Asia

Scientists in Sweden and China developed a solution-based process to produce organic solar cells, demonstrating efficiencies better than 17%. The process utilizes paraxylene as a solvent, which the researchers claim is less toxic and more stable than others used to reach high organic solar cell efficiencies, and with more work could be scaled up to produce large area devices.

State-owned Hindustan Salts has invited developers to build and operate 5 GW of solar capacity on disused land in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The company today told pv magazine it did not reduce any of its PV module prices in the July-to-September period.

The solar manufacturer has lowered the prices of its wafers by up to 9%. Elsewhere, Luoyang Glass wants to sell off three information display business units to focus its efforts on solar panel glass.

After near-stagnant annual growth for a couple of years, the rooftop PV market is showing signs of improvement, with traditional obstacles to installation no longer so daunting.

A Shanxi-based clean energy company has asked for 200 hectares so it can construct 50 MW of power generation projects.

The successful contractor will install the arrays in blocks of 2-10 MW and will carry out all stages of installation, from site surveys through to 12 years’ operation and maintenance.

Designed for BIPV applications by scientists in Korea, the solar cell is based on a 100μm-thick n-type silicon wafer and has a bending radius of 3-6mm.

Proton Motor Fuel Cell and xelectrix Power have also developed a complete system that combines fuel cell and battery storage technologies and U.S.-based Plug Power is building a 100 MW electrolyzer in Egypt. Furthermore, Germany said it wants to deploy 10 GW of hydrogen capacity by 2030 and South Korea unveiled its hydrogen strategy.

Furthermore, polysilicon manufacturer Daqo will increase investments in its plans to expand capacity and Canadian Solar closed a strategic co-operation agreement with battery giant CATL.