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3TIER Teams Up With
Google On Solar Maps

3TIER, a renewable energy assessment and forecasting company, has released graphical representations of annual solar and wind resource averages from its global datasets as part of Google’s Map Gallery launch.

3TIER says its wind and solar datasets offer annual average values created using long-term historical weather models of 10 or more years at high spatial and temporal resolutions. The solar dataset offers hour-by-hour information on a global basis.

Through its collaboration with Google, 3TIER says it aims to improve access to wind and solar resource information by making it freely available to both researchers and the general public in Google’s platform.

3TIER: 3tier.com

 

TUV Deploys Solar
Thermal Testing

Quebec-based thermal collector-maker Rackam and TUV Rheinland PTL have developed a test bench for evaluating performance and efficiency of solar thermal collectors.

The testing system features a pumping circuit equipped with an electric heating element, as well as measuring and control instruments, which enable the circulation of mineral oil-based high-temperature heat transfer fluids up to 240°C through various devices such as solar collectors, but also thermal storage banks or small steam turbine generators.

The new instrumented pumping module will be deployed at the TUV Rheinland PTL testing facilities in Tempe, Ariz.

Rackam: rackam.com

 

PanelClaw Introduces
New Polar Bear Mounts

PanelClaw has added the Polar Bear III to its line of flat-roof mounting systems. The company says the Polar Bear product incorporates features of its existing Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear and Kodiak Bear flat-roof portfolio into a single platform with competitive pricing.

According to PanelClaw, the new system features integrated roof protection pads, captured ballast, pre-assembled bolts, built-in wire management pathways, and other roof integrity and installation enhancement functions. Design engineering considerations include seismic behavior analysis, boundary layer wind tunnel testing, and UL 2703 certification for grounding and bonding.

The Polar Bear III system comes with a 25-year warranty.

PanelClaw: panelclaw.com

 

AES Energy Unveils
Utility Storage System

AES Energy Storage has introduced its Advancion battery-based grid energy storage system intended to deliver electricity when power plants are peaking.

AES says Advancion acts as both a generation and load resource. It incorporates batteries, power conversion equipment and control software. Grid resource arrays can be assembled from multiple units in sizes ranging from tens of megawatts to hundreds of megawatts, with durations of 30 minutes to four hours or more.

AES is also offering design, integration, and operations and maintenance services in conjunction with Advancion installations.

AES Energy Storage: aesenergy
storage.com

 

OutBack Releases
New Radian Inverters

OutBack Power Technologies Inc. has added three systems to its Radian family of inverters with its GridZero energy balancing technology. The new Radians and a fourth existing Radian, all designed for global markets, now also feature advanced battery charge profiles for compatibility with lithium-ion and other advanced battery chemistries, as well as lead-acid.

The new Radians include the 8 kW GS8048A and 4 kW GS4048A inverters designed for North, Central and South American markets, as well as the 3.5 kW GS3548E inverter for Europe, Asia and other global markets.

OutBack says GridZero functionality ensures that users can store solar and other renewable energy for future use and prioritize consumption, using it when needed to meet surges and spikes in demand. OutBack’s advanced battery charge profile incorporates charger settings for lithium-
ion, aqueous-ion, flow, fuel-cell and other battery types now reaching the market.

All models support AC coupling through a compatible OutBack Power load center to provide a path for upgrading or retrofitting existing grid-tied systems with energy-storage capability.

OutBack Power: outbackpower.com

 

Midsummer Develops
Metals Recovery Process

Sweden-based maker of thin-film solar manufacturing equipment Midsummer has developed a process to recover leftover rare metals such as indium and gallium when producing copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) solar cells.

The process, developed in cooperation with Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology, recovers 30%-40% of the material that is left from the sputtering targets and what ends up on the masks in the machine.

An important feature of this process, Midsummer says, is that it removes selenium by oxygen and thus makes it easier to process the remaining oxidized metals. The benefit of this approach is that selenium may create toxic gases in some reactions.

“Normally, when recycling these kinds of materials, you usually melt down the materials unrefined,” says Sven Lindstrom, Midsummer’s CEO. “But this new and unique method is far subtler as the process makes it possible to remove all the selenium before dissolving the material in its components with various acids.”

Lindstrom points out that gallium and indium are expensive rare earth materials and the new process makes it possible to reduce manufacturing material costs, while at the same time, conserve limited resources.

Midsummer has recently developed a process for producing cadmium-free CIGS on stainless steel with sputtering.

Midsummer: midsummer.se

 

CPF Selects Itron
For Solar Monitoring

Clean Power Finance (CPF) has selected solar monitoring systems from Washington-based Itron Inc. for residential solar installations it manages in North America on behalf of investors.

The Itron solar monitoring system includes a solar meter embedded with cellular communications and management software. The company says the system will be used to measure and manage solar production data at residences that are often distributed across a wide geographic area.

Itron has been shipping solar meters to CPF partners since December.

Itron: itron.com

 

Vincotech Releases
New Power Modules

Germany-based power electronics maker Vincotech has rolled out new silicon carbide (SiC) modules for solar inverters, uninterruptible power supply and battery management applications.

The flow-series SiC 0 modules come in two versions: the flow3xPHASE 0 SiC three-phase inverter module and the flow3xBOOST 0 SiC with three-channel boost circuits. Both feature SiC MOSFET switches designed for fast switching frequencies exceeding 100 kHz.

Vincotech says the modules are able to achieve better than 99% peak efficiency at a fast pulse width modulation of 64 kHz. Equipped with integrated DC capacitors, these new flow SiC 0 modules provide ultra low inductance, the company says.

The flow-series SiC 0 modules come in low-inductive, 12-mm flow 0 housings with press-fit pins.

Vincotech: vincotech.com

 

REC And Fraunhofer Work
On High-Efficiency Solar

REC and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have partnered to develop high-efficiency solar cells based on n-type monocrystalline wafers.

According to REC, n-type solar cells have a higher efficiency potential and better light-induced degradation performance than traditional p-type solar cells but are more complex to manufacture and traditionally require expensive silver contacts on both sides of the cell.

Fraunhofer ISE says it has developed a high-efficiency cell structure that avoids the use of an expensive silver contact grid on the back of the cell. Instead, this cell structure makes use of a combination of dielectric layers and localized contacts. REC says it will work together with Fraunhofer ISE to translate this technology from lab-scale to a full production-ready concept.

REC: recgroup.com R