Technology

According to the Korean manufacturer, its Q.Peak Duo-G6 module is produced with larger wafers than those used in the G5. This is said to increase module yield by around 6% for a power output ranging from 355-420 W.

The slew of new capacity will come from projects allocated from the bids received for the autumn 2018 round of the SDE+ program for large scale renewables. The Dutch Central Agency for Statistics revealed new PV additions last year were 200 MW more than predicted, at 1.5 GW, and the government last week announced net metering conditions for rooftop solar would be maintained until 2023.

A U.S.-Chinese research team has discovered that carbonyl groups in caffeine can increase the efficiency of perovskite solar cells from 17% to 20%. The peculiar molecular structure of caffeine is said to be a good match for the precursors of perovskite material compounds.

California utility PG&E has tested levels of residential solar power up to 100% penetration, and how to mitigate the effects of voltage and thermal overload via smart inverters and traditional transformer and circuit upgrades — with smart inverters shown to allow for up to 100% penetration at cost-effective pricing.

The “next-generation” utility has presented a micro-grid at a Togolese village. The concept can be reproduced and power schools, small businesses and homes alike. Even an internet connection is part of the project. Despite the World Bank and other institutions reaching out to provide capital for electricity supply, Germany-based Mobisol GmbH is currently in self-administered insolvency proceedings.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory have found a mechanism for creating a charge in molecular materials. The findings, say the team, could lead to new approaches in the design of PV devices.

The government is planning to replace the price offered to PV projects that have a capacity of 3-9 MW with hourly tariffs. Solar association Acesol agrees with some of the suggestions but rejects the proposed tariff change. The current system has been the main market driver for Chilean PV for the last two years.

As Volodymyr Zelensky celebrates his victory in the Ukrainian presidential elections, stakeholders in the country remain uncertain about his intentions in the renewable energy space. With installation figures above 1 GW in the last 12 months, the market is hot — but for how much longer?

Despite the difficulties its solar manufacturing industry faces, the Taiwanese government is ramping up its R&D efforts to measure the efficiency of what it calls “new-generation light-driven photovoltaics”.

The state grid operator has shown that for most of the period between 1:50 PM and 3:05 PM on Sunday, more carbon emission-free electricity than users demanded was generated in its region.