US startup begins producing 40%-efficient thermophotovoltaic cells
Antora Energy says its new 2 MW factory will make thermophotovoltaic cells for thermal storage applications. The cells are based on III-V semiconductors and reportedly have a heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency of more than 40%.
kWh Analytics launches solar property insurance product
kWh Analytics has started offering protection against physical damages to solar arrays and other renewable energy assets, in partnership with Aspen Insurance.
Vertical PV for clean energy and crop production
Researchers and project developers throughout the world are increasingly looking at agrivoltaic installations with vertically oriented solar panels.
US startup unveils saltwater flow battery for large-scale storage
US-based Salgenx has developed a scalable redox flow battery with two separate tanks of electrolytes, one of which is saltwater. Unlike other flow batteries, the new device is membrane-free, promising big gains at the levelized cost of storage level.
US to add 63 GW of PV by end 2024
Solar and wind generation are expected to reach 16% of the US grid’s supply this year, doubling the 2018 total, said the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). By 2024, renewables will account for more than one-quarter of electricity generation in the United States.
New method to measure energy yield of bifacial PV systems
Canadian scientists have developed a new way to measure the energy yield of bifacial PV systems. They said they considered the spectral albedo of ground cover like snow and sand to predict energy gains of up to 2%, in comparison with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard.
New York grid operator advances 3 GW of solar, storage projects
About 27 GW of solar and storage projects remain in New York’s interconnection queue. The grid operator has also advanced 3 GW of wind projects and a 1.25 GW transmission line.
Weekend Read: Giga and giga
pv magazine Australia’s Natalie Filatoff reports on the benefits of planning vast solar project pipelines, and the barriers faced by those who dare to dream big.
Flexible cadmium telluride solar cell with 12.6% efficiency via lift-off method
A US research team has developed a cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell through a lift-off method that reportedly ensures higher crystallinity of the cadmium sulfide film. The device has a power conversion efficiency of 12.60%, an open-circuit voltage of 0.829 V, a short-circuit current density of 23.64 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 64.30%.
Wood Mackenzie sees $114 billion in US renewables investments by 2031
The advanced manufacturing production (AMPC) credit and domestic content requirement (DCR) will be key to supporting the rapid development of the US renewable energy economy, says Wood Mackenzie.
