New algorithm to connect solar parks to substations
Spanish PV software specialist RatedPower has developed a new algorithm that purportedly offers a way to efficiently design grid interconnections.
Shedding light on amorphous silicon
Scientists in Europe took a very close look at the thin amorphous silicon layers used in heterojunction and tandem solar cells, building a full picture of the material’s structure at the nanoscale. Their findings could help scientists solve the long-standing mystery of light induced degradation.
Tokyo Gas issues green bond to fund acquisition of 694 MW of PV
The Japanese gas provider wants to acquire a 63.2 MW solar plant in Japan and a 631 MW PV facility in the United States. It has issued a JPY 10 billion ($95.9 million) green bond to finance these transactions and support its other operations.
Spain to hold renewables auction this year
The Spanish government has introduced new rules to procure renewables via auctions. It will hold its third auction by the end of this year.
H2 export ambitions point to bright future for South Australian PV
South Australia has integrated 50% renewables into its grid and is managing a vast fleet of distributed rooftop PV resources. Now it’s seeking investors to potentially fuel the world with green hydrogen.
Cooling effect of water for floating PV arrays
Norwegian researchers have quantified the cooling effect of water in direct contact with floating PV arrays. They tested a computational fluid dynamics model to estimate U-values and used it on a 6 kW floating system deployed by Ocean Sun.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Module manufacturers call on government to ease PV glass limits
China’s largest PV manufacturers claim limits placed on solar glass production two years ago, to prevent over production, are now causing an industry bottleneck.
Best tech for intermediate-band solar cells
Researchers in Spain have analyzed the most important technologies for the development of intermediate-band solar cells (IBSC), a solar PV technology that was conceived to exceed the Shockley–Queisser limit. They identified four established technologies that are currently being adopted to manufacture IB materials and IBSC prototypes. Their future goal is to find the appropriate material to fabricate cheap and very efficient IBSCs.
Omnidirectional anti-reflective coating from Canada
Founded in 2018, Edgehog Advanced Technologies has developed an omnidirectional anti-reflective glass for solar panels, which increases their production, especially at the start and end of the day.
South Australia awards 10-year PPA to 260 MW of PV, 100 MW battery
Construction of the state’s biggest PV array and its fifth “big battery” will create 810 jobs. The state government forecasts US$8.96 million of energy savings over the course of the decade-long contract.
