Australia considers new off-grid, 100% renewables town in Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley in Australias New South Wales is set to see its first new town in 50 years. The aim is to have the 20,000 strong residential development powered by a 100% renewable microgrid. AU$1.1 million is being invested in the initial investigation.
European researchers develop perovskite-HJT solar cell
A research team from the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Ècole Polytechnique Fédérale (EPF) has developed a method to produce perovskite-heterojunction crystalline silicon tandem solar cells. Having produced an 18% efficiency cell with the technique, the researchers say with light trapping wafer texturing efficiencies as high as 25 to 30% could be achieved in the future.
INDEOtec supplies Octopus PECVD tool to U.S. research group
Switzerland PECVD equipment startup will supply one of its Octopus II systems to a U.S.-based research group. It is the fifth Octopus system INDEOtec has supplied to laboratories globally.
Solar Decathlon: Stevens wins top honors
The New Jersey-based research university won big for designing, building and operating the most cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive solar powered house. Other winners included UC Davis and Mass/Central America.
Germany: 293 GW solar potential
In a study, researchers identified that 143 GW of solar PV could be installed, restriction-free, on just 0.9% of Germanys landmass. Another 150 GW would be possible on rooftops. In this case, however, it will depend on how solar thermal will be expanded, and how many owners will invest.
Panasonic announces 22.5% module-level efficiency solar panel
Company claims new solar module prototype sets new world record for module-level efficiency based on mass-production technology. New HIT N330 high-powered module set to debut in U.K.
Cloaking technology refracts light around metallization fingers
German researchers have applied the approach used by invisibility cloak research to direct sunlight around busbars and metallization fingers to potentially increase PV cell and module efficiency. The research was carried out by a team of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and could potentially increase cell efficiency by 10%.
SolarCity to begin production of >22% efficient PV modules this month
Calling it the world’s most efficient rooftop solar panel, the company says it will produce PV modules with greater than 22% efficiency at a pilot facility.
INDEOtec sells Octopus II PECVD tool to French institute
Swiss PECVD tool developer INDEOtec has sold one of its Octopus II PECVD tools to Frances IPVF (Institut Photovoltaique dIle-de-France). The Octopus II tool is a deposition platform for high efficiency PV cell production, such as HJT concepts.
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands to expand PV testing
The Hague-based high-tech company Eternal Sun, a specialist in solar testing equipment, designed and upgraded the Energy Research Centre’s new testing lab.
