It was reported that the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) and Indus Towers Limited, one of the world’s largest telecom infrastructure company, have signed an agreement for two transformative research initiatives in sustainable energy. The research will primarily focus on advancing solar power generation and energy storage, aiming to create visionary and viable solutions. This initiative is part of Indus Towers’ flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program, Pragati.

Prachur Sah, MD & CEO, Indus Towers, said: “This partnership is a powerful example of industry and academia coming together to address real-world challenges through research and innovation. Research on Perovskite Solar Cell technology and utilizing agricultural waste for energy storage is an exciting concept and could become crucial in advancing sustainable energy solutions. We are confident that the research has the potential to revolutionize our approach to clean energy.”

Researchers from Wuhan University, South China Normal University and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have  explained that while all-perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs) offer exceptional performance and versatile applicability, a significant challenge persists in bridging the power conversion efficiency (PCE) gap between small- and large-area (>1 cm²) devices, which presents a barrier to the commercialization of all-perovskite TSCs. 

Now, the team introduced a specialized crystal-modifying agent, piracetam, tailored for wide-bandgap perovskites, homogenizing top wide-bandgap subcells and enabling the construction of efficient large-area TSCs. 

GCL Perovskite, the perovskite R&D and manufacturing arm of GCL Group, has won a bid to supply 1.13 MW of perovskite modules to a project initiated by the Clean Energy Technology Research Institute under China Huaneng.

The tender covers 3,528 modules with a peak power of 320 Wp each, with dimensions of 2,005 × 1005mm, totaling 1.12896 MWp. The modules will be used in Phase II of a solar PV pilot demonstration project located in the southern part of the Kubuqi Desert.

Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xuancheng Kaisheng New Energy Technology Company and Tianjin Institute of Power Sources have found a way to make flexible tandem solar cells more efficient and durable by enhancing the adhesion of top layers to the bottom layers of the cell.

Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) is a commercial semiconductor known for its outstanding adjustable bandgap, strong light absorption, low-temperature sensitivity, and superior operational stability, making it a promising candidate for bottom-cell use in next-generation tandem solar cells. Flexible perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells combine a top layer of perovskite with a bottom layer of CIGS. This tandem cell holds great potential for lightweight, high-efficiency applications in the photovoltaic field but the rough surface of CIGS makes it difficult to produce high-quality perovskite top cells on top, which limits the commercial prospects of these tandem cells.

RenShine Solar has announced that it has recently obtained additional CQC and UL certifications, as well as JP-AC registration. This follows its full suite of TÜV Rheinland IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certifications for product safety and reliability

The CQC certification, which integrates both Chinese and IEC international standards, reportedly covers the full industry chain and confirms the modules' durability under specific environmental conditions. The UL certification verifies that RenShine’s modules meet North American market standards for fire resistance, electrical safety, and reliability. The JP-AC registration certifies the modules' high power generation efficiency, grid compatibility, and seismic performance, qualifying them for the Japanese market.

Sekisui Chemical and its subsidiary, Sekisui Solar Film, which specialize in the design, manufacturing, and sales of film-type perovskite solar cells, recently announced that they will participate in Fukuoka City’s initiative to introduce next-generation solar technology.

The project advocates the early adoption of film-type perovskite solar cells in urban buildings, including municipal facilities, to explore their potential. Through ongoing demonstration and implementation, the initiative aims to establish a new model for urban energy self-sufficiency and expand the application of the technology in the future. The demonstration period will last for one year.

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have developed an eco-friendly method to fabricate perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by incorporating a fluoride additive into a water-based solution. This approach eliminates the use of toxic solvents typically required in PSC production, while achieving power conversion efficiencies above 18%.

The team introduced lead(II) fluoride (PbF₂) into the water-based precursor solution to regulate crystal growth dynamics and improve film quality. The fluoride additive accelerated the formation of the photoactive phase and promoted the crystallization orientation, both critical for efficient solar energy conversion.

LONGi has once again announced a new efficiency record for its proprietary dual terminal perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell - 34.85%, certified by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

LONGi’s research team is on a roll. In November 2023, they increased cell efficiency to 33.9%. Then, in June 2024, they pushed it up to 34.6%. And now, in less than a year, they’ve catapulted it to 34.85%.

Researchers from China's Dalian University of Technology, University of Hong Kong and HKU-SIRI have achieved low-threshold, wide-wavelength tunable single-mode laser emission in the near-infrared (NIR) by combining phase-change perovskite with the traditional vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) structure. 

Schematic of a tunable microlaser based on phase-change perovskite gain medium, sandwiched between Au mirror and DBR reflector sitting on a quartz glass substrate, pumped by blue-violet laser (λ = 405 nm) and emitting a tunable beam in the near-IR from 790.7 nm to 799.5 nm. Image from: Opto-Electronic Advances

As an important light source, lasers are widely used in many fields such as communications, medical treatment, display technology and scientific research. However, the continuous advancement of technology means higher requirements from the performance of lasers, especially in terms of integration and tunability. Traditional lasers typically rely on fixed gain media and external microcavity structures (such as Fabry-Perot cavities, photonic crystals, whispering galleries, etc.). Although these structures can achieve efficient laser emission, their operating wavelengths are often fixed, which makes it difficult to meet the needs of modern science and technology for tunability. Therefore, the development of a laser that can achieve low-threshold laser emission and is tunable over a wide wavelength range has become one of the current research focuses.

Premier Energies has partnered with Germany-based RENA Technologies for next-generation solar cell technologies. The collaboration will focus on optimizing wet chemical processes for N-Type solar cells and spearheading the development of wet chemistry solutions for silicon/perovskite tandem technology.

"This landmark collaboration brings together Premier Energies' large-scale manufacturing capabilities with RENA’s advanced wet chemistry and equipment solutions. Together, the companies aim to push the frontiers of high-efficiency solar cell manufacturing, targeting breakthroughs in cell performance, production throughput, and sustainable manufacturing processes," Premier Energies said in a recent exchange filing.