Stay informed about the latest developments in skid-mounted PV systems, prefabricated photovoltaic containers, containerized energy solutions, and renewable energy innovations across Africa.
PV array made of cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels Cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics is a photovoltaic (PV) technology based on the use of cadmium telluride in a thin semiconductor layer designed to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity.
Cadmium telluride solar cells are the world’s leading thin-film photovoltaic technology. As of 2023, global installed capacity has surpassed 30 GWp, with about 40% of that capacity located in the United States. Their architecture can be simplified into several stacked layers, from bottom to top:
SETO released the Cadmium Telluride PV Perspective Paper in January 2025, outlining the state of CdTe PV technology and SETO’s priorities to reduce costs, address materials availability, and support the scale-up of CdTe within the domestic utility-scale PV market. A large-scale solar array in Colorado with CdTe modules.
Cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells have negative impacts on both workers and the ecosystem. When inhaled or ingested the materials of CdTe cells are considered to be both toxic and carcinogenic by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Solar Smart Glass sets the standard in solar control glass. Manual and automatic tuning and variable / dimmable functionality for precise, unrivalled control of solar glare and heat. Made-to-order panels featuring Suspended Particle Device (SPD) film between 2 or more sheets of glass.
It can be manually or automatically “tuned” to precisely control the amount of light, glare and heat passing through a window. Solar Smart Glass sets the standard in solar control glass.
Delivering made-to-order switchable glass solutions for more than 20 years. spaces that adapt to users’ needs at the flick of a switch. Solar control smart glass controls solar glare and reduces the thermal transmittance through a glass façade, directly cutting down on associated HVAC costs.
9.5mm, 11.5mm or 13.5mm, and more available. Less than 10 seconds at room temperature. Whether on or off, our Solar product shields 99.5% of UV light. Driving voltage 110vAC. Power approximately 12 Watt/m sq. Smartglass provided the ideal solution – excellent quality and perfect privacy at the flip of a switch.
Solar panels should be sold with motion sensors, floodlights and fasteners to prevent theft, and these security features should be subsidised by the government. Only 5% of South Africa’s energy comes from solar power while 85% is generated from coal. Loans, more subsidies and security for rooftop solar panels need to be put in place.
South Africa is making efforts to increase the use of solar photovoltaic energy. But it’s happening at a very slow pace. Solar photovoltaic contributes less than 5% to the country’s energy mix, despite the sunny climate, which is very favourable for solar photovoltaic energy generation.
As of 1 January 2016 the South African government gave a tax incentive through the South African Revenue Service for the installation of photovoltaic solar energy generation systems.
Photovoltaic solar systems greater than 1 MW p are depreciated with the schedule 50%, 30%, and 20% in the first 3 years respectively. Despite this aggressive tax incentive, South African companies are slow to adopt grid-connected photovoltaic solar systems due to the lack of public dialogue from the government concerning photovoltaic solar energy.
