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%.
Switching from subsidization to taxation may improve uptake of heat pumps coupled to PV
According to a Swedish-Austrian group of scientists, the combined use of heat pumps and rooftop PV generation may be boosted in Europe by replacing current subsidies with a carbon tax policy. Their analysis showed that the profitability of this combination is strictly dependent on gas prices, and that a slight increase in gas prices would be crucial to sustain strong development.
New battery chemistry tweak could double EV range
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a revolutionary lithium-metal battery chemistry that could allow electric vehicle batteries to almost double their capacity, while also overcoming historic setbacks.
Hydrogen-fired gas turbines vs. lithium-ion storage
According to a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hydrogen-fired gas plants will compete with lithium-ion storage for seasonal storage and their competitiveness will strictly depend on the heat rate of the gas power plants they may replace.
Two years of perovskite progress
Scientists in China examined some of the key achievements in the development of perovskite solar cells in 2020 and 2021. The group finds that translating laboratory achievements onto larger, manufacturable devices, is the biggest challenge, and sees continuing collaboration between the industry and academic researchers as the key to overcoming this challenge.
Indian ashram deploys solar+storage system
Loom Solar has installed a solar+storage system at a small ashram in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The project features six 440 W PV modules, a 5 kWh (100 Ah/51.2 V) lithium ion storage system, and a 5 kVA string inverter.
Portable hydrogen fuel cell generator with power output of 400 W
The generator can be combined with batteries, solar panels, or small wind turbines. It is based on a proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology and is claimed to have a minimum lifetime of 5,000 working hours.
