Spain arrests 23 people in copper theft ring targeting solar plants
The Spanish authorities have arrested 23 people and recovered 8.5 tons of stolen copper linked to a theft ring targeting PV plants in Andalusia, Extremadura and Ávila. The Civil Guard dismantled the network through Operation Kupfer, part of a broader crackdown on copper theft in the country’s solar sector.
How to reconfigure PV modules in degraded solar plants
Indian scientists have developed six different strategies to reconfigure solar modules in degraded PV assets. Their analysis showed which conditions make the reconfiguration of an underperforming solar plant profitable.
Chinese scientists improve carbon perovskite solar cell performance via dual-solvent process
A team of researchers in China has demonstrated a novel dual-solvent process in 4-terminal carbon CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cells that achieve 10.18% power conversion efficiency. They have also built a large area 17.88 cm2 device achieving an 8.72% efficiency while retaining 93.2% of the initial performance after 1,000 hours of operation at 150 C.
Water-based electrically conductive adhesives for shingled solar modules
Scientists in Turkey have conceived new solar module electrically conductive adhesives based on silver microflakes and optimized polymeric additives. The proposed adhesives were found to increase electrical conductivity, adhesion strength, and reliability under real-world operating conditions.
Jindal (India) launches Al-Zn coated steel coils for PV module mounts
Jindal (India) Ltd. has released its Jindalume line of aluminum-zinc (Al-Zn) coated coils designed for solar module mounting structures.
Trump tariffs deal damage to US solar
“It’s a changed world in the renewables space,” said Stefan Reisinger, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright.
The evolution of solar mounting systems for modern installations
Will White, solar application specialist at Fluke Corporation, focuses on the important qualities of today’s mounting and racking systems in solar installations.
Flying with the sun
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) analyzed the trajectory of different solar plane technologies and prototypes and said that standards are currently under development to ensure appropriate safety and performance.
TWL unveils PVT panels for ground-source heat pumps
The German specialist for solar thermal energy and heat storage said its new PVT collectors rely on double-glass and monocrystalline TOPCon cells. The product has a power conversion efficiency of 22.5% and a maximal thermal ouput of 1,100 W.
New model to measure wave-induced loss in floating PV
Researchers have developed a three-step technique to estimate power generation loss in floating PV farms resulting from changes in tilt and mismatch losses. The new module was tested in an experimental setup and showed that electricity losses mainly depend both on system design and location.
