Hanergy named in class action complaint by ex-employees at Alta Devices
“Hanergy…is not above the rule of law, and this is not China. In abruptly closing the Alta plant, defendants violated the federal and California WARN Acts, which require at least 60 days written notice of termination where a plant is shut down and/or mass layoffs occur.”
Germany added almost 4 GW of PV in 2019
The German network operator reported approximately 339 MW of new solar in December. New installations for 2019 exceeded new capacity additions in 2018 by more than 1 GW.
Hardware Brief: Solar+storage+indoor farming, space robots, battery packs at $135/kWh, more!
Sunmodo’s racking hardware has been approved by Sunnova, Schneider Electric and Scale Microgrid Solutions are partnering up to do some indoor farming, Groundwork rents the machines you need to build and maintain your facilities and more! Also – send your gear news to USA-Editors@pv-magazine.com to get in here.
Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells approaching 30% efficiency in lab
Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin have taken back the world efficiency record for a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell, achieving 29.15% with a device measuring 1cm². The record has been confirmed by Fraunhofer ISE, and according to HZB, this means that the 30% efficiency mark is within reach.
Raising the efficiency of polycrystalline cells with new luminescent EVA film
Chinese researchers have developed a pure EVA film, which they claim can enhance the conversion efficiency of conventional crystalline solar cells by around 0.50%. The film is able to convert UV light into strong visible light.
Morning Brief: NV Energy RFP, Power Ledger launches REC marketplace
Today in the brief: Solar Integrated Roofing acquires Milholland Electric, Ubiquitous Energy installs its first transparent solar window façade, Wisconsin schools told to prep for solar possibility, and more.
Mystery solved? Active Tesla roof tiles come from New York? Passive tiles from China?
All of this guesswork would be unnecessary if Telsa press relations related to the press. And why does Elon Musk insist that the solar glass is made entirely in Buffalo, New York?
Virginia is a state to watch on renewables
A once red state’s embrace of a renewable portfolio standard could be a boon to ratepayers. The Virginia Clean Economy Act is currently working its way through Virginia’s General Assembly and, if passed, would be the most ambitious clean energy policy in the state’s history.
First half of 2019 saw sunlight down as much as 10%, grand solar minimum held off in second half
Clean Power Research saw solar generation shift downward from the norm as much as 10% in many U.S. locations in the first half of 2019.
A record-breaking quarter for Tesla energy storage and an improvement in solar
The internet’s favorite energy company installed 530 megawatt-hours of battery storage in Q4, beating out the previous record, set last quarter, as well as showing continued improvement in solar installations.
