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U.S. researchers claim to have added iron sulfate to anthraquinone disulfonic acid in a redox flow battery for the first time. The scientists said the combination could lead to inexpensive and more stable redox flow storage for just $54/kWh and said $66/kWh is already possible.

Scientists in Korea have investigated performance degradation in quantum dot solar cells – an important consideration for a technology that has seen rapid efficiency increases in recent months. The group found surface oxidation of quantum dot material represents a significant threat to longer-term performance and the researchers suggest that an additional layer in the cell could solve the problem.

French start-up Solaire Box has raised €1.5 million to back its business supplying wooden houses complete with PV rooftops. The buildings cost €1,700-2,000/m² and feature PV modules made by French firm Systovi. The company plans add to add features such as energy storage systems and carbon-free heating.

Australia’s previously booming rooftop PV market is likely to see a steep decline in the face of Covid-19-related shutdowns and uncertainty. An industry survey by pv magazine and Green Energy Markets prompted around half the respondents to report declines of 25-50% in customer enquiries, with a further 20% reporting new leads have dried up.

Coal has underpinned power generation for more than a century as a cheap, reliable and well understood technology, writes IHS Markit analyst George Hilton. Decommissioning of coal generation, in light of global efforts to reduce carbon emissions, will radically change the energy landscape and potentially leave a substantial gap to be filled by energy storage technologies.

A U.S. research group has developed a new solar cell, based on six active photoactive layers, to capture light from a specific part of the solar spectrum. The scientists claim that they could potentially reach a 50% efficiency rate with the new cell.

“Unprecedented” appears to be a frequently used term to describe the Covid-19 crisis that the global economy, our societies and healthcare systems are now facing. And while outbreaks of severe and potentially life-threatening diseases have occurred at various stages in the modern age, our globally connected reality today means that the coronavirus could have impacts that are truly without precedent.

pv magazine rounds up the latest Covid-19-related stories likely to affect the world of solar and energy storage.

The Hong Kong-listed PV developer has recorded a RMB3,598 million ($511.6 million) net loss for the year to the end of December, despite a 7% year-on-year uptick in revenue to RMB2,168 million.

The PV production equipment manufacturer said its employees will return to work at to two locations in Germany as planned after the Easter break, despite concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.