by AFP Staff Writers Berlin (AFP) Jan 5, 2026 The share of renewables in German power production almost stagnated in 2025, data showed Monday, as concerns grow about a shift away from green policies under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The figure had increased strongly in previous years as Europe’s biggest economy aims to […]
by Riko Seibo Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 03, 2026 Perovskite solar cells are attracting interest as lower-cost, high-efficiency alternatives to silicon photovoltaics, but defects in their thin films hinder charge transport, waste energy, and reduce device stability. One approach to mitigate these defects is passivation treatment, in which simple salts or […]
by Riko Seibo Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 31, 2025 The intermittent output of solar power creates challenges for grid operators who must keep supply and demand in balance. Traditional numerical weather prediction models often handle cloud initialization poorly, which degrades ultra-short-term solar irradiance forecasts over time. Researchers Min Chen and Liangchen […]
by Riko Seibo Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 31, 2025 A team of materials scientists has developed a bio based carbon aerogel derived from chitin that improves thermal energy storage in shape stabilized phase change materials while addressing leakage during melting. Phase change materials store and release heat as they melt and […]
by Riko Seibo Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 30, 2025 Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have engineered an optimized electron transport layer for inverted perovskite solar cells that raises both power conversion efficiency and operational stability. The work, led by Prof. Pan Xu at the […]
By Peter CATTERALL Ganzhou, China (AFP) Dec 21, 2025 Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earths is mined around the clock by a secretive and heavily guarded industry. The hills of Jiangxi province are home to most of […]
