GCL System Integration unveils 585 W TOPCon solar panel with 22.6% efficiency
The Chinese manufacturer is offering six versions of its new TOPCon modules, with power outputs between 560 W and 585 W. The power conversion efficiency ranges from 21.7% to 22.6%.
PV-powered robotic lawn mower from New Zealand
Researchers from Massey University in New Zealand have developed a robotic lawn mower with three 50 W solar panels and a 20 Ah lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. Two of the PV panels can be retracted and stacked inside the robot. They slide out when it needs to recharge its batteries.
Initial attempt to build thin-film solar cells from molybdenum disulfide
A team at Colorado State University has proposed making thin-film solar cells from naturally abundant molybdenum disulfide. It has conducted a series of experiments to show that extremely thin films of molybdenum disulfide have unprecedented charge carrier properties.
Polysilicon prices fall 1.33% to six-week low of $37.218/kg
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Mobile solar system for farms
India’s Vivasvan Solar has designed a foldable solar structure mounted on a trolley. The system has mechanisms to prevent damage to the panels during transit and is especially useful for agricultural farms.
Das Solar claims record open-circuit voltage of 730 mV for n-type solar cell
Das Solar has achieved a world-record open-circuit voltage of 730 mV for an M10 n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell, with a power conversion efficiency of 26.24%, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Electrical Engineering.
Micro-hydroelectric power generator for sewage treatment plants
Japan’s Ricoh has designed a micro hydropower system for sewage plants that could potentially be used in combination with ground-mounted solar or floating PV. The system features a sustainable water turbine that the company designed with micro-hydroelectricity specialist Seabell Incorporated and the Kanazawa Institute of Technology.
Ascent Solar acquires Swiss thin-film solar module maker Flisom
Ascent Solar says its acquisition of Flisom will triple its production capacity.
Translucent tandem perovskite-perovskite solar cells for BIPV
An international research group has made translucent perovskite solar cells to maintain decent levels of average visible transmittance (AVT) while offering higher efficiency. They tested different module and cell configurations and produced a two-terminal, perovskite-perovskite tandem device with an efficiency of 17.7% at 12% AVT.
Dust removal for solar panels via electrostatic cleaning
A Jordanian research team has designed a cleaning technique for solar modules that uses static electricity to remove dust from panel surfaces. The system features an electrostatic ionizer that reduces attraction between dust particles and their accumulation on modules, improving their energy yield.
