Wacker enters battery business with acquisition of 25% stake in Nexeon
The Munich-based chemical company has taken a substantial minority share in the British materials specialist to expand its silicon-based high-performance battery activity. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
Essent takes over Belgian solar installer Aralt
The Essent business of German utility RWE wants to widen its clean energy offer for Belgian clients. Last year Aralt achieved a €5 million turnover.
Discovery challenges accepted wisdom on organic PV
Researchers at the University of Warwick in the U.K. have made a discovery that could lead to new designs for organic PV devices. Their findings could open up a new range of materials for the electrode layer and bring low cost, flexible organic PV devices a step closer commercial reality, say the academics.
The cooling effect of PV
Research from Finland’s Aalto University claims the residential cooling sector could sustain 540 GW of solar generation capacity if the world’s air conditioning systems were solar powered. Academics say synergies between PV and the cooling industry will become stronger as demand for the latter shifts nearer the equator, where seasonal differences in weather are less pronounced.
Teaming up on tandem performance
California-based Hanergy subsidiary Miasolé and European perovskite research institute Solliance have combined their thin film expertise to produce a 23% efficient flexible tandem device consisting of a semi-transparent perovskite cell on top of a flexible CIGS counterpart.
Luxembourg launches 40 MW solar procurement
The exercise will be open to PV projects ranging in size from 200 kW to 5 MW.
ABB and Fimer respond to UK criticism of products and customer service
The inverter businesses have responded to the letter published by the UK Solar Trade Association which was critical of the former’s products and customer service record.
Interview: PV Hardware chief operating officer Rodriguez talks heat dust and wind
Emilio J Garcia Rodriguez, from tracker manufacturer PV Hardware, spoke to pv magazine about the company’s activity in the Middle East and North Africa market. Dust, heat and heavy storms complicate the installation and operation of trackers.
HZB hits 23.26% efficiency with CIGS-perovskite tandem cell
Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin research institute this morning presented a new world record efficiency for a tandem cell combining CIGS and perovskite technology at the EU PVSEC conference in Marseille. The development of an organic coating layer between the two semiconductors was key.
New methods for fault detection revealed at EU PVSEC
Quality control and problem detection and classification was brought into focus at the conference in Marseille. A packed house at a session focused on the latest fault detection techniques indicated the high level of interest in the field.
