Portuguese fossil fuel giant creates renewables unit
Galp Energia aims to develop a sustainable power project portfolio based on solar and wind. It will devote up to 15% of its total investments to its renewable energy plans.
Storage prevails in France’s capacity auction
The Ministry for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition’s long-term auction was organized by grid operator RTE under the French capacity procurement mechanism. Storage accounted for 253 MW of the capacity assigned in the auction, which was open to all decarbonizing technologies.
Quantum dot hybrid HTJ cell with 12.82% efficiency
South Korean researchers have developed a hybrid tandem solar cell based on quantum dots and organic bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photoactive materials. They claim that the cell could reach an efficiency rate of around 15% if they continue to reduce energy losses in the quantum dot cell and enhance near-infrared absorption.
Integrating stress and temperature sensors in crystalline silicon cells
Fraunhofer ISE researchers have integrated stress and temperature sensors within a PV module. They claim that the devices cover a very minimal part of the cells, and that their interaction with the module and the cell itself is quite limited. The sensors can be manufactured as part of a regular cell manufacturing process.
Australia’s AEMC rejects new rule for calculating transmission losses
The Australian network regulator has ignored pleas from some of the biggest solar and wind project owners in Australia to change the way marginal loss factors (MLFs) are calculated. While it has acknowledged that transmission has failed to keep pace with renewable energy investment, it did not offer any suggestions on what should be done to ameliorate the problem.
Sunrun installs record capacity in Q4 while cutting customer acquisition costs
The largest residential solar company in the United States installed 117 MW in the fourth quarter and reached a total customer base of 285,000 – all while bringing creation costs lower than they have ever been.
US: Solar could be installed on Appalachian coalfields
Former surface mines in central Appalachia could be re-purposed for solar. Environmental group The Nature Conservancy is exploring the options.
Juwi applies new coating to operations and maintenance portfolio
The developer of the material, US-based specialist Pellucere, says its innovation can raise PV energy yield 3.5-4.2%.
Chinese solar production juggernaut rumbles on
Three more PV manufacturers are jostling to announce plans to invest in an expansion of production capacities as the industry appears to make light of coronavirus fears.
Trina unveils two 500 W bifacial solar modules
The Duomax V and Tallmax V panels are equipped with glass-glass and glass-backsheet frames, respectively. Both offer a reported 21% efficiency and orders will be taken from the second quarter on. Trina plans to have a combined 5 GW of annual production capacity for the products this year.
