Saudi Arabia announces 3.7 GW solar tender
Saudi Power Procurement Co. (SPPC) has announced a request for qualification (RFQ) in relation to 3.7 GW of solar across four projects, as part of the fifth round of the Saudi Arabian government’s renewable energy tender program.
Message framing techniques to boost solar sales
A Dutch-German research team has tested how a series of framed messages may be used to boost PV system sales, addressing both self-interest and environmental concerns, and has found that all the proposed messages are effective at promoting the purchase of solar panel installations.
New dichalcogenide solar cell architecture promises 25% efficiency
Stanford University researchers have explored the efficiency of a single-junction solar cell using transition metal dichalcogenides such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 as absorbers. The device has shown substantial light absorptance in ultra-thin 5-nanometer (nm) films, achieving high short-circuit current levels.
Huasun claims 24.16% efficiency, 750 W output for heterojunction solar panel
The Chinese manufacturer said TÜV SÜD confirmed the results. It launched the G12 series of heterojunction solar modules, with a focus on utility-scale projects, in the second half of 2022.
Berkeley Lab updates US solar project database
The US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has location-verified all solar projects above 1 MW in the United States and has organized them into a user-friendly map.
Photovoltaics for biomethanation
Researchers in Denmark have studied the technical and economic feasibility of biomethanation through large-scale PV power generation. They said that the intermittent PV-driven biomethanation process matches the efficiency of continuous processes after several days.
Weekend Read: Consolidating growth in Africa
Across Africa, rooftop solar is stepping in to fill the void as fears of non-payment and inflation-reduced donor funding dampen enthusiasm for big solar. Commercial and industrial (C&I) arrays are leading the charge, driving consolidation in markets overstocked with startup and mid-size installers.
The Hydrogen Stream: Plug Power shares fall on North America concerns
Plug Power has issued a warning about its 2023 financial performance due to supply challenges in North America, while Air Products says it is cementing its collaboration with Chengzhi in China.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Industry group reports lower polysilicon prices
Polysilicon prices fell by as much as 2.10% in China this week, according to the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA).
NREL presents new GaAs solar cell concept with 27% efficiency
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has identified a low-cost way to produce high-efficiency III-V solar cells with dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE). The synthesis involved a gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cell with a gallium indium arsenide phosphide emitter layer.
