Toyota says it will combine EneCoat’s perovskite solar cells and its own in-vehicle technologies for solar panels. Enecoat has developed a perovskite module conversion efficiency of 19.4%.

Meridiam and Engie have agreed to acquire BTE Renewables, which operates 150 MW of onshore wind and 190 MW of solar in South Africa. The Johannesburg-based developer currently has a project portfolio exceeding 3 GW.

Rodrigo Sauaia, the president of the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (Absolar), recently spoke with pv magazine about power purchase agreements, regulated auctions, macroeconomics conditions, and electricity prices in Brazil. He said the Latin American country could add 4.6 GW of utility-scale solar capacity this year, as well as another 5.5 GW from distributed generation.

The Dutch cabinet said it will support solar factories that will produce panels with a circular economy approach. It also allocated €296 million to support battery manufacturing.

Sofar, a China-based inverter and battery manufacturer, has introduced a new series of microinverters for balcony solar arrays and rooftop PV systems. They have a 97.5% efficiency rating and offer between 500 VA and 2,400 VA of rated power.

Scientists in the United Kingdom have investigated the durability and performance of all antireflecting coatings for solar modules and said further work is needed to improve industry standards. Their review addresses single-layer and multi-layer techniques and provides insight on their costs and viability.

Vegard Vollset, Vegard Wiik Vollset, Vice President at Rystad Energy, spoke with pv magazine about the global solar module supply chain and the possibility of producing polysilicon in Europe and the United States. He said solar module prices will inevitably continue to fall over the short term.

Bill Mulligan, CEO of Maxeon, spoke to pv magazine at the recent Intersolar 2023 trade show about the Singapore-based module manufacturer’s expansion plans and tech roadmap, as well as current oversupply challenges. He said Maxeon plans to develop IBC products and TOPCon panels in shingle formats.

Sonnex Energie is offering five versions of its new PV modules, with power outputs of 395 W to 415 W and power conversion efficiencies ranging from 20.23% to 21.25%. They also have a temperature coefficient of -0.35% per degree Celsius.

A research team in Turkey sought to assess how solar power may help reduce emissions and improve performance in air conditioning systems. Their analysis showed that using a heater in the AC system improves the coefficient of performance and mitigates negative environmental effects.