U.S. scientists used density functional theory to reveal how sodium ions are stored in nanoporous carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries, identifying dual ionic and metallic storage mechanisms within the pores. Their findings provide practical design guidelines to improve battery voltage, safety, and commercial viability for stationary energy storage.

The launch of the new product suggests Tesla could renew its focus on residential solar and expand U.S. lease options with Powerwall.

The patent infringement case was related to an unspecified TOPCon solar cell technology.

The duties range from 53.3% to 57% for U.S. producers and from 2.4% to 48.7% for South Korean companies and will remain in force for a further five years.

Solar manufacturers are facing rising cost pressure as silver paste now accounts for up to 30% of total cell production costs. OPIS analyst Hanwei Wu tells pv magazine that module producers currently have limited ability to raise panel final prices, which is accelerating efforts to reduce silver use across all mainstream cell technologies.

A new Perspectives research study on the future of the global PV supply chain outlines how module prices, performance, and lifetimes could evolve over the next 25 years. The work reflects a collaboration among leading solar research institutions worldwide. One of the study’s authors, the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), told pv magazine that solar module and cell efficiencies could exceed 35% by 2050, with panel prices expected to drop by a factor of two.

U.S. startup Quilt has introduced a new three-zone ductless heat pump for residential use, offering independent temperature control across three areas with a single outdoor unit. The system uses R32 (difluoromethane) as the refrigerant and can reportedly achieved a coefficient of performance of 4.2 at 8 C.

A US research team has developed all-solid-state sodium batteries that retain performance down to subzero temperatures. The systems utilize a special chloride-based solid-electrolyte-coated cathode.

Apparent Inc. has unveiled a new water heater that can reportedly offset 100% of a home’s water heating cost. The system uses low-voltage DC electricity generated by conventional solar panels and a cloud based, machine learning platform that manages energy in real-time.

The solar cells combine multilayer graphene with silicon wafers, harvesting both solar and kinetic energy for continuous operation. Tests show the cells can autonomously power supercapacitors embedded in a temperature sensor.