Giv Robotics and Civ Robotics are utilizing AI-powered navigation systems at solar parks in the US to streamline construction processes and combat labor shortages in the solar sector. CivNav, a GPS sensor box mounted on construction machines, provides operators with precise guidance for the placement of piles, pallets, and PV modules with up to 5 cm accuracy, eliminating the need for manual surveying. This technology has the potential to accelerate construction timelines, reduce staff requirements, and generate daily reports with real-time operational data to help managers identify bottlenecks. Civ Robotics' innovative solutions have already contributed to over 20 GW of solar projects worldwide and are being utilized by major companies in the industry.
Category: Buildings
Cut Emissions:
– Shift Energy Sources
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Historic icons, modern energy: Why heritage buildings need solar roofing
Historic buildings in the UK are facing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, with sustainable retrofits like LED lighting and heat pumps being easily implemented. However, solar technology integration faces challenges due to visual impact, despite UK heritage guidance allowing for solar integration. Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar roofs offer a solution by blending into the architecture, as seen in examples like York Minster, Westminster Abbey, and Canterbury Cathedral. Roofit.Solar CEO Andres Anijalg emphasizes the importance of marrying historic buildings with modern climate solutions, showcasing the potential for genuine, scaled climate leadership that protects both the history of buildings and the planet they stand on.
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Joined up sustainable transition (JUST): Fossil fuel generators
Gold Standard is consulting on a new methodology for replacing fossil fuel generators with renewable energy systems, such as solar PV, wind power, and energy storage technologies, to reduce emissions. This transition aligns with Just Transition requirements and helps displace electricity generated from fossil fuels like diesel and natural gas. The methodology can be applied to off-grid communities, commercial facilities, and residential buildings relying on fossil fuel generators for power, providing a sustainable solution for reducing emissions and promoting clean energy alternatives.
https://www.goldstandard.org/consultations/just-fossil-fuel-generators-consultation
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Philippines commissions 6.5 MW solar project for social housing
The Ning Ning Solar Rooftop Project in the Philippines is the world's first grid-connected, solar rooftop project within a social housing community, providing clean energy to almost 2,000 homes and expected to reduce over 6,233 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized the project's benefits, such as revenue generation for community services and additional power supply to the grid. The successful collaboration between the government, private sector, and local communities paved the way for this innovative project, with plans for more rooftop solar projects in the future to further combat climate change.
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Environmental News Network – How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Achieve a Clean Energy Future
AI is playing a crucial role in supporting the clean energy transition by managing power grid operations, planning infrastructure investments, and guiding the development of novel materials. Despite concerns about increased energy demands, AI is also helping to reduce energy consumption and emissions in buildings, transportation, and industrial processes. Furthermore, AI is optimizing the design and siting of new wind and solar installations and energy storage facilities, further aiding the transition to clean energy.
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SwitchedOn podcast: Renewable construction boom can help fix regional housing crisis
Australia is poised to construct more renewable infrastructure in the next decade than in the previous three combined, with the challenge of housing construction workers in towns already experiencing a housing crisis. RE-Alliance's report proposes that worker accommodation can serve as a community benefit, with developers considering options such as refurbishing aged-care homes and transforming workforce villages into suburbs. The energy transition offers a unique opportunity for positive change in regional communities, highlighting the potential for sustainable solutions to address both the housing crisis and the need for renewable infrastructure.
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Longi achieves 33.35% efficiency for flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell
Chinese PV module manufacturer Longi has achieved a power conversion efficiency of 33.35% for a 1 cm2 flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell, certified by the US Department of Energy's NREL. The tandem device utilized a dual-buffer layer strategy to enhance interfacial adhesion and charge extraction, with the top cell incorporating layers such as a perovskite absorber and a self-assembled monolayer hole transport layer. Testing showed the cell design's durability, retaining over 97% of its initial efficiency after bending and thermal cycling tests. These findings were detailed in a study published in Nature, showcasing advancements in flexible solar cell technology.
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Australia doesn’t have to choose between energy affordability and emission reductions
IEEFA has found that improving energy affordability in Australia does not have to be incompatible with emissions reduction targets. The country's aging coal fleet and network assets need to be replaced, with renewables backed by storage and transmission being the most cost-effective option. Gas-based generation has become increasingly uncompetitive, with high prices and declining consumption. Contrary to misconceptions, renewables have not been driving electricity prices up, with high gas and coal prices, coal outages, and network costs being the main factors. Faster approval processes and better market regulations are needed to ensure a smooth transition to cleaner energy sources. Reforms to improve competition, allow distributed energy resources to compete, and promote energy efficiency, electrification, and flexible demand are key to lowering household energy bills. Transitioning to modern electric alternatives, such as heaters and hot water systems, along with solar and battery systems, can significantly reduce costs. Industrial energy efficiency and electrification also offer major savings. The key pathways to improve energy affordability are aligned with net zero emissions goals, emphasizing the need for accelerated deployment of renewables, energy efficiency, and electrification. The narrative that lowering bills and cutting emissions are mutually exclusive is false.
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Wind-PV-powered heat pump for low-energy residential buildings
Researchers from China have developed an optimized energy management strategy for a hybrid wind-PV heat pump system with thermal and electric energy storage. The study found that adopting seasonal interaction management strategies improved power-to-load interaction and enabled zero-energy performance. The optimal system configuration includes PV modules, wind turbines, batteries, and heat pumps. The research showed significant improvements in system performance and cost savings with the implementation of the optimized energy management strategy, resulting in a reduction in system integration factor, levelized cost of electricity, and carbon emissions, while increasing self-consumption ratio.
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All you need to know about the outcome of COP30
COP30 in Belém, Brazil saw a strong focus on transitioning from promises to action in the fight against climate change, with discussions on phasing out fossil fuels, climate finance, and transitioning to renewable energy. Indigenous and frontline communities pushed for justice, leading to the demarcation of Indigenous territories and the creation of the Belém Action Mechanism for a just transition. Momentum for a fossil fuel phase-out grew, with countries like Brazil and Colombia moving towards this goal. Despite delays in funding, progress was made towards a just transition and a global push to end fossil fuels, driven by people-powered leadership. The upcoming International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels aims to address the finance gap and support vulnerable nations in adapting to climate impacts.
https://350.org/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-outcome-of-cop30/