Technology

New research by Monash University identifies pre-treatment of lithium-ion batteries as an overlooked recycling strategy in the recovery of valuable metals lithium, nickel, and cobalt.

An international collaboration plans to set up floating solar microgrids in remote Asia-Pacific locations to charge high-tech electric hydrofoil ferries and help island communities break diesel fuel dependence.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new back-contact module delivers up to 545 W and over 25% efficiency in a compact rooftop format for residential, C&I, and off-grid applications.

Bifacial solar panels, string inverters and advanced tracking systems are fast becoming the technologies of choice for developers of large-scale solar according to new data provided by Spain-based software company and analytics provider RatedPower.

Construction has officially started on Octopus Australia’s Blind Creek Solar Farm and battery project in southern New South Wales, one of the biggest DC-coupled hybrid projects being developed in the country.

The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, featuring back-contact technology and up to 24.8% efficiency. The company says the module adds enhanced fire-safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing.

In an interview with pv magazine, Empa scientist Mirjana Dimitrievska explains that the CIGS photovoltaic technology, while promising for efficiency and flexible applications, faces persistent challenges in scaling lab-level performance to cost-effective, high-throughput industrial production, limiting its ability to compete with crystalline silicon. She also emphasizes that long-term stability, reliability, and material sustainability, rather than peak efficiency, are crucial for commercial viability, especially in niche markets like building-integrated and lightweight PV.

Potentia Energy has completed the installation of more than 161,000 solar modules at its Quorn Park hybrid solar-plus-storage project in western New South Wales, marking a new milestone in Australia’s renewable energy transition.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new three residential battery lines support a depth of discharge of 90% and deliver over 6,000 cycles.

The energy storage efficiency of 12 solar storage systems with capacities of 5 kW or 10 kW has been put to the test, including several new products, all of which achieved efficiency class A. The latest interation of the annual study also examined efficiency losses when storing electricity from the grid and took a closer look at the warranty conditions of the devices.