Tesla acquires storage specialist Maxwell Technologies
The target company, which specializes in supercapacitors, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elon Musk’s business.
Japanese scientists seek to lower costs of PV-powered hydrogen
A research team has conducted a demonstration of the economic feasibility of battery-assisted, low-cost hydrogen production from solar. The scientists claim their system will mean hydrogen could be produced for $0.15-0.25 per cubic meter in 2030.
Helmholtz Center achieves 21.6% for perovskite CIGS tandem solar cell
The German researchers were able to improve the efficiency through a simplified production process.
E.on’s acquisition of Innogy would create customer energy data monopoly, claims rival utility
The planned acquisition of RWE subsidiary Innogy’s sales and network business, would make E.on the largest electricity supplier to two-thirds of Germany with a 70% market share in its distribution network. That is the finding of analysis conducted by consulting firm LBD on behalf of rival power firm Lichtblick.
DEWA begins work on hydrogen facility at Rashid Al Maktoum park
Only three months after issuing the project tender, the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority is building the plant with the support of Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens.
Solar rail and roads in the UK to get financial shot in the arm
The Department for Transport has announced funding for research projects which could help decarbonize Britain’s railways and generate power from roads and footpaths. Previously explored with limited success, it is hoped the research will push the frontiers of the field and give a fresh impetus to Britain’s ailing solar sector.
Singlet fission may raise theoretical efficiency of solar cells to 44%
According to a U.S. research team, new nanomaterials relying on dyes based on diketopyrrolopyrrole and rylene can generate a singlet fission reaction that extends the life of harvestable electronic charges.
Solliance claims 21.5% efficiency for perovskite CIGS cell
The European solar research organization, Solliance announced it has achieved a 21.5% efficiency for a flexible copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) tandem solar cell based on perovskite.
‘China’s most efficient’: Hanergy hits 24.34% efficiency on HJT cell
Chinese PV manufacturer Hanergy Thin Film Power Group today announced it has achieved 24.23% cell efficiency using its silicon heterojunction technology. The efficiency has been confirmed by Japan’s Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories.
Outlook for n-type
Among n-type manufacturers, SunPower, Panasonic, and LG had the leading roles in interdigitated back contact (IBC), heterojunction (HJT), and tunnel oxidized passivated contact (TOPCon), respectively. But Chinese cells with low cost and high efficiency trends have been on the rise. In the future expansion of n-type production lines, the power of Chinese cell manufacturers and equipment makers can’t be underestimated.
