Technology

Trina Solar says its new TOPCon solar panel combines a double-glass design with n-type technology. Its efficiency ranges from 20.8% to 22.3% and the power output is between 415 W and 445 W.

Worldwide Universities Network researchers used cheap and abundant starting materials to synthesize a small molecule organic electrode material and achieved a considerable performance boost with various battery chemistries. The new cathode material exhibited unparalleled cycling stability, ultra-high capacity, and rate capability in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

California-based SEG Solar says its new panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.30% per degree Celsius. They come with a 30-year power output guarantee for 87.4% of the initial yield.

The US Court of Appeals has ruled that an 80 MW (AC)/160 MW (DC) solar farm, with 50 MW of battery storage, meets “Qualifying Facility” status of 80 MW (AC) or less under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978.

On the first day of Spain’s Genera tradeshow, pv magazine spoke with Joan Groizard Payeras, Managing Director of Spain’s IDEA (Instituto para la Diversificación y el Ahorro de la Energía) about the current state of solar manufacturing in Spain, and what the government is doing to the make its domestic industry more competitive.

Australian grid operator Transgrid has partnered with German machinery manufacturer Zeck for the use of its innovative steel separation tech. Zeck’s machine can process electricity transmission lines into a recycle-ready state onsite. Previously, Transgrid sent old transmission lines offshore for this process at a much higher cost.

Croatia’s Viktor Lenac Shipyard aims to replace electric boilers and a water-to-water heat pump with a seawater heat pump, in order to provide heat and cooling for buildings. The pilot project is backed by EU funding and has launched a tender to support the construction of the seawater heat pump.

Scientists in Belgium have designed a solar-powered electrolyzer that uses standard-sized, large area shingled silicon PV for water splitting. The system is reportedly able to achieve solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 10% at electrolyzer current densities of approximately 60 mA cm−2.

A new three-year pilot project will assess the efficiency of vehicle-integrated PV and verify it with on-the-road monitoring and testing. The goal is to predict the charging infrastructure needed for electric vehicles with PV modules.

US researchers are studying how agrivoltaic systems mounted on single-axis trackers affect rainfall and light redistribution at a 1.2 MW installation on grassland in Boulder, Colorado.