World

Scientists in the United States have achieved a breakthrough in PV cell tech by creating a 24 cm2 perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell. It positions a lithium fluoride interlayer between a hole transport layer and the perovskite absorber to reduce shunting losses.

Through the first nine months of 2023, $45.56 billion (USD 28.9 billion) of venture capital, public market, and debt financing was injected into solar, says a report from Mercom Capital Group.

Solar panel producer Maxeon Solar Technologies will lay off 750 employees by the end of the year as the company reels from reduced shipments from its largest distributed generation (DG) customer in North America and an ‘industry-wide demand slowdown’ in global DG markets.

Scientists in Spain tested PV modules under partial shading conditions, aiming to better understand the formation of performance-damaging hotspots. The study reveals a potential issue particularly affecting half-cell and bifacial modules, which may cause accelerated performance loss and is not covered by current testing/certification standards.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new LiFePo4 battery is IP66-rated and has a lifecycle of more than 6,000 cycles. It comes with a 10-year warranty.

A group of scientists in the United States saw ‘encouraging’ results after testing the commercialisation of novel coating materials in field tests, with the coating only increasing a panel’s total cost by 1.4%.

China’s Bslbatt says its new batteries feature individual battery modules with voltages of 102.4 V and a capacity of 52 Ah. They can be stacked in series with two to seven battery modules.

JinkoSolar has launched an all-in-one battery solution for commercial and industrial (C&I) solar applications. It includes a new outdoor cabinet that integrates battery packs, a management system, a power conversion system, and firefighting equipment. The system offers 215 kWh of battery capacity and up to 100 KW of rated power output.

Spanish researchers claim to have established new measurement methods to assess the performance degradation of PV modules without the need for removing and reinstalling the tested PV modules from their operating positions. The new approach is claimed to increase productivity in PV plant quality control activities.

For those who combine solar, batteries, and electric vehicles (EVs) at home, driving on sunshine is a realistic goal. However, there are many factors to consider when analysing the economic payoffs, as well as the technical possibilities and limitations of such systems.