China module prices hit record lows, operating rates estimated around 60%
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.
Solar could be crowned ‘king’ of Latvia’s energy market
Latvia recorded 54 MW of installed solar capacity at the end of last year, according to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) statistics. This is “miserable” compared to the country’s Baltic siblings, one energy expert tells pv magazine. But if Latvia lands the right utility-scale opportunities, solar could be one of its renewable energy stars.
Maxeon sues Aiko Solar for alleged patent infringement
PV manufacturer Maxeon has filed a lawsuit in Germany claiming that its rival, Aiko Solar, has breached European patents for the architecture of back contact solar cells. Aiko Solar has denied the allegations.
IDeals lists Spanish solar M&As for October
iDeals and M&A Community says there were 16 merger and acquisitions (M&As) announced in Spain in October.
Laser-sharp focus on interconnections
As the world’s solar manufacturers continue to ramp up production at an eye-watering speed, a cell connection technique up to 10 times faster than the industry standard holds rich promise, according to Keven Tremblay, from Canadian laser process specialist Laserax.
Agrivoltaic system achieves 9.9% efficiency, LCOE of $0.033/kWh
Researchers in China have built a prototype of a spectral-splitting concentrator agrivoltaic system (SCAPV) with a PV efficiency of 9.9, a hybrid light-use efficiency rating of 9.05%, and a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $0.033/kWh.
New MPPT approach for multi-string PV systems under partial shading
Egyptian researchers have developed a multi-string PV system with a converter control strategy, achieving 99.81% efficiency with a direct duty cycle for maximum power point tracking (MPPT).
Residential PV for urban loads as an antidote to solar curtailment
Researchers in the Netherlands have proposed the use of residential PV capacity to supply electricity to urban loads such as tram substations and dwellings, potentially reducing PV curtailment and demand for additional storage.
European consortium targets 25% CIGS solar cell efficiency
A consortium of European thin-film PV manufacturers and research institutes are working to advance copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS) solar development in a €5.9 million ($6.4 million) project. It aims to achieve 25% cell power conversion efficiency by improving manufacturing processes and scaling up from lab-sized bifacial devices to small outdoor-tested modules for a range of applications.
Antora Energy receives $4 million grant to scale thermophotovoltaic technology
Antora says its thermal batteries offer a cost-effective way to store energy and produce high-temperature industrial heat and electricity on demand
