Eternit’s brazilian subsidiary abandons PV manufacturing
The Brazilian subsidiary of the Belgian company reports that the board of directors deliberated and approved the “discontinuation of the photovoltaic product line,” a decision prompted by Chinese competition. It launched its last module on the market in September 2024.
Global module prices trend upward in Q2
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.
Indian startup testing 15%-efficient perovskite solar modules
P3C Technology and Solutions plans to initially produce the 30 cm2 modules at a pilot 60 MW manufacturing facility.
Tilt angle has greatest impact on power losses caused by soiling
Scientists in China have analyzed the impact of soiling of PV module performance and have found that tilt angle has the greatest impact, followed by irradiance intensity and dust deposition density.
Testing photovoltaic modules in Antarctica’s summer
The Turkish Antarctic Expedition placed four different PV module types – monocrystalline, polycrystalline, flexible and transparent – outside of their research camp for three months to compare performance, finding that monocrystalline was the clear winner.
India’s MNRE says imported silicon wafers do not meet domestic PV criteria
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has ruled that solar cells made with imported diffused silicon wafers, known as “blue wafers,” do not qualify for government programs requiring domestically manufactured PV cells.
US startup offers portable factory for ground-mounted PV plants
Charge Robotic’s portable factory system assembles solar equipment including tracks, mounting brackets and panels on-site and then puts it into place via an automated robotic vehicle. The company’s first commercial deployments are scheduled for this year.
New research shows degradation mechanisms in rear side of TOPCon solar cells
Researchers from UNSW and Longi have found that the silicon nitride layers used in TOPCon cell rear-side are particularly prone to chemical degradation from sodium contaminants. This can lead to significant open-circuit voltage losses and reduce cell efficiency.
Dutch consortium seeks to reduce costs of hole transport layers for perovskite solar cells
Two Dutch manufacturers have teamed with TNO’s perovskite solar cell experts to integrate spatial atomic layer deposition equipment to produce ultra-thin, high-quality nickel-oxide hole transport layers in a roll-to-roll process. The team targeting production integration in mid-2027, with full-scale production by 2030.
Pricing and technology trends for US solar panel resale market
A strong market exists for wholesale secondary market solar modules, says EnergyBin.
