Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Gautam Solar says it will invest $18.1 million to double its annual PV module production capacity to 2 GW.

SolarSpace, a China-based PV cell and module manufacturer, announced the first phase of a 5GW high-efficiency solar cell plant in Laos, giving momentum to its overseas production capacity.

Moroccan researchers have investigated the potential energy savings of PV systems integrated with biomaterial-based walls in rural areas. They say that solar-powered earth homes could achieve a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of $0.218/kWh.

Solar industry veteran Jigar Shah, the director of the US Department of Energy’s (DoE) Loan Programs Office, says that virtual power plants are the path to success, as solar net metering now faces an uncertain future.

SolarPower Europe said in its latest report on EU solar jobs that the European solar industry employed 648,000 people at the end of 2022, up from 466,000 the year prior. It said the sector will reach 1 million full-time employees within three years.

Scientists in Australia have proposed to use a a propeller pico-hydropower turbine to recover the energy used for pumping water in a solar-powered commercial building. They have found that the mini hydro system is a relatively low-cost solution, able to recover approximately 10% of the energy used for pumping seawater.

This week, Longi and TCL Zhonghuan reduced slightly the prices of their wafer products. Meanwhile, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association reports strong ouput growth for the solar industry.

An international research group has analyzed a vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system in a drought-stricken part of Chile. They say that the solar array can improve water efficiency for crop irrigation, while the vertical system configuration optimizes PV power generation throughout the day, minimizing curtailment.

The Chinese manufacturer said TÜV SÜD confirmed the results. It launched the G12 series of heterojunction solar modules, with a focus on utility-scale projects, in the second half of 2022.

UK researchers have developed ultra-thin nanoribbons, just 1 atom thick, by combining phosphorus and arsenic alloys. The nanoribbons offer excellent conductivity, even at temperatures exceeding -143.15 C, and have the potential to enhance charge flow in solar cells.