Tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell achieves 23.5% efficiency via novel anti-reflective coating
Korean scientists utilized an anti-reflective coating based on silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles and large phosphor particles to increase diffuse light transmittance in a tandem perovskite-silicon PV device. The device’s efficiency improved from 22.48% to 23.50%.
OCI raises capacity of US solar panel factory from 210 MW to 1 GW
OCI said its US unit, Mission Solar Energy, would begin production of M10 PV panels at its Texas manufacturing facility in 2023.
Netherlands may add 3.3 GW of new solar this year
According to state-run agency RVO, solar may reach 17.6 GW of installed capacity by year-end, thus becoming able to cover more than 12% of the country’s electricity demand.
China’s solar cell production capacity may reach 600 GW by year-end
The Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory revealed that most of the planned new solar cell production capacity relates to high-efficiency n-type cell technologies such as TOPCon and HJT.
Determining solar cells’ optical properties with conventional flatbed office scanners
Australian researchers have sought to measure solar cells’ optical properties via low cost office scanners and found they may offer results that are comparable to those of tools used in the PV industry.
Polypropylene absorber to simplify brine heat pumps’ adoption
German company Mefa Befestigungs- und Montagetechnik has developed absorbers made of polypropylene that are intended to simplify the use of brine heat pumps. The novel technology should make it possible to combine multiple heat sources, including water, earth, air and also ice storage all within a single system.
Large scale PV projects proliferate in Portugal
Analysis from Aurora Energy Research shows around 4.3 GW of solar projects secured grid-connection permits to date in Portugal. Data also shows a record 1.2 GW of solar projects requested generation licenses in the first seven months of the year, smashing previous records.
New industrial plant concept for end-of-life PV panel recycling
Italian startup Tialpi is developing a process to recycle end-of-life solar panels that promises to recover 100% of a PV module’s weight. The new plant design is currently being tested at the company’s facility in the Italian northern province of Biella.
India’s Borosil Renewables buys 86% stake in Europe’s largest solar glass maker
Borosil Renewables signed a binding offer to acquire 100% of Germany’s Interfloat Group in April this year.
Photovoltaic-thermal solar tiles
Germany’s Paxos is currently testing the solar tile in a testing facility connected to an air heat pump. The panel can provide heat and electricity at the same time, while also improving the heat pump’s coefficient of performance by around 25%.
