solar modules

University of New South Wales researchers have identified four failure modes caused by damp heat in heterojunction solar panels with a glass-back sheet configuration. The failures could result in power losses ranging from 5% to 50%.

Scientists from Fraunhofer ISE have sought to utilize epitaxially grown p-type silicon wafers TOPCon rear emitter (TOPCore) solar cells with the aim of reducing production costs and carbon footprint. They claim this combination is paving the way for TOPCore devices that exceed 25% efficiency.

Under a new bill, existing projects could be retroactively removed if new permit requirements are not made. New solar and wind farms would need to win the approval of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, while undergoing yearly fees, tight siting requirements and more.

NREL researchers model viable pathways to supplying the estimated 60 TW of capacity required for decarbonization, and study the effect that disruptive solar technologies may have on deployment cost and market opportunity.

The Italian cabinet has approved 13 agrivoltaic projects in the southern regions of Apulia and Basilicata.

In the first week of May, the photovoltaic systems installed in Germany made the largest contribution to net electricity generation. They fed a total of 1,744.46 GWh of solar power into the grid and thus had a share of 23.6%.

Developed by Chinese researchers, the system is designed to reach a heating capacity of 5.7 kW and an overall coefficient of performance of 1.40 at nominal conditions. It is made with an engine unit, a heat pump unit, and a gas resonator unit in a loop.

Perovskite-silicon tandem technology expert Gianluca Coletti explains what cycles the PV industry and scientific community experience every time there are new jumps in power conversion efficiencies at cell level. According to him, we are experiencing a much faster turnover of efficiency records typical of the early stage of development of a new technology holding an incredible potential.

An international research group led by Longi Central R&D Institute has published a paper describing Longi’s heterojunction solar cell based on a full-size silicon wafer that made a sensation in November, as it beat the long-lasting efficiency record held by Japanese manufacturer Kaneka for years. The researchers attributed the cell efficiency improvement to the implementation of a p-type amorphous silicon hydrogenated layer together with a modified transparent conductive oxides contact, which they said greatly reduced the cell contact resistivity.

Researchers associated with the European Commission have developed a new methodology to calculate the carbon footprint of PV modules for use in the context of the European Union’s ecodesign regulations.