Manufacturing

Just weeks after announcing its intent to build a $300 million (USD 210 million) lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Victoria, Australia-based Recharge Industries is reportedly considering a bid for the collapsed UK battery company Britishvolt that could revive plans to construct a battery cell gigafactory in northern England.

A Victorian-based startup which claims to have developed a hydrogen enhancement kit that injects hydrogen into existing diesel engines to reduce diesel use, has begun the production of 10 commercial-ready systems. It will do field testing with the systems on sites of potential customers.

The Chinese government is considering the introduction of export restrictions on solar wafers, black silicon, and silicon casting equipment. It has launched a public consultation process on the proposed measures.

The drivers for PV supply-chain traceability could rub against a solar industry enjoying a true seller’s market, with demand outstripping supply. However, supply-chain auditing services are gaining support in increasingly regulated environments. pv magazine’s Tristan Rayner has spoken to a number of auditing experts about how they shine a light on often-opaque operations.

Scientists from Australia are among an international team of researchers that predict lightweight, high-performance perovskite solar modules could soon become competitive with crystalline PV modules in the residential segment, as such products will likely have lower manufacturing and balance-of-system costs in the future.

Researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer FEP have unveiled a dirt-repellent coating for solar panels. The material is reportedly able to acquire superhydrophilic properties at night and wash away accumulated dirt with the aid of beads of moisture.

The Queensland government will invest $75 million (USD 53 million) to expand a critical minerals demonstration facility in Townsville – a project it claims will be an Australian first. The facility, slated for operations in 2025, is part of a growing push in Australia to develop battery materials industries beyond simply mining.

Inverter and battery manufacturer SolarEdge has become the first vendor to meet, via native inbuilt software, the upcoming requirement in South Australia for “flexible exports” from residential solar systems. From July, the South Australian government will require new rooftop systems be fitted with software that allows SA Power Networks to dynamically control solar exports.

Hanwha Qcells has launched the latest generation of its Q.MAXX solar panel series for the Australian residential market, stating the power class has been increased by up to 15 Wp compared to previous iterations.

Esysunhome (ESYSH), a new energy storage company in China, has developed a 5.12 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system with a 7.9 kW inverter. It says six modules can be combined for up to 30.72 kWh of energy storage capacity.