Teams from solar cell research institute Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the university École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have combined a silicon heterojunction solar cell with a perovskite solar cell monolithically into a tandem device and reached a record efficiency of 18%, with potential to hit 30% after further modifications.
A heterojunction c-Si solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 25.1% has been showcased by its maker at an event hosted by the Japanese government to exhibit technological innovations in “new energy”.
India-based project developer ACME Solar Holdings has won the highest capacity of projects in yesterday’s solar auction in Uttarakhand with four projects totalling 50MW combined out of the 171MW awarded.
All the winning bids in the latest 170MW Indian state solar auction in Uttarakhand have remained below the INR6/kWh (US$0.09) tariff, despite several bankers commenting on previous auctions that only prices of INR6-6.5 per unit would be workable given India’s market conditions.
Germany’s electricity network could cope with the addition of “huge amounts” of solar-plus-storage being added to it and in fact benefit from the storage, but policy changes might be required to enable that scenario.
India’s energy ministry has amended its invitation for state-owned corporations (CPSUs) to set up 1GW of solar PV plants across India, by bringing forward its funding timelines.
Leading Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) member Trina Solar has signed several strategic financing agreements with CITIC bank totalling over US$1.57 billion for a five-year period.
The largest polysilicon producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings has secured approximately US$110 million from a new corporate bond from qualified investors in China.
Trina Solar has restructured its management, with the China-headquartered PV module manufacturer’s president for Europe and Africa Ben Hill leaving the company amid speculation over his next role.
