Techno-economic analysis of PV-powered golf carts
Danish researchers have shown that adding 250 W solar panels to all of the buggies in a 50-cart fleet is a profitable investment. With an upfront investment of around €75,000, annual benefits of around €15,000 are possible, they claim.
A closer look at Jinko’s 565-585 W panel
The module – which measures 2,411×1,134×35mm, weighs 31.1kg and features 156 p-type monocrystalline cells – is available in five versions with power outputs of 565-585 W and efficiencies of 20.67-21.40%. Jinko says the Pro Tiger series will become the company’s main revenue stream in 2022, surpassing the Tiger 475 W panel.
Q Cells commits to three-year, €125m German R&D spend
The Korean company has committed to invest in solar innovation in Germany at a time when the EU and member states are desperately trying to kick-start the Covid-19 recovery.
Made in China HJT coming to Aussie rooftops
Risen Australia and distributer One Stop Warehouse signed an expanded 150 MW distribution agreement last week, marking the Chinese module maker’s attempt to further expand its share of the rooftop market segment. With Risen’s new heterojunction (HJT) module, the 415-435 W Sieger, moving into mass production, One Stop Warehouse’s Leo Ye says that the “new, fresh” technology will be a welcome addition to the Australian rooftop market segment.
Canadian Solar joins the 500 W-plus panel club
The Chinese-Canadian company has unveiled a range of high-power modules which are set to go into mass production by early next year. The series includes a commercial and industrial rooftop-dedicated product offering a reported 405 W.
Self-cleaning PV system with active cooling tech
An international research group has developed a self-cooling PV system featuring a 250 W 60-cell polycrystalline module and a thermal collector attached to the back side of the panel. The cleaning tech is based on a microcontroller programmable integrated circuit, which controls a rotating DC motor.
PV module prices are falling faster than all predictions
New research from Wood Mackenzie shows that overall system costs for installations using mono PERC modules are set to fall by as much as 20% by 2025.
Spherical monocrystalline solar cells with 18.93% efficiency
The spherical 3D cells can reportedly generate around 101% more power than conventional flat solar cells. Measurements have also shown that the spherical cells provide a 10% lower maximum temperature compared to flat cells, while accumulating less dust.
Hanwha Q-Cells wins patent litigation against JinkoSolar, REC Solar and Longi in Germany
The Düsseldorf Regional Court has agreed Chinese rivals of the Korean manufacturer illegally used its patented passivation technology. The judges granted Hanwha Q-Cells an injunction which requires Jinko, REC and Longi to retrieve all modules featuring the patented technology distributed in Germany since late January last year. Hanwha can also opt to have the offending products destroyed.
Trina Solar launches TrinaPro Mega, all-in-one ultra-high-power PV solution
As the solar industry moves to embrace ultra-high-efficiency modules, the Chinese PV heavyweight has unveiled TrinaPro Mega, the first integrated solar system in the world that incorporates 500W+ modules. The solution is expected to be particularly attractive for Australia’s utility-scale PV sector.
