Daily Climate News - April 3
Reliability of new PV technologies; Metals mining in Africa; building decarbonization;
Reliability of new PV technology
The major developments in solar PV module technology can be organised into 4 categories:
The trend is towards - larger modules, thinner and more numerous interconnections, PERC technology and n-type semiconductors, and modules which can convert sunlight on both sides (bifacial).
For older technology, PV module warranties typically last decades and less than 1% modules fail in the first 5 years in the US. New research at NREL used market reports, interviews with PV researchers and industry stakeholders to understand how reliable the new technology improvements are.
Large modules are easier to install but more prone to fracture during shipping, handling or installation. For cut cells (dominant now), improper cutting techniques can cause defects along edges. Thermal laser separation for cutting does better here. Thin wafers are susceptible to mechanical loads and harder to handle during manufacturing. The increasing number of interconnections likely improves reliability by keeping fractured cells connected.
Most bifacial modules (30% of the market in 2022) have glass on the front and back. The glass is getting thinner, and tends to trap more chemicals which can corrode module components. However, it dissipates more heat compared to the polymer backsheets used previously, reducing the operating temperature of the cell and improving efficiency. Glass strengthening and toughening techniques are recommended here.
Overall the researchers recommend more and longer duration testing to understand the impact of multiple technology changes occurring at the same time.
More important, and more complex, are the compounding effects of multiple concurrent changes. One prominent example is the significant increase in module area occurring simultaneously with the thinning of both wafers and cover glass plus, in some cases, the use of less-supportive framing and mounting—resulting in what many industry observers have informally dubbed “big floppy modules.” This “big floppiness” from multiple changes likely increases the risk of mechanical damage more than the risk presented by any of the changes alone.
Mercom | Getting Ahead of the Curve: Assessment of New Photovoltaic Module Reliability Risks Associated With Projected Technological Changes, IEEE (January 2024) (recommended)
How important is protecting apes?
In West and Central Africa, several mining regions with critical mineral deposits overlap with high-density ape habitats. Apes are an important umbrella species - designing programs for protecting them helps conserve smaller wildlife and vegetation in their habitats. A new study finds that most of the critical areas (where blue and red overlap in the image below) - especially in Gabon, Congo, Cameroon and Guinea - are currently not protected.
Mining has direct and indirect impacts on animal populations as green areas are cleared, there’s extensive noise from drilling and blasting, use of heavy machinery, metals and toxic chemicals are released on land and in water, and food chains are disrupted. This is not just in the mining area, but even beyond the boundaries.
In 2017, Sonter et al. demonstrated that large-scale industrial mining operations caused significant deforestation over time and up to 70 km from mining lease boundaries in Brazil’s Amazon Forest. Furthermore, a recent global pan-tropical assessment found that in two-thirds of the 26 investigated countries, deforestation rates were higher close to the actual mining areas than in areas farther away, even when controlling for other known determinants of tropical deforestation.
Development of road and rail infrastructure around mining sites further adds to soil erosion, increased probability of fires, landslides, more hunting and agriculture as humans settle around the sites.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has a performance standard pertaining to biodiversity conservation that funded projects must meet throughout the life of the investment. Apes find special mention
GN73. Special consideration should be given to great apes (gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos) due to their anthropological significance. Where great apes may potentially occur, GN17 the IUCN/Species Survival Commission (SSC) Primate Specialist Group (PSG) Section on Great Apes (SGA) must be consulted as early as possible to assist in the determination of the occurrence of great apes in the project’s area of influence. Any area where there are great apes is likely to be treated as critical habitat. Projects in such areas will be acceptable only in exceptional circumstances, and individuals from the IUCN/SSC PSG SGA must be involved in the development of any mitigation strategy.
There are many international standards and strategies for protecting wildlife, but the authors find that “that the extent of the potential threats of mining on apes in Africa has been grossly underestimated.”
Threat of Mining to African Great Apes, ScienceAdvances | The Guardian
Top Stories
The US Department of Energy has released a blueprint to reduce emissions from buildings by 90% by 2050 as compared to 2005. Key ideas include - switching to heat pumps; on-site thermal energy storage; preventing leakages of refrigerants, fire suppressants, foam blowing agents; management systems for distributed energy resources; on-site renewables; smart appliances; whole building controls and sensing networks; and using low-emission building materials. Facilities Dive | DoE Press Release | AI Summary of Report (PDF)
The State of Maryland (USA) has passed new legislation to integrate distribute energy sources in the grid. Four clauses are interesting - the Public Service Commission must adopt regulations pertaining to bidirectional Electric Vehicle systems before April 1, 2025; pair on-site renewables with building electrification; time-of-use electricity prices so consumers shift consumption to off-peak hours; utilities cannot require customers to apply for a connection with the distribution system. Solar Power World | Maryland General Assembly - DRIVE Act (2024)
Several companies from UK, USA, France, Japan, Italy, South Korea have come together to form the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organisation (NEMO). The organisation aims to develop standards for safe deployment, operation and decommissioning of floating nuclear power plants. Offshore Energy | NEMO Website
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, based in Costa Rica, has ruled that pollution from a metallurgical facility in Peru is responsible for physical and mental harm to people in the area and that the victims must be given monetary compensation. The people have documented respiratory, skin, heart and other illnesses. ECEEE | Inside Climate News | UNEP’s Global Climate Litigation Report 2023 (PDF)
Recycled plastic has high demand from companies in USA but is finding it difficult to compete with low-cost virgin plastic as there is overcapacity for production both in US and China. There are recycled content laws in few states - California, Washington, New Jersey, Connecticut. Industry insiders are advocating for more legislation on using recycled plastics and implementing extended producer responsibility programs. Waste Dive
You can read over 200 stories from April 3 on Telborg.
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Best,
Soumya Gupta
Founder, Telborg.com | SummaryWithAI.com
