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.
Panasonic says it will exit solar manufacturing
The Japanese brand plans to shutter its Malaysian factory, liquidate its Panasonic Solar Energy Malaysia subsidiary, and lay off staff by March 2022.
Morning Brief: Elon Musk hints at yet another battery breakthrough, CAISO provides details on California blackouts
Also in the brief: A surge of nuclear outages in the U.S. this summer, Japan’s struggle to drive down renewables costs
The world added .115 terawatts of solar power in 2019 for a cumulative .629 terawatts
IEA PVPS report: Global solar demand increased by 12% in 2019 compared to 2018 — but that was BC. According to the report, photovoltaics provided just under 3% of global electricity needs in 2019.
Panasonic: ‘Eventually solar-plus-storage will be like air conditioning or HVAC’ but for now it’s an ’emotional sale’
“Brand is powerful — after a house and a car, a PV/storage system worth tens of thousands of dollars is one of the larger purchases a family will make.”
Morning brief: Oil billionaire pursuing perovskites, energy storage market to grow to $546 billion
Also in the morning brief: Arizona mandatory solar panel recycling bill, Sumitomo invests $46 million in long-term energy storage from Highview Power, and more.
‘Tesla and Panasonic are scrapping their partnership’ in solar cell production at the Buffalo factory
Elon Musk has spoken of the “exponential” ramp-up of its solar glass tile at the Buffalo factory. Panasonic’s tiles never made the cut for that product
Panasonic claims 16% efficiency for lightweight perovskite solar module
The device has an area of 802cm² and thickness of 2mm. The manufacturer claims it improved module performance through an inkjet coating method and a reduction in weight by using thin glass substrates.
