Solar

Undocumented communication devices, including cellular radios, have been found in solar power inverters and energy storage batteries, according to Reuters. There is little additional information at this time: the news organisation has not been able to discover the identity of the manufacturers affected, and is not naming its human sources. While these undocumented links could simply be alternative routes for ...

Emil Otto has developed flux gels for manual rework on solar modules, that are based on solar module production fluxes. Fluxes for manual and rework soldering tend to contain “different activators to those used for series production”, according to the company. “Thanks to the uniform activators of the Emil Otto flux gels, cross-reactions that can occur when using different activators ...

Solar-powered electric cooking is becoming a viable alternative to charcoal and wood-based cooking in Rwanda, according to a project at Coventry University. “Around 25% of the world’s population lacks access to clean cooking facilities, while around 10% lack access to electricity, with both disproportionately affecting women and children,” according Coventry’s Jonathan Nixon. “As energy systems become more reliant on advanced ...

Fluke once again has solar power engineers in mind with a pair of instruments, both true-RMS, CAT III and rated to 1,500V: the 283 FC digital multimeter and the a283 FC wireless ac and dc current clamp. These follow on from April’s PVA-1500HE2 and 1,500V 30A solar installation analyser and I-V curve tracer, and its less capable PVA-1500T2 cousin. “With ...

Emil Otto has created a range of cleaning agents for solar panels. “Photovoltaic modules must be cleaned regularly to ensure maximum performance,” according to the company. “However care must be taken when cleaning as the use of chemical cleaning agents carries a considerable risk of damage. Aggressive chemicals or abrasive cleaning agents can scratch or corrode the sensitive surfaces of ...

The rise in interest for renewable energy has led to power designers looking for sensors that are fit-for-purpose in high-voltage photovoltaic applications, observes Martin Reizner. Renewable energy initiatives are on the rise around the world. Countries are adopting comprehensive plans to reach ambitious solar reliance goals within the next decade. The trend drives new demand for equipment such as solar ...

Intepro Systems is stocking a 50kW regenerative ac-dc electronic load and grid simulator from Cinergia. Called ‘GE&EL+ vAC/DC SiC’, Intepro describes it as: “The whole Cinergia catalogue in a single unit. [It] is both an ac and dc grid emulator, and can also works as a load [and] is ideal for testing solar panels, wind turbines, hardware-in-the-loop power, smart grids, ...

Fluke is aiming at mid-sized solar power installations with PVA-1500HE2, an analyser and I-V curve tracer rated at 1.5kVdc and 30A. Update: Later in the year, Fluke added a 1,500V solar multimeter and a matching 60A wireless current clamp “Similar products can often struggle to obtain accurate readings due to high capacitance levels and are incapable of recording data continuously ...

BASF Schwarzheide has installed a 1MW 5.8MWh sodium-sulphur battery to increase the amount of energy it can use from the solar park at its manufacturing site in Lusatia Germany, where it produces electric vehicle battery materials. “The stationary energy storage system is another step towards increased sustainability in battery production for electric vehicles,” said company v-p of battery metals Daniel ...

Epishine, the Swedish indoor solar power specialist, and Nichicon, the Japanese capacitor manufacturer, have come up with a self-charging battery concept. The idea is to combine Epishine’s  solar cells and Nichicon’s  LTO-batteries in an integrated solderless autonomous power product which is an alternative  to disposable and re-chargeable batteries, reducing time-to-market and cutting down on product development costs. “We’ve created a ...