Technology and R&D

The University of French Polynesia has built a PV-driven hydrogen generation unit that combines a hydrogen chain with a thermochemical unit. The latter is used to recover waste heat from the electrolyzer and fuel cell to enable deferred cooling production for air conditioning.

As the world’s solar manufacturers continue to ramp up production at an eye-watering speed, a cell connection technique up to 10 times faster than the industry standard holds rich promise, according to Keven Tremblay, from Canadian laser process specialist Laserax.

Researchers in China have built a prototype of a spectral-splitting concentrator agrivoltaic system (SCAPV) with a PV efficiency of 9.9, a hybrid light-use efficiency rating of 9.05%, and a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $0.033/kWh.

Egyptian researchers have developed a multi-string PV system with a converter control strategy, achieving 99.81% efficiency with a direct duty cycle for maximum power point tracking (MPPT).

Researchers in the Netherlands have proposed the use of residential PV capacity to supply electricity to urban loads such as tram substations and dwellings, potentially reducing PV curtailment and demand for additional storage.

A consortium of European thin-film PV manufacturers and research institutes are working to advance copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS) solar development in a €5.9 million ($6.4 million) project. It aims to achieve 25% cell power conversion efficiency by improving manufacturing processes and scaling up from lab-sized bifacial devices to small outdoor-tested modules for a range of applications.

Antora says its thermal batteries offer a cost-effective way to store energy and produce high-temperature industrial heat and electricity on demand

Inno Neat has developed a solar-powered water filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals for rural communities.

China’s Hanersun has unveiled its new HItouch 5A module series, which is based on ABC cell tech and 182 mm wafers. The output ranges from 430 W to 600 W and the efficiency ratings are between 22.0% and 23.2%.

China’s Guangzhou Sanjing Electric (SAJ) has developed two new single-phase and three-phase all-in-one battery inverters with efficiencies of 97.8% and 98.0%, respectively. They use artificial intelligence to support energy management.