solar

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

The Persian Gulf has dominated the long era of oil. Now he is preparing to lead the era of solar energy

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There is an increasingly more and more evident energy change, and even the countries we would never think are jumping to the renewable pool. Yes, I talk about the countries of the Persian Gulf. However, the tests are there: seven Chinese solar companies were generating more energy capacity than the world’s greatest oil companies. So, now, with their money and a lot of sun, everything indicates that they will give sorpasso. Wild investment. For very recently, Gulf countries have decided to invest in renewable projects. On the one hand, the United Arab Emirates They have announced a solar project 5.2 GW with a battery system, also betting on storage. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is developing its energy transition plan through the Vision 2030 Plan. Recently, the Saudi Aramco oil giant has announced an agreement to start producing lithium in 2027. In addition, They are developing a plan to extract and enrich uranium For nuclear energy. Likewise, the Saudi country is carrying out different solar energy projects, some in Collaboration with China and others with Spain. And we can’t forget Kuwait, who already started two years ago has develop 17 GW of renewable energy and 25 GW capacity for the production of green hydrogen, which propose to export it to international markets. Data. According to the recent report by the International Renewable Energies Agency, the Middle East has Less than 1% of the world’s renewable capacity. However, from the agency they have detailed that the forecast for the next few years will be of accelerated growth. For its part, An analysis of the consultant Rystad Energypoints out that within five years, more than 30% represents total capacity in Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. From the consultant they detail that this impulse is due to the weather conditions and the favorable conditions of the market. New solar panels will boost electricity generation in the Gulf Favorable energies. In the graph of Rystad EnergyWe observe that the Persian Gulf has two very different parts. The colored areas of orange, blue and green that represent renewable energies we see how they increase exponentially, especially solar. However, we see how nuclear and hydrogen have a slight growth that is maintained over the years. On the other hand, oil and gas, colored gray, although they are currently the main sources of energy, they will fall by 2050. China, ally or competition? The Asian giant has become a double agent in the energy transition, acting as much as a partner and competitor. On the side, Chinese companies such as Jinko Solar, Longi and Byd are providing solar panels, batteries and other technologies for the ambitious renewable projects in the desert region. On the other hand, China is carrying out the development of its own solar and wind projects. Besides, Your dominance over the global supply chain of batteries and solar panels gives you an advantage in the energy market. At the same time, its expansion in the Middle East allows you to gain influence in a region that has historically been dominated by fossil fuels. The change. The Persian Gulf is in the process of investing in renewables to mark its path to sustainability. However, they still have a stretch to travel because infrastructure and energy supply stability are still aspects that must be resolved. Image | Unspash Xataka | In full desert, Saudi Arabia is preparing its next great energy bet with the help of a partner: China

China has placed the largest engineering work projected at 36,000 km from the Earth: its space solar station

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We are still far from build a dyson spherebut China seems willing to materialize The first great Solar Energy Station in orbit With the Earth, a simpler version of the concept that, even so, NASA scientists discarded in the 70-80 for being economically unfeasible. Times have changed and the world is in full energy transition to renewable sources. China, who has no shame when copying advances from other nations, provided they serve their purposes, work at the same time in Your own Starship: A totally reusable giant rocket called CZ-9. Uniting points, the Chinese Engineering Academy (CAE) wants to take advantage of the future rocket To install a huge solar plant in space, 36,000 km on the earth. 10 years ago, when China announced that it would investigate the space solar energy stations, everyone seemed to be a theoretical study or one more concept proof, such as those that continue to develop Today in NASAthe Jaxa Japanese agency and The European Space Agency (THAT). However, Chinese officials have put An ambitious roadmap on the table that has caught the rest of the countries totally off guard. The first prototype of the Chinese space center, 500 kW of power, is expected by 2030. A fully operational version of 20 MW would be ready in 2035 (while the station in its final form, of 2 GW, is scheduled for 2050. It is not a small thing for a technology that has never been implemented, much less on a large scale. It will presumably require hundreds of launches and the assembly of thousands of solar panels in geostation orbit, 36,000 km altitude, where the profitability of launching tons and tons of load will depend on the fact that the CZ-9 rocket be fully reusable, as the Chinese promise. Long Lehao, a rocket scientist in the fall, did not lack symiles to justify this huge media deployment. “It is a project as important as transferring the prey of the three throats to a geostationary orbit He said during a conference in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Of course, they will have to put small demonstrators in orbit of what will end up being the Space Solar Station. China has already tested From hot air balloonsand is building a receiving station in Chongqing. By 2026, the Chinese Space Technology Academy (CASC) plans to display its first 10 kW solar panels in space with the aim of demonstrating wireless energy transmission. He hopes to transmit up to 1 kW by laser and up to 4 kW by microwave, both to the receptor station on Earth and a nearby satellite, which suggests a future in which satellite constellations could be combined with the solar station. How will the solar station that China plans to install in space Little is known at the technical level of what the first farm of solar panels will be deploy in geostationary orbitsince no project has been officially selected. But Eureka List three concepts, out of different Chinese laboratories, which have enough ballots: In 2014, the Chinese Space Technology Academy (CASC) proposed a 11.8 km long station with a circular transmission antenna of 1 km in diameter; In 2021, the concept was updated with a modular design, easier to assemble, but with the disadvantage of a rectangular beam That same year, the Xidian University published a study on a spherical station with a diameter of 8 to 10 km and a system that would take advantage of semi -reflective panels to concentrate light on internal photovoltaic cells In 2016, the Shenyang Aerospace University proposed a similar concept that, instead of a spherical design, has a cylindrical design that refracts sunlight towards internal photovoltaic panels, a design that simplifies the monitoring of the sun What these concepts have in common is that they rotate like sunflowers to always point towards the sun, so their huge solar panels capture an inexhaustible flow of solar energy that then transmit to the earth. How do they transmit it? Concentrating a laser or microwave beam towards large antennas in receiving stations on Earth, where it becomes electricity to store in batteries or pour into the electricity grid. The wireless transfer takes advantage of a physical phenomenon known as interference or overlap of waves. It is usually explained by visualizing a pond in which you submerge both hands to form waves that spread at the same time. There are areas where waves are stronger because they advance together (they add up to the phase) and others in which they are canceled (they are out of phase). When waves work together, energy is not lost, but is concentrated in a specific direction. If there are several sources operating in a coordinated manner (all issuing at the same time, in the same phase) the energy can be directed in one direction. But if each source works a little earlier or a little after the others, the direction of the beam can be controlled. As a magnifying glass that concentrates the light at one point, it is possible to adjust the synchronization of these sources to focus energy in an area smaller than the original (such as the antenna on the surface of the earth). This correction can be carried out on the Nanoseconds of Electronics scale, which allows the energy direction to be handled very quickly or assigned to different locations (different antennas). In geostationary orbit, solar panels can be operated all the time and with conversion efficiencies superior to those that the panels achieve on this side of the atmosphere, hence the advantage of a photovoltaic station in space. However, the complexity of its deployment and doubts about the safety and efficiency of wireless transmission make all this technology still without being tested since studying in the 70s and 80s. China aspires to lead the new space solar energy career, as leading the earth’s photovoltaic energy, but will not be alone. Japan became 2015 In the first country that managed to transmit 1,8 kW in microwave wirelessly. … Read more

A solar solution to supply the world with 22 Energy TW

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A recent Ember report explained how Europe had eliminated coal as an energy source in 2024 and gave way to renewable energies, such as solar. In fact, in the same analysis, Spain registered a continuous increase in photovoltaic generation, reaching 21% of its electricity almost double that the European average (11%). So far everything is fine, but this boom of the solar is carrying that alternatives for the installation of panels in other surfaces, such as aquatic. International investigation. A study group, led by Carlos D. Rodríguez-Gallegos, has evaluated The state and potential of floating photovoltaic facilities (FPV) worldwide. For this analysis they have used the largest global database that collects the information of 1,142 commercial FPV systems from 2022. In addition, they took the geographical references of reservoirs, which cover a total area of ​​more than 2.2 million square kilometers. The object of study is to analyze its implementation and performance, in addition to studying advanced configurations such as bifacial panels, inclination angles and monitoring systems. The investigation had contributions from researchers from the You will be Singapore and from the National University of Singapore (NUS), as well as the Polytechnic Higher School of the Litoral de Ecuador, the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, the Concordia University of Canada and the University ofokin of Australia. Asia, the leader. Almost 90% of the installed floating solar capacity is in the Asian continent and China leads it with almost half of the accumulated capacity. This world predominance is due to favorable, ambitious objectives focused on renewable energy and regulations designed to support the expansion of FPV. Although Asia leads the development of floating solar panels, Africa is also exploring this technology. Zimbabwe advance with a 250 MW plant In the Kariba dam, projecting to reach 1 GW. In Ghana, A 5 MW system In a reservoir it will be expanded to 15 MW, while Cape City, in South Africa, has completed several smaller projects. With abundant sun and limited water resources, Africa seeks to meet your energy needs through these initiatives. Take advantage of water areas. The installation of photovoltaic systems on aquatic surfaces has presented different benefits, according to the study. First, optimization of limited space in areas with scarcity of earth. In addition, FPVs help reduce the evaporation of water in reservoirs and to maintain the temperatures of the lowest solar panels, improving their efficiency. On the other hand, this technology avoids related conflicts about land use. To give an example, in the Swiss Alps, They have demonstrated that these facilities can prosper even in adverse conditions, reaching higher performance regardless of altitude. The study results. From the analysis that the average size of the FPV has increased in the last ten years of 0.09 MW in 2013 to 1.40 MW in 2022, and, in parallel, the average power density has gone from 82 W/m² at 123 w/m². Researchers have identified optimal configurations to maximize electrical performance, such as the use of solar monitoring systems and bifacial panels, which capture the reflected light, thus improving energy generation. In economic terms, FPVs have proven competitive. For example, the project director has signed up for an Indian initiative that achieved a cost of installation of just $ 0.41 per watt, which reinforces the economic viability of this technology against other renewable energy options. However, these facilities also face certain challenges such as the initial cost can be very high by infrastructure. In addition, technology adaptability to different bodies of water (sweet or salty) and logistics complexities can also increase costs. Looking at the high seas. Looking ahead, the research team plans to explore FPV applications on the high seas, investigating its energy potential, innovative designs and the challenges that costs and maintenance present. According to its estimates, covering only 10% of the surface of 249,717 continental reservoirs could generate a capacity of up to 22 TW, sufficient to satisfy all world consumption of electricity and up to 5% of the global water demand. Image | Chn Energy Xataka | China is ready to inaugurate an ambitious floating solar plant. Its objective: solve a big pending problem

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

For the first time, solar and wind are eating gas and coal

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Europe has started the year by reaching a milestone: solar energy is the source that grew the fastest in the EU during 2024, surpassing coal for the first time. The meteoric rise. A recent report from Ember has highlighted that, in the last ten years, solar production has tripled, while wind energy has doubled in the same period, but stagnating in the last year. Analysis results have demonstrated That this growth has pushed fossil fuels to their lowest level in 40 years. Decline of coal. In 2019 the Green Dealofficially declaring a “climate emergency.” From that moment on, the European Commission was required to adapt all its proposals to limit global warming to 1.5ºC. At that time, coal was the third largest source of energy along with gas. Currently, it is in sixth place by 10%. In one statement with ReutersReport analyst Chris Rosslowe noted: “Over the last two years we have seen sharp declines in both coal and gas in the EU energy system and fossil fuels are now at a record low.” This marginality that the analyst speaks of lies in the increase in solar and wind generation by the Twenty-Seven, which has helped avoid imports worth 59 billion euros. Furthermore, as stated in its own report, more than half of the member countries do not have coal-based energy or only have a share of less than 5% in their electricity mix. And what about the gas? Although there was a small rebound in electricity demand, gas generation decreased for the fifth consecutive year. In the last five years, total gas consumption in the EU was reduced by 20%, of which a third corresponds to the electricity sector. This change has been driven by the growth of renewable energies, especially solar and wind, which in 2024 prevented gas consumption for electricity generation from being 11% higher. However, it should be noted that gas consumption has been altered by the War in Ukraine. At the beginning of the conflict, Europe’s energy dependence on Russian gas became visible, which led to a response accelerated to diversify energy supply and reduce vulnerability to geopolitical tensions. Stagnation of wind power. The European Union has predicted that in 2030 wind energy will reach 34% of its electrical mix, but as Rosslowe indicated For Reuters, “more actions” are needed to achieve that goal. The analyst’s statements are based on the fact that this last year wind power has only grown by 7 TWh year-on-year, reaching 477 TWh. These data reflect a decrease with respect to the average of 30 TWh of the last five years, but installation rates are expected to increase in the coming years. For more than four years, the costs of wind energy have been have stagnated due to high inflation and supply chain problems derived from the Covid-19 pandemic and the global energy crisis. In addition, the wind sector has been harmed more than the solar sector due to longer delivery times and higher initial investment requirements. However, the report maintains that wind energy will continue to be competitive compared to gas generation, thanks to future measures taken by the EU. The division in the nuclear. Given the rise of data centers, nuclear energy has become the fetish source of large technology companieswho consider it ideal for its uninterrupted use. Specifically, in Europe, nuclear energy continues to recover from 2022 and is generating 24% of electricity. Here arises one of the major divisions of the EUsince there are member countries that are in favor of continuing to invest in this energy, such as Finland, Slovakia, Hungary and France, the latter opening a new nuclear power plant after 25 years. On the other hand, other countries such as Germany, Belgium and Spain are in the process of gradually reducing or eliminating this energy source. In this last group was Italy, which recently has finalized a bill to return to nuclear energy. This situation glimpses one of the challenges that Europe will have to face in the coming years. The problem with the price. Although the report has presented the European Union’s good construction towards the energy transition, they still have to face the increase in electricity prices. Europe has two challenges ahead: the phenomenon known as “dunkelflaute” and an aging power grid. The first refers to periods of low renewable production due to lack of wind and sun. For its part, the limitations in the networks occur due to their longevity. These problems are combined with a growing demand for energy, which further complicates the situation. Spain and Portugal at the head of Europe. Within the Twenty-seven member states, Spain and Portugal have led the energy transition with 82% of electricity generation coming from renewable sources. Of this percentage, the combination of solar and wind energy reached almost 50%. In particular, Spain recorded a continuous increase in photovoltaic generation, reaching 21% of its electricity almost double the European average (11%). Furthermore, the Iberian country is the second country in Europe with the most solar energy generation, only behind Germany. Forecasts. In a statement collected by Carbon BriefChris Rosslowe said that while the EU’s energy transition has moved faster over the past five years, “we should take nothing for granted.” Furthermore, he adds that the goals achieved should generate “confidence” because they demonstrate the “effort and commitment” for a more sustainable energy future for Europe. Image | Unsplash and Unsplash Xataka | We have known for 25 years that we were going to exceed 1.5 degrees of temperature increase and we have not cared

an electrical grid that works 24/7 with solar energy

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We tend to assume that solar energy is intermittent, but there is nothing that petrodollars can’t solve. And Abu Dhabi is precisely the first city in the world to announce a large-scale solar plant designed to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The news. The pulse of the United Arab Emirates does not tremble investing what is harvested with its fossil fuels in renewable projects that will one day replace them. Its capital, Abu Dhabi, has just signed for 6 billion dollars the installation of a photovoltaic plant on a public service scale with a particularity. According to Masdar, the developer, it will be the first solar plant designed to supply clean energy 24/7 thanks to the combination of the Emirati sun, millions of solar panels and a huge storage system. The details. The huge project, participated by the state company EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), will combine a 5.2 GW photovoltaic plant with a 19 GWh battery storage system. Once connected, the plant will not only power millions of homes, but will be responsible for up to 1 GW of the grid’s base load, the minimum power required by the electrical grid that is traditionally covered by more stable thermal sources, such as coal. and gas. Alliance with China. As is happening in neighboring Saudi Arabia, the Emirates is strengthening ties with Chinese companies for this renewable drive. JA Solar and Jinko Solar They will supply 2.6 GW of solar panels each based on TopCon technology, which has higher efficiency and lower degradation rate. For its part, CATL will supply the batteries directly integrated into its HAVE storage systemwhich promises zero degradation in five years and a capacity of 6.25 MWh per container. POWERCHINA and the Indian multinational Larsen & Toubro will be in charge of the design and construction of the plant, which will generate 10,000 jobs. Green Emirates. The Abu Dhabi project, whose roadmap marks the start of operations in 2027, is framed in a long-term plan of the United Arab Emirates: the Energy Strategy 2050. The country hosted the COP28 summit, in which United Nations countries emphasized the urgency of installing more sustainable energy solutions. Sultan al Jaber, who chaired the summit, is also Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates and president of Masdar, promoter of the solar plant. “For the first time, we will transform renewable energy into 1GW of reliable baseload power, at unprecedented scale,” highlighted al Jaber in a statement. In Xataka | More billionaires, less oil: Abu Dhabi’s plan to become the new Singapore

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