Technology and R&D

This was the message coming out of the 23rd World Energy Congress being held in Istanbul, as renewable energy industry leaders lauded the achievements of the industry, but were quick to point out the hard work that was needed to continue the unprecedented growth of renewable energy.

Just over a year after Australian cleantech company Dyesol claimed to have achieved efficiency levels of 10 per cent in its perovskite solar cells, US researchers claim to have topped that, with a breakthrough that could also work to fast-track commercialisation of the technology.

The Korean solar module developer has received InnoLas’ ILS-TT laser machine for its R&D facilities located in Germany.

The German company has managed to generate EUR 230,000 (USD 257,000) through crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, which has enabled it to initiate the prototype stage for its innovative Sion car that is fitted with integrated solar cells.

The U.K.’s energy minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe disappointed yesterday when addressing the Clean Energy Live show that is taking place in Birmingham, England. Apart from the usual political jargon, her speech offered no clues of ways that the British government plans to help solar industry growth in the time of zero subsidies.

The Norwegian solar developer has developed a formula to mass-produce its multicrystalline cells at average efficiencies of 20.21%, becoming the first known manufacturer to achieve such numbers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out a plan to put a CAD 10 (USD 7.6) per tonne price on all carbon pollution by 2018, which would then rise to CAD 50 per tonne by 2022, as he shows a stern resolve to tackle climate change head on, while stimulating the Canadian economy at the same time.

The innovative process that transforms quartz into solar grade metal in one-step is being developed by PyroGenesis Canada, and has achieved encouraging purity levels as high as 99.97% during the first series of testing.

A tough week of tariff cuts and bankruptcies for the solar industry, although a few success stories from California, India and the Middle East serve to lighten the mood. The strange story of a potential lifeline for SunEdison, as well Solar’s mention in the first U.S. Presidential debate, also make for interesting developments.

Project Sunroof, an initiative led by Google, has been announced as one of 13 winners of the United Nations ‘Momentum for Change’ climate change award, by enabling tens of millions of Americans to evaluate the solar potential of their home with just the click of a button, showing them both monetary savings and environmental impact.