Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Scientists have developed a multi-physics thermal model for panels with a natural convection cooling loop and tested it against experimental data. They have also experimented with varying the coolant channel thickness and different coolants. The highest measured electrical efficiency reached 15.45%.

Research from the Chin-Yi University of Technology in Taiwan revealed a novel heater design in the Czochralski silicon crystal growth process that can control and decrease oxygen concentration without incurring the costs associated with other methods, such as installing magnets or using alternative crucible materials.

In five key trends, pv magazine looks back over a year that saw PV module prices fall lower than many thought possible, while demand was restrained by grid congestion, among other challenges. Energy storage has had a strong year and geopolitics is seeing solar and battery manufacturing enter new regions as competition drives technical innovation.

Japanese plastics manufacturer Sekisui Chemical is investing in a 100 MW production line to make lightweight perovskite solar panels for low load-bearing rooftops, with an operational start in 2027. It will also acquire a production facility from Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp.

Scientists in the Netherlands proposed a new testing scheme for recycling silicon from end-of-life photovoltaic panels. Their methodology helped create different wafer categories for recycling silicon for new ingot production but also showed that most of recycled silicon in the near future will come from p-type products, which will harldy be reutilized in a market now dominated by n-type modules.

Researchers in France have proposed a numerical decision-making framework to determine solar panel tilt angle optimization in extreme winds. They say the framework challenges traditional engineering practices and offers a scalable solution for enhancing real-world resilience.

Researchers in Switzerland have fabricated a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells that utilizes a heterojunction cell as bottom device. The cell is said to circumvent the film formation issue associated with the use of phosphonic acid and achieve high efficiency levels.

Pess Energy has launched FlyWatt, a 10 kWh compact battery-based generator for film and TV production crews. A compatible solar panel kit is available to recharge the equipment offgrid.

New research from India has shown that bifacial perovskite solar cells can achieve a 2% higher power conversion efficiency with a tilt angle of 20 degrees. The scientists also developed a bifacial perovskite solar cell for applications in both tandem or single-junction PV devices.

Researchers in Iran have used digital elevation models to improve the accuracy of solar energy potential maps. Their model is intended to identify the best areas for solar panel deployment in urban areas.