Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

European scientists used a nanosecond pulsed ultraviolet laser to reduce surface defects in perovskite films for solar cell applications. The result is a significant increase in cell efficiency and stability. The new technique may be particularly suitable for roll-to-roll (R2R) production lines.

A new study of existing research on water-based PV (WPV) technologies points to gaps in published reports on the technologies, particularly regarding environmental impacts, in general, and cost analyses for canal top solar, specifically.

Jörg Müller, head of R&D for Qcells, recently spoke to pv magazine at Intersolar 2023 about the South Korea-based solar manufacturer’s tech roadmap, the adoption of TOPCon, and the prospects for making tandem perovskite-silicon modules. He said the first tandem products could hit the market by 2030.

Hoshine says it will build its first solar panel factory in Jiaxing, China’s Zhejiang province.

Scientists have developed a technique for producing AZO and i-ZnO/AZO bilayer structures in solar cells that greatly improves cell efficiency and durability. Using a low power deposition method that avoids raising the substrate temperature, the team achieved a power conversion efficiency of 9.53% with good transmittance.

Huang Haiyan, chief sustainability officer for Astronergy, spoke with pv magazine at the recent SNEC trade show in Shanghai about the company’s new TOPCon PV module line and its broader expansion plans.

A research group in Finland has created a new workflow to prevent voltage rises in bifacial vertical PV systems located at high latitudes. According to their findings, vertical bifacial PV may have a 46% higher power yield compared to monofacial conventional counterparts in the Nordics, while also having an improved temporal match between PV generation and consumption.

Tubesolar, which specializes in the development and production of photovoltaic thin-film tubes for agrivoltaic applications, has filed for insolvency in Germany. It currently employs around 140 people.

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%.

In May 2022, PV experts from around the world convened in Germany for the third Terawatt Workshop. Almost one year later, takeaways from discussions at the workshop – combined with a wide-ranging review of research on decarbonization pathways, energy demand projections, and the state of the art in PV technology – led to the conclusion that 75 TW of installed solar capacity by 2050 was a realistic global target. More than 50 leading PV industry figures recently outlined the opportunity and the challenges that solar will face in reaching this goal.