Residential PV

India’s energy transition will not succeed without rooftop PV and roll-out is hindered not only by a lack of household finance, but by the fact many of the nation’s flat roofs are enjoyed by residents. Germany’s international development agency has proposed a solution.

If the three record-busting low solar price tariffs recorded in the Middle East in the past 18 months are to be believed, renewables-powered hydrogen in prime sites in the region could already compete with gas-plus-CCS production, according to IRENA. Has the Gulf discovered the new petrol?

A French start-up has developed a concrete flywheel to store solar energy in an innovative way. Currently being tested in France, the storage solution will be initially offered in France’s overseas territories and Africa.

Sunil Thamaran, India head for USA-headquartered Enphase Energy, explains why microinverters are a good investment for rooftop solar. He also talks about the trends in microinverter design and their company’s India plans.

An international research team has designed a residential solar-plus-storage system based on gravity. The system was built with a solar power generator, a bulk booster charge controller, an inverter, a solenoid device, a deep cycle battery, a pulley block, a geared motor, a microcontroller, and wire ropes. Its creators said the system is ideal for regions with high solar radiation. They found that, due to its high electrical requirements, the system needs to rely on high-power solar modules with an output of over 500 W.

The system, developed by Spanish specialist Alusín Solar, is being tested by Endesa in a 9.8 MW project for self-consumption. The mounting structure is made with aluminum bars that, instead of being fixed to the roof with screws, are attached through a double-sided adhesive.

The global off-grid solar appliance market began an uneven recovery from the worst ravages of the global pandemic in the second half of last year, according to market body GOGLA, but more finance and policy support must be made available to have any chance of achieving universal electricity access this decade.

A well-designed rooftop solar system should last 20 or 30 years, or longer. This guide for choosing the right contractor should help ease your concerns.

A German PV system owner has developed a simple solution intended at preventing the birds from nesting under the modules.

Solar installation surged in the first quarter of 2021, with developers completing their delayed projects from last year.