Weekend read: Time to talk curtailment
It’s time to assess curtailment, as rising amounts of excess generation are being wasted in several markets. This can be problematic for the solar industry but Toby Couture and David Jacobs, coordinators of think tank Global Solar PV Brain Trust, argue that curtailment is not always bad.
Aiko presents ABC solar module with world record efficiency of 25.2%
The Chinese back-contact module maker said its new products rely on the company’s all-back-contact cell technology and feature a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per C.
New $100 million challenge targets 50 GW per year
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has dangled a $100 million carrot in front of the world’s best and brightest solar industry proponents to help lower solar and electricity costs to scale up annual installation in Australia from 5 GW per year to 50 GW.
JA Solar debuts 23.3%-efficient single-glass, anti-dust solar panel
The new module has a power output of up to 650 W and weighs 29.6 kg. It uses JA Solar’s patented anti-dust frame technology, which reportedly enhances drainage and decontamination performance, thus reducing dust accumulation and avoiding hotspot issues.
Longi claims 34.6% efficiency for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell
The European Solar Test Installation has confirmed Longi’s achievement of a world record-breaking efficiency rating of 34.6% for a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell.
JA Solar takes top spot on WoodMac’s list of PV module manufacturers
Wood Mackenzie says that JA Solar has taken first place on its list of solar panel manufacturers. Nine of the first 12 positions are held by Chinese manufacturers, seven of them could surpass 100 GW of capacity by 2027, and eight are self-sufficient in cell capacity, according to the research firm.
IEA urges countries to accelerate renewables deployment
A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that the world could miss out on a target of 11,000 GW of global renewables capacity by the end of the decade, as agreed at COP28. It also predicts that solar will become the world’s largest source of installed renewable capacity, surpassing hydropower.
Weekend read: Double trouble
Perovskite PV devices are set to become the next big thing in solar with market analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights predicting 1 GW of production by the end of 2024, rising to 6 GW in 2025. Perovskite tandem devices are at the front of the queue for commercialisation but their characterisation presents technical challenges.
PVEL releases tenth edition of PV Module Reliability Scorecard
United States-headquartered independent test lab Kiwa PVEL has named 53 manufacturers and 388 models – a record number of ‘Top Performers’ in the 10-year history of its PV Module Reliability Scorecard.
Leapton debuts 600-625 W TOPCon solar panel based on rectangular wafers
Leapton Energy says its new panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.30% per C and an efficiency of up to 23.14%. They come with a 30-year power output guarantee for 87.4% of the initial yield.
