Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

The ninth edition of the Vendée Globe began on Nov. 8 from the French port of Sables-d’Olonne, for a complete world tour without stopovers or assistance. PV panel maker Solbian equipped several competitors with its flexible products.

Scientists in the United States have tested soda-lime glass radiative coolers in a CPV system and claim these can reduce the device operating temperature by 5 to 36 degrees Celsius. This may result in an increase in the solar cell’s open-circuit voltage of between 8% and 27%.

The new module series is available in five versions with power output ranging from 315 to 330 W and efficiencies of 18.67% to 19.56%. It incorporates Enphase IQ 7+ microinverters with a 96.5% European efficiency and 295 volt-amperes (VA).

A US research team claims to have demonstrated that packing PV modules in close proximity can exponentially increase convective heat transfer of a solar park. The scientists analyzed three different module arrangements and compared them to the common row-organized panel configuration.

Scientists in Saudi Arabia demonstrated a slot-die coating process for production of perovskite solar cells from a specially engineered ‘ink’. Using the process, the group fabricated a perovskite/silicon tandem cell that recorded 23.8% efficiency.

After successful launching of its Vertex series PV module products with super high power output in past several months, Trina Solar, the leading PV module maker has made another solid step in the residential rooftop field. On November 3rd, the company officially launched its latest Vertex S module which is particularly designed for the residential market. Just after the new product release, PV Magazine took the chance to interview with Dr. Zhang Yingbin, Head of Global Product strategy and market of Trina Solar and figured out more information about this new product, what are the differences from previous products and the main characters? Here below is the transcript of this interview.

An ambitious, $19.5 billion, five-year expansion of a previous domestic industry spending program includes money to attract investment into the sustainable energy and transport technologies.

If you’re interested in some lightly used MOCVD and PVD thin-film solar cell production equipment, have we got a deal for you.

The Japanese tech giant and German power company have followed the lead of General Electric by promising not to take on any new coal power station contracts.

A new French study highlights the potential of ultra-thin PV cells, but the road to commercial production will be challenging. The researchers have proposed a series of novel cell architectures integrating photonic and electronic elements.