Cooling PV panels with stagnant water layer
Researchers have developed a stagnant water layer cooling concept and tested it using seawater, tap water, and desalinated water. The panel temperature decreased by up to 8.2 °C, while power output increased by approximately 28%.
Austria opens final €8 million solar-plus-storage rebate round
Vienna’s third and final subsidy call offers €8 million ($9.2 million) in incentives and a 10% “Made in Europe” bonus for new or expanded solar-plus-storage systems.
Montserrat runs solar-plus-storage tender
The government of Montserrat is searching for an engineering, procurement and construction contractor for a solar-plus-battery storage project. The deadline for applications is October 23.
Spain installs 7.2 GW of solar in 2024 amid rooftop slowdown
Spain added 7.2 GW of new solar capacity in 2024, bringing total installations to more than 40 GW, though rooftop deployment fell sharply, according to the national PV association.
Australian researchers hit 27.06% with triple-junction perovskite cell
A team of researchers led by the University of Sydney has fabricated a triple-junction perovskite-perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell that achieved a power conversion efficiency of up to 27.06% and set new standards for thermal stability.
California may order 6 GW early to secure expiring renewables credits
A California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) judge has proposed advancing 6 GW of new electric capacity orders between 2029 and 2032 to capitalize on renewable energy federal tax credits before they expire.
Operational faults cut returns in 19% of battery storage projects
A recent report from battery intelligence firm Accure reveals that while most battery energy storage systems (BESS) operate reliably, nearly 19% of projects experience reduced returns due to technical issues and unplanned downtime.
Chemitek Solar launches cleaning solutions for agrivoltaics
Portugal-based Chemitek Solar is developing biodegradable cleaning and anti-soiling products for PV panels that share land use with agricultural production.
Key takeaways from Italy’s Solar Solutions
The first edition of Solar Solutions Torino drew 35 exhibitors and 930 visitors, underscoring growing regional engagement between academia and industry in Italy’s solar sector.
Scientists develop new floating box array for offshore PV
Researchers have tested a 9 x 11 floating box array for offshore photovoltaics in a large wave flume, under regular and irregular wave sequences. They have placed wireless gyroscopes on three of the boxes, representing the front, middle, and rear positions.
