World

Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of this series, we look at the solar panels themselves.

The World Trade Organisation Secretariat has criticised China for an alleged lack of transparency in its state support framework and has urged the nation to improve its subsidy notification process.

Larger wafer and module sizes have had a profound influence on module power output in recent years but standardisation appears to have taken hold, with no further increases evident in module data, according to Molly Morgan, a senior research analyst at Exawatt, which is now part of the CRU Group.

A German research team is conducting practical tests to see how solar modules with integrated radio technology can be linked to form an overall network. The “communicative” panels should represent a simple and cost-effective solution for monitoring and controlling small-scale photovoltaic systems.

A review of indoor PV cell technologies by an international research team delves into recent progress, characterisation, and design strategies used to develop highly efficient cells. The study presents 250 commercial and laboratory devices, as well as applications and performance reporting.

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme’s (IEA-PVPS) latest report on solar panel recycling offers a comprehensive review of all existing technologies in this market segment, from pure mechanical recycling to innovative techniques such as light pulse treatment, water-jet cleaning, pyrolysis, and chemical treatments.

Longi says it expects a net loss of CNY 4.8 billion ($980 million) for the first half of 2024, while Tongwei is bracing for a CNY 3 billion loss. Aiko Solar and TCL Zhonghuan, meanwhile, are predicting losses of CNY 2.9 billion and CNY 1.4 billion, respectively.

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme’s (IEA-PVPS) latest factsheet covers bifacial PV modules and advanced tracking systems. It says a combination of bifacial modules with single-axis tracking could increase energy output by up to 35%.

According to the latest forecast from Wood Mackenzie, the global energy storage market (excluding pumped hydro) is on track to reach 159 GW/358 GWh by the of 2024 and grow by more than 600% by 2033, with nearly 1 TW of new capacity expected to come online.

Wood Mackenzie says that solar will account for 59% of new renewables between 2024 and 2033. China is expected to drive the growth, accounting for half of new solar deployment over the projected time period.