Author: solarenergy

Chinese EV battery giant CATL is posting earnings gains The world’s largest maker of electric vehicle batteries, China’s CATL, reported a 13.4 percent rise in second-quarter profit on Friday, despite a battery price war weighing on sales. Founded in 2011 in the Chinese east coast city of Ningde, CATL produces more than a third of the electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide. They are used in models from a long line of foreign manufacturers, including Mercedes, BMW, VW, Tesla, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai. In the April-June quarter, CATL’s net profit rose 13.4 percent year-on-year to 12.35 billion yuan ($1.7 billion), according…

In its first few weeks in power, the new Labor government has promised to “ignite a solar roof revolution”. Image: SolarEdge. While the new Labor government has pledged to “unleash a solar roof revolution”, Solar Together’s analysis shows that uptake of solar panels across England has fallen so far in 2024. According to the figures, England installed 63,000 solar panels in the first half of 2024, compared to more than 83,000 installations in the first half of 2023. Solar Together is a group purchasing initiative that was responsible for 10% of MCS certified solar panel installations across England by 2023.…

In the latest financial stability report, Tesla, Kung Long Batteries, Mustang Battery, Eaton and Hyundai Electric are in the top five out of 55 manufacturers. July 29, 2024 Valerie ThompsonSinovoltaics, a Hong Kong-based technical compliance and quality assurance service company, has published its third quarter results PV Energy Storage Manufacturer Ranking Report. It has a global reach and provides financial stability scores over the past three years for 55 suppliers. The report can be downloaded for free.Some changes to the top ten segment since the previous edition included South Korea’s LG Energy moving out of the top ten segment to…

Chinese researchers claim to have developed an ‘ultra-stable’ perovskite solar cell based on a two-dimensional perovskite in the Dion-Jacobson phase. The device is built with blade coating technology and is scalable, according to the makers. July 29, 2024 Lior KahanaResearchers led by China’s National Center for Nanoscience and Technology have developed a 2D Dion-Jacobson (DJ) perovskite solar cell that reportedly exhibits high levels of stability while achieving an energy conversion efficiency of 19.11%.Two-dimensional (2D) Dion-Jacobson (DJ) phase perovskites have attracted interest in the scientific community due to their stability against harsh environmental conditions and their competitive performance in optoelectronic applications.…

The alpine-pv.ch platform is a joint project of four universities of applied sciences. Above all, it shows how much potential there is in photovoltaic power plants in the Alps to tackle Switzerland’s looming winter electricity problem. July 29, 2024 Sandra Enkhardt With 1,500 kWh per installed kilowatt, the Alpin Solar system has the highest specific efficiency of all high-alpine systems connected to the electricity grid in Switzerland.Image: pv magazine/Sandra EnkhardtBy pv magazine GermanyPhotovoltaic power plants in the Alps are a big topic in Switzerland, with numerous reports on projects to be approved and built. The first high-alpine PV power plants…

Scientists in Malta have developed an aftermarket cooling solution that can be fitted to existing standard PV modules. The system is based on a water chamber at the back of the module and can reportedly deliver a net electrical energy gain of more than 9%. July 29, 2024 Emiliano BelliniA group of scientists from the University of Malta have developed an after-market cooling system for photovoltaic modules that uses a water chamber that can be placed in an opening on the back of standard modules.“The innovative photovoltaic cooling system (IPCoSy) has already been patented,” said the corresponding author of the…

The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) is looking for private mini-grid developers to design, build, operate and maintain a mini-grid system that will supply electricity to a remote community in the south of the country. The closing date for registration is August 23. July 29, 2024 Patrick Jowett Image: Aboodi Vesakaran/UnsplashA tender has been opened expressions of interest from private mini-grid developers to designing, building, operating and maintaining a mini-grid in Eswatini.The Bulimeni Solar PV-Battery mini-grid project will enable household electrification in the 92-household Bulimeni community located in the Shiselweni region of southern Eswatini.The chosen developer is expected to operate…

The British manufacturer said its new air-to-water Auriga heat pump has a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of 3.33 to 4.83 and a noise level of 43 dBA to 65 dBA. July 29, 2024 Emiliano Bellini The Auriga air heat pumpImage: BaxiBritish heat pump manufacturer Baxi has unveiled a new medium temperature monobloc heat pump for commercial building applications.“Baxi’s new air-to-water Auriga Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) series can reach temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius with a lower global warming potential (GWP) thanks to the refrigerant difluoromethane (R32),” the company said in a statement. “Available in individual power ratings…

Let’s Get to Know REC REC Group is a leading solar panel manufacturer based in Europe. Founded in Norway in 1996, the company has expanded its operations globally, with a significant presence in the United States, Asia, and Australia. A key innovation by REC Group Solar was the introduction of half-cut cell technology in 2014. This technique involves splitting solar cells into two parts, which significantly improves the overall efficiency of solar panels. This breakthrough has been instrumental in advancing solar panel technology. REC Group’s primary manufacturing facility is located in Singapore, where they produce a range of solar panels…

Solar cell efficiency improved with innovative perovskite technology Researchers from Huaqiao University and Qufu Normal University have made significant progress in solar energy technology, introducing new materials that promise to improve the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Their study, published in the June issue of Energy Materials and Devices, describes the development of three new hole transport materials that could set new standards for solar cell performance. Perovskite solar cells are known for their impressive performance and cost-effectiveness, but the high price of charge transport materials remains a barrier to widespread adoption. Traditional materials such as Spiro-OMeTAD are expensive…