United States

The scientists built the panel with perovskite solar cells treated with trifluoromethane sulfonate to combat iodide defects. The mini module reportedly achieved the highest efficiency ever recorded for its size to date, with the result being confirmed by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

People, equipment, construction and technology best practices can optimize performance.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) says it expects developers to install nearly 63 GW of utility-scale electricity capacity in the United States in 2024 – mostly a mix of solar and batteries. It notes that the nation added roughly 36.4 GW of solar in 2023.

Portable solar generators are making their way from the fringes of solar and energy storage to become a mainstream consumer item. The rise has been charged by a range of factors that have created massive brands. Where did the sector emerge from, who was buying before, who is buying now, and what’s next? Tristan Rayner reports.

California Assembly member Laura Friedman has introduced a bill to require the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to consider the costs and benefits of rooftop solar and its non-energy benefits when designing net-metering rates.

Solarcycle has invested $344 million in a solar manufacturing facility in Polk County, Georgia. The factory has been designed to use recycled materials from retired solar panels to produce new solar glass, positioning Solarcycle as one of the first manufacturers of specialized glass for crystalline-silicon PV in the US market.

Verde Technologies, a U.S.-based spinoff of the University of Vermont specializing in single junction and all thin-film tandem perovskite solar technologies, has demonstrated that its coating processes are transferable to existing commercial roll-to-roll manufacturing lines in a project with compatriot manufacturer Verico Technology.

Merida Aerospace, a US aerospace company, is developing perovskite solar cells for low-Earth-orbit satellites. It says perovskite solar cells could be a more cost-effective and efficient option than traditional cells.

SEG Solar says its new panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.30% per C. They come with a 30-year power output guarantee for 87.4% of the initial yield.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has outlined the feasibility of heat pumps in the US market in a new report. It says installation costs and energy savings prices have changed in relation to climate, heating sources, and types of homes. It says policymakers should further reduce the costs of installing heat pumps to benefit more US households.