Halocell, Australian researchers to scale lead-free solar tech
Australian perovskite cell producer Halocell Energy is partnering with University of Queensland researchers to accelerate the commercial production of lead-free solar panels based on record-breaking tin-halide PV cell technology.
pv magazine Homeowner Guide: Top tips and red flags to home solar
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 first part of the series aims to help homeowners looking to embrace PV identify the best installers on the market.
Ciel & Terre completes 120 MWp floating solar array with new anchoring tech
Ciel & Terre has completed a 120 MWp floating solar project in India, introducing several company firsts in engineering and design, including rock bolt anchoring and a reinforced fiberglass inverter barge. The system also marks the French PV specialist’s first use of spin welding in its floating platform assembly.
The next evolution in solar degradation, unavailability
US-based software provider Solesca presents new ways of handling PV system unavailability and solar module degradation. Engineers have a key role to play in this evolution, ensuring more accurate and reliable energy predictions for solar projects.
Agrivoltaics offer more advantages in arid regions, new research finds
New research from France has compared the performance of agrivoltaics in Spain and the Netherlands and have concluded that the former – a dry region with high solar radiation levels – offer more technical advantages over the latter, which is characterized by abundant rainfall and lower solar radiation.
U.S. off-grid specialist launches PV-powered EV charging station
Beam Global is launching in Europe a prefabricated and portable PV powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station that integrates a canopy-style structure, an inverter, a battery storage system, an EV charger and 4.3 kW* of solar PV.
Tiny solar-plus-battery kits yield annual savings exceeding hardware cost
Researchers found multiple benefits after distributing free solar panels and battery systems with USB ports to 800 rural households in Ghana.
Beretta unveils residential air-to-water heat pump
The Italian manufacturer said its new R32 heat pump has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.2 and a heating capacity of up to 16 kW. It is available in either single-phase or three-phase versions.
Three-year field test shows TOPCon, HJT solar module reliability in desert areas
A three-year field experiment comparing the performance and reliability of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) modules in desert climates found that HJT modules exhibited the highest degradation, while TOPCon modules showed the lowest degradation.
Heat pump deployment requires massive amounts of storage, finds UK researcher
Researchers in the United Kingdom found that approximately 175 TWh of hydrogen and compressed air storage capacity will be needed to fully decarbonize heating in the United Kingdom. Lead researcher Bruno Cardenas told pv magazine that, when domestic heat demand is 100% electrified, average annual electricity demand and peak load in the grid are 26% and 70% higher than current levels.
