World

Next year, the global solar panel demand may increase by around 15% and this will be mainly triggered by the completion of projects that were deferred by the pandemic this year.

Scientists in Australia conducted a detailed cost analysis for perovskite-on-silicon tandem PV cells, based on several possible iterations of the technology. The research identifies areas where unexpectedly high costs might prove a bump in the road toward commercialization and suggests ways these might be reduced.

With the International Energy Agency publishing its latest five-year clean energy forecast today, pv magazine takes a look at the solar content of the 162-page document.

A new report published by the European Technology and Innovation Platform outlines the need for continuing research into the reliability of PV systems and components, and for the collection and sharing of performance data. The report recommends a holistic approach to reliability, going beyond current testing standards to identify new degradation mechanisms, and making use of sensors and drone imaging to monitor systems in the field to prevent and report on system failures.

Scientists in Europe took a very close look at the thin amorphous silicon layers used in heterojunction and tandem solar cells, building a full picture of the material’s structure at the nanoscale. Their findings could help scientists solve the long-standing mystery of light induced degradation.

In a new paper published in the journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, renowned PV scientist Pierre Verlinden examines the solar industry’s trajectory towards the 70 TW of installed capacity that will be needed by 2050, as the best choice for meeting climate targets set out in the 2015 Paris agreement. Silver consumption and recycling, according to Verlinden, will be the biggest challenges in the years to come, as well as ensuring balanced growth and avoiding a major installation rush in the years close to 2050.

Scientists in the US took a closer look at the mechanisms causing perovskites to degrade under light and raised temperatures. By testing perovskite cells with various additives and other recipe tweaks, the group was able to identify pathways to improving long-term stability.

Scientists in Saudi Arabia have developed a new passivation process for n-type silicon solar cells, which they say could offer a simpler, lower-cost alternative to current processes used in manufacturing. The group fabricated wafers using this process with promising results, and now plans to integrate the process into a full silicon cell.

Although the global solar industry might be cheered by the prospect of a healthy slice of an expected $12 trillion, 30-year windfall, governments are falling far short of steering us clear of catastrophic global heating, according to the analyst’s latest New Energy Outlook report.

A report by Finnish company Wärtsilä has estimated the potential impact if every dollar committed to a non-renewables energy sector recovery was instead funneled to clean power.