SunDrive secures funds to expedite production of silver-free HJT solar cells
SunDrive Solar, a Sydney-based startup working to replace the silver in solar cells with copper, has obtained AUD 11 million ($7 million) from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to expand its metallized cell production to a commercial scale of more than 100 MW per annum.
Study shows grid behind recent large-scale battery fire in Australia
Genex Power, the owner of a 50 MW/100 MWh battery system that caught fire in the Australian state of Queensland on Sept. 26, says the blaze was triggered by issues on the grid side of the Tesla Megapack battery unit.
New research sheds light on off-grid solar costs in remote villages
An international research group has assessed the economic feasibility of exclusively powering remote villages in Pakistan with off-grid solar-plus-storage projects. They said that their proposed system configuration has a “justifiable” net present cost.
Novel architecture for heterojunction copper bismuth oxide solar cells
Researchers in Bangladesh have simulated a solar cell based on a copper bismuth oxide material, used as an absorber, with a hole transport layer made of copper(I) oxide (Cu2O). In the experiment, the device achieved a power conversion efficiency of 29.2%, an open-circuit voltage of 1.02 V, a short-circuit current density of 32.49 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 87.91%.
India’s NHPC allocates 3 GW of solar for $0.030/kWh
NHPC has allocated 3 GW of solar capacity at a rate of $0.030/kWh to developers who can set up projects connected to the interstate transmission system across India.
NREL forecasts rising US utility-scale solar costs, falling residential prices
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has updated its annual cost modeling tool in light of the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It has identified higher labor costs for utility-scale solar projects and falling hardware costs due to new manufacturing tax credits.
Israel’s Teralight to buy 16.5 MW rooftop PV portfolio
Israeli developer Teralight says it is buying 16.5 MW of solar projects for ILS 25 million ($6.4 million) from gas supplier Electra Power. It expects to generate ILS 320 million of income over the lifetime of the projects.
BYD unveils new agrivoltaics module
Chinese module maker BYD is producing a new bifacial monocrystalline panel at its manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The module has a power output of up to 355 W and a conversion efficiency of 16.33%.
Hering Group moves into organic PV film manufacturing
Hering Group, a centuries-old German construction and engineering company, says it has acquired the PV manufacturing facilities of organic solar film developer Asca, based in Kitzingen, Germany. The previous owners of the facilities describe Asca as a “largely loss-making” venture lacking in sales.
Romanian 155 MW PV plant nears grid connection
Econergy and NoFar Energy unveiled their jointly managed 155 MW Rătești PV Park in Romania’s south last week, which is claimed to be the country’s largest PV facility. An Econergy spokesperson told pv magazine that the plant, spread across 170 hectares, will be connected to the electricity grid by the end of the month.
