Author: solarenergy
Researchers have developed a still water layer cooling concept and tested it with seawater, tap water and desalinated water. The panel temperature dropped by up to 8.2°C, while the power increased by approximately 28%. October 8, 2025 Lior Kahana An international research team has proposed a new stagnant water layer cooling technology for solar panels. “This work introduces a simple, cheap and innovative method for the immersion cooling of PV modules, so that the junction box and aluminum frame remain isolated from liquid contact,” the researchers explained. To evaluate the system’s performance, the team built an experimental setup and tested…
By Brad Kramer October 8, 2025 Subsidiaries of Dominion Energy Far out electricity contracts for renewable energy and storage projects in Virginia and North Carolina. In an annual request for proposals (RFP), Dominion Energy Virginia (DEV) and Dominion Energy North Carolina (Denc) are looking for proposals for Structural Purchasing Agreements (PPA) with new projects for solar energy, Onshore Wind and Energy Storage. The PPAs will support the future energy needs of Virginia and North Carolina, as set out in the most recent of the Dominion Integrated Resource Plan. The projects associated with the PPAs will support local jobs, increase the…
The Japanese Aomori prefecture introduces a capacity-based levy on large onshore wind and solar projects, using destination criteria to tailor renewable expansion to environmental, historical and cultural priorities. October 8, 2025 Brian Publicover Aomori prefecture in North Japan has launched a new tax on large-scale renewable energy projects, according to a statement this week from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). It said that the new coexisty tax for renewable energy will apply to future onshore wind projects above 500 kW and solar projects above 2,000 kW. The tax will be levied according to the total installed…
SEIA has announced that it is starting SolarRecycle.orga new platform to strengthen the long-term sustainability of solar energy and storage and connect industry leaders with recycling partners. The launch of the website comes as part of SEIA’s broader efforts to support the proper management of solar equipment at end-of-life business models in the industry. SEIA is currently organizing the inauguration Sustainability conference in Savannah, Georgia, a new SEIA event that brings together industry, lawmakers, researchers and academics to discuss how the industry can embrace a circular economy. In July, SEIA released a Circular Economy Roadmap to guide the industry in…
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada have proposed protocols for standardized testing to avoid skewed results. The validated recommendations cover procedures for key measurements and the use of the indoor PV reference cell method. October 8, 2025 Valerie Thompson With first-hand experience with the complexities of testing indoor PV devices, researchers from Simon Fraser University in Canada identified how certain test setups and protocols can skew results and then proposed protocols for standardized testing. Backed up by experimentation and validation, the recommendations cover key procedures such as where and how to focus the light source on samples and the…
Shawton Energy will offer the renewable energy credits for the development of the King’s Cross mixed use in Central London through a 15-year-old Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA).The agreement includes the development of an 8.5 MWp solar energy plant in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the Point Lane Solar Farm. Due to the location of the King’s Cross site, direct access to a large source of renewable power generation is not possible.As such, Shawton has agreed a VPPA, which means that the King’s Cross Estate will pay for the energy generated on the site, but the electricity that it receives from the grid…
The cell, devised by scientists in China, was built with an alkaline treatment that efficiently modulates the surface chemistry of perovskite quantum dots. The device reportedly achieved the highest energy conversion efficiency ever reported for this type of solar cell. October 8, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from North China Electric Power University have developed a flexible perovskite quantum dot (PQD) solar cell via an alkali-supplemented antisolvent hydrolysis (AAAH) strategy that reportedly improves the charge transport of the perovskite absorber. Quantum dots are small semiconductor particles that can carry a charge and can be made from different materials. They have been…
Solar energy leads the global energy transition as the costs dive to register lows Solar energy has become the world’s most affordable power source, with costs in the sunny regions now as low as pounds 0.02 per kilowatt hour – cheaper than electricity of coal, gas or wind, according to new research by the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) from the University of Surrey. Published in energy and environmental materials, the study identifies solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as the primary engine of the global clean energy transition. “Even here in the UK, a country that is 50 degrees north of the…
Researchers from India’s MIT World Peace University have developed a scalable process that recovers valuable materials from old solar panels and converts residual waste into building products, promoting a circular solar economy. October 7, 2025 Uma Gupta MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) By pv magazine India Researchers from MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) have developed a scalable recycling process to tackle the growing problem of solar energy waste in India. The process has been validated by laboratory testing and industry feedback. The team received a research grant of INR 2.5 million ($28,170) from the Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission,…
A project developing green mini-grids to increase electricity access in rural Mauritania is looking for a consultancy to support its implementation. The deadline for applications is October 17. October 7, 2025 Patrick Jowett Image: Aboodi Vesakaran/Unsplash The ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Ecreee) is looking for a consultancy firm to help the government Mauritania Develop green mini-grids in rural places. The assignment falls under the desert-to-power (DTP) SAHEL Regional Technical Assistance Project (RETAPS), which works to promote solar projects in the Sahel region of North Central Africa. The Invitation to switch on Says that the chosen consultants…