THORNTON, Colo., Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced plans to expand testing of its CIGS PV technology beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) as Company leadership has received an increase in requests for solar solutions capable of supporting missions across multiple orbital environments. Ascent is preparing a series of in-house characterization campaigns designed to validate the survivability and performance of its thin-film solar technology in increasingly challenging space conditions, concluding in Q4 2026.
Previous NASA testing in LEO demonstrated CIGS PV’s potential to recover from radiation exposure through its self-annealing properties, a phenomenon described in scholarly journals as “Remarkable Recovery.” Now, Ascent is extending that research to determine whether that same recovery is possible in the more demanding radiation environments of medium Earth orbit (MEO), geostationary orbit (GEO) and other high-energy orbits, to bolster the qualifications of its thin-film solar products for an expanding range of space applications.
“Emerging space markets like on-orbit servicing and assembly, space-based solar power, orbital data centers and others, depend on power systems that can reliably operate in extremely punishing environments,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “Mission operators are increasingly prioritizing solutions that reduce risk and improve long-term performance. By expanding the validation of our CIGS products’ use beyond LEO, we will establish them as the lowest-risk options for a vast range of next-generation space mission applications.”
About Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Backed by 40 years of R&D, 15 years of manufacturing experience, numerous awards, and a comprehensive IP and patent portfolio, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative, high-performance, flexible thin-film solar panels, optimized for use in space, military and defense, and other applications where mass, performance, reliability, and resilience are paramount.
Ascent’s photovoltaic (PV) modules have been deployed on space missions, multiple airborne vehicles, agrivoltaic installations, in industrial/commercial construction as well as an extensive range of consumer goods, revolutionizing the use cases and environments for solar power. Ascent Solar’s research and development center and 5-MW nameplate production facility is in Thornton, Colorado.
To learn more, visit https://www.ascentsolar.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute “forward-looking statements” including statements about the financing transaction, our business strategy, and the potential uses of the proceeds from the transaction. Such statements also include, but are not limited to, statements related to the intended use of proceeds from the offering and the potential exercise of the series warrants. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the company's actual operating results to be materially different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current assumptions, expectations, and projections about future events. In addition to statements that explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements that contain terms such as “will,” “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “expect,” “intends,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “plan,” to be uncertain and forward-looking. No information in this press release should be construed as any indication whatsoever of our future revenues, stock price, or results of operations. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.
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A research team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has fabricated a wide-bandgap kesterite (CZTS) solar cell using a defect regulation strategy that reportedly reduces open-circuit voltage losses. Minimizing these losses is a key challenge for kesterite photovoltaics, which are based on earth-abundant elements but have historically suffered from relatively large voltage deficits.
“Voltage is a direct measure of the energy loss inside the solar cells. Every detrimental defect reduces the voltage. Defect control determines the final efficiency and how much energy can be converted from sunlight,” the scientists said in a statement. “Improving the open-circuit voltage of of CZTS beyond its current level is essential to unlock its full potential.”
The researchers explained that previous studies have shown that a copper (Cu)-poor and zinc (Zn)-rich chemical environment can promote the formation of beneficial defects in CZTS while suppressing defects that contribute to carrier recombination. However, the formation of Cu-rich and Zn-poor regions in the CZTS film can alter the local chemical environment and promote unfavorable defects and secondary phases.
To control this process, the team sought to strengthen Cu–S bonding in the precursor, thereby stabilizing Cu and limiting its out-diffusion. In an initial approach, the researchers replaced metallic Cu with copper(I) sulfide (Cu₂S) during the co-sputtering process. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements indicated that the modified precursor had stronger Cu–S bonding, greater structural order and reduced cation disorder.
However, using Cu₂S throughout the deposition process also increased tin (Sn) loss during sulfurization. This resulted in defects and pinholes in the absorber, making it unsuitable for solar-cell fabrication. To address this issue, the researchers used metallic Cu during the initial stage of precursor deposition and replaced it with Cu₂S during the final minutes. The approach was designed to stabilize Cu near the surface while limiting Sn loss during subsequent sulfurization.
The optimized process significantly reduced Cu out-diffusion and produced a more uniform elemental distribution. Importantly, it helped maintain a Cu-poor and Zn-rich local environment during the early stages of CZTS crystallization, when the defect structure of the absorber is established.
Low-temperature cathodoluminescence measurements showed that the optimized CZTS absorber has lower non-radiative recombination and fewer deep localized defect states than the reference sample. The optimized absorber also exhibited a stronger contribution from transitions involving shallow defects, indicating improved defect quality.
The CZTS solar cell fabricated using the proposed defect-engineering approach achieved a power conversion efficiency of 12.6%, with an open-circuit voltage of 852.8 mV, a short-circuit current density of 21.0 mA/cm² and a fill factor of 70.1%. A certified efficiency of 12.36% was also recorded, with an open-circuit voltage of 846.7 mV measured using a 0.2021 cm² aperture area. The device was also found to maintain stable performance after 231 days of storage in a nitrogen-filled desiccator.
“Whereas reducing photovoltage loss in wide-bandgap semiconductors remains a major challenge, we demonstrate an open-circiut voltage corresponding to 65.3% of the Shockley–Queisser (SQ) limit in this work,” the researchers stated, adding that wide-bandgap kesterite devices have generally achieved open-circuit voltages of around 60% of the corresponding SQ limit.
“The defect control strategy we’ve developed is going to be really useful for designing and optimising other compound semiconductors,” said UNSW researcher Xiaojing Hao. “I hope our defect control technology and principle can really be used by other people who are designing more top-cell candidates for tandem solar cells. The design principle isn’t only about this material. It’s about not only looking at the final recipe, we need to design from when we’re mixing the ingredients and keep them uniformly distributed. The ingredients may change from one semiconductor to another, but the design principle is the same.”
The solar cell was described in “Early-stage local chemistry regulation enabling open-circuit voltage of 847 mV in wide-bandgap Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells,” published in nature energy.
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A few more recycling bins and trash cans at Animal Kingdom have been upgraded.
We spotted two new sets in Asia. The trash cans are deep green, and on the side feature art of a red triangle with a tiger in the center and clouds in the corners.
These join others that were previously installed at the Maharajah Jungle Trek and at the front of the park.
We also found the new solar-powered trash cans at the Discovery Island Trails.
These solar-powered trash cans are dark green and feature a gold-yellow image of The Tree of Life.
The solar panels on these new cans power a built-in trash compactor. Guests can open the lids by hand or by foot pedal. This has proven so confusing for some guests that Disney has released an instructional video to guide use.
Walt Disney World has been adding new solar-powered trash cans to Animal Kingdom since early June. Walt Disney Imagineering is involved in the design process so that they will look similar to the older-style cans.
How do you feel about the solar-powered trash cans taking over the parks? Let us know on social media!
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Indian solar PV manufacturer Agastya Energy has started construction of its integrated ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Investment for the facility will reach INR78 billion (US$ 815 million) and once fully operational, the manufacturing facility will have a 12GW annual nameplate capacity.
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Agastya did not provide a timeline for the commercial operation date of the ingot and wafer facility.
Founded in 2024, the company has quickly expanded its manufacturing capacity and started producing solar modules this year, while it forecasts to begin its first solar cell line next year.
Located in Kurnool, where the new wafer and ingot manufacturing plant will be built, the company targets to have an annual nameplate capacity of 5GW for both solar cells and modules, using TOPCon bifacial technology.
Agastya is the latest Indian solar PV manufacturer to unveil plans to build an ingot and wafer manufacturing facility, following the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) proposal to include that part of the supply chain to its Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). Unveiled in September 2025, the Indian government aims to include domestic wafers starting and thus requiring government-backed solar PV projects in India to use domestically manufactured wafers to modules from June 2028.
Since the MNRE announcement a year ago, Tata Power, Waaree, Premier Energies, Saatvik Solar, Vikram Solar and now Agastya, among others, have either announced or started construction of ingot and wafer manufacturing facilities in the country.
“For us, the occasion represented an important step in Agastya’s long-term vision for solar manufacturing in India. It was a moment to reflect on what can be achieved when people and organizations come together with a common purpose,” wrote the company on LinkedIn.
Moreover, in addition to manufacturing solar PV modules, Agastya offers turnkey solutions for solar PV projects, such as engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) services.
India’s renewable energy transition, from solar PV and energy storage to grid integration, will be a key topic of discussion at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo, co-located with the Energy Storage Summit India (ESS India), in Greater Noida on 22-24 October 2026. For the full agenda and booking details, click here.
Delhi’s Master Plan for 2047 proposes harnessing renewable energy from existing canals and drains. The plan also suggests utilizing greenfield areas for agriculture-cum-solar farms and solar power for bus depots. Government buildings with sufficient rooftop space will install solar panels as per policy guidelines. Subsidies and incentives are being considered to reduce upfront costs for consumers installing solar plants.
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The world surpassed 3 TW of installed solar capacity, marking another milestone in the rapid expansion of photovoltaic energy.
According to BloombergNEF (BNEF), it took about 10 years for global solar capacity to rise from 100 GW in 2012 to 1 TW. The second terawatt was added in less than three years, while the third came less than two years later. The exact date of the 3 TW milestone varies, however, depending on the methodology and database used by analysts.
The pace of expansion is expected to accelerate further. BNEF projects that global solar capacity will exceed 9 TW by 2036, putting the latest milestone into perspective against the growth expected over the next decade.
The geography of solar expansion has shifted significantly during this period. According to Bloomberg, developed countries accounted for most of the first terawatt, supported by incentive programs designed to accelerate solar adoption.
China emerged as the main driver of growth during the second and third terawatts. The country combined rapid deployment of solar capacity with large-scale manufacturing, helping to reduce technology costs and support adoption in other markets.
Solar expansion is also reaching countries that previously accounted for only a small share of the global market. Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines have recorded strong growth, particularly in rooftop solar. Smaller markets, including Cuba and Lebanon, have also experienced rapid expansion.
As a result, the number of countries with significant solar markets has increased. According to BNEF, 74 countries had at least 1 GW of installed solar capacity in 2025, up from 42 in 2020.
Despite broader adoption, solar deployment remains concentrated in a relatively small number of markets. The share of poorer countries in new solar installations has remained virtually unchanged since 2020, while China has consolidated its position as the primary driver of global growth.
BNEF expects this trend to change in the coming years. Its projections indicate that the share of developing countries in new installations will begin to increase from 2026. By 2036, more than a quarter of global installed solar capacity is expected to be located in developing countries, while the share held by wealthy countries is projected to fall to around 20%.
The rapid growth in installed capacity is creating new challenges for power systems. In China, solar deployment has outpaced the expansion of infrastructure needed to transmit and store electricity.
As a result, the country is experiencing rising levels of curtailment, with some solar generation being reduced during periods of high output. A slowdown in new Chinese installations is expected as the country shifts its focus toward integrating renewable generation and expanding the capacity needed to consume it.
Energy storage is becoming increasingly important in this transition. Lithium-ion batteries can absorb excess electricity during periods of peak solar generation and discharge it later, including after sunset.
According to BNEF, energy storage capacity will be a decisive factor in the next phase of solar expansion. Without sufficient storage, fully utilizing additional solar capacity will become increasingly difficult.
The 3 TW milestone shows that solar has moved beyond niche technology status and become a central component of global power-capacity expansion. The challenge in the next phase, however, will be different.
As photovoltaic generation continues to grow, transmission, storage, and demand flexibility will become increasingly important alongside the deployment of new modules. The ability to use solar electricity at the right time and in the right place will be crucial to turning growth in installed capacity into effectively utilized generation.
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Chinese-Canadian solar module manufacturer Canadian Solar announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has dismissed with prejudice Maxeon’s patent infringement suit in the Federal District Court. The decision formally terminates the remaining litigation between the two companies, following the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s January ruling that invalidated the Maxeon patent claims asserted against Canadian Solar.
“Further, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated the relevant portion of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision relating to Maxeon’s remaining claim,” Canadian Solar said in a statement. “In Final Written Decisions issued in January 2026, the PTAB ruled in Canadian Solar’s favor, finding all Maxeon patent claims asserted against the Company in the federal court litigation invalid. Canadian Solar welcomes the dismissal of the lawsuit and the final resolution of these patent claims. The ruling provides important clarity and reinforces Canadian Solar’s claims of non-infringement.”
Singapore-based Maxeon had filed the patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in March 2024. The case involved an unspecified TOPCon solar cell technology.
Maxeon previously sued Canadian Solar in Japan for patent infringement in 2020. In the lawsuit, Maxeon alleged that Canadian Solar Japan infringed upon its Japan Patent No. JP6642841B2, which is related to its shingled solar modules. The two companies reached a settlement agreement in April 2022.
Canadian Solar has faced similar patent claims in the United States. PV manufacturer Solaria filed three different patent infringement claims against the company, also related to the process of separating photovoltaic strips from solar cells for use in shingled modules.
Meanwhile, in November 2023, Maxeon also sued Chinese competitor Aiko Solar Energy, as well as wholesaler Memedo GmbH, for alleged patent infringement regarding a specific design related to the architecture of back contact solar cells. In May 2025, a Dutch court rejected Maxeon’s request for a preliminary injunction, and in December 2025, Maxeon expanded the legal action to Aiko and its distributors in Germany.
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Germany registered 1.828 GW of new solar PV capacity in July 2026, up from 1.36 GW in June
Ground-mounted projects led July additions with 917.7 MW, followed by 628.5 MW of rooftop solar
Germany’s cumulative solar PV capacity reached 127.38 GW by the end of July, says Federal Network Agency
Germany’s new solar PV installations in July 2026 hit the highest monthly additions this year, with the Federal Network Agency reporting 1.828 GW additions to its Market Master Data Register.
This capacity was an increase over the 1.36 GW the agency registered for June 2026 and well above the 1.59 GW reported for July 2025. The agency had previously pegged June registrations at 1.27 GW (see Germany Solar Additions Rise 9% In H1 2026).
A large part of the July 2026 additions came from ground-mounted solar projects with 917.7 MW capacity spread across 246 parks. Rooftop solar projects added 628.5 MW, while plug-in solar contributed 62 MW to the monthly total.
Together, these capacity additions total 9.38 GW between January and July this year, comprising 5.12 GW of ground-mounted, 4.02 GW of rooftop solar, and 346.5 MW of plug-in solar, also referred to as balcony solar.
At the end of the reporting period, the Federal Network Agency says Germany’s cumulative installed solar PV capacity reached 127.38 GW.
The country’s renewable energy industry is set for a change as the government has proposed replacing permanent feed-in tariffs with direct marketing for new renewable energy projects under the amended Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) (see German Cabinet Backs Ending FITs For New Rooftop Solar Under EEG).
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For decades, India’s weather has been viewed through the lens of extremes. Scorching summers, prolonged dry periods, intense sunlight and monsoons have shaped agriculture, infrastructure and urban planning. But in the clean-energy era, these conditions also give India one of the world’s strongest natural foundations for solar power.
Most parts of the country receive around 4 to 7 kWh of solar radiation per square metre each day, with 250 to 300 days of clear, sunny weather annually. Rajasthan and Gujarat combine strong irradiation with large arid areas suited to utility-scale projects, while southern and coastal states offer substantial year-round generation potential.
India’s climate also provides a valuable testing ground. Desert installations must withstand heat, dust and water scarcity, while coastal systems face humidity, salt mist, heavy rainfall and corrosion. Technologies designed for these conditions can improve domestic performance and create export opportunities across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
This natural advantage is already translating into scale. India’s installed solar capacity reached approximately 162.15 GW by 30 June 2026, placing it among the world’s largest solar markets. The next challenge is to convert this generation potential into industrial strength by developing the technologies, components and manufacturing capabilities behind every project.
Every gigawatt installed requires modules, cells, wafers, glass, aluminium frames, inverters, mounting structures, batteries, software and engineering expertise. India has begun building this ecosystem through domestic manufacturing policies, the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers framework and the INR 24,000 crore Production Linked Incentive programme. The task now is to turn abundant sunshine into a manufacturing industry that is resilient at home and competitive globally.
The next phase requires focus on five strategic priorities.
India’s manufacturing expansion remains concentrated at the module level. By March 2026, around 172 GW of module capacity had been enlisted under ALMM List I, compared with 27 GW of cell capacity under List II. Expanding domestic production across polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells and critical materials will strengthen supply security, increase domestic value creation and reduce exposure to external disruptions.
Panels operating in deserts, coastal regions and tropical environments must withstand heat, dust, humidity, salt mist and heavy rainfall. Since soiling accounts for an estimated 4 to 7 per cent of global photovoltaic energy losses, India can lead in high-temperature modules, corrosion-resistant components, water-efficient cleaning systems and predictive-maintenance technologies. Products proven in Indian conditions could serve other hot and climate-stressed markets.
Global competitiveness will depend on innovation, manufacturing yield and product performance. Investment is needed in advanced cell technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence-enabled quality control, material science, recycling and digital monitoring. Factory announcements signal ambition, while research capability, utilisation rates and technology ownership determine lasting industrial strength.
Recent disruptions have exposed the risks of concentrated global supply chains. China still accounts for around 85 per cent of global solar manufacturing capacity and approximately 95 per cent of wafer capacity. India therefore needs stronger domestic supplier networks, diversified sourcing, integrated logistics and reliable access to critical materials. For global buyers, supply certainty is becoming as important as price.
Global customers increasingly evaluate lifetime performance, traceability, sustainability, certification and after-sales support. Indian manufacturers can position themselves as trusted long-term partners through consistent quality, credible warranties and transparent production standards. The industry’s reputation will ultimately rest on how its products perform across thousands of projects and markets.
India’s solar ambitions have often been framed around self-reliance, but the larger opportunity lies in becoming a preferred manufacturing hub for Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. This will require companies that compete through engineering, reliability and technological differentiation, supported by policies that reward production, domestic value addition and export performance.
India begins this race with an advantage that cannot be manufactured or imported: its climate. Sunshine creates the resource, domestic electricity demand creates the market and policy support is beginning to build the supply chain. The next step is to deepen capabilities across research, manufacturing, storage, power electronics and grid technologies.
The future of Indian solar will be determined by the value created beneath the panels as much as by the electricity they generate. If India can build products for demanding climates, strengthen its upstream supply chain and establish a global reputation for quality, its weather can become the foundation of a major industrial transformation.
India’s greatest renewable resource will then extend beyond the sunlight falling on its land. It will include the technologies, businesses and skills developed under Indian skies, creating an industry that supports domestic growth, earns global trust and contributes meaningfully to the world’s energy transition.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Energy, Government of Sri Lanka, along with a delegation, recently visited JAKSON Group’s solar module manufacturing facility in Greater Noida, India, to assess the company’s renewable energy manufacturing capabilities and explore potential areas of cooperation in clean energy.
The minister and his delegation toured JAKSON’s 1.2 GW fully automated solar module manufacturing facility, which produces high-efficiency p-type and n-type TOPCon modules. The delegation was also briefed on JAKSON’s broader clean energy capabilities, including electrolyser manufacturing and green energy solutions.
“JAKSON has developed strong capabilities in renewable energy and green technologies, both in India and across international markets. Sri Lanka can learn from this experience, and we look forward to exploring opportunities for cooperation with the company,” said Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Energy, Sri Lanka.
Sundeep Gupta, vice chairman, JAKSON Group, said, “It is an honour to host the honourable minister. The visit reflects the growing focus on a sustainable energy future, and we look forward to exploring areas where JAKSON’s experience and capabilities can support meaningful cooperation.”
Discussions with JAKSON’s leadership focused on the company’s experience in renewable energy and emerging clean energy technologies. The visit also highlighted opportunities for greater industry and technology engagement and continued dialogue in areas of mutual interest.
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India installed a record 27 GW of solar capacity in the first half 2026, up 50% year over year from the 18 GW added in H1 2025, according to Mercom India Research’s Q2 and H1 2026 India Solar Market Update. Solar accounted for 76% of the 36 GW of new power capacity added during the period.
According to the report, solar project commissioning in H1 2026 was driven by rising clean energy demand and developers accelerating project completion ahead of key policy changes. Many developers moved projects forward before the June 1 implementation of ALMM List-II for solar cells and the scheduled reduction in the ISTS charge waiver from 75% to 50% in July 2026.
Of the 27 GW added in H1 2026, 12 GW of solar capacity was installed in the second quarter of 2026, making it the second-highest quarterly addition on record, after the 15 GW installed in Q1 2026.
Large-scale projects accounted for 68%, or 8 GW, of all solar installations during Q2 2026, down 20% year-on-year from 10 GW in Q2 2025. Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra led utility-scale solar additions in Q2 2026, accounting for 40%, 19%, and 17% of installations, respectively.
“India added record solar capacity in the first half of 2026, supported by strong demand and projects commissioning ahead of key policy changes. The concern now is whether this pace can continue,” said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. “Utility-scale project commissioning is being slowed mainly by limited transmission availability and domestic cell shortages. Several projects are reaching completion but are unable to connect to the grid because evacuation infrastructure is not ready. ALMM List-II has added pressure on domestic cell supply, especially TOPCon, affecting timely procurement and project planning. India’s large project pipeline will not translate into commissioned capacity at current forecasted levels unless these major bottlenecks are addressed.”
As of June 2026, India’s cumulative installed solar capacity had reached 165 GW. Large-scale solar projects represented 83% of the installed capacity, while rooftop solar accounted for the remaining 17%. Solar photovoltaics comprised 30% of India’s total installed power capacity and 57% of its installed renewable energy capacity.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka continued to lead the country in cumulative utility-scale solar capacity, accounting for 31%, 22%, and 11% of total installations, respectively.
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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
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Ascent Solar plans testing of thin-film solar tech beyond LEO By Investing.com Investing.com Canada
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NTPC, India’s largest power utility, continues to expand its renewable energy footprint by integrating solar power into its existing thermal power station infrastructure. The latest development involves the procurement of solar modules for a 10 MW solar project situated at the Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station in the Peddapalli district of Telangana. This initiative aligns with the company’s broader strategy to diversify its energy mix and reduce the carbon intensity of its operations across the country.
The tender, issued by NTPC, specifically requests the supply of 1,300 kWp of solar modules. While the total project capacity is 10 MW, this specific procurement phase focuses on the module component essential for the project’s energy generation. Interested bidders are required to adhere to the technical specifications and quality standards mandated by NTPC for its utility-scale installations. The final date for the submission of bids has been set for September 4, 2026. Prospective suppliers must ensure that their proposals are compliant with the technical requirements to participate in the competitive bidding process.
For EPC contractors and solar developers operating in the Indian market, this tender represents a targeted opportunity to engage with one of the most reliable counterparties in the sector. NTPC projects are known for their rigorous procurement standards, and securing a supply contract with the utility can enhance a vendor’s credentials for future large-scale renewable energy tenders. Developers should monitor the technical specifications closely, as module efficiency and degradation warranties remain critical factors in the long-term performance of solar assets.
Following the bid submission deadline on September 4, 2026, NTPC will proceed with the technical and financial evaluation of the proposals. Successful bidders will be expected to manage the logistics and delivery of the modules to the Ramagundam site to meet the project’s commissioning timelines. As India continues to scale its renewable energy sector, such modular tenders are vital for maintaining the momentum of the country’s 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030. The integration of solar capacity within existing thermal power hubs remains a strategic priority for NTPC as it transitions toward a more sustainable energy portfolio.
Below is the summary of the tender issued by NTPC for the Ramagundam solar project.
Aditya Pathre is the Founder of MVApulse and covers India’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, renewable energy policy and competitive bidding. His reporting focuses on project developments, market trends, government policies and energy transition across India.
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Australian researchers have uncovered a new way to improve a promising next-generation solar cell material.
Engineers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have harnessed the fundamental skills of bakers to ensure next-generation environmentally friendly solar-cell materials form with fewer tiny defects.
The discovery allows the cells to convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently than before and could provide a blueprint for improving a wide range of advanced semiconductor materials.
The trick is to imagine baking a cake.
Related article: Father of modern solar looks to new tech frontier
Although every ingredient is carefully measured and mixed together, sometimes as the cake bakes the butter can pool in one corner, the cinnamon is stronger in one section, and the fruit sinks to the bottom.
So, even though the ingredients were all correct and the recipe was followed, the final cake is far from perfect.
According to researchers from UNSW, something remarkably similar happens when manufacturing one of the world’s most promising solar cell materials.
“The cake analogy is really apt because that’s exactly what we are doing,” says Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao from UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering.
“With a cake you mix all the different ingredients and put it into the oven. We do a similar thing with solar cell material, except it goes into a furnace.”
In research published in Nature Energy, Scientia Prof. Hao and colleagues have shown that it isn’t simply the ingredients that matter—it is keeping them evenly distributed throughout the earliest stages of manufacturing.
By preventing those ingredients from drifting apart, the team dramatically reduced tiny defects inside the material that limit how efficiently it converts sunlight into electricity.
The findings establish a new design principle that could not only improve this particular solar technology, but also influence the development of many other advanced semiconductor materials.
Most of today’s solar panels are made from silicon, a technology that has become remarkably efficient over decades of development. But researchers around the world are already searching for ways to push solar performance even further.
One of the most promising approaches is the tandem solar cell, which combines two different semiconductor materials so each captures different parts of the solar spectrum.
Scientia Prof. Hao’s team, including Dr Ao Wang and Dr Kaiwen Sun, is studying a material known as CZTS made from copper, zinc, tin, and sulphur.
Unlike some competing semiconductor materials, its ingredients are abundant and comparatively environmentally friendly, making it an attractive candidate for future tandem solar cells.
The challenge has been that, despite its promise, CZTS has stubbornly resisted attempts to reach the efficiencies needed for commercial adoption.
The culprit is tiny defects that form as the material is manufactured.
Scientia Prof. Hao says many researchers have traditionally focused on ensuring they started with the correct combination of ingredients.
“A lot of people think once you have the right amount of ingredients for the cake, then everything will be fine,” she says.
“But sometimes that’s not the case. You need to keep the ingredients uniformly distributed from the very beginning and throughout the cooking process.
“The journey matters just as much as the destination. That’s the major design principle we’ve implemented in this research to discover why CZTS can have the imperfections.”
Rather than concentrating on whether the ingredients of the solar cell material were wrong and needed to be amended, the team investigated what happens during the first moments of the high-temperature manufacturing process.
They discovered that one element in particular, the copper, was prone to moving away from where it was needed. That seemingly small change triggered the formation of unwanted impurities and tiny structural defects that prevented the material from performing at its best.
The UNSW team then found that strengthening the copper-sulphur bonding during the initial thermal reaction significantly reduced defect formation and enabled the material to achieve record voltage performance for this class of CZTS solar cell.
Although the defects in CZTS are incredibly small, many no larger than individual atoms, their impact on solar-cell performance is enormous.
“When one ingredient drifts away, it forms another phase, which is technically another material. So when the crystal grows, you end up with impurities and tiny imperfections inside it,” Professor Hao explains.
“It also causes disorder inside the crystal. Those point defects can trap the photo-generated carriers, and that causes the low efficiency of solar cells.
“Voltage is a direct measure of the energy loss inside the solar cells. Every detrimental defect reduces the voltage. Defect control determines the final efficiency and how much energy can be converted from sunlight.”
Using their new manufacturing strategy, the team achieved a certified efficiency of 12.4%.
While that efficiency remains below commercial silicon solar cells, researchers say the result is significant because it addresses one of the technology’s longest-standing scientific challenges.
The researchers believe the most important outcome is not simply a better CZTS solar cell.
Instead, they say the work establishes a broader design strategy that could help improve many different semiconductor materials used in future solar technologies.
Co-author Dr Ao Wang says researchers have often assumed that if the starting ingredients are correct, the heating process will naturally produce the desired material.
“Most people focus on getting the right recipe and think the thermal process is a black box. They assume that once the ingredients are mixed well then the cake, or in this case the solar cell, will naturally come out as intended,” he says.
“But this is not the case. If the butter starts separating in the first few minutes of baking, even a perfect recipe won’t produce a perfect cake.”
That seemingly simple idea could have implications well beyond CZTS.
Many advanced semiconductor materials consist of several different chemical elements, making them susceptible to similar problems during manufacturing.
Scientia Prof. Hao believes understanding, and then controlling, how those ingredients behave during the earliest stages of fabrication could become an important design principle across the field.
Related article: Research shows solar cells can self-repair using sunlight
“The defect control strategy we’ve developed is going to be really useful for designing and optimising other compound semiconductors,” she says.
“I hope our defect control technology and principle can really be used by other people who are designing more top-cell candidates for tandem solar cells.
“The design principle isn’t only about this material. It’s about not only looking at the final recipe, we need to design from when we’re mixing the ingredients and keep them uniformly distributed. The ingredients may change from one semiconductor to another, but the design principle is the same.”
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Australia is leading the world in rooftop solar and now in home battery installations as well, thanks to a government subsidy scheme. #rooftopsolar #homebattery #renewables #cleanenergy #batterystorage
A new report has found that electrifying 10% of Australia’s public hospitals each year from 2027 until 2036 would save $59 million per year in energy bills. #electrification #hospitals #energytransition #renewables
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A 40-year consent is sought. Credit: planning documents
Land east of Low Maidendale Farm in Hurworth Moor is the subject of Elgin Energy’s proposals for a 38MW facility, potentially powering 16,400 homes a year.
Now validated on Darlington Councils planning portal, the proposals come from a project team including Graham + Sibbald, Aitchison Raffety, MEC, Blue Willow Heritage, and Arthian.
Graham + Sibbald’s planning statement described Elgin Energy as a “leading international renewable energy company that manages all stages of project delivery, from site origination and development through to construction”.
G+S added: “The development will deliver a clean, renewable, and sustainable source of electricity, making a meaningful contribution to local energy generation.
“The proposal will contribute to regional and national renewable energy targets, strengthen energy security, and support the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
As is standard procedure for such applications, a 40-year consent is sought, after which time the solar panels and associated infrastructure would be decommissioned and removed, and the land made good.
The site, accessible from the A66, is around a mile south-east of Darlington. Burma Road lies to the west, two-thirds of a mile from the site boundary. The land is described in the planning statement as moderate quality arable land.
Want to know more? Head to Darlington Council’s planning portal, with the reference 25/01330/FUL.
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Plans for a 155-acre solar farm and battery storage facility at Hare Hill Farm, near Haswell Plough in County Durham, can now proceed.
Funding of up to £30m is being lined up to accelerate clean energy innovation and industrial resilience across the regions, as part of the government’s wider £86bn R&D settlement through to 2030.
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Australia’s Electric Car Discount is proving especially popular in the outer suburbs, with new data showing households in areas with high levels of rooftop solar dominating uptake of the federal EV tax incentive.
But the figures also highlight an emerging divide in Australia’s transition to electric cars, with people who own or have access to a home where they can install solar and charge an EV appearing particularly well placed to take advantage of the financial benefits.
New data from the National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association (NALSPA) shows outer-suburban and growth-area postcodes dominated the top 10 locations for battery-electric vehicles acquired through novated leasing and the Electric Car Discount during the second quarter of 2026.
READ MORE: EV drivers take a bow: Emissions are falling and the government says you’re largely responsible
READ MORE: Unplugged! EV buying incentives to be reduced as sales spiral. Not everyone is happy
READ MORE: Revealed: The most popular postcodes for buying EVs
Every postcode in the top 10 also had a higher rooftop solar penetration rate than the average for its state or territory.
Melbourne’s fast-growing western suburbs led the country, with postcode 3029, including Tarneit, recording the highest BEV uptake through novated leasing and the tax discount.
Werribee’s 3030 was second, followed by Kellyville in Sydney’s north-west and Marsden Park in western Sydney.
The ACT’s Coombs ranked fifth, followed by Clyde North in Melbourne, Springfield Lakes in Queensland, Craigieburn and Cranbourne in Melbourne and Baulkham Hills in Sydney.
Victoria was particularly prominent, accounting for five of the national top 10 postcodes.
The data reinforces a trend identified by NALSPA earlier this year, when its full-year 2025 figures also showed Tarneit and Werribee leading EV uptake through novated leasing.
But the latest numbers add another dimension by linking the areas of strongest uptake with rooftop solar.
Solar PV penetration in the leading postcode of Tarneit is 49 per cent, compared with a Victorian average of 32 per cent. It reaches 59 per cent in fourth-ranked Marsden Park, compared with a NSW average of 40 per cent.
Springfield Lakes records 57 per cent solar penetration compared with Queensland’s already-high 55 per cent average.
The national average is 41 per cent.
That makes the economics of an EV potentially more attractive for households able to charge at home using their own solar generation, particularly when combined with the tax savings available through an eligible novated lease.
It also exposes one of the challenges of Australia’s EV transition.
Renters, apartment dwellers and households without off-street parking or rooftop solar have fewer opportunities to combine the Electric Car Discount with cheap home-generated electricity.
The figures therefore suggest the financial equation can be particularly attractive for working households with access to a salary-packaged vehicle, a driveway or garage and rooftop solar – circumstances more commonly associated with established homeowners than renters.
NALSPA chief executive Rohan Martin said the results demonstrated that outer-suburban families were increasingly doing the sums on electric cars.
“Working Australians and their families living in the outer suburbs where rooftop solar is widespread are making the switch to EVs in record numbers and they’re turning to the Electric Car Discount to help make it a reality,” Martin said.
“During the second quarter of 2026, the federal government’s Electric Car Discount was most popular with everyday working Australians living in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
“If you live in the outer suburbs and have rooftop solar, it makes financial sense in the midst of unprecedented cost-of-living pressures to have an EV in your driveway too.”
There is also a political dimension to the geographic spread.
Outer-metropolitan growth corridors are important electoral battlegrounds, making the concentration of Electric Car Discount recipients outside traditional inner-city EV strongholds noteworthy as the Federal Government promotes the policy as a cost-of-living measure rather than simply an environmental incentive.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has previously highlighted the strong uptake of the discount outside Australia’s inner cities.
The Electric Car Discount provides a Fringe Benefits Tax concession for eligible EVs provided by employers, including vehicles acquired through salary-sacrifice and novated leasing arrangements.
Introduced in 2022, it has become an important component of Australia’s EV market and was the subject of a statutory government review this year.
The Federal Government subsequently announced the full FBT exemption would remain until March 31, 2027 before being progressively wound back.
From April 1, 2027, the full discount will apply to eligible EVs costing $75,000 or less, while vehicles above $75,000 but below the relevant luxury car tax threshold receive reduced assistance.
From April 2029, eligible EVs below the luxury car tax threshold will receive a 25 per cent discount on payable FBT.
The government estimates the changes will save the federal budget $1.7 billion over five years.
NALSPA had campaigned strongly against reducing the incentive, arguing the discount has played a significant role in Australia’s accelerating EV adoption.
Martin said the latest data showed the policy remained important for households trying to reduce transport costs.
“Together, rooftop solar, home batteries and the Electric Car Discount are giving working families greater control over two of their largest household expenses – energy and transport,” he said.
“EVs are becoming more affordable thanks to government policies and a range of new models released to the market. But they still command a price premium compared with a petrol equivalent, and this remains a major hurdle for Australians to switch to cheaper-to-run zero emissions vehicles.”
Source: NALSPA; solar data Australian PV Institute
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Coal generation ramps up after sunset to meet evening demand.
India’s solar growth has cut midday fossil generation, but output has risen after sunset, according to Ember.
A report published on 12 August said that fossil generation in India averaged 125 gigawatts (GW) at 1 p.m. in the first half (H1) of 2026, down from 135 GW at the same hour in H1 2023.
Fossil generation during non-sunny hours, however, averaged 168 GW in H1 2026, up 22GW from H1 2023. Generation peaked at 174 GW at 7 p.m., leaving a gap of almost 50 GW between the midday low and evening peak.
The report added that solar supplied 10% of global electricity in H1 2026, up from 8.9% in H1 2025 and 5.6% in H1 2023. Global solar generation also doubled from 769 terawatt-hours (TWh) in H1 2023 to 1,564 TWh in H1 2026.
“Cheap daytime solar has become the most powerful transformative force reshaping power grids globally, growing faster than any other source of electricity,” said Kostantsa Rangelova, Global Electricity Analyst at Ember.
Solar met more than 25% of global electricity demand between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the average day in H1 2026, but fell to near zero between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Ember said India and the EU face a common challenge: insufficient storage to carry solar generation past sunset, leaving non-sunny hours dominated by fossil power.
India’s solar growth has also increased pressure on the power system during periods of high solar output. On sunny days, coal generation can reach its technical minimum, forcing wind and solar curtailment to keep coal plants online at midday.
Ember said batteries could shift 34% of new daily solar generation into non-sunny hours in 2026, based on expected battery additions of 459 gigawatt-hours and solar growth in H1 2026.
The report said the figure represents a theoretical ceiling because not all batteries shift solar generation and some remain underused.
“Better market design and optimisation are needed to ensure batteries are used to their full potential,” Ember said.
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August 18, 2026
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Recurrent Energy, a developer, owner, and operator of solar and energy storage assets, has secured $695 million in project financing and tax equity for its 330 MW Cobalt Solar project in California.
Located approximately 20 miles west of Blythe, California, in Riverside County, the project is currently under construction and is expected to reach commercial operation by the end of 2027. Blattner Energy has been appointed as the engineering, procurement, and construction provider for the project.
The financing comprises approximately $484 million in debt and a $211 million tax equity investment from Wells Fargo. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Nord/LB led the debt financing.
The debt package includes construction and term loans, a tax equity bridge loan, and a letter of credit facility.
“We are thrilled to close the project financing and ramp up construction of Cobalt Solar. This project represents a significant addition to the U.S. energy landscape and will contribute meaningfully to meeting the country’s growing electricity demand. We appreciate the continued support and collaboration of MUFG, Nord/LB, and Wells Fargo in bringing this initiative forward,” said Dylan Marx, CEO of Recurrent Energy.
According to Recurrent Energy, Cobalt Solar is expected to generate approximately $14 million in property tax revenue for Riverside County. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to supply the equivalent of approximately 82,000 homes annually.
Announced large-scale solar project funding increased by 71% in the first half of 2026 compared with the funding raised in the same period in 2025, according to Mercom’s recently released 1H and Q2 2026 Solar Funding and M&A report. Top of Form
Recently, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, through its Growth Markets Fund II, has reached financial close for the La Esperanza Solar project in Mexico. Located in Campeche, Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, the project will comprise 420 MW of solar capacity and a 150 MW/750 MWh battery energy storage system.
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The project comes as India continues to strengthen its domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem.
Agastya Green Energy Limited, part of the Anubhav Agarwal Group, has announced an investment of approximately ₹7,800 crore to establish integrated 12 GW ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity at the Orvakal Industrial Area in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
The expansion will add 12 GW each of ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity to Agastya Energy’s existing solar cell and module manufacturing capabilities. The company said the project will increase domestic value addition and strengthen its position across the solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing value chain.
The project was formally launched with a ceremony marking the beginning of the next phase of Agastya Energy’s expansion. The company expects the project to create more than 3,500 employment opportunities and contribute to its plans to build an integrated and globally competitive solar PV manufacturing platform in India.
Anubhav Agarwal, Chairman, Anubhav Agarwal Group, said the investment reflects the group’s long-term confidence in India’s energy transition and its commitment to developing large-scale domestic manufacturing capabilities. He said strengthening local manufacturing would help reduce import dependence and build a more resilient energy ecosystem.
Piyush Bichhoriya, Director, Agastya Energy, said the ingot and wafer facility would serve as a critical upstream component of the company’s integrated solar manufacturing strategy. The new capacity will complement its existing cell and module manufacturing operations and create greater integration across manufacturing, independent power producer (IPP) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) activities.
Bernhard Rack, CEO, Agastya Energy, said the expansion would strengthen the company’s capabilities across ingots, wafers, cells and modules amid growing demand for resilient and scalable solar manufacturing. He added that the project would support India’s ambition to become a major hub for clean-energy manufacturing.
The integrated facility will bring together ingot, wafer, cell and module manufacturing, enabling greater domestic value addition and manufacturing efficiencies across upstream and downstream segments of the PV value chain.
The project comes as India continues to strengthen its domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is progressively strengthening the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework, including ALMM List III covering solar PV modules, cells and wafers.
Agastya Energy said the project aligns with the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives and will contribute to India’s renewable energy ambitions, energy security and efforts to develop a competitive domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem.
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A coastal site may offer plenty of daylight, but it can also subject solar equipment to salt spray, humidity, and corrosion.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Hawaii is often treated as an ideal place for solar, thanks to its sun-soaked climate and panel-friendly rooftops. But a striking retrofit at a waterfront property showed that even a prime location for solar can come with an expensive downside.
In a Reddit thread, the original poster showed older panels being removed from a seaside installation and summed up the project this way: “Doing a retro-fit and pulling these beautiful Sunpower 308 panels of and replacing them with some unknown brand.”
The project discussed in Reddit‘s r/solar community involved a commercial installation for a waterfront hotel with roughly 200 panels, according to the community. Users in the comments noted the array was likely around 10 to 12 years old.
A user joked, “Bro, I bet that install was a breeze! Haha love the ocean view.”
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Even so, strong sunshine alone does not guarantee the longest possible lifespan for solar panels, especially when a system is positioned directly beside the ocean.
Going solar remains one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Free tools from EnergySage can help you get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Location can matter to long-term performance just as much as the amount of sun a system receives. A coastal site may offer plenty of daylight, but it can also subject solar equipment to salt spray, humidity, and corrosion that wear parts down more quickly.
Because solar is typically installed with long-term savings in mind, early major repairs or replacements can reduce the financial benefits that made the system attractive in the first place.
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When corrosion risk is high, installers and property owners may face more difficult calls about whether older panels can continue operating safely and efficiently.
Buyers in coastal areas can ask installers directly about corrosion resistance, panel durability, hardware choices, and warranty terms for salt-air environments. The cheapest option upfront is not always the best value when local conditions are especially harsh.
A separate benefit of solar shopping tools is that they make it easier to compare those details side by side. With free tools from EnergySage, homeowners can curate competitive bids from local installers.
Those free services can make a major financial difference. EnergySage’s solar map is also available. Together, these resources can help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and go off-grid. Readers can also explore EnergySage’s free tools for information on home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
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Alpex Solar Reports 32% Revenue Growth in Q1 FY27 as Solar Cell Manufacturing Facility Nears Production SolarQuarter
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The world surpassed 3 TW of installed solar capacity, marking another milestone in the rapid expansion of photovoltaic energy.
According to BloombergNEF (BNEF), it took about 10 years for global solar capacity to rise from 100 GW in 2012 to 1 TW. The second terawatt was added in less than three years, while the third came less than two years later. The exact date of the 3 TW milestone varies, however, depending on the methodology and database used by analysts.
The pace of expansion is expected to accelerate further. BNEF projects that global solar capacity will exceed 9 TW by 2036, putting the latest milestone into perspective against the growth expected over the next decade.
The geography of solar expansion has shifted significantly during this period. According to Bloomberg, developed countries accounted for most of the first terawatt, supported by incentive programs designed to accelerate solar adoption.
China emerged as the main driver of growth during the second and third terawatts. The country combined rapid deployment of solar capacity with large-scale manufacturing, helping to reduce technology costs and support adoption in other markets.
Solar expansion is also reaching countries that previously accounted for only a small share of the global market. Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines have recorded strong growth, particularly in rooftop solar. Smaller markets, including Cuba and Lebanon, have also experienced rapid expansion.
As a result, the number of countries with significant solar markets has increased. According to BNEF, 74 countries had at least 1 GW of installed solar capacity in 2025, up from 42 in 2020.
Despite broader adoption, solar deployment remains concentrated in a relatively small number of markets. The share of poorer countries in new solar installations has remained virtually unchanged since 2020, while China has consolidated its position as the primary driver of global growth.
BNEF expects this trend to change in the coming years. Its projections indicate that the share of developing countries in new installations will begin to increase from 2026. By 2036, more than a quarter of global installed solar capacity is expected to be located in developing countries, while the share held by wealthy countries is projected to fall to around 20%.
The rapid growth in installed capacity is creating new challenges for power systems. In China, solar deployment has outpaced the expansion of infrastructure needed to transmit and store electricity.
As a result, the country is experiencing rising levels of curtailment, with some solar generation being reduced during periods of high output. A slowdown in new Chinese installations is expected as the country shifts its focus toward integrating renewable generation and expanding the capacity needed to consume it.
Energy storage is becoming increasingly important in this transition. Lithium-ion batteries can absorb excess electricity during periods of peak solar generation and discharge it later, including after sunset.
According to BNEF, energy storage capacity will be a decisive factor in the next phase of solar expansion. Without sufficient storage, fully utilizing additional solar capacity will become increasingly difficult.
The 3 TW milestone shows that solar has moved beyond niche technology status and become a central component of global power-capacity expansion. The challenge in the next phase, however, will be different.
As photovoltaic generation continues to grow, transmission, storage, and demand flexibility will become increasingly important alongside the deployment of new modules. The ability to use solar electricity at the right time and in the right place will be crucial to turning growth in installed capacity into effectively utilized generation.
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AES Andes officially inaugurated the Andes Solar Hub, a photovoltaic generation and battery storage complex located in the Atacama Desert with a combined capacity of 692 MW of solar power and 510 MW of storage. The ceremony took place on August 13 and marks the culmination of a process that began a decade ago with the commissioning of Andes Solar I.
The inauguration does not imply the addition of new capacity to the National Electric System (SEN). The current configuration of the complex was completed in April with the start of commercial operation of Andes Solar III, a 171 MW photovoltaic hybrid plant accompanied by a 171 MW BESS system with a three-hour lifespan, equivalent to 513 MWh. With this addition, AES Andes reported that the Hub reached its current capacity of 692 MW of photovoltaics and 510 MW of storage.
Andes Solar III began commercial operation in April of this year. Technical data available from the National Electric Coordinator indicates a nominal power of 171 MW for the photovoltaic plant and 171.3 MW / 513 MWh for the battery system.
The Hub is located in the Antofagasta region, at approximately 2,800 meters above sea level, and its development has accumulated an investment of over US$1.3 billion. The complex is also linked to the Andes Substation, a transmission node in the north of the country connected to InterAndes, the electrical interconnection between Chile and Argentina.
One of the details now provided by the Ministry of National Assets is that the facilities occupy 1,181 hectares of state-owned land, granted through six lucrative concessions. The Minister of National Assets, Catalina Parot, participated in the inauguration and highlighted the use of state assets to enable investments in energy infrastructure.
The development of the Hub has been carried out in stages. In July 2023, Andes Solar IIb, a 180 MW photovoltaic plant, began operations, along with a 112 MW, five-hour lithium-ion battery storage system supplied by Fluence. The facility also includes 10 MW of Maverick technology , developed by the Australian company 5B using prefabricated modular photovoltaic structures. Testing of this technology at Andes Solar was reported in 2020.
In October 2024, Andes Solar IV, with approximately 211 MW of photovoltaic capacity, was added, along with a 130 MW / 650 MWh BESS (battery energy storage system). According to documentation from the National Electric Coordinator, the plant is composed of 388,584 Longi modules of 540 Wp and 545 Wp and 54 GPTech inverters.
The last expansion was Andes Solar III, mentioned earlier.
The Ministry of National Assets indicates that there are currently 243 active concessions in Chile, 97.5% of which are concentrated in the northern macrozone. 65% of the revenue generated through these concessions is transferred to regional governments.
According to the same ministry, Chile has 27,100 MW of installed renewable capacity, of which 9,595 MW are located on state-owned land. The ministry also plans to auction approximately 32 new state-owned properties in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions for investment projects, with the bidding process originally scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.
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Middle East Weekly: Türkiye-Saudi Partnership Reaches 5 GW, Scatec’s 1.1 GW Obelisk Goes Live, Syria Signs 760 MW Solar Deals, NEOM Completes $8.5 Billion Hydrogen Plant, DEWA Posts AED 3.33 Billion Profit and More… SolarQuarter
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How household electricity use, smart tariffs and future plans can affect the amount of storage you need
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Adding a battery to your solar panel system means you can store electricity generated during the day and use it later, rather than immediately exporting it to the grid. But deciding how much storage you need isn’t as simple as matching a battery to the size of your solar array.
Your household electricity consumption, when you use that electricity and whether you have a smart time-of-use tariff can all affect the overall calculation. What’s more, you may also need to think about future changes, such as installing a heat pump or buying an EV.
Phil Steele, future technologies evangelist at Octopus Energy, says the way homeowners should think about battery sizing is changing.
“With time-of-use tariffs, it’s becoming more [about] sizing it to your home use rather than the size of the solar system,” he says.
Home battery capacity is normally measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Put simply, the higher the figure, the more electricity the battery can store.
That’s different from its power output, measured in kilowatts (kW), which determines how much electricity the battery can deliver at once. A battery may have enough stored energy to run several appliances over a period of time, for example, without necessarily being able to supply all of them simultaneously.
There isn’t one battery size that’s right for every home. The Energy Saving Trust says a typical home battery system might have around 10kWh of capacity, but stresses that there is no exact formula and an installer should assess your individual needs.
Your electricity bills or smart meter data are a good place to start because they can show how much power your household actually consumes.
Ofgem’s latest Typical Domestic Consumption Values, introduced in July 2026, put annual electricity use for a standard single-rate household at 1,600kWh for low consumption, 2,500kWh for medium consumption and 3,800kWh for high consumption. That’s equivalent to roughly 4.4kWh, 6.8kWh and 10.4kWh a day respectively.
As a rough starting point, that gives you the following comparison:
Household electricity use
Ofgem annual benchmark
Approx daily use
Battery size to consider*
Low
1,600kWh
4.4kWh
Around 5kWh
Medium
2,500kWh
6.8kWh
Around 5-10kWh
High
3,800kWh
10.4kWh
Around 10kWh or more
*These battery sizes are indicative starting points rather than Ofgem recommendations. The right capacity depends on your individual consumption, solar generation and tariff.
Octopus’s current range broadly reflects those capacities. Its 5kWh systems are aimed at small to medium-sized homes, while it offers 10kWh batteries for larger homes and higher electricity demand. It also offers the 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 for households with greater storage requirements.
However, your daily consumption shouldn’t simply be converted directly into battery capacity. The more important question is how much electricity you realistically want the battery to store and supply.
Traditionally, battery sizing focused heavily on solar generation. The goal was to store the electricity your panels produced during daylight hours so you could use it later in the evening. But Steele says smart tariffs have changed that calculation.
A few years ago, he explains, households were more likely to size batteries according to the amount of solar they could generate because there were fewer opportunities to charge cheaply from the grid.
Today, a time-of-use tariff can allow the battery to charge when grid electricity is inexpensive as well.
“There’s much more opportunity to charge the battery from cheap off-peak time-of-use tariffs,” Steele says. “So therefore, the battery size depends more on what you’re capable of consuming and what your solar system is doing. That’s a message that has changed in the last year or two.”
Energy Saving Trust gives similar guidance, stating that home batteries can work with solar panels, a smart time-of-use tariff or both. That means a battery can store surplus solar electricity during the day but also charge from the grid during cheaper periods and discharge when electricity costs more.
This all means that when you consume your energy is now particularly important.
A home that’s empty during the day but uses lots of power in the evening could benefit from storing more solar generation for later. Someone who works from home, meanwhile, may consume a larger proportion of their solar electricity directly as it’s generated and potentially need less battery capacity.
It’s also worth considering how your electricity use may change in the future. A heat pump will increase the amount of electricity your home consumes, so Steele says that’s something he would factor into battery sizing.
A battery can also potentially work particularly well alongside a heat pump and a smart tariff. It could, for example, charge during a cheaper electricity period before supplying some of the heat pump’s demand when prices are higher.
“I would size it around a heat pump and not a car,” he says. “There’s no need to oversize your home battery if you’re thinking of using it to charge your car.”
The reason, he explains, is the difference in scale. A home battery might store 10kWh or 20kWh, while an EV battery can be 70kWh, 80kWh or even 100kWh. Using 10kWh of stored household electricity to charge an EV would therefore only provide a relatively modest top-up.
“So generally the advice is use the home battery for your own home rather than as a way of storing energy to then charge the car,” Steele says.
Bi-directional charging could eventually alter that relationship by allowing compatible EVs to supply electricity back to a house or the grid, although this technology is not yet widely available.
Not necessarily. A larger battery gives you more storage, but you’re also paying for that extra capacity. If you rarely fill or empty it, some of your investment may not be working particularly hard.
Instead of starting with the biggest battery available, look at how much electricity you consume, when you consume it, how much surplus solar power you’re likely to generate and whether your tariff lets you charge cheaply from the grid.
Then think ahead. If a heat pump is part of your future plans, allowing for that increased electricity consumption could make sense.
The biggest change, though, is that choosing a battery is no longer necessarily about asking, “what size battery matches my solar panels?”
As Steele explains, household energy use is increasingly the more important part of the equation.
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Indonesia’s president has announced plans for the government to progressively expand solar power capacity to 100 GW, starting by developing 30 GW of solar power plants in 2026 while phasing out 13 GW of diesel power plants in 2026 (Antara News, 14/08/2026).
He highlighted Indonesia’s substantial solar energy potential, given the country’s near year-round exposure to sunlight. “It makes no sense for our remote islands to have to wait for ships to bring diesel fuel to generate electricity. The economic costs are simply too inefficient. With solar power plants, we can also build our energy independence” he added in its speech.
Based on calculations by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, this expansion could lower electricity generation costs by up to IDR73.9tn (USD4bn) per year. The large-scale deployment of solar energy is also expected to reduce fuel import requirements and generate foreign exchange savings.
Consistent with this solar development strategy, the Indonesian President further called for every village to be equipped with a 1 MW solar power plant.
According to our data, the solar and wind capacity are still limited, but solar PV is increasing at rapid pace, from 0.9 GW in 2024 to 1.5 GW in 2025. The country has a total power capacity of 99 GW, distributed as follows: coal 52%, gas 25%, hydroelectricity 8%, oil 8%, biomass 3%, and other renewables 4% (end of 2025). Its total renewable capacity reached 15.1 GW at the end of 2025 (Enerdata Global Energy Research).
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Agastya Green Energy Limited, a part of Anubhav Agarwal Group, announced its expansion into Integrated 12 GW Ingot and Wafer manufacturing at the Orvakal Industrial Area in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh with a project cost of approximately ₹7,800 crore. The expansion will complement the company’s existing solar cell and module manufacturing capabilities.
The project will establish 12 GW each of integrated ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity, strengthening Agastya Energy’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and enabling greater domestic value addition within India’s solar manufacturing sector. The Pooja marks the commencement of this next phase of growth, which is expected to generate 3,500+ employment opportunities and further Agastya Energy’s vision of building an integrated and globally competitive solar photovoltaic manufacturing platform in India.
Mr. Anubhav Agarwal, Chairman, AAG (Anubhav Agarwal Group), said, “At AAG, our focus is on building businesses that contribute meaningfully to India’s growth and advance our vision to empowering India’s journey towards energy security. Our ₹7,800 crore investment in Agastya Energy reflects our long-term conviction in India’s energy transition and our commitment to building globally competitive manufacturing capabilities at scale. We believe that strengthening domestic manufacturing will be critical to meeting India’s growing energy needs, reducing import dependence and creating a resilient energy ecosystem for the decades ahead.”
We are grateful to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for its continued support and commitment to fostering a conducive environment for large-scale manufacturing and renewable energy investments. We extend our sincere appreciation to Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Hon. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; Shri Nara Lokesh, Hon. Minister of Human Resources Development, Information Technology, Electronics & Communication, Real Time Governance of Andhra Pradesh; and Shri T. G. Bharath, Hon. Minister of Industries, Commerce and Food Processing. Their leadership, vision and encouragement have been instrumental in advancing industrial growth, strengthening investor confidence and enabling transformative projects that contribute to India’s clean energy future.
Mr. Piyush Bichhoriya, Director, Agastya Energy, said, “The expansion into Ingot and Wafer manufacturing marks a critical upstream pillar of Agastya Energy’s integrated solar manufacturing strategy, complementing our solar cell and module capabilities and strengthening our end-to-end PV value chain. It will deepen our presence across the solar ecosystem, drive greater domestic value addition, and create synergies across manufacturing, IPP and EPC. As we scale, our focus remains on efficient execution and building a future-ready platform to support India’s growing renewable energy needs. In many ways, this is our contribution to Powering the Age of India.”
Mr. Bernhard Rack, CEO, Agastya Energy, said, “The global energy transition is creating a strong need for resilient, scalable and globally competitive solar manufacturing. This expansion will strengthen Agastya Energy’s capabilities across ingots, wafers, cells and modules. It marks an important step towards establishing India as a leading hub for clean energy manufacturing.”
The integrated facility will bring together ingot, wafer, cell and module manufacturing, enabling greater domestic value addition, manufacturing efficiency and deeper integration across the upstream and downstream segments of the photovoltaic value chain. The project comes at a time when India continues to strengthen its solar manufacturing and renewable energy ecosystem, with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) progressively strengthening the ALMM framework, including ALMM List III, for solar PV modules, cells and wafers. In this context, the facility aligns with the Government of India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat priorities, while supporting the country’s broader ambitions for renewable energy, energy security and a globally competitive domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem.
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Genesis Energy has received fast-track approval to develop a 220 MW solar farm near Foxton, New Zealand. The project is expected to generate about 345 GWh of renewable electricity annually, enough to power approximately 47,000 homes. Genesis submitted the application in February 2026, with approval taking about 3.5 months after an independent expert panel was appointed. It is the 32nd project and eighth renewable energy project to receive Fast-track approval in New Zealand, according to the government, which is working to speed up processing and approval time for solar in the country (see New Zealand Targets ‘Simplest’ Solar Approvals In Developed World).
La Caisse-backed Edify Energy of Australia has reached financial close on its Ganymirra and Majors Creek solar and battery hybrid projects in Queensland. Located near Townsville in Woodstock, the projects will combine 360 MW of solar generation with 300 MW/1,200 MWh of battery storage capacity. The projects are backed by the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) and are Edify’s third and fourth projects to reach financial close under the scheme. They are expected to become operational in 2028 and generate enough electricity to power more than 100,000 homes. Edify said it achieved financial close on the projects across a syndicate of 14 domestic and international lenders. DT Infrastructure is the EPC contractor and CATL the battery supplier for the project, along with Powerlink, the network and connection works head contractor.
Australia’s largest aluminum smelter, Tomago Aluminium, will source 100% clean energy supply for its operations, underpinning nearly 3 GW of new renewable energy and firming capacity. With the governments of Australia and New South Wales (NSW) contributing a combined AUD 2.5 billion to ensure sustained operations, Tomago will enter into a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) covering electricity supply through 2038. The smelter will be supplied with 100% renewable electricity from 2033, when the current power contract with AGL expires on December 31, 2028. Tomago Aluminium will invest AUD 1.1 billion in the smelter through 2038, including AUD 100 million for decarbonization initiatives.
Rio Tinto, Tomago Aluminium’s largest shareholder, said the shift to fully renewable electricity is expected to cut the smelter’s Scope 1 and 2 operating emissions by 7.1 million tons a year. The agreement is also intended to provide long-term power certainty for the smelter while supporting the integration of more renewable energy into NSW’s electricity system. Tomago Aluminum is the biggest electricity user in NSW; hence, its shift to renewable energy will accelerate decarbonization of more than 10% of the state’s electricity grid.
Japanese real estate company Tokyu Land Corporation and energy solutions firm i-Grid Solutions have established a second fund, TLC VPP2 LLC, to expand their collaboration on rooftop solar on-site PPA projects in Japan. The duo is targeting 300 MW of cumulative development, with plans to invest about JPY 10 billion. The fund follows their first fund, established in November 2023. As of the end of June 2026, the companies had developed about 73 MW, progressing toward their initial target of 100 MW within three years. The new fund will receive rooftop solar projects developed and transferred by i-Grid. Tokyu Land said it aims to strengthen its ownership and operation of distributed solar projects to establish it as a new revenue stream. i-Grid had developed 1,410 solar power plants totaling about 357 MW as of the end of March 2026.
Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy has started commercial operations at its 150 MW AC Carwarp Energy Park near Mildura in Victoria, Australia. The utility-scale solar project is backed by a long-term PPA with Microsoft and is connected to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM). The project is equipped with approximately 243,000 TOPCon solar modules from Canadian Solar and is expected to generate around 405 GWh of renewable electricity annually, according to the developer. Recurrent Energy said that the Carwarp Energy Park has planning and grid approvals for a future 120-MW battery energy storage system (BESS), creating a pathway for hybrid solar-plus-storage operations.
Actis-backed Southeast Asian renewable energy platform Levanta Renewables has broken ground on its 166 MW Barotac Viejo solar PV project in the Visayas region of the Philippines. The project will be integrated with an 80 MWh BESS and is intended to support grid reliability while adding renewable power capacity. Levanta developed the project through its project company Magallanes Solar Energy Corp. Levanta previously awarded the EPC contract to China Energy Engineering Group. Once operational in Q2 2027, it is expected to generate close to 261 GWh of clean electricity annually.
Aquila Clean Energy APAC has started construction of Phase II of its first solar PV-fishery project in Tainan City, Taiwan. The second phase, with 14 MW capacity, will complement the 12.3 MW built under Phase I, which is currently under construction, bringing the project’s total capacity to 26.3 MW. The two phases are expected to generate more than 32 GWh of electricity annually, says Aquila. The project uses a solar PV-fishery model, allowing aquaculture ponds to continue being used for fish farming while solar power is generated above them. Solar panel installation for phase one is complete, with grid connection and energization expected in Q4 2026.
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The Indian renewable energy landscape is bracing for a significant shift as the December 31, 2026, deadline for Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II compliance approaches. Developers are currently accelerating project commissioning timelines to ensure their assets meet regulatory requirements, a move that is creating a ripple effect across the supply chain. This rush to procure components is tightening the availability of high-efficiency TOPCon modules and placing immense pressure on the already constrained domestic solar cell manufacturing sector.
Market analysts and industry executives indicate that the surge in demand is likely to trigger an upward trend in solar module prices. Simultaneously, regulatory developments continue to shape project execution. The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has recently permitted developers to execute 20.2 MW of projects under Component C-2 of the PM-KUSUM program through special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Furthermore, the Commission approved 14 power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 31 MW of solar projects under the feeder-level solarization program, with discovered tariffs ranging from ₹2.87 ($0.0301)/kWh to ₹2.99 ($0.0313)/kWh.
In the manufacturing sector, financial performance reflects the current market volatility. Saatvik Green Energy, a Haryana-based module manufacturer, reported a revenue of ₹5.11 billion (~$53.56 million) for Q1 of the financial year 2027, marking a 44.2% year-over-year decline compared to the ₹9.16 billion recorded in the same period last year.
For EPC contractors and solar developers, the current environment necessitates a proactive approach to procurement. The combination of ALMM-II compliance deadlines and limited domestic cell capacity suggests that project costs may rise in the coming months. Developers should factor in potential delays in module delivery and budget for higher capital expenditure. Securing supply chains early and diversifying procurement sources will be critical for maintaining project viability and meeting commissioning milestones.
As the industry moves toward the end of 2026, the focus will remain on how domestic manufacturers scale production to meet the ALMM-II requirements. The broader India renewable energy sector continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by consistent policy frameworks like PM-KUSUM and competitive tariff discovery. Stakeholders must remain vigilant regarding supply chain bottlenecks and regulatory updates that could influence project economics in the near term.
Aditya Pathre is the Founder of MVApulse and covers India’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, renewable energy policy and competitive bidding. His reporting focuses on project developments, market trends, government policies and energy transition across India.
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MVApulse is an independent publication covering India’s renewable energy sector including solar, wind, BESS, transmission, green hydrogen, EPC and power markets.
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Saatvik Solar is significantly scaling its manufacturing footprint in India with a major expansion of its integrated solar facility in Gopalpur, Odisha. The company has officially signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (IPICOL) to establish an additional 3.6 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity. This strategic move is designed to bolster India’s domestic solar value chain and meet the surging demand for locally manufactured solar components.
The new 3.6 GW capacity represents Phase II of the company’s Odisha project, with commercial production targeted for FY 2028. This expansion complements the ongoing Phase I development, which includes 2.4 GW of cell and 4 GW of module manufacturing capacity. Currently, the company has completed major construction and infrastructure works for Phase I, including the commissioning of a dedicated 220 kV substation. Manufacturing lines are in the final stages of installation and testing, with the company preparing for an ALMM-II inspection in September.
Once fully operational, the Gopalpur site will boast a total capacity of 6 GW of solar cells and 4 GW of modules. This is in addition to Saatvik Green Energy’s existing 4.8 GW module manufacturing facility located in Ambala, Haryana, further solidifying the company’s position as a major domestic player.
For EPC contractors and solar developers operating in India, the expansion of domestic manufacturing capacity is a critical development. Increased availability of domestically produced solar cells helps developers navigate trade barriers and supply chain volatility associated with imported modules. By scaling up to 6 GW of cell capacity, Saatvik Solar provides a reliable pipeline for developers looking to satisfy domestic content requirements (DCR) and ensure project timelines are met with high-quality, locally sourced components.
The immediate focus for Saatvik Solar is the successful ramp-up of its Phase I 2.4 GW cell line. The upcoming ALMM-II inspection will be a key milestone, determining the company’s ability to supply modules for government-tendered projects. As the company moves toward the Phase II expansion, the broader India renewable energy sector continues to benefit from such investments, which are essential for achieving the nation’s ambitious 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030.
Aditya Pathre is the Founder of MVApulse and covers India’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, renewable energy policy and competitive bidding. His reporting focuses on project developments, market trends, government policies and energy transition across India.
India’s Power Sector Intelligence Portal
MVApulse is an independent publication covering India’s renewable energy sector including solar, wind, BESS, transmission, green hydrogen, EPC and power markets.
Copyright © 2026 MVApulse. Powered by Swadi Innovative Technologies Pvt Ltd.
One heatwave follows another, with new temperature records being set across Europe. Forests are burning and rivers are drying up, even in temperate climate zones. What until recently sounded like dystopia from a mediocre science fiction novel has, this summer, become a bitter reality. Europe is feeling the consequences of climate change.
As a result, demand for air conditioning systems and heat pumps capable of providing cooling is rising sharply. This is driving up electricity demand among households, public buildings, and commercial and industrial consumers. High energy costs are a growing concern, particularly as conventional energy supplies based on coal, gas and nuclear power come under pressure globally because of high temperatures and ongoing crises.
The obvious response would be to accelerate the energy transition and make renewable power generation a top priority. Yet governments remain largely silent, offering short-term measures to mitigate the effects of climate change without addressing the bigger picture. Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising that demand for photovoltaic systems, while not declining, is not growing exponentially either. There are even indications that stagnant solar module sales are largely attributable to “pull-forward effects”: buyers in various regions anticipate a significant deterioration in investment and installation conditions next year, or possibly as early as the fourth quarter of this year.
Nevertheless, module prices have changed little, with some segments even seeing renewed declines. Production surpluses need to be cleared, putting pressure on market prices, particularly for modules intended for large rooftop systems and ground-mounted projects. In the index, these products are primarily represented by the “Mainstream” price category.
However, the basis for data collection had to be adjusted this month. Continued improvements in module efficiency meant that the previous 23% efficiency threshold separating the “Mainstream” and “High Efficiency” categories left almost no price points in the former. The dividing line has therefore been raised to 23.5% efficiency. For small-scale system modules, this corresponds to a nominal output of approximately 470 W. For utility-scale modules, the new threshold places modules above 635 W or 730 W, depending on the form factor, in the “High Efficiency” category.
As a result of the redefinition, modules with efficiencies below 23.5% have shifted from one category to the other, slightly skewing the reported price trends. Lower-efficiency products are typically offered at lower prices than higher-efficiency modules. Without this adjustment, the August price for high-efficiency modules would have remained at the previous month’s level, while less-efficient products would have shown a slight decline.
According to manufacturers, however, module prices are unlikely to fall much further this year for the reasons outlined above. Whether this forecast proves accurate depends, at least in Germany, on developments surrounding the new renewable energy law – EEG 2027 – and the “Grid Package” (Netzpaket) following the summer recess.
Numerous associations have already lodged complaints and called for extensive revisions to the draft legislation. Resistance has also emerged within the governing coalition, particularly among state premiers from federal states with large numbers of renewable energy installations and industrial companies active in the photovoltaic and wind sectors. If the federal government implements the measures outlined in the draft legislation without significant changes, it could lead to substantial job losses, reminiscent of the situation under then-Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) in the early 2010s.
Uncertainty over the future of EEG is prompting some market participants to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach, while others are rushing to act. As a result, many installers’ order books remain well filled for the time being. How long this surge in demand for photovoltaic systems and energy storage will last, even through the holiday season, depends on how quickly subsidy-free business models gain traction.
Many installations are already financially viable without statutory feed-in tariffs. Mid-sized photovoltaic systems, however, often still rely on the EEG in its current form, at least as a fallback option. A sensibly designed transitional solution could significantly ease the situation — or so the industry hopes.
The USA and India are further regions where “pull-forward” effects—purchases made in anticipation of future changes—are influencing demand, and consequently module availability and pricing. In early August, the US government imposed minimum import prices and additional tariffs on polysilicon and other photovoltaic products from China, set to take effect on December 4, 2026. In the short term, this is triggering increased stockpiling and a resulting outflow of material specifically to that region. Similar moves to tighten existing domestic industry protection measures are also being reported from India; this, too, could lead to a rapid surge in imports from China and, consequently, localized supply shortages. The remainder of the year promises to be eventful, likely holding a few surprises in store for us—and not just regarding further weather-related volatility.
Overview of module price levels by technology for August 2026, including monthly changes (as of August 14, 2026):
About the author: Martin Schachinger has studied electrical engineering and has been active in the field of photovoltaics and renewable energy for almost 30 years. In 2004, he set up the pvXchange.com online trading platform. The company stocks standard components for new installations and solar modules and inverters that are no longer being produced.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Sheep grazing beneath solar panels not only boosts farmer profits but also leads to purer wool. This innovative approach creates shaded environments that retain moisture, thereby enhancing pasture conditions during droughts. Research highlights an increase in nitrogen levels in grasses found under panels, which contributes to improved digestion for the sheep. Nevertheless, successful integration of grazing with solar farms demands careful site planning, influenced by regional and seasonal factors.
Sheep grazing beneath solar panels: a farming trend gaining ground worldwide (representative image). Image Credits: ChatGPT
Solar panels double up as shade and shelter for grazing sheep. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Solar grazing isn’t limited to Australia; sheep graze beneath panels on a solar farm in Germany too. Image Credits: Pexels
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ET Prime special series: Bigger or Better? Bharat Electronics’ 2013 to 2026 journey – Part 1
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Solex Energy Reports INR 2,656 Million Q1 FY27 Revenue as Solar Manufacturing Expansion Continues SolarQuarter
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New research conducted by researchers from China’s Southwest Petroleum University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chengdu-based PV manufacturer Tongwei suggests that the commercial success of two-terminal (2T) perovskite-silicon solar cells will depend more on geography and market conditions than on achieving efficiencies beyond current levels.
“Our work reframes tandem photovoltaics as a field-performance question, not only an efficiency race,” corresponding author Jian Yu told pv magazine. “Our model can guide spectrum-aware device design for different climates and market conditions before large-scale commercial rollout.”
He explained that 2T perovskite/silicon tandems stack a wide-bandgap perovskite cell on a silicon cell connected in series, so the whole device is governed by the lower-current sub-cell. Maximum output is reached only when the two sub-cells are current matched, but outdoor spectra continuously shift with cloud cover, air mass, atmospheric absorption, water vapor, season, and geography, making standard test conditions an incomplete guide to real-world performance.
“To quantify these effects, we fabricated 2T perovskite-silicon tandem cells with a champion efficiency of 32.85% and used a tunable-spectrum solar simulator to reproduce blue-rich and red-rich conditions,” Yu went on to say. “The measurements showed current mismatch of 4.98% and 4.32% under blue-rich and red-rich spectra, respectively, with short-circuit current density and efficiency following the lower-current sub-cell.”
In the study “Challenges of two-terminal perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells operating under globally varying spectral conditions,” published in eScience Energy, the researchers emphasized that, while the effects of spectral variations on 2T tandem solar cells are well known, relatively few studies have assessed their performance under real-world outdoor spectral conditions, especially across different climate zones.
They fabricated the 2T tandem cells by combining textured n-type Czochralski (CZ) silicon bottom cells with p-i-n perovskite top cells. The 200 μm silicon wafers were etched, textured with potassium hydroxide (KOH), and cleaned using standard RCA procedure and hydrofluoric acid (HF) treatments. Thin hydrogenated intrinsic amorphous silicon (i-a-Si:H) and doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) layers were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) to form the silicon heterojunction structure. Tungsten-doped indium oxide (IWO) was added as the interconnection and rear-contact layers, followed by screen-printed silver and a magnesium fluoride (MgFₓ) back reflector.
The silicon cells were then laser-cut into 2 × 2 cm² substrates for tandem integration. For the top cells, [2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (Me-4PACz) was spin-coated as the hole transport layer and annealed. A wide-bandgap cesium-formamidinium-methylammonium lead iodide-bromide (Cs₀.₀₅FA₀.₈MA₀.₁₅Pb(I₀.₇₅Br₀.₂₅)₃ perovskite layer was deposited using a one-step anti-solvent process.
The perovskite films were subsequently passivated with phenethylammonium bromide (PEABr) and ethylenediammonium diiodide (EDAI₂) before C₆₀ (buckminsterfullerene) and tin oxide (SnO₂) electron transport and buffer layers were added. Silver (Ag) electrodes were then deposited, followed by a MgFₓ anti-reflection coating to complete the tandem device.
The research team used a tunable-spectrum steady-state light-emitting diode (LED) solar simulator to reproduce different spectral distributions within the 3A+ classification range under standard test conditions (STC). The simulator spectra were measured with a fibre-optic spectrometer, while four solar cell samples fabricated in the same batch were characterized for external quantum efficiency (EQE). Theoretical short-circuit current density values were then calculated from the measured spectra and EQE data. Current deviations between repeated measurements were kept below 2% to minimize measurement uncertainty.
For outdoor conditions, they analyzed year-round spectral data from Haikou and Yancheng in China, Albuquerque in the United States, and Daqing in China. They calculated the spectral mismatch factor (MMF) for the perovskite top and silicon bottom sub-cells, as well as for single-junction tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) cells.
The scientists also used PVsyst to simulate the annual energy yield of 100 kW PV systems in the four locations, adjusting monthly output for tandem and single-junction cells using the respective MMFs. They then calculated the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), assuming the two technologies had identical operating characteristics apart from their spectral response to isolate the impact of spectral mismatch. Because tandem modules are not yet commercially produced at scale, both technologies were initially assigned the same module price of $0.11/W, followed by a price-sensitivity analysis to determine how much of a premium tandem modules could command while maintaining LCOE parity.
The laboratory tests showed that 2T tandem cells suffer current mismatch when exposed to spectra that differ from standard illumination conditions.
Under blue-rich conditions, the perovskite top cell generated more current, while red-rich spectra favored the silicon bottom cell. Outdoor measurements confirmed that spectral variations are continuous and can substantially affect tandem-cell performance, particularly under cloudy conditions. Year-round data from Haikou, Albuquerque, Yancheng and Daqing showed that outdoor spectra rarely match standard conditions, resulting in persistent current mismatch between the sub-cells.
The PVsyst simulations, meanwhile, showed that spectral effects reduced annual tandem energy yields relative to single-junction cells by 1.10% in Haikou, 3.25% in Albuquerque, 0.77% in Yancheng and 1.84% in Daqing. Despite these losses, tandem modules delivered 8.74% to 11.16% higher annual energy yields per unit area because of their higher efficiency and power density. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for tandems was found to be lower in Haikou, Yancheng and Daqing, but 0.87% higher in Albuquerque, where spectral losses were greatest.
The researchers concluded that tandem economics depend strongly on location, with allowable module price premiums ranging from −4% in Albuquerque to 7% in Yancheng. “A 1.59% reduction in LCOE was achieved for tandem cells through improved land-use efficiency and DC-side balance of system savings, thereby enabling a potential price premium of up to 7%,” they stated. “These results indicate that although 2 T tandem solar cells suffer from performance degradation due to spectral mismatch, their substantial efficiency advantage still offers overall economic benefits.”
Looking ahead, the researchers aim to extend the spectral assessment framework to more climate zones and device architectures, and to combine it with temperature- and degradation-related modeling for more complete outdoor performance prediction. “Future tandem commercialization should pair high-efficiency cells with climate-specific spectral evaluation,” Yu said.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
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The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
5:30 am – 6:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its third multi-day virtual event on advancing U.S. solar and energy storage markets, covering financing, supply chains, and distributed energy’s role in grid resilience.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
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Alpex Solar Rules Out Equity Raise Now, Mainboard Transition After Feb 2027 Photograph: (AI)
Alpex Solar has ruled out any immediate equity dilution even as it prepares for its next phase of expansion, while reiterating that it remains on track to migrate from the SME platform to the main board after February 2027.
During its Q1 FY27 investors’ call, the company said it is currently not planning another equity issue and will look to use a funding structure similar to the one adopted for its solar cell manufacturing project for future expansion.
Responding to a question on funding its planned wafer and ingot manufacturing capacity, management said it would initially rely on a small amount of debt and wait for greater visibility from its cell operations before considering any larger fund-raise.
“As of now, there is no plan to sell more equity in the market,” management said. It added that any future plan to raise equity or funds from the market would be considered when the company has “some more visibility from our cell operations.”
The company said this approach would broadly replicate the funding strategy used for its 2.2 GW solar cell project, where it has sought to keep debt on the books relatively limited while using the expected cash-generation potential of the new business to support further expansion.
Alpex also reiterated that its planned migration to the main board remains on track. The company said it expects to become eligible to file its migration papers after February 15, 2027, and is targeting filing on the same date. Management said the exchange approval process could subsequently take around two to three months.
“We will get qualified to file our papers on fifteenth of February, and hopefully we will file our document on fifteenth of February itself,” management said during the call. The company added that it is already operating in compliance with main-board requirements.
“We are already doing all the regulations and meeting all those requirements of the main board only,” management said, adding that the company expects to move quickly once the approval is received.
The planned main-board transition comes as Alpex is expanding beyond its core module manufacturing business and building capabilities across a wider portion of the solar manufacturing value chain.
Management offered a particularly strong assessment of the Indian module manufacturing market, warning that the rapid expansion of module capacity has created a highly competitive environment.
According to the company, a large number of manufacturers entered the module business in recent years, partly attracted by the prospect of public-market valuations.
“Many people jumped into the bandwagon… to take their company public or easy valuations, high valuations,” management said, adding that the situation resulted in several manufacturers entering the sector without a long-term manufacturing strategy.
Alpex believes this excess module capacity could eventually result in consolidation, particularly as domestic-content requirements increasingly move upstream into cells and wafers.
The company said the Indian government’s policy direction is clearly towards building the entire solar manufacturing supply chain domestically, rather than relying on imports.
“The government policy and government intent is very, very, very, very clear that this has to be manufactured in India, and all the supply chain has to be manufactured in India,” management said. Against this backdrop, Alpex expects standalone module manufacturers to face growing difficulties.
“The plain vanilla module manufacturer will find it very, very difficult to survive,” management said, pointing to the increasing importance of domestic cell and wafer manufacturing. The company also said standalone module manufacturers have limited options in export markets because of intense competition from Chinese manufacturers.
“China is really, really aggressive on standalone basis. You cannot compete with China in the international market where there is no protection,” management said.
Alpex’s assessment is that the industry’s effective manufacturing capacity will increasingly be determined by the availability of domestic cells. In its example, if India has 150 GW of module capacity but only 50 GW of cell capacity, the company believes a substantial portion of the module capacity would struggle to remain competitive.
The company is therefore positioning itself beyond module manufacturing. Alpex currently operates 2.4 GW of module capacity and is moving towards 3.6 GW, while also manufacturing aluminium frames in-house.
Management said it is able to maintain relatively better margins than some competitors partly because its existing capacity is smaller and it does not have to chase low-margin orders merely to keep factories running.
“We are not in a hurry to fill up the capacity,” management said. As a result, the company can be “picky about the orders” it executes and avoid orders that are less remunerative.
Alpex also pointed to its EPC and solar-pump businesses, along with older Coal India orders secured when the module market was less competitive, as factors supporting its margin performance.
The company has also indicated that it has no immediate plan to take module manufacturing capacity all the way to 5 GW. While capacity is expected to reach 3.6 GW, management said additional module capacity can be established relatively quickly if demand warrants it and that a decision on further expansion would be taken around September during FY27-28.
The next major step in Alpex’s integration strategy is its planned wafer and ingot manufacturing facility. The company said it has already started the process of establishing 2.5 GW of ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity. The building is “almost ready”, while technology partner and machinery selection is already around 70-80% complete.
Management said it expects to accelerate the project once the solar cell line begins production. “Once this is done, which is say another month or so, then we will actively start the process of putting up our wafer and ingot manufacturing,” it said.
The company has also indicated a broader ambition to explore up to 5 GW of solar glass, wafer and ingot manufacturing, according to its investor presentation.
Alpex expects this deeper integration to become increasingly important as India’s domestic manufacturing requirements evolve. Its stated strategy is moving from modules to cells and then further upstream into wafers and ingots.
The immediate manufacturing milestone remains the commissioning of Alpex’s 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon solar cell line. The company expects production to begin around September 15, with the first commercial invoice targeted around September 19-20. The project has been delayed by about a month following a fire incident at the facility.
The cell line is designed for efficiency of up to 26.5%, and Alpex expects most of the cells produced to be consumed internally in its module manufacturing operations rather than sold in the merchant market. The company said its 2.2 GW cell capacity is broadly matched with its 2.4 GW existing module capacity.
Management expects the shift towards cells to also provide protection against module-level margin pressure. “The margin is now moving towards cell business,” it said, arguing that the standalone module business will become increasingly difficult while integrated manufacturers could retain stronger economics.
For Alpex, therefore, the next phase is less about simply adding module capacity and more about building an integrated manufacturing platform. The company’s decision to defer any immediate equity raise, pursue main-board migration after February 2027 and simultaneously move into wafers and ingots indicates that it is seeking to fund this expansion while retaining greater control over its capital structure and the solar manufacturing value chain.
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Romanian state-controlled pharmaceutical producer Antibiotice Iași (BVB: ATB) reduced its electricity expenses by 20% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, following the use of its own photovoltaic generation, according to the company’s H1 financial report submitted to the Bucharest Stock Exchange and cited by Economedia.ro.
The company said its combined expenses for electricity, natural gas and drinking water fell to RON 11.68 million in the first six months of 2026, from RON 12.52 million a year earlier. Electricity costs accounted for most of the reduction in utility expenses.
The photovoltaic plants generated savings of approximately 20% of the electricity consumed during the period, equivalent to RON 1.2 million based on the average purchase price from suppliers, Antibiotice said.
Antibiotice commissioned a 2.5 MW photovoltaic park in 2024 following an investment of RON 11.8 million, financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the company’s own contribution. The installation covers about 25% of the operating electricity needs of the company’s industrial platform in Iași.
The pharmaceutical producer also reported that electricity expenses associated with its electric vehicles were RON 76,000 lower in the first half of 2026 than at the end of June 2025.
Industrial companies and local authorities in Romania have increasingly invested in photovoltaic generation to reduce electricity costs and increase energy autonomy, supported in part by European and government financing programmes.
Antibiotice Iași remains Romania’s only pharmaceutical manufacturer controlled by the state, through the Ministry of Health.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: the company)
Romanian state-controlled pharmaceutical producer Antibiotice Iași (BVB: ATB) reduced its electricity expenses by 20% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, following the use of its own photovoltaic generation, according to the company’s H1 financial report submitted to the Bucharest Stock Exchange and cited by Economedia.ro.
The company said its combined expenses for electricity, natural gas and drinking water fell to RON 11.68 million in the first six months of 2026, from RON 12.52 million a year earlier. Electricity costs accounted for most of the reduction in utility expenses.
The photovoltaic plants generated savings of approximately 20% of the electricity consumed during the period, equivalent to RON 1.2 million based on the average purchase price from suppliers, Antibiotice said.
Antibiotice commissioned a 2.5 MW photovoltaic park in 2024 following an investment of RON 11.8 million, financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the company’s own contribution. The installation covers about 25% of the operating electricity needs of the company’s industrial platform in Iași.
The pharmaceutical producer also reported that electricity expenses associated with its electric vehicles were RON 76,000 lower in the first half of 2026 than at the end of June 2025.
Industrial companies and local authorities in Romania have increasingly invested in photovoltaic generation to reduce electricity costs and increase energy autonomy, supported in part by European and government financing programmes.
Antibiotice Iași remains Romania’s only pharmaceutical manufacturer controlled by the state, through the Ministry of Health.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: the company)
Romanian state-controlled pharmaceutical producer Antibiotice Iași (BVB: ATB) reduced its electricity expenses by 20% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, following the use of its own photovoltaic generation, according to the company’s H1 financial report submitted to the Bucharest Stock Exchange and cited by Economedia.ro.
The company said its combined expenses for electricity, natural gas and drinking water fell to RON 11.68 million in the first six months of 2026, from RON 12.52 million a year earlier. Electricity costs accounted for most of the reduction in utility expenses.
The photovoltaic plants generated savings of approximately 20% of the electricity consumed during the period, equivalent to RON 1.2 million based on the average purchase price from suppliers, Antibiotice said.
Antibiotice commissioned a 2.5 MW photovoltaic park in 2024 following an investment of RON 11.8 million, financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the company’s own contribution. The installation covers about 25% of the operating electricity needs of the company’s industrial platform in Iași.
The pharmaceutical producer also reported that electricity expenses associated with its electric vehicles were RON 76,000 lower in the first half of 2026 than at the end of June 2025.
Industrial companies and local authorities in Romania have increasingly invested in photovoltaic generation to reduce electricity costs and increase energy autonomy, supported in part by European and government financing programmes.
Antibiotice Iași remains Romania’s only pharmaceutical manufacturer controlled by the state, through the Ministry of Health.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: the company)
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