Lead halide perovskite PVs (LHP-PV) have rapidly emerged over the last decade as a potentially viable thin film PV technology, because of their high efficiency and potential for low manufacturing costs. However, concerns remain over potential impacts to the environment and human health arising from the use of toxic lead in LHP-PVs.

The Lancang-Mekong River is being decimated by hundreds of tributary and mainstream hydroelectric projects from the Tibetan Plateau in China to Lower Sesan in Cambodia. On the Mekong, the Laos Government has constructed the majority of these projects and it is planning even more. But why does it only focus on hydroelectric power plants (HPP’s)? What about other renewable energy sources? Can Nam Ngum solar replace Mekong hydro?

The World Climate Summit in Santiago de Chile, set to be held in just a few weeks, has just been cancelled. Against a background of social protests in the country, concerns have recently grown as to whether logistics and security could be guaranteed for the event. Nevertheless, social problems and environmental protection must not be played off against each other: Both are closely linked to the economic paradigms of recent decades.

With solar energy about to reach the iconic terawatt (TW) milestone of globally installed PV capacity, waste handling and end-of-life (EoL) scenarios become a pressing matter.

PV InfoLink analyzed the key markets of China’s big module manufacturers, as well as product trends, based on export statistics. According to trade figures, the nation’s module exports totaled 34.2 GW in the first half of 2019, up by more than 90% from the corresponding period of 2018. In a nutshell, overseas demand has been strong in 2019.

The African country has joined the World Bank’s Scaling Solar Program. Two PV plants will be located in Touba and Laboa, in the northeast of the country.

Chinese polysilicon giant Daqo New Energy posted $83.9 million in revenue in the third quarter for gross profit of $18.1 million. The company has an additional 35,000-ton production facility set to come online this year.

The investment manager is now Europe’s largest renewable energy fund. The €1.3 billion group already has a 1.8 GW generation portfolio.

With the Q Cells solar business warning it is preparing an instant appeal if a U.S. ITC judge rules against it Stateside, the chemical company parent announced its solar panel business saw a year-on-year, third quarter rise in revenue from KRW818 billion to KRW1,638 billion.

A source close to the company has told pv magazine although there are investment funds and utilities interested in buying the renewables business, an IPO for the entity has not been excluded.

The Fresher project, funded by the EU’s European Maritime and Fishery Fund, aims to develop better and cheaper mooring and anchoring systems for floating solar. The initiative is backed by Portugal utility EDP, which has recently begun to install floating projects.

Officials in Dhaka frustrated by the lack of progress on several PV projects have decided to punish tardy developers by setting new power prices which reflect the falling costs of solar project development.

The Italian oil and gas provider has signed a concession agreement with the government of the African oil country to build a 50 MW solar plant. The project is expected to be in the province of Namibe and will be part of the nation’s plan to deploy 600 MW of solar by 2022.

The latest study published by the International Renewable Energy Agency says the average solar electricity cost of $0.085/kWh produced by projects commissioned last year is set to fall to $0.048 next year, and $0.02-0.08 by 2030.

The Chinese-Canadian manufacturer reported a 1% decrease in sales in the third quarter, with net profit falling 19%, to US$55.2 million. Quarterly shipments were up significantly year on year, from 1.59 GW in July-to-September last year to 2,387 MW this time around. The company expects to ship up to 8.5 GW of panels and achieve turnover of up to US$3.16 billion this year.

Scientists led by Moscow’s Skolkovo Institute of Technology have drawn upon several of their recent battery material innovations to create a potassium-ion device. The institute says its development will pave the way for ultrafast and durable, high capacity metal-ion batteries, to supply rising demand for energy storage innovations.

Beijing already owns 24% of Greece’s electricity transmission system operator and has pledged to back a new Greece-EU funded interconnector to Crete which is set to open up more possibilities for solar on the island. The arrival of two of China’s biggest lenders also offers the prospect of new investment in renewables.

Britain’s renewable energy trade body has published a report examining the state of flexibility market readiness in nine European markets. The result makes for sobering reading for Germany, France and the U.K.

Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University have discovered a mechanism by which iron-based solar cells lose up to 30% of their charge. Understanding how the loss occurs, say the researchers, will be the first step to closing the loophole and developing more efficient solar cells based on the abundant material.

Sonnen presented two new products in the usual hip ambiance of Berlin E-Werk. In addition to home storage and electricity, the company now offers electric cars and PV systems with battery storage on a subscription model in Germany.

The new 24.5kg, PERC monocrystalline product from DMEGC is said to have an efficiency of 19.78%. The panels are available in glass and white-backsheet formats.

Korean PV manufacturer Hanwha has accused competitors in the U.S., Germany and Australia of having infringed its patents. In America, Jinko Solar – as well REC and Longi Solar – applied for an interim review of a patent at the International Trade Commission. Now, Jinko says it expects the judges to rule in its favor.

Italy’s main solar event, the Key Energy fair held in Rimini, demonstrated the continuing importance of rooftop PV for Italian renewables but also promised a gradual return for large scale solar. Industry insiders are hoping for at least one gigawatt of solar next year, on top of a projected 600 MW this year.

Researchers have made a finding they say could vastly simplify and reduce the production cost of perovskite solar cells. Working with mixed halide perovskites, the group found a disordered chemical composition can improve device efficiency.

The successes and benefits of distributed micro-grids depend largely on intelligent controllers and the solutions on offer for such systems are diverse. In our market survey, we take a closer look at the products available from 24 manufacturers.

The state’s 2019 IRP sees just over 11 GW solar power, and at least 11 GW – with up to 19 GW – of energy storage necessary to meet resource adequacy as part of the state’s legally required 60% renewable portfolio standard by 2030 as prices have fallen 50% since 2017.

Elon Musk has promised a fab near Berlin that will help create up to 10,000 new jobs. Tesla wants to build the facility near the city’s controversial new BER airport.

Parent company FlixMobility plans to test hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Europe.

The company says its network is the largest fleet of batteries under virtual power plant management worldwide.

The U.S. company’s transformation from solar manufacturer to the second-largest residential PV company in the nation is complete after it spun off its high-efficiency cell and module production unit into a new entity, in partnership with Chinese wafer maker TZS.