Slovenia set to install 258 MW of new solar in 2022
Slovenia’s cumulative PV capacity additions could grow from 466 MW in 2021 to 724 MW by the end of this year. The residential market will account for almost all new capacity, and demand is expected to grow under a net-metering scheme extension until the end of 2023.
Cooling down photovoltaic panels with concrete
Scientists in Italy have proposed the use of radiative coolers made of cementitious materials to reduce the operating temperature of solar panels. The novel system configuration consists of a stack made by a reflector, a cement-based radiative cooler, and a bifacial solar cell.
CubicPV plans 10 GW of conventional silicon wafer production
CubicPV, backed by $26 million in new funding, has announced plans to make silicon wafers in the United States, which would fill a critical gap in the US solar supply chain.
Adani moves forward with 30,000 MT polysilicon project in India
Adani has selected Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) to set up 30,000 metric tons (MT) of polysilicon production capacity and 500 MT of monosilane capacity in India.
Solar PPAs key for hydrogen economy
Scientists in Spain have assessed the potential of power purchase agreements in ensuring the development of green hydrogen projects powered by utility-scale photovoltaics. They presented an operational multi-state modeling of electrolyzers and showed how solar plants under PPAs could significantly increase their rate of return.
Canadian Solar enters TOPCon solar module business
Canadian Solar said it will begin mass production of 690 W TOPCon products in the first quarter of 2023. The modules will feature a cell efficiency of 25.0% and a bifaciality factor of more than 85%.
Tracking environmental performance improvements in solar modules
New life-cycle assessment (LCA) data for PV systems confirms that greenhouse gas emissions from 1 kWh of solar electricity are far lower than emissions from fossil-fuel power plants. The difference has been fairly constant since 2018, but has improved substantially since when IEA PVPS started reporting on this measure in 1996.
Meyer Burger to commercialize 29.6%-efficient perovskite tandem solar cells
Meyer Burger is working with several research institutes in Switzerland and Germany to integrate perovskite tandem technology into its manufacturing processes.
Hydrophobic nanocoating to reduce soiling in solar panels
Scientists in Egypt have created a self-cleaning, hydrophobic coating for solar panels that reportedly increases their efficiency by more than 30%. They used a coating solution based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanocomposites, mixed with ethanol and isopropanol.
Solar Inventions gets patent for silver-saving configurable current solar cells
Solar Inventions has patented technology that could save between $2 million and $5 million per gigawatt in solar projects, while also raising rated power output. The company has patents in the United States, China and Israel for its cell configuration.
