Technology and R&D

Scientists in the United Kingdom have compiled a new database of adiabatic compressed air energy storage projects. Using this data, they were able to determine the experience rate and identify the conditions under which the technology would be economically viable. According to their findings, costs have declined at a 15% learning rate since 2013.

Chinese researchers have demonstrated organic solar cells with novel encapsulation and a protective interfacial layer for enhanced stability and efficiency. The best performing cell based on the new approach retained 94% of its initial power conversion efficiency after standards-based damp heat testing for 1,032 hours damp heat and across 200 thermal cycles.

As universities expand outdoor learning, off-grid solar furniture is emerging as a new class of campus infrastructure.

Chinese manufacturer Phono has launched a new bifacial solar panel in the Australian market featuring an output of 475 W and a power conversion efficiency of 23.27%.

A wastewater treatment plant in the canton of Bern has been inaugurated with what dhp Technology claims is the world’s largest foldable rooftop solar installation to date. The 3.6 MW array spans several treatment basins, allowing the existing site to serve dual purposes: wastewater treatment at ground level and solar power generation overhead.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new T5 Pro modules featues high power density and low-current, low-resistance profile. The series has a power output of 480 W to 760 W and a power conversion efficiency of up to 25.17%.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says solar is the only renewable energy technology where current investment levels are approaching the annual average needed through to 2030 to align with its 1.5 C pathway.

A new industrial partnership driven by defense-related technology transfer says Colombia could emerge as a strategic hub for lightweight copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) manufacturing.

U.S. researchers have developed a sodium-ion pouch cell that operates reliably at temperatures as low as –100 C. The battery was tested with simulated and real renewable energy sources, including wind and solar, and maintained stable performance in both laboratory and field conditions.

The Chinese manufacturer said the cell uses a multifunctional organic ammonium salt to improve interfacial engineering between the perovskite absorber and the electron transport layers. The device also achieved 24.5% efficiency when scaled up to a 1 cm² active area.