Solar Newsletter—June 2021
The Solar Newsletter is an electronic newsletter that provides information on NREL's research and development of solar technologies.
NREL Studies Opportunities for a Continental Low-Carbon Grid
The multiyear North American Renewable Integration Study (NARIS) explores continentwide integration of renewable energy to support a low-carbon future grid. Results show increasing electricity trade and expanding transmission could have significant benefits.
What It Takes To Realize a Circular Economy for PV System Materials
Repair, repower, reuse, or recycle? Three new NREL reports consider options for responsible, cost-effective decommissioning of retired PV equipment.
New Pathway Emerges To Improve Thin-Film PV Performance
Cadmium telluride, CIGS, perovskite, and other thin-film PV technologies could all benefit from a passivation technique recently demonstrated by NREL researchers. See how cross-technology collaboration at NREL unlocked this advance.
The Curtailment Paradox in a High Solar Future
Recent NREL work reveals two key findings that collectively constitute a “curtailment paradox” that emerges as grids evolve to higher solar penetration levels. The findings highlight the importance of thermal generator flexibility and solar operating reserves.
Video: Predicting How Many People Will Install Rooftop Solar
NREL analysts developed the Distributed Generation Market Demand (dGen) model to simulate how customers make decisions about rooftop solar. This explainer video outlines the factors that impact customer decisions and how the dGen model considers them.
Research Highlights
Second Half of 2020 Solar Industry Update
Grid-Scale U.S. Storage Capacity Could Grow Five-Fold by 2050
Complementary Interface Formation Toward High-Efficiency All-Back-Contact Perovskite Solar Cells
Quantifying the Solar Energy Resource for Puerto Rico
Upcoming Events
Webinars
June 28 – DOE PV Systems End-of-Life Workshop
July 12 – Results of DuraMAT's Cell Cracking Focus Group
July 13 – American-Made Solar Prize Round 5 Informational Webinar
July 15 – DOE Launches SolarAPP Online Permitting Platform
Aug. 9 – LCOE Calculator Tool for PV Fleets
Deadlines
June 30 – Perovskite Start-Up Prize Submission Deadline
July 15 – Solar Desal Prize Round 2 Submission Deadline
July 19 – Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaics Accelerator Consortium Deadline
Oct. 21 – Solar District Cup Submission Deadline
Staff Profile – Ingrid Repins
Principal Scientist and Research Fellow
PV Reliability Group
Ingrid Repins brings a long history in PV research and a deep knowledge of device physics to the study of PV degradation. Her team aims to better understand why PV modules degrade, reproduce degradation in the lab, and quantify its effects. She also teaches the occasional yoga class at NREL.
"I used to think that solar energy was all about maximizing electrons. But it also really matters how long systems last. Anything that affects the energy yield over the lifetime of the module is of interest to us."
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