Researchers at the University of New South Wales have used a 1 µm copper plating layer on the front silver grid of a TOPCon solar cell to create a protective barrier that reportedly reduces corrosion susceptibility. The cell showed significantly lower contaminant-induced degradation that unprotected reference devices.

The patent lawsuit, filed at Japan’s Tokyo District Court, is JinkoSolar’s second case of legal action against Longi this year, following a filing in China earlier this month.

Fraunhofer ISE researchers have developed a new metallization process that can produce ultra-fine line contacts for solar cells. The proposed technique is based on the so-called LIDE technology and can reportedly help increase overall PV device efficiency.

Scientists in Saudi Arabia have assessed the techno-economical feasibility of floating PV plants at three different dams and have found that such projects could have a return on investment of 12 to 13 years.

At the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, pv magazine spoke with two OPIS analysts about the current and projected price trajectory in the global supply chain. According to their analysis, overcapacity remains difficult to be kept in control, which makes an increase in solar module prices very unlikely, at least in the near future.

Researchers in Ireland have proposed, for the first time, a deterministic approach for designing inverter loading ratio (ILR) in utility-scale PV projects. The novel methodology is claimed to simplify the design process and reduce performance variability, while enhancing investment certainty.

Wood Mackenzie says that JinkoSolar has taken first place on its list of solar panel manufacturers. The report confirms the dominance of the TOPCon technology but also notes that heterojunction and back contact panel manufacturers are increasing their production share.

The Italian manufacturer said its new Large Evo PL heat pump can achieve a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 4.17. The system can also reportedly deliver water temperature of up to 60 C and, when stacked in series, reach a maximum system capacity of 1,660 kW.

Conceived by an international research team, the model can also be utilized for hybrid wind-solar projects. According to its creators, it provides a practical solutions for land-use optimization and renewable energy planning.

The cell utilizes a heterojunction device as the bottom cell and a perovskite top cell integrating a hole transport layer made of nickel(II) oxide and methyl-substituted carbazole.