solar cell

Green hydrogen can now compete with hydrogen produced with fossil fuels in Germany, according to new research. Scientists have looked at six different scenarios for alkaline and PEM electrolyzers and identified alkaline devices powered by grid-connected PV as the cheapest option.

German engineering association the VDMA has reported increasing orders and sales for PV equipment suppliers in the third quarter. China accounted for around 80% of PV production equipment demand during the period.

The n-type cell was built with phosphorus-doped LPCVD poly-Si passivating contacts and achieved a remarkable open-circuit voltage of 691.7 mV. According to its creators, with some adjustments the cell may be suitable for commercial production.

Fuxing New Energy is building a wafer factory in Anhui Province and Tongwei is moving forward with its plan to increase polysilicon capacity to 430,000 metric tons by the end of 2023.

The 5.5%-efficient cell was fabricated through a low-temperature, two-step manufacturing process that is compatible with existing window glass manufacturing technology. Cells made with 70nm antimony trisulfide films achieved the best fill factor of around 57%, while the highest power conversion efficiencies were achieved with films ranging from 70 to 100nm.

Mondragon Assembly has developed a new solution for the interconnection of heterojunction cells with electrically conductive adhesive tech. It can now produce up to 2,600 cells per hour, and is already available on the market.

Dutch researchers have used optic colored filters to make building-integrated PV products more suitable for urban environments with cultural heritage value. They discovered that the filters do not affect a cell’s open-circuit voltage and fill factor, but only the short-circuit current.

New research from Germany outlines mechanisms behind a form of potential-induced degradation specifically affecting the rear side of bifacial solar cells. Results suggest that the issue may be more complex than previously thought; and avoiding irreversible damage to cells in the field will require a rethink of testing standards.

Canadian Premium Sand has revealed plans to build a solar glass manufacturing facility in the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Scientists in the United States developed a computer simulator that can calculate the conversion efficiency of different solar cell materials and configurations – helping to guide research and optimization of new cell designs. The simulator is available to researchers as an open-source tool to save time and spot the best opportunities for optimization of any given approach.