Technology

The OneBox, from Indian manufacturer Vision Mechatronics, consists of a lithium battery, hybrid inverter and solar charge controller to give a hassle-free solution for electricity back-up during power outages. Solar rooftop owners are offered a grid feed feature to maximize net metering income from any excess power generated.

Fraunhofer ISE researchers have integrated stress and temperature sensors within a PV module. They claim that the devices cover a very minimal part of the cells, and that their interaction with the module and the cell itself is quite limited. The sensors can be manufactured as part of a regular cell manufacturing process.

Presently, 55 GW of renewable (solar and wind) energy is being monitored through these centers which are equipped with artificial intelligence based forecasting and scheduling tools.

Researchers from China are proposing to use spent battery lead for creating a perovskite that can be used in the production of solar cells that are based on this promising material. The proposed one-step process, which was tested in the production of a 17.38% efficient perovskite heterojunction cell, is said to be cheaper and less energy-intensive than other recycling processes for waste lead from lead-acid batteries.

Establishment of an R&D cell for battery recycling and online tracking of the collection and re-processing of used batteries are highlights of the draft rules which seek to ensure safe disposal and organized recycling of batteries at the end of their life.

Although cells lose much of their power yield when submerged, they may not be useless. Researchers in India say submerged cells could be used in monitoring sensors and for other commercial and defense applications. An amorphous silicon cell from Panasonic was tested in their study.

A new polymer developed by Indian researchers can mend its own cracks when exposed to ultraviolet light. The unique ability makes it an ideal candidate as a smart coating for photovoltaic solar devices to prevent damages and increase performances.

Having touched 1404 MW of renewable capacity as on January 31, 2020, the state-owned producer aims to add further 2847 MW to reach 4251 MW (4 GW from solar and 251 MW wind) by 2025.

Scientists in India have tested a new inverter topology with a single-phase, induction-motor water pump. The seven-level inverter, with five power semiconductor switches, is said to be particularly efficient at reducing switching losses thanks to a pulse width modulation technique.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India should amend the 400 MW round-the-clock supply tender to make co-location of solar, wind and storage mandatory in order to ensure optimal utilization of transmission infrastructure, says NSEFI chairman.