April 2022 – pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Perovskite developer Oxford PV has set a new world record for perovskite-silicon tandem cell efficiency at 29.52%, edging out the previous record set less than a year ago by Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin. The new record has been certified by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.| pv magazine International
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems' (ISE) CalLab has confirmed the new efficiency rating. The researchers have combined semiconductors, perovskites and CIGS to produce a monolithic two-terminal tandem cell.| pv magazine International
Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin have taken back the world efficiency record for a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell, achieving 29.15% with a device measuring 1cm². The record has been confirmed by Fraunhofer ISE, and according to HZB, this means that the 30% efficiency mark is within reach.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
The European solar research organization, Solliance announced it has achieved a 21.5% efficiency for a flexible copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) tandem solar cell based on perovskite.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
The ETI-W heat pump, with a coefficient of performance of up to 4.1, utilizes heat emitted from factory production processes as a heat source to supply hot water at up to 90 C. Debuting on the Japanese market, the system targets industrial and commercial applications.| pv magazine International
“It’s a changed world in the renewables space,” said Stefan Reisinger, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Thieves stole 50 km of cable worth about €100,000 ($117,400) from an 11 MW solar project in southern Germany, with repair costs expected to exceed the material loss, according to police.| pv magazine International
The government of the Canadian province of Quebec is calling on utility Hydro-Quebec to run two solar tenders totaling 300 MW – one by the end of 2024 and another by the end of 2026. This marks the province’s first call for solar development on a commercial basis.| pv magazine International
The government of the Canadian province of Ontario has directed the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to finalize a design framework for a large-scale energy procurement exercise, which will include solar. It says that ground-mounted solar installations will be prohibited in prime agricultural areas.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
An American research group has conducted a pilot workshop for agrivoltaics stakeholders in Arizona, including farmers, developers, government officials and indigenous leaders. A reflection paper offers some key takeaways for future public participation.| pv magazine International
Stanford University researchers have built a photovoltaic-thermal electrochemical stripping system that extracts fertilizer nutrients from human urine. They say the system could provide a cost-effective alternative in regions with limited access to conventional fertilizers.| pv magazine International
SorbiForce, a Ukrainian energy storage company now in Arizona, has developed metal-free organic batteries made entirely from agricultural waste.| pv magazine International
A US-Chinese research team has investigated the flow of iron, copper, aluminum, and other precious metals from source to end-use destination in the renewable energy infrastructure value chain. It found significant imbalances that can be attributed to the continuous outsourcing of metal demand for the renewable power sector to developing economies.| pv magazine International
S&P Global’s first 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech Companies list ranks 63 solar, wind, inverter, and battery suppliers by technology, financial health, and sustainability to guide investors and developers.| pv magazine International
As off-grid solar systems expand to serve remote and underserved communities worldwide, digitalization has become a crucial need for efficient project development, implementation, and long-term sustainability. A new report from IEA PVPS Task 18 systematically explores digital tools across the entire off-grid energy project value chain, providing much-needed guidance for practitioners looking to optimize their operations.| pv magazine International
pv magazine regularly produces features and special editions in collaboration with our trusted industry partners. On this page you can download low-resolution PDFs of these publications, to be read online and on the go, at your convenience.| pv magazine International
The U.S. startup offers a new kit to integrate robotic automation with existing equipment.| pv magazine International
As solar module prices continue to fall, pvXchange.com founder Martin Schachinger explains how price pressure could increase in the weeks and months to come.| pv magazine International
The country aims to promote modules manufactured in the EU with new tender criteria. To this end, the government has introduced non-price-related tender criteria, making it one of the first EU countries to implement the NZIA guidelines.| pv magazine International
In the country's 16th renewable energy procurement exercise, the lowest bid came in at €0.07199/kWh and was offered for a 2.7 MW solar facility in the province of Ancona, central Italy.| pv magazine International
French uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) manufacturer Objectif Drone has developed a drone-based solar panel spray cleaning system for solar plant maintenance teams. It can be used on either rooftop PV or ground-mounted systems.| pv magazine International
Finland-based Lumon has integrated balcony PV modules into a glass parapet, maintaining the facade’s appearance without visible technical components. The first project using the product has already been completed in Finland.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Jetson said its new heat pump system has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.1 and an energy efficiency rating of up to 11.7. The new product integrates air quality sensors, an energy monitor, and a "smart" thermostat.| pv magazine International
Developers Wigton Energy and SunTerra Energy Jamaica are each set to build, own and operate large-scale solar projects in Jamaica after successfully bidding in a 100 MW renewables tender held in 2023.| pv magazine International
The Netherlands recorded more negative energy price hours over the first eight months of this year than it did throughout 2024. Dutch research firm Stratergy says the correlation between solar production and negative price hours is “becoming increasingly strong."| pv magazine International
PXP Corp. and Suntory Holdings, both based in Japan, have begun to test the practicality and performance of a vending machine equipped with PXP’s lightweight, glass-free solar panels in Sagamihara, Japan.| pv magazine International
Scientists in Korea have fabricated a solar-powered charging device that can reportedly achieve a power density of 2,555.6 W kg and an energy efficiency of 63%. The system uses nickel-based compounds to enhance the electrochemical performance of its electrodes.| pv magazine International
The Fraunhofer ISE has defined new technical procedures to test the performance of large-area perovskite-silicon tandem PV modules by using the spectral variability of the LED solar simulator. The proposed approach reportedly reduces device handling, time, and consequently financial effort.| pv magazine International
The Chinese manufacturer said its new IEC 61215-certified rooftop PV module relies on a 30 mm aluminum frame and dual-glass construction that reportedly help it withstand extreme snow loads and wind pressure.| pv magazine International
Scientists from Fraunhofer ISE have sought to utilize epitaxially grown p-type silicon wafers TOPCon rear emitter (TOPCore) solar cells with the aim of reducing production costs and carbon footprint. They claim this combination is paving the way for TOPCore devices that exceed 25% efficiency.| pv magazine International
UK renewables developer Pacific Green Technologies says it will double down on battery energy storage systems as a priority in 2024, as it has expanded its global pipeline to 6 GWh over the past year.| pv magazine International
Large energy users like data centers and manufacturers could gain expedited access to at least 500 MW of solar deemed ‘ready to proceed’ under the new, ‘more enabling’ private wires framework, said Solar Ireland CEO Ronan Power. The updated policy targets national grid congestion, particularly acute near the capital where data centers are concentrated.| pv magazine International
Provisional data finds United Kingdom on course to add more than 1 GW in 2025 with revisions likely to show greater capacity as more plants are recorded. However, the pace of deployment must accelerate to hit 45-47 GW target by 2030.| pv magazine International
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
The integrated system is claimed to efficiently provide dynamic load balancing, while supporting demand-side management and future smart grid applications. The heat pump technology comes from Mitsubishi's Ecodan, Mr. Slim, and M heat pump series, which Evhacs modified for integration with the EV charger.| pv magazine International
Ireland’s €3.5 billion ($4.1 billion) package is the largest single investment in the national electricity grid in the state’s history. It will be allocated as equity to the transmission systems operator EirGrid and the distribution systems operator ESB Networks.| pv magazine International
Ireland’s total installed solar capacity reached 1.76 GW as of May 31, 2025, according to Solar Ireland’s new "Scale of Solar 2025" report. Based on data from distribution system operator ESB Networks, the report shows Ireland has advanced from a poor PV performer to a mid-tier solar market in Europe within a few years.| pv magazine International
Government-run Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is tendering for the provision of technical and advisory support services for its grant programs aimed at organizations in Ireland planning to decarbonize. The tender follows a report by the SEAI that showed Ireland has a limited market for industrial heat pumps and called for greater outreach and support for businesses to install the technology.| pv magazine International
New data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) says there is no scenario in which Ireland will meet its 2030 solar deployment capacity of 8 GW. With existing measures in place, the reality would be more like 5 GW, the government-run group estimates.| 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
Wood MacKenzie predicts that Ireland will meet its 8 GW 2030 solar target but wind, heat pumps, and electric vehicles (EVs) are all lagging behind theirs. Ireland's current installed solar capacity is just under 2 GW, but this could be increased thanks to favorable policy, grid investments, and energy storage.| pv magazine International
India’s renewable energy ministry has issued draft rules requiring all solar inverters installed under its 30 GW rooftop program to link directly to national servers, aiming to improve grid stability and cybersecurity. Industry groups back the plan but warn of high compliance costs, supply chain constraints, and uneven connectivity.| pv magazine International
Scientists in Japan have conducted a field experiment in rice plantations hosting agrivoltaics systems and have found that rice growth can be affected by reduced biomass and reduced panicle number. However, their analysis has also shown that gross return in lowland rice agrivoltaics can be 14 times higher than rice growth without PV.| pv magazine International
Scientists in Bangladesh have investigated the potential of agrivoltaics in rice fields. They analyzed the economic viability of bifacial agrivoltaic projects in Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Brazil, and India.| 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
Sinopec has commissioned a 7.5 MW offshore floating solar project in full seawater conditions in China.| pv magazine International
Scientists in China have used ground heat exchangers based on volcanic tuff stones to improve storage capabilities and efficiency of photovoltaic-thermal systems. Their experiments showed that the proposed combination effectively improves PV module cooling and thermal efficiency.| pv magazine International
A Norwegian research team assessed the snow deposits on photovoltaic panels and the consequent energy losses via the PVsyst software and utilized the so-called Marion’s algorithm (MA) for evaluating the sliding coefficient. It found the coatings may effectively reduce energy losses caused by snow and ice but said the commercial feasibility of these materials should be further investigated.| pv magazine International
An international research team in China has used Czochralski n-type c-Si wafers from China-based Sichuan Yongxiang to build textured wafers with a thickness ranging from 65 μm to 55 μm. They have used the wafers in heterojunction solar cells ton hit efficiencies close to those of devices cells based on conventional wafers.| 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
Qcells has confirmed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has detained an unspecified volume of its solar cell imports from South Korea. The company claims the cells do not contain components from Xinjiang, China and says it is working with CBP to resolve the issue.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
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
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Tempestuous trade conditions and policy uncertainty have led to module price fragmentation in the United States. Ahead of an expected reduction in manufacturing capacity utilization, leading manufacturers in China produced a high volume of cells in the spring. OPIS editorial director Hanwei Wu explains the latest market developments.| pv magazine International
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News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| 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
Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economy and Finance has approved an 823 kW solar plant to begin trading International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC), marking the country's fifth renewable energy project to join the scheme.| pv magazine International
Italy added around 1,092 MW of new PV systems in the second quarter of this year, with the rooftop segment driving demand.| pv magazine International
Meralco, the only electric power distributor in Manila, has opened a tender for solar projects to be deployed across a number of its sites. The deadline for applications is Aug. 7.| 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
India is projected to add 30 GW of new energy storage capacity by June 2027 through standalone and firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) projects, according to a recent report by SBI Capital Markets (SBICAPS). This could potentially push total capacity to 36 GW against 24 GW of estimated demand.| pv magazine International
Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) has become a central concept in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, especially under recent regulatory initiatives like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). While implementation of DMA will only become mandatory for many companies over the next few years, there are already discussions at the EU commission in Brussels about simplifying the process to ease adoption. As an early adopter, Trinasolar shares insights on ...| pv magazine International
New all-in-one LFP battery system is scalable up to 5.2 MWh for on-grid applications.| pv magazine International
The quality assurance provider reported India-based Insolation Energy, Waaree Renewable Technologies, and Solex Energy maintained their top three spots in the ranking this quarter. The number of companies with healthier Altmann-Z scores stayed the same at nine.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Developed by Italian dry bottom ash handling system provider Magaldi Power, the system produces green thermal energy -- steam or hot air -- which can be used directly in industrial plants or for the generation of electricity using steam turbines. The system consists of a blower, a fluidization air blowing system, a fluidization air suction system, an air filter and fan, an air pre-heater, and an integrated thermal energy storage module. Silica sands are the system's storage media.| pv magazine International
NREL researchers developed a system that uses heated silica particles for thermal energy storage. The baseline technology is designed for a storage capacity of up to 26,000 MWh and is claimed to have a cost of of between $2 and $4 per kWh.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
South African utility Eskom is searching for a developer to design, procure, supply, test and commission a 72 MW solar project at the site of an existing power station. The deadline for applications is Sept. 30.| pv magazine International
Weekly average electricity prices fell last week in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, even as solar energy output also declined, according to AleaSoft Energy Forecasting.| pv magazine International
Australia is one of only seven countries outside the European Union that has updated its 2030 national renewable target with an 18 GW boost, since the 2023 COP28 global tripling pledge.| 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
NHPC Ltd, on behalf of Bundelkhand Saur Urja Ltd (BSUL), has launched a tender to select developers to build 1.2 GW of solar power plants (four × 300 MW) in northern India.| 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
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Finnish startup Polar Night Energy is teaming up with a district heating company to construct an industrial-scale thermal energy storage system in southern Finland. The sand-based system will use soapstone, a byproduct from a fireplace manufacturer, as its storage medium.| pv magazine International
It’s no secret that prices throughout the solar supply chain have been at rock bottom over the past 18 months. Alex Barrows and Molly Morgan of CRU Group explore how the market reached the imbalance that caused PV prices to crash, what this has meant for innovation, and how it might affect future technology transitions.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Supply chain challenges, subsidies and tariff uncertainties are forcing the solar energy industry to find significant cost efficiencies. As older models of installed solar panels become harder to source, the growing second-life solar market helps industry find replacement panels and other equipment.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Researchers say the 10 countries with the most golf courses could install up to 842 GW of utility-scale solar or 659 GW of wind capacity on land equivalent in size to that used for the sport.| pv magazine International
News from the photovoltaic and storage industry: market trends, technological advancements, expert commentary, and more.| pv magazine International
Jochen Rentsch, head of department at Fraunhofer ISE, speaks to pv magazine about recent progress in TOPCon module development, including new efficiency records by JinkoSolar and Jolywood. Production costs are falling as more Tier 1 companies shift from PERC to TOPCon, and multi-gigawatt production is already a reality. Could the TOPCon solar cell segment reach a tipping point for efficiency in 2023?| pv magazine International
Scientists in India have developed a new molecular precursor for applications in kesterite solar cells. They used the precursor to build a superstrate type solar cell with an efficiency that is purportedly among the highest ever recorded. They relied on a low-temperature process to manufacture the device.| pv magazine International
Since 1993, the World Energy Outlook (WEO) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been an authoritative report on energy statistics and guiding future energy supply and demand developments. An examination of these reports, however, indicates that even the most progressive of WEO scenarios has vastly underestimated the growth of renewable energy technologies, especially solar PV.| pv magazine International
Solar and wind are being installed at a rate that is five times faster than all other new electricity sources combined. This offers compelling market-based evidence that PV and wind are now the most competitive and practical methods for deploying new generating capacity.| pv magazine International
In its latest monthly column for pv magazine, IEA PVPS provides a comprehensive overview of the recently released edition of the “Dual Land Use for Agriculture and Solar Power Production: Overview and Performance of Agrivoltaic Systems” report. The 91-page handbook was developed by IEA PVPS Task 13.| pv magazine International
A German research team is field testing new module concepts that can be integrated into noise barrier walls alongside roadways or railways. The hope is that some of the designs will emerge as cost-effective, power-generating solutions for application in newly constructed soundwalls, in retrofits, or in add-on projects.| pv magazine International
FRV, Harmony Energy, and Tesla are building a 99 MW/198 MWh facility in Essex. The system will rely on the Megapack solution from the U.S. manufacturer.| pv magazine International
