Chinese PV Industry Brief: Risen enters polysilicon production, JYT Corporation wants to build 24 GW polysilicon factory
China PV module manufacturer Risen Energy has completed the acquisition of Dunan Solar’s polysilicon business and is now operating a 12,000 MT factory. Shanghai-listed PV equipment supplier JYT Corporation wants to build a 24 GW polysilicon manufacturing facility in Sichuan Province.
Gigawatt-scale tandem PV cell output by 2022?
Frank van Mierlo, the CEO of 1366 Technologies, is a betting man. And he’s betting your humble narrator that high-efficiency tandem solar cells are the near-term commercial future of solar.
Holistic approaches to reliability
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.
Photovoltaic tent hall for temporary solar power supply
Polish companies Pol-Plan and Solarspot have developed a solution to equip tent halls with photovoltaic systems. The modules are mounted on a special construction above the roof, made of PVC.
Voltalia buys 70% stake in four Jordan PV plants
The French renewable energy developer has agreed to acquire a 70% interest in four plants totaling 57 MW. The facilities were built by Voltalia itself between 2015 and 2016.
How temperature affects tandem solar cell performance
New outdoor tests conducted at Saudi research center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have shown that an increase in temperature affects the performance of a tandem perovskite/silicon solar cell not only because of voltage losses but also because of current mismatch between the two sub-cells.
Underground hydrogen storage in Canada
A new study has assessed the geological feasibility of large-scale seasonal underground hydrogen storage in Canada and has found that the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin and southern Ontario are the most suitable areas for the technology.
South African telecommunications group wants to deploy 175 MW of PV in Africa
Econet wants to build commercial and industrial PV systems across its homeland, Kenya, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. South Africa-based investment firm Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH) has made a $20 million equity investment in these projects.
New algorithm to connect solar parks to substations
Spanish PV software specialist RatedPower has developed a new algorithm that purportedly offers a way to efficiently design grid interconnections.
Iberdrola adding PV to combined-cycle power plants
Energy giant Iberdrola plans to install 32.5 MW of solar at its combined-cycle power plants in Spain.
