Technology

Research funded by the US Department of Energy and conducted by the University of Virginia has demonstrated how the rotation of organic molecules in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites may expand the lifetime of photoexcited charge carriers.

PERC power: As PERC settles into its position as a mainstream technology, leading module manufacturers are searching for ways to push ever more watts out of their module, and eliminate lingering degradation issues. So far this has included ramping up production capacities for half-cell modules and developing innovative new connection strategies. pv magazine looks into the latest technologies leading to gains in power output and quality at module level.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have presented a thermochromic solar window with a conversion efficiency of 11.3%. Meanwhile, performing experiments on dye-sensitized solar cells, Cambridge scientists have determined the molecular structure of working solar cell electrodes within a fully assembled device that works like a window.

The prototype device, developed at the NUS Department of Chemistry, simulates photosynthesis to produce ethylene from carbon dioxide and water using natural sunlight.

This week, pv magazine attended the European Solar Technology Forum, where researchers unveiled new innovations from across the manufacturing spectrum, prompting plenty of discussion over how the future will look for solar in terms of the technology available and its applications. Bold claims of the potential for a further 20% cost reduction in manufacturing were made.

Addition of tin in germanium nanoparticles helps to improve their photoluminescence thanks to better matching of lattice structures that boost structural characteristics, aiding light absorption, says Ames Laboratory in U.S.

NASA is on course to more accurately monitor the level of solar irradiance that reaches the earth, with the launch of a instrument for the International Space Station.

Until now, cultivatable land was destined either for the generation of energy, or for food production. However, a pilot project, run by the Fraunhofer ISE, shows the two are compatible.

A group of researchers led by the University of California San Diego (UCSD) has utilized a novel technique to delve deep into hybrid perovskite materials without damaging. The team was able to observe ion migrations within material, which reduced its efficiency as a solar cell material.

Two French companies have partnered to develop projects that combine renewable energy generation with water desalination. This is an area the solar sector is targeting specifically for the developing world, due to its off-grid compatibility.