Recently, PV-Tech featured an extended interview with Cherif Kedir, the President and CEO at the Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC), based in Fremont, California, regarding new trends in module reliability and performance testing.
Alongside the recent rapid boom in bifacial solar deployment, extensive work has been underway to fine-tune the yield modelling of bifacial systems. Drawing on case studies from the ATAMOSTEC test site in Chile, researchers involved in the collaborative venture describe how it is helping improve understanding of bifacial yield and the lay the foundations for a set of new rules to inform system design and installation
As larger floating solar projects become a more common sight around the world, bankability is increasingly coming to the fore to satisfy the demands of financiers. Jeremy Ong, Ken Tay and Harald Hammer look at some of the areas where careful due diligence is vital to managing and mitigating technical risks for lenders
Speaking exclusively to PV Tech, Jolywood president Lin Jianwei discusses the company’s progress over the past 12 years, how it has progressed its n-type TopCON technology to mass manufacturing, and what the future holds.
Later this year, a new set of industry guidelines will for the first time codify a set of best practices for EPC contractors. Ahead of publication, members of Solar Power Europe’s O&M task force look at some of the critical areas of PV system integration where high-quality EPC work can most effectively influence a project’s lifetime performance
By Dirk C. Jordan, Chris Deline, Bill Marion and Teresa Barnes, NREL. Mark Bolinger, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Despite the importance of reliability to the cost competitiveness of PV, large data sets enabling high-level investigation of the technology’s performance in the field are relatively scarce. Dirk C. Jordan, Chris Deline, Bill Marion and Teresa Barnes of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Mark Bolinger of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study a unique data set of 100,000 PV systems in the US, drawing out tips for better reliability that have relevance to other parts of the world.
Travel restrictions imposed by countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic have contribution to a slowdown in investment in rural electrification projects. Thomas Hillig examines the extent of the investment freeze and possible solutions to get capital flowing into much needed projects again
FuturaSun has launched its ‘ZEBRA’ Series n-type monocrystalline IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) solar panel series to the residential PV and C&I markets across Europe. The new Zebra series offers a superior esthetics, enhanced electrical performance and a solid reliability and durability, a hallmark of IBC technology.
By Vicente Parra, Ruperto J. Gómez, José C. Vázquez and Francisco Álvarez, Enertis
A comprehensive understanding of the performance gain offered by a bifacial module remains an elusive goal for PV owners and EPCs due to variations arising from different design, manufacturing and testing methods. Vicente Parra, Ruperto J. Gómez, José C. Vázquez and Francisco Álvarez of Enertis review the main sources of variability and outstanding uncertainties that must be addressed as the industry seeks to define standard rules for reliably selecting, purchasing and deploying bifacial PV modules
Huawei has launched its next generation ‘FusionSolar’ residential smart PV solution with the emphasis on innovative smart technologies to provide the easiest and highest safety installation standards and long-term operability that aims for 100% self-consumption.