Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

The Chinese manufacturer has achieved conversion efficiencies of 21.82% and 22.49% for its p-type PERC and n-type HOT bifacial panels, respectively. The results were confirmed by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland.

Norwegian solar panel manufacturer REC Group has upped the ante with new warranty deals and reduced the annual power degradation of its products. In addition to a brand new, triple 25-year warranty exclusively offered by certified REC Solar Professional installers, it has extended coverage form 10 to 20 years for its TwinPeak and N-Peak products.

A team at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has come up with a new process that would reduce the production cost of highly expensive – and highly efficient – gallium arsenide cells.

As the world strives to arrest the climate crisis and increases its investment in solar energy, the industry must address its own sustainability. A new report produced by Arup in Australia looks at how to apply principles of the circular economy to current and future PV waste management.

The PV manufacturer announced the development of the new solar panels, which feature new M12 series monocrystalline wafers, at a conference on Thursday in the Chinese city of Ningbo. The 50-cell modules are actually slightly bigger than 72-cell designs with 156.75 mm wafers, it said.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has announced $15 million in research funding to investigate the end-of-life issues for solar PV panels. Ultimately it is hoped the research increases solar PV efficiency and lowers the cost.

The Shaanxi-based solar manufacturer has made its 14th announcement this year of an intent to expand its ingot, wafer, cell and module output. Thus far – and we’re still three weeks short of year-end – the bill for the 112 GW of extra production spelled out in 2019 comes to a near $4.2 billion.

After China’s National Day holiday, demand started picking up at a slow pace, but the anticipated installation rush did not occur as expected, due to land and financing issues, as well as the return of winter. These factors will also delay the timing of more than 6 GW of capacity to the first half of next year. PV InfoLink has thus downwardly revised its estimates for installed capacity in the fourth quarter to 11.3 GW in China and 30 GW globally, bringing this year’s global demand forecast to below 120 GW.

An Indian research team has analyzed around 300 scientific studies about PV panel waste containing carcinogenic metals. The researchers said solar module recycling is not economically profitable and policy support is necessary to avoid panels being dumped in landfill.

In a classic example of nominative determinism, like Usain Bolt running as fast as a bolt of lightning or Bulgaria’s ill-fated 400m hurdler Vania Stambolova, the Golden family of Clifton Hill take advantage of golden sunlight to power their home.