South African rail operator launches solar tender
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has opened an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender for solar installations at its sites across the country. The deadline for expressions of interest is Jan. 21, 2025.
Mercedes-Benz testing new solar paint
Mercedes-Benz said it is now evaluating a 20%-efficient, non-silicon photovoltaic coating that is significantly cheaper than conventional solar modules.
ADB finances 20 MW solar plant in Bangladesh
Muktagacha Solartech Energy Ltd. has agreed to build and operate a 20 MW solar project in Bangladesh, following the signing of a $24.3 million investment package from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
US sets antidumping duties for Southeast Asian solar cells
US trade officials have announced preliminary affirmative determinations for antidumping duties on crystalline solar cell imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tariffs range from 21.31% to 271.28% depending on the company and country.
Reden Solar inaugurates 200 MW solar module production line in France
Reden Solar has launched a 200 MW solar module production line in France, with capacity to produce up to 300,000 modules per year, primarily for its own renewable electricity projects.
Chinese scientists develop photovoltaic window with heat flow control
The novel smart solar window combines photoelectric and electrochromic functions. It can produce electricity while also regulating the amount of solar radiation entering a building.
Italy allocates 1.5 GW in agrivoltaics tender
The Italian authorities have chosen 540 projects, totaling 1.5 GW, in the nation’s first agrivoltaics tender.
Panasonic offers residential heat pump solution that uses solar radiation forecasts
Panasonic has unveiled a new version of its Eco Cute CO2 heat pump that produces domestic hot water mostly during daytime based on solar radiation data. It integrates a dedicated app to obtain day-ahead solar forecasts and schedule water heating hours for the next day.
Fraunhofer ISE warns of risk from higher than expected UV-induced degradation in TOPCon, PERC, HJT cells
The researchers of the German institute explained that UV-induced degradation may cause larger than expected efficiency and voltage losses in all dominant cell technologies, including TOPCon devices. The scientists expect that silicon nitride layers could be used to enhance TOPCon UV stability compared to PECVD layers typically utilized in PERC and heterojunction cells.
Australian utility strikes offtake deal for 288 MW solar farm
The first large-scale solar project in the Australian state of Tasmania has been locked in, with project developer TasRex reaching a commercial offtake agreement with utility Hydro Tasmania.
