solar modules

Researchers in the Middle East have developed a fuzzy logic controller that simultaneously optimizes the tilt angle of PV systems and performs maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Year-long simulations indicate that the proposed approach increases power generation by approximately 20%.

The solar cells combine multilayer graphene with silicon wafers, harvesting both solar and kinetic energy for continuous operation. Tests show the cells can autonomously power supercapacitors embedded in a temperature sensor.

California-based Apparent Inc. has unveiled a new water heater that can reportedly offset 100% of a home’s water heating cost. The system uses low-voltage DC electricity generated by conventional solar panels and a cloud based, machine learning platform that manages energy in real-time.

Waaree Energies has entered the back contact module business with a TOPCon dual-glass module. The new product is based on cells with G12R format.

The Chinese manufacturer said the product line includes five models with outputs ranging from 25 kW to 50 kW, supporting charge and discharge currents of up to 150 A.

While solar modules and batteries have become icons of rapid progress, most energy models are still stuck in the past. A new global analysis shows that the cost of renewable energy has fallen far faster than expected. Solar PV, wind power, and battery technologies have already reached price levels that models once placed many decades ahead – a misplaced pessimism that risks misdirecting billions in climate investment and could distort long-term defossilization strategies.

Japan’s oil giant Idemitsu Kosan and U.S.-based Source Energy Company announced a collaboration to develop copper indium gallium-selenide solar modules and arrays for satellite and space applications.

Tests conducted by a research team in outdoor environments in Spain and Poland have demonstrated a strong correlation between perovskite solar cell degradation and the combined effects of climatic and operating conditions. The scientists found that open-circuit operation accelerates degradation, whereas operation at the maximum power point and under short-circuit conditions has a lower impact.

Researchers in China developed a large-scale PV-thermal heat pump system using a liquid overfeed method that reportedly improves both thermal and electrical efficiency. Field tests showed up to a 4.81% boost in power generation and significantly reduced pressure losses compared to conventional systems.

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) says its new solar module testing laboratory in Dhaka marks a major step toward enforcing quality standards and supporting the nation’s export ambitions.