Novel attempt to design solar cells based on zinc phosphide
European researchers have looked at how zinc phosphide could be used in solar cell development and found that monocrystalline thin films might perform better than polycrystalline films in electrical devices. They also determined that the performance of such films is directly correlated to the zinc/phosphide ratio.
Replacing MPPT with direct PV-battery coupling
Researchers in Germany have assessed direct coupling and integration between PV and batteries at the scale of a single PV module. They say their solution could be cheaper and provide superior performance than maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in optimizing PV system performance.
IIT-Madras Research Park signs thin-film R&D deal with First Solar
IIT Madras Research Park and US-based First Solar have agreed to cooperate on a range of R&D activities, including the localization of thin-film solar and other next-generation PV technologies in India.
Vireo Ventures to invest €60 million in up to 30 startups
Felix Krause, co-founder the Vireo Ventures, tells pv magazine that the Berlin-based company plans to make pre-seed and seed-phase investments in startups that are developing innovations for the energy transition.
Photovoltaic-thermoelectric tech with potential efficiency of 65%
Chinese scientists have simulated a new photovoltaic-thermoelectric technology, based on radiative cooling and III-V solar cells, to generate electricity at night.
New agrivoltaic project to test crop-responsive PV trackers for greenhouses
An international consortium led by Israel’s Al-Zahrawi Society has launched the Regace project to develop agrivoltaic solutions for greenhouses. It will investigate the performance of a new tracking system across locations and climates and use carbon dioxide enrichment to improve crop yield.
Wafer, cell prices continue to rise
Wafer prices rose by between 24% and 36% this week, according to new data from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA).
Photovoltaic-thermal module based on biochar-PCM achieves 79.6% efficiency
Indian scientists have developed a panel with an electrical efficiency of 13% and and thermal efficiency of 66.6 %. They built the system with a 100 W PV panel, a rectangular absorber, and a cooling technique based on a phase change material (PCM) that uses biochar derived from water hyacinth.
Tandem perovskite-silicon solar cells retained 80% of efficiency after 1 year
Saudi Arabia researchers claim to have improved the outdoor stability of a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell by using proper encapsulation. By the end of the first year of operation, the cell’s fill factor remained above 70%.
Trina Solar to expand n-type ingot capacity by 35 GW
In response to growing demand, Trina Solar has revealed plans to ramp up ingot capacity at a new factory in Xining, in China’s Qinghai province.
