Technical Papers

Jan Vedde, senior project manager for European Energy, takes a look at the key technological trends in the solar PV market, from changes to silicon cell manufacturing to the benefits of bifaciality.

Floating solar has grown at a slower pace than its land-based counterpart but technological developments, efficiency gains and land constraints are making it an increasingly appealing option for developers. Shauna Ng, content executive at Sunseap, examines the technology, its benefits and where the sector is headed.

With solar operations and maintenance experiencing significant price pressure, adequate fault detection that occurs as quickly as possible has become increasingly important for asset operators. Here, 3E’s Julien Deckx explores early fault detection strategies for solar PV plants.

Last year analysis by renewables performance aggregator and insurance provider kWh Analytics highlighted the extent of solar asset underperformance against P50 estimates in the US. Here, the company’s Sarath Srinivasan details some of the reasons behind that underperformance.

While still nascent, green hydrogen can take off as a fuel source and energy storage system if it is afforded the support, regulatory environment and financial backing it deserves, Hive Energy’s Shirvine Zhang tells Sean Rai-Roche.

Floating solar applications continue to grow both in terms of project size and geographical reach, however there remains some uncertainty around the demands placed on balance of system components away from the module, such as floats, clamps, cabling and other electrical equipment. TÜV Rheinland’s Jörg Althaus details the factors that may influence purchasing decisions when it comes to FPV projects.

Alice Grundy explores the success of South Africa’s renewables auctions and the challenges that still remain for the development of PV in the country.

After years of not living up to its solar potential, Brazil is on the cusp of a solar boom. A confluence of factors has led to rapid investment and deployment in the country, but a few hurdles still need to be overcome, writes Sean Rai-Roche.

Women still make up just 32% of the renewables workforce worldwide, but initiatives are emerging with the aim of improving gender diversity at all levels. Molly Lempriere takes a look at the current state of play, and how companies are looking to attract a more gender diverse workforce.

As demand for solar grows, so too must its international workforce. But there are concerns that a shortage of skilled workers could stymie deployment just as it’s needed to accelerate. Jules Scully assesses where the solar skills gap is looming and industry efforts to ease it.