Technology

Researchers led by the University of Rochester claim to have increased the photoresponsivity of a lead-halide perovskite for solar cell applications by 250%. They created a perovskite film with a plasmonic substrate made of hyperbolic metamaterial and characterized it with transition dipole orientation.

Tongwei is offering six versions of its monofacial monocrystalline panels, with power outputs ranging from 400 W to 430 W and power conversion efficiencies between 20.1% and 21.7%.

An international research group has developed a new Aalborg inverter design for high-power applications in solar arrays. The device has fewer switches than conventional, voltage-source inverters and can reportedly improve PV system performance by reducing switching losses.

Hanwha Qcells and Trina Solar say they have signed a patent licensing and transfer agreement with each other to end a dispute over their intellectual property.

The Dutch heat pump market grew by 57% in 2022, with 70,000 heat pumps installed in new buildings and 40,000 in existing homes. The Dutch Heat Pump Association (DHPA) now wants to focus on investing in solar-thermal heat pumps and bringing the technology to low-income households.

Michael DiRienzo, executive director of The Silver Institute, tells pv magazine that average silver prices will hover around $23 per ounce this year, without any anticipated supply disruptions for the solar industry.

Japan’s National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) says in a new report that snow has damaged 43 PV installations of different sizes over the past four years. It urges PV system owners to conduct regular site inspections, use surveillance cameras, and remove snow at early stages.

Lightleaf’s new 110 W PV module features monocrystalline solar cells from SunPower Maxeon, with 25.1% efficiency. It has a rigid carbon-fiber foam foundation instead of glass, and weighs just 2.5 kg.

Italian researchers have reviewed different system configurations for photovoltaic-thermal solar-assisted heat pumps in buildings. They say that using the PV-thermal collector as the heat pump’s evaporator results in the highest heat recovery, but a dual-source system with a separate heat exchanger is the most promising solution to cover all thermal needs.

Spanish scientists have created a bifacial thermophotovoltaic cell that reportedly provides high power and efficient energy conversion at moderate temperatures. They say the device can achieve twice the power density of “conventional” monofacial thermophotovoltaic devices without higher system costs.