solar

Normal, with solar load and crank. Five external batteries to have the mobile loaded during a blackout

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Behind him Mass blackout That we suffer yesterday throughout the Peninsula, it has become clear that it is convenient to have one or more PowerBank (or external batteries) at home so that at least I can have the mobile with drums. But … which one to choose? In this article we have gathered different external batteries that can be very useful at a time with which we live yesterday with a light cut of many hours. IPOSIBLE WITH SOLAR LOAD by 35.95 euros With coupon, an external battery with solar panels. ANKER LAPTOP by 99.99 eurosan external battery that allows recharging to laptops. Xiaomi Redmi Fast Charge Power Bank by 14.99 eurosa very cheap external battery that has a good load capacity. Wastde with solar load and crank by 59.99 eurosan external battery designed to use it at all times. Anker Zolo by 20.89 eurosan external pocket battery with 30W load. IPOSIBLE WITH SOLAR LOAD One of the most interesting proposals of this list is External Iposible batterywhich is at Amazon at a price of 39.95 euros, although selecting the store coupon stays in 35.95 euros. And it is interesting because its capacity of 26,800 mAh is recharged by solar load, so we can be ready even if we have no light. Comes with four waterproof solar panels that can be folded, includes several USB ports (both USB-C as USB-A and Microusb) and its construction offers water resistance, blows and dust. The brand mentions that the battery offers more than 1,600 load life cycles. * Some price may have changed from the last review ANKER LAPTOP On the other hand, if what we are looking for is an external battery that even allows us to recharge a laptop (useful if the light cut has caught us when we were working), the ANKER LAPTOP It can be a very good purchase option. Costs 99.99 euros in Amazon and is very complete. The Anker Laptop is an external battery that comes with a capacity of 25,000 mAh. Includes three USB-C ports and offers a loading power up to 100Wso you can recharge a good assortment of devices. In addition, it allows recharging up to four devices at once. * Some price may have changed from the last review Xiaomi Redmi Fast Charge Power Bank If what we are looking for is an external economic battery, but also very useful, the Xiaomi Redmi Fast Charge Power Bank Right now it costs 14.99 euros In the official store. In addition, it comes with a capacity of 20,000 mAh, offers a power of 18W. Xiaomi’s external battery comes with a couple of USB-A ports, a USB-C port and another microusb. It also has temperature protectionagainst the short circuits, against overcurrent and also against the overtheions. Xiaomi Redmi Fast Charge Power Bank * Some price may have changed from the last review Wastde with solar load and crank Another of the most interesting proposals of this list is the Wastde external batterywhich comes both with solar load and with a crank. Its price at Amazon is 59.99 euros and stands out mainly for these two reasons: it can be recharged through the solar load or using the crank (very useful for the night). In addition to this, it comes with three output cables (Lightning, USB-C and Microusb) and three output ports (two USB-A and a USB-C). It allows to recharge many devices at the same time, has a capacity of 26,800 mAh and includes a flashlight with three modes: SOS, strobe and continuous. Wastde with solar load and crank * Some price may have changed from the last review Anker Zolo If what we are looking for is an external pocket battery that occupies very little space, the Anker Zolo It can be a very good purchase option. It is located at a price at a price of 20.89 euros And it can be stored practically in any pocket, since its dimensions are approximately 119.9 x 73.4 x 31.4 mm. In addition to this, the external battery offers a 30W load powerincludes an integrated USB-C cable, its capacity is 10,000 mAh and can be recharged in a short time thanks to its 20W power. * Some price may have changed from the last review Some of the links of this article are affiliated and can report a benefit to Xataka. In case of non -availability, offers may vary. Images | IPOSIBLE, ANKER, XIAOMI, WASTDE In Xataka | What do you need (according to the EU) for your survival kit and how much can it cost you? In Xataka | Best Power Bank to load your mobile phone. Which to buy and recommended external batteries

The US deserts have 1,200 GW solar for AI. The only problem is that Big Tech do not dare to use them

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The Data centers They are the new 21st century factories. And like any factory, they need energy. A lot of energy. The main technology companies are building and operating Great data centers that allow offering services (video or Streaming video gamesfor example), but also where the different models of artificial intelligence. The problem is that They need more and morewhich translates into a growing energy demand. And although there are those who bet on the nuclear power and for the reactivation of fossil fuels, a study considers that the future is in the Solar energy outside the energy network. The problem is that, although the solution sounds great, it is not being applied. Hyperscalists. This is an important term. Technology companies that operate cloud computing infrastructures on a global scale are known as ‘hyperscalist’. Its data centers are crucial for the development of digital services, but also for the ‘big data’ and the advance of AI, and the term “hyperscalist” responds to those data centers can be scalar quickly and on demand. Climbing … how? Well, depending on the needs of that company and the fan that wants to cover, that scalability translates into more storage, a faster processing or a greater bandwidth on the network. Demand. The main players in this are Google, Microsoft, Meta or Amazon and although they have the capacity to expand their data centers, they are running with a huge problem: the amount of resources they consume. In large server centers, Water consumption It has always been a problem that companies have solved in different ways to be more responsible with the environmentbut the arrival of AI has been a revolution. Train and maintain these models consume a A large amount of energy resources And, apart from the water to dissipate the heat of the servers, a great energy capacity is needed. So much so, although there are companies Building more sustainable data centers At the structural level, energy demand is so brutal that They require coal and natural gas To meet demand. And some like Google either Goal they will use nuclear energy to feed your needs Energy out of the network. Contextualized the problem and seeing that these energy needs play against decarbonizationinvestigators of companies such as Stripe, Paces or Scale Microgrids have got to work to determine the best solution to feed those data centers in a sustainable way. His conclusion has been presented in a study in which they estimate that the total energy demand of the AI ​​for 2030 will range between 30 and 300 GW. In the case of the centers where AI training is carried out, that demand will be between 15 and 150 GW. It is a huge fan, but the solution they pose and that they consider optimal is the creation of micro -redes outside the network, fed by solar energy. According to them, systems with 44% solar energy are already competitive in costs compared to those based only on gas, and those that reach 90% renewable can be even more profitable than nuclear projects such as Three Mile Island of Microsoft. Green spots are green plots for a 90/10 stage Build where the sun glued. The advantage of this system is that its construction is fast because you do not have to reactivate a nuclear power plant. You are not tied to what the energy market demands, Geopolitical conflicts They do not leave you without supply, it is clean energy, buy solar panels is getting cheaper And, above all, it is easily scalable. If more energy is needed, it is as simple as adding more panels, but the most important thing in this equation is that they can build these centers in optimal places. Unlike servers centers, which do need to be close to the end user to offer a better service, the data centers in which the AI ​​training is carried out have geographical flexibility. This implies that they can install them in areas with optimal solar radiation and in places where the land is cheap. Optimal areas Optimal areas. In the study they have identified plots in the United States with a potential for up to 1,200 GW of solar energy outside the network, with gas support and an optimal area with large esplanades and radiation during a large percentage of the year. So, CaliforniaNevada, Arizona, New Mexico and the east of Texas They would be ideal places to house those data fueled data centers outside the network by 90%, with the remaining 10% backed by gas. Beyond this, the study points out that most of the appropriate land is private, so it can be purchased to build these facilities and that, in addition, many are within lands that would allow subsidies. If you start today, the construction bond would be between 12 and 24 months and everything seems positive, but it is not being done. If it is so good … why isn’t it? According to researchers, there are three issues that come into play. Two are closely related and have to do that this of AI training is a very recent phenomenon. The designers of the data centers have historically been skeptical when it comes to getting off the network because what they wanted was to enhance, above all, the reliability. They can’t stay a second without energy, go. Related to the historical tendency is inertia: it has never been done before, although current technology would allow to operate only with renewables (as some countries already do). And the third reason is the cost, $ 23 per MWh, specifically. The panels are increasingly affordablebut it is more expensive than not buying those panels -evidently. However, the researchers point out that this extra cost would be dampened by the Cost of emissions and compensation that would be avoided in the short term. Therefore, these solar micro -lands outside the network seem a quick way to feed large -scale data centers, but although technology is mature, it seems to spend time until … Read more

Solar energy and the price of light are suffocating it

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Europe opted for the wind. For years, wind turbines were symbol of the energy transition in the continent; The spearhead of the European renewable industry. But something has been crooked. Wind energy, especially offshore, has stopped its expansion dry While photovoltaic solar grows wildlyapparently unstoppable. A very unequal career. After a few years growing in parallel, the plot beat wind in facilities at the beginning of this decade. Since then, he has been adding between four and five times more capacity than wind every year. They are complementary energies (the wind blows even at night), but it is being an unequal race. Not to say a beating. In 2024, Europe installed more than 65 GW of photovoltaic solar capacity. At the same time, expanded its wind capacity in 16 GWless than the previous year, but in the line of the last 20 years. The industry has gathered. 16,000 industry members gathered in Copenhagen a few days ago to discuss it, a new record of attendees at the Windeurope Biennial Conference. Giants like Orsted asked for a pact for marine wind: according to Bloombergthe most affected branch of the sector. They want long -term contracts supported by governments that guarantee fixed prices for electricity, which gives us a key to the problem: many projects do not take off for financial uncertainty. Wind energy (black) and solar (yellow) facilities since 2000. Image: Bloomberg Electricity too cheap? Europe already has so much renewable capacity that, when the wind blows, wind turbines flood the cheap electricity marketsinking prices (Sometimes until they make them negative), which discourages new investments. Without mechanisms to manage that oversu Green hydrogen production), Building more wind in certain European countries ceases to be profitable. It is not the only problem. Beef by the increase in steel price, the rise in interest rates and complex logistics to transport palas and towers, the wind industry has seen its offices fired. Building wind farms, especially in the sea, is today much more expensive than a few years ago. Wind is also exposed to greater bureaucracy and public opposition than solar. Permits to install wind farms remain a bureaucratic crucis in many regions (if not, tell Galicia). To which the local opposition is added due to the landscape impact, an obstacle that the solar panels (although they also have their own) raffle more easily. A solar sponator. While wind fight against wind and tide (never better), photovoltaic solar lives its golden age thanks, above all, to mass production in China. The oversight has Negative consequences for Chinese companiesbut in Europe we only see the good side: the solar panels are getting cheaperaccessible and efficient. They can also be installed almost anywhere: roofs, wasteland, facades … and its deployment is much faster and modular than that of a wind farm. Self -consumption and energy communities shoot thanks to these facilities, which also explains the decoupling between solar capacity and wind capacity. A global trend. In the rest of the world Three quarters of the same occurs. While global solar facilities grew 34% in 2024, wind turbines barely added 5% capacity. For Europe, which has a strong wind industry and very demanding climatic objectives, it is very bad news. Although solar grows faster, wind usually has a larger plant factor; That is, it produces more energy by megavatio installed throughout the year. They are also complementary energy sources: the wind usually blows stronger in winter and at night, just when the lot falters. We need both to decarbonize the network in a stable and safe way. In Xataka | Europe has installed so much renewable energy that now has an unusual problem: too cheap electricity

Put solar panels in space has never been profitable, but there is something that motivates the current interest: its military use

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The old idea of ​​collecting energy from the sun from space to transmit it uninterrupted to Earth has always collided with the huge costs and technological barriers that have prevented their deployment. Until now. A global interest. Governments and companies around the world seem to have a renewed interest in space solar energy. The drastic drop in launch costs, thanks to the emergence of reusable rockets such as Spacex, could have cleared the main economic obstacle from the equation. The necessary technology has also matured in parallel: solar panels are lighter and more efficient, and wireless energy transmission (microwave or laser) is more advanced. The same with robotics, which will be necessary to assemble the stations in orbit. The military factor. As with any renewable project, the energy transition and emission commitments are the engine of this new effort. But behind the recent interests of the Chinese government or the pentagon there is something else: the military potential of space solar energy. “The military utility of transmitting energy to land, aerial or maritime units is obvious,” He said to Spacenews Darpa’s tactical technology project manager Paul Jaffe. Transporting fuel to remote places with tank airplanes can be a usual practice, but “it is not a practical way to bring energy where we need it for defense purposes.” In addition to DARPA, who has conversations with space solar energy startups and invests in the development of long -distance wireless energy transmission, the United States Air Force and Navy are also in garlic. Pentagon projects. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFR) actively develops space solar technology through its “Space Solar Incremental Demonstrations and Research” program. Its flagship mission “Arachne” will prove in orbit a sandwich panel that converts sunlight into radiofrequency energy to transmit it to a terrestrial receptor. Led by Northrop Grumman, it is scheduled for this year with the explicit objective of providing energy to the forces and reducing the dependence of fuel convoys, which are more vulnerable. For its part, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) integrated a module called PRAM into the X-37B secret space plane to prove the conversion of solar energy to microwave. Now the project is part of the space force. What can we expect. Military interest is an important catalyst, and possibly one of the motivations behind the gigantic project of the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CASC), which will display its first satellites in low orbit by 2028 and in geostationary orbit for 2030. But in the coming years we will also see all kinds of commercial and space agencies, including the European Space Agency with its Solaris initiative, which focuses on viability studies. Despite these progress, the challenges are still considerable. The two major doubts are profitability, in the case of commercial efforts, which will compete with the renewable energies deployed on land, increasingly profitable despite their intermittency. And security, which depends on the fact that you are issued at distances of hundreds or tens of thousands of kilometers are very precise. Maybe let’s see some “fried” birds along the way.

China controls the solar energy supply chain. Europe wants to change it with a huge factory in Asturias

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If you had ever thought about how form a solar panel Your process is not easy. This puzzle that passes from a Fine wafer to photovoltaic He has all his framework. Asturias will begin to manufacture this small piece, which is essential for its operation. The heart of a panel. A Catalan company, Sunwafebacked by Innoenergy, are in the process of building the first large bullion factory and wafer for photovoltaic solar panels in Spain. To do this, he has obtained an aid of 199 million euros from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, aimed at supporting this installation in Gijón, As Efe has had access. The company has obtained both public and private financing to develop this project. In fact, he has received one of the largest subsidies in the State in Asturias, within the framework of the government’s renewal call, which allocated 297.3 million euros to key projects in renewable energy, According to the trade. The first piece of puzzle. In this puzzle that is the process of manufacturing the solar panel, the plant will focus on silicon purification, its foundry to form ingots, and the subsequent cut of these bullion in thin wafers. All this and then send it to other plants with which the photovoltaic will form. As for the objective of the initiative, Sunwafe seeks to produce 2.5 billion wafers per year by 2030, which will allow you According to the voice of Asturias. The most standardized material. Solar cells They have experienced A radical transformation in recent years. In all this time, the element that dominates the sector remains silicon, since they are The standard in industries. Along the same lines, there are A boom with Perovskitas panelsbut silicon tandem cells are still the most promising for its generalized use. Zero dependencies. Today, China is the undisputed leader of solar energy export, how demonstrates an Ember study. However, this new factory raises a change in the photovoltaic value chain, reducing the dependence of this supplier and others for Spain and, in turn, the European Union, the European Union, According to RTPA. At the moment, the European Union Continue depending In much of China for the manufacture of their renewable energies, but projects like this can open a new path. An impulse for Spain. Although the country managed to close last year with a fee of Total renewable generation of 63.9%the production of materials has not yet settled after the rise of Chinese production. In this way, this new factory will become the third EU factory that will produce silicon wafers, how They have reported in New Spain. This opening in Gijón is a good example of the shy reindustrialization that institutions are looking for. Image | Peellden and Pexels Xataka | While the Portuguese enjoyed sun eclipse, their electrical system had a really bad time

All solar panel technologies that exist and which are more efficient, in a graph that goes 1975 until today

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The fastest energy transition in history is not the industrial revolution, as many think, but the one that is happening now With renewable energies. Renewables are being installed at a rate five times greater than all other combined energy sources. And although the great habilitator is the worldwide commitment to zero net emissions, it is the brutal evolution of solar panels that has allowed to reach this point. Photovoltaic panels have been so much that solar energy Start leaving wind energytraditionally more efficient. Throughout the last decades, solar cells have experienced a radical transformation, driven both by advances in material engineering and in innovations in manufacturing techniques; mainly from the Chinese industry, although Japan is trying to lead The next generation. The National Renewable Energies Laboratory (NREL) has Published a graph that illustrates at a glance How each photovoltaic technology has advanced since the 70s and which cells are more efficient today. Traditional cells: crystalline silicon Crystalline silicon cells The crystalline solar cells of silicon (blue in the graph) have dominating the market for several decades. The polyristaline silicon (the one used in solar panels with bluish crystals) is cheaper, but monochronic silicon (with black crystals) is the current standard of the industry thanks to continuous improvements in purification and production processes, which have approached their efficiency to an ability to convert 27.6% of sunlight into energy. Thin film technologies (green in the graph) emerged as an alternative to the crystalline silicon for facilities that require greater flexibility, lower weight or a large -scale manufacturing. The most efficient thin film cells are currently those of copper, Indian, Gallic and Selenium (CIGS) with an efficiency of 23.6%, closely followed by those of cadmium teluro (CDTE). The emerging: organic and perovskitas Emerging technologies cells Red in the graph, they are the photovoltaic cells that have tried to remove the throne from the silicon. Organic cells and coloring sensitized cells (DSSC) use organic compounds to absorb light. Its efficiency is modest (around 19%), but they have the advantage of their low cost and the possibility of integrating them into flexible devices and buildings with varied colors. One of the most revolutionary innovations in recent years has been the development of Perovskita cells (red with yellow filling in the graph). Thanks to its crystalline structure inspired by the mineral of the same name, these cells have been achieving exponential increases in efficiency in a short time, even if they were invented in Japan in the 80s. Perovskita cells are already as efficient as silicon, with an efficiency of 27%, but they have the problem of degrading much earlier. The tandem, the best of both worlds Tandem two materials cells The photovoltaic cells that make up silicon and perovskita in tandem are the most promising for generalized use today. The secret of combining both materials is that the upper perovskita layer absorbs high -energy wavelengths and the lower silicon layer captures the rest of the spectrum. With an efficiency of 36.1%, Tandem cells (brown in the graph) have left behind the theoretical limit of traditional silicon cells (33.7%). Although in the laboratories we still try to look for alternatives to the silicon, which is a more expensive material and with a supply chain controlled by China. All photovoltaic cells and their evolution By the latter, triple or more layers (multijunction) unions are the cells that have reached the greatest efficiencies in laboratory conditions: up to 47.6%. Its cost is high and its production is complex, but these cells are useful in solar concentrators, where maximum performance is sought. Images | NREL

Solar panels have been determined to conquer every building span

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Self -consumption It has been growing As renewable energies have been integrated into the home. The fact of power Save on the Light Invoice has made more users decided to put solar panels on roof either balconies. However, it seems that converting a house into an energy generator does not know limits. Short. Canadian company Miterx has launched Solarrail, a system of solar railings with system BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) Designed, as the name implies, to integrate into architecture and generate energy. The integration of solar energy. This system is designed to integrate photovoltaic into the urban architecture and design, such as The company itself has detailed. In addition, its main advantage is that it takes advantage of the space of the boats of the balconies, transforming them into solar energy generators. Integrated panels. Miterx has launched Two versions of the Solarrail: a transparent version (60%) and an opaque. The panels are made up of bifacial solar cells, which allows to capture sunlight both in the front and in the rear. On the one hand, the transparent model has a power of 105 w, on the other hand, the opaque model reaches 390 W. In addition, the system includes support bars, and hidden wiring Solar rail | Miterx Heat is not concentrated. The installation of solar panels in urban areas, although it promotes energy self -consumption, can contribute to the increase in temperatures in cities. A study has demonstrated That these panels absorb up to 90% of solar energy, turning only 20% into electricity and releasing the rest as heat. However, this is when we talk about a solar panel on the railing, while we will have to wait as these integrated railings can avoid the phenomenon “Urban Heat Island”. So is it better than a solar balcony? BIPV systems avoid phenomena as mentioned above. In addition, in this case, as they are bifacial panels, they capture light from both sides, increased efficiency. However, integrated solar panels can affect the risk of fire, As a Norwegian study explains. The distance between the module and the solar balcony can reduce riskwhich does not happen with an integrated system. Forecasts. Solar energy is evolving beyond traditional roofs or balconies, with innovations such as solar railings. These solutions take advantage of the architecture space to continue growing. For its part, European regulations will require that from 2030 All new construction buildings are zero emissions. In this way, we will have to see how technological innovations in the energy sector will grow to comply with the guidelines. Image | Solarrailing Xataka | It is raining so much in March that it has caused something surprising: that solar energy stops growing in Spain

If the question is where and when to see the solar eclipse of March 29, NASA has created a map to answer you

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This Saturday 29 we will have a new opportunity to see an eclipse (partial) of sun, at least if we are in an extensive region of the northern hemisphere that covers a good part of Europe (including Spain), but also parts of North America, Africa and Asia, and even a small region of South America. The eclipse, on a map. To help visualize where and when the Eclipse de Sol can be seen, the US space agency, NASA, has published a map in which the region is represented from which this partial eclipse will be visible. The map also includes time information with which to guide us. The yellow lines of the map They allow us to get an idea to what extent the sun covered by the moon will be depending on the place where we find ourselves. The area where more darkness is reached is located on Canada and Greenland, where more than 80% of the solar disc will be covered. The point of greatest concealment will see how it disappears about 93.1% of the disc area. The green lines, meanwhile, indicate the moment in which this maximum solar concealment occurs in each area. The hours are indicated in coordinated universal time (UTC), which during winter coincides with the time of the Canary Islands archipelago. One more hour in the Peninsula and in the Balearic Islands. The dawn line. The orange lines delimit the area where the eclipse will occur during dawn. The points that travel the orange line located further west are the places where the eclipse ends during dawn, while the orange line further to the east shows us where the eclipse begins with dawn. The blue line located between both joins the points where the eclipse will reach its peak during dawn. The map created by NASA to illustrate the eclipse route. NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. Where will you see better. Yes We focus on Spainthe darkness will be greater the more we find ourselves. Thus, for example in A Coruña, 31.6% concealment will be reached, while in Mahón the concealment will be 8.85%. In Madrid and Seville the concealment will be similar, about 20%. Less than in cities such as Gijón or Ponferrada (about 27%), but more than others such as Barcelona or Murcia (around 13.5%). Animated visualization of the areas that will be hidden during the partial eclipse of the sun of March 29. POT. When will it be seen. The eclipse will arrive in the morning and the first autonomous community in being able to see it It will be that of the Canary Islands. Specifically, it will be in the surroundings of the Punta de los Reyes, in El Hierro, where the eclipse will begin at about 9:11, local time. The shadow will move in a northwest direction so that the last point of the Peninsula in being able to see the eclipse will be Euskadi, more specifically in Hondarribia, where the sun will look again fully at 12:41 a.m. On the map We can see how in most of the Peninsula the maximum of the eclipse will occur between 10:30 UTC (11:30, local time or CET), and 11:00 UTC (12:00 CET). Caution. Eclipses are astronomical events easy to seebut dangerous for our view if we do not take precautions. It is essential to use protection if we want to see the eclipse but it is not enough with simple sunglasses, we need specialized glasses to be able to see this type of event without putting the health of our eyes at risk. We also have ways of seeing the eclipse indirectly and safely. In Xataka | The solar eclipse of March 29 is the starting gun for something historical: Spain will see four eclipses in four years Image | NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

The greatest hidden potential of solar energy is not found in photovoltaic macrogranjas: it is on the roofs

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Climate change is one of the hot potatoes that humanity must face at the moment. Although in recent years measures have been promoted to mitigate our footprint, at the same time we have followed depending on fossil fuels that contribute to the temperature increase of the planet. The renewables And, specifically, the solar energy It is postulated as technology that can help us reduce these emissions. And a study published in Nature He points out that there is something better than filling the field of solar farms: the photovoltaic of roof. Limit. In 2015, the Paris agreement launched an ultimatum: the temperature increase had to be limited Global to less than 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius. They soon left reports that were not nor close to getting it And I know He pointed out That, by the end of the century, the temperature increase would be 2.8 degrees. Since then, we have seen the impulse of an artificial intelligence that has needed to resort to fossil fuels or the Great oil company in the era of renewable transition. However, we have also seen the explosion of solar energy with Very cheap panels And every time more efficient. Next to wind, in 2023 provided 27% of EU electricity. Megagranjas. In fact, there are already countries that operate practically With renewable energies And, as we say, Solar plays a very important role in this story. Not surprisingly, in recent years we have seen the pharaonic photovoltaic farm deployment capable of generating a lot of energy. China goes to the head with plants that They look from spacebut there are few countries that already have huge areas of land dedicated to these panels or with in progress. However, there are those who think we can do better with the photovoltaic. RPV. They are the acronym of ‘Rooftop Photovoltaic’, or ‘PHOTOVOLTAICA DE ALBOTEA’, and according to a study by the University of Sussex, it would be the solution to stop gaining ground to the field with solar panels and take advantage of something we do not take advantage of today: millions of roofs. According to their accounts, made through geospatial data and artificial intelligence models, the roofs cover more than 286,000 km² of the planet. To put it in perspective, it is like the area of ​​countries like Italy that yes, it may not seem too much, but imagine a solar farm of the size of … well, from Italy. The orange areas represent 1,724 strategically selected cities for the development of predictive models with the aim of estimating the global roof surface Staked to fossil fuels. According to researchers, taking advantage of roof Electricity consumed every year), which would allow to almost completely replace fossil fuels. Not only should the plates be installed, but also adequate battery systems. According to its calculations, if that amount of territory was covered with solar panels, the global temperature could be reduced between 0.05 and 0.13 degrees before 2050. Beyond that gain, Felix Creutzig -one of the researchers at the University of Sussex -, considers that it would also contribute to having a cleaner air and greater energy safety, since we would be covered before specific demand peaks. Roof area in km² at macroregional and national scale Areas with potential. And, obviously, the plan would not go well if these panels are placed without ton or they are. In the study, it states that the ideal area to fill the roofs of buildings with solar panels is that of East Asia. The reason is the great density of buildings and the conditions of the area in terms of solar radiation. North America and Europe also have great potential and, combined, these roof plates would generate more than 4,300 GW. In perspective, it is about a quarter of global capacity. Another advantage would be the decentralization of energy, making countries less vulnerable to energy and geopolitical crises. Africa would also be a good site, but the problem is that the territory currently represents only 1% of photovoltaic facilities due to deficiencies in energy services and dependence on fossil fuels. Stick to Nuclear. But well, we are currently burning coal when we need fast energy to satisfy the peaks, but we also have nuclear. So much that there are countries that have not only expanded the useful life of their centrals, but the closing decision of those already have to produce energy for a few more years. As we read in PV-MagazineCreutzig affirms that “with an unleashed solar potential, it is difficult to understand how governments justify investment in nuclear energy or carbon capture projects that have not yet been proven.” However, although nuclear also has its advantages over the use of fossil fuels, such as its power or stability, it is evident that the calculations of Sussex researchers are very interesting in order to take advantage to generate energy spaces that, right now, are underutilized. And be careful, it does not only stay in a study, since the University of Sussex has been testing This on the roofs around them. Images | Nature, Cre In Xataka | A word explains how Germany solved solar energy on the floors. His name is Balkonkraftwerk and they enjoy it millions

That solar energy stops growing in Spain

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This month will be remembered Like the rainiest, having water reserves in 65.8%, According to the miteco. However, it is not good news for solar energy that has fallen for the first time in three years. The data. According to the reports of the Spanish Electricity (REE), in the month of March, the Solar Generation He has reached 11% total, which represents a decrease with respect to the year 2024 (13.9%) and The year 2023 (12.8%). Heavy rains. We have had a couple of weeks that it is difficult to see the sun and it seems that You can extend even more. For this reason, one of the most harmed clean sources has been photovoltaic. However, other renewables have come out more than beneficiaries of this rain and wind, we are talking about wind and hydroelectric. Favored systems. On the one hand, wind energy It does not have the same capacity that photovoltaic, but when it comes to adverse weather conditions who eats the ground to solar panels are wind turbines. In fact, Ree’s real time data shows that wind is generating 46% wind energy compared to 12% of solar (These data may vary, since they are being taken when writing this article). On the other hand, as we mentioned above the total water reserve, this situation has allowed hydroelectric energy to have reached in what we have been 17.5%. However, it has not yet exceeded last year that achieved a level 21.5% of electric production, more than four higher percentage points. So how will my light bill be? Although solar energy always It had been key to the energy mixthis time the contribution of both wind and hydroelectric can be A small relief for consumers. However, like has denounced the OCU There are other factors that will make the light bill, such as The price of gas and electric tolls. Image | Flickr Xataka | Solar panels compared to 100,000 olive trees: in Jaén the neighbors are also protesting against renewable projects

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