Manufacturing

A Japanese consortium is piloting agrivoltaics using film-type perovskite solar cells over rice paddies to study energy generation alongside crop production. The three-year project will assess impacts on rice yield, land use, and emissions while testing the technology’s performance and commercial viability.

Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a smart window that combines switchable polymer-dispersed liquid crystal with integrated PV cells, offering controllable transparency and electricity generation. The system balances light, heat, and solar protection while maintaining high visual quality and stable performance, according to its creators.

JinkoSolar has announced the launch of a new solar module tailored specifically to meet the power density and extreme reliability needs of data centres and AI-driven computing.

The Nexis solution combines a flexibly configurable hybrid inverter with a modular high-voltage battery offering up to 14 kW charging capacity per stack. The inverter delivers 8–20 kW AC power, supports up to 200% DC oversizing, and features IP65-rated design with integrated backup power.

The Goulburn Community Solar Farm and battery project in New South Wales has been commissioned with Chinese manufacturing giant Trinasolar saying the milestone highlights key shifts in large-scale project delivery.

The K2 MultiRail High mounting system is a one-piece elevated solution with a height of 100 mm tailored to improve rear ventilation on metal roofs. K2 Systems says greater distance between modules and metal roof surface improves airflow and lowers module temperature, which can translate to higher annual energy yield.

An international research team, including scientists from the University of Queensland, boosted triple-junction solar cell performance by enhancing perovskite crystal growth, increasing middle-cell light absorption, and adding reflective nanoparticles.

Chinese solar inverter and storage solutions company Sungrow has launched its CEC-approved PowerKeeper Series in Australia for commercial and industrial applications.

A random malware variant affected about 800 remote monitoring devices at ground-mounted PV plants in Japan in May 2024. Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm Girasol Energy has told pv magazine what happened and how PV asset owners can protect themselves against such incidents.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new rooftop solar module offers 455–475 W power, 22.8–23.8% efficiency, 96-cell double-glass design, and IP68 protection.