Manufacturing

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme says second-life PV modules have the potential to reduce waste and extend the value of solar assets, but their market today remains underdeveloped and requires advances in technical qualifications, scalable reuse infrastructure and supportive policy frameworks.

The Portuguese company said its new Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent is scheduled for release in June. It has a safe formulation for crops and soil.

Queensland based critical minerals company Graphinex is collaborating with Japanese entities to deliver graphite from its proposed $1.3 billion Esmeralda mine project to Japan, and create a fully integrated graphite-to-anode supply chain.

Italian inverter manufacturer Fimer has launched a new advanced photovoltaic array sizing simulation tool that combines real site data with customer behaviour accessed through its cloud-based project management platform Aurora Vision.

The New South Wales government has approved a new copper mine it says will support the state’s renewable energy transition and reinforce its place in global clean energy technology supply chains.

Researchers at NREL found that UV exposure can cause significant, partly non-recoverable degradation in TOPCon solar cells, with strong cell-to-cell and intra-cell variability linked to passivation and processing inconsistencies. While some UV-related losses recover quickly under light and are unlikely to affect field performance, the findings highlight gaps in current qualification tests and the need for improved UV aging standards.

UNSW researchers identified a new damp-heat degradation mechanism in TOPCon modules with laser-fired contacts, driven primarily by rear-side recombination and open-circuit voltage loss rather than series-resistance increase. The study highlights that magnesium in white EVA encapsulants accelerates degradation, guiding improved encapsulant and backsheet selection for more reliable modules in humid environments.

The new Tesla Solar Panel and mounting system pairs with the company’s inverter, Powerwall battery, EV charging and vehicles, creating an all-Tesla residential solar offering for the first time.

AlphaHPA has received a $75 million National Reconstruction Fund Corporation investment toward delivery of its ultra-high purity alumina plant in Queensland, which will supply critical materials for lithium-ion battery manufacturing.

Engineers at the University of New South Wales have developed a real-time monitoring technique that reveals how silicon solar cells can self-repair following ultraviolet-induced damage, offering new insights into solar panel degradation and lifetime performance.