Contendre Solar unveils 550 W half-cut mono PERC modules
India-based Contendre Solar has unveiled its new CG X 144 series mono PERC modules, with power outputs ranging from 535 W to 550 W, and a power conversion efficiency between 20.7% and 21.3%.
New refrigerant circuit for safer, more efficient heat pumps
Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute ISE and a consortium of heat pump manufacturers have achieved a new efficiency record in their development of a low-refrigerant propane refrigeration circuit. The device has a heating capacity of 12.8 kW with only 124 grams of propane, amounting to a refrigerant charge of approximately 10g/kW, compared to 60g/kW for commercially available devices.
Reflective coating to reduce solar tile temperatures
Australian scientists have tested different reflective coatings in solar tiles and have found that they could improve the performance of building-integrated PV devices by up to 6.6%. They are currently working with building product manufacturers to bring their tech closer to commercial production.
DC rooftop PV providing domestic hot water to residential building at 60 C
Domestic hot water, with a heating system powered exclusively by DC solar power, has now covered the needs of an apartment building in Linz, Austria, for a period of a year. The 14 residential units are each connected to their own 1.36 KW solar arrays.
Hurricane Ian barely affects solar community in Florida
Babcock Ranch, a community near Fort Meyers, Florida, was built with climate resiliency in mind.
FuturaSun unveils 425 W n-type IBC solar module for rooftop applications
FuturaSun has revealed plans to expand its production capacity in China and its home market, Italy. Its new all-black solar panel features a power conversion efficiency of up to 21.60%.
‘Technology geriatrics’ will not ensure survival of nuclear power, says analyst
The latest World Nuclear Industry Status Report shows that nominal net nuclear generating capacity fell by 0.4 GW between 2020 and 2021, even though six new reactors were switched on throughout the world last year. This brought the share of nuclear power in the global electricity mix to below 10% for the first time in four decades.
Pairing batteries with rooftop solar
A growing number of residential solar projects include energy storage batteries. In the first part of this series, we look at the backup power feature of batteries.
The Hydrogen Stream: South Korean scientists achieve photocurrent density of 19.8 mA cm−2 in PEC cell for water splitting
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology researchers have unveiled designs for advanced solar hydrogen production systems to broaden the application of LC biomass. Mitsubishi has started building the world’s first validation center for hydrogen-related technologies, while Fortescue Future Industries has announced investments in Germany and Australia.
Statcon Energiaa launches plug-and-play microgrid inverter solution
India’s Statcon Energiaa has developed an outdoor inverter solution for microgrids that can integrate multiple energy sources, including renewables (biomass, wind, hydro and solar), battery storage, and diesel generators. It can deliver continuous, voltage-stabilized power to the loads and supports AC and DC coupling.
