The long read: The cracks are showing
Finding tiny cracks in a silicon solar cell is not that easy, particularly given that these cracks initially have little or no effect on module performance. But a number of common occurrences in a module’s lifetime can cause cracks to grow, rendering whole areas of a cell useless. And this is increasingly being recognized as one of the most significant risks to module reliability – one which the PV industry is hard at work to mitigate.
Manufacturing a green solar bounce in India
The nation must look at innovative PV technologies that are low-cost and can be applied in a vast range of new applications.
PV module innovations to lower solar costs in coming decade
A new report by Wood Mackenzie suggests that rapid solar module technology innovations in the next decade will lead to significant increases in module power class, better performance and more versatile applications. Technology and lower capex will be key to sector growth, it adds.
IndianOil turns to gas, not green hydrogen, to reduce Delhi bus emissions
The public sector energy company has opened a compact reformer plant at Delhi Transport Corporation’s Rajghat bus depot. The facility will produce hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas as a bus fuel. A trial period will see 50 gas-powered buses run on the blended fuel with fuel economy and emissions monitored.
Borosil Renewables records 65% YoY revenue increase for first half
The Indian solar glass maker posts revenue of INR 168.16 crore for the first half of FY2020-21, generating profits (after tax) of INR 12.19 crore.
Ministry drafts policy for rural solar appliance roll-out
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is eager to ramp up deployment of solar-powered dryers, cold storage and charkhas across the nation’s 600,000 villages.
NHDC seeks supplier for up to 350 MW of solar modules
The state-run hydropower company is targeting 340-350 MW of generation capacity in the 1.5 GW tender being held by SECI and state utility Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikash Nigam Limited. NHDC has opened a global tender to seek a panel supplier.
The long read: In the long run
PV module makers are under growing pressure to increase the power output and longevity of their products, which leads in some cases to rapid changes in the technologies and materials they utilize. pv magazine recently sat down to speak with Kaushik Roy Choudhury and Mark Ma of DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions about the changing landscape for quality in solar PV materials.
Sterling and Wilson to build solar+storage hybrid power plant in Niger
The latest project is another African opportunity for the India-based EPC player after successfully commissioning Nigeria’s first solar-plus-storage hybrid power plant, which is also Africa’s largest battery energy storage system.
BHEL tenders for 32 MW of crystalline solar modules
Bids are invited from Indian manufacturers to supply 32,102 kW of modules for the state-run engineering major’s Chad project in Africa. Bidding closes on October 26.
