Scientists discover new failure mode in LECO-treated TOPCon solar cells
An international research team has observed a significant increase in series resistance in LECO-treated TOPCon solar cells after temperature and bias treatment. The scientists said they now need to conduct further investigations into its impact on cell efficiency, reliability, and bankability.
Edinburgh Instruments unveils spectrofluorometer for perovskite, organic solar cells
The new FS5 v2 Spectrofluorometer is available as a benchtop system for fluorescence spectroscopy.
New UK planning rules for heat pumps come into effect, one meter rule scrapped
Change to planning law could simplify heat pump installation process for thousands of households in England. Limits on the size and number of heat pumps that can be installed have also been raised. The changes have been introduced as the UK government pursues 600,000 installations per year by 2028 target.
The Hydrogen Stream: ZeroAvia to build UK hub for HTPEM fuel cells
ZeroAvia says it will build a hydrogen-electric powertrain factory in Scotland to produce high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell systems, while Thyssenkrupp Nucera and Fraunhofer IKTS have opened the first solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) pilot plant in Germany to scale green hydrogen stack production.
New research shows viability of residential ice-source heat pumps
Scientists in the United Kingdom have demonstrated the feasibility of residential ice-source heat pumps in cold climates and densely populated areas. They designed a heat pump system that utilizes existing gas pipelines to transport water.
UK startup unveils industrial batteries based on repurposed EV battery packs
Allye Energy has launched two new battery storage systems that can provide 820 kW and 1.25 MW of power, respectively. The systems combine up to 18 repurposed EV battery packs with mixed chemistries.
Alpha launches residential heating solution combining heat pump, boiler
The UK-based company said its new hybrid solution includes a stand-alone monobloc air-to-water heat pump with a nominal capacity of up to 16 kW and one of its boiler range. The heat pump system uses R32 (difluoromethane) as a refrigerant and has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.1.
UK startup building solar power beaming tech for space applications
Three year old Space Solar has completed an 18-month engineering design and development project for key parts of its modular space-based solar power system.
The Hydrogen Stream: Axpo reports progress on automated H2 project
Axpo has started remotely controlling a 2.5 MW hydrogen production facility (HPF) in Switzerland, while Statkraft says it will halt new green hydrogen projects amid market uncertainty.
UK grid operator streamlines grid connection process for renewables up to 5 MW
Regulator Ofgem approves higher threshold for a transmission system impact assessment requirement applying to distributed generation projects in England and Wales. The move is expected to lower development costs for projects with capacity between 1 MW and 5 MW.
