Technology and R&D

The lightweight and flexible cell was built by Estonian researchers with microcrystalline powders. The device is claimed to be the most efficient solar cell fabricated with a semiconductor compound known as Cu2CdGe(SxSe1−x)4.

The University of New South Wales is leading a new research project to determine how rooftop solar PV and other distributed energy resources, including small-scale batteries, can be integrated into Australia’s power grid.

Arvind Shah, a professor at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, and Meyer Burger former Chief Innovation Officer Sylvère Leu recently spoke to pv magazine about the future of heterojunction PV modules. They said the tech is mature and can now compete on cost with PERC panels in projects – particularly in hot, humid environments.

The Recommended Practice guide, on top of describing the most common requirements for building a floating PV array, provides a series of technical guidelines for electrical safety, anchoring and mooring issues, operation and maintenance, and specific plant design that can withstand site-specific environmental conditions.

German start-up Phytonics has developed the film by taking inspiration from nanostructures in plants. In solar cells, the film enables a broader absorption spectrum and a higher angle of light-incidence tolerance.

U.S. researchers are using a data fusion approach to identify the most stable perovskites for PV cells. Their machine-learning method combines perovskite test results with first-principles physical modeling to identify the best candidates.

A robust national strategy, a portfolio of renewable energy assets, public subsidies and, ideally, existing gas pipelines will all favor African nations aiming to become exporters in the energy storage medium, participants heard at a recent two-day green hydrogen conference.

The new, Tiger Pro 54HC panel is based on a 182mm, 54-cell design and exhibits an efficiency of up to 21.3%. The manufacturer claims the new product is particularly suitable for residential projects in high snow or high wind load areas.

Australian scientists have achieved a new breakthrough in carbon capture and storage. Their novel electrochemical process can store carbon dioxide in water with the power of solar or wind, while also producing by-products such as green hydrogen and calcium carbonate – perhaps the key to decarbonizing the cement industry.

Academics reviewed the historic price development of lithium-ion batteries and found the accepted model does not accurately reflect the full cost decline and technological improvement which has taken place. With more data points to compare, the team found batteries had improved even more than previously assumed.