Chinese PV Industry Brief: Huasun secures 10 GW HJT module order, Zhonghuan raises wafer prices
Huasun has agreed to supply 10 GW of heterojunction solar modules to Power China, while Zhonghuan Semiconductor has revealed price increases for all of its wafer products.
Photovoltaics for inland shipping vessels
Dutch researchers have looked at how PV systems could be used to power bulk vessels for inland shipping. They found that 7.18% and 5.78% of the energy demand of container ships and bulk vessels can be respectively supplied by solar panels.
Solar, geothermal heat pumps for heating, cooling demand in office buildings
Photovoltaic-thermal panels and geothermal heat pumps could mostly cover the heating and cooling demand of office buildings, according to new research from Greece.
The case for residential solar sharing
Technische Universität München researchers have run a series of tests to investigate the growing share of rooftop PV in Germany. They found that the sale and purchase of electricity between households could reduce consumption peaks and prevent grid bottlenecks.
Hanwha Solutions to set up TOPCon module production line, build EVA factory
Hanwha Solutions has unveiled a $548.8 million plan to enter the TOPCon module business and expand its EVA production capacity in South Korea.
Residential PV installation costs rising in Portugal
PV panels cost around €420 ($419) for a small 0.3 kW to 0.5 kW installation in 2021, according to data from service-hiring app Fixando. This year, installation costs have risen by about 40.5% to around €590.
Perovskite solar cell achieves 24% efficiency, retains 87% of output after 100 days
Researchers at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory claim to have achieved a breakthrough for high-efficiency perovskite solar cells.
Solar perovskite tandems and potential-induced degradation
Scientists have found that perovskite solar cells and perovskite-silicon tandems might be vulnerable to potential-induced degradation. They exposed tandem cell devices to PID stress and found that they lost as much as 50% of their initial performance after just one day.
Norwegian Crystals proceeds with 6 GW PV ingot plans
Norwegian Crystals said it has secured all relevant permits for a new manufacturing facility in Norway. Construction is expected to start by the end of this year. The factory will have an initial capacity of 3.6 GW by 2026 but will eventually reach 6 GW at a later stage, according to the company.
PV-driven rechargeable control module for ‘cyborg cockroaches’
Japanese researchers have built ultra-soft PV devices and ultra-thin electronics that can be placed on the curved abdomens of cockroaches without affecting their mobility. The system can be used to monitor hazardous areas, or for urban search-and-rescue operations.
