Technology and R&D

The Danish company says its new product is ideal for small to medium-sized solar cell testing. It can simulate light conditions in the 390–700 nm range.

In its second monthly column for pv magazine, the Becquerel Institute explains that Europe has vast commercial and industrial rooftops suitable for solar, but decades-old structural limits block conventional PV panels, creating an 85 GW untapped potential. Lightweight PV modules, commercially available and up to 50% lighter, can unlock this constrained market, meeting regulatory, economic, and technical needs for solar deployment across the continent.

Researchers have developed a PFAS-free dual-layer sol-gel and hydrophobic silica coating that repels water, dust, and dirt while maintaining high light transmission for solar panels. The transparent, self-cleaning coating improved photovoltaic efficiency from 13.90% to 14.56%, demonstrating strong durability and potential for future commercial applications.

The new prototype ranks among the most advanced sodium‑ion battery systems reported worldwide.

The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, featuring back-contact technology and up to 24.8% efficiency. The company says the module adds enhanced fire-safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing.

Researchers from Nanchang University and Trina Solar found that TOPCon solar modules exhibit metastable “degradation–recovery” under UV exposure, with light soaking fully restoring performance and no impact on real-world energy yield. Their findings highlight the need to refine UV testing standards to better reflect field performance and guide PV reliability assessments.

Canadian researchers proposed a laminate-free solar module using polycarbonate instead of EVA and glass. The new encapsulation technique reportedly enables easy disassembly, reuse of solar cells, and open-source local manufacturing.

An Algerian research team has developed a smart water-spray cooling system for PV panels that activates only when temperatures exceed a set threshold, boosting efficiency while minimizing water use in desert conditions. The system raised power output and reduced module temperatures, offering similar efficiency to continuous cooling but with far lower water consumption, pump operation, and costs.

TU Berlin researchers say early demand for round-the-clock carbon-free electricity could help bring advanced energy technologies to market faster through technology learning effects. Grant funding for the research was provided by Google, which has since announced plans to build the world’s largest iron-air battery.

The new product line covers 124–644 kW in heating and 128–632 kW in cooling, operates down to -15 C, and supports various configurations with R454B or R410a refrigerants.