Solar Cells

New documents reveal US government found only two cases of communications in Chinese inverters that differed from official documentation. The discrepancies were deemed “non-malicious” and “non-intentional” by investigators.

Shenzhen-based SolaEon has reported a 27.87% efficiency for a single-junction perovskite solar cell on a 0.076 cm² lab device, certified by China’s National Photovoltaic Industry Metrology and Testing Center.

Hongyuan Green Energy says it has produced a first batch of 40 µm monocrystalline silicon wafers that support full-size and half-cut formats, with slicing completed using the company’s in-house wafering equipment.

Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) is developing the world’s first medium-voltage PV plants in Germany to cut material use, reduce costs, and simplify grid integration. They will test 1,500 V and 3 kV string configurations to create cost-effective, voltage-resistant components for large-scale solar.

pv magazine has spoken with silver analysts from Bloomberg and StoneX about the vertiginous growth of silver prices in recent weeks. They both agree that when prices rise too fast, investors’ behavior may change quickly. Meanwhile, the price of the precious metal has reached another all-time high today at $110 per ounce.

TU Delft researchers have developed a liquid-based solar module encapsulation that performs on par with conventional EVA panels while offering improved recyclability and circularity. The approach is compatible with silicon and tandem perovskite/silicon cells and could support thermal management and integration into photovoltaic-thermal modules.

A more than 15% increase in silver prices over the past week is adding cost pressure to the solar supply chain, as silver paste costs currently represent around 30% of total PV module costs.

In all ages, humankind decided to spend considerable amounts of the available productivity on special monumental projects. Managing climate change and rebalancing within the planetary boundaries is such an activity. The enormous energetic productivity of solar PV may evolve as the central pillar to create a sustainable civilization.

A Chinese-Swedish research team has boosted the performance of tin-lead perovskite solar cells by modifying additives and post-treatment processes. The device also demonstrated improved stability, retaining 60% of its initial efficiency after 550 hours at 85 °C under maximum power point conditions.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.