Research & Development
Solar R&D is focused on improving efficiency, reducing production costs, and extending system longevity. Key areas include tandem and perovskite cell development, advanced materials for encapsulation and contacts, and new concepts in system integration.
Simulation tools, AI-driven design, and accelerated testing methods are expanding research capabilities. Sustainability and circularity targets are increasingly embedded in innovation strategies.
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Latest News
Solar skills shortage intensifies
Solar plays an outsized role in skills and employment, as the largest growing employer in the energy sector worldwide. pv magazine looks at an investigative report into a European skills provider and digs further into the challenges of training workers for the solar industry.
Jun 26, 2026
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Passive mooring system enables floating PV to track water-level changes
Researchers have developed a passive counterweight-and-pulley mooring system for floating PV that automatically tracks water-level changes while significantly improving platform stability. Laboratory-scale testing and numerical simulations showed reductions in surge and sway motions of up to 71.7% and 65.6%, respectively, while achieving a 75% water-level tracking efficiency.
Triple-junction all-perovskite solar cell based on graphene oxide bilayer achieves 27.3% efficiency
An international research team developed a triple-junction all-perovskite solar cell using a graphene oxide (GO)/self-assembled monolayer (SAM) bilayer contact strategy to overcome SAM-related charge extraction losses and improve interface quality.
End-of-life solar module recycling unviable if material diversity is not considered
Researchers from Australia and Poland have collaborated on a study to determine the value of upcycling key materials from end-of-life panels such as aluminium, glass and solar cells with the express purpose of purifying the components for reuse in solar panel manufacturing.
Laser-patterned poly-Si finger contacts reduce parasitic absorption, improve efficiency in TOPCon solar cells
Researchers in China developed a laser-assisted poly-Si finger contact fabrication method combining picosecond laser modification and potassium hydroxide wet etching to reduce parasitic absorption in industrial TOPCon solar cells. The optimized process achieved a certified efficiency of 26.08% by improving optical performance while maintaining effective passivation and carrier transport.
Study finds residential heat pumps offer flexibility potential even during coldest periods
An international research team found that residential air-to-water heat pumps retain significant operational flexibility even during extreme winter conditions, as they rarely operate at their maximum capacity. The study of 761 systems in southern Germany shows that intelligent control and thermal storage strategies could enable grid-friendly load shifting while reducing peak electricity demand.
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All Research & Development news
Passive mooring system enables floating PV to track water-level changes
Researchers have developed a passive counterweight-and-pulley mooring system for floating PV that automatically tracks water-level changes while significantly improving platform stability. Laboratory-scale testing and numerical simulations showed reductions in surge and sway motions of up to 71.7% and 65.6%, respectively, while achieving a 75% water-level tracking efficiency.
Triple-junction all-perovskite solar cell based on graphene oxide bilayer achieves 27.3% efficiency
An international research team developed a triple-junction all-perovskite solar cell using a graphene oxide (GO)/self-assembled monolayer (SAM) bilayer contact strategy to overcome SAM-related charge extraction losses and improve interface quality.
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End-of-life solar module recycling unviable if material diversity is not considered
Researchers from Australia and Poland have collaborated on a study to determine the value of upcycling key materials from end-of-life panels such as aluminium, glass and solar cells with the express purpose of purifying the components for reuse in solar panel manufacturing.
Laser-patterned poly-Si finger contacts reduce parasitic absorption, improve efficiency in TOPCon solar cells
Researchers in China developed a laser-assisted poly-Si finger contact fabrication method combining picosecond laser modification and potassium hydroxide wet etching to reduce parasitic absorption in industrial TOPCon solar cells. The optimized process achieved a certified efficiency of 26.08% by improving optical performance while maintaining effective passivation and carrier transport.
Study finds residential heat pumps offer flexibility potential even during coldest periods
An international research team found that residential air-to-water heat pumps retain significant operational flexibility even during extreme winter conditions, as they rarely operate at their maximum capacity. The study of 761 systems in southern Germany shows that intelligent control and thermal storage strategies could enable grid-friendly load shifting while reducing peak electricity demand.
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Ban on high-risk PV inverters to impact 14% of EU solar demand to 2030
Wood Mackenzie is forecasting that an EU funding ban on projects using solar inverters from China and other countries deemed high risk will impact 14% of EU solar demand through to 2030, as well as 12% of energy storage deployments.
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