Origami Solar develops light steel frames for solar modules
Origami Solar developed its new steel solar module frames in collaboration with global steel industry partners, in order to facilitate a smooth transition to high-volume, regional production.
Biofuels vs. solar electricity for urban mobility
Solar electricity will have to compete with biofuels in the urban mobility landscape. Biofuels, however, have a very low energy productivity per hectare, as well as high requirements for fertilizers, pesticides, and water.
PVEL releases ninth edition of ‘PV Module Reliability Scorecard’
The PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) 2023 Scorecard identifies 250 solar modules from 35 manufacturers as “top performers.”
Bslbatt presents new wall-mounted residential battery
Chinese manufacturer Bslbatt claims that its newest product is the world’s thinnest high-voltage residential battery. It can purportedly operate for more than 6,000 cycles and has a 90% depth of discharge.
Sungrow unveils power optimizer for rooftop PV systems
Sungrow’s new power optimizer has a rated input power of 600 W, a maximum efficiency rating of 99.4%, and a weighted efficiency of 98.8%. It can accommodate up to 30 modules per string.
US startup develops flexible inverted perovskite solar cell with 16.1% efficiency
Scientists from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Louisville have developed a revolutionary solar cell using yttrium-doped tin oxide nanoparticles. The innovation improves charge extraction and overall cell performance.
Planned US neighborhood is all-electric, solar-powered, storm-resilient
Vermont Governor Phil Scott and Senator Peter Welch attended the groundbreaking for a new microgrid neighborhood in South Burlington, Vermont, that will put solar on every home and an electric-vehicle charger in every garage.
New solar panels produce water from humidity
US-based manufacturer Source Global has introduced a solar module technology that can produce drinking water from as little as 10% humidity in the air. The company says that its optimized technology can produce water in a range of conditions.
Acciona finishes PV-powered irrigation system without batteries
Acciona has completed a 1.5 MW solar plant that powers an irrigation system covering 3,400 hectares in northeastern Spain, serving 150 irrigators. The company will supply water to local farmers under a 26-year contract.
Fraunhofer ISE creates way to assess perovskite-silicon tandem PV modules
Fraunhofer ISE is leading a project that is developing methods to characterize perovskite-based tandem modules, in an effort to facilitate their industrial implementation. A specially built Wavelabs solar simulator is now being used at the institute’s CalLab PV Modules.
