Cadmium telluride vs. crystalline silicon in agrivoltaics
Researchers in Canada have compared strawberry growth under uniform illumination from semi-transparent thin-film cadmium telluride panels and non-uniform illumination from semi-transparent crystalline silicon modules. Their analysis considered metrics such as fresh weight, height, leaf count, chlorophyll content, soil temperature and humidity.
Is Trump just a bump in the road for US solar?
The second Donald Trump administration has put up roadblocks to clean energy investment but renewable energy analysts say superior technology and its economic benefits will ultimately prevail.
The Hydrogen Stream: HyIron starts green hydrogen production in Namibia
HyIron says it has produced the first green hydrogen molecules at its Namibian facility, while Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has secured AUD 814 million ($512 million) for its Murchison Green Hydrogen project in Western Australia.
Accuracy Analysis: ECMWF’s AI model for solar forecasting performs well
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, analyses a new AI-driven weather model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
Field survey protocol for monitoring PV backsheet degradation
A research group including scientists from U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Underwriter’s Laboratories Inc., and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has outlined a new protocol for assessing PV module backsheet degradation in the field. Through the proposed framework, the researchers analyzed PV backsheet degradation across 41 sites, with exposure times ranging from 1 to 38 years.
Trump rescinds Defense Production Act support for solar manufacturing
US President Donald Trump has rescinded the Defense Production Act (DPA) designation for solar manufacturing and other clean energy technologies, reversing a Biden-era move to boost domestic production.
SMA America releases 99.2% efficient grid-scale battery storage inverter
The inverters use a silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor for high power conversion capability.
US energy storage installations grow 33% year-over-year
Storage deployment in the United States grew across all segments and is forecast to grow another 25% in 2025, according to Wood Mackenzie.
Rooftop solar saved California ratepayers $1.5 billion last year
Rooftop solar saved California ratepayers $1.5 billion in 2023, but state regulators argue it imposed an $8.5 billion cost. A new report challenges that claim, citing calculation errors and overlooked benefits.
Indoor transition metal dichalcogenide solar cells may reach 36.5% efficiency
New research from Stanford University has investigated the performance limits of transition metal dichalcogenide solar cells for indoor energy harvesting intended for powering internet of things (IoT) devices and sensors. The analysis showed these cells may reach a power conversion efficiency of up to 36.5%.
