REC Silicon reports loss in Q4, but remains optimistic
REC Silicon ASA got a boost by Hanwha Solutions’ investment and is now looking to restart Moses Lake facility, along with eyeing opportunities in battery materials.
Fraunhofer ISE reaches legal settlements with seven inverter manufacturers who infringed its patent
In 2002, the Fraunhofer ISE patented the HERIC circuit for highly efficient inverters. Since then, the institute says, it has recorded out-of-court settlements in seven patent infringement lawsuits against companies from China, Taiwan and Germany.
Recycled silicon used in 19.7% efficient PERC solar cells
Led by German research institute Fraunhofer ISE, the consortium has built the solar cells with 100% crystalline silicon recycled from end-of-life photovoltaic panels. The silicon is recycled through a technique conceived by German specialist Reiling GmbH & Co. KG and the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP.
Robot dog for PV plant monitoring
A robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics monitors a solar park by walking between the panel rows following a programmed route. It uses its built-in thermal vision system to generate thermographic reports on the status of the different PV plant components.
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.
Paired with “wonder material,” over 21% efficiency demonstrated in perovskite solar cells
The use of phosphorene nanoribbons boosted the cell, putting it on par with traditional silicon cell output levels.
U.S.-based EV charger maker enters European market
Volta designs chargers with integrated advertising space and targets high-visibility commercial spaces.
As Maxeon waits on potential U.S.-based solar cell fab, it launches Air panels in Europe
Maxeon exec Mark Babcock joined pv magazine to talk about Maxeon’s Air solar panels, and the company’s possible U.S. manufacturing expansion.
Center notches 29.80% efficiency for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell
The solar cell is based on a nanotextured front side and a back side with a dielectric reflector.
A promising new design for shingled solar modules
Research finds that the energy yield of a novel approach could almost double that of standard shingled cell interconnection under random shading conditions.
