Nowegian startup brings PV-powered cargo bikes to market
Infinite Mobility, a developer of solar-powered bikes for last mile delivery fleets and commuters, is shipping samples to potential distributors in Europe, a month ahead of series production.
IEC develops standards for vehicle-integrated photovoltaics
In its first monthly column for pv magazine, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) explains how a team of its experts is currently working on the definition of new standards for VIPV systems.
Vehicle-integrated photovoltaic system for medical support
A spinoff of Germany’s Fraunhofer Gesellschaft has developed a compact vehicle-integrated PV system integrated with medical support equipment to provide off-grid, off-road mobile healthcare in rural communities. The PV modules with integrated energy management system supply all the electricity required for maintaining a cold chain for vaccines, medicines and samples.
Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics making the moves from niche to mainstream
A new report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) looks at success factors required to take vehicle integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) from niche to mainstream based on a survey of 110 experts in the topic of transport and PV.
AGC Automotive Europe unveils photovoltaic panoramic sunroof for passenger vehicles
The Belgian automotive company said system can integrate either TOPCon, HJT, or xBC solar cells. The VIPV unit features a glass-glass construction and it does not need a roller blind system.
Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics for electric ground transport
Canadian custom module manufacturer Capsolar developed a vehicle integrated PV system (VIPV) for an electric material towing application, reportedly enabling 30% to 40% range increase per battery charge.
Imec integrates silicon heterojunction solar cells into curved surfaces
Imec has successfully integrated silicon heterojunction PV cells into curved surfaces, resulting in a 6% efficiency increase compared to passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) half cells. The cells are suitable for applications in vehicle-integrated and building-integrated PV (BIPV).
Urban shadowing on solar-powered vehicles
New research shows high potential for solar-powered vehicles across the world, providing between 11 km/day/kWp to 29 km/day/kWp of extended range in open areas, enabling significant levels of self-sufficiency.
New techique to color flexible thin-film BIPV, VIPV panels
Researchers in South Korea have developed a process to enable colored and flexible, thin film modules suitable for vehicle and building-integrated PV applications. It is reportedly a low-cost process that does not significantly impact power conversion efficiency.
Fraunhofer ISE integrates solar cells into car hood
Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (ISE) has advanced vehicle-integrated PV (VIPV) technology by installing solar cells directly onto a standard sheet-metal car hood. The researchers placed a 115 W prototype array on the hood of a Volkswagen with a specialized lamination process.
