World

In five key trends, pv magazine looks back over a year that saw PV module prices fall lower than many thought possible, while demand was restrained by grid congestion, among other challenges. Energy storage has had a strong year and geopolitics is seeing solar and battery manufacturing enter new regions as competition drives technical innovation.

Amid record-low prices for solar modules, the focus of cost reduction for utility-scale solar projects is shifting to non-module balance-of-system (BoS) expenses. A transition from 1.5 kV voltage to 2 kV in solar projects is expected to gain traction through 2030.

Smaller solar manufacturers have been shuttering production lines, but not at a pace fast enough to return profit margins to healthy territory. InfoLink’s Amy Fang considers what lies ahead for PV companies in the near term.

United Kingdom scientists have simulated how a 1 GW off-grid agrivoltaic facility may be used to fuel hydrogen fuel electric cell vehicles across Africa, the USA, China, Europe and Australia showing the proposed combination could provide a levelised cost of hydrogen ranging from $6.05/kg to $12.61/kg.

Enphase Energy has released new software to help homeowners install larger solar and battery systems without major electrical panel upgrades. It uses real-time measurements from current transformers to make immediate decisions.

The new TopoSmart+ software enables users to find the most cost-effective topography and design plan to install United States company GameChange Solar’s Genius Tracker solar mounts at a given location.

Emissions from steel production each year equal those of a major developed economy. Yet steel is a crucial material to support the energy transition, among its many other applications – making its supply essential. Enter green steel, the production of which interrelates with solar, wind, and green hydrogen in intriguing ways.

The petroleum-laden dust has settled on this year’s United Nations climate summit, COP29, held over the past fortnight in Baku, Azerbaijan. Climate scientists, leaders, lobbyists and delegates are heading for home.

As battery energy storage system costs plunge, energy price volatility is shortening payback times for storage solutions. This shift, driven by a surge in intermittently generating renewables, and ongoing innovations in battery manufacturing, marks a pivotal moment for energy markets worldwide.

The research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 65 of the solar cell efficiency tables. There are 17 new results reported in the new version.