Technology and R&D

Scientists have quantified the impact of wildfires on the availability of direct normal irradiance and global horizontal irradiance at the state, regional, and national levels in the United States. They have found that direct irradiance is more sensitive to smoke than the PV-relevant global horizontal irradiance.

Central Japan Railway Co. and Sekisui Chemical have revealed plans to deploy flexible perovskite-based PV systems along the Tokaido Shinkansen train line in Japan. They are using thin, lightweight, flexible film-type perovskite solar cells.

Scientists in China have used ground heat exchangers based on volcanic tuff stones to improve storage capabilities and efficiency of photovoltaic-thermal systems. Their experiments showed that the proposed combination effectively improves PV module cooling and thermal efficiency.

A winery California will cover 95% of its electricity needs with a solar array that tilts on two axes to follow direct sunlight through the day.

Trina Solar has set a world record for solar module efficiency at 25.44%, verified independently by the CalLab at Fraunhofer ISE.

The result was confirmed by the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The proposed virtual power plant (VPP) integrates a platform-to-ship (P2S) setup to electrify anchored and bunkering ships, while also providing surplus electricity to the country’s grid. The system was designed to operate through a 200 MW floating wind farm and a 300 MW floating PV plant, with battery and compressed air systmes being used for energy storage.

China’s Fujian Metrology Institute (FMI) and the National Photovoltaic Industry Measurement and Testing Center (NPVM) have created a metrological traceability system for both silicon and perovskite solar cells. The calibration system consists of a monochromatic light system, a bias light system, a 3D-motion measurement platform with temperature control, and an electrical measurement system.

Japanese plastics manufacturer Sekisui Chemical, which recently invested in a 100 MW perovskite solar production plant, announced its latest demonstration project at two sites owned by Japan’s MUFG Bank. The project aims to both raise awareness of practical applications of perovskite solar PV technology and to further verify durability, weather resistance, and performance.

An international team has combined organic synthesis with predictive models to discover new functional materials that enhance performance of hole transport layers used in perovskite solar cells. The team asserts that optimizing for other solar cell properties is possible with the platform, as well as using it for development of materials for other kinds of devices.