On the trail of a cause for solar cell LID
Scientists in the United States used sophisticated imaging to delve deep into the structure of a silicon solar cell, revealing for the first time a distinct defect signature for light-induced degradation. Their technique could be used to better understand the mechanisms behind multiple various defects affecting the performance of silicon and other solar cell technologies.
Scatec to install up to 100 MW of green hydrogen capacity in Egypt
Norwegian renewables specialist Scatec has revealed plans to collaborate with Fertiglobe and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt on the development of a green hydrogen plant in Egypt with an electrolyzer ranging from 50 MW to 100 MW.
Module durability, and design for recycling
A new report published by the International Energy Agency offers a series of guidelines for the design of recyclable PV modules. The report aims to help manufacturers find the balance between durability and recyclability, to better address concerns about the 78 million tons of end-of-life PV modules expected by 2050.
VSun unveils new half-cut monocrystalline PERC PV module
The Vietnamese solar manufacturer presented its new half-cut monocrystalline PERC PV module at last week’s Intersolar Europe. It features an efficiency of 21.38% efficiency and maximum power output of 605 W.
RatedPower raises $6 million in financing round led by Seaya Ventures
The financing round will be used to drive the Spanish PV software specialist’s international growth in markets such as the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, accelerate product development and improve customer experience.
JinkoSolar sets new record for n-type solar cell efficiency
Manufacturing giant JinkoSolar has set another world record for n-type solar cell efficiencies with its TOPCon technology, this time pushing to 25.4%. The new world record was confirmed by JET laboratories in Japan, and surpasses JinkoSolar’s previous record of 25.25% set back in May.
Observing silicon anodes in action
Scientists in the United States working with silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries have managed to model key mechanisms that lead to fast developing performance loss in the anodes. Understanding what causes the silicon to swell up and subsequently fall apart, the scientists say, is an important step to preventing it, and producing long lasting, high-capacity batteries.
The weekend read: Half-cut solar cells on edge
Half-cut solar cells have quickly grown to become an industry standard, promising more power through reduced cell-to-module losses, among other advantages. Innovative processes have been introduced to reduce cell damage during the actual cutting process, but even these still leave behind an unpassivated area at the edge of the cell, which can result in performance losses. As cell efficiencies increase, this will only become more of a problem. pv magazine examines the possible solutions.
The Hydrogen Stream: New magnesium-based composite for hydrogen storage and a big push from South Korea
Researchers at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) identified a new magnesium-based alloy that could be used for hydrogen storage. Furthermore, Hyundai Mobis announced a $1.1 billion (€0.95 billion) investment in two new fuel cell plants in South Korea, while South Korea’s SK Group formed a joint venture with US hydrogen solutions company Plug Power to develop green hydrogen across several Asian countries.
Jolywood unveils 700 W TOPCon PV module
The double-glass product has dimensions of 2,384 x 1,303 x 35 mm and a weight of 38 kg. It is based on the company’s n-type TOPCon 2.0 cell technology dubbed Niwa Max, which the manufacturer said reached efficiencies of up to 25.4% in the laboratory. The module’s efficiency ranges from 21.73 to 22.53%.
