Hybridising PV, redox flow batteries and geothermal heat pumps
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.
Australian-led consortium acquires French solar company with 15GW under development
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.
New investor to boost Gransolar’s Australia vision
Spanish renewables group Gransolar says backing from international financier will “supercharge” its growth plans in Australia.
Robot dog for PV plant monitoring
Spanish renewable energy company Acciona is using a robot dog, instead of drones, to monitor a solar park in northern Chile. The device has a built-in thermal vision system that generates thermographic reports on the status of the different PV plant components, as it walks between the panel rows following a programmed route.
Australian zinc-bromide batteries chosen for Acciona’s Spanish testing field
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.
PV system design for low-cost hot water production
Developed by Spanish scientists, the proposed system design is said to be able to achieve water temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius and to cover around 85% of the annual sanitary hot water consumption of a household with six people.
Solar farms prove to bee hives of economic activity
A new study from researchers at the universities of Lancaster and Reading in the UK has managed to quantify the economic boost provided by the symbiotic relationship between solar farms and honeybee hives.
Canadian fund Omers plans to acquire 49% of FRV Australia
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures’ (FRV) Australian platform includes 637 MW (DC) in projects already operational or under construction, and a pipeline comprising 7 GW of solar projects and 1.3 GWh of battery storage.
New tracker design for agrivoltaics
Spanish company Axial Structural is introducing a new type of tracker for agrivoltaic installations. The product can be adapted to various ground conditions and gradients, with programmable to optimise light and shade for different crops in different climates.
Spanish consortium to simplify hydrogen production through photoelectrocatalysis
Spanish energy giants Repsol and Enagás are planning to build an electrolyser based on photoelectrocatalysis at an industrial complex owned by the oil company in Puertollano in 2024. The device receives direct solar radiation and with a photoactive material it generates the electrical charges that cause the separation of the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen.
