A repair tape for cracked backsheets
Backsheet failures have plagued the industry, causing hefty financial burdens to many asset owners. DuPont has launched a product it says allows for easy repair of modules.
Cadmium-free kesterite solar cell with 9.82% efficiency
Researchers in South Korea have fabricated a cadmium-free heterojunction kesterite solar cell based on a zinc sulfide oxide Zn(O,S) buffer layer. They used a one-minute ammonium sulfide (NH4)2S treatment process for surface cleaning and passivation of the cell’s CZTSSe absorber.
Huawei and Yingli announce smart collaboration
The two brands announced a strategic project at the SNEC solar conference and trade show which will see the establishment of trading and big data centers to help roll-out PV in China.
Cleaning solar modules with sand and wind, on Mars
NASA scientists have partially cleaned up the solar modules of the Insight lander operating on Mars, by using grain sands collected nearby and trickling them on the panels during the windiest time of the day. This handmade technique has made it possible, according to them, to increase the PV array’s yield of about 30 watt-hours of energy per ‘sol,’ or Martian day.
Australian research prompts rethink on silicon heterojunction cell production
Defect engineering for silicon heterojunction solar cells has come a long way. But Matthew Wright, a solar researcher at the University of New South Wales, asks whether these proven efficiency gains could be applied more effectively.
Watch how this solar array will boost the International Space Station’s power capacity
The solar cells for the space station were provided by Boeing’s subsidiary Spectrolab.
Developing standards for solar & wildlife habitat
A group of researchers in the U.S. analyzed recent developments in efforts at dual land use projects, combining solar energy with habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. Based on recent projects and studies, they offer a list of best practices for developing the habitats; and warn that without careful oversight the promising concept could amount to little more than greenwashing.
Latin America’s first liquid air storage project
The 50 MW Highview Enlasa project will be located in Diego de Almagro, in Chile’s Atacama Region.
The Hydrogen Stream: 200 MW electrolyzer in the Netherlands, Russian-French partnership for blue hydrogen
French energy company TotalEnergies and Russia’s second-largest natural gas producer, Novatek, are exploring new opportunities in the development of decarbonized blue hydrogen and ammonia. Anglo-Dutch energy major Royal Dutch Shell has awarded the Australian engineering company Worley a services contract to support the development of a new 200 MW electrolysis-based hydrogen plant in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Four-terminal III-V solar cell with 32.57% efficiency
Scientists at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory have simulated a III-V solar cell by stacking gallium arsenide films onto interdigitated back contact silicon solar cells with a glass interlayer. The scientists have already done some initial mini-module integration work, but significant size scaling will ultimately be needed to reach commercialization. The cell currently has an active area of 1 cm2.
