Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Researchers in Mexico have looked at integrating hydrogen-based power-to-gas-to-power into an existing rural microgrid. They said this solution could become competitive if electrolyzer, fuel cell and hydrogen tank costs are halved, or if diesel prices keep rising.

UK-based analyst Exawatt and Germany’s Nexwafe published a white paper this week that takes a close look at the current state of PV manufacturing worldwide, and how Nexwafe’s innovative wafer production tech might fit into it. They said that if the potential of its Epiwafer can be realized, the PV industry may yet see “another revolution in wafer manufacturing.”

Zhonghuan Semiconductor has ramped up wafer prices, China Resource Power has secured 5GW of solar panels, and GCL-Poly is preparing to rebrand as GCL Technology Holdings. China’s Guangxi Zhuang region, meanwhile, has announced plans to deploy 16GW of PV.

An international research team has designed a carbon-based perovskite solar cell without a hole transport layer. Two plasmonic nanoparticles – Ag@SiO2 and SiO2@Ag@SiO2 – were added to the cell photoactive layer, in addition to a copper(I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) interlayer at the perovskite-carbon interface.

Germany’s Ostermeier H2ydrogen Solutions has developed an electrolyzer that works with tap water, with bottles to store hydrogen and a fuel cell or a Wankel engine to produce electricity. The system has a capacity ranging from 1kW to 100 kW, which corresponds to hydrogen production of 0.2-20 Nm3/h.  

French solar company TSE has developed an agrivoltaic rotating canopy that allows large agricultural machinery to move under the panels. The solution consists of a rotating structure that can host bifacial solar modules at a height of more than 5.5 meters, with a four-post structure measuring 27 m x 11 m.

Footwear producer Golden Solar announced it would enter the solar market last year, with a focus on heterojunction devices.

SolarPower Europe believes that more than 1TW of photovoltaics could be installed in Europe by 2030 to support the phase-out of Russian gas supplies. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson has even used a famous quote by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to underscore her determination to build up cell and module production on the continent.

In Wood Mackenzie’s solar installer Leaderboard, Freedom Forever overtakes Tesla in the top three spot for the first time.

In SunPower’s analyst day presentation, company executives announced that it is working with First Solar to develop a new type of residential solar module that pairs thin film with traditional silicon.