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How much do solar panels cost?
Solar leases offer an accessible path to solar—but they're not for everyone.
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Want to go solar while keeping your cash free for other priorities? Solar leases make that possible. You get solar panels on your roof with no money down, someone else handles any maintenance that might arise, and you start saving on your electric bills from day one. Sounds pretty straightforward—and in many ways, it is.
But here's the thing: Solar leases work differently from buying or financing your system, and those differences matter for your long-term savings and flexibility. Whether a solar lease makes sense depends on your financial priorities. If you value keeping your capital available and want a hands-off experience, a lease can work well. If maximizing long-term savings matters most, buying your system outright or taking out a solar loan typically delivers better returns.
"In the right situation, solar leases can be a good way to help lower your electric bill," said Spencer Fields, former Director of Insights at EnergySage. "They allow you to go solar without putting any money down, reducing your monthly energy bills on day one and providing peace of mind around any future warranty or maintenance needs. But it's important to do your research and go into any lease agreement with open eyes. Specifically, look out for the escalation rate and see if you can get it as close to 0% per year as possible."
Most homeowners save around $50,000 over 25 years
Solar leases let you go solar with $0 down and no maintenance responsibilities, making them accessible for homeowners who want to preserve capital.
Under a solar lease, the solar company owns your system and receives tax incentives. This means you typically can't claim any state tax credits or rebates directly—but leases are the only projects that still qualify for the federal tax credit after 2025, and competitive providers should pass those savings to you as lower monthly rates.
Solar leases typically deliver lower lifetime savings than solar loans or cash purchases, but they offer maximum capital flexibility.
A leased solar panel system can complicate selling your home because the buyer may need to assume your lease, or you'll need to buy out the contract early.
You can think of a solar lease like a car lease: It's a form of third-party ownership (TPO) where you don't own the product that you're paying for. Under a solar lease, a third-party owner (typically a solar company) installs solar panels on your property and then sells you the electricity produced at a predetermined monthly rate. Companies calculate this rate based on the estimated annual production of your solar panel system and include this rate in your contract. Your lease will also have a fixed term length, typically 20 to 25 years.
In most cases, your solar company will allow you to buy the system outright at its market value price at the end of your contract, but you'll likely pay additional fees—which means it's not the best financial choice for owning your solar panel system. Similarly, if you want to get out of your lease early, you'll often be on the hook for expensive early termination fees that can negate the savings of going solar in the first place.
You've probably heard the terms solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs) used interchangeably. While similar, the critical difference is that with a lease, you'll have a fixed monthly payment, whereas with PPA, you'll purchase the power generated by your system at a fixed price per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Essentially, the key difference between a solar lease and a PPA is that with a solar lease, your monthly payments are predictable and stay the same over the lifetime of your contract. With a PPA, your monthly payment will vary depending on how much electricity your system produces. If a consistent monthly payment is more helpful for your budget, a lease makes more sense for you than a PPA.
However, if anything goes wrong with your system, with a solar lease, you could be stuck paying for power you're not receiving until your provider sends someone out to fix it.
Solar leases and solar loans are similar in that they both offer zero down payment options, which means you don't need to have thousands of dollars saved up to go solar. Here's where they differ:
Ownership: You maintain ownership of your solar panel system with a solar loan, but you don't with a solar lease. Owning your panels with a solar loan means that you can take advantage of any available state and local rebates and incentives upon installation. With a solar lease, the system's owner is the solar company, so they receive financial incentives instead. Lifetime savings with a solar loan are usually higher than those with a solar lease—but it can depend on the specifics of each agreement.
Maintenance: If you choose a solar lease or PPA, the leasing company owns the solar panel system and typically offers a service program to cover any maintenance issues that arise during the lease term. On the other hand, if you take out a solar loan to purchase your system, you'll be responsible for its maintenance. But in either case, solar is a generally low-maintenance power source, and the equipment you buy with your solar loan should have warranties that range from 10 to 25 years.
Monthly payments: Payment terms differ slightly between leases and loans. In a loan agreement, you usually have a fixed monthly amount due. With solar leases, many contracts include an annual escalator that increases your monthly payment by a preset rate over your term length (typically 1-3% each year). Look for providers offering low or zero escalators—these can significantly impact your long-term savings.
Recent changes to federal solar incentives have shifted the economics of solar leasing compared to ownership. Understanding these changes can help you evaluate whether a lease makes sense for your situation.
The federal solar tax credit expires for systems installed after December 31, 2025. This 30% income tax credit is no longer accessible for most homeowners due to limited installer capacity through the end of the year.
However, companies that offer solar leases and PPAs can still claim the 30% tax credit—though it goes directly to the company, not to you—with new restrictions that took effect when Congress passed the "Big Beautiful Bill" on July 4, 2025:
Condensed timeline: Solar projects that begin construction before July 4, 2026 or are placed in service by December 31, 2027 will continue to qualify for the tax credit.
FEOC restrictions: Starting in 2026, at least 40% of a system's component costs must not come from a Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC). This requirement rises by 5% annually until reaching 60% in 2030.
The FEOC provisions are particularly consequential for solar projects, as much of today's solar equipment and materials come from countries like China, which are classified as FEOCs. As companies adapt to these market changes, these sourcing constraints may drive up equipment costs for leases and PPAs.
As with any solar financing option, solar leasing comes with its share of pros and cons:
As long as your contract is structured competitively, solar leases should reduce your monthly energy costs compared to what you'd pay your utility company.
Most solar leases require no money down, making solar accessible even if you don't have cash reserves for a purchase or a large enough tax bill to benefit from tax credits.
The solar company handles all system monitoring, repairs, and maintenance. You don't need to worry about equipment failures or performance issues.
Since lease and PPA projects still qualify for the 30% federal tax credit, competitive providers should pass those savings along to you as lower monthly rates.
Keep your money available for other investments, emergencies, or opportunities while still benefiting from solar energy.
Solar loans and cash purchases typically deliver higher long-term savings than leases.
Many leases include payment increases of 1-3% per year, which can eat into your savings over time. Look for contracts with low or zero escalators.
The next owner may not want to take over your lease payments, requiring you to either buy out the lease early (with termination fees) or find a buyer willing to assume the contract.
While the solar company receives all tax incentives, you won't be able to directly claim any available state or local solar tax credits or rebates—though the right provider should pass some federal tax credit savings through to you.
You don't own the system, so you have limited say in equipment decisions, especially because these projects must comply with FEOC restrictions to qualify for the tax credit. You also won't have the true "energy independence" of owning your solar panel system.
With a competitive provider, a solar lease should absolutely save you money—but make sure to compare your options to maximize your savings.
How much you save depends on your contract terms, your current electricity rates, and how those rates change over time.
Generally speaking, solar leases save you less over their lifetime than solar loans or cash purchases. But they preserve your capital flexibility and eliminate maintenance concerns—which can be worth the trade-off depending on your financial priorities and how you value liquidity.
The key is finding a competitive provider with favorable contract terms. Not all solar lease companies are created equal, and the details of your agreement will determine whether you see meaningful savings or minimal benefit.
When you're comparing solar lease providers, these factors will have the biggest impact on your experience and long-term savings:
This is perhaps the most critical detail in any lease contract. An escalator determines how much your monthly payment increases each year—typically between 0-3%.
A lease with a 3% escalator will cost you thousands more over 25 years than one with a 0% escalator. Push for the lowest rate possible—ideally 0-1%—so it's lower than the average electricity inflation rate (2.8% over the past 10 years). Over two decades, this single number can be the difference between substantial savings and barely breaking even.
Since lease and PPA projects still qualify for the 30% federal tax credit, leasing companies receive this benefit directly. Ask explicitly how they're passing this value along to you. The best providers build these savings into your monthly rate from the start, making your payments lower than they would be otherwise. If a company can't clearly explain how you benefit from the tax credit they're receiving, consider that a red flag.
Make sure your combined lease payment and remaining utility charges are genuinely lower than what you currently pay for electricity. Run the numbers for year one, but also project what happens in years 10, 15, and 20 when escalators compound. Compare this against projected utility rate increases in your area to understand your true long-term savings.
Read the fine print carefully. What happens if you want to sell your home? Can the new homeowner assume the lease, and how smooth is that process? What are the early termination fees if you need to end the contract? Can you buy the system at any point, and at what price? Understanding your exit options is crucial.
Does your lease include a production guarantee? If your system underperforms, will the company compensate you or make it right? This matters because with a lease, you're still paying the same amount even if your panels aren't producing as much as expected.
Research the company's track record. How responsive are they when customers need repairs or have questions? Check reviews and ratings, and ask for references from current customers if possible. A cheap lease isn't worth much if the company is impossible to reach when you need them.
Confirm what's included in your lease agreement. Who monitors system performance? How quickly do they respond to issues? What's covered under maintenance, and what isn't? Get these details in writing.
Also, keep in mind that solar leases aren't available in every state, and some providers have limited geographic coverage.
Solar leases are worth considering if you want to go solar without tying up capital in your roof. They're particularly appealing for homeowners who don't have a large enough tax bill to benefit from state tax credits, or those who value simplicity and don't want to handle maintenance responsibilities. If you want indirect access to federal tax incentives through lower monthly rates and plan to stay in your home for the duration of the lease term, a lease could work well for your situation.
On the other hand, solar leases might not be the best choice if you want to maximize long-term savings and have access to financing. They can also complicate things if you plan to sell your home in the next 5-10 years, since the buyer will need to assume your lease or you'll need to buy it out early. If you prefer full ownership and control over your energy system, or can benefit from state and local solar tax incentives by owning your system, a solar loan or cash purchase will typically serve you better.
The right choice isn't about which option is "best"—it's about which trade-offs align with your financial priorities. If you're comparing options, consider getting quotes for both solar loans and solar leases so you can see the numbers side-by-side.
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Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has begun commercial operations at its 435MWdc Gorbea solar project in the state of Rajasthan, India. 
According to the firm, the project, backed by a 25-year PPA with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), will generate 755GWh of clean energy annually. The plant uses tunnel oxide passivated contact solar cells (TOPCon) panels and has over 1300 robotic cleaning units for maintenance. 
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Attending the inauguration ceremony, Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said that the project was a “model project” for the energy sector in Rajasthan under the Prime Minister’s “Harit Kranti” initiative.  
Furthermore, Joshi highlighted the state’s renewable energy potential stating that “the sunlight here is not just light, but a ray of hope and self-reliance.” According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Rajasthan’s installed solar capacity stood at 31.97 GW as of June 2025, the highest among all Indian states. 
Zelestra has a pipeline of 5.4GW projects in India, with 1.7GW contracted with customers. Globally, the company has a portfolio of over 29GW of carbon-free projects in 13 countries. 
The Getxo, Spain-headquartered firm recently secured a €235 million (US$277 million) increase to its sustainability-linked loan, bringing the total facility to €770 million. The funding will support the company’s growth strategy, with investments directed toward the development of solar, storage, and wind projects across the U.S., Germany, Spain, Italy, Latin America, and India.

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Recycling of perovskite solar cells  ScienceDirect
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Chinese solar panel manufacturing goliath Longi has reportedly decided to cease using silver in the manufacturing of its back-contact solar cells.
Cost. Silver has been having an extended moment and the firm along with other manufacturers are taking a major hit.
Silver is mainly used in a highly conductive paste that forms ‘fingers’, ‘busbars’ and back-contacts on solar cells. And silver is expensive; currently around (AUD) $3.76 a gram.  When I wrote about silver in solar panels last June, it was $1.59 a gram — which even at that point was high.
Around 20 grams of silver is used in a solar panel according to various sources. When you consider how cheap solar panels are currently (e.g. $120 for a decent budget 440W panel – and that’s retail); the silver represents a big chunk of the bill of materials.
Longi says it will turn to base metals as replacement, and start using them in the second quarter of this year.
Avoiding the use of silver will save what may appear to be a miserable 0.02 yuan per watt. This is approximately 0.43 Australian cents at current exchange rates.
But think volume.
In 2024, Longi’s total shipments of HPBC (Back-Contact) modules — in which the firm says the silver is easy to replace — reached more than 17 GW for the full year. So, applying the savings to those figures:
17 GW = 17,000,000,000 watts
Savings per watt = 0.043c
Overall savings =  (AUD) $73,100,000
It’s a significant amount.
According to the International Precious Metals Institute (IPMI), there was 6,577 tons of photovoltaic silver demand in 2024 and the solar industry accounted for 19% of worldwide silver metal demand last year.
That demand may only grow. A study published just a few days ago suggests by 2030, supply may meet only 62–70 % of silver demand; which the authors project to be 48,000–54,000 tonnes per year.
“The solar industry is expected to be the fastest-growing source of silver demand, reaching 10,000–14,000 t/y (29–41 % of supply),” states the study. “Despite slower growth, demand from competing sectors may rise to 38,000–40,000 t/y.”
But Longi isn’t the only manufacturer ditching silver, and there has been solid progress in more efficient solar cell materials recovery processes — so perhaps that scenario may not eventuate.
In November 2025, we reported Longi was entering the energy storage market through acquisition of another company, Canada’s PotisEdge. Then later in November, Longi formally announced a “collaboration” with the firm.
“PotisEdge has maintained a safety record of “zero thermal runaway” incidents across more than 12 GWh of cumulative energy storage and power battery systems over the past decade,” stated Longi. ” This will provide solid technical support for LONGi’s energy storage solutions.”
In moving forward, the firm recently said it will focus on the domestic market as well as Europe, the US and Australia.
Whether “Longi” residential energy storage solutions will be on offer here isn’t clear, but PotisEdge already produces home batteries; and its ALOE Pro has been Clean Energy Council approved for use in Australia for some time.
Moving on to finance stuff, Longi’s operating revenue for Q3 2025 was RMB 18.10 billion, which was down 9.78% year-over-year. The year-to-date revenue was even worse; dropping to RMB 50.91 billion, a 13.10% decrease from the same period in 2024.
But net loss had significantly reduced (around 48% improvement from 9M 2024) and operating cash flow for the first nine months turned positive.
As to what the firm sold in the January–September period, there was 38.15 GW of wafers, 63.43 GW cells and panels, and 14.48 GW Back-Contact modules.
Founded in 2000, Longi has been active in Australia since 2016. In 2019, the firm set up a local proprietary limited company owned by the Longi Group.
The company’s panels have been popular with Australian households. This is largely thanks to their low price, while remaining a decent quality solar panel option. The Longi solar panel reviews from Australians here on SolarQuotes have generally been positive. The company has achieved an average 4.9 stars based on 3,133 Australian customer ratings overall, and 5.0 stars based on 1,081 ratings in last 12 months.
Longi is currently listed as a SolarQuotes recommended solar panel brand.
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Michael caught the solar power bug after purchasing components to cobble together a small off-grid PV system in 2008. He’s been reporting on Australian and international solar energy news ever since.
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by Gourav Singh | January 6, 2026 12:35 pm
Synopsis: The shares of the company gained 10 percent in value after the global investment bank initiated a buy target for an upside of more than 70 percent, as the industry booms and the company is well-positioned to ride it.
The shares of this company, which is an integrated solar PV player, focus on solar module manufacturing and also produce TOPCon solar cells, are in focus after Jefferies initiated a Buy call on it leading to an upside of upto 72 percent
With a market capitalization of Rs 14,075 crore, Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd’s shares on Tuesday made a day high of Rs 203.30 per share, up by 10 percent from its previous day’s close price of Rs 184.85 per share. The share gave a negative return of 12.63 percent since its listing in November 2025.
Global brokerage Jefferies has turned positive on Emmvee, initiating coverage with a ‘Buy’ rating and assigning a target price of Rs 320 per share, indicating a potential upside of roughly 70 percent from the previous market level of Rs 185.
Strong Industry outlook: Jefferies stated that the  Industry margins may normalise from FY28 onwards, but Emmvee is expected to sustain Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) in the range of 15 percent to 19 percent on a sustainable, long-term basis, once the business stabilises.
It also expects India’s Solar installation to grow at a CAGR of 24 percent over the financial year 2025-28 as more energy storage adoption is done, with falling tariffs and support from positive policies.
Company’s growth story: Jefferies believes Emmvee continues to stand out from its peers. According to the brokerage, the company’s early move into TOPCon technology, stronger (Domestic Content Requirement)DCR-led margins, and a well-capitalised balance sheet give it a clear competitive advantage. 
Supported by healthy profitability in the DCR segment, Emmvee is expected to generate robust cash flows, enabling it to comfortably fund capacity expansion and pursue backward integration without straining its finances. In addition, the brokerage cited that the stock is valued at 9x forward EV/EBITDA, showcasing the demand for the stock and the share trading at a discount of 50 percent compared to its peers.
The company even has a high ROE of 105 percent and ROCE of 28 percent, representing its ability to create enormous shareholder value, accompanied by the company’s order book at 5.07 GW as of Q2 FY26, providing revenue visibility over the next 12-18 months.
Emmvee is a pioneer in intelligent solar products, driving the future of renewable energy with cutting-edge technology and smart implementations. Since 1992, the company have been in the solar development, delivering high-performance photovoltaic (PV) power systems for a sustainable future.
Financial highlights, revenue from operations grew by 181.3 percent to Rs. 1,131 crore, corresponding to the same quarter in the last financial year. Net profit growth of 580 percent YoY to Rs 238 crore in Q2 FY26.
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Gourav is a financial analyst at Trade Brains with over two years of active stock market trading experience. He holds the NISM Series VIII certification, reflecting strong expertise in equity markets, financial analysis, and investment research.
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The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) announced Monday that it will not purchase electricity from a proposed solar farm project.
SMUD in 2021 signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments to take solar power from the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch project. But the utility now listed multiple reasons against moving forward with the purchase. Those include “supply chain constraints, rising prices, tariffs, schedule delays, environmental impacts and pending litigation.”
“Over the years, SMUD and DESRI have delivered multiple important clean energy projects that benefit our community, and we look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come,” said Paul Lau, SMUD’s CEO and general manager, in a release. “We’d like to thank Sacramento County for all their work throughout the process and our SMUD Board of Directors for their leadership.
Hy Martin, chief development officer for DESRI, shared the following statement:
The proposed solar farm project would be located south of Highway 50, northwest of Rancho Murrieta, southeast of the Prairie City State Vehicle Recreation Area and south of White Rock Road in the Cosumnes community, county leaders previously stated.
Those in support of Coyote Creek believe the project fits with agricultural use, preserves land and expands renewable energy. Opponents argue that the project will cost the area rural land, threaten habitat, strain water resources and worsen air quality.
In November, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors moved the project forward.
“The County is aware that SMUD announced today that it has canceled its power purchase agreement to serve as an off-taker for solar power generated by the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch project,” a spokesperson for Sacramento County shared in a statement to KCRA 3. “The project applicant may continue to explore additional off-take agreements consistent with existing approvals, so the County is still assessing the impact of SMUD’s decision.”
SMUD said it still aims to completely remove all carbon from its power supply by 2030. The utility claims its power supply was about 62% carbon-free in 2024.
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Australian researchers have developed a new separation technique that employs the same crushing and flotation principles used in mineral processing to recover more than 97% of silver from end-of-life solar panels.
Image: University of Newcastle
From pv magazine Australia
A research team at the University of Newcastle has shown that almost all of the silver inside end-of-life solar panels can be recovered in minutes using an acid-free mechanical process that relies on the same principles used in mineral processing.
Current approaches to silver recovery from end-of-life PV modules are dominated by acid leaching. While effective, the researchers said these approaches impose “substantial reagent and waste burdens that impede large-scale deployment.”
The new method combines comminution – where the panels are mechanically crushed and ground into fine particles – followed by froth flotation, a separation technique that uses water, air bubbles and a small amount of standard floatation reagents to float valuable metals to the surface while waste materials sink.
Lead researcher Associate Prof. Mahshid Firouzi, from the University of Newcastle’s Centre for Critical Minerals and Urban Mining, said the work presents, for the first time, the application of froth flotation as an upstream selective recovery step for extracting metallic silver from end-of-life PV modules.
“While froth flotation is widely used in mining to separate valuable minerals from ore, this is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of froth flotation for recovery of metallic silver from recycled, ground solar panels, something many in the field believed was not feasible,” she said.
Firouzi said the approach reduces chemical intensity and waste generation, and improves overall process efficiency with results, published at ChemRxiv, showing the application of froth flotation using tap water delivered 97.6% silver recovery within about three minutes.
The researchers said the results demonstrate a “viable beneficiation route for critical-material recovery from secondary resources, supporting circular-economy objectives with lower reagent intensity and smaller processing footprint.”
They also noted that leveraging this waste stream offers a potential avenue to address the ongoing supply-demand imbalance in the silver market.
The Australian Energy Council has projected global solar panel waste will reach 60-78 million tonnes by 2050, with more than one million tonnes of waste panels expected in Australia, containing an estimated 300–500 tonnes of silver. Each panel contains about 20 grams of silver, currently priced at AUD 3.66 ($2.46)/gram.
Firouzi said silver was only the starting point with the research team also investigating the recovery of silicon from end-of-life PV panels.
“Silver was our first test case, but there are likely significant opportunities to apply comminution, flotation science and hydrodynamic techniques to unlock billions of dollars’ worth of other metals and minerals currently trapped in urban and mining waste,” she said. “We cannot afford to let these valuable resources go to waste.”
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Axis Energy Proposes ₹31,750 Crore Renewable Energy Investment in Odisha  SolarQuarter
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Leading Chinese module manufacturer Trinasolar has secured two new agreements with ACWA Power for solar PV projects in Saudi Arabia: the delivery of modules for the 1.15GW Haden Solar PV project and the supply of trackers to the 1.5GW Al Khushaybi PV Project.
The Haden project is being built by the China Energy International Group, and ACWA Power expects to complete construction in July 2026, ahead of connection to the grid in February 2027. Trinasolar has been supplying bifacial modules that have a power conversion efficiency of 23.3% from its Vertex N series since 2024, and the project will form part of ACWA Power’s growing solar PV portfolio in its home country; last year, the developer started operations at a 2.7GW portfolio in Saudi Arabia, in which it owned a 50.1% stake.
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Trinasolar will also supply 900MW of 1P Vanguard trackers to the Al Khushaybi project. This is notable as this is the first tracker supply deal that is compliant with the ‘Made in Saudi’ rules that form part of the government’s Vision 2030 initiative, which has sought to increase tourism and diversify the country’s energy mix. The trackers were produced at a facility owned by TrinaTracker in Jeddah, which started commercial operations last February, with an annual manufacturing capacity of 3GW.
“By combining world-class solar technologies with local manufacturing and on-the-ground execution, we are proud to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of energy diversification, sustainability and economic growth,” said Todd Li, head of Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Trinasolar.

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Consumers Energy has switched on a 250 MW solar project in western Michigan built on an active municipal wastewater treatment site, using a dedicated 138 kV grid connection.
Image: Burns & McDonnell
From pv magazine USA
Consumers Energy has energized the Muskegon Solar Energy Center, a move that underscores the industry’s shift toward developing large-scale utility assets on unconventional landscapes.
Located in Moorland Township, Michigan, the 250 MW facility now stands as the largest solar installation in the utility’s fleet, marking a significant milestone in the state’s transition toward a coal-free capacity mix by 2025.
The project was led by owner-operator Consumers Energy and engineering, procurement and construction firm Burns & McDonnell. To execute the build, Burns & McDonnell utilized its union self-perform arm AZCO to manage the onsite construction alongside local Michigan labor.
First Solar supplied over 550,000 Series 7 bifacial modules and Array Technologies  provided the horizontal single-axis tracking systems. Essential electrical balance-of-system (EBOS) components were provided by Shoals Technologies Group and CAB Solar, while Siemens Gamesa supplied the high-capacity inverters required to convert the site’s DC generation for the grid.
The project serves as a case study in land-use efficiency by “stacking” utility functions. Sited on 1,900 acres of the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center, a functional wastewater treatment footprint, the array proves that solar can thrive alongside critical municipal infrastructure.
Rather than competing with prime agricultural land, the project utilizes the treatment center’s existing buffer zones and irrigation fields, providing a stable revenue stream for the county, Moorland Township, and the Ravenna School District.
To move power to the grid, the Burns & McDonnell team constructed a dedicated open-air 34.5/138-kV collector substation. The facility features a single main power transformer (MPT) stepping up generation to a 138-kV dead-tank circuit breaker and a single takeoff structure. A control enclosure houses the site’s relaying, protection, and control systems.
The final link to the MISO grid is a new, half-mile single-circuit 138 kV transmission line connecting the collector substation to the remote interconnection switchyard. Built with local union labor through AZCO, the project provided over 200 jobs during construction. The project is expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 40,000 Michigan homes.
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China’s Longi To Replace Silver In Solar Panels To Reduce Costs  NDTV Profit
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The day before CES officially starts, Mashable got the chance to preview a trio of new products from Jackery, including two surprising firsts for the brand — a solar-powered gazebo for the home and an autonomous robot that harvests solar power. Jackery helped popularize portable power stations, and the brand is also celebrating its 10-year anniversary at CES.
Jackery is showing three new products at CES 2026, the annual tech conference in Las Vegas. The first is an ultra-rugged version of the brand’s flagship power station, dubbed the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra. The company is also introducing the Jackery Solar Gazebo and the Solar Mars Bot.
Mashable got the chance to demo the new products ahead of their official launch at CES.
The Solar Mars Bot is Jackery’s first robot, and it’s essentially a power station on wheels. The autonomous rover will move around your home or campground to seek out optimal sunlight, and the upper body houses retractable 300W solar panels that can tilt to follow the sun. In a demo at CES, the bot sought out a UV light and angled its panels directly in the beam of light.
The Solar Mars Bot also has a follow-me mode, and it successfully followed me around the CES showroom floor. A Jackery representative said that you could bring the bot camping, and it could follow you around to provide instant power wherever and whenever you need it. At home, the bot can periodically roam your yard to recharge, so it’s always ready to provide power.
I don’t know that it’s the most practical product, but the idea of owning my own rover is appealing, I have to admit. A Jackery rep said the Solar Mars Bot will be available later this year, with pricing to be announced later.
The upcoming Solar Gazebo features a solar roof that harvests power that can be stored in a Jackery power station or home battery. It’s meant to be a permanent outdoor structure for the home, not a portable camping gazebo. It features retractable screens to provide some protection from the elements, and Jackery says one of the screens can function as a projector screen.
“The Jackery Solar Gazebo reengineers what an outdoor living structure can be,” states a Jackery press release.
“Equipped with industrial-grade, high-efficiency solar panels delivering 2,000 watts of capacity and generating up to 10 kilowatt-hours per day, the Jackery Solar Gazebo supports a wide range of lifestyles, from those seeking fresh air to self-professed homebodies who want comfort without compromise. Its ultra-durable 6063 T5 aluminum frame and louvered roof provide long-lasting shade and comfort that can transform the space into a multi-purpose outdoor hub. Use it as a space for relaxation and entertainment with its pull-down projector screen and built-in IP5-rated dual-AC solar power outlet, or even repurpose it as a sheltered storage space for hobbies, like keeping and charging a golf cart, while protecting your gear from the sun.”
The Solar Gazebo passes what I call the Malibu Dreamhouse test. As a New Yorker who lives in a 1-bedroom apartment, a lot of the gadgets at CES 2026 would never fit inside my home — or my budget. But if I owned a Malibu beachhouse, would I consider buying this product? Absolutely.
Now, is it a problem that a lot of CES products seem designed for the One Percent? Yes, but that’s another story entirely.
Finally, Jackery is also introducing a more traditional product for CES. The Explorer 1500 Ultra is a more rugged, heavy-duty version of the popular Explorer 1500 V2 power station. A company spokesperson told Mashable that it’s designed for serious camping environments, and it’s the most rugged power station the brand has ever made. Jackery says it’s the “lightest and most compact IP65 all-weather power station in its class,” and it’s capable of operating in a wide temperature range.
Additionally, Jackery is releasing a limited-edition orange collection to commemorate its 10-year anniversary. These new power stations come in a high-visibility orange.
Jackery says that all of the new CES 2026 products will be available in 2026, and we’ll update this post as soon as we know more about pricing and availability.
Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.
Topics CES Outdoors Gadgets
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men’s product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He’s currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.

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SMUD to drop Coyote Creek solar farm power purchase agreement  FOX40
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New Environmental Standard lab, Solar Energy Complex to boost India’s renewable energy ecosystem  The Hans India
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Table of Contents
Renewable energy gadgets help manage power cuts, reduce electricity bills, and support daily device usage without noise or fuel
Renewable energy gadgets like solar chargers, power stations, and smart panels fit easily into homes, travel, and off-grid life
Renewable energy gadgets are practical support tools that work best when chosen carefully and used with realistic expectations
Renewable energy sounds like a big word. Heavy. Serious. Policy-type. But in real life, it has become very normal. It is there when your phone charges using sunlight. It is there when the lights turn on by themselves at night. It is there when a small battery keeps your Wi-Fi running during a power cut.
These things are not future ideas anymore. They are already around us. Some gadgets work really well. Some work only sometimes. Some look good but fail quickly. That is the honest picture.
This article talks about renewable energy gadgets in very simple words. No promises. No marketing lines. Just how they fit into daily life.
Electricity is getting expensive. Bills keep going up every year. Power cuts are still common, even in cities. People also use more devices now. Phones. Laptops. Routers. Earbuds. Smart lights.
Everything needs power. Earlier, solar gadgets did not feel worth it. Charging was slow. The build quality was bad. Many people tried once and gave up.
Now things are slowly changing. Not perfect. But good enough to try again. That is why renewable energy gadgets are getting attention again.
Solar chargers take sunlight and turn it into electricity. That electricity goes into your phone or power bank. That’s it. No fast charging. No high output. Just basic power support.
Most solar chargers are foldable. Some have a battery inside. Some only work in sunlight.
Travellers use them the most. Campers. Backpackers. Hikers. They hang them on bags or place them near tents.
At home, people use them during long power cuts. When phones are unable to charge, it can be very frustrating, but at least being able to receive calls indicates that the phone is still somewhat alive. In rural areas, where people have limited access to electricity, solar charging provides a way for people to stay connected without having to wait for power to charge their devices.
Ignore big claims on the box. Check the watt rating. Around 20W works fine in good sunlight. Check the cable quality. Thin cables break easily. Check USB ports. Loose ports cause charging problems later.
Solar chargers depend on sunlight. Clouds slow them down. Shade almost stops them. They are support tools. Not replacement chargers.
Portable power stations are large batteries. You charge them once. Then you use that stored power later. They come with many ports. USB ports. Plug points. DC outputs.
They will allow customers to light homes, power a laptop, run a fan, provide wi-fi connectivity, and occasionally power a small refrigerator for several hours.
They are silent. No fuel smell. No engine noise. During power cuts, they feel stress-free. Many families now keep one at home for emergencies. Campers and van travellers depend on them completely.
Battery type matters. Lithium-iron batteries last longer. Charging speed matters too. Slow charging becomes annoying. Weight matters as well. Some units are very heavy.
Smart panels connect to mobile apps. You open your phone and see how much power is coming in. You also see how much power your home is using. That data is the main difference.
When people see numbers, they change habits. They run washing machines during the day. They avoid heavy use at night. Over time, electricity bills go down. Slowly, but clearly.
Panels are still expensive. Roof direction matters. Sunlight hours matter. Government support helps a lot when available. Without support, many families wait.
Solar lights are the most common solar gadget. They charge during the day. They turn on automatically at night.
No wiring. No switch. The new Model Solar Cells illuminate areas better and Longer than Older Models. The devices illuminate yards, balconies, staircases, etc.
Solar fans are useful in hot regions. They reduce the electricity load during the day. They are not very powerful, but they help during peak heat.
Solar water heaters are old ideas with better designs now. They save a lot of electricity over time. Common in homes, hostels, and small hotels.
Many people wear solar watches without thinking about it. They charge from sunlight and indoor light. No battery replacement needed. They just keep working.
These gadgets use very little power. They can run for years. Offices use them quietly without much attention.
Solar backpacks are useful for travel. Charging is slow. They help only during long walks in strong sunlight.
Smart plugs show how much power a device uses. They help reduce waste. Simple idea. Useful result.
LED lights use less power. They last long. Smart lights allow timing and brightness control. When a customer installs Solar Panels, they will receive the maximum Savings.
Campers use solar lamps, foldable panels, and power stations. No fuel. No noise. Safe for tents. Easy to carry.
Renewables can save a phone from Damage during a storm or power outage. Phones stay on. Lights stay on. Sometimes that is enough.
Many people work from small towns or villages. Solar power reduces stress. No need to search for power sockets.
Solar depends on the weather. Batteries increase cost and weight. Cheap products disappoint users. Not every gadget works as promised. People still need to choose carefully.
Solar panels will become lighter. Batteries will charge faster. Apps will get simpler. Renewable gadgets will feel normal, not special.
Renewable energy gadgets are not magic solutions. They are support tools. They help during power cuts. They reduce electricity bills. They make travel easier. That is why people are using them. Not because they sound good. But because they help in small, real ways.
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Chinese solar panel maker Longi Green Energy Technology plans to start mass-producing solar cells using base metals instead of silver in the second quarter of 2026. The change is intended to lower the cost of making solar panels and follows a wider industry trend of controlling rising material prices. 
By switching silver for more common metals, it is expected to cut the production costs by about 0.02 yuan per watt. These savings could make solar panels cheaper and make it easier for homes and businesses to manage growing energy costs. 
The move comes as silver prices reach record levels, driven by global political uncertainty and anticipated interest rate cuts in the US. By replacing silver, Longi aims to remain competitive in the tough market while keeping costs under control.  Experts see this step as a smart way to handle rising material costs that have been putting pressure on solar panel production. 
Longi Green Energy has built its reputation on black-contact (BC) solar cells, which are created to capture more energy from sunlight than conventional TopCon cells. This design not only improves power output but also makes it simpler to replace silver with more common metals, giving the company an advantage in lowering production costs. 
While BC cells currently represent a smaller segment of the solar market, Longi’s approach could make them more competitive and encourage wider use. In May 2025, the company noted that substituting silver with base metals is far more feasible in BC cells than in other cell types, allowing a faster shift away from expensive materials. 
By combining efficiency with cost-saving potential, Longi is positioning itself as a leader in the industry’s move toward reducing reliance on precious metals. This strategy enables the company to maintain high-performance standards while making solar technology more affordable and accessible.
The solar sector has been under pressure to reduce reliance on silver as costs rise and supplies become less predictable. Longi’s plan to use more common metals highlights a wider push among manufacturers to cut expenses and maintain profitability in an industry facing intense competition and an oversupply of panels. Falling module prices have caused substantial financial strain, making cost-saving measures a priority. 
In 2025, the four largest solar producers in China together reported losses exceeding $1.5 billion, illustrating the serious impact of market pressures. At the same time, the prices for key materials like polysilicon and wafers have continued to fluctuate, adding further uncertainty for manufacturers. 
These challenges are pushing companies to explore new materials and production techniques that can lower costs without sacrificing efficiency. Longi’s move reflects this broader strategy, showing how innovation and adaptation are becoming essential for survival in the changing solar market. 
In addition to advancing its solar cell technology, Longi is moving to grow its energy storage business across major markets, including China, Europe, the United States, and Australia. The expansions are part of a broader plan to diversify operations and strengthen the company’s position in the clean energy sector, especially as solar panel production faces ongoing cost and supply challenges. 
By focusing on both affordable solar solutions and energy storage, Longi is positioning itself for long-term growth. The company’s approach reflects a commitment to innovation and resilience, aiming to maintain a leadership role in the renewable energy industry even as the market navigates price pressures, competition, and fluctuating material costs. This dual strategy underscores Longi’s vision for a sustainable and profitable future. 
The cost of making solar panels has jumped sharply, largely because of rising silver prices. In 2023, silver accounted for just 3% of panel production cost, but today that figure has surged past 17%,  according to BloombergNEF. The spike was fueled in part by the US Federal Reserve Interest rate cuts last year, which pushed investors to buy silver as a haven. 
To manage costs, Longi is moving to cheaper materials like copper, while JinkoSolar plans a similar switch by the end of 2026. Smaller players, like Shanghai Aiko, have already started producing panels without silver, leading the way in cost reduction.
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(Jan 6): Longi Green Energy Technology Co will begin substituting base metals for silver in its solar cells, the latest move by the industry to mitigate the surging cost of using the precious metal. 
Mass production using base metals is expected to start in the second quarter, which will help “further lower the costs of solar modules,” Longi said in a filing on Monday (Jan 5). The shift comes as manufacturers struggle with intense competition and steep losses. Record high silver prices, fuelled by strong haven demand amid geopolitical tensions, and interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, have only accelerated the process. 
Other Chinese solar manufacturers taking a similar approach include Jinko Solar C, which said in December that it could achieve large-scale output of panels this year that use base metals such as copper. Shanghai Aiko Solar Energy Co, a smaller rival, has already launched production of silver-free solar cells, with initial capacity of 6.5 gigawatts.
In October, silver prices trading in the US$50-an-ounce range translated to more than 17% of the per-watt price of solar modules, up from 12% two months previously and 3% in 2023, according to BloombergNEF. Since then, prices have risen to the mid-US$70s.
Unlike most of its rivals, Longi produces back-contact solar cells, which generate more power from the same amount of sunlight. Although they hold a smaller share of the market compared with the more mainstream TOPCon technology, it’s easier to replace silver with base metals in BC cells, Longi said in May.
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The shift comes as solar manufacturers struggle with overcapacity and intense competition
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LONGI Green Energy Technology will begin substituting base metals for silver in its solar cells, the latest move by the industry to mitigate the surging cost of the precious metal.
Mass production using base metals is expected to start in the second quarter, which will help “further lower the costs of solar modules”, Longi said in a filing on Monday (Jan 5).
The shift comes as solar manufacturers, the largest industrial consumers of silver, struggle with overcapacity and intense competition. Record prices, driven by safe-haven demand linked to geopolitical tensions, and interest-rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, have only accelerated the trend to slash usage of the most costly component in solar cell production.
Prices of the metal, prized for its wide range of industrial applications, tripled last year as investor demand collided with constrained supply.
In October, silver trading in the US$50-an-ounce range translated to more than 17 per cent of the per-watt price of solar modules, up from 12 per cent two months before and 3 per cent in 2023, according to BloombergNEF. Late last month, silver topped US$84 an ounce.
Other Chinese solar manufacturers taking a similar approach include Jinko Solar, which said in December that it could achieve large-scale output of panels this year that use base metals such as copper. Shanghai Aiko Solar Energy, a smaller rival, has already launched production of silver-free solar cells, with an initial capacity of 6.5 gigawatts.
SEE ALSO
Unlike most of its competitors, Longi produces back-contact solar cells, which generate more power from the same amount of sunlight. Although they hold a smaller share of the market compared with the more mainstream TOPCon technology, it’s easier to replace silver with base metals in BC cells, Longi said in May.
Still, progress has been slow because using alternative materials such as copper can lead to higher assembly costs and greater concerns over reliability, BNEF said. TOPCon cells are particularly resistant to substitution because of a high-temperature fabricating process that works against copper.
Nonetheless, silver demand from the solar sector is expected to fall as more producers shy away from the metal’s costs. BNEF estimated the industry’s silver use would drop by 7 per cent in 2025, despite a 15 per cent rise in global solar additions. BLOOMBERG
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A factory employing 500 people making 2 million solar panels a year, adjacent to a 125-acre solar field and a 40-acre solar pond generating clean power, may be coming to Waukegan on land once a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site where the Johns Manville plant once sat.
Waukegan and a location in Kansas are the two finalists competing to become the home of Netherlands-based Solarge’s first facility in the U.S., where lightweight solar panels will be made and solar energy generated.
“I think this is the true meaning of rebuilding Waukegan,” Mayor Sam Cunningham said. “This will reverse our environmental legacy and repurpose the future of Waukegan.”
The City Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the inducement of a developer on Monday at City Hall, enabling local officials to work with Lake County, the state of Illinois and community partners to secure the proposed development.
Michael Castaldo Jr., an attorney with corporation counsel Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, said at the meeting that the resolution is the next “step toward moving toward a development agreement.”
Derek van der Vorst, an international business advisor with Solarge, said the company hopes to decide between Waukegan and the Kansas site no later than the end of March. Both locations have benefits appealing to Solarge.
Though Vorst said the cost of doing business in Kansas is less than in Waukegan, and Solarge will not have to deal with agencies like the EPA and the Illinois Environmental Agency on Kansas’ greenfield site, Waukegan also has outstanding attributes.
“There are some unique features about the Johns Manville site,” Vorst said. “It’s right on the lake. We’re really excited to be able to take a Superfund site and make it into something that’s very positive. We think we can revitalize an underserved area that has suffered from asbestos and coal power pollution.”
Vorst said Solarge has an option to purchase 280 acres of the former 340-acre Johns Manville site. Of the land, 110 acres would be used to build the factory. It would employ approximately 500 people. A solar field will be created on 110 acres of the property, and the 40-acre pond will also have solar panels generating power.
“The five acres on the lakefront will be for a meeting room for visitors, customers and partners,” he said.
As Solarge has investigated the Waukegan site and the resources around Lake County, Vorst said he has had discussions with people in the business community and educators in the region about the quality of the workforce.
“We’ve had a lot of discussions with Lake County Partners and the College of Lake County about training and recruitment programs,” he said. “We really want to work with local businesses and become an economic contributor to the city, the county and the state.”
With the opening of the Yeoman Creek Solar Farm in November, the area is already producing electric bill savings for Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 and low- to moderate-income individuals. Vorst said he intends to do the same. Solarge would be a much larger facility.
Kevin Considine, the president and CEO of Lake County Partners who was at the meeting, said if Solarge decides on the Waukegan location, it will be a major addition to Waukegan and the economy of Lake County.
“Bringing 500 jobs to downtown Waukegan is huge,” he said after the meeting. “It’s cool they’ll be working with the College of Lake County to train people for these (clean-energy) jobs.”
Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart, who was also at the meeting, said afterward that the board already approved a similar resolution to work on bringing the project to Waukegan. She, too, likes the environmental impact.
“We will be working with the county and state to bring these jobs to Lake County,” she said.
Cunningham said he has already been in communication with Gov. JB Pritzker about the project. They have had telephone conversations.
Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, said the potential use of the Johns Manville site has personal meaning. Her father worked at the factory, lost a leg in an accident and she is certain his health was impacted by the pollution there.
“For me and my family, this would be an amazing transformation for families like mine,” Florian said. “This would be amazing if it could happen.”
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A new study by researchers at UNSW Sydney has found that around 20 per cent of solar panels may degrade far faster than expected, with some potentially lasting only half of their anticipated lifetime.
The study analysed nearly 11,000 photovoltaic samples from around the world and identified a “long tail” in the distribution of panel performance, where a significant number of panels lose energy or fail unexpectedly early.
“Most solar systems are designed to last around 25 years, based on their warranty period,” said Yang Tang, a PhD student and co-author of the paper published in IEEE. 
“For the entire dataset, we observed that system performance typically declines by around 0.9% per year. However, at least one in five systems degrade at least 1.5 times faster than this typical rate, and roughly one in 12 degrade twice as fast. This means some systems could have a useful life closer to just 11 years.”
The UNSW team, including Dr Fiacre Rougieux, Dr Shukla Poddar, and Associate Professor Merlinde Kay, analysed data collated by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 
The research found three main contributors to rapid panel degradation: interconnected failures, early-life defects known as “infant mortality,” and minor flaws that lead to sudden performance loss.
Importantly, the researchers said climate conditions did not explain the long-tail effect.“However, in other climates, when those hot regions are being excluded from the analysis, we see similar long-tail pattern in the probability distribution of performance degradation rate,” Dr Poddar said. 
“This suggests that the issue is consistent regardless of where the panels are operating.”
According tp Dr Poddar, the findings could have implications for manufacturers and solar farm operators, as early failures increase maintenance costs and affect long-term energy yield. 
Dr Poddar said the team hopes the research will support improved testing standards and more resilient module designs.
“We aim to understand different factors contributing to module failures in different climate types to develop early detection system and recommend manufacturers to improve design robustness,” Dr Poddar said.
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Jackery came to CES with three devices squarely targeted at the near future of mobile and backyard power: a tougher Explorer 1500 Ultra power station; the Solar Gazebo that wants to turn patios into a micro power plant; and the oddity head-turner, the Solar Mars Bot, which hunts for sunlight on its own.
The latter two are considered actual curveballs from a company primarily associated with compact batteries and folding panels.
More than mere novelty, the lineup is a barometer of how portable power is evolving — from gear you carry, to infrastructure you live with, to systems that think for themselves. It’s a photo of a market more and more shaped by home resilience, RV life, and outdoor work, in which your plug is not fixed but the reliable watt-hours are.
The Explorer 1500 Ultra is a beefed-up spin on Jackery’s signature product: a midlevel power station accommodated for weekend excursions and household backup. “Ultra” in this instance refers to durability and field-readiness, the reliability overlanders and contractors demand when gear is thrown into truck beds, bashed around on job sites, or left in garages whose temperatures oscillate from frozen to sweltering.
Why the emphasis on resilience? Power reliability is already at the top of people’s minds. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes that outage durations for the average customer have been approximately 5 to 7 hours over the past decade, with severe weather being a key contributor. That’s the kind of world in which sturdy, grab-and-go power is not really a luxury. The usual modern necessaries will be present and accounted for — quick input charging, whatever safe lithium chemistry is de rigueur this week, and high surge output for power tools and appliances (sans heater or A/C) — specs which Jackery’s keeping close to the vest until launch.
The biggest surprise is not remotely portable. Jackery’s Solar Gazebo is a permanent outdoor structure that boasts an attached solar roof to feed a power station or home battery. The company points to industrial-grade, high-efficiency panels, with a rated capacity of 2,000 watts and up to 10 kilowatt-hours per day in ideal conditions — approximately one-third the daily electricity consumption of a U.S. home, according to EIA numbers.
The details of construction matter in a fixture type like this. Jackery touts a 6063-T5 aluminum frame that can take a beating and a louvered roof for optimal shade, airflow, and weather protection. In other sections, automatic retractable screens make the space a chameleon; at least one will even double as a movie screen for backyard movie nights — an unexpected functional flourish that connects lifestyle with utility.
From a performance standpoint, placement and angle mean everything. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has long demonstrated that orientation and tracking can have a significant effect on yield; and while the Gazebo is fixed, its built-in design does promote optimal siting that many DIY panelists tend to lose sight of. Ten kilowatt-hours on a sunny day is enough to keep refrigerators humming, lights bright, and routers juiced up, along with smaller appliances and power tools — or top off the watts on an e-bike fleet.
Jackery’s debut robot is a power station on wheels with a solar brain, really. The Solar Mars Bot has retractable 300 W panels that tilt to track the sun, and it’s able to roam in search of more powerful irradiance — i.e., beyond backyard tree shadows or toward different campsite angles. There’s even a follow-me mode, so it can trail the user around job sites or campgrounds and keep outlets close to where the work is happening rather than the other way around.
Sun-tracking isn’t just theatrics. According to NREL studies, tracking can lead to a double-digit increase in energy yield — as high as 25–35% under some conditions — by keeping the panel angle optimized over the day. On a mobile platform, that edge becomes liquid: the bot can break for shade, then motor toward a clearing sky, then roll back to power gear or charge itself up. There are remaining practical questions of obstacle avoidance and stability on uneven ground, but the concept does neatly answer the biggest shortcoming of suitcase solar: immobility.
The trio exemplifies a larger movement in the category. Portable power used to equal emergency-only boxes; it now includes mobile robots, backyard structures, and professional-grade batteries. For families intent on resiliency without a rooftop-PV dedication, the Solar Gazebo is a sussed compromise. For campers, event crews, and tradesmen, a self-positioning solar rover is kind of like that upgrade to your quality of life you didn’t realize you needed — but which could offer more usable energy from the same panels depending on how its mount location would change throughout the day.
Zooming back, the International Energy Agency sees distributed solar continuing to grow as costs decline and efficiency increases. “The competition is getting more crowded — rivals have moved into whole-home systems and expandable batteries — but Jackery’s blend of a ruggedized core unit, lifestyle-forward gazebo, and an experimental rover puts its stamp on the roadmap.”
According to Jackery, the Explorer 1500 Ultra, Solar Gazebo, and Solar Mars Bot are set to release this year, with further details around pricing coming nearer to release. The company is very much testing new ground with the gazebo and (especially) the rover; how they’re priced — and how they actually perform in real backyards and campsites — will tell us if these surprises become staples or CES curiosities.

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NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd has tendered the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package for the development of a 250 MW ground-mounted solar power project integrated with a 50 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.
Tata Power Solar Systems
NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), an arm of NTPC Ltd, has invited bids for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package for the development of a 250 MW ground-mounted solar power project integrated with a 50 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.
The project is being awarded on a turnkey basis and covers the complete lifecycle from design to commissioning. The scope includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing, transportation, unloading, storage, installation, testing, and commissioning of the 250 MW solar PV plant, including the supply of solar modules.
The selected contractor will also be responsible for the detailed design, sizing, supply, installation, integration, testing, and commissioning of the BESS. The BESS, including batteries, must be designed for a life of 25 years, considering daily single-cycle operation with capacity degradation as per the bidder’s proposal. Batteries must be rated for a minimum of 10,000 operational cycles. The bidder must guarantee at least 92% dispatchable capacity at the Point of Interconnection (POI) over a period of 15 years, starting with 100% of rated dispatchable capacity in the first year.
NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL), on behalf of a joint venture between NTPC Green Energy Ltd and Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Co. Ltd (CSPGCL), has tendered the EPC package for the development of a 6 MW floating solar PV project coupled with a 6 MW/24 MWh BESS at the ABVTPS project of CSPGCL in Chhattisgarh.
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Masdar Secures PPA for Southeast Asia’s Largest 200 MW Floating Solar Project at Malaysia’s Chereh Dam  SolarQuarter
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ADM Solar Power Supplies 200 MW High-Efficiency Bifacial Modules For Large Solar Projects In Gujarat And Maharashtra  SolarQuarter
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Researchers led by Michael Grätzel at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland have recently led efforts to improve perovskite optoelectronic properties using small-radius rubidium ion chemistry to enable more stable and efficient perovskite solar cells.
A lattice strain approach to incorporating Rb+ in wide-bandgap perovskite film
Likai Zheng, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have recently led efforts to improve perovskite optoelectronic performance using small-radius rubidium ion (Rb⁺) chemistry. In two recent studies, targeting two different structural locations and operating through distinct physical mechanisms, the researchers described methods using Rb⁺ in perovskite films to boost the stability of perovskite solar cells in the lab.
In the most recent study, “In-situ boundary bridging unlocks multi-grain-domain carrier diffusion in polycrystalline metal halide perovskites,” published in Nature Communications, the researchers unraveled the “remarkable” effects of Rb⁺ cations when selectively introduced at the grain domain boundaries (GDBs) of polycrystalline perovskite films.
“By using a crown-ether complex to precisely deliver Rb⁺ into the perovskite film, we observed remarkable improvements in carrier diffusion length and carrier lifetime,” corresponding author Michael Grätzel told pv magazine.
“Together with our collaborators in Dalian, we further demonstrated that Rb⁺ facilitates cross-grain-boundary charge transport through the formation of a one-dimensional RbPbI₃ phase,” he added.
“These boundary-localized cations effectively bridge neighboring grains and promote carrier transport across multiple grain domains,” corresponding author Likai Zheng told pv magazine.
Indeed, noting that Rb⁺ cations cannot reside in A cation site in normal bandgap perovskites due to their small size, the researchers proposed a “universal post-treatment strategy,” based on a supramolecular crown ether-assisted slow release with “precise delivery of Rb⁺ cations to GDBs where they form in situ one-dimensional (1D) Rb-based non-perovskite phase bridge that facilitates defect passivation and carrier diffusion.”
Perovskite solar cells made with the modified film had a certified champion efficiency of 25.77%, with the result being validated by China’s Fujian Metrology Institute (FMI) and the National Photovoltaic Industry Measurement and Testing Center (NPVM).
Moreover, a “remarkable” stability was noted where 99.2% of initial efficiency was retained after 1,300 h of continuous one-sun illumination under maximum power point tracking based on the International Summit on Organic Solar Cells Stability protocol ISOS-L-1I.
Researchers from China’s Dalian University of Technology collaborated, as well as teams from Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou University, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou).
In an earlier study, “Strain-induced rubidium incorporation into wide-bandgap perovskites reduces photovoltage loss,” published in April in Science, the team developed a lattice strain approach to incorporate Rb⁺ in 1.67 eV wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite films targeting greater solar cell stability.
“In our study, we found that Rb⁺ can occupy the A-site in the perovskite lattice, and that its incorporation depends on the triple-halide composition, and it is enabled by the lattice strain,” said Zheng.
The researchers noted that the method, which included using chloride to facilitate the incorporation of Rb⁺ into the perovskite lattice, enabled a “marked suppression of halide phase segregation, which is a well-known source of instability in mixed-halide WBG perovskites.”
The team demonstrated the film’s properties in a triple-halide perovskite solar cell (PSC) with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.65% and 1.30 V open circuit voltage (Voc). These results correspond to 93.5% of the radiative Voc limit, “representing the lowest photovoltage loss relative to the theoretical limit observed in WBG perovskites,” according to the research.
The results were attributed to a “substantial improvement in stability of lattice structure” to keep Rb locked into the perovskite lattice.
The perovskite solar cells were based on perovskite material containing cesium (Cs), methylammonium (MA), formamidinium (FA) in a stack as follows: indium tin oxide (ITO) on glass substrate, tin oxide (SnO₂) electron transport layer, perovskite absorber, spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer, gold contacts, with spiro-OMeTAD short for 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis (N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9′-spirobifluorene.
The research was co-led by a team from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) with participation from teams at the National University of Singapore, the University of Ioannina, and Politecnico di Milano.
Looking ahead, the researchers said that they are continuing to focus on “fully understanding and leveraging the multifaceted benefits of Rb⁺ in perovskite solar cells.”
 
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Up to one-fifth of solar PV modules degrade 1.5 times faster than average, according to new research from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Researchers from the university analysed the performance of close to 11,000 PV modules, to investigate the reasons behind the ‘long tail’ in the probability distribution for module performance over time; this refers to the shape of the graph showing the frequency of the degradation rate of various solar panels.
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The graph, from UNSW PhD student Yang Tang, is included below and shows how the majority of panels assessed have a degradation rate of around 1%, but that the degradation rate of some modules could reach 4%, or even higher.
“For the entire dataset, we observed that system performance typically declines by around 0.9% per year,” said Tang. “However, our findings show extreme degradation rates in some of the systems. At least one in five systems degrade at least 1.5 times faster than this typical rate, and roughly one in 12 degrade twice as fast.
“This means that for some systems, their useful life could be closer to just 11 years. Or, in other words, they could lose about 45% of their output by the 25-year mark.”
The researchers identified three major reasons for some panels to have a much higher degradation rate than average. These include “interconnected failures”, where a problem with one component exposes other components to risks, multiplying the rate at which the module degrades; so-called “infant mortality”, where modules suffer from critical manufacturing defects not picked up during testing and cease functioning relatively early in their operating lives; and “minor flaws” that can lead to a sudden decline in performance at a random point in time.
However, the researchers also noted that the environmental conditions in which the modules were deployed did not have a significant impact on the ‘long tail phenomenon’, suggesting that the deployment of modules in more extreme environments, such as very hot climates, does not necessarily expose them to greater risk of failure.
“A subset of the data shows information specifically related to solar modules in very hot climates which we know causes higher degradation,” said Dr Shukla Poddar, another of the researchers.
“However, in other climates, when those hot regions are being excluded from the analysis, we see similar long-tail pattern in the probability distribution of performance degradation rate. This suggests that the issue is consistent regardless of where the panels are operating.”
Poddar went on to suggest that there is a combination of “so many different factors” affecting module performance in the field, suggesting that assigning blame to a single cause, such as extreme weather, is perhaps too simplistic.
“But when they are actually operating in real-world conditions there are so many different factors coming into play, and those cascading failures can be very significant,” said Poddar. “So I think we need to start thinking about different testing standards which would help to ensure we have more resilient types of modules.”
Poddar’s comments, and the team’s research, comes as the solar industry’s testing houses report high rates of module failures. Last June, Kiwa PVEL’s Module Reliability Scorecard showed that five-sixths of modules had at least one failure in the testing process, a record figure that is up from two-thirds the year prior.
The UNSW researchers note that uncertainty regarding the long-term performance of solar modules “challenges the financial models that underpin the industry’s growth”, as module breakages and failures many years into a solar project’s operating life can interfere with the long-term electricity output and profit projections that are essential components of both the energy transition and the business case for solar investors and developers.
There is something of a vicious cycle at play too, where the longstanding manufacturing downturn in the global solar industry has encouraged manufacturers to cut costs in the module production process, according to Tristian Erion-Lorico, VP of sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL, who spoke to PV Tech Premium last year.
“Stronger frames are necessary,” Erion-Lorico said. “It’s likely that [weaker frames] broke due to various cost-cutting measures related to both the glass quality and the frame quality.”
However, this has led to lower-quality glass and frames being used in modules, which could lead to more module breakages in the future, further eroding the profitability of the sector and prolonging the problem.

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The Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps has commissioned a 10 kW solar power plant at Muguthang village in North Sikkim, bringing sustainable electricity and year-round liveability to a remote high-altitude border community.
January 06, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey

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Home » News » GAIL India Seeks PMC for 600 MW Solar PV Project with 550 MWh Energy Storage in Jhansi
New Delhi: GAIL (India) Limited, a Maharatna public sector undertaking, has initiated the tendering process for Project Management Consultancy (PMC) services for a 600 MW ground-mounted solar PV project with a 550 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Tehsil Garautha, Jhansi. The project is a major milestone in GAIL’s commitment to achieving net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035.
Scope of PMC Services
The PMC selected through this tender will be responsible for comprehensive project management, including:
The 36-month contract will have payments linked to the completion of predefined milestones, ensuring accountability and timely execution.
Read also: SAIL ISP Burnpur, GAIL Sign Five-Year Natural Gas Supply Pact to Boost Clean Energy Use
Pre-Tender Conference and Bid Requirements
A Pre-Tender Conference (PTC) was held online on January 2, 2026, to brief prospective bidders on technical and financial requirements. Bidders are expected to demonstrate prior experience in solar projects of at least 100 MW under a single contract, reflecting the scale and complexity of the Jhansi project.
Renewable Energy Expansion and Net-Zero Goals
This project represents a significant step in GAIL’s renewable energy expansion, combining large-scale solar generation with advanced energy storage. The integrated PV + BESS system will support captive power consumption at GAIL units, enhance grid stability, and provide sustainable energy for operational needs.
CM or executive statements highlighted that this initiative not only accelerates GAIL’s transition to renewable energy but also contributes to India’s broader goal of green energy adoption and carbon neutrality.
About GAIL
GAIL (India) Limited is India’s leading natural gas processing and distribution company and a Maharatna PSU. Apart from core gas business operations, GAIL has been actively expanding into renewable energy, including solar, wind, and energy storage projects, as part of its strategy to reduce carbon emissions and support India’s net-zero commitments by 2035.
Read also: GAIL Revises Srikakulam-Angul Pipeline Completion to June 2026, Main Line Already Commissioned

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SMUD scraps off-take deal for 200-MW solar project in California  Renewables Now
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UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on domestic solar module manufacturing and role of nanotechnology in healthcare (Week 136)  The Indian Express
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The elimination of US tax credits for residential heat pumps, solar panels and batteries will make electrifying your home more expensive in 2026, and tariffs and made-in-America mandates could add additional costs.
Just how pricey remains to be seen. New financing models could help keep some solar and battery costs in check, according to Emily Walker, director of insights at online solar marketplace EnergySage.
Here’s what you need to know.
The Tax Credit Repeal’s Impact on Prices
The expiration of the 30% federal tax credit for solar and battery installations at the end of 2025 doesn’t necessarily make the equipment more costly to buy but for homeowners with a tax liability, it does end the ability to reduce or erase their tax bill. A typical solar and battery system generated tax credits worth about $10,000.
You Can Still Save by Leasing
Tax credits remain for leased solar systems through the end of 2027, though the installer receives the incentive and passes on the savings to homeowners through lower monthly payments or other cost reductions.
A New Model of Solar Ownership Is Emerging
Walker said installers who sold systems are now switching to a new model that lets residents ultimately own their solar and battery arrays while securing the savings from leasing. Called lease-to-own or a prepaid lease, a homeowner pays for the cost of the system upfront and the installer passes on the tax credit benefits as a discount. The solar company must retain ownership for a certain number of years under the tax code but then transfers title to the homeowner.
Southern California installer SolarShoppers sells its systems but company president Shawn Heckerman said he estimates that prepaid leases will account for nearly all of his business in 2026. Like other solar installers, he anticipates that demand will initially soften but recover later in the year. “I expect us to have a better year in 2026 than the last one, even with the tax credit expiring,” he said.
That’s due to soaring electricity rates and temperatures that force residents to run their air conditioners. “When we get into the summer, customer calls spike when they get their first high utility bill,” said Heckerman.
Walker also expects homeowners to continue adding panels as they install electric vehicle chargers and replace fossil fuel appliances with induction stoves and heat pumps. That can make going solar still financially attractive in the long run, even if the absence of federal incentives means adding a couple of years to the time it takes for the energy savings to equal the cost of the system, she said.
“When you’re talking about something that’s producing electricity for 25 years, it’s really just a blip,” said Walker.
New Rules Could Raise the Cost of Solar Panels and Batteries
To receive the tax credit, leased systems must comply with new domestic manufacturing requirements that took effect Jan. 1, 2026. The federal government, though, has yet to issue final guidance on what percentage of components from China and other countries are prohibited under the Trump tax bill enacted in July.
Tariffs Will Also Add Costs
The US imports most of its solar panels from China, Vietnam and other countries subject to tariffs. Nearly all batteries for residential energy storage are made in China.
Tariffs and manufacturing mandates will likely push up prices, according to analysts, but Walker said that will encourage the industry to focus on cutting “soft costs” like permitting and paperwork that result in US residents paying significantly more for solar energy than those in Australia and Europe.
How Heat Pumps Are Affected
Homeowners have also lost the $2,000 federal tax credit for heat pumps that can warm and cool dwellings and provide hot water. But Francis Dietz, a spokesperson for industry group AHRI, noted that most heat pumps didn’t qualify for the incentive, which was only for the most efficient and expensive models.
“You can still get your basic or basic-plus heat pump and don’t have to worry about the tax credit going away, so it won’t make a big difference for the average consumer,” he said.
The US imported 382,000 heat pumps, mainly from China and Mexico, out of 4.1 million of the devices that shipped in 2024, according to AHRI and the United Nations. But prices may rise modestly as domestically assembled heat pumps use Chinese components subject to tariffs.
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ANLA Approves 200 MW Ariguaní Solar Park In Cesar, Developed By Xuenergy FV, Advancing Renewable Energy In Colombia  SolarQuarter
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Led by sharp growth in installations, customers, along with favourable government schemes, Tata Power Renewables crosses 1 GWp in nine months of FY26.
Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited has crossed 1 gigawatt peak (GWp) of rooftop solar installations within the first nine months of FY26, representing a 127% year-on-year (YoY) surge. The company announced that this has strengthened its position as India’s largest rooftop solar provider.
Customer additions rose sharply, with around 170,000 new users onboarded, more than four times the figure recorded a year earlier. Cumulative rooftop solar installations by Tata Power Renewables have now exceeded 300,000 customers nationwide. Total installed rooftop capacity has crossed 4 GWp, the company said.
The October–December quarter proved to be a breakout period. Tata Power Renewables completed 58,476 rooftop installations during the quarter, adding 372 MWp of capacity. This represented a 242% rise over the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
Uttar Pradesh led new installations over the past nine months, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat and Telangana. Gujarat had the highest installed capacity during this period, while Maharashtra remained the largest market on a cumulative basis. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh also continued to be key contributors, highlighting the company’s broad geographic footprint.
Tata highlighted that the rising adoption of decentralised solar systems and government-led rooftop solar programmes has aided its expansion.
Its portfolio aligns with the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana, which focuses on household-level solar adoption. It is also running an awareness initiative to encourage wider uptake among consumers.
Tata Power Renewables operates through a network of more than 650 channel partners and continues to add rooftop installations across residential, commercial and industrial segments, supporting India’s renewable energy and net-zero targets.

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From the scale of danger posed by wind turbines to the actual price of installing home solar panels, here are the facts you should know.
The past 10 years have been the hottest on record, a dramatic increase that has raised ocean temperatures and elevations, melted glaciers, and increased damage from natural disasters including hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and tornados—effects that threaten wildlife species and human health.
Scientists are clear that reigning in the greenhouse gasses that are warming the planet require major shifts to renewable energies. Fortunately, the world is increasingly adopting these technologies. In 2025, coal dropped below renewables like solar and wind as the primary source of global electricity.
(Renewable energy explained.) 
Still, myths about renewable energy are commonplace, says Andy Fitch, an attorney at Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law who coauthored a report rebutting dozens of misconceptions. This misinformation, and in some cases, purposeful disinformation, may lead people to oppose renewable projects in their communities. Support for wind farms off New Jersey, for example, dropped more than 20 percent in less than five years after misleading and false claims began circulating. 
“It’s easy to prick holes into the idea of an energy transition,” because it is a new concept to many people, Fitch says.
Here are some of the major myths and what the science actually reveals.
There will always be days when clouds cover the sun or the wind is still. But those conditions are unlikely to occur at the same time in all geographic areas. “There’s always a way to coordinate the energy mix” to keep the lights on, Fitch says.
Today that coordination generally includes electricity from fossil fuels or coal. In California, where more than half the state’s power now comes from solar, wind, and other renewables, natural gas and other non-renewables generate the rest.
In the future, energy planners envision grids coordinated across large geographic areas that continually send renewable energy to places in a temporary weather lull. This is the system used by Sweden and Austria that get all or most of their power from renewables.
Improvements in storage technology will also increasingly allow renewable energy to be captured during sunny or windy days. Already, some 10 percent of California’s solar-powered energy is saved for evening use.
No energy method is perfect, and energy generated from fossil fuels also fail sometimes, Fitch notes, such as during the 2021 winter storm in Texas or 2023’s Winter Storm Elliott in the Eastern United States.
Back in 1980, solar panels cost a whopping $35 (in today’s dollars) per watt of generated energy. In 2024 that figure fell to 26 cents. Solar has become so cost-efficient that building and operating the technology is now cheaper over its lifespan than conventional forms of energy like gas, coal, and nuclear power.
Homeowners also save a significant amount of money after rooftop solar is installed, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (The method remains cost effective, even after federal subsidies to purchase the panels ceased late last year.)  A family who finances panels might save close to a thousand dollars a year in their electric bills, even taking into account payments on the loan.
People in apartment buildings or renters can also save money with solar. Many power companies have large solar arrays that give participating customers credit on their bill from the cheaper electricity. Landowners also benefit, especially when these solar farms are placed on agricultural land, known as agrivoltaics, allowing certain crops to use less water and farm animals to cool themselves in their shade.
With hundreds of thousands of turbines in operation, wind power now makes up eight percent of the world’s energy. But alongside these sprouting modern windmills has come stories of birds, whales, and even insects and bats killed or injured in their presence.
In some cases, wind energy can cause a small fraction of wildlife deaths, but they “pale in comparison to what climate change is doing to [the animals’] habitat,” says Douglas Nowacek, a conservation technology expert at Duke University. “If we’re going to slow down these negative changes, we have to go to renewable energy.”
When it comes to whales or other marine mammals, “we have no evidence—zero” that any offshore wind development has killed them, says Nowacek, who studies this as lead researcher in the school’s Wildlife and Offshore Wind program. (Most die instead from ship strikes and deadly entanglements in commercial fishing gear.) 
Noise produced when heavy columns are driven into the ground during construction may temporarily disturb whales in the area, but the intrusion is so minor “one whale we tagged didn’t go anywhere when the pounding started,” he says. Blasting for offshore oil is much more disruptive, and oil spills extensively damage marine life, he says.
Wind turbines are proving to be a problem for certain species of birds—more than half-a-million die each year colliding with turbines in the U.S., the American Bird Conservancy estimates. But two-thirds of North America's birds also risk extinction from the rising temperatures of climate change.
Scientists working to mitigate bird strikes are studying why some species are more prone to harm, how high migrating birds fly over the water (enabling future turbines to be built lower), and whether painting the blades black or in contrasting patterns might help. Some companies are using cameras with artificial intelligence to temporarily slow or shut turbines as flocks fly by. One project in Spain saved 62 percent of vulnerable birds this way, with hardly any reduction in energy generation. 
Electric vehicles are an important element of the transition to renewable energy because, unlike gas-powered cars, they can be charged by solar and wind energy. EVs are also more energy efficient, since they use nearly all of their power for driving, compared with traditional cars’ use of just 25 percent. (Most of the rest is lost as heat.)
Concerns that EVs can’t make it to their destination likely spring from early prototypes, when cars developed in the 1970s got less than 40 miles per charge. Today, some 50 models can go more than 300 miles, with some topping 500.
(Inside the rush to buy an electric vehicle.)
Worries about the longevity of EV batteries are also unfounded. Only one percent of batteries manufactured since 2015 have had to be replaced (outside of manufacturing recalls, which have been negligible in recent years). Studies done by Tesla found the charging capacity in its sedans dropped just 15 percent after 200,000 miles.
Car companies continue to research ways to improve the life and capacity of EV batteries, the most important component in the car, says Micah Ziegler, who studies sustainable energy and public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
EV batteries evolved from the rechargeable lithium-ion technology pioneered in the 1990s for portable electronics. Updates over the years have reduced the need for environmentally damaging metals (including cobalt and nickel) and enhanced their energy density to allow for smaller, more powerful batteries. Future designs are expected to stretch their abilities further. Scientists are working on technologies that swap internal liquid electrolytes with a more stable solid materials, replace their lithium-ions with more readily available sodium, or use an innovative electrode from a single crystal that lasts millions of miles.
The world is in a better place than it would be without renewables. Before the 2015 Paris Agreement called for this energy transition, experts had forecast 4°C planetary warming by 2100; now they expect it to stay under 3°C, according to a recent report by World Weather Attribution, a climate research group. But even this target “would still lead to a dangerously hot planet,” the report states. Last summer Hawaiian observatories documented carbon dioxide concentrations above 430 parts per million—a record breaking high far above the 350 PPM Paris target.
To sufficiently slow climate warming, experts say wind generation must more than quadruple its current pace by 2030, and solar and other renewables must also be more widely adopted. Yet while global investments for renewable energy rose 10 percent in the first half of last year, it fell by more than a third in the U.S.
“Leaving our energy production as it is now is profoundly unsustainable,” Fisk says. That’s why it’s important “to make fair comparisons between one energy source and another”—a process that requires separating myths from the facts.
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“[It] probably added another $50-60k to the ‘bidding war.'”
Photo Credit: iStock
One intrepid Redditor asked the r/solar community whether anyone had sold a property for a substantial premium after installing solar systems or batteries — prompting several homeowners to share a wide array of experiences. 
The original poster, located in Australia, included several links that supported the assertion that solar panels can increase a property’s total value, along with noting that, “Since batteries achieve a similar outcome of lowering bills, and avoiding renting power around the clock … it seems that they would also increase property value.”
In the comments, one New Jersey homeowner shared their story: “When I sold my house in New Jersey a few years back, I had at least three bidders out of 12 for my house that were excited by the idea of a fully installed solar system with two Powerwalls … My realtor was surprised but the solar system probably added another $50-60k to the ‘bidding war’ between these three bidders.”
The New Jersey-based commenter continued on to say: “The lesson I learned was that solar has value to the next owner. But only if it’s owned outright. After discussing further with the buyer’s realtor, my realtor came to the conclusion that if I had leased or financed the solar, I wouldn’t have gotten bids.”
Solar panels can cut your home’s monthly electricity costs and protect you from utility rate increases, some of which have climbed anywhere from 5-40% across much of the nation, per the New York Times. Pairing your panels with the power of battery storage can give you true energy independence during grid outages, and TCD’s Solar Explorer can help you compare choices and find savings. 
Studies have shown that homes with owned solar panels sold for 5-10% more than comparable homes without solar. While it’s true that leasing panels comes with its own unique considerations, it’s nevertheless a viable way to slash your utility rate, and subscription programs like Palmetto’s LightReach can cut your rate by up to 20%, all with no money down. 
The Solar Explorer can knock up to $10,000 off installation costs through competitive bidding. For example, EnergySage can help you navigate the purchasing process smoothly, along with identifying any local and federal incentives to sweeten the deal. And if you’re already in the mood to upgrade, the HVAC Explorer can cut your heating and cooling costs in half with a brand new system. 
As for your home’s value with solar, several other commenters were quick to toss in their two cents. 
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Whatever your solar budget, Palmetto can help you save.
If you want to buy your own panels, Palmetto’s concierge advisors can help you save up to $10,000 on installation through a network of preferred installers. And if you’d rather get solar savings without upfront costs, Palmetto’s revolutionary LightReach subscription program can deliver.
LightReach lets you lease solar panels with no money down, making it painless to lock in long-term savings. Palmetto covers a 25-year warranty for the panels, which means you’ll get reliable performance without unforeseen costs.
To get started, just answer a few basic questions about your home and connect with Palmetto’s experts to find the option that’s right for you.
“Here in Southern California, an owned solar system is definitely a plus when selling a house. Local energy prices are some of the highest in the country, and temps are such that AC is used several months off the year,” shared one person. 
“I’d say that if you can demonstrate that the panels have saved you money, and will continue to save the buyer money, it’s a positive. It would be the same as replacing an old oil burning furnace with a heat pump,” added another. 
And speaking of home hacks, check out the free Palmetto Home app to unlock up to $5,000 in rewards for taking simple, eco-friendly actions in your daily life. 
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Goodbye to solar power limits: UCLA uses a 200-year-old secret to change how we get energy  Energies Media
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Solar farm to sprout on more than 700 acres of Waterloo airport land  Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
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The Chinese government has released a range of policy measures to strengthen intellectual property (IP) protections in the country’s solar PV industry.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) have released 11 policy proposals designed to create a “fair and orderly” market and promote the “healthy development” of the Chinese solar PV industry.
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The proposals encourage solar manufacturers to accelerate R&D investments and patent filings for advanced technologies, including tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), back contact (BC) and heterojunction (HJT), and to reserve “basic patents” for cutting-edge technologies like perovskite and tandem products.
It also calls for greater patent curation and innovation across upstream and downstream sectors, ranging from raw materials to solar and energy storage integration and operations and maintenance systems.
Other points cover both domestic patent support and stronger protections against infringements. The former includes accelerating pre-examinations and examinations for patents and leveraging a “green channel” for priority patents, as well as collaboration between Chinese industry players.
On the other side, the document proposes introducing a “full-chain intellectual property infringement risk monitoring mechanism” encompassing the production line from raw materials to module assembly. This would monitor IP risks and litigation, including the “transfer of core technology patents to foreign entities”.
Point nine in the proposal specifies “Strengthening Overseas Intellectual Property Risk Response”, including greater risk prevention “for photovoltaic enterprises in international exhibitions, product exports, and overseas investments.”
The CNIPA said the measures would aid the “healthy development” of the PV industry by 2027, which has been experiencing a sustained period of low prices and fierce competition between manufacturers, driven largely by oversupply in upstream industries. It said it seeks to avoid “involution” competition, where a society, group or industry begins to complicate its internal processes instead of evolving, growing or stabilising.
Last August, Beijing convened six ministries to discuss greater regulation on the Chinese PV industry to curb the extreme competition and sustained low prices. The sector’s leading manufacturers have struggled to turn profits over the last two years, even as their total product sales have continued to rise, a situation illustrating the challenges China’s PV industry faces.
The document concludes with a commitment to establish coordinated and strengthened IP guidance in China’s PV industry, with plans to hold consultations and establish dedicated “think tanks” for solar IP.
As mainstream solar technology has shifted towards n-type TOPCon technology, industry IP battles have become more common. As well as stabilising the industry, Beijing’s push for stronger IP protection looks to be a defensive move to shore up its industry against future technological changes and growing competition in global markets like India and the US.  

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Centre plans separate rules for solar waste; centralised storage from 2029  Moneycontrol
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