Recycling solar panels: Making the numbers work
NREL researchers said a profitable and sustainable solar panel recycling industry could establish itself by 2032. Here’s how the numbers work.
Movable solar power station for off-grid applications
The modular power station comes with two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and has a capacity of 6 kW/24.6 kWh. It relies on a 3 kW pure sine wave inverter which the manufacturer said is able to adjust the AC charging rate.
Indian solar manufacturers go big on high-output modules
Adani Solar, Jakson, Premier Energies, Vikram Solar, Waaree and other Indian manufacturers are showcasing their high-output modules (from 500 W to 600+ W) at this year’s Renewable Energy India Expo 2021.
How long do rooftop residential solar panels last?
Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of this series, we look at the solar panels themselves.
Agrivoltaics to protect crops from heavy rainfall
BayWa r.e. and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have built a 258 kW agrivoltaic system that hosts apple cultivation under four different crop protection systems. The system utilizes agrivoltaic technology with permanent, light-permeable PV modules that block rain, and tracking PV module tech that blocks rain only if necessary.
JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Longi reach consensus on 182mm module standardization
The three Chinese panel manufacturers found an agreement on the module size and the mounting hole spacing.
JinkoSolar’s n-type TOPCon cell achieves 24.58% efficiency via hydrogenation treatment
The Chinese manufacturer and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have improved the average cell efficiency by 0.68% through a post-cell hydrogenation process. The cell’s average open-circuit voltage increased by 7 mV from 696 to 703 mV, and the average fill factor from 82.03% to 83.07%.
Cylindrical solar panel for street lighting
Developed by an Italian manufacturer, the panel is available in three versions with a power output of 100, 120, and 240 W and has a weight of 5 kg. It is encapsulated in thermoformable plastic technical polymers and can be connected in series with other modules around the same post.
New solar-powered hydrogen tech from Japan
Moreover, two big Russian corporations have unveiled plans to produce hydrogen and Portuguese utility EDP said it wants to set up a a pilot project for a green hydrogen plant in Brazil.
New mounting system for rooftop PV, from Austria
The mounting structure relies on a 5.8m long support rail that does not lie on the roof but is connected directly to a purlin placed below with self-drilling support screws.
