Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Researchers in United Arab Emirates have developed a novel model that relies on either the open-circuit voltage or the maximum power point voltage to estimate PV module operating temperature without using sensors.

mPower Technology Inc. has switched on an automated production line for its silicon solar panels designed for space missions. The site currently has an annual capacity of 1 MW, set to double by the middle of 2026.

Researchers in the Middle East have developed a fuzzy logic controller that simultaneously optimizes the tilt angle of PV systems and performs maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Year-long simulations indicate that the proposed approach increases power generation by approximately 20%.

The solar cells combine multilayer graphene with silicon wafers, harvesting both solar and kinetic energy for continuous operation. Tests show the cells can autonomously power supercapacitors embedded in a temperature sensor.

Waaree Energies has entered the back contact module business with a TOPCon dual-glass module. The new product is based on cells with G12R format.

While solar modules and batteries have become icons of rapid progress, most energy models are still stuck in the past. A new global analysis shows that the cost of renewable energy has fallen far faster than expected. Solar PV, wind power, and battery technologies have already reached price levels that models once placed many decades ahead – a misplaced pessimism that risks misdirecting billions in climate investment and could distort long-term defossilization strategies.

Japan’s oil giant Idemitsu Kosan and U.S.-based Source Energy Company announced a collaboration to develop copper indium gallium-selenide solar modules and arrays for satellite and space applications.

Tests conducted by a research team in outdoor environments in Spain and Poland have demonstrated a strong correlation between perovskite solar cell degradation and the combined effects of climatic and operating conditions. The scientists found that open-circuit operation accelerates degradation, whereas operation at the maximum power point and under short-circuit conditions has a lower impact.

Qcells says component shipments delayed under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) have forced temporary production cuts at its Georgia solar manufacturing plant.

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) says its new solar module testing laboratory in Dhaka marks a major step toward enforcing quality standards and supporting the nation’s export ambitions.