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Tag: NREL

November 29, 2023
Jeff Sykes

Solar-plus-storage: How much battery capacity do you need?

Lots of Solar Choice customers ask about battery storage for solar power, but not many have a clear idea of how much battery capacity they need. This article takes a look at […]

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October 13, 2016
Sophie Vorrath

New breakthrough on perovskite solar cells could speed up commercialisation

US researchers claim to have achieved a breakthrough in the development of perovskite solar PV cells that could help fast-track commercialisation of the technology. The team from the US National […]

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May 5, 2015
John Rodriguez

Bifacial solar cells – the two sides of the story

Bifacial solar modules are making a comeback, of sorts, as the PV industry looks to squeeze more out of current solar cell technology. On the heels of Sunpreme revealing their […]

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May 1, 2015
Giles Parkinson

NREL report highlights massive potential for ‘shared solar’ projects

Half of all future distributed solar installations could come in the form of “shared solar”, according to a major new report released by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory this […]

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February 9, 2015
Giles Parkinson

Concentrated solar PV costs could match fossil fuel costs by 2030

The cost of generating electricity from concentrating solar PV plants could be cheaper than that generated from fossil fuel sources by as soon as 2030, a new report has predicted. […]

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October 22, 2014
Giles Parkinson

USA distributed solar PV costs dropped 12-19% in 2013

The price of distributed solar PV systems in the US dropped by between 12 and 19 per cent in 2013 – and will likely fall by up to 12 per […]

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October 8, 2014
Yang Li

Will thin film solar cells ever overtake crystalline silicon?

“Do people think that crystalline silicon technology headed the way of the dinosaurs?” This is a question that SunPower co-founder Dr Dick Swanson asked the audience at the 40th annual Photovoltaic […]

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May 12, 2014
Nitin Nampalli

Murdoch Uni develops algorithm to predict solar output in SW Australia

Researchers at Murdoch University have developed a web-based simulator to calculate the hourly power output of photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal (CST) power systems for south-west Australia that accounts for […]

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May 5, 2014
Nitin Nampalli

Falling market shares predicted for amorphous silicon PV technology

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film market share is expected to fall in the near term according to a recent report by EnergyTrend. The prediction is based on a recent string of […]

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March 27, 2014
Nigel Morris

Online solar mapping tools that help you unleash your inner solar potential

You’ve heard the good news stories from your neighbours. You’ve seen solar popping up on rooftops in your suburb. It must make sense, you say to your-self. But what’s your […]

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March 24, 2014
Nitin Nampalli

Texan start-up offers plug-in DIY solar kit for the US market

Nothing says self-reliance and (energy) independence quite like a do-it-yourself (DIY) solar system. And, as a US start-up, Plugged Solar, would like to convince you, nothing says easy DIY better […]

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January 16, 2020
Nitin Nampalli

FirstSolar’s CdTe thin-film 20.4% record cell efficiency now on par with multi-crystalline Silicon

First Solar announced a new world record for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) solar cell efficiency – 20.4%, a figure confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The new efficiency now matches […]

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February 25, 2014
Nitin Nampalli

AVANCIS achieves record thin-film module efficiency of 16.6% using CIS technology

Riding on the back of recent advances in research, copper-indium-selenide (CIS) technology has received a shot in the arm with a new record efficiency – this time with commercial implications. […]

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April 23, 2014
Nitin Nampalli

A breath of fresh air for CIGS: Siva Power’s 18.8% efficient cell

Siva Power, known as Solexant Corp until November last year, has announced a new high efficiency for the thin-film copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) PV technology it has been developing. The 18.8% efficiency […]

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