Solar waste tipped to provide material supply security
Researchers from the University of New South Wales have rejected suggestions that end-of-life solar panels will create a “waste mountain” in Australia, saying instead that they could serve as valuable material reservoirs for future production.
Sharp unveils 580 W TOPCon panel with 22.45% efficiency
Sharp’s new IEC61215- and IEC61730-certified solar panels have an operating temperature coefficient of -0.30% per C and a bifaciality factor of over 80%.
AEG launches 23.3%-efficient ABC solar panel with 40-year warranty
AEG is currently offering three versions of its new ABC solar panels for rooftop applications, with power outputs of 445 W to 455 W and efficiency ratings ranging from 22.8% to 23.3%. They feature half-cut ABC cells with n-type technology.
Weekend read: Cracking cell defect detection
After years of improving quality standards, solar cell cracking appears to be on the rise again, perhaps due to new manufacturers entering the sector. Clean Energy Associates’ (CEA) senior engineering manager Claire Kearns-McCoy considers ways to stop the rot.
Consumers say bigger is better for rooftop solar but on a budget
Solar panel and system prices are on the decline but figures provided by energy industry analyst SunWiz show that an increasing number of Australian households are opting to forgo savings in search of increased generation capacity.
US startup developing perovskite-silicon tandem panels with 26% efficiency
Tandem PV has secured capital to advance its four-terminal perovskite-silicon tandem module technology and move closer to first manufacturing. The company claims its products maintain 80% of the initial performance after 25 years.
Weekend read: The writing’s on the wall for p-type
The shift from positively doped, “p-type” to negatively doped, “n-type” solar technology has sparked manufacturing expansion, says S&P Global’s Jessica Jin.
Bluebird Solar unveils M10 half-cut PV modules
Bluebird Solar has developed half-cut mono passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar modules based on M10-sized cells. The modules are available with outputs ranging from 400 W to 550 W.
Trina announces new dual-glass panel with 22.5% efficiency for C&I settings
Trina Solar is preparing to launch a new Vertex S+ series panel in Australia that features a maximum power output of 505 W and 22.5% efficiency and has been designed specifically for commercial and industrial applications.
Meyer Burger to cease PV module production in Germany
Heterojunction cell and panel manufacturer Meyer Burger says it will stop making PV modules in Germany, but it will continue to produce solar cells in the country to support its panel production operations in the United States.
