Sweden

German and Swedish researchers calculated the supply of materials to produce perovskite tandem PV at a multi-terawatt-scale, flagging the difficult supply of gold, indium and cesium, well as a need to streamline production of certain materials used for hole-transport layers. “In essence, we might be able to go post-fossil fuels, but we can’t go post-minerals,” the research’s corresponding author, Lukas Wagner, told pv magazine.

An international research team has used the convolutional neural network (CNN) deep learning algorithm to identify faults in solar panels. Its work showed the proposed technique has a high degree of accuracy, especially if combined with transfer learning models.

Researchers in Sweden have analyzed how roll-bonded PVT collectors can act as secondary heat sources in ground-source heat pumps and have found they provide a better performance than conventional PVT panels. Their techno-economic analysis also showed roll-bonded PVT systems can be up to 9% more expensive than conventional installations based on sheet and tube absorbers.

ABB Motion has unveiled a new solar drive for water pumping, featuring integrated maximum power point tracking (MPPT) logic to maximize operations, with an input voltage ranging from 225 V to 800 V.

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.

Official figures from Sweden’s energy association says more solar was added than estimates suggested during a record year for PV deployment in 2023, with the country’s cumulative capacity now standing at around 4 GW.

Sweden-based Nordcell Group announced plans to build a 1.2 GW module factory in its home country. With a site decision coming soon, module production is planned to start in the first half of 2025.

High interest rates, inflation, and customer uncertainty could slow down residential PV growth in Sweden this year, despite record solar installations in 2023, but interest in utility-scale PV remains strong.

A group of researchers from Sweden has developed a new model to find the optimal tilt angle in PV installations located at high latitudes. The new approach takes into account, among other factors, the effect of transmittance change based on snow.

The new heat pumps use propane (R290) as the refrigerant and have a seasonal coefficient of performance of 4.7. The maximum temperature outlet is 70 C and the maximum cooling power spans from 8 kW to 13 kW.