Solar Technology & PV R&D News

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
American scientists speed up evaporation of wastewater
A group of scientists from Berkeley Laboratory has found out how to increase evaporation twice with the help of solar energy, based on natural properties of water.
Jan 9, 2020 // Technology, USA, North America
American scientists reverse electron’s way in natural solar cells
A group of researchers from Argonne National Laboratory and WashU have succeeded in leading electrons along the way they never take in the nature. This has allowed the scientists to better understand the initial processes taking place in the early photosynthesis history.
Jan 8, 2020 // Technology, USA, solar cells, North America, PNAS
Highly-efficient sulphur-lithium battery invented in Australia
A scientific group from Australia’s top research university has invented a new sulphur lithium battery claimed to be the most efficient of the kind. The innovative solution is expected to increase EVs’ driving range to a thousand kilometers or even more.
Jan 8, 2020 // Technology, Storage, Australia, Oceania, Monash University, sulphur-lithium battery
A CIGS perovskite tandem solar cell with potential for 27.5% efficiency
Lithuanian researchers claim to have dramatically improved the performance of a perovskite-based copper indium gallium selenide solar cell they developed with the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin. The improved efficiency, they claim, was achieved thanks to one of the most recently developed monolayers used for experiments on the cell.
Jan 8, 2020 // Technology, Japan, Europe, Asia, solar cell, perovskite, Lithuania, CIGS, Kaunas
Research team from AIP finds a new way for measuring PV panel performance
The scientific group from US has been performing the tests during 5 years, collecting data on solar panel performance and weather data.
Jan 7, 2020 // Technology, USA, SunPower, solar pv, North America
Nano One Patents new Durable Cobalt-Free Battery Material
Nano One has been issued a Taiwanese patent relating to lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO) cathode material, that eliminates cobalt from the battery
Jan 6, 2020 // Technology, Storage, Japan, Canada, China, Asia, Korea, North America, Taiwan, EV, us, Battery Patent, Lithium ion, Nano One, Stephen Campbell
IBM Research Discovers new Battery That Could Trump Li-ion
IBM Research has unveiled a new battery that could help eliminate the need for heavy metals in production and surpass the capabilities of Li-ion batteries
Jan 3, 2020 // Technology, Storage, battery, IBM Research, Lithium ion Battery
This New Tech Could Make A Solar Toyota Prius Practical
2020 is the year we are going to see some incredible things. This new solar technology is going to change everything we know about solar charging. Here is what it could mean for the solar Prius of the future.
Jan 2, 2020 // Technology, Opinions, Transport, USA, Toyota, North America, Michigan State University, Peter Neilson, Prius
EV Charging Robots By Volkswagen Revealed
The Volkswagen group has hinted that it is searching for a charging robot for EV. These are mobile charging robots that will make electric vehicles autonomous.
Dec 30, 2019 // Technology, Storage, Transport, VOLKSWAGEN, ENERGY STORAGE, Germany, Europe, electric vehicles, mobile charging robot, robot
New technology for flexible and efficient PV panels
A scientific team from Saudi Arabia has proved that silicon-based PV cells can be efficient and stretchable at the same time. The innovative solution can be used in artificial skin or flexible e-devices.
Dec 30, 2019 // Technology, Saudi Arabia, PV panels, Asia, PV cells, flexible e-devices
Organic Solar To Benefit from Femtosecond Laser Scribing
Fraunhofer is leading efforts to avail affordable photovoltaic material for solar at the industrial level
Dec 24, 2019 // Technology, Germany, Fraunhofer, Europe, PV material, ILT