Stadium in Austria now hosting Europe’s largest PVT system
Austria has installed Europe’s largest photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar system at a stadium, using Sunmaxx modules combined with geothermal energy and brine heat pumps to provide climate-neutral electricity and heat.
Agrivoltaics for cherries
Switzerland’s Energie360° and solar tech specialist Insolight have agreed to build a 1,300-panel agrivoltaic plant on a cherry farm in Leuggern, Switzerland. The facility will combine crop protection and dynamic light management.
Different dust, different impact on PV module performance
Scientists in Germany have collected dust from Qatar, Morocco and Thailand to analyze the impact on the performance of uncoated solar glass and uncoated PV mini-modules. Their analysis has shown that dust coverage could range from 4% to 60%.
New study confirms sensitivity of heterojunction solar cells to soldering flux
Researchers in South Korea have found that the contamination by small amounts of soldering flux residues during heterojunction PV module manufacturing can induce significant long-term performance degradation. Careful control of flux application methods and incorporating drying steps are proposed as potential solutions.
Italian startup releases 9.8 kWh sodium battery for residential applications
Italy-based Heiwit has developed a 200 Ah sodium-ion battery with a lifespan of 6,000 cycles. The device reportedly offers thermal stability and rapid charging speed.
Enertech unveils geothermal heat pump for residential use
The US-based heating specialist said its new variable-speed water–to–water system has a coefficient of performance of 3.2 at full load and 3.8 at part load.
Glass-free, colored PV modules for building rooftop retrofits, façades
Researchers from Swiss and Austrian institutions have demonstrated a novel design for a glass-free, structurally robust silicon PV module. With a weight below 6 kg/m2, the targeted application is older buildings with weak roof structure.
Ecological impact of ground-mounted PV depends on previous land use
Researchers in the Netherlands have identified all major solar power plants in the Dutch Province of Gelderland and have analyzed all of their spatial measures in an effort to assess their impact on landscape. They have specifically focused on land use competition, biodiversity, and landscape experience.
Optimal parameters for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell manufacturing
Researchers in the Middle East claim to have identified the optimal parameters for the commercial production of perovskite-silicon tandem solar modules across several locations. Their analysis showed that manufacturing costs may currently be as low as $0.387/W, with the prospect of reaching $0.25/W in seven years.
Hithium completes world’s first open-door fire test for grid-scale BESS
Chinese energy storage speciliast Hithium has completed a landmark UL-supervised fire safety trial, signaling a step-change in system-level fire protection for grid-scale battery storage.
