Solar Technology & PV R&D News

Gauging non-fulleren acceptors for organic PV
U.S. scientists are trying to understand how non-fullerene small-molecule acceptors (NAFs) increase the efficiency of organic PV devices. They claim that methoxy groups embedded in the acceptors could facilitate an efficiency increase of approximately 6%.
Dec 20, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, USA, organic PV, North America, Georgia Institute of Technology, UNIST, organic PV cells, organic PV devices, Jean-Luc Brédas
Research on technologies for roll-to-roll production of organic photovoltaics
German Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and partners are developing technologies for the roll-to-roll production of organic photovoltaics (OPV) in the »EffiLayers« project.
Dec 20, 2019 // Technology, Germany, Europe, OPV, PV cells, organic photovoltaics, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT
Denmark bets on green hydrogen
The Danish government has agreed to provide $19 million in funds for two large-scale hydrogen projects under development on the Jutland peninsula. The two projects will produce green hydrogen for the transport sector from renewables sources. Denmark’s largest energy company, Ørsted, has also announced plans for an ambitious 2 MW electrolysis plant with appurtenant hydrogen storage.
Dec 20, 2019 // Technology, Plants, Large-Scale, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Solar to Fuel, Europe, hydrogen, Ørsted, hydrogen storage
1366 Technologies Adds $18m in its Quest to Obtain Cheaper Solar Cells
1366 technollogy investing so much to ensure that they spend less time forming wafer with the use of molten silicon.
Dec 20, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, USA, solar cell, wafer, North America, 1366 technollogy
New thermodynamic formula to calculate bifacial gains
An American research team developed the new formula by applying to bifacial cells the Shockley-Queisser triangle, which is used to calculate the maximum theoretical efficiency of a monofacial solar cell using a single p-n junction technology. According to the group’s findings, the the triangle can help to clarify the deeper physical principles of the bifacial technology.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, USA, Bifacial PV, PV module, North America, thermodynamic formula, Purdue University, Mohammad Ryyan Khan
Highview Power plans 50 MW/400 MWh-plus cryo energy storage plant in Vermont
The British company, which has tested its liquid air energy storage technology in the U.K., says it is preparing to deploy its first plant on U.S. soil. Highview claims its CRYOBattery is half the price of utility scale lithium-ion storage.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Storage, Solar to Fuel, USA, UK, Vermont, pv power plants, Europe, North America, lithium-ion storage, Javier Cavada, Salvatore Minopoli, Highview Power
Artificial intelligence may help scientists make spray-on solar cells
Artificial Intelligence may be just the thing to accelerate spray-on solar cell technology, which could revolutionize how consumers use energy.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, USA, solar cell, perovskite, North America, University of Central Florida, Jayan Thomas, Jinxin Li, Artificial Intelligence
Fine-tuning thermoelectric materials for cheaper renewable energy
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed new thermoelectric materials, which could provide a low-cost option for converting heat energy into electricity.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, Thermal, London, Queen Mary University of London, Oliver Fenwick
Impossible breakthrough method of creating solar material at NREL
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) achieved a technological breakthrough for solar cells previously thought impossible.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, NREL, solar cell, Kevin Schulte
Maximizing the potential of PV irrigation in Spain’s ‘Sea of Plastic’
Spanish researchers have developed an analytical model to optimize the operation of PV water pumping systems. They say simultaneously irrigating different parts of a farm could help minimize costs and maximize energy use. The model was tested on an olive farm divided into four zones in the Spanish province of Almería.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, Spain, Europe, PV water pumping system
Tungsten disulfide helps organic solar cell reach 17% efficiency
Researchers from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology claim to have developed a highly performant organic PV cell using tungsten disulfide flakes a few atoms thick. The stability of the device, however, is still to be evaluated.
Dec 19, 2019 // Technology, Saudi Arabia, Asia, solar cell, KAUST, WS2
AI To Go For the Best Solar Perovskites
A team of researchers in the US is using machine learning technology to optimize the composition of the material. It will help to predict the performance of perovskite solar cells and design strategies. According to the research conducted by 2000 peers, they reviewed perovskite publications which allowed them to collect over 300 data points.
Dec 18, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, USA, perovskite, North America, University of Central Florida, Javan Thomas, Sollar Cells
Risen concludes plans to build the first 500MW efficiency module
At Risen's annual suppliers meeting 3 new modules were released and the template for the first 500MW module was also discussed
Dec 18, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, Risen, Yafeng Liu
IBM Research discovers new battery design that could outperform lithium-ion
IBM Research has discovered a new battery design that doesn’t use heavy metals and may outperform lithium-ion batteries. To expand the promise of these batteries from the lab into reality, IBM Research has signed joint development agreements with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, battery electrolyte supplier Central Glass, and battery manufacturer Sidus.
Dec 18, 2019 // Technology, Storage, lithium-ion, IBM Research
Oxbridge scientists seek to explain electron dynamics in perovskite cells
Researchers from the two prestigious U.K. universities are analyzing spatiotemporal charge-carrier dynamics in the perovskite materials used for solar applications. They have discovered the carriers propagate ballistically over 150nm within 20fs of photon absorption.
Dec 18, 2019 // Technology, UK, Oxford University, solar cells, Europe, perovskite