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PV world record tumbles as UNSW looks to wrap up series

March 12, 2012 by 1 Comment
Suntech and UNSW logos

Suntech and The UNSW team up and kick solar ass!

Aussies love awards and stellar achievements. Particularly when we’re on the receiving end. Best and fairest, most valuable player, player of the series, best supporting actor, Treasurer of the Year (hang on!) and so the list goes on. Our collective chests burst with pride when we hear of the achievements and world records of our sports and silver screen idols and this gives us a sense of playing on the world stage with the big boys/girls. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Efficiency, Solar Panels Tagged With: , , ,

Understanding Solar Panel Specifications Part #2: Power, Tolerance & Efficiency

February 6, 2012 by 4 Comments

In my last blog post I went into great detail about why the “Max Power” quoted on your solar panel specification sheet and the real max power you will actually get from that panel are very different numbers. I showed you how to calculate a more accurate max power by using some little known temperature specs.

In this post I’ll go through the other important numbers that you should look at when comparing solar panels.

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Filed Under: Efficiency, Solar Panel Tests, Solar Panels, Temperature Tagged With: , , , ,

Construction on Mildura solar system begins but what can taxpayers expect?

January 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Solar Farm
Creative Commons License photo credit: mcmees24

The announcement last month from R&D company Silex Systems that construction on Australia’s largest solar power station at Mildura, VIC, has begun gladdens the heart. And the hip pocket nerve. After all Victorian and federal taxpayers are helping to fund this venture to the tune of around $120 million.

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Filed Under: Australia, Efficiency, Electricity Grid, Electricity Prices, Energy Efficiency, Rich Bowden, Solar Installation, Solar Panels, Solar Power, Victoria

Australian Researchers Break World Record for Solar Panel Efficiency

July 9, 2011 by 1 Comment

By Rich Bowden

Now this is the sort of news your SolarQuotes.com.au correspondent likes to deliver. After weeks of wading through government reversals on solar feed-in tariffs, reporting on the various sniping at the edges of the solar industry and talking about savage cuts from state and federal governments affecting the Australian renewables sector, here comes a really positive development.

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Filed Under: Efficiency, Solar Panel Technology, Solar Panels

Chinese Solar Company Says Improved Solar Efficiency On The Way (based on Aussie Technology!)

April 7, 2009 by 2 Comments

The largest producer of solar panels in the world, Suntech Power Holdings, has recently reported more information regarding its latest Pluto technology. This new technology has made substantial progress in improving the conversion efficiencies of solar cell technology

Although there have been a number of improvements in technology in the industry overall, none of the others are yet ready for commercial distribution. Although the Fraunhofer Institute achieved a solar cell efficiency of over forty percent, it, also, is far from ready for mass production.

Already in the process of mass production, Suntech’s Pluto technology has employed solar panels with efficiencies of 19% in monocrystalline technology and 17% in polycrystalline panels. Other current technology currently has efficiencies of 18% and 14% respectively.

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Filed Under: Efficiency Tagged With: ,