panels

A van full of solar panels has been circulating in Europe for four months. The result is as good as doubtful

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The anxiety for autonomy It is still one of the great inconvenience when convincing the skeptics of the electric car. For years, manufacturers juggle the kilometers that can be traveled with a single battery charge. There are even debates on how interesting it is more interesting to increase the size of the batteries or improve recharge times. Among those juggling has been tested with solar panels as a solution to problems. An option that until now does not seem to have given the expected results but that some German researchers point out as an interesting solution to win up to 30% autonomy. What is behind this study? A solar van that promises 30% more autonomy The use of solar energy for the battery recharge of a car and the increase in its autonomy has been studying for a long time. In fact, in 2022 the Lightyear 0an electric car with solar panels that promised to extend autonomy in 70 kilometers every day. Just over a year later, the company itself announced that closed its vehicle division And that, from now on, he would stay with the only thing that seemed to have a future: his solar panels. Its history is the best example of how everything that has to do with the application of solar panels seems to work in cars. Promises of increases of dozens of kilometers of autonomyinterest is generated, it is proven that the system is not so much and ends up falling into oblivion. In an electric car, the space to incorporate solar panels is very small. It can be done on the roof, on the hood and in the trunk. However, the surface is relatively small, the curved shapes of the pieces make the solar sheets that can be incorporated and, as if that were not enough, the results are little encouraging. In fact, the Mercedes Vision EQXXthat the German company uses for its leading tests with the electric car, barely recovered 43 kilometers on a trip that lasted more than 1,200 kilometers thanks to its solar panels. The company, however, is sure that the system can be interesting and The last thing he has tried is a solar paint with which they ensure that they can suppose up to 12,000 additional kilometers per year in a medium SUV and in the light conditions of Germany. Mercedes points out that the efficiency of the system is 20% but has not confirmed what price we are talking or when they expect to be commercially available. At the moment, everything is still part of more research. Which, on the contrary, affirms the study by the Gauss Center for Supercomputing EV and the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, published in Wiley It is that a light commercial vehicle can take performance to this technology. They base their studies on a project that began in 2021. Then, they filled the body of a small van and analyzed the energy recovered between the months of April and July of that year in Hannover. According to its results, the van I could have traveled 530 km from the 1750 km circulated. That is, 30% of the total distance. However, you have to take several things into account. The van left every morning early (5:00 am) to Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH). There, the car was detained for hours until the working day was over and the driver returned home touring, again, the approximate 45 minutes it took to his work. They ensure that with this system the van was able to take advantage of more than 60% of the recovered energy and that, in total, extended its autonomy by 30%. However, in the study it is clear that they are estimates in which the energy recovered by the regenerative braking has been discriminated against, for example. They also point out that the tests were performed in the spring and summer months, where the incidence of sunlight is much greater. But, above all, there is a great but: we are talking about a commercial vehicle that spent hours and hours detained and, in addition, strategically positioning to obtain the greatest possible radiation over time. In this way, they reduced shade areas and less efficient areas. Of course, this is not the way of working that is expected of a commercial vehicle that makes much more moved days and that travels much more than 31.25 kilometers recorded in each session. In motionit is expected that the energy collected by the solar panels will be much lower because the shadow periods on the vehicle and the plates are less exposed in their best position. In addition, if the commercial vehicle moves in an urban environment, it is very likely that the shadow areas will increase. Nor is the cost that this system can have. It is possible that in a commercial vehicle it may make more sense than in a tourism but we would have to study the added weight, the increase in temperature inside the cabin and, subsequently, how long the car would need by plugging it into a fast charger (and its cost) to estimate whether or not it really makes sense. Photo | Wiley In Xataka | The owner of a Tesla Model and has filled his roof of solar panels to load “up to 100 km”. It is not a good idea

Kesterite solar panels

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The Perovskita is the center of attention of the researchers to achieve higher levels of efficiencybut it presents the challenge of being an unstable and toxic material. However, an Australian study has developed a viable alternative with an element that has begun to exceed its efficiency levels: Kesterite. Short. Researchers from the University of Nueva Wales del Sur de Sydney have established a new world efficiency record of 13.2% in Kesterite solar cells (CZTS). The process they have used to achieve this has been by hydrogen and the cells were broadband. Professor Xiaojing Hao and her team at the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering They have explained that the kesterite had already been used in previous investigations, but its maximum efficiency had stagnated at 11% during the last six years due to the defects generated during its production. Why Kesterite? This material is an environment -respectful option, cheap to manufacture and maintains a long -term photovoltaic performance. In addition, it is formed by copper, zinc, tin and sulfur, which are abundant and non -toxic. In this way, the kesterite becomes a more sustainable option in front of another type of solar cells. How have they done it? To improve Kesterite solar cells, scientists have used hydrogen through thermal treatment. This process, known as passive, consists of the introduction of hydrogen to reduce the defects present in the material during the production of the kesterite. In this way, hydrogen has modulated these defects, minimizing its impact and increasing efficiency in the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Pervskita vs Kesterita. Despite reaching large laboratory efficiency installments, Like 40% And you can see YOSVSKITA SOLAR PAnels marketed At least in China and also in tandem on silicon. However, this type of cells contains lead, an element that dissolves in water is pollutants. For its part, Kesterite is a more sustainable and safe alternative, the power is expected to continue increasing and low environmental impact make it an attractive option face the future. Tandem? In research development they have stated that the use of CZTS can be used in Tandem, a technology that combines two or more types of solar cells. According to Professor Hao, if the CZTS manages to achieve an efficiency of 20%, this material would be the solution of solar energy, because it meets all ideal criteria: abundant, ecological and with good optolectronic properties. Forecasts The researchers Sydney UNSW expects the efficiency of the CZTS to reach 15% in next year and that its marketing occurs around 2030. Although there is still work to be done to reduce manufacturing defects and improve performance. Image | Unsw Sydney Xataka | In 2009, Perovskita’s solar panels wasted 97% of energy. Now they are ready to conquer the industry

Texas installed millions of solar panels on rural land. To maintain it they have had to hire 3,000 sheep

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When one of the world’s largest solar plants was installed near his home, sheep herder JR Howard never imagined it would end up being a golden opportunity for the sheep business. Context. Despite being the main oil producer in the United States, Texas has made one of the country’s strongest bets on renewable energy to the point of surpassing California in solar production. In Milam County, just outside of Austin, is the fifth largest solar photovoltaic park in the world. Owned by SB Energy, this installation covers 1,600 hectares of rural land in solar panels, generating up to 900 W of clean energy power. 3,000 sheep. Under the shadow of hundreds of thousands of solar panels, not only insects that were previously threatened proliferate, like bees. Grass also grows healthily, which requires maintenance. The solar industry tends to rely on gas-powered lawnmowers to remove grass, which defeats the fundamental purpose of renewable energy. But SB Energy opted for a more sustainable and traditional solution for the maintenance of its land: a flock of 3,000 sheep. why sheep. In addition to the economic benefits, sheep reach grasses that lawnmowers can’t reach, such as those that grow in small crevices. No less important: the sheep happily chew whatever day it is, rain or shine. But the proliferation of grazing animals on solar farms is not unique to this Texas facility, but is part of a broader trend in the agrivoltaic industry sometimes called “solar grazing.” an opportunity. To JR Howard, solar grazing has changed his life. His sheep farming business has been industrialized and he now has 8,000 animals and 27 employees. An image that is repeated in 27 states in the United States, according to the American Solar Grazing Association, which reports 60 new agrivoltaic projects with grazing by small herbivores. The solar industry is a golden opportunity for sheep herders, who have seen the wool and breeding business in general decline. Agrivoltaics makes it possible to take advantage of sunny land both to generate electricity and to maintain livestock, herds of goats and sheep or grow food. Image | AgriSolar Clearinghouse In Xataka | Minnesota installed solar panels on two huge crops. Five years later, they are a paradise for bees

China set up its own “OPEC of solar panels” to avoid an internal price war. It came out regular

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If there is currently a power in renewables, it is China. The country installs 60% of the world’s renewable capacity and has huge projects underway like his ‘Solar Great Wall‘, he largest wind turbine in the world and ambitious plans offshore energy both wind and photovoltaic. In the solar energy segment there are so many companies competing for the same piece of the pie that even the biggest ones are drowning. And with problems everywhere, the industry wanted to emulate the oil sector with a great self-control pact. The first attempt has gone wrong. Saturation. The storm began in 2021. It was the year in which China presented its net zero emissions plan for 2060 with a very ambitious goal: at least 1,200 GW of solar and wind capacity installed by 2030. Energy companies got down to business , but there were also companies not endemic to the energy sector that jumped on the bandwagon of what aimed to be a very lucrative business. The problem is that it was carried out without apparent control, with everyone fighting the war on their own. The result? Large projects throughout the country and such a beastly production of solar panels that it has stifled companies from outside Chinabut also an annual production capacity of around 1,200 GW of panels. So we don’t all fit. This might seem good, but it is not: it represents double global demand in 2024 and is more than expected for 2030. The situation pushed many companies to deduct prices, sometimes below costs, creating a kind of ‘Ice Age’ of the photovoltaic sector with companies such as GLC Tecnology – the second solar company in China and one of the largest in the energy sector– asking the state for help. The reason is that the prices of the entire production chain (from silicon to photovoltaic modules) had fallen below costs and companies were losing money with each sale. As we read In South China Morning Post, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, or CPIA, estimates that prices in each segment of the panel supply chain fell between 60% and 80% in 2024 from their peak in 2023. Following in the footsteps of OPEC. The problem is that demand also did not follow the trend. According to the energy think tank Ember, global solar installations grew by 29% in 2024 compared to 87% in 2023. In China alone, the expected growth in 2024 was 28%, far from 55% the previous year. In addition, 39 of the 121 publicly traded photovoltaic producers, reported losses in Chinaand giants like Longo Green Energy had to lay off 5% of their workforce. It was necessary to take control of this unlimited production, and it is something that was attempted to be tackled at the CPIA meeting in December of last year. In the la, 33 of the main manufacturers signed a self-control commitment based, according to SCMP, on the agreements of the OPEC -Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries-. The idea was to agree on production quotas based on their capacity, respect the minimum recommended price established by the Association and, with this, wait for the market to regulate itself. First problems. It is curious that, just two weeks after the signing of that self-control pact, the CPIA issued an open letter criticizing a solar project in Xinjiang that was violating the agreement. The problem? The company, a subsidiary of the China Energy Investment Group, set a price “significantly lower” than the 0.68 yuan – about 0.09 euros – per watt stipulated by the CPIA. It is something that has weakened the morale of an industry that considered an OPEC-style pact as one of the last realistic resources to save solar-related companies and jobs in the country before taking actions that end with closures and layoffs. The Government puts its hand. This is something that worries government institutions and companies themselves because a negative climate in which companies are operating at a loss or without achieving financial objectives can have a disastrous consequence: compromising the quality of the panels and the industry, prevent innovation and, therefore, make China blur what has been achieved in recent years, disappearing the competitive advantage and causing the loss of talent. And the CPIA is not the only one that has tried to control the situation. The central government also imposed some measures to curb the expansion, such as increasing minimum capital requirements for new panel manufacturing projects from 20% to 30%, lower export tax rebates, and stricter limits on water and energy consumption. . For example, the permitted electricity consumption for existing manufacturers was reduced from 80 kWh/kg to 60 kWh/kg. It’s complicated. The problem is that the industry is, at this point, too big. With the new government measures on energy use, it is estimated that production capacity will be between 20% to 30%. But the problem is, as Jessica Jin – an analyst at S&P Global – points out, that the main obstacle will be controlling all the factories in the country to ensure that they comply with the measures. In the end, what is happening in China is something that has been brewing for months: they lead the solar panel market (by a lot), but they have grown without control and this accelerated boom is currently being regulated based on demand both internal and external. Images | Korea Aerospace Research Institute Xataka | China is regularly hit by typhoons. Now it has a mega wind turbine to take advantage of them

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