An Australian-Russian research group has developed a silicon heterojunction solar cell based on p-type gallium-doped wafers with an efficiency of 22.6% and an improved stability. The scientists are convinced that these wafers may become a mainstream solution for the SHJ segment within the next decade.

Selected projects will be awarded a fixed rate under a 20-year contract under the country’s renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme and will sell electricity to local power distributors.

Two testing facilities for photovoltaic noise barriers are being built by a Belgian consortium. Their creators want to assess different PV technologies, reduce costs and plan large scale projects in Belgium, where land and policy constraints make the construction of ground-mounted PV plants almost impossible.

BayWa re commissioned two floating PV facilities which it claims are the largest in Europe and outside Asia.

The bifacial panel has a power output of up to 485 W and an efficiency of up to 21%. It relies on a transparent backsheet and is encapsulated with polyolefin elastomer (POE).

The cell was used to build two perovskite solar modules with a size of 5x5cm and 10x10cm, respectively, and with efficiencies of 15.62% and 11.80%.

A 125 kW/500kWh storage unit will be tested by China’s National Photovoltaic and Energy Demonstration Experimental Center. The storage system will be provided by Canadian specialist VRB Energy.

Solar Energy Corp. of India has given developers until Sept. 3 to bid for 1.2 GW of solar projects that will be set up on a build-own-operate basis in the state of Karnataka.

The 50 kW modular PV system started operating at the end of November 2019. According to its developer, Dutch start-up Oceans of Energy, power production after 18 months of operations is in line with expectations. The installation had to withstand several storms and waves with a height of up to 10 meters.

The new production line will enable the Taiwan-based manufacturer to produce larger and more powerful modules.