Chinese PV Industry Brief: Daqo, Longi note earnings impact of polysilicon prices
Daqo and Longi report that lower polysilicon prices have affected their earnings. Aiko Solar, meanwhile, has announced a 120% year-on-year increase in its net results for the first half, with shipments reaching 18.7 GW.
PVC knife-scratch coated fabric to increase albedo, energy yield in bifacial PV
China-based Halead is offering a reflective material for ground-mounted bifacial PV projects, which it claims can increase the annual power production of a solar plant by over 9%. Germany’s TÜV SÜD certified the performance of the solution.
Energy Vault completes 25 MW/100 MWh gravity-based storage facility in China
Energy Vault has started commissioning a 25 MW/100 MWh energy storage facility adjacent to a wind power facility near Shanghai.
New technique to recover lead in end-of-life solar panels
A research group in the United States has developed a process to recover lead in its metallic form so that it can be reused in the PV industry. The process relies on a leaching solution based on a combination of acetic acid (CH3COOH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which the researchers said leaches the lead ‘in a matter of minutes.’
The Hydrogen Stream: Chinese scientists exploring new catalysts for hydrogen
Shanghai University scientists have started researching molybdenum-doped nickel-cobalt phosphide catalysts for hydrogen production, and Indian scientists have devised a method to produce hydrogen from methanol.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: GCL-Si opens 20 GW solar cell factory
GCL-Si says it has commissioned a new 20 GW solar cell factory that will supply n-type TOPCon cells to its module facilities in Hefei, Anhui province, and Funing, Jiangsu province.
New solar window prototype based on kesterite photovoltaic cells
A research team in China combined solar power generation from kesterite thin-film generation with a nickel-cobalt bimetal oxide (NiCoO2) electrochromic window. The proposed prototype not only realizes the function integration of self-power and intelligent solar radiation adjustment, but also extends its function to energy storage.
The Hydrogen Stream: Germany to use hydrogen ‘in all sectors’
The German authorities have announced plans to double domestic electrolysis capacity to 10 GW by 2030, BloombergNEF has reported that green hydrogen became competitive with gray hydrogen earlier than expected, and Chinese researchers have presented new research on microbial hydrogen production.
RENA announces 1.8 GW sale for new TOPCon equipment
German company RENA Technologies has announced the first sales of a new tool for silicon cell manufacturing. The tool is used for etching/removal of unwanted material on one side of a solar cell, and will be integrated into the gigawatt-scale production of an unnamed manufacturer in South Asia working with TOPCon technology.
Aqueous zinc-ion battery with high stability
Researchers in China have found that the addition of serine cations to the electrode/electrolyte interface of aqueous zinc-ion battery could effectively inhibit zinc dendrite growth and enable a highly reversible zinc anode.
