World

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology researchers have unveiled designs for advanced solar hydrogen production systems to broaden the application of LC biomass. Mitsubishi has started building the world’s first validation center for hydrogen-related technologies, while Fortescue Future Industries has announced investments in Germany and Australia.

Scientists in Hong Kong have designed a redox flow battery with electrolytes made of zinc and cerium. They claim to have solved the incompatibility issue posed by these two elements. The device achieved a record average Coulombic efficiency of 94% during cycling.

There is a growing trend in the European renewable energy space that will likely give us a great overview of the future of the industry. As the industry scales up, we are seeing more big players emerge, who are investing in and managing multiple solar PV plants.

Cemvita claims it can produce hydrogen at the “lowest possible cost,” Deutsche Bahn and Fortescue Future Industries have announced plans to jointly modify diesel engines for locomotives, and the Canadian province of Alberta has started promoting its hydrogen potential in Japan.

US-based solar controller producer Morningstar has launched a new line of off-grid inverters, featuring six models ranging from 150 W to 2,500 W. Production and deliveries are scheduled to start this year.

Plastic Omnium has secured French state funding support to build Europe’s largest hydrogen vessel factory, while Vancouver-based First Hydrogen said it is considering investments in Europe’s commercial hydrogen vehicle sector.

The Regulatory Assistance Project, a global NGO, has proposed a mix of policy recommendations to build confidence in heat pump technology. Its proposed policies include economic incentives, new regulations, R&D support, training, and promotional initiatives.

Scientists in China have studied the impact of shading on single solar cells and on simple arrangements of two cells connected in series or in parallel.

Toshiba has revealed that it has improved the power conversion efficiency of a transparent cuprous oxide solar cell to 9.5%, from the 8.4% mark it reached in December 2021. It enlarged the cell and suppressed carrier recombination at the edge of the cuprous oxide (Cu2O) generation layer, which usually causes generation efficiency degradation.

US researchers have discovered an appropriate solvent design for the application of a 2D top layer on a perovskite solar cell. The cells incorporate the stability of 2D perovskite cells and the efficiency of 3D cells without destroying the 3D bottom layer, which brings them closer to commercialization.