Global online database for solar parks above 20 MW
Global Energy Monitor (GEM) has launched a new open-source online tool that lists large-scale solar plants in 148 countries.
Q Cells confirms location of next US solar panel factory
South Korea-based Q Cells will invest $171 million in a new factory in Dalton, Georgia, creating nearly 500 new jobs.
Analyst predicts extent of rise in this year’s solar capital costs
Wood Mackenzie this week made a slew of predictions for the industry in 2022 and noted the effects the US’ recently announced anti-circumvention investigation is already having on utility scale plans.
Tuning out the defects for more powerful perovskite solar cells
Scientists in the UK and Japan used the latest imaging techniques to observe the inner workings of a perovskite solar cell at the scale of a few nanometers. Their findings suggest that a single defect is responsible for both limiting initial performance and causing degradation of the cell. By altering chemical compositions and process parameters, the appearance of this defect can be quickly reduced, and the group is confident that its finding could quickly be applied in large-scale processing as well.
What are upfront and lifetime costs of heat pumps in the US?
The “all electric” movement is shining new light on heat pumps. A recent survey looks at their costs in terms of replacements for heating and air conditioning systems.
Canadian Solar plans to ramp up production capacity
Having warned of in-house solar wafer and cell capacity as recently as the third quarter of 2021, the company has announced it will be adding even more production lines this year.
China dominates transport fuel-cell patents
The World Intellectual Property Organization says China accounted for 69% of the patents filed for transport-related fuel-cell tech in 2020, with road transport significantly dominating applications.
Enphase Energy microinverter secures first UL interconnection certification
The Enphase IQ8 Microinverter system has been certified to the new North American safety and grid interconnection standards for connecting solar inverters, energy storage systems, and distributed energy resources to the grid.
Iron flow battery maker ESS expands into Europe
NYSE-listed iron flow battery specialist ESS is expanding into Europe to meet demand for long-duration energy storage. It has already bagged its first order in Spain, with local manufacturing in the cards.
Bifacial solar modules shine in snowy environments
Snow losses could be cut from double digits to just 2% on an annual basis by using bifacial solar modules instead of monofacial panels, according to researchers at Western University in Canada.
