US 2021 solar panel shipments total $9.8 billion at $0.34/W
Solar module prices fell despite supply chain pressures, rising shipping costs, and increased materials costs.
US solar sector prepares to meet smart inverter requirements
As several US states will soon require smart inverters for new distributed resources, and more are considering such a requirement, nearly all manufacturers will be delivering smart inverters that meet a new industry standard by August 2023, finds an analysis by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.
India’s solar report card for FY 2021-22
India installed 12.3 GW of solar in the 12 months ending March 31, 2022. The nation is expected to add a record 20 GW in the current fiscal year.
Surface engineering for an 18.6% efficient large-area inverted perovskite solar cell
Scientists in China worked with nickel-oxide as a charge transport layer in a perovskite solar cell, and were able to overcome several of the performance challenges associated with this material through careful surface engineering. Using this approach, the group fabricated an inverted perovskite solar cell measuring 156×156 mm that achieved 18.6% efficiency, along with ‘remarkable’ stability, according to its designers.
Germany deployed 3.8 GW of PV in first half of 2022
In June alone, new PV systems totaling 612 MW were connected to the German grid. The country’s cumulative operational PV capacity reached 59.9 GW at the end of June.
Only one PV project to compete in Quebec’s 780 MW renewables tender
The 40 MW solar park is under development by Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc and planned to be located in Bas Saint Laurent, with completion scheduled for October 2026. Wind and hydropower were the prevailing sources in the procurement exercise.
New residential lithium-ion battery from China
Chinese manufacturer Bslbatt has unveiled an upgraded version of its residential battery. The device has a storage capacity ranging from 5.12 to 12.8 kWh and is reportedly able to provide steady operation for up to 6,000 charge cycles.
Photovoltaic thermal panel with overall efficiency of 83% via MXenes nanofluid
UK researchers have demonstrated a photovoltaic thermal panel that utilizes an MXene/water nanofluid for heat transfer. They said the nanofluid is not only able to improve the thermal and electrical performance of the panel, but also to reduce its size by 14.5%.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon price remains flat
In other news, JinkoSolar is seeking to raise CNY 10 billion ($1.48 billion) to finance its capacity expansion plans and Trina Solar predicts strong profit growth for the first half of the year.
Forecast methodology for photovoltaic power yield during solar eclipses
In October there will be a partial solar eclipse in Central Europe. The Fraunhofer IEE has developed a solution that reportedly enables the most accurate forecast possible of the photovoltaic feed-in power during the extreme event.
