Author: solarenergy

The quest for clean energy sources has led scientists and researchers down many paths. Among the most promising is the intersection of artificial photosynthesis and solar technology. This approach draws inspiration from nature’s most efficient energy conversion process and combines it with cutting-edge solar technology to create a game-changing solution for our energy needs. The Science Behind Artificial Photosynthesis Artificial photosynthesis is a process that mimics the natural photosynthesis performed by plants and other organisms. In nature, photosynthesis converts sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into energy-rich glucose and oxygen. This process has been perfected by plants over millions of years…

South Korea-based solar module manufacturer Qcells has set a new world efficiency record for a commercially scalable perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell produced on its pilot line in Germany. December 19, 2024 Patrick Jowett Qcells has set a world record tandem solar cell efficiency on a full-area M10 cell that can be scaled up for mass production. The South Korean company achieved an efficiency of 28.6% on a 330.56 square cm cell produced on its pilot line in Germany. The solar cell uses perovskite technology for the top cell and proprietary Q.ANTUM technology for the bottom cell. Qcells said this tandem…

November 2024 data from certification body MCS reveals a record year for UK air source heat pump installations. Two consecutive months of more than 5,000 certified installations puts 2024 on track for 50% year-over-year growth. December 19, 2024 Matthew Lynas More than 5,000 air heat pump installations were registered by the British certification body MCS in November 2024, a record year for the technology. The latest data from MCS shows that 5,735 air source heat pumps were installed during the month, the third highest on record after October 2024 (5,797) and March 2022 – when 6,335 air source heat pumps…

Angry because Amsterdam allows ‘ugly’ solar panels on historic canal houses Amsterdam’s world-famous canal houses may soon have visible solar panels on their roofs, much to the dismay of local heritage groups, who say they will be an eyesore. The tall, thin historic houses from the 16th to the 18th century in the Dutch capital are poorly insulated and consume a lot of energy. Solar panels are already allowed on the roofs of listed buildings, as long as they cannot be seen from the street. But now the municipality wants to relax the rules further in an attempt to make…

The proposed cell is based on indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and germanium (Ge) and has an active surface area of ​​0.25 mm2. It can be used for photovoltaic microconcentrator (CPV) applications. December 19, 2024 Emiliano Bellini A Canadian research team recently developed a micrometer-scale III-V solar cell for applications in concentrated solar photovoltaics (CPV). Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and other III-V materials – named after the groups in the periodic table to which they belong – are among the best known in terms of efficiency potential for solar cells. However, their high production costs have so far…

CleanChoice Energy has announced that it has connected its first wholly owned solar project. The Blairs Valley solar farm, located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has the generation capacity to power the equivalent of 4,500 homes with renewable energy. It is the first completed project of several upcoming projects the company has in the pipeline. The Blairs Valley solar project has a capacity of 26.15 MW and is located on 168 hectares. The farm has more than 30,000 double-sided solar panels and is equipped with flex tracking that enables smart rotation to optimize the amount of sunlight captured. The solar farm…

Prices across the solar supply chain remained in bearish territory through the fourth quarter of 2024. Trade and regulatory developments continued to concern the sector and dampen trading activity. December 16, 2024 Hanwei Wu From pv magazine 24/12 The Global Polysilicon Marker (GPM), the OPIS price benchmark for polysilicon produced outside China, fell from $22,567 ($0.051)/kg on September 3, 2024 to $22,068/kg on November 5, 2024. The Chinese Module Marker (CMM), the OPIS benchmark for Chinese modules that are FOB (free on board or excluding shipping costs), fell from $0.095/W to $0.087/W over the same period. Price declines were also…

India is likely to follow in China’s footsteps and mandate the inclusion of battery storage capacity for future wind and solar projects. December 18, 2024 Marija Maisch By ESS news India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) could soon introduce new policies mandating the inclusion of battery storage in new solar and wind projects. Speaking at the 21st edition of the Global MSME Business Summit organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), MNRE Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh said the government is planning an initial requirement of 10% of the storage capacity of a renewable power plant in to…

Australian industrial battery company Switch Technologies has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first operational vehicle powered by Echion Technologies’ ultra-fast charging XNO technology. December 18, 2024 Ev Foley By pv magazine Australia Switch Technologies, a powerful battery and electric vehicle engineering services provider, has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first operational vehicle powered by British-based Echion Technologies’ proprietary ultra-fast charging XNO active anode material technology. With XNO, lithium-ion batteries can be charged safely and quickly in less than 10 minutes, maintain high energy density even at extreme temperatures, and deliver high power over a lifespan of…

Solar installations grew 4% year-on-year in the European Union in 2024, a sharp decline from 53% growth in 2023. The slowdown coincides with a decline in solar investment energy, which is the first decline in this decade. SolarPower Europe now predicts annual growth of 3% to 7% in solar installations between 2025 and 2028. December 18, 2024 Patrick Jowett According to the SolarPower Europe report, developers will have deployed 65.5 GW of solar energy across the European Union by 2024.EU solar market outlook 2024-2028.” The figure reflects annual growth of 4% compared to the 62.8 GW of installations in 2023,…