Technology and R&D

Single-phase inverter products manufactured in Texas are now being shipped to multiple European markets as SolarEdge adapts its international export strategy. The manufacturer tells pv magazine key components will increasingly be manufactured in the United States in the coming years.

German researchers found that agrivoltaics costs far exceed agricultural benefits, raising doubts about subsidies and highlighting the need for more cost-competitive system designs.

Australian researchers developed a low-cost reflective coating for semi-transparent solar roof tiles that lowers surface temperatures by up to 20 C and boosts power output by up to 11.7%. Simulations across five global cities showed energy savings of up to 5.85%, highlighting the coating’s strong potential for improving both building cooling efficiency and solar performance in BIPV systems.

The Portuguese company said its new Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent is scheduled for release in June. It has a safe formulation for crops and soil.

Research analyzing surface solar radiation data across the past three and coming three decades finds Europe has gotten sunnier at an average rate of 2.4 W per decade. This increase in solar radiation is anticipated to slow in the next three decades.

By combining semi-solid-state battery technology with immersion cooling, the new battery cells and energy storage solutions from Wanxiang A123 Systems Corp. exhibit both robust thermal safety and strong economic performance.

Norwegian fire safety specialist Bridgehill has developed a fire-resistant roofing membrane designed for use beneath rooftop PV systems. The company says the product is intended to limit heat transfer and flame spread in commercial and industrial installations subject to strict fire safety and insurance requirements.

Carbon dioxide removal is most likely needed for rebalancing the climate to comply with the 1.5 C target set in the Paris Agreement, as data suggest this level has already been breached on an annual basis. Beneath natural climate solutions and land use change, technological and bio-technical solutions are most promising. Solar PV may play a key role in minimizing area demand and supporting cost optimization even in unexpected places such as Iceland.

The EU-funded pilot – the first of its kind in Europe – demonstrated the ability of the company’s iron-air LDES technology to deliver multi-day energy storage in a real-world utility environment.

Zendure has a new investor, new factory in China, and with a new product launch for the residential sector, is aiming to reclaim the crown of the top supplier for plug-in and balcony solar systems and storage.