Mango Power unveils home and portable battery system
US-based Mango Power has developed a 3.5 kWh battery system that can be expanded up to 14 kWh. The product features LFP battery cells from CATL and can be charged through AC wall outlets, with solar panels, or via electric-vehicle chargers.
EPFL sets new efficiency record for dye-sensitized solar cells
Scientists at EPFL in Switzerland have achieved a new efficiency record for dye-sensitized solar cells. The group reported 15% efficiency in direct sunlight, and up to 30% under ambient light conditions. Their key achievement was the development of a new combination of photosensitizer materials that can absorb the entire light spectrum.
Malaysia to grant 4-year PPA extensions to bidders in large-scale solar tender
The Malaysian authorities have revealed that they will extend power purchase agreements from the fourth LSS4 tender for large-scale PV from 21 to 25 years.
KSolare unveils new three-phase solar inverters
KSolare’s 5G-Pro series grid-tie solar inverters are now available with power ranging from 3 kW to 60 kW.
Enphase to open new US manufacturing lines
Enphase said in its recent third-quarter earnings call that it will expand solar inverter production in the United States.
Eco-design for PV modules, inverters
The Sustainable Solar Europe conference kicked off this week with a focus on the European Commission’s draft regulation on eco-design. The regulation will likely be adopted in the second quarter of 2023.
New solar capacity 10 times cheaper than gas, says Rystad
Operating gas-fired power plants would be 10 times more expensive in the long-term than building new solar capacity in Europe, according to research from intelligence company Rystad. Their study uses the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for gas and coal-fired power generation at different price levels and compares it to the LCOE of solar PV and wind.
Globalized supply chains saved $67 billion in solar panel production costs
A new study has calculated that the globalized PV module supply chain has saved billions for PV installers in Germany, the US and China. It also found that if strong nationalistic policies that limit the free flow of talent and capital were implemented going forward, solar panel costs would be 20-25% higher by 2030.
Cooling down solar modules by increasing space between panel rows
A US research team claims to have demonstrated that increasing the spacing of solar panels between rows improves PV system efficiency and economics by allowing airflow to cool down the modules. The method could improve a project’s LCOE by as much as 2.15% in certain climates.
World’s largest salt cavern compressed air storage project breaks ground
Construction has started on a 350 MW/1.4 GWh compressed air energy storage project in Shangdong, China.
