New solar-powered tubular motor for blinds
Next Series technology, produced by Italian smart home specialist Nice, facilitates a 35% reduction in energy consumption, compared with analog motors. The company says the solar kit is sustainable and easy to install.
New tool to simulate climate at utility-scale PV project sites
Scientists in China have designed a new methodology to simulate the near-surface climate of utility-scale PV plants. Their findings suggest that the new tool could be used to design more climate-friendly solar parks.
Global installed PV capacity could hit 260 GW in 2022
The International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) estimates that 173.5 GW of new solar capacity was installed in 2021, and that figure might rise to 260 GW in 2022. pv magazine spoke with the co-chair of the European Solar Manufacturing Council to look into the figures.
Pumped hydro storage for abandoned mines in China’s Yellow River basin
Researchers from China have discovered that 91 abandoned mines in China could host pumped hydropower storage facilities, with a total installed capacity of 15,830 MW.
The Hydrogen Stream: Ultra-stable platinum-lanthanum for more efficient fuel cells
Tsinghua University researchers have developed a way to combine high-cost platinum and a rare earth element, lanthanum, to serve as a catalyst in fuel cells. Meanwhile, SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall have revealed plans to launch industrial production of hydrogen direct reduced sponge iron (H-DRI) by the end of this decade.
TOPCon solar cell achieves 24.2% efficiency via new plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition tech
A team of international researchers has simplified the deposition of thin film layers in the commercial production of TOPCon solar cells. Via a tube-type industrial plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (PEALD) technique, they were able to achieve a power conversion efficiency of 22.8% in a 60-cell, 613 W TOPCon module.
PCM-based thermal battery to store solar power via heat pump
Norway’s SINTEF has designed a heat storage system based on phase change materials (PCM) that can support PV generation and peak shaving. The battery’s container hosts 3 tons of liquid biowax based on vegetable oil and is now beating performance expectations at a pilot facility.
Rooftop wind energy innovation claims 50% more energy than solar at same cost
BASF is currently testing Aeromine Technologies’ patented motionless wind-harvesting system.
IEA-PVPS expects polysilicon prices to stabilize by end of 2023
The International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) recently published a report on trends in PV applications for the 2021-22 period. Prices for polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules rose, while production capacity expanded in China and beyond.
‘Footstep tech’ for solar module cleaning
Scientists in South Korea have used a triboelectric generator and an electrodynamic dust shield to develop a panel-cleaning system that can be activated by footsteps. They said the system can remove more than 70% of accumulated dust with the pressure of just 12 footsteps.
