Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

German scientists have fabricated a carbon electrode perovskite solar cell with a hole-transporting bilayer made of organic semiconductors instead of a conventional hole transport layer. They claim this approach improves the device’s fill factor and open-circuit voltage.

In its latest monthly column for pv magazine, the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP PV) presents its structures and recent activities. The next outreach activities of the ETIP PV are planned for the EU-PVSEC conference from the 18th to the 22nd of September in Lisbon, covering hot topics like digital PV or updates on levelized cost of PV electricity.

Inner Mongolia Berun Group recently inaugurated a new soda ash factory in China. pv magazine spoke about the impact of the new facility on solar glass prices with Marguerite Morrin, research director for OPIS’ Chemical Market Analytics. She said the facility will produce natural soda ash, which is cheaper than synthetic soda ash.

Alessandro Barin, CEO of FuturaSun, spoke with pv magazine at the recent Intersolar 2023 trade show about the PV module manufacturer’s plans to expand in China and its home market of Italy. He said European and Chinese manufacturers take different approaches to new factories, but the two sides will need to come together to build a sustainable global supply chain.

California-based SEG Solar says its new panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.30% per degree Celsius. They come with a 30-year power output guarantee for 87.4% of the initial yield.

Scientists in Australia have provided a comprehensive review of all strategies and technologies that can be used to increase the dispatchability of solar power with reduced use of storage. They focused their efforts, in particular, on forecasting and controlling PV power.

A year after achieving what at the time was a world record efficiency for a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell, scientists from EPFL and CSEM published a paper showing the technical features of the device and how that result was made possible. The key was regulating the perovskite crystallization process using an additive in the processing sequence.

SunVilla says its new Smart Yard power station is a 6.4 kWh semi-solid state battery system with 3.8 kW of battery output. It features 100 W to 200 W solar modules mounted on a tool shed to charge electric systems and provide storage for lawn equipment.

An Italian research group has assessed the advantages of combining solar power generation in greenhouses with vertical farming. The scientists claim this new approach offers better land use while increasing agricultural yield.

Trina Solar, JinkoSolar, JA Solar, Longi, Risen, Canadian Solar, Tongwei, Chint, and Das Solar have issued a joint statement demanding the standardization of wafer sizes.