Technology and R&D

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.

US-based Sunstall has deployed a vertical agrivoltaic facility based on its racking solution in the United States. The system features 18 rows of 21 panels and has a total capacity of 170 kW.

New research from Germany showed that PV-powered heat pumps could require less surface than their solar thermal-driven counterparts in district heating networks. The scientists also found that increasing energy prices would have a minimal impact on the viability of both concepts.

S-5!, a supplier of mounting systems, plans to release two new mounting components for rooftop PV systems, including a new mount that allows for module-level power electronics to be attached directly to solar panel frames.

The new material consists of an heterostructure combining germanium, selenium, and tin sulfide, which also integrates atoms of zerovalent copper. It features an average photovoltaic absorption over 80% and could help photovoltaic cells break the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit, according to its creators.

NYSolarCast, a solar-projection tool developed by the state of New York to handle its growing base of PV facilities, demonstrated equal or superior performance than competing commercial alternatives, according to a year-long analysis.

Researchers in the United Kingdom have analyzed lithium-ion battery thermal runaway off-gas and have found that nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries generate larger specific off-gas volumes, while lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are a greater flammability hazard and show greater toxicity, depending on relative state of charge (SOC).

The German manufacturer said PV system owners can connect up to four units in parallel for a storage capacity of up to 106.8 kWh. The battery reportedly has a lifecycle of more than 6,000 cycles and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Researchers in the United States have investigated the sensitivity of PV inverters to the ectromagnetic pulses caused by high-altitude nuclear explosions during nuclear weapon testing. Their work presents several protection strategies aimed to improve the inverters’ immunity levels.

Chinese manufacturer Jolywood is currently applying a laser-assisted firing process in TOPCon solar cell manufacturing that can reportedly increase contact quality and corrosion resistance, while also reducing production costs. Scientists at the University of South Wales have investigated the impact of this production process on the quality of TOPCon cells and have found it “significantly” improve their reliability.