Germany: Value of PV imports, exports plunges 66%
Between January and May 2024, the value of imported solar cells and modules fell to just under €605 million compared to the same period last year, and the value of exported PV products also fell to €216 million. For the first quarter, the Federal Statistical Office reports a drastic decline in modules manufactured in Germany to just under 495,600.
ClearVue integrated solar window tech cracks Middle East construction market
Smart building materials company ClearVue Technologies has cracked the Middle East and Indian construction markets after signing a five-year agreement with Qatar’s largest glass and façade manufacturer.
The evolving art and science of agrivoltaics
At Bluewave, integrating solar technology with traditional farming practices isn’t just a concept, it’s the new standard. Jesse Robertson-DuBois, director of sustainable solar development, shares insights on the transformative journey of agrivoltaics within the industry.
Students from University of Michigan win solar car race
The eight-day Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 created three new champion solar car teams with the student-run University of Michigan team coming in first, followed by Canada’s École de technologie supérieure and the Illinois State University solar car team.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Akcome provides update on restructuring process
The Chinese cell maker said its unit Zhejiang Akcome Photovoltaic Technology has received the green light for restructuring. However, if the reorganization is unsuccessful, the company will proceed to bankruptcy liquidation.
Self-cleaning perovskite solar cell based on leek leaves-like film achieves 14.2% efficiency
Scientists in Finland have built a perovskite solar cell with a bio-inspired coating that reportedly improves light transmittance while providing self-cleaning properties. The film was able to improve the device efficiency by up to 6%.
Nigeria breaks ground on solar module assembling plant
Nigeria’s Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology has said the country is committed to replicating similar solar module assembling plants across all its geopolitical zones.
Smart buildings key to overcoming rooftop PV hurdles
In its latest monthly column for pv magazine, SolarPower Europe explains how several European countries are moving away from support schemes for injections and towards the adoption of time-variant supply tariffs, which play a crucial role in reducing daily price fluctuations. This shift challenges the traditional business case for rooftop PV, which often relies on maximizing grid injections.
Solar cell based on 2D Dion-Jacobson perovskite achieves 19.11% efficiency
Chinese researchers claim to have developed an “ultrastable” perovskite solar cell based on a two-dimensional, Dion-Jacobson phase perovskite. The device was constructed with blade coating technology and is scalable, according to its creators.
PV module cooling tech based on water chamber
Scientists in Malta have created an after-market cooling solution that can be fitted to existing standard PV modules. The system is based on a water chamber placed at the backside of the module and can reportedly provide a net electrical energy gain of more than 9%.
