Research & Development

R&D category

R&D category

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.

Latest News

Research & Development

The silicon recycling loop remains open

Retrieving silicon from end-of-life PV modules for reuse in solar applications relies heavily on small improvements. As scientists continue to chase that decimal point, AI and robotic labs might beat them to the goal.

Lior Kahana

Jul 20, 2026

Technology & Products

Sponsored

Great Power successfully completes full-scale fire test

Great Power has completed a full-scale fire test of its 5 MWh energy storage system, with no fire propagation to adjacent containers, no structural collapse, and no thermal runaway observed in any adjacent module.

Great Power

46 minutes ago

Research & Development

New optimization method improves heat pump sizing by accounting for part-load efficiency

Austrian researchers have developed an optimization framework that accounts for part-load efficiency when sizing and operating heat pumps, enabling more realistic system planning. A case study in Innsbruck found the approach could cut electricity consumption by 4.5% and annual costs by 2.9%, while relaxed formulations significantly reduced computation times.

Lior Kahana

4 hours ago

Research & Development

Satellite tech sharpens fire and grazing management at Australian solar farm

Researchers from the CSIRO and Macquarie University are utilizing satellite-based remote sensing and AI to balance fire risk and insurance demands with livestock grazing at one of the largest operating solar farms in Australia.

David Carroll

5 hours ago

Research & Development

Europe’s PV waste could yield up to 63 GW of new solar capacity

Recovering silicon from Europe’s end-of-life solar panels won’t meaningfully cut import reliance unless the region’s ingot and wafer manufacturing base grows to absorb it, a SINTEF Industry researcher tells pv magazine.

Brian Publicover

22 hours ago

Research & Development

Optimized semi-transparent PV greenhouse design increases energy output by 20.1%

An international research team has developed an optimized semi-transparent PV greenhouse design that increases solar electricity generation by strategically allocating PV surfaces to south-facing roofs and walls. Using an improved optimization algorithm, the design increased annual energy output by 20.1% and outperformed conventional greenhouse geometries by up to 56.86%.

Lior Kahana

Sep 07, 2026

Research & Development

A circular future for renewables

Circular economy models encourage the extension of the lifecycle of both wind turbines and solar PV modules and the IEC is planning the appropriate standards.

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Sep 04, 2026

All Research & Development news

Markets & Policy

US solar market shows increased M&A activity According to a new report, the U.S. greentech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape posted a record year in 2010, with the solar sector displaying increased activity.

Becky Beetz

Jan 16, 2011

Markets & Policy

France releases PV initiative aimed at fighting Chinese competition The French Government is looking to motivate its national photovoltaics (PV) industry through the introduction of a new R&D program, which is aimed at reducing Chinas grip on the global PV market.

pv magazine

Jan 13, 2011

Markets & Policy

PV inverter service plans and extended warranties to grow five-fold The market for photovoltaics (PV) inverter service plans and extended warranties is forecast to grow by over 480 percent between over the next three years, thus creating “huge” growth opportunities for inverter suppliers.

Becky Beetz

Jan 11, 2011

Applications & Installations

US PV system integrators gain global foothold New research states that, for the first time, three of the ten largest global photovoltaics (PV) system integrators in 2010 were U.S.-based.

Becky Beetz

Jan 09, 2011

Research & Development

Australian solar car breaks Guinness World Record A solar powered car, designed by students at the University of New South Wales, has officially become the worlds fastest solar vehicle after reaching speeds of more than 88 km/h.

Becky Beetz

Jan 06, 2011

Markets & Policy

PV module demand strong as shipments reach 5.4 GWs New research has revealed that shipments of photovoltaic (PV) modules increased by 20 percent in the third quarter of this year, in order to reach 5.4 gigawatts.

Becky Beetz

Dec 19, 2010

Research & Development

TÜV undertakes research project examining PV and fire risk TÜV Rheinland has announced it is carrying out a three-year research project to examine the risk of fire with photovoltaics (PV) systems.

pv magazine

Dec 09, 2010

Research & Development

Sanyo 21.6 percent cell efficiency not independently verified, but company confident Last Friday, Sanyo announced that it had achieved the worlds highest cell conversion efficiency at 21.6 percent. However, responding to questions from pv magazine, the efficiency has not been independently verified and there are no plans for outside testing.

Becky Beetz

Dec 09, 2010

Markets & Policy

Survey reveals 80 percent of UK farms want rooftop PV, but confusion over FITs exists A recent survey has revealed that 80.6 percent of UK farmers are considering installing rooftop photovoltaics (PV) on their farm buildings by 2013. According to the findings, interest has been spurred by the countrys attractive feed-in tariffs (FITs).

Becky Beetz

Dec 08, 2010

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