Technology and R&D

An international research team has used Lewis molecules to improve efficiency and stability of a perovskite solar cell built with a fully encapsulated trapping tactic aimed to reduce perovskite surface defects. The cell achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 25.18% and a champion efficiency of 25.37%.

Finnish startup Polar Night Energy has commissioned the world’s largest sand battery in Pornainen, southern Finland. The industrial-scale system delivers 1 MW of thermal power with 100 MWh storage capacity, covering up to a month’s summer heat demand and nearly a week’s winter demand for the local district heating network.

Achieving cost-competitiveness for green hydrogen produced via water electrolysis using intermittent renewable energy sources remains a significant challenge. Researchers from LUT University in Finland have shown that considerable cost reductions can be achieved by simultaneously optimizing plant control and design, based on specific hydrogen demand targets and local weather conditions.

Evert has unveiled technical and availability details of its new power management unit, a wallbox that integrates a 22 kW bidirectional DC electric vehicle charger, a 20 kW PV inverter, and a home energy management system. The Norwegian startup targets residential users seeking integrated EV and solar energy solutions.

Switzerland-based utility CKW has installed PV systems on disused satellite dishes at telecom company Leuk TDC’s headquarters, using SolarEdge’s DC-optimized inverters and power optimizers to maximize system output.

Researchers in Australia have developed a simplified residual network-based architecture method to filter out noise from electroluminescence images of PV modules. The proposed technique reportedly enhance the accuracy and efficiency of automated inspection systems for utility-scale PV plants.

The Indian government has announced viability gap funding (VGF) of INR 54 billion ($631.5 million) to support 30 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS), allocating capacity among 15 states and the state-owned power producer NTPC. The scheme provides INR 1.8 million/MWh and requires projects to be commissioned within 18 months through competitive bidding.

An international research team has developed an index-based remote sensing method to see trends in the global development of water-based PV. It has found that China currently accounts for 80% of the global total deployed capacity.

Through a rigorous approach, with more than 4,000 simulations and a detailed analysis of each scenario, Enertis Applus+ offers a roadmap for understanding where, how, and under what conditions green hydrogen can be produced at competitive costs.

Researchers in China have used an argon plasma polishing pre-treatment (APP) to remove surface defects and increase passivation effectiveness in perovskite solar cells. The result is a perovskite device with a 2D interface that significantly improves stability and performance.