Technology and R&D

Microinverter provider Enphase has signed a deal with Swell Energy to participate in distributed virtual power plants in California, New York and Hawaii.

As research into non-rare metal catalysts continues, companies in northwest Europe are working on an offshore green hydrogen demonstration project, the first European data center to run on green hydrogen, and on hydrogen-based solutions for container transport. Meanwhile, European institutions are prepping for stronger hydrogen collaboration with Africa.

The U.S. battery specialist has signed framework agreements with four developers to deliver systems for multiple projects.

Hoshine will invest $2.75 billion in the new polysilicon factory. Elsewhere, Irico New Energy today announced a strategic co-operation agreement with PV manufacturer Jinko Solar that will see it prioritize supply of solar panel glass.

TOPCon solar modules will gain more market share if their average efficiency, already higher than that of PERC panels, continues to improve, according to Stefan Glunz, PV research chief at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. In an upcoming pv magazine webinar on the potential of TOPCon tech, Glunz will show how to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Scientists in Spain have fabricated a silver bismuth sulfide (AgBiS₂) material with an absorption coefficient that is claimed to be 5-10 times greater than any other material currently used for PV technology. A cell built with these nanocrystals showed a power conversion efficiency of 9.17%, an open-circuit voltage of 0.495V, a short-circuit current of 26.75mA/cm², and a fill factor of 63%.

French start-up Rosi Solar has developed an industrial solution claimed to be capable of recovering high purity silicon, silver and copper contained in end-of-life PV modules. The company’s technology is based on a pyrolysis process that makes it possible to isolate the different metals from the cells.

Greenko Group has agreed to provide Ayana with 6GWh of pumped-hydro storage capacity from its project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Researchers from the United States have investigated how fuel cells and electrolyzers may be able to operate under intermittent availability provided by both wind and solar and have found that an affordable hydrogen-based system for seasonal energy storage could be achieved at a hydrogen price lower than $3, produced from inexpensive renewable electricity at $0.02/kWh.

Trina Solar, the pioneer of 210mm large format high power PV modules, speaks to pv magazine about its strategy for their deployment. Dr. Zhang Yingbin, Trina Solar’s head of product strategy and marketing, discusses the business solutions Trina provided for its new products, while Todd Li, President of Trina Solar Asia Pacific, shares his views on the PV markets in the Asia-Pacific region.