Lắp đặt điện mặt trời | Khải Minh Tech: tháng 1 2020

Thứ Sáu, 31 tháng 1, 2020

January 2020 Issue – 2020 Trends in Solar

2020:A fresh start I wouldn’t call myself superstitious… just a little-stitious. I don’t like odd numbers, and I never open an umbrella indoors. That’s why I’m really excited for 2020. A nice round, even number. Last year just felt weird and full of obstacles. In 2019, we saw bifacial modules get a tariff exemption, then…

The post January 2020 Issue – 2020 Trends in Solar appeared first on Solar Power World.

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Webinar: Uncovering hidden value in your solar fleet

Revamping or retrofitting performance monitoring on existing plants often means a truck-roll and associated costs for the installers. Can a business case be made for professional solar plant monitoring or solar plant monitoring retrofit? Is the retrofit worth it for the plant owner? In Uncovering Hidden Value in Your Solar Fleet, we will address the financial impact of operational issues.

Head here to register for free

Webinar attendees will learn how to:

• Minimize plant down-time and increase generation
• Identify critical performance errors and quickly troubleshoot them
• Reduce the time it takes to monitor fleets
• Prioritize Alerts and Minimize Truck Rolls
• Apply O&M services with cost-effective retrofit

Speakers

Silvia Blumenschein, CEO and General Manager, Solar Data Systems Inc. (Solar-Log North America)
Anne Nelson, Chief Marketing Officer, Solar Data Systems Inc. (Solar-Log North America)

Head here to register for free

Sponsor

-- Solar Builder magazine

Innogy announces 60 MW storage project in Ireland

Several large utility-scale storage projects have already been developed under Ireland’s DS3 program. Innogy says that it now plans to look for more storage project possibilities in the country.

German renewables company Innogy SE has announced plans to install its first battery storage project in Ireland.

The company said that it has made a final decision to invest €25 million in the construction of a 60 MW lithium-ion plant near Lisdrumdoagh, in Ireland’s County Monaghan. Construction will begin this year, with commissioning planned for 2021. A company spokesperson said that the project will be developed by its Belectric subsidiary, without disclosing the capacity of the installation.

Ireland wants renewables to account for 16% of its total energy mix this year while deriving 40% of its electricity needs from clean energy. In the face of grid-stability challenges rising with clean energy share, national grid operator Eirgrid continues to procure system service capacity under its “Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System” (DS3) program.

“I am proud that we are making our first significant utility-scale battery storage investment, not just anywhere, but in Ireland, a market with a strong commitment to renewable energies and dedicated support for battery storage,” said Sven Utermöhlen, senior vice president of renewables operations at Innogy SE. “Ireland is an excellent starting point for us as we look to expand and grow our battery storage technology business.”

The company expanded into the Irish renewable energy market in 2016. It currently owns and operates onshore wind farms, with some offshore wind capacity also in development. It said it plans to explore additional battery storage possibilities in the future.

Last year, Eirgrid launched an auction for large-scale storage and selected winners with a combined capacity of 110 MW, in the first auction to be held under the DS3 program. The DS3 scheme accepts applications from companies that can provide fast frequency response or primary operating reserve services that are aligned with grid code standards and the proven technologies of transmission system operators.

Morocco kicks off tender for 400 MW solar park

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy has started to pre-qualify developers for the first phase of the Noor PV II solar project.

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy(Masen) has issued a call for expression of interest to pre-qualify developers for the construction of a 400 MW solar power plant.

The plant is part of the first phase of the Noor PV II project, under which several PV arrays will be built across eight different locations. According to Econostrum, interested developers and investors have until Feb. 28 to pre-qualify for the tender.

Morocco intends to build at least 2 GW of generation capacity under the Noor Solar Plan. In line with these aims, Masen kicked off another tender for the 230 MW CSP/PV Noor Midelt II project in July.

In early January 2019, the agency also launched a tender for the Noor Atlas projects, a 200 MW scheme to deploy seven PV plants in the southern and eastern parts of the country. German development bank KfW is backing the plan.

Other Masen projects include the 170 MW Noor PV I project, the solar portion and fourth phase of the 580 MW Ouarzazate Solar Power Station, and a CSP-PV solar complex in the Drâa-Tafilalet region of central Morocco.

In addition, the country’s solar plans include the 120 MW Noor Tafilalet plant, which was tendered in 2017, and the 200 MW Noor Argana project.

Morocco wants to increase the share of renewables in its installed power generation mix to 42% by next year, and to 52% by 2030.

Massachusetts Senate passes ‘Next-Generation Climate Policy’ act

The Massachusetts state senate passed “An Act Setting Next Generation Climate Policy,” which sets a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and establishes a Climate Policy Commission to oversee the government’s handling of the climate crisis, according to the Framingham Source. The bill now moves to the house. “Today’s historic vote by the State Senate…

The post Massachusetts Senate passes ‘Next-Generation Climate Policy’ act appeared first on Solar Power World.

What’s the ultimate bifacial solar PV site and tracker system setup? Soltec makes it case

Example of Soltec’s 2-modules in portrait configuration, which reduces impact of the torque tube impeding bifacial module gains.

The bifacial solar PV era is dawning, and Soltec wants to understand the exact scenarios in which its tracker systems will maximize these assumed-yet-nebulous bifacial gains. The Spain-based tracker company made a splash at Intersolar North America two years ago when it unveiled its Bifacial Tracker Evaluation Center (BiTEC) in Livermore, Calif. Here, the company collaborated with National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL), Black and Veatch and RETC to rig up a variety of trackers to test for a slew of variables to pinpoint exactly why, when and where bifacial modules + solar tracking will thrive. Those variables include:

• Albedo
• Terrain surface
• Various proprietary bifacial technology
• GCR
• Pitch
• String design
• 2x modules in portrait versus 1x.

Understanding that last one is the biggest key for Soltec, which specializes in attaching 2 modules in portrait on a torque tube instead of the standard one (thus eliminating the torque tube from obscuring potential backside bifacial gains). A year and a half later, BiTEC has produced a ton of interesting data points, which Soltec has reported in a series of white papers. Here are the overarching takeaways.

Albedo is the most important variable by far

Albedo (the proportion of light reflected off a surface), unsurprisingly, dictates just how high the gains of a bifacial module can go. Bifacial modules mounted on SF7 Bifacial solar trackers provide 16.2% more Bifacial Gain under high albedo conditions (around 58%) and 10.1% under medium albedo conditions (29%).

Unfortunately, those high albedo conditions aren’t too common. Under seasonal albedo conditions, in which ground albedo changes throughout the year and is lower in the winter due to taller grass, bifacial gain was shown to be 7.9 percent in the fall and 6.5% in the winter. Lower irradiation values in winter months minimize negative impacts on annual bifacial gain, which is eventually quantified at 7.7%.

Remember, these tests were performed near San Francisco. In part 3, these measurements reveal that seasonal albedo remained stable around 19 percent until the rainy season in California, in late November 2018. From then on, grass growth caused an accumulated value reduction to 17.2 percent. When grass was cut in March, seasonal albedo values increased again, reaching a value of 19.6 percent during the 9-month period.

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Correlated with albedo gains: Pitch

Pitch impact on bifacial gains is a factor closely linked to albedo. In fact, Soltec’s testing didn’t show much of a bifacial gain due to an increase in pitch in low albedo conditions. Having wider aisles does increase the surface area that’s able to reflect solar irradiation, but Soltec’s testing showed a pitch-related bifacial production increase only when albedo values increased. Both effects were observed at BiTEC by comparing the instantaneous power of modules assembled on SF7 Bifacial 2x solar trackers with different pitch and similar albedo.

“Measured data shows, on the one hand, that trackers with the highest pitch generate more energy in the early hours of the day because tracking starts earlier and, on the other hand, that instantaneous power during tracking time is larger for trackers with higher pitch due to an increased view factor,” the company states in the report.

The case for 2x modules in portrait

Individual modules deployed in SF7 Bifacial tracker’s 2x configuration showed a bifacial gain 2.1% higher than that of the same modules in 1x configuration. There are several factors adding up to hit that number and, surprisingly, avoiding the impedance of the torque tube is not the main reason.

1.3% of it comes from a lower module operating temperature
0.7% corresponds to the lack of torque tube module shading.
The remaining 0.1% results from other factors relating to the design of a structure optimized for bifacial modules.

Correlated with 2x gains: Temperature and height

The SF7 Bifacial tracker design allows for airflow through the tracker and elevates modules higher off the ground. The upper module temperatures in a 2x setup are lower than in a 1x configuration, and lower performance temperatures mean increased power generation.

Time of day is also part of the story. The power difference in 2x vs. 1x is minimal during initial tracking hours but increases later in the day. Those results are consistent with air temperature changes throughout the day (colder in the morning, warmer in the evening).

February is Operations & Maintenance Month here at Solar Builder. Check out all of our O&M news and insights this month right here.

Also concerning time of day: Comparison of the evolution of the curves throughout the day reveals that, the lower the height of the module, the greater the differences between the rear irradiation in the measured points. That means that East module rear irradiation mismatch is higher in the morning whereas West rear irradiation mismatch is higher in the evening. Long term measurements support that the aggregated mismatch effect for a full month results in 0.06% energy loss for bifacial modules, whereas for monofacial modules, results in 0.04%.

To learn more about rear radiation distribution, Soltec installed numerous pyranometers cross-sectionally to the modules in 1x tracker and in a 2x Soltec tracker. A comparison of the field-data in both trackers and the simulations from Bifacial Radiance of NREL revealed a rear side an average Mismatch Loss Factor of 3.1% in the SF7 Bifacial tracker, while the preset value in PVsyst is 10%. In other words, increased height of the SF7 Bifacial Tracker reduces mismatch losses.

Sum it all up

When deciding if a bifacial solar tracker setup is right for your next site, do a ton of due diligence on the site’s albedo and its seasonal changes (and how increased pitch / 2x module configuration temperature gains might factor into that). Maybe run some calculations that consider scenarios in which you alter/improve the site’s albedo and see if it will pay off over time (maybe those changes will also reduce O&M costs over time too?). With the drop in bifacial module prices, all of those little performance advantages might add up to a meaningful difference in expected outcome.

-- Solar Builder magazine

Germany added almost 4 GW of PV in 2019

The German network operator reported around 339 MW of new solar in December. New installations for 2019 exceeded new capacity additions for the preceding year by more than 1 GW.

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has reported that 339.4 MW of new PV was installed in the country in December.

Solar projects that were installed outside of Germany’s tender scheme for PV projects above 750 kW in size accounted for about 215 MW of the monthly total. Around 195 MW was taken up by rooftop arrays below 750 KW in size, while small solar parks with the same size threshold accounted for the remaining 25 MW.

In 2019, newly installed PV capacity reached 3.94 GW, which means that the country saw its installed PV power increase by around 1 GW compared to 2018, when annual PV additions hit 2.96 GW.

Overall, Germany’s cumulative solar capacity reached 49.78 GW at the end of 2019. This leaves a good 2.2 GW remaining until the government’s 52 GW cap for solar subsidies is reached.

Given the strong development seen throughout the second half of last year, the current feed-in tariffs for PV systems up to 750 kW in size will be reduced by up to 1.4% for the February-April period, the Bundesnetzagentur said. In February, the FITs for rooftop PV systems will range from €0.0742/kWh and €0.0972/kWh, depending on the size of the project. For other systems up to 100 kW in size, there will be a tariff of €0.0670/kWh.

Indian companies to partner on EV charging infrastructure

State-owned Energy Efficiency Services and New Delhi-based Bharat Heavy Electricals have agreed to set up public charging stations for electric vehicles on highways across India.

From pv magazine India

Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL), an energy service provider owned by the Indian government, will collaborate with engineering group Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) to build electric-vehicle charging stations throughout India.

Under the terms of their agreement, BHEL will provide complete engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions, from concept to the commissioning of EV charging stations. EESL, meanwhile, will handle the entire upfront investment in services, along with the operation and maintenance of the charging stations. The companies will jointly identify, plan, develop and install charging stations at suitable locations.

“Mobility is changing rapidly, and India is powering ahead to a sustainability-driven future by adopting electric vehicles. Availability of adequate charging infrastructure is one of the key requirements for further accelerating EV adoption in India,” EESL Managing Director Saurabh Kumar said.

Setting up charging stations at highways will likely boost public interest in commuting between cities, enabling a smooth and sustainable transition to a future-oriented mobility solution, Kumar claimed.

The Indian government aims to build a network of charging infrastructure throughout the country, to ensure that at least one charging station is available every 25 km on both sides of the country’s highways and roads.

The Indian Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has approved the construction of 2,636 charging stations in 62 cities across 24 states and union territories under the second phase of the FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme.

Republika Srpska to tender 100 MW PV project

Bosnia and Herzegovina's second-largest utility, Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), is planning the $75.7 million project. The region's first solar park will be built near Trebinje, in Republika Srpska.

Bosnian state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) plans to build a 100 MW solar plant in Republika Srpska, which is one of the two administrative entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the company’s provisional procurement plan for 2020, the BAM 134.4 million ($75.7 million) PV project will likely be tendered this year, along with two more large-scale power projects – a 48 MW wind farm and a hydroelectric installation. The solar array will be built near Trebinje, where ERS is based.

“We have already finalized the project documentation and feasibility study, as well as expropriation proceedings and network connection approval, and we are now ready to kick off the project,” said ERS Managing Director Luka Petrovic.

ERS is the second-largest power utility in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company currently owns and operates a 300 MW coal-fired power plant in Ugljevik, Republika Srpska, as well as other hydroelectric power plants. According to the Koncar Electric Engineering Institute, the coal power plant is classified as a supercritical power station. It sources 1.8 million tons of lignite coal a year from the nearby Gacko coal mine, which is operated by Gacko Mine and Power.

According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, the biggest challenge for energy investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the ultra-complex process required to secure permits, which is due to a lack of harmonization between the laws of different multiple administrative units. “In practice, competence may be deemed to rest with none of the government levels or, instead, each level of the government may proclaim itself the competent authority,” the agency said.

According to a report released by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2018, the Western Balkan countries are home to a largely underdeveloped renewable energy market. Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia still largely rely on lignite coal generating capacity, which covers between 65% and 75% of their net generation. However, all of the countries of the region have recently implemented plans to increase the share of renewables in their respective national electricity mixes.

This is your SolarWakeup for January 31st, 2020

Have a great weekend! See you next week in San Diego’s Intersolar. Shoot me a note if you will be there, if there are enough folks we will do a SolarWakeup happy hour.

Opinion

Boston Globe: There’s still a bit of a cloud over Mass. solar effort

Best, Yann

The post This is your SolarWakeup for January 31st, 2020 appeared first on SolarWakeup.com.

Eaton and Enico launch new 2 MWh storage solution

Irish energy-management specialist Eaton and Enico, a Finnish provider of modular storage systems, have agreed to jointly launch xStorage Container, an easily deployable storage solution that minimizes the internal footprint of buildings. The new offering was specifically designed for commercial and industrial self-consumption power projects.

Ireland-based power management company Eaton and Enico, a Finnish provider of modular energy storage solutions, are jointly offering xStorage Container, a storage system that was designed for commercial and industrial self-consumption power projects.

The companies said that the new battery system can help to more effectively optimize self-consumption from solar projects, while integrating charging stations for electric vehicles and ensuring stable, reliable power supplies for buildings.

They claim that their new “all-in-one storage solution” is not too bulky and does not require significant effort to install. The 6-meter long containers can be deployed quickly to allow greater flexibility in system configurations, Eaton added.

The solution offers up to 2 MWh of storage capacity per container if the storage units are new, or up to 0.5 MW/0.5 MWh if they are second-life systems.

Using a proprietary battery management system (BMS), xStorage Container allows islanding for reliable backup power, as well as peak clipping (or load shifting) and frequency regulation, the two companies said.

“We develop unique and comprehensive integrated energy storage module solutions that utilize the best power electronics, battery storage, and control technologies on the market,” said Marko Lähteenmäki, chief business officer at Enico. “Our collaboration with Eaton enables us to further meet the needs of our customers with a combined solution from two technology leaders.”

Official statistics show UK deployed just 233 MW of PV in 2019

The country's cumulative capacity reached reached 13.35 GW at the end of 2019. The statistics also show that 2019 may have been the slowest year for the UK solar industry since 2010. According to the UK Solar Trade Association, however, the official figures released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strateg are based on incomplete datasets and growth, particularly for PV systems above 50 kW in size, should be stronger.

The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has reported in its monthly statistics for PV deployment that just 233.4 MW of new solar capacity was connected to the grid last year.

The results are considerably lower than the installation figures recorded in 2018, when 297.1 MW was connected to the grid. In 2017 and 2016, annual new additions hit 949.3 MW and 2.18 GW, respectively.

Last year, the market for residential PV systems up to 4 kW in size grew by 91.7 MW, while the market for installations between 4 kW and 10 kW in size increased by 32.4 MW. Solar arrays ranging in size from 10 kW to 50 kW grew by 67.1 MW in the 12 months to the end of December.

Poor performance

But as PV installations become bigger, the numbers start to look quite different. For installations between 50 kW and 5 MW, for example, full-year growth was just 0.3 MW, while projects between 5 MW and 25 MW in size only accounted for 7.2 MW of new capacity additions. For PV projects larger than 25 MW, the BEIS reported that just one 34.7 MW solar plant was completed last year.

In terms of cumulative capacity, the United Kingdom reached 13.35 GW at the end of 2019. Most of this installed power was represented by solar parks ranging from 5 MW to 50 MW (4.39 GW) in size, followed by 50 kW – 5 MW installations (3.52 MW), and PV plants over 25 MW (1.57 GW).

In the rooftop segment, small residential PV systems up to 4 kW in size accounted for the largest share of cumulative capacity at 2.69 GW, followed by systems sized between 10 kW and 50 kW, with 875.7 MW of capacity. Projects between 4 kW and 10 kW in size accounted for the smallest share at just 267.9 MW.

Incomplete datasets

According to the UK Solar Trade Association, however, the statistics provided by the BEIS are based on incomplete datasets.

“The statistics fail to accurately capture PV systems sized above 50 kW, with no update to the ‘50 kW to ≤ 5 MW’ category since March 2019, and only one large-scale site added to the ‘> 25 MW’ category in 2019 – a 34.7MWp array completed in December by Gridserve,” the association said.

The organization added that a number of systems larger than 50 kW were installed last year, including a 50 MW array that was completed in December by Next Energy Solar Fund.

“They paint a picture of a stagnating market, when in fact solar in the UK is stable and recovering after a difficult couple of years,” said Solar Trade Association CEO Chris Hewett. “The industry continues to gather momentum in the subsidy-free era, and we expect to see a glut of projects deployed over the coming years, some underpinned by power purchase agreements and others that are purely merchant.”

In June, the association predicted that 250-400 MW of corporate PPA-driven solar projects, including some that include storage, may have seen the light of day last year, with more expected from 2020 onward.

Imec: Perovskite cells can pass the IEC tests in 2020

In 2020, perovskite cells could pass the IEC tests intended for the standardization of solar modules, and in 2022, they could even be mass-produced. In an interview with pv magazine, Tom Aernouts explains the status of work on the new PV technology. He is a research and development manager for thin film photovoltaics at the Belgian research institute Imec.

pv magazine: When can we expect the first perovskite modules from serial production with performance warranties of 20 years and longer?

Tom Aernouts from Belgium research institute Imec.
*Image: imec*

Tom Aernouts: Within two to three years, perovskite-based modules, perovskite-silicon-tandem cells and thin film perovskite cells will be commercially available. Today, tens of companies all over the world are developing manufacturing processes and setting up production capabilities. One of these companies – and one of the forerunners in setting up production facilities – is GCL in China. In the coming two to three years, it is expected that a production capacity of 0.4 to 1.3 GWp will be realized, worldwide. Already by 2020, modules that pass the IEC test will be developed (see figure below). However, the question is if this standard test, which was developed for silicon cells, can also guarantee a 20 year-warranty for perovskite-based cells. It will be key to gain more insight in degradation mechanisms and develop new tests.

For terrestrial applications, will they contain tandem cells with crystalline silicon cells as bases, or will they be a pure thin film perovskite module?

Both options will co-exist and will be used for different applications. Perovskite-silicon-tandem cells will be the perfect option for power generation plants. Despite their higher efficiency compared to silicon cells, they will at first have the ‘disadvantage’ of a higher cost. Indeed, the extra process steps to lay perovskite on top of the silicon is more expensive. However, this cost issue will soon be compensated by a considerably higher conversion efficiency, and the cost will lower once the cells are mass produced. The pure thin film-perovskite modules will be used for integrated applications: in buildings (BIPV) or for infrastructure, for example for cycle lanes or cars. The advantage of the thin film solution is that it can be applied to a flexible substrate, it is light-weight and semi-transparent.

What efficiencies can we expect for c-Si-perovskite tandem cells in R&D and later in serial production?

Perovskite technology is the fastest-advancing solar technology to date with a 3.8% conversion efficiency at its discovery in 2009 to 25.2% in 2019. For tandem cells in particular, an efficiency of 28% has been realized in R&D. This efficiency has the potential to increase to much as 30%, and possibly even higher in the coming years. These results are all still on a rather small area, in the order of 1cm2. In serial production, the tandem module is anticipated to have at least a one or two percentage point higher efficiency on full module size. This allows for a viable market introduction.

Our industry has had bad experiences with the last generation of tandem cells for terrestrial applications – micromorph silicon thin film cells. One of the reasons was the (current) mismatch of the two layers depending on the spectrum of the light, which reduces the specific yield. Is this a severe issue and how can it be tackled?

Also in perovskite-silicon tandem cells, current mismatch will be an issue when operating in outdoor conditions with changing light intensity and spectrum. However, the conversion efficiency when using perovskite as a top layer is much higher as that which has been achieved with micromorph tandem cells.

Current mismatch can be avoided by using 4-terminal instead of 2-terminal concepts. In this case, the tandem sub-cells are electrically isolated from one another and connected in a parallel circuit. 4-terminal-cells are more expensive, because of the extra electrodes and installation costs. Still, when considered on a yearly basis, it may be a more cost-efficient option to use 4-terminal-perovskite-silicon-tandem cells.

2-terminal- and 4-terminal-concepts will coexist and the choice will depend on the application: For a power plant in a desert where light conditions do not vary that much, 2-terminal will be the most cost-effective solution, whereas in most European countries, it will be better to use 4-terminal-tandem cells.

One of the main challenges for perovskites is stability. How much has stability improved in the last three years and what is your prognosis? How was this achieved?

Stability has improved substantially in the last years, to the point that by 2020 the cells will be able to pass the IEC test. First, improvements were made on the material itself. Methylammonium, which appeared to be an unstable compound, was removed from the perovskites. Secondly, the contact layers were adjusted, in order to reduce interactions at the interfaces. It is a fact that the halides iodine and bromine in perovskites easily interact with other materials and this should be avoided. Thirdly, packaging of the perovskite cells protects them against moisture and oxygen, and improves stability. For glass-glass-packaging, expertise from silicon and thin film PV could be used. For flexible pure perovskite modules, an optimized packaging solution will take a bit longer to be developed.

The first perovskites used lead as important component. Has science solved the problem of reducing the lead content? What do you think about the sustainability of perovskite solar cells?

Perovskite technology is considered to be one of the most environmentally-friendly technologies, because of the usage of abundant synthetic components (avoiding mining or heavy purification processes), combined with very low material usage and a low processing temperature. The best efficiencies are still reached with lead-based perovskite cells. Alternatives are being considered, but are still lagging behind. However, the amount of lead used is very low: typical thicknesses of the lead-containing absorber layers are about 0,3µm, resulting in around 1g of lead iodide per m². What is more, even in the case that encapsulated modules are damaged, there is a very low risk of lead leakage. To prevent this from happening, the research community is developing methods to prevent leakage into the environment, by integrating materials that capture the lead or that bind with it to form new compounds that are not water soluble, for example.

Lead in c-Si modules

Throughout Q4 2019, pv magazine discussed the use of lead in crystalline solar modules, as part of our global UP sustainability initiative. Check out the October, November and December print magazines to read our UP coverage. To join the conversation, contact up@pv-magazine.com.

How far is the development of production tools for large scale silicon perovskite modules?

Overall, no new production tools need to be developed for silicon perovskite modules. It uses existing industrial processes, such as sputtering and slot-die coating. By making minor adjustments to the tools and processes, the process flow can be set up. This is not a limiting factor for the introduction of this new technology.

What are the production cost projections of silicon perovskite modules? Will they be able to compete with the ever-falling costs for low cost silicon PV, as we have experienced again during the last two years (22 €ct/Watt)?

Because of the extra process steps and material in silicon perovskite modules, they are indeed more costly than pure silicon modules. However, the gain in conversion efficiency outperforms this extra cost. Moreover, manufacturing costs of perovskite PV modules have the potential to be very low. Final costs will depend on materials, stack design and process-selection, as well as on the aimed application and its subsequent market size. Taking all this into account, it is believed that perovskite PV modules can be produced within a cost range of 20 euro-cent/Wp in the coming five to 10 years, and could go down further towards 10 and maybe even to 4 euro-cents/Wp, depending on the learning curve and actual efficiency values on the scaled perovskite PV modules. We can conclude that silicon perovskite modules will definitely be able to compete with current low-cost Si PV technology.

But the 20 euro cent/WP range in five years will not be competitive with the then significant lower cost of crystalline silicon modules. Of course, when you reach 4 cents, this is another story. Do you need subsidies to reach this?

No subsidies are taken into account for these cost targets. Also be sure to make the correct comparison: the 20 cent and down to 4 cent trajectory is for perovskite modules, not for tandems. 20 cents might initially not be competitive with crystalline silicon modules, but it is for sure the cheapest thin film PV then, which also has some market share already now. And you’re comparing with lowest cost crystalline silicon modules typically used for power plant installations. The cost structure for integrated applications, like BIPV, typically allows costs up to five times higher than for power plants. Finally, for tandems, the cost of packaging is already included in crystalline silicon module costs.

What is imec working on concerning the topics discussed?

IMO-IMOMEC, an imec lab at the University of Hasselt, is developing new perovskite materials. Further, imec (in EnergyVille) focuses on upscaling perovskite technology towards industry-relevant 30x30cm² modules. More specifically, process steps are tuned, in order to realize high-quality layers, resulting in high efficiencies. The collaboration with Solliance is very important in this context, because of the extensive network with tool suppliers, PV manufacturers and end users.

These upscaled modules can also be tuned in transparency and absorption spectrums such that they can be used for 4-terminal tandems, with crystalline silicon or even other PV technologies. In the case of 2-terminal configurations, a lot of attention needs to be paid to finding the right process conditions to be able to deposit a good-quality perovskite layer on top of the challenging textured surface of the c-Si cell.

What do you think about the chances for European research and production with these new technologies? Will it all go to Asia, as the supply chain for cell production is much better developed there?

As stated in the EPKI Perovskite-PV European White Paper, we believe that this new technology offers unseen opportunities for Europe to gain back control of the PV market. Especially for integrated applications, it will be essential to have production close to the market, because of different regulations and market organization in different countries.

Europe is a forerunner in perovskite research and development. It is important to use this momentum to build a strong industry here. Of course, Asia is top in developing low-cost silicon technology, so it is thinkable that Europe will develop silicon perovskite cells and modules based on cells that are shipped from Asia.

Regarding integrated solutions, I do not understand why it should be easier to be competitive with the large Asian manufacturers, which have significant scale advantages. You also said that GCL is forerunner, so Asian companies do invest in R&D. Why should the customers of integrated solutions opt for more expensive modules made in Europe? Also, is the scale sufficient if one wants to set up production focused on such solutions?

Asian manufacturers have scale advantage for standardized panels, both for crystalline silicon PV and potentially for thin film PV, but once customization – due to application or local regulations – comes in, the cost structure of the installation changes substantially. A solar window or facade element is having an added functionality (generating electricity) on top of its common building element functionality. It will be decisive what the customer wants to pay for this added functionality, potentially induced by local legislation and building rules to integrate it. We’re developing technology that allows for much faster customization as an integrated step in the production process, instead of starting from standard cells or modules and cutting them to the right sizes.

A solar racking system that’s easier to install from Jurchen Technologies

Jurchen Technology’s response to traditional solar module racking, the PEG, reduces the racking material needed, while cost-effectively simplifying the installation process and maximizing land utilization.

In an effort to simplify the solar installation process, Jurchen Technology has developed the PEG racking system: a racking system comprised of hot-tip galvanized steel bars with ground and top plates, on which the PV modules are installed. First installed globally in 2017, the PEG system was recently introduced to the U.S. market, following UL certification granted in mid-2019.

The system was designed to be constructed using only hand tools. Additionally, there are no rails, as the module’s frame is utilized as part of the substructure.

The system’s heaviest component is only ~5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) and the total system weight is ~26.5 lbs/kWp (~12kg/kWp), which is roughly 75% less than tracker systems and ~50% less than other fixed-tilt substructure. No foundations or DC trenching is required, as the frame’s steel posts are rammed into the ground and the DC cables are fixed to the substructure (see cable management photo).

The system’s 8 degree east-west orientation and its low profile (standing 0.85 meters above ground) eliminates the shading effect while allowing for the installation of very large blocks of up to 30 meters x 40 meters, with 1-meter walking paths between the blocks for maintenance purposes. This design implies an extremely large land cover of ~0.7 MW/acre, assuming 380 W modules, which is significantly larger than other systems where the land cover is generally around 0.23 MW/acre.

The large land cover allows developers to design projects that would otherwise not be possible due to land constraints.

This is especially apparent in the commercial solar space and utility projects connected to the distribution network where land parcels are usually smaller and more expensive and visual constraints are imposed by local authorities and neighbors adjust to the site.

This design offers significant capital expenditure reductions on the supply, delivery, logistics and installation of the system. Jurchen has found that PEG capital expenditure costs are roughly two-thirds of traditional single-axis tracker systems.

Suppliers have gone so far as to reference the building of PEG projects as being an EPI process, rather than EPC, suggesting ‘Installation’ over ‘Construction’ as a more appropriate way to describe the system’s assembly.

The installation process

Rods are rammed into the ground to a depth of 0.6 to 0.8 meters underground without concrete. DC cables are all above ground, and those system characteristics together with the system’s light weight eliminate the need for heavy machinery during the DC installation.

The PEG system, an endless sea of modules with narrow walking paths between the blocks

The ramming process, done with electrohydraulic hammer

The PEG system’s installation comfortably and safely done on the ground level

The PEG system cable management, running along the north edge of the block to allow shading of the cables and avoid shading caused by the combiner boxes

The system’s low profile and the large block architecture allow for ground-level module cleaning, which is more efficient than other systems, where the cleaning equipment has to be transported between less modules across more land area blocks.

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Photo credits to Meralli Projects (https://ift.tt/2Oeh5Gq) and Belectric (www.belectric.com)

For a bigger battery, just add manganese

Scientists at the University of Southern Denmark working with sodium-ion batteries found that a new electrode material incorporating iron, manganese and phosphorous could increase both the power and capacity of the batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries are a popular subject for scientists, thanks to their potential to eventually offer similar performance to today’s lithium batteries, without the troubling reliance on rare materials or the risk of fire.

The batteries have seen limited commercial application already, but continue to struggle to match lithium and other energy storage technologies for energy density and long term stability. Now, a team of researchers at the University of Southern Denmark (USD) has made a discovery that it says could increase the capacity of power of the batteries.

The group worked on batteries with a cathode based on sodium iron phospho olivine (NaFePO₄), and tested some wisdom gained from better knowledge of lithium-ion technologies. In the lithium equivalent of this battery chemistry, LiFePO₄, substituting part of the iron with manganese is known to solve many performance problems with the battery performance and stability. The group in Denmark chose to investigate whether manganese would play a similar role in the sodium battery chemistry, with positive results.

“Similar effects have been seen in Li-ion batteries.” says Dorthe Bomholdt Ravnsbæk of USD’s Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy. “But it is very surprising that the effect is retained in a Na-ion battery, since the interaction between the electrode and Na-ions is very different from that of Li-ions.”

The group’s results, published in Applied Energy Materials, show that, depending on the configuration, replacing 10-20% of the iron in the cathode with manganese served to stabilize the solution and even led to a complete continuous solid solution transformation covering the entire charge process, and increasing battery capacity by more than 15%.

Ravnsbæk noted that making the sodium-ion batteries small enough to compete with commercial lithium-ion technologies remains challenging, so it may be a while before we see them powering mobile phones or electric vehicles, but the technology could already be viable for stationary storage applications.

Solarwatt’s Vision glass-glass PV passes Australian cyclone testing

Solarwatt’s Vision glass-glass solar PV modules have pushed the technology’s resilience even further after passing cyclone testing in Darwin, Australia.

From pv magazine Australia

Glass-glass and backsheet manufacturers are tussling for the inside track on the bifacial wave, and both have their advantages and disadvantages. For Solarwatt, the leading German manufacturer of Vision glass-glass panels, pushing the technology’s noted resilience is becoming ever-more important, as more panels are installed in ever-trickier conditions.

When pv magazine Australia spoke to DuPont’s Hong-Jie Hu last year, the solar technical and development lead spoke to the differences between backsheets and glass-glass bifacial modules. With bifacial module uptake growing in the Australian marketplace, Hu believes the lighter weight and O&M advantages of transparent backsheets will ensure their market supremacy.

However, like transparent backsheets, glass-glass modules are also seeing technological advancements. The most obvious is the thinning glass – some module makers are using glass only 2mm thick, which is a significant reduction in weight and a disadvantage in installation and transportation compared to transparent backsheets.

Only this week, U.S. researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) outlined the case for reducing the thickness of solar wafers from the current industry standard of 160 microns down to 50 microns and even thinner.

A long-held advantage of glass-glass is its ability to survive in the toughest conditions – an advantage which may dissipate if one of the caveats to thinning is brittleness. However, for many parts of the world, the resilience of glass-glass bifacial modules is simply a necessity.

Solarwatt’s vision glass-glass panels were recently approved for Australian cyclone conditions, with performance and resilience results in extreme weather conditions far exceeding its competitors. The tests were carried out by Albright consulting Engineers in Darwin under imitation conditions. The Vision 60M and Vision 60M Style solar modules were able to resist substantial vertical design loads on various mounting supports of up to 6.52 kilopascals (kPa – a recognized measure of pressure and strength).

“These procedures are a recognized test of resistance and ability to withstand cyclones and Solarwatt emerged with a considerably higher score than its nearest competitors,” said Sascha Gotzsch, managing director of Solarwatt Australia.

Glass-glass capable of withstanding significant amounts of pressure is a sign of improvement against cracking, which is one of the leading causes of defects in glass-glass bifacial modules. DuPont observed this in 2018 when it added data from glass-glass installations to its Global Field Study, bowing and breaking into pieces under their own weight. Clearly, Solarwatt has been working to minimize the defects present in glass-glass observed by DuPont.

Of course, the ability to withstand pressure and cyclone winds does not speak to whether glass-glass is not still susceptible to busbar and finger-ribbon corrosion, a leading cause of power loss that DuPont noticed with the delamination of the glass.

It should be noted that at the time of DuPont’s observations that many proponents of glass-glass technology were quick to note that defects present in China may have been the result of developers and manufacturers unfamiliar with the burgeoning technology. Like everywhere in the PV supply chain, there is high- and low-quality. Solarwatt’s glass-glass, as demonstrated by the flying colours it displayed in cyclone condition testing, is certainly on the high-side.

It should also be noted that DuPont’s criticisms of glass-glass were made at the same time it introduced its transparent backsheets to the market at SNEC. Coincidence? Perhaps, though perhaps not for glass-glass manufactures. It is funny to think that there are only ever happy coincidences, for it suggests that coincidence is merely a matter of perspective – such is the relativity of serendipity.

By Blake Matich

US solar generation fell as much as 10% in H1

Clean Power Research saw solar generation shift downward from the norm by as much as 10% in many locations across the United States in the first half of 2019.

From pv magazine USA

The sun rises every day, and hundreds of billions of dollars of portfolios set their rates of return on it.

Clean Power Research collects data from satellites, and packages it into equations that quantify historical solar insolation. The 1-sqm data allows solar power developers to project the future and secure financing for power plants. During the first half of 2019, the group saw generation fall across much of the country – enough to make a banker blanch.

First, an explanation – the rain comes and goes. Through April 2019, NASA measured the 12 wettest months on record, with precipitation in the lower 48 states at 17% above average. In the image from Clean Power Research’s analysis for the first half of 2019, we see lower generation across much of the country, with a few areas average and a couple of touches of higher than average, as compared to the 1998-2016 period. California, with more than 50% of the nation’s installed solar, saw between 5% to 10% less solar production. Just an average year might mean we see last spring’s records easily broken.

However, in the second half of the year (bottom image), we saw enough generation in some areas to bring the whole of 2019 numbers close to historical averages. However, the upper Midwest has now had two straight years of lower-than-average numbers – ranging from 5% to 9% down. Looking at the monthly chart for 2019 at the bottom of this article, you can see how every month has some level of variance to consider. That chart is probably a great tool to teach customers about variability.

The company sells the data – in the forms of the past, present, future and utility scale – in the SolarAnywhere product family. First, FleetView was developed to support utilities. Clean Power Research told pv magazine that utilities are actively integrating renewables and energy storage in large installs, but also distributed energy resources like rooftop solar, electric vehicles, and home and business battery storage.

Lead Product Manager Patrick Keelin said:

Where historically there were only loads, there is now generation. What are the impacts on the utility manager’s ability to regulate other power quality factors – like voltage. The data is targeted toward engineering groups, who are asking ‘what is the true load on my system and what are the potential impacts of rooftop solar on power?

Then, there’s SolarAnywhere‘s Data and Forecast, which offers uninterrupted satellite data going back to 1998. Clean Power says in-depth validation against ground sensors and blind studies have found satellite system data to be pretty accurate over long periods. Data is offered up in 1-sqm squares, with each square having its own solar resource and weather estimates.

SystemCheck allows you to model how individual systems should be performing against real-time weather. The company sells it to fleet managers who compare predictions versus their data of actual generation. And it allows you to look up to seven days ahead, and a climatological forecast is available from five days to 75 days ahead. Forecasts are available in as little as one-minute increments, and including include wind, temperature, weather, and of course, generation projections.

“The data is available in forecast, realtime and historical – with each used for different purposes,” Keelin says. “Third-party residential portfolios owners might have 10,000 to a couple of hundred thousand systems and they want to know what a broad region of performance data actually means. First you get your local system’s performance data, your soiling data, and add a tool like us to understand how the weather is. Then you can really pull things apart, you can get to the things you can really control.”

And unique to many folks, you get pricing on the website.

Thứ Năm, 30 tháng 1, 2020

F-Wave Introduces Hybrid Solar Roof Tiles

FWAVE LLC (F-Wave) has introduced its REVIA Hybrid solar roof tiles. F-Wave’s new tiles harvest both photovoltaic and thermal energy.

F-Wave’s Hybrid tiles are up to 40% efficient, doubling the efficiency of traditional glass solar panels. The energy generated mirrors the energy demand of typical homes across the U.S., which require one-third electrical and two-thirds thermal energy, the majority of which is consumed for hot water and space heating.

The patented Hybrid thermal system supplies heated air from between the roof surface and the roofing underlayment into F-Wave’s proprietary heat exchanger. The system includes both an air-to-water passive heat exchanger and an air-to-water heat pump providing the home with efficient hot water, space heating and cooling. It also significantly increases the homes total efficiency by reducing the thermal load from the sun. The thermal system achieves a coefficient of performance of up to 29 for space heating and 19 for passive water heating.

Summer and winter modes operate automatically or can be easily adjusted by the homeowner via a smart thermostat or its own iOS or Android app.

The Hybrid photovoltaic system utilizes F-Wave’s own lightweight, flexible, thin-film silicon solar cells which are unique and produce more kilowatt-hours of energy per watt installed per year than traditional glass panels. F-Wave’s solar cells are suitable for south-, east- and west-facing roof surfaces making them ideal for modern roof designs. Superior temperature tolerance enables the cells to maintain their efficiency during hot summer months whereas traditional glass panels lose efficiency.

F-Wave solar cells have been tested for 20 years and have a long-term performance warranty equal to the best glass panels. The electrical wiring and connectors are pre-mounted, color-coded and polarity exclusive, making connections simple and ensuring they are always installed correctly. This installer-friendly system enables the roofing contractor to complete the roof installation without the need for an electrical contractor on the roof. F-Wave’s electrical system optimizes power output from both large and small roof surfaces by using one microinverter to control up to 30 tiles at less than 60 V, which in turn makes the system intrinsically safe.

Complementary non-photovoltaic Hybrid tiles are also part of the system. These non-photovoltaic tiles can be easily cut to length or shape on-site using a standard craft knife. All tiles can be either screwed or nailed to the decking.

Photo: A contractor installing F-wave shingles

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Stem Launches Partner Program to Expand Storage Solution

Stem Inc., a manufacturer of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven energy storage services, has launched its new Stem Partner Program which expands its existing solar partner network to include distributors, as well as major solar developers and certified partners that support solar+storage deployments.

The company has also declared the addition of leading U.S. commercial and residential solar distributors BayWa r.e. Solar Systems LLC and Soligent Distribution as its first distributor partners.

“The launch of our Stem Partner Program formalizes this channel and enables us to put in place a unique structure bringing storage solutions to solar deployments of all sizes, solidifying our leadership in the behind-the-meter market for commercial and industrial customers,” says Alan Russo, CRO at Stem. “Now distribution partners enrich the program, letting us work with a broader range nationally of solar developers and EPC’s than ever before. This new channel gives distributors, who are typically one-stop shops for smaller residential solar providers, a path into the commercial and industrial markets.”

During the past year, Stem’s focus on building a partner network has yielded more than 50 active partners and is growing rapidly, resulting in 159 MWh at close in 2019.

The three-tier Stem Partner Program offers distinct direct and indirect channels. Premier Partners include some of the largest solar developers, such as Distributed Solar Development LLC, Greenskies Clean Energy and Sungreen Systems. Stem will work directly with these organizations and engage in direct co-marketing, sales and deployment of solar+storage solutions.

By adding storage, developers and distributors can scale their offerings and provide added value to customers in terms of resilience, cost savings and sustainability. Stem also offers partners more than a decade of experience in how to engineer and design solar+storage solutions, benefit from energy market participation and finance projects.

By partnering with BayWa r.e. Solar Systems and Soligent Distribution, two of the largest distributors in the U.S., Stem is able to rapidly expand its reach, while maintaining best-in-class support for its partner network.

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Good Energy Solutions donates solar system to Kansas community nonprofit

Good Energy Solutions, in partnership with the sun, is pleased to announce that Sunrise Project, a nonprofit organization in Douglas County, Kansas, will receive a PV solar system. Good Energy Solutions, a Lawrence-based solar energy and electrical services company, will donate and install the solar electric system as part of Good Energy Solutions’ “Solar Giveaway”…

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SEI is leading two free technical seminars at Middle East Energy in Dubai

Solar Energy International (SEI) will be leading two free technical seminars at Middle East Energy running March 3-5 in Dubai. If you haven’t already registered, you can sign up for a free visitor’s pass to attend the “world’s largest power conference,” which includes power professionals from over 130 countries and over 1300 exhibitors from around the globe. In its 44th year, Middle East Energy has become a meeting point for networking, business, learning and debate for the power generation, lighting, transmission & distribution, energy storage & management solutions and solar sectors. During the event, SEI’s Kristopher Sutton, Co-Director of the Middle East and Africa Program, will address two critical topics to the solar industry with trainings on Solar Electric System Design Essentials and Tools and Testing Procedures for PV System Performance.

Solar Electric System Design Essentials is an entry-level PV system design workshop and is recommended for anyone new to the solar market and interested in navigating their way into this fast-growing industry. With a focus on utility-connected PV systems (the largest and fastest-growing market sector), the class begins by introducing primary components, terminology, and applications for solar electric (PV) systems. We will discuss concepts that are critical for good design, and how they are applied in practice. This workshop will provide a solid, basic foundation from which a larger exploration of utility-connected PV systems can be launched.

Tools and Testing Procedures for PV System Performance workshop teaches participants about performing regular inspections, troubleshooting, and verifying system performance. Having the right tools and understanding of test procedures for PV systems is critical to maximize system runtime and keep warranties intact. In this course with a focus on safety, as a system owner, operator, or maintenance technician, you will gain a basic understanding of how to identify and use the common tools of the trade and the troubleshooting strategies used to diagnose some of the problems that you are most likely to encounter on a PV system. In addition, we will describe some basic concepts of system performance that are critical when doing any kind of testing on PV systems. This course is an excellent starting point for understanding the role of operations and maintenance procedures in keeping PV systems functioning safely and optimally over the course of their entire lifespan.

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