South Korea

Scientists from South Korea have developed a heat pump optimization technique that controls the secondary refrigerant flow. The proposed technology offers the advantage of bypassing the need to control the compressor of the heat pump, which is a function that is commonly not available in commercial devices.

South Korean scientists built an air source heat pump integrated with a photovoltaic thermal unit that can reportedly achieve an average heating and cooling coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.54 and 3.31, respectively. The system is also claimed to be 44% cheaper than ground source heat pumps combined with PVT energy.

Researchers in South Korea have developed a process to enable colored and flexible, thin film modules suitable for vehicle and building-integrated PV applications. It is reportedly a low-cost process that does not significantly impact power conversion efficiency.

The South Korean government says it plans to set up a 1 GW data center complex powered by solar. The expansive facility will be built in Haenam, a county in South Jeolla province. It will accommodate 25 data centers, each with a capacity of 40 MW.

Scientists in South Korea have created an algorithm that reportedly prevents oversizing of power-to-gas systems located in areas with large shares of solar and renewable energy capacities. The algorithm calculates saturation points for both PV and power-to-gas facilities.

The South Korean authorities have kicked off a tender for 65 MW/260 MWh of storage capacity, in support of extensive battery systems on Jeju Island.

As the US and British government press ahead with their hydrogen support projects, a team from Korea and the US has developed an iridium nanostructure catalyst, which decreased the amount of the chemical element. Meanwhile, hydrogen projects are proceeding in West Virginia, Denmark, Finland, and Japan.

An international research team has developed high-efficiency solar cells with a 21.59% efficiency rating by using an all-inorganic phase heterojunction approach. The team used an anti-solvent-free DHA method to produce high-quality, inorganic perovskite thin films, resulting in better device performance under ambient conditions.

South Korean scientists have developed a new building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar cell featuring a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) electrode. This innovation is expected to enhance light scattering and meet aesthetic standards.

A research team has developed OHP-based photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, minimizing the usual limitations. Meanwhile, China released its first hydrogen guideline, and Germany announced €18.6 billion for the hydrogen industry. Finally, a German company finds out that hydrogen trains are more expensive than battery-operated vehicles.