Turkey

An international research team has crafted an innovative solar cell design. By employing a top absorber consisting of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3), a lead-halide perovskite, and a bottom absorber composed of FA0.5MA0.5Pb0.5Sn0.5I3, a perovskite material, the cell maximizes light absorption across a broad spectrum.

A combination of protectionist measures, attractive profit margins, and domestic content incentives has revitalized Turkey’s solar manufacturing industry. Jonathan Gifford asks whether the resurgent sector can become a player on the world stage.

The Turkish authorities have set a 10-year feed-in tariff (FIT) of TRY 1.06 ($0.0545)/kWh for PV systems that are installed between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2030. Solar projects with Turkish PV components will be given an additional five-year tariff of TRY 0.2880/kWh.

An international research team has fabricated a quasi-2D perovskite solar cell with a special kind of phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) salt to enhance hole extraction. The result is a 23.08%-efficient device that is also able to retain 95% of its initial efficiency after 900 hours.

Turkey has approved the first batch of renewables-plus-storage projects since it enacted new rules for storage in November.

Dutch startup Airturb has developed a 500 W hybrid wind-solar power system featuring a vertical axis wind turbine and a solar base hosting four 30 W solar panels. The system can be used for rooftop or off-grid applications.

Scientists in Turkey have demonstrated that sepiolite, a naturally occurring clay substance, can be added to perovskite precursor materials, and form a scaffold layer that can improve the efficiency and stability of the cells. The scientists believe that this substance could be valuable in developing reproducible processes for the production of large-area perovskite solar cells.

The Turkish government has set a minimum import price of $60/kg, so solar cell imports exceeding this threshold will be subject to import duties. The measure is designed to protect domestic cell manufacturers.

Turkey has released a hydrogen roadmap as part of its plans to meet its 2035 net-zero emission targets, hinging on solar energy and importing electrolysis technologies in the short term. Gulmira Rzayeva, research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, says this target is realistic.

Turkish module maker Kalyon Solar Technologies said it will use newly secured state funds to expand the capacity of its vertically integrated factory in Izmir by 1 GW.