power bank' with a capacity of 16,000 kWh, which can reduce the impact of large power fluctuations of centralized photovoltaics on the power grid. ." Yang Xiaonan, a full-time employee of the Development Department of State Grid Yangzhou Power Supply Company, said that at the same time, the energy storage power station built in the project can promptly store excess power when new energy power generation is excessive, and connect the stored power to the grid when the power load is high. Improve the problem of new energy power generation and consumption.

Recently, the largest centralized photovoltaic project in Shanghai, the Shanghai Chongming Port West Fisheries Photovoltaic Complementary Photovoltaic Power Generation Project, was connected to the grid at full capacity. This project is China General Nuclear Power Corporation's first centralized solar energy system project in Shanghai, with an installed capacity of 158 MW. It will be implemented in two phases. It is also the second major "double recruitment and introduction" major talent project in Shanghai and a green step for Chongming District to build a world-class ecological island. One of the projects. It is reported that after the project is officially put into operation, the average annual power generation can reach 172 million kilowatt-hours, which can reduce the consumption of standard coal by more than 70,000 tons per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 149,000 tons. The environmental benefits are equivalent to planting 59,000 acres of forest, which will significantly Increasing the proportion of regional clean energy has positive significance for building a green and low-carbon production and living concept, creating beautiful countryside, building a world-class ecological island, and building Shanghai's new energy system. With the strong support of the Chongming District Agricultural Committee of Shanghai, CGN New Energy and Shanghai Ocean University have joined forces to combine fishery farming with innovative demonstration projects. Through the efficient compound utilization of land resources, they can achieve the dual benefits of power production and fishery farming, and strive to create It is a modern green ecological photovoltaic demonstration zone and fishery breeding science and education base that integrates ecology, intelligence and standardization. As of now, the total installed capacity of CGN's domestic new energy projects in operation exceeds 35 million kilowatts, and the projects are distributed in more than 550 new energy stations across the country.

A research team led by Dr. Jung-dae Kwon from the Department of Energy and Electronic Materials at the Korea Institute of Materials Science has successfully realized the world's first transparent thin-film solar cell on a flexible substrate that can exhibit different reflective colors without Significantly reduces solar cell efficiency. The results of the research were published in the Journal of Chemical Engineering. This is a technique to achieve reflective color in a single material by periodically adding hydrogen to induce a difference in refractive index in aluminum-doped zinc oxide as a transparent electrode. By designing multilayer films with extremely low refractive index differences (less than 5%), reflection losses in the visible light region absorbed by the solar cell device are minimized. This technique can be applied to various absorbers for thin-film solar cells since the realization of color hardly reduces the efficiency of solar cells. Furthermore, it is expected to become a benchmark for improving the aesthetics of transparent thin-film solar cells on flexible substrates for BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) and VIPV (Vehicle Integrated Photovoltaic). So far, multi-layer thinning technology for materials with large refractive index differences, color-controlled thin-film coating technology to engineer optical properties, and structural color technology to mimic natural structures have been used as color applications to improve the aesthetics of transparent thin-film solar cells method. However, due to the wide reflection band, high reflectivity, or the need for complex technologies, it is difficult to realize industrial application in terms of two or more materials and processes, and these technologies are not suitable for solar cells that absorb visible light. Using the vacuum sputtering deposition method used in general semiconductor and solar cell manufacturing processes, the research team formed multilayer films with different refractive indices through periodic hydrogen reactions while depositing zinc oxide films. Then, they obtained the three primary colors of light by adjusting the thickness of the multilayer film. At the time, even when applied to solar cells that absorb light in the visible range, the color of the electrodes was well realized. Multilayer transparent thin-film electrodes based on a single material do not require additional processing, and are expected to realize high-efficiency thin-film solar cells of various colors at low cost. In addition, since reflective color is realized as an optical filter, it can be applied in various fields such as image sensors, photosensors, optoelectronic elements, optical communication, optoelectronics, etc. Lead researcher Dr. Jung-dae Kwon said: "When this technology is commercialized, it will help develop simple, processing-free filter technology and efficient colored flexible substrate transparent thin-film solar cells to realize modern buildings with aesthetic fea...

How Australia is maximizing its solar energy resources with mid-scale solar installations？ It’s fair to say that Australia is embracing the potential of mid-scale solar installations with a slew of new and upcoming projects. The partnerships between major companies like Sustainable Energy Infrastructure and Yates Electrical Services Group (YES Group) are leading the charge in this new wave of sustainable energy projects. One such project that recently came to fruition is the Woods Point solar and battery storage farm, located near Murray Bridge in South Australia. This combined solar and battery project, generating a hearty 5MW, is a testament to the progress made in the mid-scale solar sector. It features 9,000 bifacial solar panels and a 2.5MWh, two-hour battery storage system. The project stands as a milestone in South Australia’s energy transition, underlining the potential of storage solutions and regional distributed energy assets. Sydney-based MPower Group Ltd has also built several mid-scale solar projects across Australia. With 5MW solar farms such as Mannum Solar Farm Project, Pirie Solar Farm, SA, and Solar For Samoa already connected to the grid, plans are in place for the development of the Faraday scheme in the state of Victoria. The project will comprise 11,000 bifacial photovoltaic modules spanning over 100 km (62 miles), and will be situated northwest of Melbourne. Due to be constructed in 2023, the plant will produce more than 11,500 MWh of electricity annually, enough to power 1,500 homes. Nathan Wise, MPower CEO, said of the project in 2021, “MPower is actively building a pipeline of 5MW solar project sites and currently has exclusivity over six sites. We are looking to create an initial portfolio of up to 20 renewable energy assets with an aggregate capacity of 100MWac and an estimated value of more than $150 million once fully constructed.” The Woods Point project is just the jewel in the crown of YES Group and Sustainable Energy Infrastructure's impressive portfolio. The partnership boasts approval for 55MW across 11 different assets in New South Wales and South Australia. There are currently five projects in operation, three under construction, and three more in the design and procurement stage. The companies are focusing their efforts on the sub-5 MW mid-scale sector, offering a faster approval process and avoiding grid connection challenges faced by large-scale projects. YES Group, with over 120 solar farms under its belt, emphasizes the value of the swift and straightforward development process within the sub-5 MW market. Along with two additional projects in Port Wakefield and Padthaway, the Woods Point project will generate 27 GWh of solar energy and store 3 GWh of energy. An ambitious $200 million investment plan is in the works, aimed at developing between 70 MW and 100 MW of projects across eastern Australia in the coming years. Meanwhile, in a blend of sport and sustainability, a South Aust...

According to a research report published earlier this year, Europe has the potential to deploy 51TW (51,000GW) of agricultural photovoltaics. Considering the power generation and agricultural potential, the researchers found that if all possible land was utilized, 51TW of agricultural photovoltaic power capacity in Europe would be feasible, equivalent to 71,500TWh of electricity generation per year, 25 times the current electricity demand in Europe. Three agricultural PV configurations were considered in the study: single-facial fixed-tilt modules suspended from above, single-facial soalr panel single-axis solar panels with tracking mounts whose angles can be changed throughout the day, and bifacial modules erected like a fence. The 51TW is based on a test situation in a field in Denmark and then mathematically extrapolated to simulate the rest of continental Europe. The optimal capacity density of agricultural photovoltaics is about 30W per square meter, so that at least 80% of the land can be used to grow crops. Results were uneven across the continent, with penetration potential for agricultural PV varying from just 1% of available land in Norway to as high as 53% in Denmark. Solar irradiance is higher and energy production is greater at lower latitudes. Keeping electricity production and agricultural production on the same land is key to agricultural PV, an approach that has the potential to quell many of the concerns that the PV and agricultural industries face regarding available land, food and energy security, local community opposition, NIMBYism, and the broader climate crisis. Among component configurations, single-axis tracking seems the most promising, but also the most expensive. It was found that the single-axis tracking and vertical assembly provided the most consistent level of solar irradiance reaching the ground, and the tracking assembly also provided the highest power output. Fixed-tilt modules will produce obvious shadow streaks on the ground, which may affect crop yields, and at the same time cannot achieve stable power generation around the clock. The Dutch government has recently taken effective measures to ban the use of agricultural photovoltaic technology on Dutch farmland. This move has shocked representatives of the national solar energy industry. Farmers' protests against plans to scale back the agricultural photovoltaic industry continue. Agricultural photovoltaics can bring benefits to crop production and power generation, and many adopters hope to strike a balance between photosynthesis and photovoltaic power generation to effectively optimize land use. The most obvious and major issue is sharing the land itself, as it is more practical and economical to be able to produce both food and electricity in the same area. In addition, solar panels provide shade in dry climates, making irrigation and water retention easier, fostering a more vibrant ecosystem beneath the modules. Crops beneath or adjacent to photovoltaic m...