Technology & Products
Solar technology moves fast, as the industry pursues the joint goals of improving efficiency and lowering costs. From tiny tweaks in battery or solar cell materials, to optimizing large-scale system layouts, solar rewards effective innovations with a quick route to market.
As the industry grows, reliability testing becomes more complex and factors like recycling and critical mineral consumption come into the frame as well.
Latest News
New materials in the frame
Solar cells, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, and virtually every PV module component have seen rapid changes and improvements over the past 10 years. During that time, module frames have seen relatively little innovation and remain a simple piece of formed aluminum. However, quality concerns, supply chain diversification, domestic content rules, and emissions reduction requirements have frame manufacturers eyeing alternative materials. And while aluminum isn’t going away, suppliers of steel and glass composite frames argue these materials come with various advantages.
Clivet launches VRF air-to-air heat pumps with inverter-free PV integration
Clivet’s CVT9 VRF range offers 25.2–45 kW per module and up to 90 kW in two-module configurations. The system reportedly delivers SEER up to 8.58 and SCOP up to 4.93. Integrated PV management enables direct 400–600 V DC solar input without a conventional PV inverter,
ATW unveils screen-printing solution for copper-metallized solar cell
China’s Wuxi Autowell Technology has launched screen-printing equipment for copper and silver-coated copper pastes targeting TOPCon, back-contact, and next-generation solar cells. The product line includes cell-printing and print-on-print systems, as well as a curing furnace designed to prevent copper oxidation.
Japan to exclude silicon solar from new subsidies, prioritize perovskite
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) plans to exclude conventional silicon solar panels from newly implemented subsidy programs beginning in fiscal 2027, while prioritizing perovskite and other next-generation solar technologies.
U.S. startup exceeds 10% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency with 100 cm² module
SunHydrogen has achieved solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies above 10% with its 100 cm² modules in tests at Sparc Hydrogen’s laboratories. The U.S. company is now targeting efficiencies approaching 15% while working to scale the technology to larger, manufacturable modules.
Storing renewables with firebrick thermal batteries
Electrified Thermal Solutions is developing a firebrick-based thermal battery that converts low-cost electricity into high-temperature heat for energy-intensive industries. The technology could pair with solar and wind to absorb surplus generation and deliver round-the-clock industrial heat at costs competitive with natural gas.
Journey Ahead: JA Roadshow 2026 to spotlight integrated energy solutions
As energy resilience rises on the agenda across Europe, JA’s first roadshow, Journey Ahead: JA Roadshow 2026, will bring the company’s expanding PV and energy storage portfolio directly to customers, demonstrating how integrated technologies can support greater grid resilience and meet evolving energy needs.New materials in the frame
Early signs of junction box (JB) failure are often subtle. It may be an infrared signature detected during a commissioning-stage drone flyover, or a technician noting cracking in the JB cover of an otherwise normal looking module. Left unaddressed, one failure may progress to a fire. This is a growing concern. Junction box failures now …