Six-junction III–V solar cell with 47.1% efficiency
A U.S. research group has developed a new solar cell, based on six active photoactive layers, to capture light from a specific part of the solar spectrum. The scientists claim that they could potentially reach a 50% efficiency rate with the new cell.
Morning Brief: Rick Perry bucked Congress’s clean energy mandate
Also in the brief: How a conservative coal county built the biggest community solar energy project in East Kentucky. Why 30M solar rooftops should be in the next relief bill
ClearVue’s luminescent solar concentrators create clear PV windows
The lure of building integrated photovoltaics continues to attract entrepreneurs and startups.
Virginia passes 100% clean power mandate
Gov. Ralph Northam has signed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which requires the state’s utilities to switch to 100% clean energy by 2050, while also adding 16 GW of solar and onshore wind, 3 GW of energy storage and the closing of all the state’s coal power plants by 2024.
Job Moves: Laura Beane joins Engie as renewables president, plus Array Technologies, CPUC, and more
Women in cleantech. Executive and boardroom moves in solar, storage, energy, utilities and venture capital.
Morning Brief: California Central Coast spends $600M on solar and geothermal, Sierra Club defeats PV farm
Also in the brief: DOE And FERC exploring the use of energy storage to bolster fossil fuel plants
Solar and storage advocates call for real-time pricing option in California
Real-time pricing of electricity can help integrate renewables, reduce costly and polluting peak-period generation, and save customers money, the trade groups say. They call for California to make real-time pricing an option in the San Diego area.
Europe’s largest solar park goes online despite Covid-19
Iberdrola’s 500 MW Núñez de Balboa solar park has started commercial operations, following the completion of construction in December.
Massachusetts struggles to incentivize behind-the-meter storage
While praised for the level of large-scale energy storage the state’s Clean Peak Standard is anticipated to bring, opponents have called the policy “a waste of ratepayer funds for behind-the-meter energy storage.”
Electriq Power adds more venture funding for its residential battery storage hardware
That brings the total to $9 million for the Bay Area builder of an integrated 13.4 kWh energy storage system in the overcrowded residential market.
