Emiliano Bellini
JA Solar unveils 415 W solar module with 21.3% efficiency
The module can be used for residential and commercial PV projects. It is available in five versions with power outputs claimed by the company of 390-415 W and reported efficiencies of 20.0-21.3%.
IHS Markit forecasts 181 GW of new PV capacity for this year
The U.K.-based analyst has raised its outlook for new PV additions in 2021 by around 23 GW. Due to strong demand, leading module manufacturers are sold out for the first half of the year.
How to protect rooftop solar systems from fire risk
Dutch research institute TNO has released a series of guidelines to reduce fire hazards in rooftop PV installations. The study follows a series of fire accidents that occurred between 2018 and 2020 in the Netherlands, for which the main causes were identified.
Solar canals already competitive with ground-mounted PV
U.S. researchers have assessed the technical and economic feasibility of solar canals in California and have found that their LCOE is already close to that of ground-mounted solar plants. Three different project configurations were analyzed for eight different sites across the California network of canals.
Sungrow unveils 325 kW string inverter
The device will go into mass production in the second half of this year. It features an efficiency of 99.01% and is claimed to be the most powerful string inverter ever launched on the market to date.
Retrofitting solar parks for agrivoltaics
Enel Green Power is combining existing PV arrays with agriculture at nine pilot sites in Europe. pv magazine recently spoke to Giovanni Tula, the company’s head of sustainability, about the business model and its replicability.
Trina launches 670 W solar panel
The latest product in the Vertex series from the Chinese manufacturer has a power conversion efficiency of 21.6%.
Silver accounts for 10% of PV module costs
The share of silver in the total cost of PV modules has increased by around 5% in recent months, according to US analyst Matthew Watson. He told pv magazine that silver prices are set to rise, adding that the metal will eventually account for an even larger percentage of overall module costs.
Modular lift system for solar panels
Altrex, a scaffolding and ladder producer in the Netherlands, has developed a new modular lift solution for solar panels. The system can raise one solar panel at a time and can be operated by a single installer using nothing other than a cordless drill, the company claims.
BloombergNEF expects up to 209 GW of new solar for this year
A new report from the U.S.-based analyst predicts that new PV additions for 2021 may range from 163 to 221 GW next year and from 179 to 240 GW in 2023. According to BloombergNEF, the current supply bottlenecks for glass and polysilicon will unlikely halt the global PV market.
