Solar Energy

Ten ways to ensure bees benefit from the solar power boom

Published

4 years ago

April 25, 2021

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Ten ways to ensure bees benefit from the solar power boom

Researchers assessing the impact of solar energy development across Europe have come up with ten ways in which the expansion of solar can be shaped to ensure pollinators benefit.

Space-hungry solar photovoltaic (PV) is set to dominate future global electricity supply, but with careful decision making, efforts to secure clean energy need not come at the expense of biodiversity – particularly pollinators which are in sharp decline.

Bees, hoverflies, wasps, beetles, butterflies and moths play a key role in food production, with around 75% of the leading global food crops and 35% of global crop production relying on them to some extent.

Writing in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, a Lancaster-led team of environmental scientists systematically reviewed the available evidence on how land management practices relating to solar parks in North West Europe could enhance pollinator biodiversity.

Along with colleagues from the University of Reading, they highlighted ten evidence-based ways to protect and even enhance pollinator biodiversity ranging from sowing wildflowers to connecting solar parks to nearby areas of semi-natural habitat.

Their findings are timely as, in a bid to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, more power is being generated from renewable sources – at the beginning of 2020 a record breaking 47% of the UK’s electricity came from renewables, including wind, solar, hydro, wave and biomass.

Solar parks can produce large amounts of power, with the UK’s largest solar park set to power 91,000 homes once complete. But, solar parks also take up land, with potential impacts on the environment. In the UK approximately half of PV has been installed as ground-mounted solar parks, ranging in size from 1-40 hectares.

Shading caused by rows of solar panels affects air temperature, rainfall and evaporation which has a knock on effect on soil, vegetation and biodiversity.

However, in the UK solar parks are often built in intensively managed agricultural landscapes and thus are poor for biodiversity. In this scenario, solar parks may in fact provide opportunities to establish hotspots of pollinator biodiversity which in turn can help pollinate local crops such as oilseed, strawberries and apples.

Lancaster University’s Hollie Blaydes said: “Many pollinators are in decline both in the UK and in other parts of the world. Actions to conserve pollinators include reversing agricultural intensification and maintaining natural habitat, both of which can be achieved within solar parks. Often built amongst agricultural land, solar parks offer a unique opportunity to provide pollinator resources where they are most needed.”

Prof Simon Potts, University of Reading, said: “As well as promoting biodiversity, pollinator-friendly solar parks also have the potential to provide tangible economic benefits to farmers through enhancing pollination services to adjacent agricultural land, boosting crop yields.

“”Imagine a world where solar parks not only produced much needed low carbon electricity but were also diverse and attractive wildflower meadows buzzing with insect life.””

Dr Alona Armstrong, Lancaster University Environment Centre said: “Land use change for solar parks could cause further degradation of our environment but, if done well, offers much potential to improve our environment. If we transition well, we could use energy system decarbonisation to also address the ecological crisis. Given where we are, can we afford not to?”

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Solar Energy

New system offers early warning of dust storms to protect solar power output

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2025

sarosh

New system offers early warning of dust storms to protect solar power output

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 10, 2025

A new predictive platform called iDust is poised to transform dust storm forecasting and improve solar energy output in dust-prone regions. Developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, iDust offers high-resolution, fast-turnaround dust forecasts that could help mitigate power losses across solar farms, particularly in arid zones.

The tool was created under the leadership of Dr. Chen Xi from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics and detailed in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems (JAMES).

“Dust storms not only block sunlight but also accumulate on solar panels, decreasing their power output.” said Chen, outlining the motivation behind the project. With China’s rapid expansion of solar installations in desert areas, the need for precise and timely dust forecasts has become increasingly urgent to avoid operational disruptions and revenue shortfalls.

Traditional systems like those from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) often lack the spatial resolution and processing speed needed for optimal solar planning. iDust addresses these limitations by embedding dust-related dynamics directly into its forecast engine. This allows the system to generate forecasts with 10-kilometer resolution-a fourfold improvement over previous models-while maintaining near-parity in computational load. Crucially, iDust can deliver 10-day forecasts within six hours of initial observations.

The effectiveness of iDust was put to the test on April 13, 2024, when it successfully tracked a severe dust storm over Bayannur in northern China. Such storms can distort solar energy projections by as much as 25% if unaccounted for, underscoring the value of integrating dust modeling into energy planning.

Designed for practical deployment, iDust aims to assist solar facility operators and grid managers in optimizing power production and reducing losses due to airborne particulates. As China pushes toward its carbon neutrality goals, innovations like iDust will be central to achieving sustainable energy reliability.

Researchers plan to expand the system for global application, allowing other countries with desert-based solar assets to benefit from enhanced dust forecasting.

Research Report:The Efficient Integration of Dust and Numerical Weather Prediction for Renewable Energy Applications

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Solar Energy

Going green with fluoride-enhanced perovskite solar cells

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2025

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Going green with fluoride-enhanced perovskite solar cells

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 15, 2025

A team of scientists from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has unveiled a sustainable method for fabricating perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by using a fluoride-based additive in a water-only solution. This innovation replaces hazardous solvents typically used in PSC production, achieving a notable power conversion efficiency exceeding 18%.

Perovskite solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for the future of solar energy, thanks to their high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Yet, their commercial scalability has been hindered by the environmental and health hazards posed by conventional toxic solvents used during manufacturing. While water-based methods offer a more sustainable route, they have so far underperformed in delivering high-efficiency devices.

To overcome this barrier, QUT researchers introduced lead(II) fluoride (PbF2) into the aqueous precursor mix. This additive plays a dual role: it speeds up the formation of the light-absorbing phase and aligns the crystallization process to optimize light conversion. The fluoride ions also passivate surface defects in the perovskite grains, minimizing charge loss and improving conductivity.

“With the PbF2 additive, we achieved a power conversion efficiency of 18.1%, compared to 16.3% in the control device,” said Dr. Minh Tam Hoang, a postdoctoral researcher at QUT and lead author of the study. “Even more exciting is the improved operational and environmental stability, which brings us closer to scalable, green manufacturing of PSCs.”

This advancement signals a meaningful shift in perovskite solar cell development, offering a pathway to produce efficient and durable solar modules through eco-friendly processes. The results demonstrate the value of fluoride-based chemistry in advancing both performance and sustainability in solar technologies.

The findings were published in the journal Materials Futures, underscoring the growing role of green additives in next-generation clean energy solutions.

Research Report:Lead (II) fluoride additive modulating grains growth of water-processed metal halide perovskites for enhanced efficiency in solar cells

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Solar Energy

Launch of AI-powered solar diagnostics platform boosts PV asset performance

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2025

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Launch of AI-powered solar diagnostics platform boosts PV asset performance

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 15, 2025

The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has launched a commercial spin-off called the “PV Doctor,” marking a significant leap forward in managing and optimizing solar photovoltaic (PV) system performance. Officially unveiled on April 2, 2025, the platform leverages 15 years of R and D into the behavior of PV systems in diverse climates and aims to restore and maintain peak energy output for solar installations worldwide.

The PV Doctor combines AI-based analytics with routine monitoring and benchmark comparisons to ensure that solar assets operate at maximum efficiency. In addition to diagnostics, the service provides corrective action plans and hands-on rectification, helping system owners recover lost energy output and maximize returns on investment.

“Our mission is to ensure that every PV system under our care performs at its peak potential,” the founders stated. “By integrating deep expertise with real-time diagnostics, we can prevent losses before they escalate.”

Many PV systems are sold under the misleading premise of being maintenance-free, despite the reality that even minor oversight can result in substantial inefficiencies. Global preventable losses from underperforming systems are estimated at $10 billion annually. PV Doctor targets this gap by offering root-cause analysis and active management for both healthy and ailing systems. Its Smart O&M algorithm tracks performance in real-time, detecting anomalies before they degrade output.

Initially trialed by SERIS across Asia, the Smart O&M services quickly proved their value. In just under a year, PV Doctor systems reached over 200 MWp of assets under management, covering 400 sites in 10 countries. In Singapore, more than 3% of all PV installations are already being managed by the platform.

PV Doctor’s capabilities are structured around six core services:

1. Smart O&M – This foundational offering provides real-time performance monitoring, automatic issue detection, and root-cause analysis. The system integrates seamlessly with inverter portals, using a combination of sensor inputs, satellite data, and machine learning to pinpoint losses from pollution, shading, grid disruptions, and component failures.

2. Preventive O&M – For owners seeking a passive role, this service delivers scheduled maintenance, inspections, and early fault resolution, ensuring systems remain operational without owner involvement.

3. Rectification and Special Investigations – PV Doctor tackles complex issues such as potential-induced degradation or mechanical defects, especially common in low-tilt systems near the equator. Thorough diagnostics precede tailored interventions to restore full performance.

4. Repowering – Older or obsolete systems can be upgraded with the latest high-efficiency modules and inverters. Repowering revitalizes aging assets, increases output, and prolongs operational lifespan.

5. Audits and Performance Assessments – Independent third-party assessments support transactions and compliance needs. PV Doctor uses thermal imaging, satellite-derived irradiance, and electrical testing to deliver objective performance evaluations.

6. Technical Support – Beyond system operations, the platform assists stakeholders across the solar value chain with project planning, risk analysis, component selection, and due diligence for acquisitions.

PV Doctor positions itself as an essential partner for solar developers, asset managers, EPC firms, and investors, offering scalable solutions from residential systems to large-scale solar farms.