US startup begins producing 40%-efficient thermophotovoltaic cells
Antora Energy says its new 2 MW factory will make thermophotovoltaic cells for thermal storage applications. The cells are based on III-V semiconductors and reportedly have a heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency of more than 40%.
Ecozen raises $25 million, led by Nuveen
The Pune-headquartered solar pump controller and solar cold storage solutions provider will use the funds to expand beyond India and tap business opportunities beyond agriculture.
New method to measure energy yield of bifacial PV systems
Canadian scientists have developed a new way to measure the energy yield of bifacial PV systems. They said they considered the spectral albedo of ground cover like snow and sand to predict energy gains of up to 2%, in comparison with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard.
Storing renewables via regenerative braking in underground mines
Scientists in Austria have developed a long-term energy storage system that uses regenerative braking to adjust the descent speed of sand in mine shafts and generate electricity.
Assessing vibrations in solar modules due to robot cleaning
Qatari researchers have looked at the degree to which cleaning robots could threaten the physical integrity of solar panels. They found that cleaning machines have a very minimal impact and that modules of similar sizes tend to exhibit roughly the same amount of vibration.
New modular solar solution features cost-cutting ‘slide-together’ system
Green Energy Systems has unveiled a new Australia-made prefabricated modular PV solution for large-scale applications that purportedly offers significant cost reductions by eliminating all stainless-steel nuts, bolts and other traditional fitments in favor of a “slide-together” aluminum junction system.
Water jet tech to recover glass from end-of-life solar panels
Japan’s Shintora Kosan has developed a novel water jet technology to recover glass from end-of-life PV modules. It says it can pulverize the solar cells and the backsheets without damaging the glass.
Beam Global awarded Indian patent for smart battery management system
The US-based company has been granted patents in India and China for its smart battery management system that monitors the thermal storage capacity of the phase-change material and automatically adjusts the power output of the battery packs and cells.
Soiling – a multibillion-dollar issue
A new report by the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) estimates that lost revenue from PV module soiling amounts to more than €3 billion ($3.2 billion) per year – an amount that is only set to increase as PV systems grow larger and more efficient.
GameChange releases new solar tracker
US tracker manufacturer GameChange Solar’s latest product launch follows its recently announced decision to increase its annual domestic manufacturing capacity to 24 GW.
