Enel mulls building heterojunction solar module factory in the US
In a recent media brief, new Enel Green Power CEO Salvatore Bernabei said the company’s heterojunction solar module factory in southern Italy will be scaled up from 200MW to 3GW by mid-2024. He also revealed that another factory may be built abroad, with the United States being a possible location.
Sharp introduces 410 W half-cut panel with 21% efficiency
The panel features 108 half-cells based on M10 wafers and a 10-busbar design. Its operating temperature coefficient is -0.341% per degree Celsius and its power tolerance reaches up to 5%.
Low-cost deposition tech for perovskite solar cells
Italian and Iranian researchers have developed the new “deposition via an antisolvent-soaked applicator” technique, which they describe as an easily scalable process to produce uniform, pinhole-free perovskite films. They tested the process on a 6.7%-efficient solar cell based on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, raising its power conversion efficiency by 82%.
New rooftop PV bracket for sloped tile roofs
Sun Age, an Italian mounting system supplier, has developed a special bracket for rooftop PV installations on sloped tile rooftops. It is made of stainless steel and can be deployed by fixing it to the surface with dowels or glue.
RenewSys expands solar encapsulant capacity to 3 GW, aims for 11 GW
Solar manufacturer RenewSys has expanded its encapsulant capacity to 3GW with the addition of a new line at its facility in Bengaluru, India. The company aims to eventually expand its encapsulant capacity to 11 GW.
Quantum dot layer pushes perovskite solar cell efficiency up to 25.7%
Researchers in Switzerland have replaced the electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells with a thin layer of quantum dots. On an area of 0.08cm2, they achieved a record efficiency of 25.7% and high operational stability.
India’s solar module manufacturing capacity on track to soar 400% in four years
Ratings agency Crisil estimates India will have 38-43GW of annual solar module manufacturing capacity by the end of March 2025. Production capacity will be driven by strong domestic demand, favorable government policy, raised module conversion efficiency, and price competitiveness, according to the ratings agency.
Perovskite-organic tandem PV cell with 23.6% efficiency via optimized interconnecting layer
Scientists in Singapore have developed a cell that could be used to power vehicles and boats, among other applications. The tandem device purportedly retains 90% initial efficiency after 500 hours of maximum power point tracking under continuous one sun illumination.
Effects of Swirl defects in solar cells based on Czochralski wafers
Scientists in China analyzed defective solar cells based on Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers and found Swirl defects may be responsible for an efficiency drop of up to 4.7%. According to them, the presence of Swirl defects could be mitigated by applying a heat treatment at a temperature above 1,050 degrees Celsius in a clean environment before the manufacturing of the solar cells.
Shanghai Electric sounds death knell for CIGS manufacturing project backed by $197m of public money
With five public entities having committed RMB1.25 billion into a project to produce copper, indium, gallium, selenide solar modules five years ago, the joint venture has been abandoned at an estimated impairment cost of RMB1.42 billion.
