The idea of floating solar panels on reservoirs and other calm waters has already taken hold. Sending them off to sea is another matter of next-level engineering.

Floating solar array is designed to take the rough stuff

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The idea of floating solar panels on reservoirs and other calm waters has already taken hold. Sending them off to sea is another matter of next-level engineering. However, the potential benefit of co-locating solar arrays with offshore wind farms is a tempting prize, and the firm Moss Maritime is moving closer to a solution.

Offshore Floating Solar Modules: It’s Complicated

The Moss venture is especially interesting because Moss Maritime is an established expert in floating offshore technology as a branch of the global conglomerate Saipem, which is known for its decades-long experience in offshore oil drilling. It’s a good example of the ways in which fossil energy know-how can work for the energy transition, not against it.

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Source: Clean Technica

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Wastewater, PV solar arrays & available space may come together to create renewable fuel for California's nascent hydrogen fuel cell market.

Hydrogen facility proposed in western Kern would run on solar power, wastewater

Three elements prevalent at Kern County oil production sites — wastewater, photovoltaic solar arrays and available space — may come together before long to create renewable fuel for California’s nascent hydrogen fuel cell market.

A commercial project being proposed in Lost Hills by Chevron Corp.’s renewable energy division would create 2 tons of hydrogen per day by applying electrolysis to oil-field produced water hauled in from company operations elsewhere in the county. The electricity required would come from a solar farm already powering oil production at the site.

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Source: Bakersfield.com

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Aerial imagery provides location intelligence and detailed insights, empowering engineers to design solar farms with laser-sharp precision.

Reshaping the solar landscape with aerial imagery

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Gone are the days of relying solely on ground-level surveys. Today, high-resolution photographs and 3D models generated from aerial imagery paint a comprehensive picture of any given piece of land.

Location intelligence—the process of deriving meaningful insights from geospatial data—and aerial imagery are becoming more prominent in the solar industry. These tools are reshaping the solar power landscape, enabling developers to identify the best areas and layout for solar farms, as well as the optimal tilt of solar panels for increased sun exposure. These changes are not only bringing efficiency upgrades; they are paving the way for timely and relevant solutions to address ongoing climate issues that promise to propel the U.S. toward a more sustainable future.

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Source: PV Magazine

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The photovoltaic and steel industries can work together to meet climate targets and develop a greener manufacturing environment.

Solar and green steel: A growing symbiotic relationship

The photovoltaic industry is quite literally built on steel. As a crucial component of racking and trackers for solar PV systems, a reliable steel supply is a necessity for the transition to solar-powered energy. And as a material, steel is the most sustainable choice for mounting systems, producing just one-third of the emissions per kilo of aluminum.

The steel industry is also working to incorporate sustainability in other ways, such as the use of protective coatings made with plant oils rather than fossil fuel oil. But the sustainability relationship is not one-sided: solar energy is also becoming increasingly important for the steel industry. As pressure grows for steel manufacturing to decarbonize, the two industries can work together to meet climate targets and develop a greener manufacturing environment.

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Source: Solar Power World

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The CPUC issued a significant decision allowing renewable energy systems to be approved to interconnect to the electric grid using LGP.

California approves use of DER schedules to avoid grid impact

Today the California Public Utilities Commission issued a significant decision allowing renewable energy systems to be approved to interconnect to the electric grid using an energy export schedule (known as a Limited Generation Profile or LGP) that is designed to avoid grid impacts. This approach, which leverages California’s public grid data, can reduce the need for costly infrastructure upgrades and support higher levels of renewables on the grid.

The decision is the first of its kind in the United States and is a major milestone in enabling distributed energy resources (DERs), like solar PV and energy storage, to operate in flexible ways that align with conditions on the grid. The decision was significantly shaped by recommendations from the nonprofit Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

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Source: Solar Power World

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The largest floating solar array in the Southeast US is officially generating clean energy in Central Florida.

Largest floating solar array in Southeast US unveiled in Central Florida

The largest floating solar array in the Southeast U.S. is officially generating clean energy right here in Central Florida. The array is made of 2,236 solar panels, each roughly the size of a pool table, and it’s projected to cut energy costs at the water plant by 25% per year while limiting the impact on land and wildlife, according to county officials.

Orange County unveiled the largest floating solar array in the Southeastern United States situated on a 3.6-acre pond at the Southern Regional Water Supply Facility. This innovative project marks a significant step towards achieving the County’s sustainability and resilience goals.

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Source: West Orlando News

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The Cantine Vaccaro vineyard lives in perfect harmony with photovoltaic panels, a part of the “Agrivoltaico Open Labs” initiative in Italy.

Sicily produces photovoltaic energy and good wine together

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In Salaparuta, the Cantine Vaccaro vineyard lives in perfect harmony with photovoltaic panels. The installation is part of the “Agrivoltaico Open Labs” initiative, a series of open-air innovation laboratories where we test the integration of solar energy production, agriculture and biodiversity protection.

What does good wine have to do with renewable electricity? The answer is a lot, and this is thanks to the Sun. Indeed, its light and heat play a key role in the life cycle of the vineyard and the ripening of grapes. The Sun’s rays contribute to chlorophyll photosynthesis by making plants grow, while at the same time they are a key resource for generating electricity, thanks to photovoltaic panels that can capture solar energy.

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Source: REVE

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First Solar is spending $450M to establish a research and development center focused on the production of thin film photovoltaic modules.

First Solar invests $450M into thin film PV module R&D

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First Solar is investing $450 million in a new research and development center in an already-existing manufacturing facility. This research will be focused on creation and development of environmentally friendly and high-performing thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules for semiconductors.

“The company’s two existing facilities in Perrysburg and Lake Township comprise the largest vertically-integrated complex of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. They will now expand by 0.9 gigawatts (GWDC).” – WTOL11, October 27, 2022

“Designed and developed at its R&D centers in California and Ohio, First Solar’s advanced thin film PV modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design, and environmental performance. The modules have the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available PV technology today. Each module features a layer of Cadmium Telluride (CadTel) semiconductor that is only three percent the thickness of a human hair. Additionally, the company continues to optimize the amount of semiconductor material used by enhancing its vapor deposition process through continued investment in R&D focused on more efficient module technology with a thinner semiconductor layer. First Solar also operates an advanced recycling program that provides closed-loop semiconductor recovery for use in new modules.” – First Solar, October 27, 2022

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Source: American Progress

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SolarCont has developed a mobile solar container that stores foldable photovoltaic panels for portable green energy anywhere.

Mobile solar container stores photovoltaic panels that fold and unfold like an accordion

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The Austrian energy company SolarCont has developed a mobile solar container that stores foldable photovoltaic panels for portable green energy anywhere. The foldable photovoltaic panels are tucked inside a container frame with corresponding dimensions, and once they are moved and set in place, they can be easily unfolded using the rail system that also unrolls from the container.

Once the user pulls out the foldable photovoltaic panels from the mobile solar container, powering up equipment and properties with green energy follows suit, and this can be done almost anywhere as long as the land is big enough to accommodate the series of panels.

SOLARCONTAINER UNFOLDS UP TO 120 METERS IN LENGTH

Dubbed Solarcontainer, SolarCont has devised a photovoltaic power plant developed as a mobile power generator with collapsible photovoltaic modules. The unfolded panels can reach up to 120 meters in length, and there are 240 solar panels that can be installed. The Solarcontainer is a mobile system that can be used for both on- and off-grid purposes, including rescue missions and gatherings.

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Source: Design Boom

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Families in NM, IL, and Washington D.C. will now have access to community solar through HHS’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Biden-Harris admin launches Clean Energy Connector

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration, through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), launched the pilot of the Clean Energy Connector, a tool that connects families to solar energy through HHS’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The first-of-its-kind software can now be used by local LIHEAP program administrators in Illinois, Washington, D.C., and New Mexico to connect community solar subscriptions to as many as 40,000 households with low incomes. Connecting LIHEAP-eligible households with community solar subscriptions will lower energy bills for families, increase access to clean energy among underserved communities, and increase equitable solar energy deployment, in support of President Biden’s ambitious clean energy and Justice40 goals.

“Renewable energy is by far the cheapest form of power and now, thanks to innovative solutions developed under the Biden-Harris Administration, more households across America can access the health and savings benefits that solar power provides,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE’s partnership with HHS will increase the deployment of community solar, helping thousands of families lower their energy bills and in turn reduce their energy burden, ensuring Americans across the nation are included as we transition to a clean energy economy.

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Source: Clean Technica

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