Switzerland deployed 683 MW of solar last year
This year the Alpine country should see the deployment of up to 900 MW of new PV capacity. At the end of December, cumulative solar installations reached 3.65 GW.
Solar panels power the largest optical telescope in space
Our deepest view into the universe is powered by PV. NASA was one of the earliest adopters of solar technology, and it continues to be an important feature of spacecraft today.
Tata Power to build 600 MW wind-solar hybrid plant in India
The plant will be located in the state of Karnataka and should be completed within 24 months.
Storing renewables via radial-flow packed bed thermal energy storage
Researchers in Sweden have created a thermal energy storage system relying on a dynamic air mass flow rate that is applied during both charge and discharge processes. It achieved a maximum thermal efficiency of around 70%.
Solar power costs continued to fall in 2021, despite rising panel prices
The average global price of solar kilowatt-hours fell 13% on 2020’s prices, as around two-thirds of the renewables capacity installed last year was cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternative.
Novel method to turn existing solar parks into agrivoltaic facilities
An international research team has developed a new methodology to increase levels of pollination at ground-mounted solar plants. It involves the development of new vegetated land cover below and around solar parks.
Eco-friendly solvent for a 16.7% perovskite solar cell
Scientists in Germany looked to eliminate the use of toxic solvents in the production of perovskite solar cells, replacing them with a more environmentally material called dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) which has so far proved difficult to integrate into processes suitable for large-scale production. The group demonstrated a scalable blade coating process using DMSO as the only solvent, and reached cell efficiencies close to those achieved using more toxic substances.
Greece to launch 1 GW renewables tender in September
The Greek energy regulator has published the details of a 1 GW joint renewable power tender scheduled for September. The nation has planned a number of additional competitive tenders up to 2024, in order to procure about 3 GW of renewables, including energy storage.
Four-terminal tandem perovskite/CIGS solar cell with 26.2% efficiency
Japanese scientists have developed a tandem device with a 19.5%-efficient perovskite top cell. They claim to have created a semi-transparent perovskite solar cell while maintaining high performance.
Shipping costs remain key challenge for solar sector
The solar industry will face elevated shipping costs and supply disruptions for at least another year until the global ocean freight system starts to normalize.
