Technology

Imec and Kaneka have developed a silver-free heterojunction silicon solar cell, with a conversion efficiency of over 21 percent. Imec speaks to pv magazine about the achievement and states that the use of copper in commercial cell production could come sooner than many think.

Proving its thin film prowess, First Solar has announced its cumulative photovoltaic module production has reached five gigawatts (GW). It is the second solar company in the world to do so.

Würth Solar will hand over its CIGS production line, located in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, to Manz AG, in order to focus on the sales side of its photovoltaic business. Production capacity will be more than halved.

A spatial concept from Spain won this year’s Bauhaus Solar Award 2011 in Erfurt, Germany. Second prize, meanwhile, was awarded to two students from Munich.

A new €5 million, three-year smart grid project has been unveiled in Austria. Designed to prepare for the expected “onslaught” of new solar capacity in the country, the pilot project will see 120 photovoltaic systems installed. pv magazine gets the low down.

Sharp Corporation has achieved what it says is the highest silicon solar cell conversion efficiency globally. At 36.9 percent, the company says the results have been confirmed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

According to a new U.S. survey, solar is the most popular energy resource. The majority of Americans, it found, believe it should receive federal subsidies. Meanwhile, many say they would be more likely to buy a product if it were made using solar.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed what it says is a “game-changing” furnace for the solar cell industry.

U.S.-based Natcore Technology Inc. and the Italian MX Holding S.p.A. are looking to form a joint venture (JV) aimed at developing new technologies for a consortium of Italian photovoltaic panel producers. They will also open a new manufacturing facility.

Ideal Power Converters (IPC) has been awarded USD$2.5 million by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) to develop lighter and cheaper solar inverters.