Researchers in Canada have proposed using gravity-based energy storage in high-rise buildings, in combination with photovoltaic facades, small wind turbines, and lithium-ion batteries. Their modeling indicated that this hybrid system could achieve a levelized cost of energy ranging from $0.051/kWh to $0.111/kWh.

With silver prices nearing $50 per ounce, researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) tell pv magazine that efforts to reduce silver use in solar cells will not compromise module quality if properly engineered.

Wood Mackenzie says module prices will climb as China ends export rebates and consolidates polysilicon production.

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.

BESSt announced that its new redox flow battery technology delivers 20 times the energy density of conventional vanadium flow storage systems. The battery is based on a zinc–polyiodide redox flow chemistry developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

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.

The price of silver rose above $44 per ounce this week after gaining more than 30% in six months, with silver expert Philip Newman telling pv magazine it could exceed $50 per ounce next year, raising pressure on PV module makers to curb silver use.

Nuclear plants generated a record amount of power in 2024, surpassing record set in 2006, but industry optimism is not backed by economic data or investment, says the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2025.

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.

Jetson said its new heat pump system has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.1 and an energy efficiency rating of up to 11.7. The new product integrates air quality sensors, an energy monitor, and a “smart” thermostat.