China

Researchers in China have fabricated a carbon-based perovskite solar cells that achieves almost the same efficiency as perovskite counterparts based on gold electrodes while also providing higher stability. The novel devices use a playdough-like graphite (PG) electrode that combines the deformable property of carbon paste and the solvent-free property of carbon film.

Following news the EU will investigate unspecified Chinese wind turbine suppliers in Europe, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning has said “many in the world are deeply unsettled by the EU’s rising protectionist tendency”.

Margrethe Vestager, the executive vice president of the European Commission, said this week that the EU authorities are investigating the deployment of several wind farms in Spain, Greece, France, Romania and Bulgaria.

Researchers in the United States have investigated the sensitivity of PV inverters to the ectromagnetic pulses caused by high-altitude nuclear explosions during nuclear weapon testing. Their work presents several protection strategies aimed to improve the inverters’ immunity levels.

Chinese manufacturer Jolywood is currently applying a laser-assisted firing process in TOPCon solar cell manufacturing that can reportedly increase contact quality and corrosion resistance, while also reducing production costs. Scientists at the University of South Wales have investigated the impact of this production process on the quality of TOPCon cells and have found it “significantly” improve their reliability.

Seraphim says it will build a new 10 GW solar panel factory in two phases in Guangzhou, with an investment of CNY 6 billion ($829.6 million), while JA Solar has announced plans to construct a 5 GW panel factory in Inner Mongolia.

Livoltek has developed an all-in-one storage system for residential applications, featuring a storage capacity of up to 25 kWh and compatibility with five different inverter models, as well as the option to integrate with electric-vehicle (EV) chargers.

Import duties and domestic incentives continue to shape the Turkish solar market. Despite protectionism, there was a significant Chinese presence at the SolarEX trade fair as new manufacturers rely on Asian resources.

Chinese manufacturer Longi says that its new wafers offer a notable efficiency boost of approximately 0.1% across various cell technologies.

While lithium ion battery prices are falling again, interest in sodium ion (Na-ion) energy storage has not waned. With a global ramp-up of cell manufacturing capacity under way, it remains unclear whether this promising technology can tip the scales on supply and demand.