Technology

German manufacturer Kopp has developed an easy-to-install, four-module foldable PV array. The system uses n-type TOPCon solar modules with outputs of 430 W and efficiency ratings of 22.02%

Italian researchers have looked at how soybeans could be grown in agrivoltaic installations and have found that the impact of shading is less significant than previously believed.

Meyer Burger is working with several research institutes in Switzerland and Germany to integrate perovskite tandem technology into its manufacturing processes.

Scientists in Egypt have created a self-cleaning, hydrophobic coating for solar panels that reportedly increases their efficiency by more than 30%. They used a coating solution based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanocomposites, mixed with ethanol and isopropanol.

The International Code Council and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) have published a new handbook on installation codes, hardware standards, and lithium-ion risk-mitigation tools.

Solar Inventions has patented technology that could save between $2 million and $5 million per gigawatt in solar projects, while also raising rated power output. The company has patents in the United States, China and Israel for its cell configuration.

GoodWe has released a new solar-powered smart EV charger for residential use, Envision AESC has broken ground on a 12 GWh battery plant in the United Kingdom. and PG&E has invited customers to pre-enroll in its three upcoming vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot programs.

An Israeli startup is commercializing crop-responsive PV trackers for greenhouses. The system includes a tracking structure, a motor, a controller, and specially designed solar panels.

Japanese scientists have developed a heterojunction germanium solar cell with the biggest area ever achieved for the tech. It has an open-circuit voltage of 291 mV, a short-circuit current of 45.0 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 0.656.

Researchers from RMIT University and the University of Melbourne claim that high-frequency vibrations can release 14 times more hydrogen than standard electrolysis techniques. The discovery has ramifications for the expensive, rare materials currently used in electrolyzers.