Northvolt closes Cuberg’s ops, shifts lithium-metal battery R&D to Sweden
Three years after acquiring U.S.-based Cuberg, Swedish battery maker Northvolt has decided to shut down the California unit and move future lithium-metal battery R&D to Sweden.
First Solar unit achieves world record CIGS solar efficiency of 23.64%
The new solar cell achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency of 23.75% and a certified efficiency of 23.64%, thus beating the previous world record of 23.35% achieved in 2019 by Japan’s Solar Frontier. The result was confirmed by the Fraunhofer ISE.
First Solar acquires perovskite specialist Evolar
First Solar has agreed to pay $38 million to buy Swedish manufacturing startup Evolar AB, as it seeks to expand development of high-efficiency tandem PV tech.
Solar electric camper boat
The POL Lux from Sweden is a catamaran boat design with dual electric motors and a solar canopy that can covert into a private sleeping area.
Algae could boost solar panel efficiency by 4%
A Swedish team has inaugurated a pilot facility to mass produce algae material that can potentially boost silicon solar module efficiency by 4% and thin film by 36%. The algae are added to the encapsulant in silicon-based modules or to the anti-reflective coating on the glass of thin film modules. The team estimates the resulting modules would be 3.9% cheaper.
Model to assess microclimates in vertical agrivoltaic systems
Swedish researchers have developed a model to analyze the microclimate parameters of a vertically mounted agrivoltaic system. They validated their model by comparing its estimations with measurements of solar irradiance, PV module temperature, and ground temperature.
Solar-powered delivery van with 400 km range
Swedish start-up Clean Motion hopes to commercialize an electric delivery van that is also powered by IBC solar modules placed on its roof.
Solar on a parking structure adds a Scandinavian design flair
Soltech Energy has installed a 646 kW solar facade on a parking garage in Sweden that hosts 300 EV-charging posts.
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.
Blackstone enters the electric bus and van race, plus the return of seed-stage solar investing
A weekly round up of investments and exits in solar and energy transition technologies.
