Technology

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University have demonstrated a method to integrate chemically inert low-dimensional interface materials into the fabrication of inverted perovskite solar cells. Their prototype solar cells retained over 93% of the initial power conversion efficiency of 25.1% after 1,000 hours of operation, and 98% after 1,100 hours at 85 C.

A 2 MW solar park in Wallonia, Belgium, will rely 50 kW of hydrogen-producing solar modules developed by Solhyd, a spin-off from KU Lueven. The installation will be the first demonstration of Solhyd’s technology at a commercially-relevant scale.

Elon Musk says a constellation of solar-powered artificial intelligence satellites could regulate the planet’s energy balance and limit global warming.

With renewables’ share in power generation expected to grow significantly, there will also be a push in the demand for next-generation transformers that are capable of handling the intermittent nature of solar, wind, and other non-polluting sources of energy. The grid of the future demands not only more transformers but smarter, adaptive, and sustainable designs that can support India’s ambitious renewable targets and fast-rising power demand.

Solar panel cleaning equipment company Objectif Drone has launched a new 7 kg dual-brush cleaning robot with a speed of 5 km/h made for small and medium-sized PV installations.

A Saudi–Egyptian research team investigated the effects of four types of dust on photovoltaic panels in arid coastal environments, finding that power losses can reach up to 48%.

Solex Energy Ltd has partnered with Germany’s ISC Konstanz to upgrade its upcoming TOPCon cell line and adopt next-generation rear-contact and c-Si tandem/perovskite solar technologies.  The manufacturer also unveiled its concept rear-contact solar module, which is set to enter commercial production by FY 2027.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank have launched a $12.5 billion initiative to finance regional power interconnection in Southeast Asia under the ASEAN Power Grid program.

ENGIE has launched a program to collaborate with enterprise-ready startups in addressing operational and technological challenges across India’s renewable energy sector.

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have published a review that looks at polycarbonate sheets as an alternative to solar cover glass. Their findings indicate that this new materials have a combination of low weight, mechanical strength, optical transparency, and thermal resistance that is worthy of further investigation.