Author: solarenergy

The 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU PVSEC) comes to an end this afternoon in Vienna. The discussions at this year’s event leave little doubt that solar installations will continue to see impressive growth in the coming years. There was a lot of optimism all week about new policies and technical innovations that will bring more solar energy into both electric grids and urban and rural environments. For Europe, however, the lack of any meaningful capacity to produce these promising technologies locally is putting a damper on things. September 27, 2024 Mark HutchinsFrench scientist Daniel Lincot accepted the Becquerel…

OpenSolar, a software company that provides solar installers with a free solar design, sales and project management platform, has announced a new innovation designed to improve cash flow for solar companies. “This is the first-ever payment system designed specifically for the solar industry,” said Andrew “Birchy” Birch, CEO and co-founder of OpenSolar. “As solar veterans, we understand the complexities of running a solar business: billing different amounts at multiple points in a project, accepting different forms of payment, and paying exorbitant fees to the conventional payment providers . It sucks the lifeblood of a solar company. Our new payment system…

In a new weekly update for pv magazineOPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a brief overview of the major price trends in the global PV industry. September 27, 2024 OPISThe Global Polysilicon Marker (GPM), the OPIS benchmark for polysilicon outside China, was valued at $22,068/kg this week, unchanged from the previous week, on buy-sell indications.The long-awaited preliminary ruling from the American investigation into solar cells and modules imported from four Southeast Asian countries has been officially postponed until November 27 at the latest. The deadline for the final rulings remains 75 days after the preliminary ruling, although an extension is…

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Deanna Greenhalgh, development director at SAS Energy, EDF Renewables UK & Ireland C&I. She says that earlier in her career, she sometimes felt like her knowledge and experience were not recognized, believed or expected by others. “I think this was a combination of being both young and female in what was historically a male-dominated industry, where customers, colleagues and suppliers were more used to interacting with older men,” she says. September 27, 2024 Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu)My early career path was strongly driven by my enthusiasm to be part…

A Chinese-Australian research team has used deep eutectic solvents for the first time to separate EVA films for PV panels at the end of their life. The result is reported to be a separation rate of 100%, accompanied by an aluminum removal efficiency of 98.4% September 27, 2024 Emiliano BelliniAn international research team has proposed using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in a new PV module recycling process intended to separate self-adhesive ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) films from solar panels that have reached the end of their life.“DESs are green, biodegradable solvents with a price advantage and the ability to be…

ClearVue Technologies, an Australia-based supplier of smart building materials, is delivering a combination of its building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology and solar panels in a prefabricated pilot home. September 27, 2024 Ev Foley ClearVue Technologies offers a combination of advanced solar glazing and integrated solar panels for use in a modular home.It has developed advanced glass technology that integrates solar energy generation into building surfaces, especially glass and building facades, while maintaining the transparency of the glass to preserve the aesthetics of the building.The first modular construction order of its kind for ClearVue Technologies, the sale concerns a pilot installation BIPV…

Through Sustainability Roundtable’s Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB), Akamai Technologies, Teradyne and Wayfair signed an aggregate virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with BayWa re Americas for the renewable energy credits produced by the 135 MWAC Prairie Solar project in Champaign County, Illinois, which is being developed by the BayWa re Americas group and is expected to be commercially operational by the end of 2025. Prairie Solar will have a significant impact in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region of Illinois, which is a particularly carbon-intensive network with only 32% low-carbon energy by 2023. Once operational, Prairie Solar will…

Panacol, a German adhesive supplier, has launched Elecolit 3648, a one-component electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) for flexible perovskite and organic PV connections. It is designed to adhere well to a range of materials, including various types of plastic. September 27, 2024 Valerie ThompsonGermany-based adhesive technology provider Panacol has launched Elecolit 3648, a conductive adhesive for creating flexible electrical contacts on temperature-sensitive organic photovoltaic (OPV) and perovskite solar devices.The new product is designed to bond well to plastics, such as polyimide, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and flame-retardant epoxy resin.“The most important features for our customers are usually that the adhesive cures…

The PV module supply chain is making steady progress. Efficiency increases, input cost savings and throughput improvements deliver cheaper, more powerful products. They involve a sometimes chaotic chorus of rumors, disputes, claims and counterclaims as manufacturers compete for competitive advantage.In 2024, such conflicts have become increasingly important amid patent infringement investigations and lawsuits over TOPCon solar cell technology. Facing intense financial pressure amid rock-bottom prices, crystalline silicon (c-Si) manufacturers are turning to legal action to stay ahead. Somewhat surprisingly, it’s not just c-Si manufacturers who are insulting TOPCon.Intellectual property (IP) disputes are now emerging at a point where TOPCon is…

A coalition of clean energy, consumer protection and environmental groups is celebrating a Sept. 26 preliminary injunction that will halt enforcement of a California rule that would severely limit solar companies from installing and maintaining battery storage systems. The rule, which was approved by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) in April, prohibits licensed solar contractors from adding batteries to existing solar panels or performing maintenance on batteries, including those they previously installed themselves. The rule also prohibits solar contractors from building solar and storage systems above a certain size typical of off-grid residential or commercial customers. The rule…