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
Spacebound silicon
Solar has a long history in powering satellites and space exploration, and high-powered devices based on multijunction PV cells made from “III-V” materials such as gallium arsenide or indium gallium phosphide have supplied this niche market as far back as the 1960s. But those devices are made with rare materials and complex processing, limited to small batches produced at high cost.
Oct 06, 2026
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Magenta CdTe solar panels support broccoli cultivation in agrivoltaic trial
Researchers in Sweden and Italy have investigated the performance of semitransparent, magenta-colored cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels designed to transmit wavelengths favorable for broccoli growth. The study found that the panels affected microclimatic conditions, photosynthetic performance, nutrient composition, and overall land productivity.
Study reveals up to 15% gap between expected and actual bifacial gains in utility-scale PV
Researchers in Spain have found that the effective bifaciality of solar modules in utility-scale PV plants can be up to 15% lower than their nominal rating. Based on two years of operational data from a 50 MWp solar plant in Spain, with findings validated across four additional installations in Spain and the United Kingdom, the study highlights the influence of irradiance, temperature, mounting geometry and operating conditions on rear-side power generation.
Trina Solar researchers propose new classification of ultraviolet-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells
Trina Solar researchers have proposed a new classification distinguishing reversible and irreversible ultraviolet-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells. The framework aims to improve reliability testing, identify persistent performance losses, and provide more accurate assessments of long-term module performance under real-world conditions.
Three-molecule blend boosts inverted perovskite solar cell efficiency to 27.5%
Chinese researchers have developed high-entropy molecular contacts that enabled inverted perovskite solar cells to achieve a certified steady-state efficiency of 27.31%. The approach also improves thermal stability by preventing molecular contact degradation.
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All Research & Development news
Report: Solar spotlight to shift from Germany; US could achieve grid parity first
In its latest renewable energy attractiveness indices, Ernst & Young has announced the solar market is preparing for a shift from a dominant German market to other smaller hotspots. It added that Spain remains largely in the doldrums, with the wind industry largely thought to have won out over solar.
Study: Decentralized development of renewable energies creates billions in value output
In what has been termed the first systematic and comparative analysis of the effects of regenerative energy technologies on the output of value, the German Institute for Ecological Economic Research (IÖW) has concluded that photovoltaics (PV) contributed 36 percent to Germanys sum total last year.
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Haitis economic recovery to be supported with USD$1 million solar initiative
NRG Energy, Inc. and Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) have announced a commitment through the Clinton Global Initiative to greatly expand the use of solar power to meet electricity needs for the Haitian Central Plateau commune of Boucan Carre, through the use of a USD$1 million fund.
Report: Global PV demand expected to double this year
The global photovoltaics (PV) market is making positive progress, with new research released by solar energy market research company Solarbuzz showing that PV demand “soared” by 54 percent in the second quarter of this year (Q210), to 3.82 gigawatts (GW).
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LDK Solar to repay Q-Cells loan 4 years early; signs MOU with NREL
Q-Cells SE has announced that Chinese company LDK Solar will repay a USD224.9 million (ca. 170 million) loan, which was granted by Q-Cells in 2008, in its entirety by the end of next year. It was originally expected that the loan would be fully repaid by the end of 2015.
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