Swiss researchers sought for the first time to replace phenylethylammonium (PEA) with benzodithiophene (BDT) in cations for perovskite cells. The latter showed improved stability and ensured a power conversion efficiency that was 1% higher than that of its counterpart.

The 24 MW/48 MWh system is being built by Dutch storage system provider Giga Storage and utility Eneco. The battery will be used by Eneco for forecasting supply-demand errors on the intraday trading market.

Researchers in China have built a PV-powered air conditioner that can store power through ice thermal storage. The performance of the system was evaluated considering operating efficiency and stability and the scientists found that a device relying on a variable-speed compressor and an MPPT controller showed very good ice-making capability.

The four manufacturers are Hoshine Silicon, Daqo, East Hope, and GCL New Energy Material.

Called Tigo TS4-A-F RSD, the device can operate with a maximum current of 15 A and a maximum voltage of 90 V.  It measures 138.4 x 139.7 x 22.9mm and weighs 490g.

The panels will be used for the first 100 MW phase of a 1 GW solar park under construction in in Dachaidan, Qinghai, western China.

The desalination unit consists of a multistage membrane distillation (MSMD) component that is placed on the backside of a large-area solar cell measuring 16 x 16 cm and utilizes the waste heat of the cell to drive water evaporation. It is able to produce 8.09 kg m2 of freshwater per day and reduce the temperature of the solar cell by up to 14.4 degrees Celsius.

The project is being planned to sell power to the Serbian South East European Power Exchange (SEEPEX) or other off-takers under a power purchase agreement.

Researchers in Japan have found a new way to fabricate one of the most promising perovskite materials for PV application — the α-formamidinium lead iodide known as α-FAPbI3. With a pre-synthesized version of this material, they were able to produce a cell with a power conversion efficiency of 23.5% and a lifespan of more than 2,000 hours.

Yotta Energy’s new micro-inverter is claimed to be an ideal solution for commercial rooftop PV systems linked to between 500 kWh and 1 MWh of storage. The device has a peak efficiency of 96.5% and a nominal maximum power point tracking (MPPT) efficiency of 99.5%.