It doesn’t generate much power, but it works during the one time of day that solar cells can’t: night. Aaswath Raman was driving through a village in Sierra Leone in 2013 when an idea came to him as suddenly as, perhaps, a light bulb switching on. The village was not equipped with electricity, and Dr. Raman, an electrical engineer at the University of California, Los Angeles, was unaware he was in a village until he heard the voices of shadowed human figures. “It took us about five minutes to realize we were passing through a town, because it was completely dark,” Dr. Raman said. “There wasn’t a single light on.” Dr. Raman wondered whether he could use all that darkness to make something to light it up, not unlike the way that solar panels generate electricity from the sun’s heat and light. He did. In new research published on Thursday in the journal Joule, Dr. Raman demonstrated a way to harness a dark night sky to power a light bulb. His prototype device employs radiative cooling, the phenomenon that makes buildings and parks feel cooler than the surrounding air after sunset. As Dr. Raman’s device releases heat, it does so unevenly, the top side cooling more than the bottom. It then converts the difference in heat into electricity. In the paper, Dr. Raman described how the device, when connected to a voltage converter, was able to power a white LED. “The core enabling feature of this device is that it can cool down,” Dr. Raman said. Jeffrey C. Grossman, a materials scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies passive cooling and solar technology, said the work was “quite exciting” and showed promise for the development of low-power applications at night. “They have suggested reasonable paths for increasing the performance of their device,” Dr. Grossman said. “But there is definitely a long way to go if they want to use it as an alternative to adding battery storage for solar cells.” Everything emits heat, according to the laws of thermodynamics. At night, when one side of Earth turns away from the sun, its buildings, streets and jacket-less people cool off. If no clouds are present to trap warmth, objects on the Earth can lose so much heat that they reach a lower temperature than the air surrounding them. This is why blades of grass may be glazed in frost on clear fall mornings, even when the air temperature is above freezing. The cloudless atmosphere becomes a porthole to the void, through which warmth flows like air through a porch screen. Read more.... https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/science/solar-energy-power-electricity.html

What sounds more innovative than ‘solar paint’? A paint that can generate electricity, but still works as normal paint? The ability to turn not only a roof, but an entire building into a solar-generating surface? If that doesn't scream innovation, then I don't know what does. So far, the lifeblood of the solar industry has been traditional photovoltaic solar panels. Solar panels are a well-proven technology that save homeowners a ton of money. However, the hassle and expense of rooftop panel installations often deter people from switching to solar energy. Now imagine a world where we could simply paint our roofs and walls with a type of paint that can generate electricity. I am imagining this world - and it looks very promising. So, what is solar paint? The most important thing to know is that it isn’t a single product; currently there are three different technologies that are referred to as 'solar paint'. The 3 types of solar paint The idea of using a paint-like substance to generate electricity has been discussed within the scientific community for many years. Only recently have promising, real-world applications emerged. There are three separate innovations that are classified as solar paints. Here we explore what they are and what they might mean for the future of solar energy. #1 Solar paint Hydrogen A team of researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have developed solar paint that generates energy from water vapor. Put simply, the paint works by absorbing moisture from the air and using solar energy to break the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be used to produce clean energy. This is how the paint actually works: it contains a newly developed substance, synthetic molybdenum-sulphide. Absorbing moisture from the air, it works similarly to silica gel, which you’ve undoubtedly seen packaged with consumer products in order to keep them dry. This solar paint also contains titanium oxide, a substance already present in conventional paint. The titanium oxide helps the paint use solar energy to break down the absorbed moisture into hydrogen and oxygen particles. The hydrogen can then be used to produce clean energy. #2 Quantum dot solar cells, aka photovoltaic paint Quantum dots, also known as photovoltaic paint, were developed at the University of Toronto. They are nanoscale semiconductors that can capture light and turn it into an electric current. ‘Colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics’ - to use the full technical term - are not only cheaper to manufacture, but are also significantly more efficient than traditional solar cells. According to research paper author Susanna Thon, “There are two advantages to colloidal quantum dots. First, they’re much cheaper, so they reduce the cost of electricity generation measured in cost per watt of power. But the main advantage is that by simply changing the size of the quantum dot, you can change its light-absorption spectrum.”  These dots could end up being up to 11% more efficient than traditional solar panels. At some point in the future, we might even be able to paint these quantum dots on our roofs and other surfaces in order to transform sunlight into electricity. #3: Perovskite solar paint Known alternatively as spray-on solar cells, what makes this type of solar paint possible is Perovskites. Named after Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski, Perovskite materials are derived from a calcium titanium oxide mineral. Perovskite structure was first discovered in 1839, but it was only 10 years ago that a research team in Japan debuted the first-ever application of Perovskite for the production of solar cells. There are many properties that make Perovskite solar cells special, but the most revolutionary is the fact that they can take liquid form, making them the perfect candidate for solar paint. In fact, researchers have developed a way to spray liquid perovskite cells on surfaces, known as spray-on solar cells. The first-ever spray-on solar cell was developed at the University of Sheffield in 2014. A Perovskite-based mixture was sprayed onto a surface to form a sun-harnessing layer. Out of all the new inventions that could potentially revolutionize the solar industry, Perovskite cells are possibly the most promising. Read more... https://www.solar-estimate.org/news/solar-paint-hydrogen-quantum-dot-perovskite-solar-cells

Bridge to India report says the share of imported modules is still 90%, while domestic manufacturing is stagnating as developers wait for two-year duty period to end. BENGALURU: One year after India imposed an additional import duty on solar cells and modules to stimulate local production and reduce dependence on imports, no new domestic manufacturing unit has been set up, according to a renewable energy consultancy firm. India imposed a safeguard duty in July 2018 for two years. The duty was pegged at 25% for the first year, 20% for the next six months, and 15% for the last six-month period. Before it was imposed, around 90% of solar panels and modules used in local solar projects were imported, mostly from China and Malaysia, as they were cheaper than locally manufactured ones. The imposition of safeguard duty has not changed the situation. “Share of imported modules in utility scale solar still hovers around the 90% mark, consistent with the preceding years,” said Bridge to India in a recent weekly report on the solar industry. “Share of imported modules in utility scale solar still hovers around the 90% mark, consistent with the preceding years,” said Bridge to India in a recent weekly report on the solar industry. The report noted that local manufacturing remained in dire straits. “Most of the cell manufacturers have indeed shut down and module manufacturers are operating at low capacity utilisation and/or betting on exports.” As electricity distribution companies insist on driving down solar power tariffs and, at times, cancelling solar auctions if the discovered tariff is too high, developers appear to be waiting for the duty’s two-year limit to pass rather than pay more for local solar cells and modules. Existing units also claim they are not getting better prices. “We are not selling our modules at a better rate as a result of safeguard duty imposition,” said Amit Gupta, director of legal and corporate affairs at Vikram Solar, a large solar module manufacturer. “After one year, the situation is even worse than before because the new projects which are being allotted now have a completion period of 15 months, which means bids are taking place without taking the duty into consideration.” Six months ago, ET reported that no new investments had been made. “The implementation period of two years is too short to attract new manufacturing investments,” Bridge  .. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/70634317.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

In the area of solar rooftop installations, Gujarat has stood first in the country with total 261.97 megawatts (MW) of installed rooftop solar capacity as on July 23, 2019. As per the Central government data, total rooftop solar installations in India is 1700.54 MW. Responding to a question raised by MP Parimal Nathwani in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power R K Singh informed that Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have solar rooftop installations at 198.52 MW and 151.62 MW respectively. The government of India has provided total financial assistance or incentives of Rs 678.01 crore in fiscal 2016-17, Rs 169.73 crore for fiscal 2017-18 and Rs 446.77 crore in fiscal 2018-19 under the Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar programme, the official statement said. The Government of India has set a target of installation of 40,000 MW of Rooftop Solar (RTS) projects by the year 2022 in the country including installation of RTS on rooftop of houses. The minister also stated that in Gujarat out of total 261.97 MW installation, 183.51 MW are subsidised installations and 78.45 MW are non-subsidised installations. The minister’s statement also said that no formal study has been done to assess the quantum of power generated through solar panels installed at rooftops of the houses, but on an average it is estimated that 1.5 million units per MW per year are generated from solar rooftop units.

The rates vary for states which come under the special category status. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has notified the new benchmark costs for grid-connected rooftop solar power projects for the financial year (FY) 2019-20. The new benchmark costs will apply to all the implementing agencies which are involved in developing rooftop solar projects. Last year, the ministry had notified the benchmark costs for the year in June. When compared to the last year, the new benchmark costs have been reduced by the government. For instance, for projects with a capacity of above 1 kW and up to 10 kW, the benchmark cost has been set at ₹54 (~$ 0.79)/W. This benchmark cost has been reduced by ₹6 (~$0.08)/W when compared to the cost set in the previous fiscal in which such projects attracted a benchmark cost of ₹60 (~$0.878)/W. Last year’s cost, in turn, was ₹10 (~$0.1464)/W lower than the previous benchmark cost of ₹70 (~$1.0251)/W for rooftop solar PV projects up to 10 kW. Similarly, for projects over 10 kW and up to 100 kW, the cost has been set at ₹48 (~$ 0.70)/W. The new benchmark cost is ₹7 (~$0.1)/W lower than the previous year’s benchmark cost. Lastly, for projects over 100 kW and up to 500 kW, a benchmark cost of ₹45 (~$0.66)/W will be applicable. The new benchmark cost is ₹8 (~$0.11)/Wp lower than the benchmark cost of last year. As per the MNRE’s new order, these rates will vary for states which come under the special category status, such as the northeastern states, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and union territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. For these states and UTs, the benchmark cost for projects above 1 kW is ₹59 (~$0.86)/W and ₹53 (~$0.77)/W for those above 10 kW and up to 100 kW. For solar power projects above 100 kW and up to 500 kW, the benchmark cost applicable will be ₹50 (~$0.73)/W. Source: Mercom India

The census provides comprehensive data on energy access jobs created by decentralized renewable energy including solar for home and business, green mini-grids and productive use systems such as solar water pumps. New Delhi: The distributed renewable energy sector is set to create 400,000 jobs in India by 2023, including 190,000 direct, formal jobs, almost double the current number, as well as 210,000 direct, informal jobs, according to the first annual jobs census measuring employment from decentralised renewables for rural electrification released today by industry body Power for All. The "Powering Jobs Census 2019: The Energy Access Workforce" aims to spotlight the energy skills and jobs needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 ─ access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The census provides comprehensive data on energy access jobs created by decentralised renewable energy including solar for home and business, green mini-grids and productive use systems such as solar water pumps. The India census received responses from 37 companies in India across the sector including many major companies representing a large market share. “Access to electricity means access to jobs. The powering Jobs census offers strong evidence of the important link between energy access and employment in countries where rural joblessness is at record highs,” said Power for All Chief Research Officer and census lead researcher Rebekah Shirley. According to government efforts like the Saubhagya scheme, at present, less than 20,000 rural households remain unelectrified. However, the quality, reliability, affordability, and short-duration supply of electricity continue to present challenges. In addition, the recent Periodic Labour Force Survey showed that the unemployment rate in India is at its highest since 1972, with rural unemployment up more than three times among men, and more than double among women. According to the census findings, decentralised renewables are a significant employer. Relative to its penetration level in the market, the DRE sector has already grown an impressive direct employee base. The India census results show that the country’s DRE direct, formal workforce is already equivalent to the on-grid solar industry, and may double in size between 2017-18 and 2022-23 if the mini-grid market continues to expand at a rapid pace. “In 2017-18, the DRE sector provided 95,000 jobs, most of which are from end-user product providers, which are companies that sell pico solar appliances, solar home systems, and other small, off-grid appliances directly to customers. With strong policy support, mini-grids could grow to become a major employer,” Power for All said in a statement. The first edition of the job census surveyed three countries including India, Kenya and Nigeria, and will expand data collection to 25 countries by 2021.

The costs of building large-scale solar installations in India fell by 27% in 2018 YoY Ever since BJP came into power in 2014, PM Modi had placed special emphasis on harnessing the abundant Solar energy the country receives and producing power through it. With the government of India’s focused efforts in democratising the use of Solar energy, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) survey in its researchfound out that India is the world’s cheapest producer of Solar power. Owing to low-cost panel imports from China, abundant land and low wage labour, the cost of building large-scale solar installations in India fell by 27 per cent in 2018, Year-on-Year. The cost of large-scale installations in Canada is highest amongst the countries involved in producing power using Solar energy, almost thrice that of India’s cost. More than 50 per cent of the total cost in building a solar installation in India involves costs related to hardware, racking and mounting, while the remaining cost is divvied up between soft costs such as system designing and financing.  Considerably cheap labour and lower service expenses have also aided in the steep fall in the finance needed to establish large-scale solar power-generating projects. The setup cost in India fell by about 80 per cent between 2010 to 2018, the most remarkable reduction observed in any of the other countries. The Solar power arena is progressing leaps and bounds. Last year, 94 gigawatts of new capacity was added, mostly by Asian counterparts. China added 44 gigawatts of Solar energy, almost 5 times more than India. US, Japan, Australia and Germany are other nations where there has been a steady rise in the solar power generation field. As countries move towards cleaner sources of energy, the rising demand and less cost of installation will further spur the utilisation of renewable source of energy, especially in Asian countries which are heavily reliant on non-renewable sources of energy such as coal, oil etc. It will play a pivotal role in decarbonisation. PM Modi had been one of the most foremost proponents of Paris Climate Agreement. As a part of the Paris Climate Agreement, India has agreed to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 35 per cent till 2030. Solar energy will play a key role for India to meet its intended targets.

The biggest solar parks now have about 2 GW of generating capacity and are expanding towards 5 GW Here are the top 10 largest solar power plants in the world: 1. China: Yanchi Solar Park Situated in China, it gives an output of about 820 MW. The plant has been operational since 2016. 2. China: Datong ‘Front Runner’ In China’s further east, in Shanxi Province, another 800 MW project has been installed in the Datong district. The solar array is distributed on hilltops over a wide area, making them hard to see on satellite images. 3. China: Longyangxia Solar-Hydro plant Located in China’s Qinghai Province, the 697-MW Longyangxia Solar-Hydro plant became the largest in the world when the second phase was connected in 2014 by China Power Investment. 4. India: Kamuthi Solar Power Project This power station was built by Adani in Tamil Nadu in 2016. This is India’s largest solar power station. It covers nearly 1,200 hectares and has an AC capacity of 648 MW. 5. Mexico: Villanueva plant Mexico’s Villanueva plant has an operational capacity of 640 MW. It’s phase III was completed in November last year and is still being expanded by Italy’s ENEL Green Power. 6. United States: Solar Star The USA’s largest solar plant has a total capacity of 579 MW and is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway group. 7. China: Hongshagang This multi-phase plant in Gansu province was built by China Singyes, with at least 574 MW operational, and an eventual capacity of 820 MW. 8. United States: Topaz This project has a capacity of 550 MW and is built on the Carrizo Plain in central California. 9. China: Yinchuan Xingqing The Yinchuan Xinqing project has a total capacity of just over 500 MW, and was installed in mid-2018. 10. India: NP Kunta Greenko Situated in Andhra Pradesh, the station was in 2017 for Greenko Energy in the Ananthapur Solar Park. It has a capacity of 500 MW. Another plant worth mentioning here is the Sweihan Independent Power Project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is still under construction, but at 938 MW, it is expected to become the world’s largest plant, when commissioned later this year.

Dye-sensitised solar cells hold a lot of promise because of possible cost and environmental benefits A novel process to improve the performance of Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC) has been developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. Dye-sensitised solar cells hold a lot of promise because of possible cost and environmental benefits. But, they have low light-to-power conversion efficiency. The new process, published in the journal Solar Energy, promises to enhance the efficiency. “A dye molecule absorbs the light energy in DSSC and causes electrons in the dye to jump to titania and then to the external circuit, which causes a flow of electrons, leading to a current,” said Jammalamadaka Suryanarayana, who led the research team. The first-generation silicon-based cells with energy harvesting efficiency of about 26 per cent continue to be costly. Second-generation thin film solar cells based on semiconductors like cadmium-telluride and cadmium-selenide have comparable efficiencies, and not much lower cost. The third generation of dye-sensitised solar cells can significantly lower costs of solar cells while being environment-friendly. But, their efficiencies need improvement to translate to practical products. In the study, the researchers initially tried introducing holmium oxide, a powerful paramagnetic material, into the anode of the cell and by applying external magnetic fields. The experiment showed an enhancement in efficiency. However, application of external magnetic field can be power-consuming because electromagnets themselves require energy for their functioning. The team consequently replaced holmium oxide with iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles since it produced a magnetic field internally. The result was as good. (India Science Wire)

In total, 11 million people were employed in renewable energy worldwide in 2018, up from 10.3 million in 2017 New Delhi: India saw expand in solar photovoltaic employment in 2018, while China, the US, Japan and the European Union lost jobs, the International RenewableEnergy Agency (IRENA) said on Thursday. In total, 11 million people were employed in renewable energyworldwide in 2018, up from 10.3 million in 2017. As more and more countries manufacture, trade and install renewable energy technologies, IRENA's latest 'Renewable Energy and Jobs -- Annual Review' finds renewables jobs grew to their highest level despite slower growth in key renewable energy markets, including China. The diversification of the renewable energy supply chain is changing the sector's geographic footprint. Until now, renewable energy industries have remained relatively concentrated in a handful of major markets, such as China, the US and the European Union. Increasingly, however, East and Southeast Asian countries have emerged alongside China as key exporters of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, were responsible for a greater share of growth in renewables jobs last year, which allowed Asia to maintain a 60 per cent share of renewable energy jobs worldwide. "Beyond climate goals, governments are prioritising renewables as a driver of low-carbon economic growth in recognition of the numerous employment opportunities created by the transition to renewables," said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. "Renewables deliver on all main pillars of sustainable development -- environmental, economic and social. As the global energy transformation gains momentum, this employment dimension reinforces the social aspect of sustainable development and provides yet another reason for countries to commit to renewables. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind remain the most dynamic of all renewable energy industries. Accounting for one-third of the total renewable energy workflow, solar PV retains the top spot in 2018, ahead of liquid biofuels, hydropower and wind power. Geographically, Asia hosts over three million PV jobs, nearly nine-tenths of the global total. Most of the wind industry's activity still occurs on land and is responsible for the bulk of the sector's 1.2 million jobs. China alone accounts for 44 per cent of global wind employment, followed by Germany and the US. Offshore wind could be an especially attractive option for leveraging domestic capacity and exploiting synergies with the oil and gas industry. The solar PV industry retains the top spot, with a third of the total renewable energy workforce. Besides India, PV employment expanded in Southeast Asia and Brazil, while China, the US, Japan and the European Union lost jobs. Rising output pushed biofuel jobs up six per cent to 2.1 million. Brazil, Colombia, and Southeast Asia have labour-intensive supply chains where informal work is prominent, whereas operations in the US and the European Union are far more mechanised. Employment in wind power supports 1.2 million jobs. Onshore projects predominate, but the offshore segment is gaining traction and could build on expertise and infrastructure in the offshore oil and gas sector. Hydropower has the largest installed capacity of all renewables but is now expanding slowly. The sector employs 2.1 million people directly, three quarters of whom are in operations and maintenance.

A Surge Protection Device (SPDs) is a component of the electrical installation protection system. This device is connected to the power supply in parallel with the loads (circuits)that it is intended to protect (see Figure 4). It can also be used at all levels of the power supply network. Principle of Surge Protection Operation: SPDs are designed to limit transient overvoltages due to lightning or switching and divert the associated surge currents to earth, so as to limit these overvoltages to levels that are unlikely to damage the electrical installation or equipment. Types of surge protection devices: There are three types of SPD according to international standards: Type 1 SPD Protection against transient overvoltages due to direct lightning strokes. The Type 1 SPD is recommended to protect electrical installations against partial lightning currents caused by direct lightning strokes. It can discharge the voltage from lightning spreading from the earth conductor to the network conductors. Type 2 SPD Protection against transient overvoltages due to switching and indirect lightning strokes. The Type 2 SPD is the main protection system for all low voltage electrical installations. Installed in each electrical switchboard, it prevents the spread of overvoltages in the electrical installations and protects the loads. Type 3 SPD Type 3 SPD is used for local protection for sensitive loads. These SPDs have a low discharge capacity. They must therefore only be installed as a supplement to Type 2 SPD and in the vicinity of sensitive loads. They are widely available as hard wired’ devices (frequently combined with Type 2 SPDs for use in fixed installations). However they are also incorporated in: Surge protected socket outlets Surge protected portable socket outlets Telecoms and Data protection

Key takeaways: String inverters, microinverters & power optimizers Inverters convert the DC electricity that your solar panels produce into appliance-friendly AC electricity. The three main inverter options available for homes residential and commercial solar installations are string inverters, microinverters and power optimizers. Microinverters and power optimizers are more expensive than string inverters. Microinverters and power optimizers are best for installations where one or more panels may be shaded, or where panels are facing different directions. Microinverters and power optimizers allow you to monitor the power production of each individual panel. A system that uses microinverters or power optimizers will produce slightly more power than a similar system with a string inverter.

In order to boost the growth of renewable energy including solar rooftop, the dropping costs of electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries with equal grid market access can be helpful, says the report released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). This ‘Electric Vehicles and Batteries Can Drive Growth of Residential Solar’ report is based on Germany and Britain and examines the economic impact on these regions on combining the rooftop solar with EVs and batteries; along with the effects of different policy incentives and disincentives. On the view of scraping subsidies in renewables, IEEFA energy analyst and co-author of the report, Gerard Wynn said that, “Generous renewable energy subsidies have had their day, but scrapping these entirely and replacing them with nothing will damage renewables markets.” While on trimming the battery and electric vehicles cost, Wynn further added that, “The falling cost of battery storage and EVs can drive new growth in renewables in Europe, but only if these low-carbon technologies have the same access to electricity network markets as fossil-fuel based ones.” According to the report, solar power, battery storage and EVs will be at the centre of global energy system disruption in the future, because of declining costs and alignment with current trends towards “decarbonisation, decentralisation, digitalisation and democratisation,” However, policy barriers and uncertainty will slow down this transition, and make it more costly, it added. Here’re the main findings of the report: Falling EV and battery costs mean combined solar-battery-EV systems could quickly become an obvious choice for households with south-facing roofs and off-street parking.Payback periods are much shorter for solar installations in Germany, at 6 years as compared to 19 years in Britain, due to solar feed-in tariff and higher residential power prices.Adding an EV and battery system already reduces solar payback periods in Britain.Systems would become even more attractive under seemingly no-brainer regulatory reform that allows households in Britain to sell their solar power at least at wholesale power market prices, and by doubling today’s income from grid services markets. Source: Saurenergy

Electricity produced by cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic modules is the lowest-cost electricity in the solar industry, and now undercuts fossil fuel-based sources in many regions of the world. This is due to recent efficiency gains brought about by alloying selenium into the CdTe absorber, which has taken cell efficiency from 19.5% to its current record of 22.1%. Although the addition of selenium is known to reduce the bandgap of the absorber material, and hence increase the cell short-circuit current, this effect alone does not explain the performance improvement. Here, by means of cathodoluminescence and secondary ion mass spectrometry, we show that selenium enables higher luminescence efficiency and longer diffusion lengths in the alloyed material, indicating that selenium passivates critical defects in the bulk of the absorber layer. This passivation effect explains the record-breaking performance of selenium-alloyed CdTe devices, and provides a route for further efficiency improvement that can result in even lower costs for solar-generated electricity.

As the planet suffers the consequences of climate change, rising temperatures, and other phenomena, people are doing what they can in various attempts to revitalize the condition of the Earth. Among these efforts, the use of renewable energy and clean energy is by far the most significant step taken by humankind. Over the past decades, various efforts to utilize and supply clean energy have been the center of many tech developments and researches. Works of various types of solar panels, wind farms, and hydropower have been developed and improved over the years. A new invention by a group of scientists has emerged which yet again identifies a new source of renewable energy. The new source, scientists revealed, uses the coldness of the universe to generate electricity. They explained that the homeowners could soon slash their energy bills by powering their houses using only the night sky. The invitation uses a special conductor pointed towards the sky. The gadget then harvests energy from the temperature difference between the freezing vastness of deep space and the Earth. The big difference between this new set of "reverse solar panels" and the conventional solar panels is its energy harnessing capability. The new invention would work around the clock regardless of the weather and brightness, whereas, the conventional solar panels would only work under good sunny conditions. The scientists pointed out that it would be a fair few more years before the new technology is powerful enough to run a machine such as a television. However, it is undeniable that the new design of the "reverse solar panels" has very high potential. The scientists explain that the new tech would work just by sitting on the surface of the Earth as long as it is positioned facing towards the frigid temperatures of space. The gadget works in a way that it releases an outflow of heat energy aimed towards the sky in the form of infrared registration. The reverse panels would then harvest this radiation. The tech would convert the harvested radiation into electricity. It has a similar concept when solar cells absorb solar radiation as it passes from the sun to the Earth. The scientists are optimistic about the new invention as it could revolutionize how civilizations would power or energize houses and structures by generating electricity. Unlike solar cells, however, the new tech would be able to power electronics even at night. Dr. Shanhui Fan, a team member from Stanford University in California, explained that the vastness of the universe is actually a thermodynamic resource. Dr. Fan added that harvesting outgoing radiation is as possible as harvesting incoming radiation. As of now, their invention can produce only 64 nanoWatts of power per square meter. Whereas, an average conventional solar panel can deal with a thousand million times more powerful than this new tech. This means that there is still a long way to go for the improvements and modifications to further develop the group's invention. Source: The Science Times

Central, as well as state regulatory commissions, set generic tariff for renewables in April . In April 2019, many important policies were announced to streamline India’s renewable energy sector. Some of the policies highlighted include generic tariff, net-metering, deviation settlement, testing guidelines among others. Here is a roundup of some key policy announcements made by the central government and state agencies in the renewable energy sector during April 2019. National To address the lack of quality certification in solar components, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued a draft quality control order for solar thermal systems as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act. Any manufacturer, who sells or distributes solar thermal goods must apply to register with the BIS for the use of its standard mark. India imposed anti-dumping duty on the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) sheets for solar modules imported from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand for five years. The MNRE has issued a blueprint for the utilization, manufacture, disposal, and import of solar module and glass containing Antimony. Antimony is a chemical element that has been found to have hazardous effects on the environment. The MNRE has also issued draft guidelines for performance testing of batteries (lead-acid and nickel-based chemistry type) series approval for mandatory registration with the BIS. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued a notification about the fees to be collected by Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDC) from the generating companies, distribution licensees, inter-state transmission licensees, buyers, sellers, and inter-state trading licensees and any other users. The MNRE has also issued draft guidelines for series approval (grouping) of solar inverters to conduct testing in labs for Implementation of “Quality Control Order on Solar PV Systems, Devices and Components Goods 2017.” Moreover, it has issued draft specifications and testing procedures for universal solar pump controllers (USPC). The CERC has issued its fifth draft amendment to the deviation settlement regulations which include two new clauses: daily base deviation settlement mechanism (DSM) and time block DSM. Investments from the International Solar Association (ISA) will no longer be treated as a foreign source of funding, a government notification announced. State The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) issued“Captive and Renewable Energy Generating Plants Regulations, 2019,” which will be enforced from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2024. Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) has set the genericlevelized tariff for power generated from solar PV for FY 2019-20 at ₹4.17 (~$0.060)/kWh without accelerated depreciation. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has fixed the generic tariff for solar PV at ₹3.04 (~$0.044)/kWh without accelerated depreciation and ₹2.80 (~$0.040)/kWh with AD in Tamil Nadu. The tariff came into effect from April 1, 2019. TNERC has set generic tariff for the procurement of power from municipal solid waste projects in the state at ₹6.28 (~$0.088)/kWh without accelerated depreciation and ₹5.90 (~$0.082)/kWh with accelerated depreciation applicable effective April 1, 2019. The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) has issued (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Order, 2019. This order applies to those domestic consumers who have a letter of approval to install rooftop solar PV grid-interactive systems based on net metering issued after November 15, 2018, and who have subsequently installed these systems.

The government of India has already set an ambitious target to achieve 100 gigawatt by 2022 . New Delhi: India is at the cusp of a solar revolution, the government has already set an ambitious target to achieve 100 gigawatt (GW) by 2022. Keeping the target in mind, Indian states have already started ramping up their installed solar and wind powered capacity. ETEnergyWorld looks at the top 10 states by installed solar powered capacity. The data is provided by solar power consultancy firm Bridge To India. 1. Karnataka Karnataka tops the list of states with the highest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s total solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 5,328 megawatt (MW). While, its total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 27,199 MW at the end of 2018, with solar sector’s share at 19.58 per cent. 2. Telangana Telangana houses the second-highest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 3,501 MW. Its total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 15,944 MW at the end of 2018, with solar sector’s share at 22 per cent. 3. Rajasthan Rajasthan houses the third-highest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 3,081 MW. Rajasthan’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 21,833 MW at the end of 2018, with solar sector’s share at 14.11 per cent. 4. Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh houses the fourth-highest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 2,829 MW. Andhra Pradesh’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 23,726 MW at the end of 2018, with solar sector’s share at 12 per cent. 5. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu houses the fifth-highest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 2,055 MW. Tamil Nadu’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood 30,447 MW at the end of 2018, with solar sector’s share at 6.74 per cent. 6. Gujarat Gujarat houses the sixth- largest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 1,607 MW. Gujarat’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 31,382 MW at the end of 2018, with the solar sector’s share at 5.12 per cent. 7. Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh houses the seventh-largest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 1,526 MW. Madhya Pradesh’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 21,873 MW at the end of 2018, with the solar sector’s share at 7 per cent. 8. Maharashtra Maharashtra houses the eighth-largest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 1,311 MW. Its total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 43,779 MW at the end of 2018, with the solar sector’s share at 3 per cent. 9. Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh houses the ninth-largest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 875 MW. Madhya Pradesh’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 25,061 MW at the end of 2018, with the solar sector’s share at 3.49 per cent. 10. Punjab Punjab houses the 10th-largest installed solar power generation capacity in the country. The state’s solar capacity at the end of 2018 stood at 845 MW. Punjab’s total installed electricity generation capacity stood at 13,432 MW at the end of 2018, with the solar sector’s share at 6.29 per cent.

Electricity isn’t the only power source that can power automobiles of the future with no emissions. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells have the potential to allow drivers to go long distances with fill-ups similar to how gas-powered vehicles work today. The catch is that there is no hydrogen infrastructure in most parts of the world and not much hydrogen production. Researchers from the EPFL Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering (LRESE) have created a device that concentrates solar irradiation to produce larger amounts of hydrogen over a given area at a lower cost. The system works with an enhanced photo-electrochemical system that works in conjunction with solar irradiation and smart thermal management to turn solar power into hydrogen with a conversion rate of 17%. The team points out that 17% is unprecedented power and current density. The technology that the team created is stable and can handle the stochastic dynamics of daily solar irradiation. The device the team created has a thin layer of water that runs over a solar cell to cool it. Temperatures in the system remain “relatively low” and allow the solar cell to perform better. The heat extracted by the water is transferred to catalysts that improve the chemical reaction and increase hydrogen production. Initially, the solar simulator at LRESE was used, and the tests from the lab-scale demonstration were promising enough for the device to be scaled up and tested outdoors. The outdoor test device has a 7-meter diameter parabolic mirror that concentrates solar irradiation by a factor of 1,000 and drives the device. The team believes that their device can run for over 30,000 hours or nearly four years without replacement parts and up to 20-years with parts replaced every four years. The solar concentrator can turn to follow the sun across the sky and in sunny weather it could produce up to 1 kilogram of hydrogen per day, enough to travel up to 150km in a hydrogen-powered car. Source : SlashGear.Com

New Delhi: GST officers are working on a system where businesses above a certain turnover threshold will have to generate 'e-invoice' on government or GST portal for every sale, thereby effectively reducing the room for tax evasion. To start with, businesses above a specified threshold will just get a unique number for every electronic invoice or e-invoice generated. This number can be matched with the invoices reported in the sales return and taxes paid, an official said. Going forward, businesses will be required to generate full electronic-tax invoice or e-invoice recording entire value of sales. The official said that businesses beyond a turnover threshold would be provided a software which will be linked to GST or a government portal for generating e-invoice. The threshold can also be fixed on the basis of the value of invoice. "The requirement of e-invoice generation could be either on the basis of turnover of the registered person or value of invoice. The thinking is, ideally, it should be based on turnover threshold so as to avoid splitting of sales," an official told PTI.