MIT scientists develop semisolid zinc-manganese dioxide flow battery for wind, PV storage
MIT researchers have created a semisolid flow battery that might be able to outperform lithium-ion and vanadium redox flow batteries. It features a new electrode made of dispersed manganese dioxide particles shot through with an electrically conductive additive, carbon black.
Partnership formed for molten salt long duration energy storage
Malta announced a partnership with Betchel to deploy electro-thermal energy storage systems that are capable of durations of 10-150+ hours.
New ‘bioinspired’ solution to battery degradation
As part of their efforts to bring lithium-ion battery degradation under control, scientists in China have looked to emulate natural defenses many organisms have evolved to reduce oxidation reactions and related damage. With an additive that ‘scavenges’ reactive particles before they can contribute to degradation, the group was able to demonstrate significantly lower electrolyte decomposition in a working battery.
TOPCon solar module tech from Taiwan
Taiwanese solar manufacturer Motech is expanding its TOPCon module capacity to meet rising demand. Its flagship product is a TOPCon 360 W panel with a power conversion efficiency of 21.1%.
Mounting system for rooftop PV relying on large-size solar modules
Developed by Spanish manufacturer Alusín Solar, the new mounting system is claimed to be, currently, the only one on the market that provides six fixing points for a solar panel in ballast-secured structures.
Shawn Qu at BNEF Summit Shanghai: ‘A new era for solar PV’
The Canadian Solar chief repeated his belief the trend of ever-cheaper solar panels has come to an end and revealed, at the online BNEF event, his company is set to launch a 700 W module.
CIGS solar panels for offshore PV
A Dutch consortium is testing a 20 kW pilot floating PV installation for offshore applications with CIGS solar modules developed by Swedish manufacturer Midsummer. The panels consist of 144 solar cells and measure 4 m X 1 m, with up to 485 W of capacity.
Green solvents for a 17%-efficient organic solar cell
Scientists in Sweden and China developed a solution-based process to produce organic solar cells, demonstrating efficiencies better than 17%. The process utilizes paraxylene as a solvent, which the researchers claim is less toxic and more stable than others used to reach high organic solar cell efficiencies, and with more work could be scaled up to produce large area devices.
Varta releases residential battery with emergency power function
Varta’s Element Backup battery is available in three versions with storage capacities of 6.5 kWh, 13.0 kWh, and 19.5 kWh.
Centipede battery energy storage launched by Powin
The battery features a modular design with pre-integrated segments that contain batteries, thermal management, and safety systems. The design offers scalability and supports up to 200 MWh storage per acre.
