Connect with us

Published

on

Electrek spoke with Kam Mahdi, CEO of renewable engineering firm Clean Energy Technologies in Costa Mesa, California, about how extreme heat can impact the power grid and renewables, as well as what’s being done to keep them online.

Electrek: The southern US and other parts of the world are currently suffering an extreme heat wave, and it’s expected to continue. How can that kind of heat impact the power grid?

Kam Mahdi: The spike in temperatures inevitably drives up electricity demand, particularly due to the increased use of air conditioning. This additional demand often strains the power grid, sometimes to the point of triggering blackouts or requiring rolling blackouts to stave off a complete grid failure.

Extreme heat can also impair the efficiency of power generation and transmission. Both renewable and conventional power plants may operate less efficiently under high temperatures. Likewise, electricity transmission lines can lose efficiency due to higher resistive losses at elevated temperatures.

Adding to the complexity, these hot and dry conditions also elevate the risk of wildfires, which can wreak havoc on transmission infrastructure. This, in turn, can lead to power outages and exacerbate the challenge of power management across the grid.

Electrek: How can the high temperatures affect solar, wind, and battery storage?

Kam Mahdi: Solar and wind have unique challenges in high temperatures. While sunshine is, of course, needed to generate electricity from solar panels, extreme heat can reduce solar panels’ output efficiency by a margin of 10-25%. That’s because as the solar panel’s temperature rises, the output voltage correspondingly declines, consequently impairing the production of electricity.

Wind energy can also be impacted. Generally, high temperatures can coincide with high-pressure weather systems that lead to calm conditions, reducing wind power generation.

Battery storage systems, particularly lithium-ion batteries, can suffer in high temperatures as well. Excessive heat can accelerate chemical reactions within the battery, leading to faster degradation and reduced lifespan. Additionally, heat can increase the risk of thermal runaway, a condition that can lead to battery failure.

Electrek: Are there innovations that can be utilized to counteract the negative effects of extreme heat on renewables and battery storage?

Kam Mahdi: Engineers worldwide are currently exploring innovative concepts like thermophotovoltaics, which directly convert heat into electricity. They’re also refining solar panel designs, utilizing advanced materials and coatings for enhanced heat resistance.

In the wind energy sector, we are leveraging predictive weather models to manage power generation more effectively during high heat and low wind periods, coupled with the continual improvement of turbine design.

The battery storage industry is now focusing on robust thermal management systems incorporating advanced cooling methods, heat-resistant materials, and improved battery design in order to ensure optimum performance and extended longevity in challenging thermal conditions.

Our company, Clean Energy Technology, is contributing to this collective effort. Our heat recovery solutions enable us to capture and repurpose waste heat – a byproduct of industrial processes and power generation. This process increases efficiency and proves instrumental in managing energy demand, particularly during intense heat periods when power consumption peaks.

It’s important to incorporate a healthy mix of renewables alongside energy storage systems, which can help create a more resilient grid that’s capable of withstanding the strains brought about by extreme heat.

These strategies, combined with energy conservation efforts, are vital in ensuring a reliable energy supply, even in severe heat waves.


Kam Mahdi is a cofounder of Clean Energy Technologies (CETY) who has served as chief executive officer since the company’s inception in September 2015. He spearheaded the acquisition of General Electric Heat Recovery Solutions, positioning CETY as a key competitor in the renewable and energy efficiency sectors. Mahdi holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from California State University, Northridge.

Read more: As the US heats up, here’s how you can help prevent blackouts

Photo: Arizona Public Service Electric


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online, and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –ad*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

JackRabbit’s new solar charging kit keeps your e-bike topped up from the sun

Published

on

By

JackRabbit's new solar charging kit keeps your e-bike topped up from the sun

JackRabbit, the maker of pint-sized electric microbikes, is back with a new product designed to quickly recharge their batteries from pure, uncut photons mainlined into an e-bike directly from the sun. In true independent charging form, the Solar Charging Kit from JackRabbit keeps riders rolling even when there’s not a convenient AC outlet in sight.

Unveiled this week, the Solar Charging Kit consists of a single folding solar panel and a tiny voltage converter that is configured to output 42.0V, which is the exact voltage required by JackRabbit’s little e-bike batteries. There’s also an added USB-A and a USB-C charging port for powering other devices in addition to charging JackRabbit batteries.

“This Solar Charging Kit plugs directly into your bike,” explained the company, “letting you recharge without needing an outlet, but with a speed comparable to the charger that comes with the OG/OG2 (42V, 2A).”

That would mean the panel outputs around 80W of solar power, which the company says can recharge its batteries in just three hours. That fairly quick recharging speed is helped by the fact that JackRabbit’s batteries are a mere 151 Wh, or around a third of the size of most e-bike batteries.

If that sounds small, then you’re right – it is. But JackRabbit is all about going micro, offering barely 25 lb rideables that are easy to store and bring on adventures, even when they aren’t actually being ridden.

With small batteries that fit under the 160Wh limit for many airlines in the US, the batteries can be quickly charged and taken to the widest number of locations. And for riders that want to go further than a single 10-mile (16-km) battery will allow, extra batteries are small enough to fit a pants pocket. The company also offers much larger Rangebuster batteries, though they won’t pass by TSA and make it onto an airplane in your personal item.

It sounds like the Solar Chargking Kit should be able to charge up JackRabbit’s large RangeBuster batteries, though likely in more than three hours.

The $349 Solar Charging Kit is a bit pricier than building something similar yourself, but it’s also safer and more convenient than hacking together your own battery charger since it’s designed to work with JackRabbit’s batteries right out of the box.

Technically it’s only inteded for JackRabbit’s micro e-bikes (themselves technically seated scooters, even if they look and feel more like a typical bike), but it’d probably work for just about any 36V e-bike that requires 42.0V to charge.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen solar charging kits for electric bikes, and it’s a trend that is certainly appreciated by outdoors and camping enthusiasts, festival goers, or anyone who finds themself and their bike spending extended periods in the great, sunny outdoors.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Polestar hopes to steal Tesla sales, CATL revenue dips, and feeding the orcas

Published

on

By

Polestar hopes to steal Tesla sales, CATL revenue dips, and feeding the orcas

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, Polestar hopes to steal customers from Tesla now that Elon is involved in politics, CATL revenue dips for the first time ever, and a whole new way to feed the orcas drops down under.

As above, Polestar is hoping Elon’s descent into politics spells opportunity for the struggling Swedish/Chinese performance brand, CATL has big news in Europe, and Scooter Doll shows off a new electric submarine that’s so expensive, they won’t even tell us the price.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Solar overtakes coal in the EU, and gas declines for 5th year running

Published

on

By

Solar overtakes coal in the EU, and gas declines for 5th year running

Solar generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024, overtaking coal which fell below 10% for the first time, according to the European Electricity Review published today by think tank Ember.

EU gas generation declined for the fifth year in a row, and total fossil generation fell to a historic low.

“Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy,” said Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead author of the report. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today; wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline.”

The European Electricity Review published today by global energy think tank Ember provides the first comprehensive overview of the EU power system in 2024. It analyzes full-year electricity generation and demand data for 2024 in all EU-27 countries to understand the region’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity.

Wind and solar continue their meteoric rise in the EU

The EU power sector is undergoing a deep transformation spurred on by the European Green Deal. Solar generation (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the first time in 2024, as wind (17%) generated more electricity than gas (16%) for the second year in a row.

Strong solar growth, combined with a recovery of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to nearly half of EU power generation (47%). Fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electricity in 2024. In 2019, before the Green Deal, fossil fuels provided 39% of EU electricity, while renewables provided 34%.

Solar is growing in every EU country and more than half now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their power mix. Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third-largest power source in 2019 to the sixth-largest in 2024, bringing the end into sight for the dirtiest fossil fuel. EU gas generation also declined for the fifth year in a row (-6%) despite a very small rebound in power demand (+1%). 

The EU is reaping the benefits of reduced fossil fuel dependency

The surge in wind and solar generation has reduced the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its exposure to volatile prices since the energy crisis. Ember’s analysis found that without new wind and solar capacity added over the last five years, the EU would have imported an additional 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €59 billion. 

“While the EU’s electricity transition has moved faster than anyone expected in the last five years, further progress cannot be taken for granted,” continued Rosslowe. “Delivery needs to be accelerated particularly in the wind sector, which has faced unique challenges and a widening delivery gap. Between now and 2030, annual wind additions need to more than double compared to 2024 levels. However, the achievements of the past five years should instil confidence that, with continued drive and commitment, challenges can be overcome and a more secure energy future be achieved.” 

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe said: “This milestone is about more than just climate action; it is a cornerstone of European energy security and industrial competitiveness. Renewables are steadily pushing fossil fuels to the margins, with solar leading the way. We now need more flexibility to kick-in, making sure the energy system is adapting to new realities: more storage and more smart electrification in heating, transport and industries.”

Read more: China installed a record capacity of solar and wind in 2024 – in numbers


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending