[SMM PV Flash] Australia Commits AU$32.3 Million to Support Solar Construction Robotics

Researchers from City University of Hong Kong, Jilin University and Sun Yat-sen University have developed a high-entropy molecular contact layer composed of three molecules to improve the hole-selective interface in inverted perovskite solar cells. The device achieved a certified steady-state conversion efficiency of 27.31%, independently verified by the Tianjin Institute of Metrological Supervision and Testing. The molecular design increases structural complexity to reduce instability in conventional single-molecule contact layers under high-temperature conditions, while improving interface passivation and hole transport. The team also conducted stability testing at 85°C and under continuous illumination. Published in Nature Photonics, the work provides a new interface-engineering approach to improving both efficiency and operational stability in inverted perovskite solar cells.

Researchers from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and Universitas Hasanuddin in Indonesia have studied transient overvoltage in PV systems exposed to direct lightning strikes. Their simulations found that adding a second grounding point reduced transient overvoltage by around 47.5% to 54.8% under module-frame grounding and by 43.2% to 50.7% under mounting-structure grounding compared with single-point grounding. The study also found that grounding points located closer to the lightning strike provided stronger protection, while higher soil resistivity increased transient voltage levels. Published in Results in Engineering, the findings suggest that optimising the number and location of grounding points could improve lightning protection for PV systems, particularly in high-lightning-risk regions.

Chinese solar robotics company Leapting has launched an autonomous tracked forklift for utility-scale solar construction, capable of transporting module pallets weighing up to 3 tonnes from storage areas to installation zones without a human driver. The system combines GNSS-RTK positioning, LiDAR SLAM and 3D machine vision to identify pallet locations and fork openings, plan transport routes and navigate construction sites autonomously. It also includes obstacle detection and automatic braking functions. As utility-scale solar projects expand, automation is increasingly being applied to module transport, installation and piling activities to improve construction efficiency.