System Integration

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.

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.

The US has a massive interconnection problem, with more than 14TW of clean power sat dormant in its queues. The DOE i2X initiative is seeking to unleash this power and catapult the US closer to its climate targets. But how will it achieve this? Sean Rai-Roche finds out more.

Inverters are essentially the brains of a PV plant and while their key function remains the conversion of DC power to AC, their design and configuration is continually evolving. So are the strategies of the companies making this important piece of kit, writes Jonathan Touriño Jacobo.

Curtailment is a rising threat to solar PV, exacerbated by antiquated grids and a power system in transition. But green hydrogen electrolysis is emerging as a potential solution to the problem, taking excess solar and converting it into hydrogen for either long-duration storage or use by other industries, writes Alissa Tripp, senior research and commercial analyst at Octopus Hydrogen.

Alexander Hansen Bakken, cybersecurity consultant at DNV, reveals the cyber vulnerabilities arising as solar farm operational technologies become more networked and connected, and recommends approaches to reduce the risk.

Solar PV connectors provider Stäubli discusses the risks of cross-mating PV connectors, examines the pitfalls of individual testing and details the international standards all solar PV professionals should know.

Standardising PV modules will help reduce developer uncertainty, while at the same time, larger more efficient modules help reduce the size of photovoltaic plants, which continues to be one of the industry’s biggest challenges, writes Victor Navarrete, grid connection manager at Atlas Renewable Energy.

The race for green hydrogen dominance is on, with global markets ramping up the scale of their ambition in terms of deployment. But this too is causing a further fight for market share among the three core electrolysis technologies, as Jonathan Tourino Jacobo learns.

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.