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The PV module supply chain marches to a steady beat of progress. Efficiency increases, input cost savings, and throughput improvements deliver cheaper, more powerful products. They are accompanied by an, at times chaotic chorus of rumors, disputes, claims, and counter claims as manufacturers jostle for competitive advantage.

The year 2024 has seen such conflict rise in prominence amid patent infringement investigations and litigation concerning TOPCon solar cell technology. With manufacturers facing intense financial pressure amid rock-bottom pricing, crystalline silicon (c-Si) manufacturers are turning to legal recourse to stay ahead. Somewhat surprisingly, it is not only c-Si manufacturers calling foul on TOPCon.

Intellectual property (IP) disputes are now arising at a point when TOPCon is the dominant technology. After rapid growth, negatively doped, “n-type” TOPCon solar production capacity is surpassing that of the previous PV industry workhorse – positively doped, “p-type” passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) solar, according to UK-based research consultancy Exawatt.

Today’s technology development and price environment may explain the flurry of IP claims. What impact will they have on the wider industry? While IP protection fosters R&D innovation and investment, the uncertainty it sows may have an outsized impact downstream, inflating module prices in some markets and slowing PV deployment. The IP approach taken by Chinese companies in particular is often questioned.

Examining impact

“I can’t help but feeling that, as these cases are launched, pv magazine diligently reports on them but then not very much actually happens,” said Jenny Chase, a solar analyst with BloombergNEF. “Technology in PV moves faster than law so IP disputes don’t have a big market impact.”

There is evidence to suggest that Chase’s take is accurate. In March 2019, Hanwha Qcells and its subsidiaries filed patent infringement complaints in the United States, Germany, and Australia related to the passivation technology it deployed in PERC solar production. The claims were leveled against JinkoSolar, Longi Solar, and REC.

There were wins and losses for Qcells, plus an REC counter claim about module technology in the United States. By the time the cases had progressed through the courts, the switch to TOPCon was already underway. Qcells withdrew from Australia in 2024.

The current TOPCon patent conflicts are shaping up to be more disruptive. The technology is in the ascendancy but it’s doubtful anything meaningful will arise from the suits and an unexpected entrant has now joined the fray.

Thin pickings

In July 2024, First Solar announced that it had started investigating whether TOPCon intellectual property it acquired in 2013 is now being unlawfully deployed. First Solar acquired a number of patents when it purchased California-based crystalline silicon startup TetraSun. Investigation tends to precede action in patent claims.

At the time of the acquisition, now-shuttered website Greentech Media reported TetraSun was “a 14-employee startup with $12 million from investors and little more than a pilot cell manufacturing plant.” First Solar had indicated it would commence commercial production of the technology in the second half of 2014.

The technology being developed was not identified but featured attributes common to n-type TOPCon – notably a -0.3% temperature coefficient, according to a preliminary datasheet. TetraSun was also attempting copper metallization, something which largely evades today’s manufacturers.

Announcing the IP investigation, First Solar General Counsel Jason Dymbort said the thin-film manufacturer’s “R&D and intellectual property portfolio spans several semiconductor platforms, including crystalline silicon, as we pursue multiple pathways towards our goal of developing the next transformative, disruptive solar technology.”

First Solar wound up its TetraSun program in July 2016. It did not make a spokesperson available to pv magazine for comment on the IP suit.

“Patents are important to provide a good return on investment to inventors and innovative companies,” said Pierre Verlinden, former chief scientist at Chinese giant Trina Solar and now an independent solar manufacturing consultant. He added, the TetraSun patent investigation might enable the manufacturer to use IP to “attack their competitors manufacturing silicon TOPCon cells.”

Balancing act

Verlinden acknowledged PV patent disputes represent a somewhat “difficult issue” for him. As a former director at German perovskite-tandem developer Oxford PV and a technology executive at Trina Solar, he has familiarity with the Chinese and Western solar industries.

“From an idealistic point of view, I would like to see more collaboration on technology at the global level, from research institutions and industry, and let the competition happen at the execution level,” said Verlinden. “This has effectively happened for years in China with more informal exchanges between companies and standardization of process, design, and supply chain.” That results in winners based on execution and “an accelerated learning curve” for the industry.

Chinese manufacturers are joining the TOPCon patents fray. In April 2024, Singapore-headquartered n-type producer Maxeon, which manufactures in China, announced a TOPCon patent infringement lawsuit in the United States against Qcells, following similar action a month earlier against Canadian Solar and REC.

JA Solar told pv magazine, in August 2024, that it has filed two cases in Europe over aspects of TOPCon production. A month prior, Trina Solar said it was investigating whether its TOPCon patents had been infringed. A Trina spokesperson said the company hoped a licensing agreement, or other recourse, could avoid going to court. Trina had reached a TOPCon licensing agreement with Qcells in February 2024.

China IP

Lodging claims in the United States and Europe has relevance. Defending “artificially high prices” for solar in the United States has value for First Solar, Qcells, and to a lesser extent Maxeon, according to BloombergNEF’s Chase, who added, “First Solar is good at manufacturing, at being a solar company but also good at being lawyers.”

PV module average selling prices (ASPs) in China hit $0.11/W in July 2024, according to China solar expert Frank Haugwitz, a consultant with Apricum. Investment bank Roth Capital estimates second-quarter 2024 ASPs in the United States will be around $0.31/W.

Movement of staff between companies ensures knowledge transfer is common in Chinese solar, according to Chase, enabling the industry “to innovate so quickly, which is probably a good thing.”

While there is plenty of homegrown innovation in Chinese solar manufacturing today, companies were accused of not respecting IP in the early stages of the industry’s development there.

Torsten Brammer was the co-founder and long-serving chief executive of LED-based metrology equipment provider Wavelabs. He said that intellectual property can be effectively safeguarded in China, with the right strategy.

“If you have a smart idea, I encourage you to file for patents in China,” said Brammer. “I’ve had positive experiences with the Chinese patent system but it’s crucial to have a local IP expert guide you through the process.” He noted many “cross-licensing agreements” in place in the industry, which are not generally made public. “Keep in mind that the Chinese industry is eager to adopt the best solutions, so making your patented innovation available and considering collaboration can lead to a faster rollout and overall broader business success.”

While TOPCon is moving into the mainstream, and heterojunction is waiting in the wings, perovskite tandem tech looks set to bring the next generation of high-efficiency PV. Oxford PV has long been a leader in perovskite tandem development, as shown by the 26.9%-efficient module it unveiled in June. Yet it faces fierce competition from Chinese rivals.

The company’s chief technology officer, Chris Case, takes a somewhat philosophical approach to IP. “Competition is a kind of flattery – if people are copying what you are doing, they are doing so because it’s a good idea,” he said.

ECL said it will build the “first fully sustainable” 1 GW AI factory data center on a site spanning more than 242.81 hectares east of Houston, Texas, with Lambda as its first tenant. “The initial phase of TerraSite-TX1 will be delivered in the summer of 2025 at a cost of approximately $450 million, with 50 MW of data center capacity to be utilized by data center cloud and AI cloud operators,” said the data center-as-a-service company, noting that the data center will be hydrogen-powered. “The entire 1 GW site will be constructed at a cost of approximately $8 billion, with funding to be provided by ECL and financial partners.”

GE Vernova has been selected by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to lead an AI-supported project that addresses the challenges of siting, permitting, and installation across the hydrogen value chain. The company will enter award negotiations worth $1 million in federal funding with the DOE to finalize the project's terms and scope. GE Vernova said that H2Net is expected to develop an AI assistant trained on critical documents for safe hydrogen handling and permitting.

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled its end-to-end hydrogen solutions, which span the entire hydrogen value chain and include waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) and plastic-to-hydrogen (P2H) technologies. These technologies produce hydrogen from organic waste, such as food and sewage sludge, and from non-recyclable plastic. The company highlighted South Korea's first W2H facility in Chungju, which converts food waste into hydrogen and supplies it to nearby refueling stations, during the event at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) near Seoul.

Ecoclean has collaborated with Germany's Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoffforschung Baden-Württemberg to commission their first jointly developed, production-ready electrolyzer. The P200 consists of two modular units with 1 MW of output and features a modular system based on alkaline pressure electrolysis, offering a system output of 1 MW to 20 MW. The partners have also established capacities for series production of the electrolyzers, which are already available on the market. They said they designed the initial production stage for an output of 200 MW per year, which can easily be doubled based on market developments.

CPH2 has completed the factory acceptance test (FAT) for its MFE110 electrolyzer, which reportedly produced hydrogen and oxygen at the pre-determined specifications for commercial deployment. The MFE110 will now be shipped to Northern Ireland Water for site installation, integration, and commissioning before commencing commercial hydrogen and oxygen production, said the UK-based electrolyzer producer.

Tongwei has signed a supply agreement with ACWA Power for the fourth phase of the Muwahy solar project in Saudi Arabia. This agreement fulfills a framework established during the 2024 SNEC Shanghai Expo, with Tongwei set to supply 1.175 GW of its TNC-G12R 66 PV modules for the project in western Saudi Arabia. The first shipments are scheduled for delivery in 2025.

Grand Sunergy Tech has announced that its subsidiary, Anhui Grand Sunergy New Energy, has entered into a procurement contract with CGN New Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Group. The agreement covers the supply of PV modules as part of CGN New Energy’s framework procurement for 2023-24. The CNY 483 million (including tax) contract comes with an average taxed sales price of CNY 0.755/W for the panels. Based on this pricing, Grand Sunergy will provide 640 MW of monocrystalline heterjunction modules to CGN New Energy.

Longyuan Power, a subsidiary of CHN Energy, has issued a tender notice for a liquid-cooled energy storage system with a total capacity of 1,500 MWh, divided into three bidding sections. Two of these sections will require 1,050 MWh of batteries, with cells rated at 280 Ah or higher and individual units exceeding 3.35 MWh. The third section will procure 450 MWh, with 250 MWh requiring similar specifications and the remaining 200 MWh needing cells rated at 314Ah or above, with capacities greater than 5 MWh. The tender stipulates a five-year warranty for the entire battery system and a 10-year warranty for key components, including cells, modules, battery clusters, and battery management system (BMS) systems.

SCEnergy has revealed plans to issue shares via a simplified process to raise up to CNY 285 million. After deducting issuance costs, CNY 200 million of the proceeds will be allocated to an annual production project for 1GW of PV modules with stack-gate technology, while the remaining funds will enhance working capital. The stack-gate technology, developed in-house by SCEnergy, aims to reduce costs through thinner busbars, reducing silver paste usage and improving power generation efficiency by minimizing shading on the cells.

From ESS News

Ireland could host Europe’s first large-scale, iron-air project southwest of Buncrana town in Donegal County. The 10 MW facility proposed by FuturEnergy Ireland will be capable of storing 1 GWh of energy.

The joint venture of Ireland’s state-owned forestry business Coillte and utility ESB submitted a planning application earlier this week for its first battery storage project, Ballynahone Energy Storage, to Donegal County Council.

The proposed development is designed to use iron-air battery technology supplied by US-based Form Energy capable of discharging energy at its full power output for up to 100 hours when fully charged.

My early career path was heavily driven by my enthusiasm for being part of the renewable energy industry and my curiosity to learn. I worked across a wide variety of technologies, which gave me a good grounding in the industry. I took up as many opportunities as possible to attend conferences, talks, and networking events. These were sometimes challenging as I was often one of the few women in the room, but I pushed myself through the uncomfortableness to grow my knowledge and connections. Since then, I have seen the industry change and develop. For example, at the first awards event I attended in 2016, there were about 30 women out of 300 attendees, and whilst the most recent wasn’t 50% there were certainly more women present than I could speak to! This demonstrates the steps individuals in the industry have taken to encourage and support more women entering the solar sector.

Earlier in my career, I sometimes felt that my knowledge and experience weren’t acknowledged, believed or expected by others and that I had to prove my knowledge before I was taken seriously. I think this was a combination of being both young and female in what historically was a male-dominated industry, where clients, colleagues, and suppliers were more used to interacting with older men. I have been fortunate to have had supportive male and female managers who encouraged me to be more authoritative, as when I first started, I was often hesitant in meetings to share my opinions and suggestions. I am far more self-confident now; practice certainly helps!

Across the C&I sector specifically, more women are joining this segment, including far more female engineers than when I started. This is a really positive step, and I’m fortunate that within SAS Energy, we have a gender balance of around 60:40 male to female. We have women working across a variety of roles, although there are fewer working in onsite roles, such as site managers or commissioning engineers. This status is not just specific to the C&I sector, as engineering and onsite roles in every industry do tend to suffer from a lack of diversity despite improvements over the years.

One key action being undertaken is continuing educational outreach to facilitate the future diversity of the industry. SAS Energy and EDF Renewables regularly engage with local schools to educate on career opportunities, explain the industry in the context of climate change, or host visits to our operational sites. Bringing awareness of the roles available makes the industry more accessible in terms of known career options at the point that young people are making career decisions. Increased numbers of apprenticeship and graduate schemes can provide additional opportunities, and mentorships, where women are paired with female leaders, can showcase the potential growth available.

Active participation in Networks is a valuable tool in the industry alongside more formalized training plans to foster a welcoming and inclusive working environment.

Finally, I’d really like to encourage people to enter the solar industry. There is space for everyone to grow, and I’d encourage anyone, especially women who often suffer from imposter syndrome, to grab opportunities with both hands. My top advice would be to put yourself out there at events. Even though networking can be intimidating, set yourself the goal of speaking to three people you don’t know and then you can chat with people you do know! I’ve found this approach to encourage myself out of my comfort zone without putting too much pressure on myself.

Deanna is the Director of Development at SAS Energy, EDF Renewables’ C&I Solar Business, whose dedicated focus is on developing, funding, constructing, and operating onsite renewable generation for commercial and industrial clients. Deanna has worked in the renewable energy industry for over eight years designing, de-risking and securing financing for a broad range of renewable energy systems. She started her career working for OHM Energy where she was able to grow a broad knowledge of the renewable energy sector. Since joining EDF Renewables in 2019 she has enjoyed focusing on the solar sector, working across a wide scale range of projects from 100kW up to 600MW. 

Interested in joining Deanna Greenhalgh and other women industry leaders and experts at Women in Solar Europe? Find out more: www.wiseu.network

The globalized weighted average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of utility-scale solar plants stood at $0.044/kWh in 2023, according to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The report says the result represents a 12% year-on-year (YoY) decrease, compared to a 3% YoY decrease between 2021 and 2022. In 2010, the figure stood at $0.460/kWh, meaning the weighted average LCOE has fallen by 90% since the start of the last decade.

IRENA’s report says the “remarkable, sustained and dramatic decline is one of the more compelling stories in the power generation sector’s evolution over the past decade.” It attributes the decline to a rapid drop in installation costs, increasing capacity factors and falling operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. 

The decline in solar module costs is said to have contributed 45% to the LCOE reduction of utility-scale PV since 2010, while inverters contributed another 9%. Racking, mounting and other BoS hardware contributed a further 9%. 

Engineering, procurement and construction, installation and development costs and other soft costs were responsible for 28% of the LCOE decline, IRENA says, with the rest of the reduction attributed to improved financing conditions as markets have matured, reduced O&M costs and an increased global weighted average capacity factor, driven by a shift to sunnier markets.

Analysis of selected countries where historical data is available shows the weighted average LCOE of utility-scale solar declined between 2010 and 2023 by between 76%, as seen in the US, up to 93%, as seen in Australia and the Republic of Korea.

The lowest weighted average LCOEs in 2023 were recorded in Australia ($0.034/kWh) and China ($0.036/kWh), the latter of which saw a 14% YoY decline.

The US had a weighted average LCOE of $0.057/kWh for solar in 2023, a 3% YoY decline and 33% above the global weighted average. The Netherlands experienced the greatest YoY decline last year, recording $0.059/kWh in 2023 for a drop of 35%.

India’s LCOE increased 26% in 2023, to $0.048/kWh, which IRENA says was the fourth most competitive cost of the year. Greece saw the largest LCOE increase of the analyzed countries, at 42%, followed by Canada (36%) and Germany (28%).

IRENA’s report also highlights that the cost of crystalline solar PV modules sold in Europe declined by 93% between December 2009 and December 2023.

Meanwhile, the global capacity weighted average of total installed cost of projects commissioned in 2023 stood at $758/kW, 86% lower than in 2010 and 17% lower than in 2022.

IRENA also found the global weighted average capacity factor for new, utility-scale solar PV increased from 13.8% in 2010 to 16.2% in 2023. 

“This change resulted from the combined effect of evolving inverter load ratios, a shift in average market irradiance and the expanded use of trackers – driven largely by increased adoption of bifacial technologies – that unlock solar PV’s use in more latitudes,” the report says.

Accepting the Becquerel Prize on Monday, for his contributions to photovoltaics research and industrial development, French scientist Daniel Lincot told the audience at EU PVSEC that work on solar energy “can’t stop at the door of the lab,” and that solar must develop further “to go to the people as a citizen’s energy.”

A fitting introduction to a conference that seeks to bring together the PV industry and research communities. This year, EU PVSEC was attended by 1,800 individuals from 60 countries and featured more than 1,100 presentations and panel discussions spread over five days. This year’s program went well beyond the typical research into reaching higher cell efficiencies.

During the opening session, Technical Programme Chair Robert Kenny noted an increase in paper’s presented in the field of PV systems and engineering, and later stated:  “I would highlight the need to identify where we should prioritise deployment of large amounts of PV, and we are seeing much hands-on experience of systems in a range of sectors, such as agrivoltaics, BIPV, and floating PV.”

Sessions covering these specific applications, as well as efforts to integrate more PV generated electricity into electricity networks, illustrated PV’s inherent flexibility, and also the growing need for such applications to complement ‘conventional’ solar installations. Also speaking during the opening session on Monday, Austria’s Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Leonore Gewessler called on the experts gathered in Vienna to focus on “actionable ideas to make the energy transition happen faster,” that her and other policy makers can move forward with.

Christian Thiel, of the European Union’s Join Research Centre, noted optimistically that he expects to see more than 1 TW of PV installed within a single year this side of 2030, and for Europe to be the first carbon neutral continent by 2050.

Manufacturing outlook

For European manufacturing, however, the picture is less rosy. Following a presentation from 3Sun’s Marina Foti on the company’s cell and module factory in Sicily, an audience member asked how they would continue following struggles and shutdowns at other European manufacturers. And Foti noted that increased policy support would be necessary for manufacturing in Europe to come anywhere close to competing with other regions.

Rutger Schlatmann, head of solar energy at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, warned that “upstream is not going so well for Europe” and said PV’s “massive innovation potential should not be left to one region.” He also noted that vested interests from other industries and their strong influence on policy may be holding back renewable energy development.

Others noted that even starting small could provide Europe with a better chance for future manufacturing capacity, and that Europe needs to maintain large industries, whether solar or not.

“We won’t see Chinese scale in Europe, but we must take lessons from it,” Futurasun CEO Alessandro Barin told a panel discussion. “And you need to start somewhere, like module assembly, for example.”

From ESS News

Strong Energy has announced that it will start selling its all-in-one battery storage system Alfred 10 in Germany in October. The Cologne-based company, which is owned by China’s Skywoth, already presented the product at Intersolar in Munich and now also at the IFA show in Berlin.

Strong Energy’s new lithium iron phosphate battery storage system comes with a nominal capacity between 12 kWh and 24 kWh, depending on whether five or ten battery modules are installed. The nominal output of the photovoltaic storage system is 10 kW. Strong Energy states in the product data sheet that the maximum charge-discharge power stands at 12.5/11.3 kW and 15/11.3 kW respectively. The European efficiency is 97 percent.

The European Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to 26 of its member states for failing to transpose the provisions of its revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) into national law.

The revised RED entered into force in November 2023. It called for several provisions, including measures to simplify and accelerate permitting procedures for renewable energy projects, to be transposed into national law by the start of July 2024.

The provisions include simplified permitting for infrastructure that adds renewable energy to the electricity system, clear time limits for permit approvals, a strengthened role for a single contact point for applications, and a presumption that renewable energy projects and related grid infrastructure serve the public interest.

The European Commission reported that only Denmark notified full transposition of these provisions by July 1, prompting infringement procedures against all other states. The commission said that each country has two months to respond and complete their transposition. It added that without a satisfactory response, it may “decide to issue a reasoned opinion.”

Western New York Energy, the operator of an ethanol plant in Medina, New York, United States, has revealed plans to deploy an industrial steam-generating heat pump at the facility.

US-based Skyven Technologies will provide its Acturus heat pump system for the project. It claimed that its system provides “high efficiencies” and reduces power consumption and costs in on-site process steam generation.

“Skyven Arcturus, built on mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) technology, uses electricity to upgrade low-temperature heat captured from industrial processes and uses that heat to produce boiler-quality steam up to 420 F (215 C) and 300 pounds per square inch,” the two companies said in a joint statement.

The system measures 45 meters x 15 meters and has an expected lifetime of 30 years. It uses water as the refrigerant and its coefficient of performance (CO)  is reportedly 2.7.

“COP varies as a function of heat source temperature, steam output pressure, and temperature lift,” Skyven states on its website. “Arcturus achieves COPs ranging from 2.1 to more than 8.0 depending on temperature lift. For a typical temperature lift of 235 F (112 C), Arcturus produces a COP of 2.7.”

The heat pump also features a minimum heat source temperature of 29 C and a temperature lift of 166 C. Maximum output temperature is 215 C.

“The implementation of Skyven Arcturus is expected to eliminate 20,000 [metric tons] of CO2 emissions each year, equivalent to taking over 4,300 cars off the road,” said the companies.

August 2024 marked an extraordinary month for solar energy production in the Southeastern states. A dominant high-pressure ridge in most of the US, particularly over the Southern Plains and Southern states, resulted in record-breaking warmth and irradiance levels, according to analysis using the Solcast API. Meanwhile, regions like the Midwest and Northeast experienced cloudier conditions and lower irradiance due to the interaction between the jet stream flow and the high-pressure system.

A high-pressure ridge across the continent persisted throughout August, delivering clear skies and above-average irradiance in the southern US. States such as Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama saw irradiance levels up to 130% of their climatological average, with Atlanta recording its highest average daily August irradiance since 2007.

These clear-sky conditions followed a pattern of record-breaking temperatures and drought, as many southern states experienced exceptionally warm and dry conditions that persisted throughout the month.

In contrast, the situation was vastly different in the Midwest, Northeast, and parts of lower Quebec, where they experienced cloudier conditions. The high-pressure ridge diverted the jet stream further north, allowing Pacific low-pressure systems and cold fronts to converge over these areas with the warm air resulting in cloud cover, heavy rain and an irradiance of 20% below average. The northeastern US, in particular, experienced frequent showers that significantly reduced solar generation potential.

The graph above shows the stark difference in irradiance between Atlanta and New York. Atlanta, benefiting from an almost month-long-streak of clear skies, consistently recorded higher and more stable irradiance throughout August. In contrast, New York’s irradiance level reveals significant day-to-day fluctuations with many days of low irradiance derived from cloud cover. Including the August catastrophic slow-moving system that brought flooding to the north east.

Solcast produces these figures by tracking clouds and aerosols at 1-2km resolution globally, using satellite data and proprietary AI/ML algorithms. This data is used to drive irradiance models, enabling Solcast to calculate irradiance at high resolution, with typical bias of less than 2%, and also cloud-tracking forecasts. This data is used by more than 300 companies managing over 150GW of solar assets globally.

Germany-based T.Werk will expand its range of mounting systems for agrivoltaics from November. It said it will offer its “Pan” vertical system and its “Artemis” high-mounted module solution.

The Pan system, designed as a solar fence, is intended for agricultural use between rows of modules, particularly with bifacial PV modules close to the ground. Its modular structure allows for quick installation and easy replacement, with adjustable row lengths, spacing, and mounting angles to accommodate uneven terrain.

The Artemis system comes in three versions – alpha for livestock farming, and beta and gamma for fruit, vegetable, and wine growing. It allows flexible adaptation of row lengths, spacing, and heights based on the type of farming, with options for south or east/west module alignment.

The systems come with a 12-year guarantee and meet DIN SPEC 91434 and 91492 guidelines, making them eligible for EU funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

T.Werk provides project support with soil and static reports for high wind and snow load areas, along with optional integrated irrigation or battery storage systems. The company said it offers comprehensive services, from planning to approval and installation.

Spain's CNMV has suspended trading in shares of Soltec until it publishes its financial results for the first half of 2024.

Soltec, which operates in tracker manufacturing, project development, and PV asset management, has said the delay is due to a detailed review it is conducting with the assistance of its auditor, Ernst & Young.

Soltec said that “this review requires additional checks and analysis to adequately reflect certain impacts on the margins of certain projects.” It also referred to an adjustment in the valuation of operational assets in Brazil due to a strategic decision to sell them.

The company said that it estimates revenue for the first half of 2024 to range between €250 million ($278.4 million) and €260 million. It added that it will publish the results for the first six months of the year as soon as it concludes its ongoing review.

On April 1, the company informed the CNMV of discrepancies in its consolidated annual accounts for 2023. It has also declared pre-insolvency to negotiate with financial institutions that are creditors of Soltec Energías Renovables and to avoid a potential payment suspension.

It said that the goal is to finalize a restructuring agreement that ensures its future, as one bank has decided not to extend a tacit extension regarding a €90 million syndicated loan and a €110 million credit line. That said, the company expressed confidence in reaching an agreement with creditors to resolve the current situation.

In August, Soltec restructured its management team, appointing new CEO Marcos Sáez Nicolás and removing founder Raúl Morales as executive president. It also reduced the size of its management committee and named Mikel de Irala as chief operating officer and Andrés Carretero as chief investment officer.

Soltec went public in October 2020. In its first half of 2023 results, the company reported a 44.6% increase in losses.

An international research team has conducted a techno-economic analysis of a standalone EV charging station that utilizes solar energy and hydrogen as electricity sources and can also be coupled with a lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery.

The analysis was conducted with the simulation software HOMER under the environmental conditions of the southeastern Pakistani city of Jamshoro. “Hybrid PV-hydrogen and PV-hydrogen-battery are the two different scenarios that are carried out and compared based on their both technical as well as financial standpoints,” the researchers specified, noting that the chosen location has a daily solar radiation of 5.53 kWh/m2.

The simulated standalone station was assumed to use an unspecified number of solar panels, with a power of 327 W and an efficiency of 21%. They were assumed to have a lifetime of 25 years and an annualized total cost of $118,618.74. The electrolyzer had 75% efficiency, a lifetime of 15 years, and an annualized cost of $51,669.94. Its proton exchange membrane (PEM) type fuel cell had a lifetime of 40,000 hours and a yearly cost of $20,667.72, while the hydrogen tank had a lifetime of 25 years and an annual cost of $6,729.83.

That system was then compared against an identical system with the addition of a Li-Ion battery of 1 kWh, with a lifetime of ten years and a cost of $20,856.92 per year. In both scenarios, the system has an EV load of 1,700 kWh /day. The EVs were assumed to be MG ZS EV sport utility vehicles with a 44.5 kWh battery, which can receive a maximum charge of 22 kW.

Through the analysis, the group found that the hybrid PV-hydrogen-battery energy system has much more financial and economic benefits compared to the PV-hydrogen energy system alone. “Moreover, it is also seen that costs of energy from hybrid PV-hydrogen-battery is more appealing at $0.358/kWh, from $0.412 $/kWh cost of energy from hybrid PV-hydrogen,” the researchers further explained.

“The power produced by the hybrid PV-hydrogen-battery energy for the daily load demand of 1700 kWh/day, consists of two powers produced independently by the PV and fuel cells of 87.4% and 12.6%, respectively,” the group stressed.

Its findings were presented in “Techno-economic analysis of standalone hybrid PV-hydrogen-based plug-in electric vehicle charging station,” published in Energy Reports. The study was conducted by scientists from Pakistan’s Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Qatar’s Qatar University, the United Arab Emirates University of Sharjah, and Iran’s Islamic Azad University.

“The findings of this study gave an encouraging nod for the planning of an off-grid perfectly renewable system via PV and hydrogen with battery system because of its cost-effective nature,” the team concluded.

Scientists at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have fabricated an n-type silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell based on a hole-transport layer (HTL) made with transition metal oxide (TMO) thin films.

In the paper “Universal interface engineering method for applying transition metal oxides in silicon heterojunction solar cell,” published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, the researchers said that TMO materials have a wide bandgap and are used in heterojunction PV devices to increase their short-circuit current.

“This work presents a successful application of interface engineering methods to enhance the performance of SHJ solar cells using polytungstate (WOx) and vanadium suboxide (V2Ox) thin films,” the research's lead author, Liqi Qao, told pv magazine. “Through precise control of the oxygen content in the TMO films, we mitigated the detrimental interface reactions between the TMOs and the silicon passivation layers, resulting in improved solar cell efficiencies.”

The scientists selected these two materials as they “establish” a balance between the amount of oxygen vacancies and their capacity for selective transport. They applied a plasma treatment with boron (PTB) to alleviate the interface reaction of TMO with the substrate via interface engineering.

This treatment reportedly modifies the oxygen content in TMO films, thus improving their electronic properties.

The group built a WOx-based cell and a V2Ox-based device. In the first cell, the thickness of the WOx film was 2 nm, while the V2Ox layer used in the second device was 2 nm thick.

The 2 cm × 2 cm devices were both based on 4-inch float-zone (FZ) wafers processed in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) stacks, and an anti-reflective coating based on magnesium fluoride (MgF2).

Tested under standard illumination conditions, the WOx-based cell was able to reach a power conversion efficiency of 23.30% and a fill factor of 80.80%. The other device achieved values of 22.04% and 74.88%, respectively.

“Our TMO-based FJ-SHJ [front junction silicon heterojunction] solar cells’ results reveal that the PTB is a method that creates an optimal surface condition for the deposition of TMOs and achieves a desirable equilibrium between the quantity of defects and carrier transport of the film, leading to the enhanced performance of TMO-based SHJ solar cells,” the researchers concluded.

Germany-based adhesive technology supplier Panacol has launched Elecolit 3648, a conductive adhesive for making flexible electrical contacts on temperature-sensitive organic photovoltaic (OPV) and perovskite solar devices.

The new product was conceived to adhere well to plastics, such as polyimide, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and flame-retardant epoxy resin.

“The most important features for our customers are usually that the adhesive cures at low temperatures, which is important for the heat-sensitive OPV materials,” Lena Reincke, Panacol business development manager for OPV, told pv magazine, adding flexible and bendable as other desirable properties.

When it comes to dispensing, Reincke noted that OPV customers preferred a one-component adhesive due to its simplicity. It is ready to use, with no measuring or mixing being required as is the case with many conventional adhesives.

Elecolit 3648 is a solvent-free, one-component electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) with silver filler. It is a grey-colored epoxy with curing times that start as low as less than 1m at 150 C for up to 30 minutes at 80 C with a 24-hour post-oven time to achieve full-strength bonds.

Panacol, which produces a range of ECAs, said in a statement it was necessary to develop the new more flexible ECA formulation because even conventional low-temperature curing ECA products can still be brittle and inflexible. Moreover, certain applications that are subjected to vibration, oscillation or rapid temperature changes need an ECA with additional flexibility and stretchability.

When asked about the source of demand for this type of ECA, Reincke said, “We see demand especially in Europe and the United States, but also Asia.”

The Elecolit 3648 ECA technology is compatible with jet print, screen print, or conventional adhesive dispensing equipment. The type of dispensing selected depends on volume, according to Reincke. For low-volume production and lab tests, the choice is conventional dispensing, jetting or squeegee. For higher volume production, customers are using jetting or screen printing methods.

Panacol Elosol, a member of Germany’s Hönle Group, produces industrial and specialized adhesives, including a range of multifunctional adhesive products for flexible photovoltaics and electronics.

ClearVue Technologies is providing a combination of its advanced solar glazing and integrated solar cladding panels for use in a modular house.

It has developed advanced glass technology that integrates solar electricity generation into building surfaces, specifically glass and building façades, while preserving glass transparency to maintain building aesthetics.

The first modular building order of its kind for ClearVue Technologies, the sale is for a pilot incorporating BIPV into a prefabricated building prototype built by Australian modular home specialist Prefabulous.

The FabZero building has been developed in partnership with the University of Wollongong’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) to improve its energy and environmental efficiencies, and if successful, ClearVue Technologies products will become a standard option for Prefabulous customers.

ClearVue Technologies Global CEO Martin Deil said the collaboration with Prefabulous simplifies the pathway for mass adoption of BIPV solutions in modular construction, including to meet the needs of the mainstream housing sector.

Prefabulous Founder and Managing Director Gavin King said the company’s customers are looking for sustainable housing solutions that look great.

“Working with ClearVue allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modular housing further, combining style and sustainability in a way that benefits homeowners and the planet alike,” said King.

An international research team has proposed to use deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in a new PV module recycling process intended to separate ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesive films from end-of-life solar panels.

“DESs are green, biodegradable solvents with a price advantage and the ability to be reused multiple times,” the research's lead author Shaoyuan Li, told pv magazine. , noting that the separation of EVA is a prerequisite for the recovery of valuable metals from end-of-life modules. “Conventional pyrolytic separation can lead to the release of hazardous elements like fluorine from the backsheet. Commonly used wet reagents, such as toluene, trichloroethylene, and tetrahydrofuran, pose issues due to their high toxicity and the challenges of waste disposal. DES solvents have garnered significant attention in the environmental field.”

A DES is usually composed of two or more components that form hydrogen-bonded complexes, consisting of hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) and hydrogen bond donors (HBD).

The DESs used in the research were obtained by stirring chloromethylene (ChCl) and Oxa powder at a molar ratio of 1:1 at 70 C for 2 hours.

The scientists investigated, in particular, the separation parameters and the leaching mechanism of the proposed mechanism and conducted a series of tests on PERC solar modules manufacturer by China-based Longi. The cells were mechanically dismantled from the modules and then cut into 20 mm x 20 mm fragments. The fragments were then soaked in a hydrothermal reactor with the DES solvent at 175 C for 10 hours to dissolve the EVA encapsulant.

Under optimized conditions, the EVA separation rate reached 100%, accompanied by an aluminum (Al) removal efficiency of 98.4%.

“The separation mechanism indicates that when the temperature exceeds 175 C, the significant difference in thermal shrinkage rates between EVA and TPT leads to a warping effect,” Li explained. “Under high temperatures and the influence of ChCl-Oxa, the ester groups on the EVA side chains are converted into hydroxyl groups. Compared to traditional reagents toluene, the DES separation system demonstrates superior dissolution efficiency, significantly enhancing the integrity of the silicon wafers.”

The research group also found that, after 10 cycles of DES solvent use, EVA can still achieve a 100% separation rate. “The low cost and recyclability of DES solvent present greater economic potential for industrial production,” Li said.

The new process was described in the paper “Green recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic modules via Deep-Eutectic solvents,” published in the Chemical Engineering Journal. “To sum up, this research puts forward a new type of environmental protection technology that can separate EVA from end-of-life PV modules with high efficiency,” Li said.

The research team comprised scientists from Australia's University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Kunming University of Science and Technology in China.

The Global Polysilicon Marker (GPM), the OPIS benchmark for polysilicon outside China, was assessed at $22.068/kg this week, unchanged from the previous week on the back of buy-sell indications heard.

The much-anticipated preliminary ruling from the U.S. investigations into solar cells and modules imported from four Southeast Asian countries has been officially delayed until no later than November 27. The deadline for the final determinations will remain 75 days after the preliminary ruling, though a further extension is possible.

The uncertainty of tariff rates during this period has been described as “dangerous” for global polysilicon suppliers. Reports suggest that suppliers are relying on long-term contracts to maintain price stability and offset financial losses from the first half of the year.

Correspondingly, reports indicate rising purchasing volumes and a reduced push for price negotiations from major global polysilicon buyers, who had previously halted spot purchases and delayed monthly deliveries under long-term contracts. Insiders interpret this as a response to increased legal pressure from suppliers to enforce contract compliance.

Another policy update, though not directly related to global polysilicon, could potentially impact the future layout of global polysilicon capacity. Starting on September 23, the U.S. Trade Representative opened a docket to collect feedback on proposed 50% Section 301 tariffs on polysilicon and wafers from China, with the comment window closing on October 22.

While this has minimal impact on the current international trade patterns in the solar sector, ongoing trade barriers could further encourage the growth of polysilicon and wafer production outside of China, potentially altering the global supply and demand dynamics for polysilicon.

China Polysilicon: China Mono Grade, OPIS' assessment for mono-grade polysilicon prices in the country, remained steady at CNY 33.625 ($4.80)/kg this week. China Mono Premium, OPIS’ price assessment for mono-grade polysilicon used for N-type ingot production, likewise held steady at CNY 40.125/kg, unchanged from the previous week.

Market insiders generally agree that polysilicon prices in China have bottomed out and are now expected to experience slow, intermittent rebounds. However, these increases are driven more by commercial strategies than by supply-demand dynamics. Major producers may reduce their financial losses, while less competitive producers could manage to extend their survival during these potential price hikes.

The process of clearing excess capacity in the polysilicon segment is progressing slowly. Sources indicate that polysilicon production for September is projected to be around 130,000 MT to 140,000 MT, while the estimated wafer production for the month suggests a polysilicon demand of less than 100,000 MT. Furthermore, a major producer is expected to bring new production capacity online in the fourth quarter.

Another challenge in clearing the excess capacity is the likelihood that polysilicon will be officially listed as a futures commodity in October or November. Reports suggest that some traders have begun building warehouses to store goods for futures trading; however, there is little indication that major producers or buyers are actively participating in this development.

The current excess inventory of polysilicon has merely shifted from manufacturers to buyers, and achieving a healthy supply-demand balance in China will take considerable time.

OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data, and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/NGL, coal, metals, and chemicals, as well as renewable fuels and environmental commodities. It acquired pricing data assets from Singapore Solar Exchange in 2022 and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly Report.

The US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its September Electric Power Monthly, which includes data through July 2024.

Solar generation has increased by nearly 26% year over year, with a 1% rise in electricity consumption in July 2024 compared to July 2023 and a 4.5% increase in electricity generation from January to July 2024, while residential electricity prices have climbed 4.6%.

Nationally, solar has seen a steady increase, now accounting for 6.22% of all electricity generated over the past 12 months, as shown in PV Intel’s national solar data summary. This represents a 20% increase from the previous year when solar constituted 5.16% of all electricity.

The EIA reports small-scale solar generation grew from 7.7 TWh in July 2023 to 8.8 TWh in July 2024, a 13.9% increase. Utility-scale solar grew 23.3%, from 26.2 TWh to 32.3 TWh. While solid, these gains are lower than year-to-date increases of 16.8% for small-scale and 29.7% for utility-scale solar, contributing to an overall 25.8% rise in solar output.

Electricity generation in July rose 1% compared to last year, while year-to-date generation increased 4.5%, adding 109 TWh. This growth outpaced solar’s increase of 36 TWh.

Typically, June and July are the peak months for solar electricity in absolute terms. However, as a percentage, solar generation peaked in May 2024 at 8.53% of total generation. The same month also saw the highest percentage of emission-free electricity generation for the year at 47.94%.