Dutch startup plans roll-to-roll factory for perovskite solar cells
TNO has launched Perovion Technologies to industrialize lightweight, flexible perovskite solar cells, targeting niche applications where conventional panels are unsuitable. The company plans to build the first roll-to-roll perovskite solar cell manufacturing facility in the Netherlands by 2030.
Arctech presents dry cleaning robot weighing just 38 kg
The Chinese manufacturer said its new Star Shine I system is already available in Europe and can operate at speeds of 10–18 m/min, performing cleaning routes of up to 3 km round trip and 9 km in a single direction.
Ciemat unveils large-area multispectral solar simulator for PV module testing
The system enables measurements under controlled irradiance, spectrum, and temperature conditions. It can combine 0.4% spatial irradiance uniformity, 500 ms illumination pulses, and dynamic I-V acquisition to accurately test high-capacitance photovoltaic modules in a single pulse, according to Ciemat.
Is Switzerland going back contact?
In 2025, back-contact solar modules from Aiko Solar and Longi accounted for more than 50% of the Swiss market, driven by strong demand for high-efficiency rooftop PV systems, according to a new report by Eturnity and the Bern University of Applied Sciences.
Austria could harness 90 TWh of agrivoltaics using 5–16% of cropland
Austrian researchers conducted a techno-economic analysis of agrivoltaic systems and found that 5%–16% of the country’s cropland would be required to meet its solar electricity targets.
Nanostructured silicon could push solar cells beyond Shockley–Queisser limit
The LEEMONS project is researching nanostructured silicon that uses low-energy electron multiplication (LEEM) to allow one high-energy photon to generate multiple electrons, reducing energy losses in solar cells. By creating ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers inside crystalline silicon via ion implantation, the scientists aim to boost solar cell efficiency beyond the Shockley–Queisser limit while keeping compatibility with existing manufacturing methods.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Wafer prices fall on weak demand
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) says polysilicon and wafer prices continued to fall this week, with n-type re-feed and dense polysilicon down 6.39% and 6.42% to an average of CNY 45,200/ton ($6,240).
Fire hits PV-equipped sport complex in Gibraltar
Fire caused by an electrical fault from an overheated arcing cable hit the solar panels at Europa Point Stadium in Gibraltar. Firefighters contained and extinguished the blaze within 20 minutes.
Increased spacing between solar module rows boosts agrivoltaics viability
U.S. researchers developed a framework showing that wider spacing between solar PV rows can make agrivoltaic systems economically viable for large-scale mechanized farming. Their simulations in Colorado demonstrated that optimized row spacing maintains crop production while improving combined agricultural and energy revenues.
China polysilicon prices fall over 13% year-to-date as below-cost selling persists
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.
