Scientists at the U.K.’s Faraday Institution have been able to observe degradation mechanisms at the lithium metal anode in a solid state battery, and made several discoveries which could improve the performance and design of future solid-state lithium-ion batteries.

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports further progress in bringing down the cost of III-V solar cells. Scientists have refined their ‘brand new, 50-year-old’ D-HVPE technology to speed up the production rate for gallium arsenide solar cells by a factor of more than 20. The development is a potential step toward making incredibly efficient solar cells cost effective for everyday purposes.

A report by Greenpeace has found in the five years since China announced the continent spanning ‘One Belt, One Road’ infrastructure plan, investment in Belt & Road countries has supported 12.6 GW of wind and solar power generation capacity. That compares with just 450 MW which came online in the territories before 2014. The initiative has also supported 68 GW of new coal capacity.

Scientists at Rice University in Texas have developed a device which converts heat into light by squeezing it into a smaller bandgap. The ‘hyperbolic thermal emitter’ could be combined with a PV system to convert energy otherwise wasted as heat – a development the researchers say could drastically increase efficiency.

A satellite launched from Florida last month has successfully unfurled its ‘solar sail’ in an early test of a new type of sunlight powered propulsion. The Planetary Society aims to demonstrate the technology as a viable way to propel small satellites, greatly lowering the cost of space exploration.

The nation is targeting an unspecified capacity of solar PV systems to be installed on households and public facilities across several of its regions. The successful projects will be jointly financed by the World Bank and the government of Myanmar.

A report by the U.S.-based Rocky Mountain Institute has modeled scenarios for the deregulation of electricity markets in China. The report finds the implementation of a spot market would drive increased integration of renewables and provide significant reductions in costs and emissions.

California based Hanergy subsidiary Miasolé has broken its own internal record for thin film cell efficiency, surpassing the 20% mark. The efficiency of 20.56% on a flexible substrate has been confirmed by U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Scientists from the University of Kansas say adding a layer of two-dimensional semiconductor molybdenum disulfide can greatly improve the performance of organic solar cells. The research could also inform efforts to engineer the interface between layers in hybrid organic cells.

Swiss equipment supplier Meyer Burger has signed a contract to supply heterojunction cell manufacturing equipment to an unnamed North American manufacturer. The company also posted its preliminary results for the first half, posting a $14 million EBITDA loss but stating it expects to break even for the period after selling its wafer business.