Solar Technology & PV R&D News

Promising materials to make efficient batteries
Lithium has been considered the most attractive material for battery manufacturing for quite a while. However, the production process has a number of limitations and frequently causes accidents. So developers are in search of better options to replace lithium in battery making.
Jan 17, 2020 // Technology, Storage, hydrogen, lithium, Zinc, Sodium-sulphur
Jinko claims two more efficiency records for bifacial panels
The Chinese manufacturer has achieved conversion efficiencies of 21.82% and 22.49% for its p-type PERC and n-type HOT bifacial panels, respectively. The results were confirmed by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland.
Jan 17, 2020 // Technology, Manufacturing News, China, bifacial, PV panels, Asia, PERC, Jinko
S²A Modular acquires rights to FreeVolt graphene solar technology
Luxury sustainable home builder S²A Modular has acquired exclusive rights to use graphene solar panels incorporating graphene photovoltaic technology, PV Graf, patented by Polish headquartered solar specialist FreeVolt.
Jan 16, 2020 // Technology, Manufacturing News, FreeVolt, S²A Modular, Ryan Leusch
In search of a golden mean for boosting battery performance
The research team from Rice University has found out that too many defects intentionally created in crystalline lattice can lead to lithium-ion battery degradation.
Jan 15, 2020 // Technology, Storage, USA, North America, lithium-ion battery, Rice University, lithium-ion cells
Power Ledger introduces new product for management of solar assets
Power Ledger has acquired a photovoltaic power plant in Western Australia with a capacity of 250 kilowatts, where it will implement its new product – PPA Vision. The system allows managing and settling energy transactions to make them more transparent.
Jan 15, 2020 // Technology, Markets & Finance News, Software, pv power plants, Western Australia, Power Ledger
Microsoft May Have a Plan to Use Solar Panels to Charge the Next Surface Pro Through Its Type Cover Accessory
Type Cover for the Surface Pro Will Also Be Able to Charge Machine Using an Artificial Light Source
Jan 15, 2020 // Technology, Manufacturing News, Solar Panels, Microsoft
Sunverge partners with LG on utility-side smart home energy management
Sunverge, the provider of Distributed Energy Resource (DER) control and aggregation platform, announced a strategic alliance with LG Electronics, a global leader in smart appliances and renewable energy technology.
Jan 14, 2020 // Technology, Software, USA, North America, LG, Sunverge, DER, Martin Milani, Stephen Hahm
Perovskite to boost energy harvest of solar cells
Perovskites are likely to become a cost-effective and high-efficiency alternative for making solar cells as soon as they become as stable as silicon.
Jan 14, 2020 // Technology, China, Australia, solar cells, Asia, Oceania, perovskites
Indian scientists are developing unique VRFB
OPG and IITD collaborate to conduct a joint research and development of vanadium redox flow batteries. The project is financed by Indian Science & Technology Department.
Jan 13, 2020 // Technology, Manufacturing News, Storage, India, Asia, OPG, IITD, vanadium flow batt
New technology to examine lithium whiskers for safe and durable batts
A group of scientists from three research universities has grown and observed a lithium dendrite, which will allow preventing the growth of such structures.
Jan 13, 2020 // Technology, Storage, USA, China, Asia, lithium, North America, lithium battery
New batteries to allow EVs drive longer
Korean scientists are studying a lithium-air battery to improve the discharge capacity and durability of the device, which would allow e-vehicles to cover long distances without recharging.
Jan 13, 2020 // Technology, Storage, Asia, Korea, e-vehicles, lithium-air battery
All-organic redox flow batteries to replace toxic VRFB
A group of researchers from several European universities and research centres is creating innovative all-organic flow batts. New ORFBs are claimed to feature high capacity, energy density, durability, and environmental sustainability.
Jan 10, 2020 // Technology, Storage, Spain, Europe, CIC EnergiGUNE
Strain engineering improves stability of perovskites
A group of American scientists have succeeded in making a high-potential halide perovskite more stable under conditions of room temp. They have applied an epitaxial technology to keep the lattice of α-FAPbI3 from taking the shape of a hexagon.
Jan 10, 2020 // Technology, USA, North America, perovskites
Western Australia to fund renewable hydrogen feasibility studies
The government of the state of Western Australia has allocated funding from its Renewable Hydrogen Fund toward seven feasibility studies that could pave the way for significant renewable hydrogen projects around the state.
Jan 10, 2020 // Technology, Markets & Finance News, Australia, hydrogen, Oceania, MacTiernan
Cost-efficient solar cells for space application
Scientists from American National Renewable Energy Lab have discovered a new technology to cut the costs of manufacturing of a very efficient (but at the same time extremely costly) GaAs solar cell.
Jan 9, 2020 // Technology, Manufacturing News, USA, China, solar cells, Asia, North America