Technology and R&D

A US research team has tested mini solar modules in marine data collection devices, using animal hosts for water column profile measurements. The findings suggest that submarine PV can effectively operate in these applications at depths of up to 22 meters.

French renewables producer Unite has started building 10 photovoltaic aviaries in France, with 127 MW of total capacity. Completion is expected in two stages in spring 2024 and January 2025.

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE have provided guidelines for future research on perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells by identifying the most significant loss mechanisms at the perovskite/ETL interface, in the series resistance, and in light management.

A Finnish-Norwegian research group has investigated model chains for horizontal-to-vertical solar irradiance conversion in east-west oriented vertical PV systems located at high latitudes. They have found that accuracy and bias of the model chains are different for the east and west sides of solar array.

Italian researchers have outlined a four-step method to assess the technical feasibility of building-integrated PV (BIPV) projects in historical buildings. They applied the proposed approach to a courtyard building from the 16th century in the historical Italian town of Marcianise.

Imec has successfully integrated silicon heterojunction PV cells into curved surfaces, resulting in a 6% efficiency increase compared to passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) half cells. The cells are suitable for applications in vehicle-integrated and building-integrated PV (BIPV).

France’s National Solar Energy Institute (INES) – a division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) – is developing ultra-thin TOPCon solar devices for space missions, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The China National Institute of Metrology has certified the result. The manufacturer claims it was able to increase the panel efficiency from 16.02% to 18.04% in a few months.

The new product utlizes propane refrigerant with a lower global warming potential and has a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of over 5. According to the manufacturer, it can achieve a flow temperature of 75 C and 100% heating output at outside temperatures of -15 C.

German researchers measured a PV-powered heat pump with battery storage in a single-family home in Freiburg, Germany, for a period of a year. It features smart grid-ready tech that adjusts operations based on the grid.