What can South Korea learn from India’s rapid solar deployment?
Korean policy analyst focusing on solar power plant siting and permitting, Daun Kim, has reported on her recent trip to India’s Bhadla Solar Park. The analyst highlights how clear siting policies and streamlined permitting helped India scale renewables, something that South Korea can learn as it pursues a 100 GW renewable energy target by 2030.
Key factors when choosing an automated cleaning system for utility scale PV
Automating utility-scale solar facilities is now a standard consideration of independent power producers (IPPs), with robotics representing a relatively small portion of total investment. Despite this, offers from technology suppliers should be thoroughly scrutinized, as wrong choices can pose a significant risk to a power generation asset that is expected to last 25 years or more.
Sharp launches three new mono-PERC modules with 19.1% efficiency
Sharp has released three new high-efficiency mono-PERC solar panels. Ranging from 300 W to 370 W, the five-busbar modules are designed for use in a range of applications, from residential PV projects to large commercial installations.
Sunman brings glass-free PV modules to the market
Power provider Stadtwerke Waldkirch has built a 264 kW PV system in Germany with Sunman’s glass-free modules, as a titanium rooftop at the project site made it impossible to use conventional modules.
US scientists create MPP algorithm to measure PV panel degradation
The algorithm is said to be able to examine the relationship between weather forecast data and the projection of electric circuit parameters. Through this innovation, Purdue University researchers claim they can interpret the routinely collected maximum power point (MPP) time-series data, to assess the time-dependent “health” of installed solar modules.
Researchers propose doubling today’s solar panel efficiency using two weird tricks
By double stacking a perovskite-silicon solar cell and using the cell in a glass-on-glass bifacial solar module, scientists model that a 30-36% efficient solar module can be attained.
India moots world’s largest solar tender – of 100 GW
If implemented, the huge tendering exercise would dwarf anything that has gone before it. Minister explains bidding will also include solar manufacturing and storage elements.
Swedish scientists develop new method to reduce defects in organic solar cells
The researchers found that printed solar cells achieved a better performance when they used an active polymer material as glue.
Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE announces 33% efficiency for multi-junction solar cell
Together with Austrian equipment manufacturer EVG, Fraunhofer ISE has achieved an efficiency of 33.3% on a multi-junction solar cell. The highlight of the cell is the ultra-thin II-V semiconductor layer. However, it will be a few years before mass production is possible.
Cell manufacturer ranking
pv magazine teams up with solar market analysts at IHS Markit to run through the top 10 crystalline silicon cell manufacturers of 2017, and the events that shaped their market landscape throughout the year.
