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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Silicon dioxide coating boosts PV module light transmission, thermal performance
An international research team developed a porous silicon dioxide coating for PV cover glass that combines anti-reflection with passive radiative cooling, increasing solar transmittance while enhancing mid-infrared emissivity. The coating achieved 91.0% solar transmittance and 90% emissivity, with the researchers now planning module-level outdoor testing and studies of large-area scalability and durability.
Air bubbles boost cooling and hydrogen production in photovoltaic-thermal system
Researchers in India developed a PVT-hydrogen system using air-bubble injection to improve cooling, thermal and electrical efficiency, and hydrogen production. Tested outdoors in Tamil Nadu, the system achieved a peak thermal efficiency of 45.5% and hydrogen production of 15.5 ml/min.
PV life cycle assessment gets its most comprehensive data overhaul in more than a decade
IEA PVPS Task 12 has released a major update to the life cycle inventory data underpinning photovoltaic life cycle assessments, covering modern TOPCon and PERC silicon supply chains, CdTe modules, inverters, mounting systems, and updated reference installations. Based on 83 factory-level datasets and new simulation-based inventories, the report establishes a more comprehensive and current baseline for PV LCA, sustainability reporting, procurement, and environmental assessments.
Where and how to cut back-contact TOPCon solar cells to minimize recombination losses
UNSW and DAS Solar used Quokka3 simulations to identify cut-induced losses in back-contact TOPCon cells, finding that gap-region cutting reduces efficiency losses by around 50% compared with emitter-region cutting. They recommend an optimized 0.3 mm gap width, particularly important under low irradiance, to minimize edge recombination and resistive losses without additional edge passivation.
Researchers build 9%-efficient semitransparent organic PV modules with 210 cm² aperture area
Fraunhofer ISE-led researchers fabricated 210.25 cm² semitransparent organic photovoltaic modules by slot-die coating. The best module achieved 9.3% power conversion efficiency, 43.2% average visible transmittance, and 4.0% light-utilization efficiency, demonstrating promising scalability toward roll-to-roll manufacturing.
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All Research & Development news
Drive to increase solar cell efficiency underway; results impressive
A team of University of Minnesota-led researchers has said it has cleared a major hurdle in the drive to build solar cells with potential efficiencies up to twice as high as current levels, which rarely exceed 30 percent. New solar cell designs are needed however.
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NREL research into potential for solar panels to be installed atop landfills
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is evaluating sites for renewable energy potential on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency. A part of this will involve looking at where solar panels can be installed.
Eus largest PV energy conversion and storage project enters field trial phase
?The development phase of creating an integrated energy conversion and storage kit capable of production on an industrial scale for decentralized on-grid, residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has been successfully completed.
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