Technology and R&D

A Slovenian research group has proposed using a heat pump booster instead of vapor compression technologies in low-temperature district-heating substations and has found that this combination may raise the supply-water temperature from around 32 C to 42 C. In the proposed system configuration ten single-stage Peltier modules were used, each with a maximum cooling power of 165 W and a maximum electric power of 289.2 W.

The Chinese Academy of Science has developed a new technique that uses non-toxic lemonene as a reagent to control the degree of EVA expansion during the decapsulation process of end-of-life photovoltaic modules. The proposed approach reportedly achieves the complete delamination of glass and backsheet without excessive damage to the solar cells

Researchers in China claim to have achieved the highest efficiency ever reported for perovskite solar cells based on “alternative” hole transport materials. The device reportedly offers improved hole extraction and significantly reduced charge recombination at the interface between the perovskite layer and the hole transport layer.

A German-Nigerian research group simulated the usage of mixtures of zeotropic fluids with varying boiling or condensing temperatures in industrial heat pumps. The best results were obtained with a mixture of cyclohexane and cyclopropane.

The new product combines the NEO 800TL-X Microinverter and the NOAH 2000 Battery. Up to four batteries can be stacked, for up to 8,192 Wh of storage capacity.

Feedback from stakeholders involved in Germany’s end-of-life PV modules treatment chain found more needs to be done around the transparency of PV module waste volume, the take-back and collection process and module recycling, as the country prepares for significantly larger volumes by the end of the decade.

Researchers in China have designed an organic solar cell the uses an acceptor based on selenium as an alternative to commonly utilized non-fullerene acceptors. The new acceptor enabled the cell to have reduced non-radiative recombination loss and improved dielectric constant.

The Italian PV manufacturer said its FU570-580M Silk Nova panel features half-cut and multi-busbar technology. The new product has a temperature coefficient of -0.29/C and a power output ranging from 570 W to 580 W.

Researchers in Indonesia have investigated how shading effects may influence the performance ratio of a PV system. Their analysis also considered payback period and return on investment.

JinkoSolar has broken ground on a 56 GW PV panel factory in China’s Shanxi province. It says the new facility will be vertically integrated and will be constructed in four 14 GW phases.