NREL

NREL has proposed a new methodology for determining solar module degradation rates, taking into account measurement challenges such as sensor drift, inverter nuances, soiling and others – keeping the focus on the solar modules themselves.

Berkeley researchers have discovered a shade of blue – dating back to ancient Egypt – which has impressive qualities they say could reduce building energy consumption and boost solar energy output. Meanwhile, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed a perovskite cell material that could be applied to a substrate using a paintbrush.

Adding energy-intensive industries to microgrids can help refinance system costs and can lower tariffs for residential consumers, a study suggests. To achieve this though, accurate system design and sizing are essential.

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed a process which it says can dramatically reduce the costs of producing ultra-high efficiency cells from gallium arsenide, and other III-V compounds, similar to the solar cells used by NASA in space exploration projects.

Spanish manufacturer of horizontal single-axis solar trackers Soltec, together with Black & Veatch and the Renewable Energy Test Center, have created a new evaluation center in Livermore, California. The inauguration will take place on July 9

U.S. technology company Microlink Devices has achieved a record efficiency of 37.75% on its triple junction thin film cells. The lightweight cell achieves a power density of more than 3000 W/kg, and is designed for use in satellites and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The new efficiency record is confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has launched a new software package, developed alongside SunPower and kWh Analytics, which it says will improve the accuracy and reliability of PV plant performance data, and improve the industry’s understanding of degradation.

Researchers at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI) have developed next-generation solids consisting of quantum dots (QD), or semiconductor crystals with a diameter of just few nanometers, that could deliver a big step towards cheaper and more efficient photovoltaic devices.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has asked Congress to take a machete to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) renewable energy and energy efficiency programs to even lower levels than he proposed last year – cuts likely avoided because of Congressional incompetence.

Scientists from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory have a created a perovskite solar cell, which retained 94% of its initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of constant operation under ambient air conditions.