German researchers have developed a new shape-stabilized phase change material with the ability to store up to five times more thermal energy than commercially available PCMs.

pv magazine summarizes the products we covered at the recent Smarter E exhibition, in the first of a series of reports on all of the new releases from the annual trade fair in Munich, Germany.

Switzerland-based Novartis has deployed a 36 kW building-integrated PV facade on its new exhibition center in Basel. The system features 10,680 organic PV modules from France’s Asca.

All the products rely on the company’s 210 rectangular silicon wafer (G12R) cell technology. The manufacturer claims these new products can increase the installed capacity of residential roofs by 5-7%. The largest panel is a 21.5%-efficient device with a power output of up to 580 W and the smallest features an efficiency of up to 21.3% and a nominal power of up to 425 W.

The lithium iron phosphate battery is sold with a storage capacity ranging between 7.1 kWh and 21.31 kWh, a voltage of 192 V to 576 V, and a nominal capacity of 37 Ah.

Hanwha Q Cells plans to build a 1.4 GW solar panel factory at an undisclosed location in the United States. It has also announced plans to expand its cell capacity to 5.4 GW in South Korea. CEO Justin Lee spoke to reporters at the Smarter E event about the company’s plans and current supply chain issues.

Weco’s new 5.3 kWh battery can be used as a wall solution or in a stackable configuration. Up to 15 modules can be stacked without additional components, thanks to a special casing.

REC’s new heterojunction solar panel series features efficiencies of up to 22.3% and an operating temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius.

The IP65-rated battery reportedly has a depth of discharge of 95% and is able to operate for over 6,000 cycles. It measures 578 mm x 165 mm x 395 mm and weighs 45 kg.

The largest product of the series is a solar module with an efficiency of up to 22.5% and a power output of up to 700 W. For all the panels of the series, the temperature coefficient is -0.26% per degree Celsius and the manufacturer offers a 12-year product guarantee and a 30-year power output guarantee.