Technology and R&D

A German consortium is testing an 18-ton electric truck covered with a 3.5 kW PV system. The solar modules were designed by scientists at the Fraunhofer ISE and produced by German manufacturer Sunset Energietechnik GmbH. The panels are equipped with a special separation device that is able to disconnect the panels in case of an accident.

The special sealant is based on a product developed by U.S.-based Dow Corning for solar panel frame sealing. Its creators claim the new solution is able to make damaged panels recover high insulation resistance and operate normally.

The record efficiency was obtained thanks to an interlayer placed between the electron-transporting layer and the perovskite layer, which eliminated the need for passivation. The cell was also able to retain around 90% of its initial efficiency after 500 hours under standard illumination.

Sydney-based 5B has taken the wraps off a new generation of its re-deployable modular Maverick solar technology which it says is not only quicker and easier to install than the previous model but 30% more powerful.

A collaboration between universities, nonprofits, and a geospatial mapper led to development of a highway solar evaluation tool.

Scientists in South Korea demonstrated a fabrication technique for perovskite solar cells relying entirely on room temperature, ambient conditions processes. Using an all-inorganic perovskite material, and a spray coated electron transport layer, cells fabricated by the group achieved a maximum efficiency of 19.75%.

New investments and partnerships announced this week see hydrogen projects developing across Europe, India, Asia and more. The current climate of high prices for natural gas has led one company to exclaim that green hydrogen is now competitive with its fossil fuel produced ‘grey’ counterpart, and research continues into optimizing hydrogen supply chains and smoothing its integration into the energy landscape.

Underground hydrogen storage seems to be coming up a lot lately, and with the burgeoning hydrogen industry needing somewhere to store itself, it’s not hard to understand why. One of the countries with the best credentials for the future hydrogen economy is Australia. A newly published report has quantified the country’s “massive opportunity” for underground hydrogen storage.

Scientists in the United States developed a method to observe the structure and mechanics of a perovskite material during its synthesis and transition from liquid precursors to a solid thin film. The group says its work will provide new insight into manufacturing and the development of reliable large-scale processes for perovskite solar cell production.

A new study from researchers at the universities of Lancaster and Reading in the UK has managed to quantify the economic boost provided by the symbiotic relationship between solar farms and honeybee hives.