Toledo Solar receives DOE grant to research lighter, steel-backed solar modules
As if being the only thin-film cadmium telluride solar panel manufacturer in the residential market wasn’t enough of a niche, Toledo Solar is now looking to develop something never done before: modules with glass-enameled steel backs.
Morning Brief: Maximizing solar self-consumption by rethinking panel orientation, carbon-neutral beer
Also in the brief: Did we mention carbon-neutral beer? Plus drone inspection of transmission towers.
Jinko unveils new 610 W solar panels
The Chinese manufacturer introduced new PV modules this weekend at the SNEC solar exhibition in Shanghai.
A virtual trade show in your home starring residential storage vendors
The U.S. solar and storage industry is figuring out how to exchange information without exchanging Covid-19.
First Solar posts a strong Q2, global operations to be 100% renewably powered by 2028
Another stalwart of the solar industry was able to take the necessary precautions in order to maintain some sense of normalcy during the pandemic, leading to a quarter of increased sales, net cash and a positive outlook to finish off the year.
Residential solar customers don’t want the cheapest system in a $20K investment – they want the best one
Customers are willing to pay a premium for a brand name with a strong warranty.
Q Cells to acquire energy software startup Geli, expanding its storage capabilities to go after C&I markets
The acquisition is Q Cells’ first energy storage acquisition and marks its move into the U.S. commercial and industrial (C&I) solar-plus-storage market.
SunPower survived shutdowns for a strong Q2
While supply chain and manufacturing disruptions will lead to shipping decreases in Q3, the measures that SunPower took prior to Covid’s disruption allowed for a strong quarter, with the company experiencing increases in installations and demand.
Solar Inventions looks to redefine cell architecture and save silver with award-winning tech
The winners of the first American-Made Solar Prize are wasting no time bringing their revolutionary product to market, one which promises to reduce silver, increase module power and save manufacturers up to $1 million annually.
Scratching the surface of LeTID
The mechanisms behind light-elevated temperature-induced degradation are still not fully understood, but it is known to cause significant performance losses for modules in the field. Scientists in China are investigating the causes of the phenomenon, and are currently focused on the surface of the materials and the interfaces between the silicon and passivation layers.
