Technology and R&D

Researchers from Poland have assessed how texturized glass used as the front cover of building-integrated photovoltaic panels affects performance. They have found power yield could be up to 5% lower compared to modules based on conventional glass, with reflection parameters being up to 88% in visible region.

The Chinese manufacturer said that its new series includes inverters with up to 15 kW of AC output. It supports a maximum input current of 20A.

After conducting theoretical studies on gallium phosphide, titanium solar cells for years, a group of Spanish researchers has now sought to build the first intermediate band device based on this material combination and has found it can achieve enhanced external quantum efficiency at wavelengths above 550 nm.

Laboratory testing has revealed that some negatively-doped, “n-type” tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction (HJT) solar modules are susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) light-related damage and degradation. That could mean trouble down the line, if modules in the field begin to show UV-related performance loss. Manufacturers are implementing solutions at cell and module level.

US researchers have started studying hydrogen formation in the Midcontinent Rift in the United States, while Dutch scientists have discovered that hydrogen emissions from industrial complexes are higher than previously estimated.

The German government has awarded a €310 million ($336 million) funding package to chemical manufacturer BASF for the construction of an industrial heat pump with a capacity of up to 500,000 metric tons of steam per year. It will use waste heat from steam crackers for CO2-free stream production. 

The US-based automotive manufacturing company said its new storage system offers the option of integrating with PV systems. It can be scaled to reach a capacity of up to 35.4 kWh, which the company said would enable approximately 20 hours of storage.

JinkoSolar and Trina Solar have separately reported that on-field testing shows tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar modules outperform p-type back-contact PV modules in monthly power generation.

China’s Hithium has joined hands with a local partner to establish a 5 GWh production facility in Saudi Arabia. It has also unveiled its specialized energy storage solutions tailored for desert applications.

In a new paper published in nature communications, the Chinese solar manufacturer explained that the heterojunction back contact cell it unveiled in late 2023 achieved one of the highest open-circuit voltage ever reported for this cell technology, as well as smaller than usual short-circuit current losses. The results were confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH).