Presenting findings on the exposure of PV panels to the harsh environment of the Arabian
Desert, a team from the Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute details the multiple
mitigation approaches to solar soiling.
PV modules will keep changing in the quest for higher efficiency and energy yield. However, the rapid and sometimes simultaneous introduction of new technologies increases overall quality risk, writes George Touloupas, senior director at Clean Energy Associates.
Featuring nearly 1.5 million PV modules and with a generation capacity of 590MWp, the Francisco Pizarro plant in Spain came into operation in August 2022. George Heynes talks to developer Iberdrola about the challenges of constructing Europe’s largest solar farm.
As the floating solar sector becomes more mature, larger projects are being deployed in a range of water bodies, presenting a host of construction challenges. Jonathan Tourino Jacobo talks to project developers about how the latest technology is driving growth.
Rarely does the planning and design phase of solar farms consider the subsequent operational management and its costs. Jörn Carstensen, managing partner at greentech, explores how unforeseen effects from development, procurement and construction can have a significant impact on the economic viability of PV plants.
As solar projects become ever larger, sites with slopes and uneven terrain are becoming the norm for project development, leading tracker manufacturers to adapt their offerings accordingly. Molly Lempriere details the latest launches that aim to address this issue.
While renewables procurement is more challenging for SMEs with smaller power demands and less energy sector expertise, PPA aggregations offer a solution. Meghan McIntyre of Schneider Electric explores the deal structures for such aggregations and how project developers can benefit from them.
While collecting verified bottom-up project data in real time has previously been cost-prohibitive, satellite data can now be leveraged to make comprehensive market intelligence attainable for investors. Daniel Cruise and Joseph Triepke, partners at energy intelligence firm Lium Research, reveal how satellites can provide more reliable insights into the construction of US utility-scale solar projects.
Amid potential supply chain bottlenecks as China increases its PV manufacturing dominance, companies in markets such as the US, India and Europe are looking to leverage new policy support to scale up domestic production. Jules Scully charts the industry’s efforts to onshore solar module manufacturing.
Molly Lempriere investigates how much land the UK needs for utility-scale PV plants as it transitions to net zero, and whether the sector’s growth poses any threat to food security.
