Kosovo introduces 20 MW FIT scheme for PV, but state aid commission said it is illegal
The scheme, which has now been halted, was expected to award a FIT of €0.0855/kWh to PV systems not exceeding 3 MW in size.
Evaluating tandem cells, from the bottom up
Scientists in Germany evaluated multiple silicon cell concepts based on both cost and efficiency in serving as the bottom layer in a perovskite-silicon tandem cell. The study, based on both simulation and experimental work, outlines advantages to various approaches with the silicon cell and concludes that in almost every case, perovskite-silicon tandem cells have the potential to bring solar costs down below what could be achieved with silicon alone.
Simulation tool for mismatch conditions at cell level
Scientists in Portugal have proposed a new framework to simulate mismatch conditions at the cell level. They claim the tool is particularly suitable for simulations of small PV systems with few module strings.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: JA Solar commissions 3.5 GW module factory in Shanghai
And Risen has agreed to buy 2.25 billion wafers from monocrystalline wafer manufacturer Wuxi Shangji Automation, while Trina has cornered another 30,000-ton slice of the global polysilicon market.
EU says Netherlands must pay €659m for evading anti-dumping duties on solar panels
The Netherlands has allegedly evaded anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on solar imports from China, Taiwan and Malaysia between May 2015 and March 2017, according to the European Commission. The Dutch government said the claims from Brussels are not justified.
Chinese coal mine hosts 300 MW solar plant
TBEA New Energy’s new solar park relies on flexible mounting systems and large-gradient, large-span slope support technology.
New process to recover PET and EVA from recycled solar panels
Researchers in China are proposing a new technique to recover polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET) and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) in solar panels at the end of their lifecycle. The two materials represent around 15% of the total material in a wasted solar cell, with a share of 10% for EVA and 5% for PET, respectively.
Self-cleaning tech for small off-grid PV arrays
A U.S.-Pakistan research group has created a new self-cleaning mechanism for standalone PV systems up to 5 kW in size. The system increases power yields by around 35%, while its payback period is estimated at around five years.
Belgium’s Flanders region to provide €58 million for PV rebates in 2021
The authorities in Flanders will grant maximum rebates of €1,500 per PV system to homeowners from Jan. 1. The scheme is expected to drive up solar installations by 1.5 GW by 2025.
Behind-the-meter solar sharing technology from Australia
Allume Energy’s SolShare technology equitably spreads the solar love among residents of community housing and apartment buildings that can install PV on top. It has just achieved the certification that will let residents of “multi-family units” across America enjoy the benefits of renewable energy.
