Emiliano Bellini
Optimal tilt angle for bifacial PV deployed on white-painted ground surfaces
Scientists in India have analyzed the performance of a bifacial PV module installed on a white-painted ground surface and have found a 30-degree tilt angle outperforms all other inclinations angles in terms of power output.
General Motors launches residential storage system
The US-based automotive manufacturing company said its new storage system offers the option of integrating with PV systems. It can be scaled to reach a capacity of up to 35.4 kWh, which the company said would enable approximately 20 hours of storage.
Japan’s Toyo plans 2 GW solar cell factory in Ethiopia
Tokyo-based Toyo Co. says it will invest $60 million in a new 2 GW solar cell factory in Ethiopia, to mostly serve the US market.
The impact of sodium, moisture on heterojunction PV module performance
Researchers in France have investigated heterojunction solar module reliability in damp heat environment and have found that sodium ions are the main source of degradation.
PV system sizing for 100% self-consumption
A group of researchers has proposed a new method for the sizing of PV systems that do not rely on an anti-dump system and operate without the possibility of injecting power into the grid. The novel approach requires an estimate of the annual hourly profile and the minimum power demanded, as well as the use of an irradiance meter and an electrical network analyzer.
New research shows vulnerability of TOPCon solar cells to contact corrosion
Researchers at the University of New South Wales claim to have identified new TOPCon contact degradation mechanisms that are significantly influenced by the combination of ions and aluminum-silver paste compositions. The primary degradation mechanism was a significant increase in series resistance.
Turkey exempts four large manufacturers from anti-dumping duties applied to 5 countries
The Turkish authorities applied an anti-dumping tariff of $25/m2 solar modules imported from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, and Jordan.
Silver price on the rise
The price of silver has increased over 30% since the beginning of the year, with a particularly strong increase being registered in the last few months.
Sharp unveils 610 W TOPCon solar panel with 22.58% efficiency
Sharp’s new IEC61215- and IEC61730-certified solar panels have an operating temperature coefficient of -0.29% per C and a bifaciality factor of over 80%.
World now has five times more PV than nuclear power
According to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024, the world had 408 operational reactors producing 367 GW in the middle of the year, which is significantly less than installed capacity predictions for solar by the end of the year and five time less the world’s cumulative PV capacity.
