Technology and R&D

Join Cormac Gilligan, Associate Director of Clean Energy Technology at S&P Global Commodity Insights, and Marian Willuhn, Senior Editor, pv magazine, as they walk through the halls of The Smarter E Europe 2025 in Munich, exploring the latest trends in the power electronics field. In this video, Cormac shares insights from major inverter manufacturers, including Sungrow, Solis, GE Vernova, Solaredge, and Gamesa.

Japan-based startup PXP Corporation and JGC Japan Corporation, a unit of JGC Corporation, are collaborating on a 1 kW one-year project to trial lightweight chalcopyrite panels in Yokohama City.

Scientists in Turkiye claim to have developed a nickel-based TOPCon solar cell with a minimal silver content and almost the same efficiency as fully silver metallized counterparts. The device uses a new nickel contact method that requires a trace of silver of only 0.5 mg/W.

Swedish thin film solar specialist Midsummer announced the order of a SEK 143.5 million ($14.8 million) turnkey line with a capacity for 15 MW from an undisclosed Swedish industrial and defense group.

Engineers at Monash University have a developed a next-generation water-based battery suitable for application in residential use and compatible with rooftop solar in real time.

pv magazine is compiling a guide to home solar installations, aimed at those who are interested in installing but are new to the market and want to make an informed decision. We have spoken to associations, installers and industry specialists in major solar markets across the globe to compile best practice guidance and advice that aims to be applicable to home solar installations anywhere in the world.

The Aachen-based company has further developed its energy management system (EMS) under real-world conditions, to minimize the cyclic aging of its batteries.

The UK-based company said its new hybrid solution includes a stand-alone monobloc air-to-water heat pump with a nominal capacity of up to 16 kW and one of its boiler range. The heat pump system uses R32 (difluoromethane) as a refrigerant and has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.1.

Tristan Erion-Lorico, VP sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL, spoke with pv magazine Editor Marian Willuhn at Intersolar Europe 2025 about rising module failures in lab tests this year, citing glass breakage and UV degradation in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules as key quality concerns.

Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules continued to dominate the PV market at The smarter E Europe 2025, but pv magazine Magazine Director Mark Hutchins and CRU Group Senior Research Analyst Molly Morgan found emerging cell and module concepts gaining ground on the show floor.