solar modules

Volkswagen France has commissioned a 20 MW solar carport project at its facility in Villers-Cotterêts, In northern France’s Hauts-de-France region.

Sofar, a China-based inverter and battery manufacturer, has introduced a new series of microinverters for balcony solar arrays and rooftop PV systems. They have a 97.5% efficiency rating and offer between 500 VA and 2,400 VA of rated power.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, presents the solar irradiance data it collected for June, which showed that Mexico, the US Southwest and Midwest, and Canada received significantly above average solar irradiance. The enhanced solar generation was particularly welcome in Mexico and the Southwest, where it helped meet higher electricity demand caused by record-breaking heatwaves.

Scientists in the United Kingdom have investigated the durability and performance of all antireflecting coatings for solar modules and said further work is needed to improve industry standards. Their review addresses single-layer and multi-layer techniques and provides insight on their costs and viability.

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.

Vegard Vollset, Vegard Wiik Vollset, Vice President at Rystad Energy, spoke with pv magazine about the global solar module supply chain and the possibility of producing polysilicon in Europe and the United States. He said solar module prices will inevitably continue to fall over the short term.

Bill Mulligan, CEO of Maxeon, spoke to pv magazine at the recent Intersolar 2023 trade show about the Singapore-based module manufacturer’s expansion plans and tech roadmap, as well as current oversupply challenges. He said Maxeon plans to develop IBC products and TOPCon panels in shingle formats.

Sonnex Energie is offering five versions of its new PV modules, with power outputs of 395 W to 415 W and power conversion efficiencies ranging from 20.23% to 21.25%. They also have a temperature coefficient of -0.35% per degree Celsius.

A research team in Turkey sought to assess how solar power may help reduce emissions and improve performance in air conditioning systems. Their analysis showed that using a heater in the AC system improves the coefficient of performance and mitigates negative environmental effects.

The Spanish government says it aims to deploy 76 GW of cumulative PV capacity and 22 GW of storage by the end of this decade. The old version of the national energy strategy had set a PV target of 39 GW.