Solar for trekking
Belgian start-up Sunslice has developed small, portable, high-performance solar panels that can be applied to backpacks and be used as rechargers for smartphones and watches.
Even if it is cheap enough, efficiency does matter
A British-German research team claims that organic PV technologies may become mature enough to compete with crystalline silicon and thin-film products not only in BIPV, but also in power generation in the electricity market. In order to get there, however, organic PV products will have to achieve higher efficiencies.
The misunderstood power of lithium-ion
As the world continues shifting towards lithium-ion as an advanced energy solution for all power applications, ongoing education on the technology’s chemistry, uses and limitations are essential.
China’s ‘Liquid Sunshine’ project demonstrates PV powered methanol
A pilot project in China was brought online this month, combining 10 MW of PV with electrolyzers for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide hydrogenation to synthesize methanol. The methanol is supplied to the chemical industry, or can be converted back into hydrogen for energy use. And the project’s creators say their next goal is scaling the project up to 10 or even 100 times its current size.
CSP startup Heliogen scores $39 million in DOE funding for supercritical CO2 project
Startup founded by serial entrepreneur Bill Gross seeks to revitalize CSP with sCO2 technology that lowers costs, water usage, equipment size and plant footprint — and supports industrial applications in which PV may not be able to compete.
Clean energy funding roundup: batteries under solar panels, carbon capture acquisition, ultracaps
Yotta Energy just won seed funding to install batteries under solar modules — in an architecture analogous to microinverters and optimizers.
Equipment auction sounds the final note for Hanergy-owned Alta Devices, high-efficiency PV pioneer
If you’re interested in some lightly-used MOCVD and PVD thin-film solar cell production equipment, have we got a deal for you.
50-kW solar facade financed by PPA
A 50 kW PV system is being built on the facade of a radiology center near Marburg’s main train station. The Marburg municipal utilities and the Sonneninitiative association have concluded a PPA that ensures the long-term financing of the project.
What can President-Elect Biden get done on energy in his first 100 days?
Biden has made a long list of promises and commitments to the environment and future of clean energy if elected. Which of these promises could we see immediate action on and which are years down the line?
How temperature affects tandem solar cell performance
New outdoor tests conducted at German research center the Fraunhofer ISE have shown that an increase in temperature affects the performance of a tandem perovskite/silicon solar cell not only because of voltage losses but also because of current mismatch between the two sub-cells.
