Solar Technology & PV R&D News

Discover how a new nanoscale coating of aluminum oxide on metal halide perovskite significantly improves energy output of perovskite solar cells, bringing us closer to global net zero targets. Researchers from University of Surrey, University of Warwick and UNSW explain.

Discover how Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE achieved a record open circuit voltage of >2.8 V in their perovskite-based triple-junction solar cell. Understand how optimizations in interlayers and gas quenching methods enabled this success and how this could lead to more efficient solar energy generation in the future.

Explore the potential of solar-powered vehicles worldwide: researchers find the median extended driving range is 18 km/day/kWp, with Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia the most favorable geographies. Installed capacity, local solar irradiation and urban shadowing all affect potential.

Astronaut Tim Peake backs space-based solar farms, with SpaceX rockets bringing costs down to $300 per kilo. ESA's Solaris programme looks to launch solar panels into space, with UK funding to create energy equivalent to a large power station. However, the technology is still years away from solving any energy challenges.

Researchers from East China University of Science and Technology have developed a new manufacturing process for printable mesoscopic carbon perovskite solar cells (p-MPSCs): replacing metals & vapor deposition with carbon & screen printing for cost-effective production & high efficiency.

This article explores a combination of factors that yields the best predictive correlation with outdoor aging tests. Learn how this information can be used to assess device stability in the laboratory.

Research from NREL shows combining stress tests accurately predicts performance of perovskite solar cells. Findings demonstrate tests including thermal cycling & stressors can predict 6 month outdoor performance. High temp & illumination most critical for accelerating performance degradation. Research a step towards commercialization of perovskite technology.

Researchers from Tohoku University and University of Tsukuba in Japan have made a breakthrough in developing a non-volatile phase change memory using a nickelate material. Discover the potential advantages of this material with improved performance, sustainability and lower costs.

Discover the potential of hybrid PV-T solar technologies to reduce global emissions with Professor Christos Markides' study from Imperial College London. Learn more about the different types of solar systems, collector design modifications, and advancements to facilitate the adoption of this technology.

Researchers from Princeton University and KAUST have linked silicon and perovskite solar cells to boost efficiency and stability. Partial shading had no effect on the tandem solar module, making it an effective renewable energy resource.

QIBEBT researchers have developed a ternary organic solar cell with power conversion efficiency gains of over 19%, using a third component to improve crystallinity and alignment. Learn more about the mechanisms driving these efficiency gains.

Vaisala introduces comprehensive weather station for solar power plant optimization to provide real-time data & optimize performance, reduce LCOE and boost ROI. Ensure a sustainable and affordable energy future with this innovative solution.

This research from Duke, Purdue, Yale, Lawrence Berkeley, CAS, Westlake and Huazhong Universities introduces a new technique to control the thickness of perovskite single crystals, which allows for tuning of electron and hole energy levels. The study's experimental and theoretical teams worked together to synthesize and characterize the materials and simulate their structure and properties. Led by Letian Dou and Volker Blum.

First Graphene, Halocell Energy, and QUT have secured an AUD$2 million grant to develop perovskite solar cells, leveraging graphene-based materials to create cost-effective solutions. Validation of these materials will aid in the large-scale commercial production.

Research team succeeds in creating world's first transparent thin-film solar cell on flexible substrate with reflective colors, maintaining cell efficiency. Multi-layer thin film reduces the reflection loss in visible light, making solar cells with varied colors & excellent efficiency at a reasonable cost. Can be used in image sensors, photolithography masks, and infrared shielding fields. Research team actively pursues solar modules with esthetic & functional BIPV elements.