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Technology and R&D

CEA identifies major safety concerns in 97% of audited rooftop PV systems

Clean Energy Associates (CEA) has performed a safety audit on more than 600 rooftop PV systems and has found that 97% of installations have major safety concerns. It says that 49% of sites have grounding issues, 47% have damaged modules, and 41% have cross-mated connectors.

SMA unveils hybrid inverters for residential applications

SMA’s new one-phase hybrid inverters have efficiency ratings of up to 97.5% and European efficiency ratings of 96.8%. They are available in four versions, with power outputs ranging from 3.6 kW to 6 kW.

IEA-PVPS releases global benchmark for solar irradiance data

IEA-PVPS has published a report to help the solar industry to choose appropriate surface radiation models and data providers based on location and application requirements.

Hydrogen market to surpass LNG by 2030, says Deloitte

Deloitte says it expects steady hydrogen market growth, with annual revenue projected to hit $1.4 trillion by 2050, while Denmark and the Netherlands have started discussing hydrogen collaboration with the governments of Namibia, South Africa, and Morocco.

Spotlight on TOPCon: PI Berlin shares concerns about degradation

Asier Ukar, the director of PI Berlin Spain, discusses the importance of addressing the risks associated with tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) tech early on, even though it outperforms (passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) when considering standard and tangible indicators.

SolarEdge unveils power optimizers for residential, commercial PV

SolarEdge has released new optimizers for residential PV applications with a DC power rating of 500 W, a maximum efficiency of 99.5%, and a weighted efficiency of 98.6%. The optimizer for commercial and industrial applications offers 1.4 kW of rated DC power.

GERMI develops biodegradable paper supercapacitor from seaweed  

The researchers deposited reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires over seaweed cellulose to make the anode material for the supercapacitor. The device exhibited a greater energy density of 5.21 Wh/kg, a series resistance of 2.16 ohms, and no air degradation even after 5,000 cycles.  

Maxeon sues Tongwei for patent infringement in Germany

Maxeon Solar Technologies has filed a lawsuit against Tongwei Solar in Germany’s Dusseldorf district court for the alleged infringement of its European patent for shingled solar cell technology.

Reducing solar module temperature with acrylic sheets

Jordanian researchers have developed a method using acrylic sheets to reflect and absorb unused solar radiation in PV power generation. The solution has the potential to decrease solar panel temperature by more than 14% and increase power yields by approximately 2%.

Research shows polycrystalline panels from 11 different producers degrade more than warranty rate

A research group in Ghana has conducted a series of tests to assess the performance of polycrystalline solar modules in PV systems operating in their home country for at least 5 years. They found that the vast majority of the panels may ‘fail’ before 20 years in operation under outdoor conditions.

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