Solar module certification is broken. Here’s how to fix it
Is the solar industry’s focus on cutting costs undermining module reliability, safety and lifecycle economics?
Scientists build 42.01%-efficient indoor PV cell for self-powered devices
An international researc team has included an interlocked self-assembled monolayer in perovskite indoor PV to enhance its stability and durability. Fabricating cells, mini modules, and a prototype device of an electronic price tag, the novel structure was tested. It was found to exhibit a lifetime approaching 6,000 hours.
Advantage of back-contact solar modules in shading scenarios is limited to specific conditions, study finds
Researchers from Trina Solar and China’s Nanchang University claim to have verified that back-contact solar modules outperform TOPCon modules only when fewer than three cells in a substring are shaded. Their findings were published in a peer-reviewed scientific paper.
Indian scientists build near-infrared transparent inverted perovskite solar cell with 16.5% efficiency
The team produced a 16.53% inverted 1.08 cm2 perovskite solar cell using atomic layer deposition to apply a buffering layer of tin oxide to prevent electrode sputtering damage.
Jinko edges past Longi in first-half solar shipments as TOPCon dominates
InfoLink Consulting says global module shipments rose 10% to 247.9 GW in the first half of 2025, with JinkoSolar narrowly pushing past Longi and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) tech accounting for more than 94% of the total.
Italy backs 1 GW tandem solar line with Huasun, New Time by 2026
Chinese manufacturer Huasun and Italian developer New Time plan to jointly develop a 1 GW heterojunction–perovskite tandem solar line in northern Italy by the third quarter of 2026, with public support and a focus on building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications.
Indian entrepreneur invests $15.8 million to expand PV production
Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath has invested INR 1.375 billion ($15.8 million) in Gujarat-based Goldi Solar to expand its PV module production.
Automating perovskite solar cell materials research
A Danish research group is working on an automated material discovery and performance optimization platform for perovskite solar cells. The scientists claim a unique combination of robotics, advanced measurement equipment, and machine learning.
PV-driven portable air water generator for remote areas
Scientists in Saudi Arabia have created a PV-powered air water generator that can be used in remote areas or on lengthy vehicle journeys. It can reportedly produce a liter of water at approximately $0.04 for packing and zero for non-packing.
Tongwei achieves 31.4% efficiency for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell
Chinese researchers, led by a research team from PV Technology Center of Tongwei Co., Ltd, used a sequential annealing process in the fabrication of tandem solar cells, featuring a wide bandgap perovskite top cell on a fully-textured commercial crystalline silicon heterojunction bottom cell. The resulting device had a certified power conversion efficiency of 31.4%, outperforming a 29.43%-efficient control cell.
