Roadmap to achieve CIGS solar modules with efficiencies above 20%
Japanese scientists have described the steps that need to be taken to improve the average efficiency of CIGS solar modules, from around 18.5% at present to more than 20%. They presented all of the critical technical factors that are currently holding the tech back from broader market adoption.
Floating PV for water pumping, desalination
An irrigation community has built a 786 kW floating solar array on a small water reservoir in Murcia, Spain. The facility will provide power for a solar water pumping system, a desalination unit, and the community itself.
Taiwanese consortium develops easily recyclable solar module
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and United Renewable Energy (URE) have developed a solar panel that can be easily dismantled to simplify the recycling process. They claim that 96% of the materials in the panel can be recovered, including all of the solar cells and front glass.
1Komma5° to enter solar module business with full-black TOPCon product
Germany’s 1Komma5° says it will exclusively use polysilicon from Europe or the United States to make the TOPcon solar cells for its full-black modules. It is aiming for market launch in the second quarter of 2023.
All-perovskite tandem solar cell with 27.4% efficiency, high voltage
A US-Canadian research group has built an all-perovskite tandem PV device with a record-breaking open-circuit voltage of 2.19 eV, which they achieved by reducing recombination at the electron transport layer.
German scientists develop novel heterojunction solar cells
Technische Universität Dresden researchers have designed new solar cells based on phase heterojunctions. They used two perovskite polymorphs to build a novel PV device with an efficiency of 20.1% and a fill factor of 84.17%.
Novel soiling loss measurement system for PV installations
An international research group has developed new technology to measure soiling losses in PV installations, by using a simple pocket light. They said the new system offers similar performance to their reference devices.
Axpo deploys PV system in sun-tracking satellite dish
Swiss utility Axpo has built a PV system inside the dish of a disused satellite run by data-center operator Leuk TDC. Satellite dishes can be used to produce solar power, as they can be flexibly aligned to the sun.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Golden Solar, Boamax announce new module factories
Golden Solar has unveiled a plan to set up a new 1.5 GW production line for heterojunction products in the Zhangjiakou Renewable Energy Demonstration Zone. Boamax, meanwhile, said it wants to set up an 18 GW panel factory in Inner Mongolia.
Photovoltaic signboard with 18.5% efficiency
Dansk Solenergi, a Danish building-integrated PV specialist, has launched a round, 95 W solar module that works as a PV signboard. Its 35 solar cells, which remain hidden behind an image of Earth, have an efficiency of 18.5%.
