Research

Researchers in the United States found that shading from agrivoltaic systems reduces grain numbers in both sorghum and soybean, but sorghum can partially compensate by increasing grain weight while soybean cannot. The study shows that sorghum and soybean respond differently due to their physiology, offering guidance for crop selection and management to minimize yield penalties in agrivoltaics.

Researchers in China developed a new compressed air energy storage system that uses flooded roadways in abandoned coal mines to store compressed air and heat for nighttime power generation. Simulations show the design can achieve 71.5% thermal efficiency, stable performance, and higher energy density at greater depths, with minimal long-term impact from air leakage.

Researchers in the US tested the degradation of antimony chalcogenide solar cells exposed to proton radiation. The result indicated a robust tolerance and potential for use in space.

The Japanese electronics manufacturer is testing its glass-based perovskite solar PV technology in office windows made by YKK AP, a construction and building materials company.

Australian researchers developed a high-resolution energy modeling framework to assess how PV and batteries can supply 24/7 electricity to heavy industries, considering cost, grid interaction, and load flexibility. They found that, while technology cost reductions help, smart grid integration and flexible industrial operations are far more effective in lowering electricity costs and enabling 100% renewable energy use.

A University of Cambridge-led team of researchers have demonstrated precisely controlled layer-by-layer epitaxial vapor growth of two-dimensional halide perovskite films in an industrially compatible process. Their findings could help develop more thermally stable perovskite solar cells.

JinkoSolar says it has increased the efficiency rating for its perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells from 34.22% to 34.76%, confirmed by China’s National PV Metric & Testing Center (NPVM).

Researchers in China have developed a dipolar passivation method that reduces defects and improves charge transport in solar cells based on narrow-bandgap tin lead perovskite. The approach has enabled the fabrication of all-perovskite tandem solar cells with efficiencies of around 30% and enhanced stability,

Korean researchers revealed that efficiency losses in heterojunction solar cells arise from two coexisting defect types – dangling bonds and weak silicon-silicon bonds. Their findings explain how hydrogenated amorphous silicon passivation help mitigate these defects and improve cell performance.

Researchers at University of Jaén in Spain have demonstrated a semi-transparent crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic module with rear-side optical concentrators for agrivoltaics applications.