Key Highlights

• Most of the increase in worldwide electricity supply from 28.7% in 2021 to 43% in 2030 is projected from wind and photovoltaic technologies, according to yearly IEA statistics.
• Several solar PV projects are underway. Solar PV efforts include Natural Power's solar site takeover.
• Prescott Hartshorne of National Grid Ventures stresses the importance of energy storage in the renewables transition since it enhances operational efficiency and reliability.
• Tesla's 100 MW/129 MWh Li-ion battery storage project at Hornsdale Wind Farm in Australia is one of the largest. In the New York State high-level demonstration project using the 4MW/40MWh battery storage system, the operator saved USD 2.03 million in fuel costs and over 400 hours of power grid congestion.
• Vattenfall constructed a 20MW, 2-hour BESS near Otterburn's 16-turbine Ray Wind Farm.

Renewable energy is not only clean but also cost-effective. Unlike fossil fuels, they do not release harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases, come in a wider variety of forms, and are used on a worldwide scale. Unlike volatile fossil fuels, their depletion is sustainable. 

With this, the world is starting to revolutionise energy. Statistics published annually by the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that the global electricity supply is expected to increase from 28.7% in 2021 to 43% in 2030, with wind and photovoltaic (PV) technologies accounting for most of this increase in demand. They also predicted that by 2040, global demand for electricity would have increased by 70 percent, rising from 18 percent to 24 percent of total energy consumption. Developing economies in places like India, China, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia will be largely responsible for this growth. 

The Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technology

Photovoltaic (PV) materials are used to convert sunlight into electrical energy. To maximise energy output, PV cells are combined into modules or panels. Modules can be combined into arrays or used singly. Integral PV systems link multiple arrays together and into the utility network. Because of their adaptable design, PV systems can meet the electrical power requirements of virtually any size business or household. 

When used as a renewable energy source, solar photovoltaic panels are good for the environment because they produce no greenhouse gases. Other than that, benefits of solar PVs also include:

•    Lower energy bills
•    Don’t distract or intrude on people, as it is quiet, unlike traditional generators
•    Require little maintenance
•    Can be configured

There are different solar PV projects that are ongoing. One example of this solar PV initiative is Natural Power’s taking over on a solar site. In Essex, England, Ockenden Solar PV Park, which is 40MW in size and was previously designed by NTR, has seen Natural Power take up the role of owner's engineer and lead designer. With over 108,000 ground-mounted PV panels, the solar park on the 98.44-hectare Veolia-owned land could power 17,000 local households.  

As per Natural Power construction director Ralph Spernagel, “This has been a really exciting project for us, not just due to the location of the site in close proximity to London, where there is understandably a significant demand for energy, but also the forward-thinking nature of the development that is repurposing land that would otherwise go unused to supply clean power using new and innovative engineering solutions that ensure minimum disruption to the landfill and maximum energy output.” 

As advancements continue to make solar panels more efficient and cost-effective, the potential for solar PV to revolutionise our energy landscape is only growing.