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Technology and R&D

Agrivoltaic solar tracker uses cables instead of buried steel

Rute Foundation Systems says its Rute Suntracker system – designed for utility-scale, high-clearance solar – could potentially reduce steel use by 30%.

French startup reveals rooftop system with PV panels, mini wind turbines

French startup Unéole has developed a rooftop system that combines solar and silent wind turbines. It claims its system can produce 40% more energy than standalone rooftop solar arrays. It is now testing the device, with plans to commercialize it by 2023.

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Gallium doping for 24.47%-efficient p-type heterojunction solar cells

French scientists have studied the fabrication of silicon heterojunction cells with p-type wafers. With the adoption of gallium doping, the p-type products could come close to matching the performance of their n-type counterparts. But optimal doping levels will be key to advancing this tech, said the researchers.

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Chinese PV Industry Brief: Longi, JA Solar, Yingli share 1.05 GW of panel orders

Longi, JA Solar and Yingli have agreed to collectively supply 1.05 GW of solar panels to China Southern Power Grid, while Daqo New Energy has secured board for a planned $700 million share repurchase program.

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Max Planck spinoff making metal mesh electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

The Max Planck Institute for Medical Research has produced batene fleece, a fine metal fleece, to act as current collectors in batteries, making them safer and more energy dense. Its Batene GmbH spinoff, backed by €10 million ($10.02 million) of seed funding, is now bringing the tech to market.

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Hydrogen-producing rooftop solar panels nearing commercialization

KU Leuven researchers have developed rooftop panels that capture both solar power and water from the air. Like traditional PV modules, hydrogen panels are also connected, but via gas tubes instead of electric cables. The researchers are now preparing to bring the tech to the mass market via a spinoff company.

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Rooftop PV performance during heatwaves

Chinese researchers have assessed the impact of residential rooftop PV arrays on energy use and surrounding air temperatures during extreme heatwaves. They found that panels with higher conversion efficiencies achieved the best results.

Transition metal oxides-based passivating contacts for 21.9%-efficient, n-type solar cell

An Australian research group has shown how passivating contacts based on transition metal oxides could replace contacts based on doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon in n-type solar cells in the future. They designed a cell with an open-circuit voltage of 665 mV, a short-circuit current of 40.78 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 80.8%.

Hydrogen storage in vertical caverns

Australia’s Energy Estate has signed a new agreement with Abergeldie, which designs vertical man-made caverns for hydrogen storage. The partnership will focus on a range of projects, including a 1.6 GW hydrogen network.

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Stäubli launches dual-rated, 1,500 V branch connector for solar

Stäubli, a Swiss electrical connector manufacturer, has unveiled a new branch connector with both UL and IEC certification.

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