Testing field for PV noise barriers
Two testing facilities for photovoltaic noise barriers are being built by a Belgian consortium. Their creators want to assess different PV technologies, reduce costs and plan large scale projects in Belgium, where land and policy constraints make the construction of ground-mounted PV plants almost impossible.
Indian manufacturer to build 1.2 GW of mono PERC module capacity
Rayzon Solar, a Gujarat-based PV manufacturer, is scaling its production lines up to 1.5 GW with the addition of 1.2 GW of mono PERC output capacity by the end of December. The new line will produce 600 Wp panels with efficiency ratings of 21.4%.
Solar module for floating PV from Hyundai
The bifacial panel has a power output of up to 485 W and an efficiency of up to 21%. It relies on a transparent backsheet and is encapsulated with polyolefin elastomer (POE).
Serial inventor aims to change PV value chain by addressing heat
Kent Kernahan has set out to take the heat out of solar cells. He and his partners may end up bringing solar manufacturing jobs to disadvantaged communities, while making low-cost rooftop solar more widely available.
Maxeon adds another PV module to AC series
Singapore-based solar manufacturer Maxeon has unveiled the new Performance 3 AC panel, the latest addition to its AC range.
An environmental failsafe for lead-based perovskites
Scientists in Switzerland discovered that certain types of phosphate salt react with lead only in the presence of moisture, to form non-water-soluble phosphates. Incorporating these salts into the architecture of a lead-based perovskite solar cell could greatly reduce the risk of lead seeping into the environment should the cells be damaged, without incurring significant costs or negatively affecting the cell’s performance.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Mixed financial results for wafer and module makers
Preliminary results were published for Solargiga, Zhonghuan Semiconductor, GCL System Integration, JYT Corporation and Akcome Tech.
Chemical bath deposition for 21.7%-efficient perovskite solar cell based on tin oxide films
The cell was used to build two perovskite solar modules with a size of 5x5cm and 10x10cm, respectively, and with efficiencies of 15.62% and 11.80%.
US government, NREL seek consortium leaders for thin-film PV module advancement
The U.S. Department of Energy has released $20 million in funding to solicit participation in a consortium of leaders, organized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, that will focus on thin-film cadmium telluride module development.
First lessons learnt from offshore pilot PV system in North Sea after 18-month operation
The 50 kW modular PV system started operating at the end of November 2019. According to its developer, Dutch start-up Oceans of Energy, power production after 18 months of operations is in line with expectations. The installation had to withstand several storms and waves with a height of up to 10 meters.
