Sydney technology startup Coolsheet has begun a commercial-scale pilot of its PV-thermal system, a patented aluminium heat exchange panel that converts a standard solar module into a PVT hybrid for new installations as well as retrofits.| pv magazine Australia
Solar tracker and fixed-tilt racking solutions company GameChange Solar, has launched a rivet connection option for module mounting improving large-scale solar farm installation speeds and long-term maintenance.| pv magazine Australia
DHL Freight Sweden and Denmark-based Green Energy Group announced a one year nationwide pilot in Sweden to test the use of vehicle integrated PV with a fleet of biofuel-powered transport trucks.| pv magazine Australia
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada have proposed protocols for standardized testing to avoid skewed results. The validated recommendations cover procedures for key measurements and the use of the indoor PV reference cell method.| pv magazine USA
Research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has found zinc-phosphate-hydrate (ZPH) films are capable of producing electricity from light. The coating’s photovoltage was amplified when anthocyanin, a natural dye found in blackberries, was added.| pv magazine USA
Pittsburgh-based aerospace company Astrobotic and Honda’s North American subsidiary are working on integrating Astrobotic’s vertical solar array technology with Honda’s regenerative fuel cell system to develop a power and storage solution capable of supporting prolonged exploration of the moon.| pv magazine USA
Block chain-based tracking of a solar panel's lifecycle or a national certification program for second-hand modules, are two strategies University of South Australia researchers studied in developing a game plan for keeping panels out of landfill.| pv magazine Australia
Researchers have developed a stagnant water layer cooling concept and tested it using seawater, tap water, and desalinated water. The panel temperature decreased by up to 8.2 °C, while power output increased by approximately 28%.| pv magazine Australia
A team of researchers led by the University of Sydney has fabricated a triple-junction perovskite-perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell that achieved a power conversion efficiency of up to 27.06% and set new standards for thermal stability.| pv magazine Australia
Energy retailer and technology company Amber Electric has secured $10 million in new funding to continue scaling its residential solar and battery automation tech into overseas markets.| pv magazine Australia
Researchers at University of New South Wales have reported details about a novel sieving-aids technology that improves the separation of metal fragments from other components when recycling end-of-life PV panels. The patented process reportedly enhances the recovery of silver.| pv magazine Australia
WeHeat said its monoblock air-to-water heat pump features a seasonal coefficient of performance of 4.7 and propane as the refrigerant. The system is available in four versions with output ranging from 8 kW to 11 kW.| pv magazine International
Carrier, a US-based heating solutions provider, has introduced a new heat pump system featuring a cooling seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER2) of up to 29.7 and a heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF2) of up to 12.2.| pv magazine International
Researchers in Japan have made another attempt to make agrivoltaics on rice fields technically and economically feasible, despite well-known productivity issues when rice is grown below solar modules. They used double-axis tracking, finding potential with careful management of shading and tilt angles.| pv magazine International
Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar system. In Part 2 of our series, we look at solar inverters.| pv magazine International
The federal government’s Australian Research Council has launched a new training centre in South Australia that will seek to provide industry-led solutions for the recovery, reuse and recycling of battery waste in Australia.| pv magazine Australia
Several factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of a series, we look at the solar panels themselves.| pv magazine International
Scientists simulated several liquid air energy storage systems, comparing round-trip efficiency across configurations that include liquefied natural gas (LNG), solar, and Stirling engines, and further optimized performance using particle swarm methods.| pv magazine International
Daikin said its new EWWH-VZ water-cooled inverter chiller and heat pump has cooling and heating capacity ranging from 400 kW to 1,900 kW. The system uses R1234ze as the refrigerant.| pv magazine International
WHES has released a new commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system using a 509 kWh battery with power output options from 62.5 kW to 250 kW, and a maximum efficiency of 98.5%.| pv magazine International
New all-in-one LFP battery system is scalable up to 5.2 MWh for on-grid applications.| pv magazine International
Austrian startup Podero has launched software to enable utilities to roll out new residential services via its home energy device steering and trading solutions.| pv magazine International
UK workplace pension provider Smart Pension has announced an initial GBP 330 million ($440 million) strategic investment in Octopus Energy Generation. The renewables arm of Octopus Energy invests in solar, wind and energy storage projects, as well as clean energy technologies such as heat pumps.| pv magazine International
Scientists in India have simulated and tested a prototype wireless charging system for electric vehicles, with a three-port DC–DC converter at its core and have found it achieved an improved efficiency of 88%.| pv magazine Australia
The European Patent Office says China has overtaken other countries in photovoltaic patent filings over the past 15 years, while European startups and universities retain a lead in agrivoltaics and niche solar applications.| pv magazine India
Quantum dot technology promises to boost bifacial solar module output. The company entered into a supply agreement with specialist UbiQD.| pv magazine USA
Non-lithium chemistries stand out as attractive options for fire-resilient batteries.| pv magazine USA
In grids increasingly dominated by renewables, grid-forming technology is emerging as critical tool for maintaining stability and ensuring reliable power system operation. In this interview with ESS News, Rui Sun, Sungrow’s Deputy General Manager-Grid Technology Center, explains how grid-forming works, why it matters, and where the technology is already proving its value. He elaborates on technical challenges, regulatory gaps, and why grid-forming could soon become the new industry standard.| pv magazine Australia
Australian company Solspan has unveiled a vertical solar wall system that it says will enable the dual purposing of agricultural land, helping to address land use concerns associated with the rollout of renewable energy projects.| pv magazine Australia
Polar Night Energy will build a second pilot plant in southern Finland to test its power-to-heat-to-power sand battery technology. The project aims to demonstrate the system’s ability to reconvert stored heat into electricity.| pv magazine International
MGA Thermal has its sights fixed on the commercialisation 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.| pv magazine Australia
Longi said it has achieved a 27.81% efficiency rating for a hybrid interdigitated back contact, as confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH).| pv magazine India
The Australian arm of United Kingdom-based renewables giant Octopus Group has started building the Fulham solar farm and battery energy storage system in Victoria after reaching financial close on the estimated $300 million project.| pv magazine Australia
Charge Robotics partnered with Solv Energy to pilot a portable factory system intended to make solar installations safer and more efficient for increasingly challenging terrain.| pv magazine USA
France’s Cour des Comptes has issued a warning about rising nuclear energy costs. It is urging state-owned utility EDF to reduce its financial risks in international projects.| pv magazine International
A European research team has installed solar panels on a light commercial electric vehicle and has tested their performance for four months. The vehicle was able to extend the range by 530 km, although not all panels contributed equally. System efficiency was measured at up to 66%.| pv magazine International
AREP, a subsidiary of French railway operator SNCF, has deployed a prototype of a mini-reversible solar power plant on non-running rails to test it for six months. The solution is shipped in standardized ISO containers including inverters and storage batteries.| pv magazine International
The Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) has introduced a fire safety test that simulates a fire starting on the roof membrane beneath a PV system. The researchers noted the importance of realistic construction methods, including factors such as anchors, adhesives, membrane welding, and ballast use.| pv magazine International
Scientists in China placed a 0.5 mm thick aluminum foil between the solar cell and the EVA, and between the EVA and the glass layer. The two experimental modules were compared to a reference module and were found to dissipate heat and increase the in-plane temperature uniformity.| pv magazine International
An international study led by Flinders University in Adelaide has advanced nano-scale chemistry to further develop sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water using solar power.| pv magazine Australia
Independent testing of JinkoSolar's N-type TOPCon-based perovskite tandem solar cell has achieved a conversion efficiency of 33.84%, surpassing the company's previous record of 33.24%,| pv magazine Australia
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.| pv magazine Australia
South Australian-based space technology company Fleet Space has developed an intelligent platform in communication with a low orbit satellite, that can identify critical minerals and accelerate their extraction for use in clean energy technology.| pv magazine Australia
