Technology and R&D

IIT Madras Research Park and US-based First Solar will cooperate on a range of research and development (R&D) activities including the localization of thin film and other next-generation PV technology supply chains in India, high-volume manufacturing, PV module testing, and high-value recycling.

The Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland has published the initial results of a survey on the durability and performance of residential PV inverters and power optimizers over a 15-year period. They found that more than 65% of the inverters did not present yield-relevant faults by their 15th year of operation.

US researchers have designed a molten salt that could potentially reach an energy density of up to 100 Wh/kg at a cost of $7.02/ kWh. The battery uses an aluminum cathode that charges quickly and reportedly enables longer-duration discharge.

Solyx Energy has developed a device to maximize solar self-consumption in residential homes. The sensor measures how much solar power can be fed back into the grid at different times, while a controller redirects that excess energy into an electric water heater.

Oil India Ltd (OIL) indigenously developed this hydrogen fuel cell-based bus under its Startup incubation program SNEH. The bus is powered by a 60 kW PEM fuel cell.

Scientists in Sweden have compared AC and DC topologies in PV-powered buildings using battery storage. They have found that DC distribution systems can achieve energy savings when they are combined with solar-plus-storage systems.

Enphase’s new bidirectional EV charger enables vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid applications, and can be integrated with its home energy systems.

Germany-based Solmax has developed a reflective membrane made of polyethylene resins and coated with a thin white polyethylene layer that reflects ultraviolet (UV) rays. The company claims the membrane can increase the energy yield of a bifacial PV project by between 5% and 20%, depending on the plant configuration.

Reliance Industries Ltd developed the hydrogen internal combustion engine technology solution for heavy-duty trucks together with Ashok Leyland and other technical partners. It plans the technology’s first commercial deployment at scale initially across its captive fleet following extensive test and validation.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, synthesized and studied nickel nanoparticle dispersed, boron-doped reduced graphene oxide (Ni-B-rGO) samples for hydrogen storage. The results achieved are the best so far for hydrogen storage at the given temperatures and pressures for non-palladium-based systems, they said.