Four injured in ‘incident’ at Wacker’s US polysilicon factory
The German chemicals producer said that the issue involved four contractors doing maintenance on non-operational equipment.
Kstar launches 1,500 V string inverter
The transformer-free 250 kW product offers a reported efficiency of 99%, providing a European rating of 98.5%.
Jinko unveils new 610 W solar panels
The Chinese manufacturer introduced new PV modules this weekend at the SNEC solar exhibition in Shanghai.
The weekend read: Europe ramps up policy support for storage
Policy support for battery energy storage is gaining momentum across Europe as national governments remove regulatory barriers and the EU pledges financial support for this emerging technology. In several countries, revised capacity markets now allow energy storage operators to compete for subsidy contracts on a more equal footing with power generators. Support from the European Battery Alliance and €1 billion in loans from the European Investment Bank in 2020 alone should help shore up investor confidence. Battery storage will be a key component to support the growth of solar PV – but the rollout of projects will have to accelerate faster to fulfill this potential.
Thin-film amorphous silicon greenhouses begin to sprout
Researchers have matched the tinting of semi-transparent PV modules with the bandwidth of light that plants absorb for photosynthesis. A promising trial with basil and spinach has opened up economic opportunities for farmers.
SolarEdge violated Huawei inverter patent, rules Chinese court
Huawei said the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court in China has ruled in its favor in a patent dispute with its Israeli rival.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon, module prices continue to rise
Polysilicon prices continued to soar this week. Prices have been rising across the PV supply chain since mid-July due to recent accidents at two Chinese polysilicon factories, according to EnergyTrend.
The PV world 10 years ago – Summer Series Part III
pv magazine editor Pilar Sánchez Molina takes a look at PV sector news from 10 years ago as part of an ongoing series. These insights bring back memories of an exciting, challenging period, while pointing to where we might be in 2030.
Silver price rally won’t affect PV industry
Silver prices reached their highest levels this week since 2016. But Michael DiRienzo, executive director of The Silver Institute, says prices are still not high enough to complicate silver supplies for the PV industry.
Solar tile with passive cooling
Researchers built the device by attaching 17%-efficient monocrystalline PV cells to a mortar roof tile that was doped with a phase-change material (PCM). The PCM solar tile provided 4.1% more power than the PV tile with no cooling agent in the winter, and 2.2% to 4.3% more during the summer.
