PV modules with longer lifetimes could slash demand for materials, says NREL
The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) says in a new report that PV module lifetime extensions should be prioritised over closed-loop recycling to reduce demand for new materials.
Jinko Solar reports higher sales, profit in Q3
Jinko Solar recorded a higher profit in the third quarter of 2022, as sales of its solar panels surpassed 10 GW. The Chinese PV module manufacturer said it now wants to ramp up production to keep pace with rising global demand.
Annual added PV capacity will more than quadruple to 650 GW in 2030, says IEA
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published its “World Energy Outlook 2022” report. It expects the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to accelerate the global energy transition.
Globalised supply chains saved $103 billion in solar panel production costs
A new study has calculated that the globalised PV module supply chain has saved billions for PV installers in Germany, the US and China. It also found that if strong nationalistic policies that limit the free flow of talent and capital were implemented going forward, solar panel costs would be 20-25% higher by 2030.
Tile on the high-performance PV!
A commercial and residential solar installation company with diversified interests as a developer of some of Australia’s biggest solar farms, Leeson Group is now taking a high-performance, Australian-engineered solar roof tile to the global market.
UNSW researchers develop high yield, low cost, eco-friendly process to recycle Si-PV modules
A team of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has proposed a cost-effective way to recycle silicon solar panels. Their process consists of module deframing, laminate shredding and material concentration using electrostatic separation, reducing their original weight by 2% to 3%.
Non-flammable, graphene-based lithium-ion batteries approaching stationary storage market
US-based Nanotech Energy’s graphene battery uses proprietary electrodes with a thermally stable separator, and non-flammable electrolyte that is said to be inexpensive to manufacture. The technology is said to be superior in terms of safety and competitive in terms of cell performance.
Solar at night
Director of the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute, Dominic Zaal, offers a deep dive into the capabilities of concentrated solar thermal technology, including what has been proven by global projects so far and how the all important Power Purchasing Agreements stack up.
New tool to simulate climate at utility-scale PV project sites
Scientists in China have designed a new methodology to simulate the near-surface climate of utility-scale PV plants. Their findings suggest that the new tool could be used to design more climate-friendly solar parks.
Global installed PV capacity could hit 260 GW in 2022
The International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) estimates that 173.5 GW of new solar capacity was installed in 2021, and that figure might rise to 260 GW in 2022. pv magazine spoke with the co-chair of the European Solar Manufacturing Council to look into the figures.
