Heterojunction design for 29.68% tin sulfide solar cell
Bangladeshi researchers have designed a simulated solar cell with a hole transport layer based on copper oxide and a tin sulfide absorber. It is expected to achieve an open-circuit voltage of 1.01 V, a short-circuit current of 34.19 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 85.74%.
France publishes second-quarter FITs for PV systems up to 500 kW
France has increased feed-in tariffs for all PV system categories, ranging from €181.40 ($190.90)/MWh for installations below 3 kW in size to €96.90/MWh for arrays ranging in capacity from 36 kW to 100 kW.
Module brands that earn the trust of solar installers
The latest global PV installer survey by Germany’s EUPD Research offers a hint of the solar brands which installers, mostly based in Europe, gravitate toward. This year’s report also ventured to South Africa and considered mounting systems for the first time.
Belgium’s Flanders region allocates 57.2 MW of PV in fourth renewables auction
Belgium’s latest renewables procurement exercise resulted in final prices for PV that ranged from €0.03 ($0.0316)/kWh to €0.06/kWh.
India’s NTPC tenders 250 MW/500 MWh energy storage project
A unit of India’s NTPC has opened global bids to develop 250 MW/500 MWh of battery energy storage capacity in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The proposed plants will need to have enough capacity to store two hours of electricity. Bidding closes on June 6.
Western Australia to host green hydrogen project powered by 5.2 GW of wind, PV
Investors have applied for an environmental assessment for about 5 GW of wind and solar in Australia, which will support plans to produce green hydrogen and ammonia at a massive new facility.
Floating PV for unused swimming pools
Ciel & Terre Japan has deployed a floating solar plant on the swimming pool of a school on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Local developer ELM says the project could be extended to more than 6,000 facilities across the country.
US lab reveals top findings for hybrid solar, storage plants
US government researchers have collected 10 observations from recent research papers that look at solar- or wind-plus-storage power plants in the United States.
PV-powered portable seawater desalination system for drinking water
US researchers have developed a portable desalination unit that generates clean drinking water without filters or high-pressure pumps. The device is powered exclusively by solar energy and requires just 20 W of power per liter.
The Hydrogen Stream: Acid-treated cells produce about 200% more hydrogen
US scientists have improved the performance of intermediate-temperature electrolyzers based on protonic ceramic electrochemical cells. Germany and India have signed a hydrogen cooperation deal, while ArcelorMittal has tested the use of green hydrogen in the production of direct reduced iron at a steel plant in Canada.
