Heat pumps competitive with gas boilers in some markets, says IEA
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says unsubsidized heat pumps are already competitive with gas boilers in mature markets including the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, and China. It says global sales will soar to record levels by 2030.
Lab manufactured perovskite solar panel goes nine months, loses 25% of its efficiency
Researchers built and deployed a nine perovskite solar panel array that showed little generation loss due to high temperatures, and performed better over time than researchers expected.
Grid-forming inverter to stabilize microgrids
Toshiba has developed a smart synchronous inverter that stabilizes power fluctuations in microgrids. The Japanese company said it has tested the device in combination with PV and battery storage.
Toyota unveils 8.7 kWh battery for residential applications
The battery has a rated output of 5.5 kW and can be installed in outdoor environments. It is equipped with a hybrid power conditioner, a DC-to-DC converter, and a vehicle power supply adapter with a maximum output of 1.1 kWh.
IHS Markit: Battery prices won’t fall until 2024
Business data analyst IHS Markit published a series of clean tech predictions for the year that also highlighted the rising proportion of sub-5MW solar projects in the global market, and cheaper clean energy financing costs even as panel prices continue to rise.
Industry heavyweights look to solid-state battery cells, resources, and recycling
Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with ProLogium to integrate solid-state battery technology into a range of vehicles; Panasonic and Toyota launched an industrial-academic collaborative research program concerned with battery resources and recycling; and LG Energy Solution plans to spend $2.1 billion with GM to build another EV battery plant in the US.
Solar supply chain trouble to ease this year, according to analyst
Wood Mackenzie has predicted solar equipment cost increases will ease back after last year saw the average cost of solar electricity rise for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region.
Grasshopper closes $48m financing deal for U.S. solar expansion
The Canada-based renewable energy developer will use the funds to support four solar-plus-storage projects in Massachusetts.
Toshiba claims 15.1% power conversion efficiency for perovskite solar module
The result is claimed by the company to be the highest efficiency yet reported for any large, polymer film-based perovskite PV module.
Partners turn to blockchain to expand solar module recycling
The technology is being developed in Japan and should be able to inspect solar modules to provide data on traceability and components used.
