April storms cut Eastern US irradiance as northwest surges
In another weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that strong jet stream and Eastern storms split solar conditions across the US in April, with the east experiencing a downturn in solar irradiance while the northwest saw irradiance gains.
Utility-scale solar corruption in California
Researchers have found seven perceived patterns of corruption tied to the utility-scale solar boom in southern California from 2010 to 2024.
China module prices bearish, U.S. prices rise on tariff policies
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, reports that TOPCon modules from China held steady at between $0.085-0.090/W. It also reveals that Europe prices for TOPCon modules of over 450 W rose by 0.96%, assessed at €0.105/W.
5 MWh pilot plant showcases long-duration thermal storage tech
MGA Thermal has its sights fixed on the commercialization of its long-duration electro-thermal energy storage solution after the successful commissioning of a 5 MWh pilot plant on the New South Wales Central Coast.
Planting turf, clover beneath solar plants can increase soil organic carbon
Scientists have analyzed whether planting turf and clover beneath solar panels can increase soil organic carbon, after measuring the results from a commercial plant in Japan. They tested more than 20 areas in the power plant and found that soil organic carbon increased.
Jolywood’s laser-assisted firing process increases TOPCon solar cell efficiency by 0.6%, says UNSW research
New research from the University of New South Wales have found that the Special Injected Metallization (JSIM) technique developed by Chinese manufacturer Jolywood can considerably increase TOPCon solar cell efficiency. The scientists described precisely how laser-assisted firing enhances cell performance, reportedly filling critical gaps in industrial TOPCon cell optimization.
Enphase Energy increases deployment of US-made microinverters, batteries
Enphase Energy says that more than 6.5 million IQ microinverters and 50 MWh of IQ batteries made in the United States have been deployed.
Scientists fabricate all-organic solar cell with record 8.7% efficiency
A team of Japan-based scientists have set a new power conversion efficiency record for all-organic solar cells, more than doubling the previous record. They say the cell was developed with rganic electrodes with high conductivity that required no acid doping or high-temperature heating, which avoids damage to the plastic substrates.
Japan awards 1.4 GW of BESS in second long-term auction
Japan allocated 1.4 GW of battery energy storage (BESS) in the latest round of its Long-Term Decarbonization Auction (LTDA). The results showed BESS was the most oversubscribed technology, with only a fifth of the bid capacity awarded.
Saving money is the biggest driver of residential solar adoption
A recent study by Ohio State researchers finds that cost savings and other practical benefits are the key motivators for people to adopt rooftop or community solar.
