Perovskite-silicon tandems could rapidly scale solar
Halide perovskites combined with conventional silicon could help solar break the 26% efficiency barrier – disrupting the technology without disrupting business systems.
Australian researchers develop bifacial solar cell with 96.3% bifacial factor
Australian National University researchers claim to have set a world record for bifacial solar cell efficiency that they say could boost the energy output of solar farms by 30%.
Tracing the roots of fill factor degradation in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells
Scientists in Saudi Arabia have conducted one of the longest tests on the stability of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. According to their findings, the most affected parameter under the hot and humid climate of the region is the device fill factor, which dropped from 80% to 50% in just six months.
Blockchain for PV module recycling
Next Energy and Marubeni are developing a blockchain tech for PV module inspection – with the support of the Japanese government – which they claim is able to provide data on a panel’s traceability and components as well as verifying that the data were not modified or tampered with.
First Solar breaks ground on 3.3 GW module factory
First Solar has started building a new PV module factory in the U.S. state of Ohio. The $680 million facility is scheduled to start operations in the first half of 2023.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Work begins on 12 GW heterojunction module factory in Zhejiang
Furthermore, Zhonghuan Semiconductor’s parent company has reported strong results for its PV business and solar developer Shunfeng has halted trading in its shares.
Cooling PV modules with plants, coir pith
An Indian-Malaysian research group has investigated the effectiveness of several passive cooling techniques for solar panels, including the placement of plants around the modules or coir pith underneath them, both of which, surprisingly, offered good performance in terms of temperature reduction and power yield.
JinkoSolar builds 7 GW wafer factory in Vietnam
The new factory should begin production within six months and serve the company’s cell and module assembly factories in Malaysia, as well as the module assembly facility in the United States.
Ligand-free perovskite quantum dot solar cell with 9.3% efficiency
The quantum dots used for the device are based on methylammonium lead iodide and are synthesized within a porous silica (SiO2) matrix. Compared to its bulk counterparts, the ligand-free solar cell exhibited a more stable performance.
Indian state tenders 224 MW of grid-connected PV
Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited. has opened an EPC tender for 224 MW of grid-connected solar capacity in the Indian state of Gujarat. The projects will range in size from 10 MW to 55 MW, with bidding set to close on Sept. 8.
