Solar module for east-west installations on flat rooftops
Dutch startup Solarge has developed a 500 W panel that weighs 50% less than conventional glass-backsheet modules. The new product can be fixed to rooftops with roofing anchors, which eliminates the need for ballast, according to the manufacturer.
Swiss scientists achieve 21.4% efficiency for flexible CIGS solar cell
The result was confirmed by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE). The cell was fabricated through a low-temperature co-evaporation method for the growth of the light-absorbing CIGS semiconductor thin film.
Responsible land use for PV, wind could smooth Indian energy transition
India will need large swaths of land for the expansion of renewables capacity over the decades ahead. The energy transition requires planning for proper siting of plants and solutions such as agrivoltaics, distributed energy systems, and offshore wind farms to reduce land-use conflicts.
Co-evaporated perovskite solar cell with 19.5% efficiency
German scientists have built a perovskite solar cell with spiro-TTB as a hole transport material, via the thermal co-evaporation method. The solar cell has an open-circuit voltage of 1.08 V, a fill factor of 83.0%, and a short-circuit current of 21.6 mA cm.
Hybrid wind-solar for highways
Switzerland-based Energy Pier has developed a new concept for hybrid-wind solar projects located along highways. The proposed solution combines a rooftop PV system with small scale wind generators that are installed on both sides of the supporting pillars of the system.
Minimum solar panel raw distance crucial for good soil, vegetation conditions, in solar parks
A Dutch research group has shown that south-oriented solar parks offer better environmental conditions for soil and vegetation than east-west oriented facilities. According to their findings, a distance between panel rows of at least 1.5 times panel height is crucial to favor ideal plant growth and soil functioning.
Uzbekistan launches tender for 500 MW of PV
Through the procurement exercise, the Uzbek authorities want to build several PV plants in the Namangan, Bukhara and Khorezm regions.
Rooftop PV for water heating – a residential super saver
Off-peak electricity rates in Australia are quickly becoming an unhelpful price signal for rooftop solar owners, who benefit by self consuming their excess solar ahead of drawing electricity from the grid at any time of day.
TotalEnergies to build 1 GW solar park in Iraq
TotalEnergies plans to build a 1 GW solar plant near the port of Basra, in southern Iraq.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Huawei and Sineng secure big inverter orders
Furthermore, Tongwei has raised the prices of its solar cells and Comtec Solar announced it wants to sell its idled Shanghai and Hainan factories.
