World

IEA PVPS Task 12 analyzes the environmental impact of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology in PV installations in comparison to the monocrystalline silicon technology (AI-BSF) and the trend towards installing horizontal single-axis tracker systems as opposed to fixed tilt systems.

Scientists in the Middle East designed a flexible two-terminal organic/CIGS tandem solar cell for wearable applications. The device achieved an open-circuit voltage of 1.89 V, a short-circuit current density of 17.55 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 82.79%.

Energy storage is the new solar for an increasing number of Chinese PV manufacturers. However, China still requires enabling policies for storage to provide the end-market volumes needed to bolster the fortunes of manufacturers old and new.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says developers installed 345.5 GW of solar throughout the world in 2023. China mainly drove the surge, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all new renewable energy, but IRENA says more equitable growth will be needed to hit 2030 deployment targets.

US-based Thornova said its new panel features a power conversion efficiency spanning from 22.4% to 23.2% and a temperature coefficient of -0.29% per C. The company is a subsidiary of China-based manufacturer Sunova Solar and is currently planning a cell and module factory at an unspecified location in the United States.

Researchers in Australia have compared the technical and financial performances of a hydrogen battery storage system and a lithium-ion battery when coupled with rooftop PV. They evaluated two commercially available systems – LAVO and Tesla Powerwall 2 – and found that the lithium-ion battery provides better financial profits, whereas the hydrogen battery offers more battery lifespan for long duration of energy storage.

Meyer Burger says it plans to lay off 500 people at its PV module factory in Germany, but some employees might be relocated within the company. It says about 400 workers will lose their jobs.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced up to $22 million in funds under its Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) tops in green hydrogen competitiveness with the world’s lowest levelized cost of hydrogen (LCoH) of $2.7/kg in 2023 and a projected $1.7/kg in 2030. It is followed by Saudi Arabia and India, which could produce green hydrogen at $2.9-$3.2/kg in 2023 and $1.8/kg in 2030.