Hungarian start-up launches solar tile with output of 167W per m²
Developed by Hungarian manufacturer Terràn, the Generon solar tile is based on concrete support and weighs is in at 5.7kg.
Hyundai Sonata hybrid is equipped with a solar roof
The 205W PV array adds nearly 1,000 miles of range each year and helps prevent battery discharge events that are responsible for four out of every ten roadside emergency breakdowns.
Developing better behind-the-meter energy storage
NREL researchers work on developing high energy density cells to advance stationary storage.
Photovoltaic pavement based on transparent resin-concrete protective layer
Conceived by scientists in China, the pavement was built with a transparent resin-concrete material and amorphous silicon solar panels. Its performance and payback time are still far from bringing it closer to commercial production but its creators say viability may be reached with further improvements.
Two-layer phase change materials for solar module cooling
Researchers in Iran have tested four different two-layer PCMs across several cooling system configurations and have found that the payback time of the proposed cooling tech is still far from reaching commercial viability. The system, however, was able to improve PV power generation by more than 3% and produce hot water with a temperature of up to 48 Celsius degrees from the solar module’s excess heat.
Ricoh launches mini hydropower system for remote locations, usable with solar-plus-storage
The pico-hydro generation system can be used with factory drainage systems and irrigation canals. According to the manufacturer, it is made with 3D-printed sustainable materials and is able to generate electricity even with a small stream of water. Solar and storage may be linked to the system to ensure stable power supply.
Solar for train traction in South Africa
The Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) is seeking consultants for the deployment of 3MW of solar capacity to supply power to the traction system and some stations of the Gautrain system – an 80km railway in Gauteng linking Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni, and the O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Delta launches new solar inverter series for residential, commercial PV
The new solar inverter series can achieve maximum efficiency of 98.7% and a European efficiency rating of 98.5%. Its rated power ranges from 15 to 20kW.
Enel, CEA achieve 24.47% efficiency in gallium-doped p-type heterojunction solar cell
Manufactured with wafers provided by Chinese PV producer Longi, the industrial-sized cells are able to provide a fill factor of 82.05%.
Large-area reference solar cell for high precision measurements
Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH) has partnered with engineering company Mencke und Tegtmeyer GmbH (IB-MuT) to develop a large-area reference solar cell for high precision cell measurements. The BigRef device is claimed to be the only rugged encapsulated large-area reference solar cell available on the market.
