Hanwha Q Cells announces n-type module with passivating contacts
Production on the new module, called Q.Tron, is expected to begin this year. The product is described as an evolution of the company’s Q.antum cell technology.
Australian water utility deployed 350,000 PV panels across 33 sites
State-owned utility SA Water has completed an extensive solar project in South Australia, with more than 350,000 PV panels installed at 33 water treatment plants and pump stations.
Compressed air tech for solar module cleaning, cooling
British scientists have developed an experimental compressed air system for the simultaneous cleaning and cooling of PV modules. The system was built with a compressed-air unit which was made of a compressor, an air tank, and an airflow regulation valve, and a series of nozzles. The technique was tested on a PV system located in northwestern India.
Solar 101: What’s my solar system going to cost?
Think of your solar system as a custom retrofit. That means the list of unique variables and components can be long, and hardware requirements may result in significant pricing differences.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: New 5 GW heterojunction solar module factory, increasing wafer and cell prices
China-based wind turbine manufacturer Mingyang Smart Energy wants to build a heterojunction module factory with a capacity of 5 GW. Both Longi and Tongwei have raised the prices of their wafers and cells, respectively.
Daqo opens Xinjiang polysilicon factory to international observers
The polysilicon manufacturer has once again rejected allegations of forced labor by opening the doors of its factory in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to international investors and journalists. Video footage of the event was published by the company on its website.
Dutch farmers left with no connection for their PV arrays
Grid congestion issues are increasing in the Netherlands and several Dutch farmers claim to have remained without access to the grid despite having completed their rooftop arrays.
New York state funds study on benefits of grazing for PV
Sheep and solar farms can exist symbiotically, and the American Solar Grazing Association says that now is the time to convert that relationship into a full-scale industry.
3.3 GW renewables pipeline provides cover for coal-fired power plant closures in Australia
Record investment in solar and wind farms across the National Electricity Market has helped to quell concerns that Victoria and South Australia will face increased risk of blackouts later this decade following the impending closure of the Yallourn coal-fired power plant.
Role of distributed solar at issue in California’s net metering update
Industry groups focus on solar-plus-storage, or preserving the distributed solar industry, while a state agency aims to compensate rooftop solar at avoided costs and add a grid service charge.
