Iberdrola is using a springer spaniel in a solar park to smell electrical problems that could lead to power cuts. It is also using a robotic dog to detect and analyse faults in substations.

Erthos claims that with its new installation method, solar facilities could occupy just one-third of the surface covered by conventional PV plants, potentially reducing installations costs by up to 20%.

PV Hardware has become a leading solar tracker manufacturer in Australia, a market renowned for its growth, opportunities and difficulty. Pv magazine spoke to Alejandro Cantos, director of PVH for the Asia-Pacific region.

The Cassiopeia solar project aims to use the sunlight collected by a space satellite for terrestrial energy needs. The electricity generated would be converted to radio frequency microwave radiation transmitted to an antenna on Earth. The initial LCOE would be $73.4 (USD 47.8)/MWh, according to a UK study.

Developers recently commissioned two different wine-related agrivoltaic projects in Europe.

A Spanish scientist has developed a system that reportedly produces hydrogen on-site without expensive electrolysis. The prototype utilises a water tank that is initially filled with water, ferrosilicon, and sodium hydroxide.

OnSight Technology has developed a tele-operated vehicle to clean solar arrays. It is equipped with a radiometric thermal imaging camera and an optical zoom camera backed by artificial intelligence. It has a range of 12 hours and a speed of 1.6 km per hour.

A Spanish consortium is equipping one of Madrid’s largest metro and bus stations with a hybrid system that combines PV, geothermal pumps, and vanadium redox flow batteries to provide cooling and heating.

A consortium led by Australian financial group Macquarie Asset Management will acquire French solar developer Reden Solar. The $3.7 billion (€2.5 billion) transaction is expected to be finalised in the third quarter of this year.

Gelion’s zinc-bromide Endure batteries will undergo commercial tests at the 1.2 MW Montes del Cierzo testing field Spanish renewable energy company Acciona Energía operates in Navarra, in the north of Spain.