Technology and R&D

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has identified a low-cost way to produce high-efficiency III-V solar cells with dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE). The synthesis involved a gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cell with a gallium indium arsenide phosphide emitter layer.

Green Gravity, an Australian energy storage startup, says it will explore opportunities to deploy its gravitational energy storage technology in Europe, after signing an agreement with Romanian state-owned energy producer Complexul Energetic Valea Jiului SA.

Scientists in the Netherlands have sought to understand the reason for unexpected gains in vertical PV systems and found that these installations have a much higher heat transfer coefficient than their horizontally deployed counterparts.

Monoprice, a US consumer electronics supplier, says its new portable batteries can store electricity from solar panels and wall outlets. They range in price from $199.99 to $799.99.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

The US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon has revealed 105 teams from 93 collegiate institutions for its 2024 Design Challenge. The competitors will develop high-performance, zero-energy buildings.

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) says it has added new solar module qualification tests and fresh insights to improve intelligent module procurement strategies.

A group of international researchers has developed a new perovskite-silicon solar cell design using a top perovskite PV device with an energy bandgap of 1.67 eV and a new self-assembly monolayer based on carbazole. The tandem cell achieved a higher efficiency compared to counterparts without the monolayer and passed the IEC 61215 standard thermal cycling test.

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has determined that Antora Energy’s solar-plus-storage system meets the US military’s stringent standards, as it significantly outperforms emergency diesel generators in survivability probabilities.

Optimizing PV systems in partial shading conditions presents a multifaceted challenge, demanding a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between power electronics and PV technology. Shading scenarios exert a significant influence on system performance, with practical insights tailored to various shading conditions, offering guidance for stakeholders in PV planning. Collaborative efforts within the PV industry are directed at enhancing planning tools, seeking to streamline and improve the accuracy of PV system designs, and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable energy future.