Technology

Laboratory testing has revealed that some negatively-doped, “n-type” tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction (HJT) solar modules are susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) light-related damage and degradation. That could mean trouble down the line, if modules in the field begin to show UV-related performance loss. Manufacturers are implementing solutions at cell and module level.

US researchers have started studying hydrogen formation in the Midcontinent Rift in the United States, while Dutch scientists have discovered that hydrogen emissions from industrial complexes are higher than previously estimated.

The German government has awarded a €310 million ($336 million) funding package to chemical manufacturer BASF for the construction of an industrial heat pump with a capacity of up to 500,000 metric tons of steam per year. It will use waste heat from steam crackers for CO2-free stream production. 

The US-based automotive manufacturing company said its new storage system offers the option of integrating with PV systems. It can be scaled to reach a capacity of up to 35.4 kWh, which the company said would enable approximately 20 hours of storage.

JinkoSolar and Trina Solar have separately reported that on-field testing shows tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar modules outperform p-type back-contact PV modules in monthly power generation.

China’s Hithium has joined hands with a local partner to establish a 5 GWh production facility in Saudi Arabia. It has also unveiled its specialized energy storage solutions tailored for desert applications.

In a new paper published in nature communications, the Chinese solar manufacturer explained that the heterojunction back contact cell it unveiled in late 2023 achieved one of the highest open-circuit voltage ever reported for this cell technology, as well as smaller than usual short-circuit current losses. The results were confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH).

An Australian Research Council funded report co-authored by Sydney-based University of New South Wales and UK-based charity SolarAid says the off-grid solar sector should do more to enhance its product repair initiatives.

Researchers have simulated the operation of bifacial PV and proton exchange membrane reversible fuel cells across restaurants in five different US states. Taking into account varying rates of bifacial PV’s rearside gains, they found that LCOE was as low as $0.029 per kWh.

Researchers from Canada’s Western University assessed eighteen case studies across thirteen US states and found in areas an economic case for disconnecting from the electricity grid in some areas with high solar irradiation and high electricity rates. They say economic grid defection and utility death spirals are becoming salient issues in the US.