Technology
Researchers discover photovoltaic properties in zinc-based film
Research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has found zinc-phosphate-hydrate (ZPH) films are capable of producing electricity from light. The coating’s photovoltage was amplified when anthocyanin, a natural dye found in blackberries, was added. From pv magazine Global A research team at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has discovered that zinc-phosphate-hydrate (ZPH) films coated onto metals […]
Scientists break Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit for silicon solar cell in experiment
A Chinese-US research group claims to have achieved a power conversion efficiency of over 50% in an n-type single-junction solar cell by inhibiting light conversion to heat at extremely low temperatures. The result was achieved at temperatures of 30-50 Kelvin, which are a few tens of degrees above absolute zero. From pv magazine Global Researchers […]
New control strategy for grid-forming inverters
Researchers in the United States have created a droop control strategy for grid-forming inverters that purportedly improves power system frequency stability. By using an exponential active power–frequency relationship, the novel technique optimizes the use of available headroom, reduces frequency deviations, and enhances overall grid resilience. Renewable energy resources using grid-forming inverters can actively regulate voltage […]
NREL researchers address safety implications of next-generation battery technologies
Report says new evaluation methods, including AI, will help make future batteries safer. If lithium-ion batteries were once viewed as an expensive energy storage solution with tenuous supply chains, mass production has made them both affordable and readily available for a wide variety of applications. Consumer electronics, electric vehicles and, importantly, battery-based energy storage systems […]
As bidirectional EV charging grows, utility group suggests requiring interconnection
Interconnection of bidirectional EV chargers can enable grid compensation for EV owners while enhancing safety, says a report that offers comprehensive guidance for regulators. The Smart Electric Power Alliance has issued a report advising regulators how to prepare for broader customer adoption of electric vehicles and EV chargers capable of exporting energy from the EV battery to […]
IEA-PVPS warns soiling costs solar industry billions per year
The International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) says dust, pollution, and debris on solar panels reduce output by 4% to 7% worldwide, costing the industry billions of euros annually and making tailored mitigation increasingly urgent. From pv magazine Global Soiling on solar installations costs the global solar industry annual revenue losses totaling billions of […]
Astrobotic, Honda developing vertical solar, storage solution for lunar missions
Pittsburgh-based aerospace company Astrobotic and Honda’s North American subsidiary are working on integrating Astrobotic’s vertical solar array technology with Honda’s regenerative fuel cell system to develop a power and storage solution capable of supporting prolonged exploration of the moon. From pv magazine Global American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Astrobotic Technology, Inc. have entered into […]
California’s home batteries are replacing gas plants and saving hundreds of millions
The Brattle Group analyzed a gigawatt-hour virtual power plant test that may be the world’s largest as part of its review of California’s distributed peak-shaving program. Battery manufacturing has scaled into the terawatt-hours annually, a breathtaking pace that could soon support multi-day backup of electricity systems. For now, U.S. installations fall far short of what […]
NREL researchers warn of unexpectedly high UV-induced degradation in n-type solar modules
A research team from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has analyzed n-type modules deployed in a 3 MW commercial PV project in an effort to assess the high degradation rate reported by the plant owner. The scientists found that ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) was a major factor affecting the facility’s performance. From pv magazine Global […]
Scaling perovskite tandems’ U.S. prospects
Three US manufacturers actively working to commercialize their respective perovskite-silicon tandem technologies make the case for tandem modules. CubicPV, Caelux and Swift Solar argue a commercial future for perovskites is inevitable, and they tell pv magazine the current policy environment could work in the technology’s favor. From the magazine Commercial deployment of perovskites has traditionally […]