Rechargeable zinc batteries: Overcoming challenges and finding opportunities
Josef Daniel-Ivad from the Zinc Battery Initiative updates the current scaling of zinc battery manufacturers and technology.
Japanese scientists achieve world record 25.14% efficiency for perovskite-CIGS tandem solar cell
The result was certified by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
Romania moves from solar to storage rebates
Romania is not planning to run a grant scheme offering non-repayable funds for home solar installations for a second year running, instead aiming funds at existing solar prosumers looking to install battery storage systems. The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association expects strong growth in Romania’s rooftop PV market to continue despite the absence of solar-specific installation grants.
Dimplex launches propane air-to-water heat pumps for light commercial applications
The new propane heat pumps support water flow temperatures of up to 70 C and achieve a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 5.2 according to the UK-based manufacturer.
Glass frit chemistry explains EVA-driven degradation mechanisms in TOPCon solar cells
Researchers from University of New South Wales and Jolywood found that corrosion-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells is primarily governed by glass frit chemistry in low-aluminum silver metallization. Their findings show that barium-zinc-modified frits significantly improve resistance to acetic-acid and damp-heat stress, enabling more stable silver-silicon interfaces and reduced module-level power loss.
Hydrostor launches 4 GWh advanced compressed air energy storage project in Ontario
The first 4 GWh phase of the Canadian developer’s Quinte Energy Storage Centre is expected to be operational in the early 2030s, with subsequent phases targeting 8 GWh to 16 GWh.
Upcycling silicon from end-of-life solar modules via palladium nanoparticles
Researchers in Italy have developed a Pd/Si catalyst for upcycling silicon from end-of-life PV panels. The system showed performance comparable to commercial-silicon catalysts and stable recycling over six cycles.
Spain, Denmark could develop European green hydrogen corridor for €2/kg by combining solar and offshore wind
The complementarity between Spanish photovoltaics and Danish offshore wind power could underpin a European green hydrogen market by enabling renewable hydrogen production and exports at costs close to €2/kg.
PV power generation to surpass coal in Texas
Utility-scale solar power is projected to surpass coal-fired generation in the ERCOT grid this year as massive capacity additions continue to reshape the state energy mix.
Japan awards 1.25 GW of battery storage in capacity market auction
Third long-term decarbonization auction sees significant drop in BESS bids due to new rule on storage duration. However, awarded capacity for battery storage remained relatively strong.
