Solving the UV problem of n-type solar
Laboratory testing has revealed that some negatively-doped, “n-type” tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction (HJT) solar modules are susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) light-related damage and degradation. That could mean trouble down the line, if modules in the field begin to show UV-related performance loss. Manufacturers are implementing solutions at cell and module level.
Researchers capture first-ever images of electric charges across semiconductor materials within a solar cell
A team from the University of California Santa Barbara used ultrafast electron microscopy to record photocarriers as they diffuse across a silicon and germanium heterojunction. It is the first time the movement, which lasts picoseconds, has been captured as a moving visual.
PV module cooling tech based on single-channel containing nanofluids
Scientists in Mexico have conceived a new solar module cooling tech that can reportedly improve PV power generation by up to 2%. The system uses nanofluids embedded in an aluminum single-channel attached to the back of the panel.
Organic solar cell gains counterintuitive efficiency boost from entropy
A research team at the University of Kansas found that organic semiconductors known as non-fullerene acceptors demonstrate a high solar cell efficiency due to a reversed heat flow.
Shedding light on tandem perovskite solar cell progress
Perovskite tandem devices are at the front of the queue for commercialization but their characterization presents technical challenges.
$20 Million federal initiative targets low-emission silicon and thin film research
The Solar Energy Technologies Office has launched a dual initiative to propel upstream advancements in a collection of solar cell types, and to reduce the emissions of solar-grade polysilicon under 1 kg CO2 per kg.
New quantum solar cell material promises external quantum efficiency of 190%
The new material consists of an heterostructure combining germanium, selenium, and tin sulfide, which also integrates atoms of zerovalent copper. It features an average photovoltaic absorption over 80% and could help photovoltaic cells break the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit, according to its creators.
Gallium arsenide solar cell achieves 23.1% efficiency via electrochemical porosification
An international research group has utilized a new porosification technique to build gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells that allow the recovery of germanium films. The new cell achieved an efficiency that is reportedly in line with that of other GaAs PV devices, but can be produced at a lower cost thanks to the reuse of germanium.
Global inventory map of floating photovoltaics
A Chinese-US research group has created an up-to-date spatial datase to identify floating PV systems across the globe. The new tool uses Google Earth images, Sentinel satellite imagery, and multiple spectral indices.
Thin-film solar development receives $2 million in funding
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory awarded funding to six projects to support its Cadmium Telluride Accelerator Consortium.
