Freight costs increase following military strikes in the Middle East
Freight costs from the Far East to the U.S. and Europe have increased week-on-week, while almost 150 container ships currently unable to leave the Arabian Gulf due to the risk of sailing through an active conflict zone, according to analysis from ocean and freight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta.
China TOPCon module prices edge higher as March cargoes clear
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
China’s polysilicon prices fall again amid 480,000 MT inventory buildup
Global solar supply chains face renewed price pressure as weak post-holiday demand in China collides with high polysilicon stockpiles, pushing wafer costs lower and weighing on exporters ahead of policy changes.
Guidelines to assess three-terminal, four-terminal tandem solar cell performance
Researchers in the U.S. have developed a set of guidelines and protocols to assess the performance of three-terminal (3-T) and four-terminal (4-T) tandem solar cells, including those with subcells made of III–V, CdTe, perovskites or silicon materials.
New study challenges current narrative around EPE encapsulants
Austrian researchers analyzed commercial ethylene vinyl acetate–polyolefin–ethylene vinyl acetate (EPE) solar encapsulants and found that products sold under the same label can have significantly different material structures and performance. While EPE offers better moisture barriers and thermal resistance than EVA and is rapidly gaining market share, the study warns that its long-term reliability and behavior vary widely and require deeper investigation.
Ground-mounted perovksite solar module testing field goes online in China
The 1 MW testing facility is located in Xuwei New Area, Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. It is designed to generate long-term field data on large-area perovskite modules in coastal conditions.
European Commission proposes Made in EU requirements for solar inverters, cells
The Industrial Accelerator Act says solar projects awarded through public procurements or other public support schemes would need to feature Europe-made solar inverters and cells within three years after the act becomes law. For battery energy storage systems, similar requirements would be introduced using a phased approach from one year after the act enters force.
Heliup raises €16 million to scale lightweight solar panel production
French solar manufacturer Heliup has raised €16 million ($18.6 million) to scale production of lightweight solar panels designed for commercial and industrial rooftops with low load-bearing capacity.
Korean researchers build back-contact perovskite solar cells with lower recombination losses
The research team developed the perovskite solar cell with a spin-coated bilayer tin oxide electron transport layer that boosts charge extraction, achieving a 4.52% efficiency and improved stability.
Oleic acid anti‑soiling coating for solar modules
Researchers in Türkiye have developed a passive anti-soiling coating for PV panels using oleic acid–modified aluminum oxide nanoparticles applied via spray coating. Laboratory and field tests showed the coating reduced dust accumulation and initially boosted daily energy output, though performance declined under prolonged environmental stressors.
