Serial inventor aims to change PV value chain by addressing heat
Kent Kernahan has set out to take the heat out of solar cells. He and his partners may end up bringing solar manufacturing jobs to disadvantaged communities, while making low-cost rooftop solar more widely available.
Maxeon adds another PV module to AC series
Singapore-based solar manufacturer Maxeon has unveiled the new Performance 3 AC panel, the latest addition to its AC range.
The Hydrogen Stream: What the EU’s Fit for 55 means for hydrogen
The revision of the EU Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) will also have an impact on the nascent hydrogen economy. The European Commission is currently evaluating options to create a certification system for low-carbon fuels and it may extend the EU-wide certification for renewable fuels to include hydrogen.
An environmental failsafe for lead-based perovskites
Scientists in Switzerland discovered that certain types of phosphate salt react with lead only in the presence of moisture, to form non-water-soluble phosphates. Incorporating these salts into the architecture of a lead-based perovskite solar cell could greatly reduce the risk of lead seeping into the environment should the cells be damaged, without incurring significant costs or negatively affecting the cell’s performance.
Chemical bath deposition for 21.7%-efficient perovskite solar cell based on tin oxide films
The cell was used to build two perovskite solar modules with a size of 5x5cm and 10x10cm, respectively, and with efficiencies of 15.62% and 11.80%.
China wants to test vanadium redox flow batteries
A 125 kW/500kWh storage unit will be tested by China’s National Photovoltaic and Energy Demonstration Experimental Center. The storage system will be provided by Canadian specialist VRB Energy.
Micro-inverter for balcony solar modules
Two different devices designed by German manufacturer Bosswerk can feed up to 300 or 600 watts into the home network. The company offers a 12-year guarantee.
Sonnen battery still running after 28,000 full charge cycles
Sonnen has published test results indicating the longevity of its storage systems after extended use.
Supercomputer scientists dive deep into perovskites
Scientists in the U.S. used sophisticated computer modelling techniques to recreate the microscopic structures of a perovskite solar cell, revealing new information about defects within the materials that could greatly improved performance.
Nanocomposite films for 13.57%-efficient organic solar cell
Scientists in Malaysia have used, for the first time, nanocomposite films based on zinc oxide and polyvinyl alcohol in organic solar cells. These films were able to improve the efficiencies of the PV devices by up to 3.5%.
