Solar energy news and discussion

[caltrek]

Federal Grid Reforms Alone are Not Enough to Solve Clean Energy Interconnection Problem
July 4, 2024

Entire Article:

(Eurekalert) Although energy production from wind and solar has grown rapidly in the United States, its integration into the national electric grid has been impeded by poor grid interconnection policies, leaving thousands of new facilities for generating renewable energy waiting to be connected to the grid. In a Policy Forum, Les Armstrong and colleagues highlight the interconnection problem and discuss whether federal grid policy reforms alone are enough to address it. Armstrong et al. argue that while the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) recent orders to improve this bottleneck are a step in the right direction, fundamental issues remain unaddressed. In the US, electricity production from wind and utility-scale solar exceeded that from coal for the first time in April 2022 and again from February through May 2023. The Inflation Reduction Act is expected to significantly boost low-carbon capacity additions, potentially doubling annual growth. However, there is a significant backlog of thousands of new generation projects in the queue to connect to the electrical grid, with wait times between request and agreement that can last several years. In response to issues with the interconnection process, FERC released a set of reforms that incentivize ready projects, levy penalties for delays, and mandate long-term transmission upgrades with more equitable cost allocation. Despite these steps, Armstrong et al. highlight several problems that remain, including the need for a more centralized planning approach and better integration of interconnection and transmission policies. Historical lack of coordination and conflicting state goals also hinder efficient grid development, emphasizing the need for a more coordinated and comprehensive strategy. “Going forward, Congress and the federal government need to move to a more coordinated and comprehensive planning approach that allows FERC to overcome local and regional resistance if it is to contribute to the Biden administration’s goal of decarbonizing our electrical system,” write the authors. “What this fundamentally requires is a national decarbonization goal that provides the impetus for truly national planning for a 21st-century electrical grid.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1049942

caltrek's comment: Of course, if Trump wins the upcoming election, we can expect no effort to improve interconnection polices and probably even a ceasing of existing efforts to implement such policies that are now in place.

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[wjfox]

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New hybrid perovskite solar cell boasts long life and high efficiency
By Michael Irving
July 07, 2024

https://newatlas.com/energy/hybrid-pero ... ncy/[quote]
In the world of solar cell technology, perovskite materials are poised to take on the current reigning champion silicon, but their stability is holding them back. Now, scientists in China have developed a new type of hybrid perovskite that boasts a very good efficiency over a long life.

Silicon has been the go-to material for solar cells for decades, but the tech is beginning to bump up against its theoretical efficiency cap of just under 30%. Perovskite has emerged in the last 15 years or so as a promising challenger, with its efficiency rapidly approaching that of silicon, while also being cheaper, lighter and more flexible.

But as with everything, there’s a catch: perovskite is vulnerable under exposure to the elements, and tends to break down quickly. That’s of course not ideal for products designed to sit outside in direct Sun every day, so finding ways to stabilize the material is important.[/quote]

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[Yuli Ban]

China continues to lead the world in wind and solar, with twice as much capacity under construction as the rest of the world combined

China is cementing its position as the global leader in renewables development with 180 GW of utility-scale solar and 159 GW of wind power already under construction. The total of the two is nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined, and enough to power all of South Korea, according to new data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM). The 339 GW of utility-scale solar and wind that have reached the construction stage accounts for one-third of all proposed wind and solar capacity in China, far surpassing the global construction rate of just 7%, according to GEM’s latest Global
Solar Power Tracker and Global Wind Power Tracker updates2. The stark contrast in construction rates illustrates the active nature of China’s commitment to building renewables projects.

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A new approach to boost the efficiency of non-fused ring electron acceptor solar cells
https://techxplore.com/news/2024-07-app ... ctron.html
by Ingrid Fadelli , Tech Xplore

The power-conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of organic solar cells based on compounds known as polymer donors and fused ring electron acceptors (FREAs) have recently exceeded 19%. In contrast, organic solar cells based on non-fused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs), more affordable compounds characterized by non-fused (i.e., separate) aromatic rings, have so far exhibited disappointing efficiencies of around 16%.

As synthesizing NFREAs is significantly less expensive than synthesizing FREAs, developing more efficient solar cells based on these materials could have important implications. Specifically, it could facilitate the widespread adoption of organic solar cells, thus potentially contributing to the reduction of emissions and the mitigation of environmental issues.

[wjfox]

Government approves three new solar farms that could power 400,000 homes

Friday 12 July 2024 20:00, UK

The government has approved three new solar farms, that could power more than 400,000 homes, according to estimates.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has approved the plans for projects at Mallard Pass, Rutland and Lincolnshire, Sunnica in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and Gate Burton in Lincolnshire.

[...]

Mr Miliband said: "Solar power is crucial to achieving net zero, providing an abundant source of cleaner, cheaper energy on the mission towards 2030.

"Some of these cases had been held up for months before I arrived in the department. They were put on my desk on Monday and I've made a decision in three days. This is the speed we're working at to achieve energy independence, cut bills for families and kickstart green economic growth.

"We will make tough decisions with ambition and urgency - all part of our plan to make the UK a clean energy superpower."

https://news.sky.com/story/government-a ... s-13177195



Pic: PA

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World's first dual-tower solar thermal plant boosts efficiency by 24%
By Michael Franco
July 17, 2024

https://newatlas.com/energy/dual-tower- ... mal-gansu/
Two 650-foot-tall (200-m) towers have risen in China's Gansu Province. Combined with an array of 30,000 mirrors arranged in concentric circles, the new facility is expected to generate over 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year.

While photovoltaic panels that directly convert sunlight to electricity are what most people think of when they hear the term "solar power," there is another method of harvesting the Sun's power that's been steadily developing since the early 1980s. Known as solar thermal or concentrated solar power (CSP), these systems rely on mirrors known as heliostats to bounce sunlight to a central gathering point. There, the concentrated beams heat a transfer fluid that in turn heats a working fluid. This fluid then evaporates, turns a turbine, and generates electricity.

In 2014, what was then the world's largest solar thermal power station opened in the Mojave Desert in the United States. Known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the facility consists of three different towers surrounded by heliostat arrays and has a capacity of 392 megawatts. In 2017, Australia announced that it was building the world's largest single-tower solar thermal power plant with a proposed output of 150 megawatts, although that project was ultimately killed in 2019. The world's largest CSP, the Noor Complex Solar Power Plant, now operates in the Sahara Desert in Morocco where it churns out 510 megawatts of power a year.

[wjfox]

[caltrek]

Solar Farms with Stormwater Controls Can Mitigate Runoff and Erosion


Introduction:

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated — if these “solar farms” are properly built.

Solar panels are impervious to water, and vast arrays of them, it was feared, could increase the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff similar to concrete and asphalt. But after conducting a year-long field investigation of soil moisture patterns, solar radiation and vegetation at two solar farms in central Pennsylvania — built on slopes representative of the Northeast U.S. — the researchers concluded that such installations should not present negative implications for stormwater management.

In findings recently published in Journal of Hydrology, the team reported that healthy vegetation and well-draining soils can help manage runoff on solar farms, and where necessary on more challenging landscapes, engineered stormwater controls can manage any unmitigated runoff.

“We were especially interested in stormwater movement in solar farms on complex terrain and steep slopes,” said Lauren McPhillips, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, whose research group conducted the study. “There's a lot of concern that solar is eating up prime agricultural land with well-draining soils that are pretty flat. From those sites, you have minimal runoff concerns. We are interested in facilitating making use of more challenging marginal lands for solar farms.”

In the study, lead researcher Rouhangiz "Nasim" Yavari, doctoral degree candidate in the Water Resources Engineering Program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, analyzed soil moisture patterns in the solar farms. They revealed redistribution of water relative to solar panels, with soil moisture under driplines — ground directly beneath the lower edge of the panels from which precipitation falls — 19% higher than nearby land, and moisture in the soil under the panels 25% lower than nearby land, on average, at both solar farms over a year.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1051861

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World-first space-based energy grid outlined by Star Catcher
By Michael Irving
July 28, 2024

Star Catcher Industries has secured US$12.25 million in seed funding for its ambitious plan to build the world’s first “space-based energy grid.” A network of satellites would gather energy from the Sun and beam it at higher concentrations to other satellites in orbit.

Collecting energy from sunlight makes even more sense in space – you get a constant stream of energy 24/7, without being at the mercy of the weather or taking up valuable land. It’s no surprise then that efforts are ramping up to capture sunlight from orbit and beam it down to the surface.

Star Catcher, however, has another idea. Rather than dealing with the challenge of getting the energy back to Earth, the startup plans to use that energy to power other satellites more efficiently.

https://newatlas.com/energy/world-first ... r-catcher/

[wjfox]

[caltrek]

World’s Most Durable and Efficient Solar Cell Smashes Existing Records
by Benjamin Taub
August 3, 2024

Introduction:

(IFL Science) Researchers have developed a method to enhance the lifespan and working efficiency of perovskite solar cells, achieving record outputs following grueling, long-term tests. With a superb power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.1 percent after more than 1,500 hours of use, the high-performing cells created during the study may open the door to more widespread use of this much hyped renewable energy solution.

Perovskite solar cells have garnered a huge buzz over the past decade due to their superior performance when compared to the more common silicon-based alternative. However, at present the technology is not seen as commercially viable due to its instability and limited lifespan.

Seeking to overcome this hurdle, the study authors set out to develop a means of chemically altering the surface of perovskite cells in order to eliminate defects and increase both durability and efficiency - a process known as passivation. Commenting on the team’s motivation in a statement, study author Yen-Hung Lin explained that "passivation in many forms has been very important in improving the efficiency of perovskite solar cells over the last decade.”

“However, passivation routes that lead to the highest efficiencies often do not substantially improve long-term operational stability.”

Bucking this trend, the researchers found that treating perovskite cell surfaces with specific combinations of chemicals called amino-silanes massively improved their performance and longevity. Overall, they were able to enhance the cells’ photoluminescence quantum yield - which refers to a material’s ability to convert absorbed light into emitted energy - a whopping 60-fold.

Read more here: https://www.iflscience.com/worlds-most ... ds-75414

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[wjfox]

Google invests in 800 MW solar project in Illinois

August 20, 2024

Swift Current Energy reported that it has closed on a tax equity investment from Google for its 800 MWdc Double Black Diamond Solar project in southern Illinois. The amount of funding by Google was not disclosed, but previous reporting by pv magazine USA stated that over $779 million in project financing was closed for this project, making it among the largest solar project financings in U.S. history.

Located 30 miles west of Springfield, Illinois, the Project is currently under construction and is expected to reach commercial operations by early 2025. Once operational, according to Swift Current Energy, Double Black Diamond Solar is expected to be the largest solar project east of the Mississippi River.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/08/20/ ... -illinois/

[caltrek]

Australian Plan to Build ‘World’s Largest’ Solar Farm Moves Forward
by Keiran Smith
August 22, 2024

Introduction:

NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP via Renewable Energy World) — An ambitious plan to build a massive solar farm in remote northern Australia that would transmit energy by submarine cable to Singapore is a step closer after the Australian government granted environmental approvals for the 30 billion Australian dollar ($19 billion USD) project Wednesday.

Australian company Sun Cable plans to build a 12,400-hectare solar farm and transport electricity to the northern Australian city of Darwin via an 800-kilometer (497-mile) overhead transmission line, then on to large-scale industrial customers in Singapore through a 4,300-kilometer (2,672-mile) submarine cable.

The Australia-Asia PowerLink project aims to deliver up to six gigawatts (GW) of green electricity each year, which according to Australian Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will “help turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower” and boost its economy.

Read more here: https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/s ... forward/