PV modules

The patentability of Korean company Hanwha’s technology is being examined by a U.S. commission, according to Jinko. The Chinese manufacturer said it expects a final decision by December. Hanwha responded by announcing its decision to appeal.

French start-up Solaire Box has raised €1.5 million to back its business supplying wooden houses complete with PV rooftops. The buildings cost €1,700-2,000/m² and feature PV modules made by French firm Systovi. The company plans add to add features such as energy storage systems and carbon-free heating.

A U.S. research group has developed a new solar cell, based on six active photoactive layers, to capture light from a specific part of the solar spectrum. The scientists claim that they could potentially reach a 50% efficiency rate with the new cell.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Action will permit 220 self-consumption projects with generation capacities of no more than 1 MW to be connected immediately. The usual long-winded permitting process has been side-stepped as the government seeks to enable financially-stricken enterprises to benefit from lower energy bills during the public health crisis.

Even as global PV forecasts fall, tax equity dries up and unemployment rises, investor Jim Spano believes the right type of government stimulus could not only help the solar industry recover – but drive it to new heights.

Researchers in Australia and China used intensity-modulated photoluminescence to map the series resistance of perovskite solar cells with a technique which could further understanding of the causes of instability issues in such devices.

Scientists at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory are developing a communication system to coordinate and control the volumes of solar power injected into grids by small scale solar arrays.

The Swiss government has decided to extend its incentives for renewable energy projects, while also adjusting them to promote greater competitiveness. In addition, it plans to replace feed-in tariffs for large-scale solar installations with a new auction mechanism.

German scientists have developed a new process for the formation of a phase pure kesterite Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe), which they claim can improve the material homogeneity and suppress the well-known issue of tin losses. The new technique is based on stacked elemental and alloyed precursors with a Zn/Cu-Sn/Zn precursor structure.

The move represents a step forward in the implementation of the National Action Plan for Renewable Energy (Paner), through which the West African nation aims to install 1.42 GW of renewable energy by 2030.