Guest Blog

Many of the bifacial modules now offered by PV manufacturers employing bifacial passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC+) technology, making them vulnerable to rear-side potential-induced degradation, in addition to the conventional front-side shunting type (PID-s). Kai Sporleder, Volker Naumann, Stephan Großer, Marko Turek and Christian Hagendorf of the Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics report on new testing methods designed to quantify the expected power losses of bifacial PERC+ modules in the field

Commissioning should be as integral to the installation of a PV plant as a pre-flight checklist is to an aeroplane journey. Sara Verbruggen reports on the latest tools and technologies being deployed to ensure a smooth commissioning process and a project that operates safely and optimally

An increasing number of banks are turning away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy financing. As Catherine Early reports, despite the chilling effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the industry, hopes are high that a tipping point is nearing.

The era of subsidy-free solar is well underway in a growing number of markets, with Europe leading the way. As Solarcentury’s Peer Piske explains, the greater sensitivities around modelling zero-subsidy projects mean new approaches to design and planning are required by developers

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles in solar operations and maintenance can reduce costs and save hours of painstaking labour, but only if applied correctly. Aline Kirsten Vidal de Oliveira, Mohammadreza Aghae and Ricardo Rüther explore the optimal use of aerial inspections and emerging methods for analysing the data they gather to identify faults.

Second instalment (week of 8-14 June) delves into talk of 18GWdc US-wide solar installs in 2020, solar's embrace of online events and the campaign to revive European manufacturing.

In the absence of live events and exhibitions this summer, the solar PV and energy storage supply chains have adopted online and virtual events to ramp up marketing activity.

Solar engineering, procurement and construction contractors have a central role in ensuring the long-term performance and profitability of PV power plants. Ben Willis speaks to Adele Ara and Ralph Gottschalg of SolarPower Europe’s O&M and Asset Management Task Force, which is drawing up the industry’s first best practice guidelines for EPC companies

A late rally boosted China’s domestic solar installations in 2019 to a better-than-expected 30.22GW. But Frank Haugwitz asks whether a renewed interest in locally available coal and an economic slowdown could conspire to slow recent momentum in China’s energy transition, in which solar has played a central role