What is New with Solar | Solar Industry Trends in 2023
By: Eric Huesca, SEO Content Writer
February 10, 2023
Solar rays are vital as they provide a clean, renewable, and cost-effective source of energy. Both individuals and businesses are heading towards solar energy storage solutions. Pew Research reports that solar energy residential installation in 2021 rose to a whopping 3.9 GW from 2.9 GW in 2020. This 34 percent increase in installation in a single year shows where the solar industry trends will be heading in the upcoming years.
Beautiful home with solar.
People are buying solar panels for their homes and businesses to reduce energy costs and be more environmentally friendly. Solar technology advancements, declining costs, and government tax credit eligibility make solar power a more attractive and affordable option.
Solar Panel Technology
The new solar technology has revolutionized energy production. Advances in solar panels have enhanced their efficiency and performance levels. New solar tech has a higher conversion rate and generates more energy from the same amount of sunlight.
Likewise, the recent solar industry trends reveal significant improvements in energy storage, thanks to tech advancements. Research shows that new solar additions are expected to produce nearly 200 gigawatts of energy. Thus, New solar cells are set to break the record for efficiency and voltage. These solar panel efficiency improvements have dominated the energy marketplace. For instance, the solar energy market analysis in the US shows that the revenue has grown at a CAGR of 20.7% over the years to 2023. It is expected to rise 20.5% in 2023 alone. Let’s have a look at the latest technologies in the sector to see where solar industry trends will be moving in the next couple of years;
Bifacial Solar panels
Bifacial solar technology involves the use of two-sided photovoltaic panels. They generate electricity from both the front and back sides. So, these solar energy storage solutions typically have a higher conversion efficiency than traditional panels. The increased light absorption leads to higher power output, making bifacial solar panels a more efficient and cost-effective solution for large-scale solar installations.
Benefits
In addition to increased power, these bifacial solar panels offer the following
benefits.
• Flexibility in the installation: Bifacial solar panels can be mounted on various surfaces, including the ground, rooftops, or even floating on water, providing more flexibility in installation options.
• Improved durability: Bifacial solar panels are more durable than mono-facial panels due to the protection offered by the transparent back sheet.
• Lower balance-of-system costs: Bifacial solar panels reduce the need
for additional components, such as wiring and inverters, leading to lower balance-of-system costs.
Back-contact panels
Back-contact solar panels are a type of photovoltaic panel that has electrical contacts located on the back of the panel instead of the front. This design eliminates the metal lines and busbars on the front of the panel. Thus, it increases the amount of sunlight absorption leading to higher conversion efficiency and power output.
Benefits
Overall, back-contact solar panels offer several advantages over traditional front-contact panels. Such solar industry trends show a promising future for renewable energy.
• Improved performance: Back contact panels are less affected by shading. As the electrical contacts are located on the back of the panel, they are protected from shading.
• Lower cost: The simplified design of back-contact solar panels reduces the cost of production. It makes it a more cost-effective solution compared to traditional front contact panels.
Innovative Energy Storages Solutions
Innovative energy storage solutions are technologies that are developed to store excess energy for later use. The solar industry trends show that new solar tech has proven its lasting power by integrating excess energy. Scientists have set a new solar cell efficiency world record. Research shows that scientists have developed a tandem solar cell that has achieved 29.15% efficiency. These are some of the innovative solar energy storage solutions being developed and deployed worldwide. Here we go.
Battery Energy Storage Systems:
A battery system stores excess solar energy, especially for use at night or during periods of low sunlight. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for residential and commercial solar storage solutions. They are compact, efficient, and have a long lifespan.
Flow Batteries:
These batteries store energy in liquids that flow through a cell, where they are converted into electricity. Flow batteries provide high energy density and a long lifespan. They are often used in large-scale energy storage systems.
Thermal Energy Storage:
These innovative energy solutions use materials with high specific heat capacity to store thermal energy from the sun, releasing it as needed.
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)
CAES stores energy by compressing air and then releasing it to drive a turbine and generate electricity. This technology is ideal for storing large amounts of energy for extended periods.
Solar Supercapacitors
These are high-capacity capacitors that can store and release energy quickly. They are ideal for applications that require fast and frequent energy storage and release.
Flywheel Energy Storage
Flywheel energy storage has a spinning wheel to integrate energy in the form of kinetic energy. The stored energy can be retrieved as electrical energy when needed.
Smart Solar systems
Smart solar systems are integrated energy systems that use solar panels, energy storage, and control systems to optimize energy generation and consumption. These systems provide a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective source of energy. Through integration, these solar systems allow households and businesses to reduce their dependence on traditional energy sources and control their energy costs. Such solar industry trends are paving
the way for more efcient yet cost-effective sources of renewable energy.
Components of Smart Solar Systems
Solar panels:
These are the primary components of a solar energy system, converting sunlight into electricity. They are a clean, renewable energy source that can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a more sustainable energy future.
Battery storage:
This technology enables the storage of excess energy for later use. It offers a constant and reliable energy supply even during periods when the sun isn’t shining. This can be in the form of batteries, wheels, compressed air, or pumped hydro storage.
Energy Management Systems (EMS):
These systems manage the storage and distribution of the energy generated by solar panels. They may include advanced control technology, such as predictive algorithms and artificial intelligence, to optimize the performance of the solar panels and the energy storage system.
Monitoring and Control Devices:
These devices provide real-time monitoring and control of the smart solar system. It allows the users to track energy generation and consumption, as well as adjust settings to optimize performance. Smart solar systems may also include additional components such as backup generators, energy-efficient appliances, inverters, and others. It further
optimizes energy use and improves the overall efciency of the system.
Solar Powered Electric
Solar energy is employed to power electric vehicles. This allows for a clean and renewable energy source for charging. Solar-powered electric vehicles offer a number of advantages over traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, including
reduced emissions, lowered operating costs, and improved energy efficiency.
Ways to charge solar electric vehicles
Solar electric vehicles can be charged directly from solar panels. They typically have a photovoltaic (PV) array mounted on the roof or hood of the vehicle, which generates electricity to power the electric motor.
• They are also charged at public charging stations, which are typically found in parking lots, shopping centers, and other public locations.
• Some charging stations are powered by renewable energy sources, such as Solar, further reducing the environmental impact of charging.
• Solar vehicles can also be charged using electricity generated from a grid-tied solar energy system. This allows for the use of excess energy generated by the solar panels to be used for charging.
Community Solar Projects
Solar community projects refer to initiatives and programs that aim to bring solar power to communities. These projects are commenced to make the innovative solar industry trends and solutions more accessible to people who
cannot install solar systems on their personal property. For example, the people who are renters and live in shared housing buildings.
Models of Solar Community Project
Ownership model
The ownership model allows the communities to purchase selected solar panels and community projects. They own a portion of the solar panels installed on the farm. When the participants buy these projects, they receive credits on their electricity bills for the power generated by their panels.
Subscription model
The solar subscription model is a type of solar community project in which members of the community subscribe to a community solar farm. In return, they receive credits on their electricity bills for the power generated by the farm. In this model, subscribers do not own a portion of the solar panels but instead pay a fee to receive the benefits of the solar energy produced.
Benefits
- By generating their own energy, communities can potentially reduce their energy bills and increase their financial savings over time.
- In some areas, particularly rural or remote communities, access to reliable electricity can be limited. Solar community projects can provide a solution to this problem by generating electricity locally using solar power.
- Solar community projects often involve active community participation, increasing community engagement.
- The growth of the solar industry trends can lead to economic benefits for communities.
- By increasing public awareness of renewable energy, solar community projects can help to educate the public and encourage further investment in clean energy sources.
Conclusion
In short, these solar industry trends show a clean and prosperous future for the industry, environment, and end-users. The advancements in solar technology are increasing the use of innovative solutions in residential and commercial
sectors. Government incurs solar energy policy updates to promote the use of solar energy in houses, communities, and businesses.
So, if you want to reap the benefits of going solar, connect with Solgen Power. We provide and install innovative solar solutions for homeowners. You might be thinking, how long does it take? We have professionals that offer reliable
services in the quickest possible way without compromising on quality
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