Technical advisory firm Intertek CEA has released its Q2 2026 PV Price Forecasting Report, projecting a strategic realignment across global solar manufacturing hubs. While Chinese suppliers push to restore profit margins following extended price compression, module pricing in the United States, India, and other major rest-of-world markets is expected to hold relatively flat through 2027. Annual global solar installations are forecast to remain constrained in the low-600 GW range in 2026 and 2027, down from roughly 650 GW in 2025. This slowdown is primarily driven by the stagnating domestic Chinese market, reinforced by the phase-out of demand-side subsidies, tighter energy consumption rules, and new efficiency standards, said the report. Chinese suppliers pivot to margin expansion Domestic policy in China is accelerating domestic price increases, which are expected to spill over into international markets, said the report. Major Chinese manufacturers are guiding toward reduced export volumes while actively pursuing higher-margin international sales. According to Intertek CEA’s regional cost modeling, integrated production costs globally show a massive spread. Fully integrated production costs for TOPCon modules in China remain the global floor at under $0.12/W. In Southeast Asia and India, regional manufacturing costs hover near $0.17/W for TOPCon technology. Meanwhile, unsubsidized all-in U.S. manufacturing costs for TOPCon modules using U.S. cells exceed $0.37/W prior to incentives. However, factoring in Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credits brings net U.S. TOPCon production costs down to approximately $0.21/W. The Section 45X subsidies effectively eliminate much of the historical cost penalty for domestic U.S. manufacturing, narrowing the net cost gap between U.S.-made modules and non-Chinese imports from Southeast Asia or India to just $0.01/W to $0.03/W. Trade policy and policy mandates dictate regional pricing U.S. module prices are projected to stay elevated as buyers await final clarity on the tariff structures emerging from the ongoing polysilicon Section 232 investigation. While operational cell capacity outside duty-subject nations remains tight, expanding non-duty ingot, wafer, and cell capacity throughout 2026 and 2027 is expected to alleviate acute procurement bottlenecks. In India, pricing dynamics are increasingly governed by domestic procurement mandates. The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II, which requires domestic module makers to utilize domestic cells for public tenders, is officially in effect. While Indian module prices are expected to linger near $0.20/W due to grandfathered 2026 projects, developers face near-term cell supply shortages for late-2026 and 2027 deliveries. A secondary cost adjustment is anticipated in 2028 when ALMM List-III mandates the use of domestically produced wafers. Across all international sea lanes, elevated freight costs continue to compound baseline module pricing, said the report. Logistics disruptions tied to ongoing Middle East conflict and early peak-season surcharges have pushed ocean freight rates above $0.01/W, adding cost pressures to cross-border deliveries through 2027. 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]. Comments Please login to comment Thursday, October 7, 2026 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Solar Power World By Kelly Pickerel | The 346-MW Gibson City Solar Project, developed by Earthrise Energy and constructed by Burns & McDonnell, achieved commercial operation in Illinois using Earthrise Energy’s surplus interconnection strategy. By connecting through the existing switchyard of an adjacent gas-fired peaking facility, the project leveraged available grid capacity rather than requiring a new interconnection, illustrating one approach to accelerating renewable energy deployment while maintaining grid reliability. The Gibson City Solar Project in Illinois. Credit: Burns & McDonnell As utilities and renewable energy developers across the United States face growing delays connecting new generation to the electric grid, this project demonstrated faster ways to bring renewable generation online using existing assets. In addition to the innovative grid interconnection strategy, Burns & McDonnell paired advanced construction technologies and terrain-following solar trackers to reduce environmental impacts and improve construction execution. “Interconnection has become one of the defining challenges for new energy projects,” said Jami Stone, construction project manager for Burns & McDonnell. “Projects like Gibson City demonstrate how developers can take advantage of existing infrastructure while combining innovative construction methods to deliver new renewable generation more efficiently. It’s an example of how the industry can rethink traditional approaches to meeting growing energy demand, and we applaud Earthrise Energy for this creative solution to help bring clean power online faster.” Spanning approximately 1,700 acres across McLean and Ford counties, the facility is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 46,000 homes. The scope of work for Burns & McDonnell spanned EPC services. AZCO, a construction subsidiary of Burns & McDonnell, self-performed construction of underground electrical systems for a portion of the project, drove piles, and installed trackers and modules. The project team also provided environmental support, constructed a 34.5-/138-kV collector substation featuring a two-transformer station, and built a gen-tie line connected to a new line position in the existing Gibson City energy center substation. The site was built with union labor under the National Maintenance Agreement. Burns & McDonnell worked with Nextpower to provide the terrain-following trackers, Shoals to provide the aboveground collection system and SMA to supply the inverters for this project. Earthrise procured Runergy solar modules, high-voltage breakers and transformers. The project was developed to serve multiple power purchase agreements. To support this coordinated operation, Burns & McDonnell designed and commissioned the project’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, providing the controls needed to safely manage both generating resources. The Gibson City site also served as a proving ground for next-generation construction automation. Burns & McDonnell deployed AI software and robotics from Gritt to install a portion of the solar modules on-site. Gritt combines AI and robotics to automate labor-intensive construction activities by creating intelligent systems that can be attached to standard construction equipment. At Gibson City, the Gritt machines lifted and placed solar modules, reducing the need for repetitive heavy lifting while improving safety and productivity. The project also demonstrated how engineering and technology can substantially reduce construction impacts. Using Nextpower terrain-following tracker technology, the design follows the site’s natural contours, limiting grading to fewer than 40,000 cubic yards across the project’s footprint. Compared with conventional utility-scale solar construction, the approach reduced grading requirements by as much as 90%, helping preserve existing landscapes, minimize erosion risks and reduce reseeding requirements. Burns & McDonnell also worked with the owner to establish a native seed mix and start growth before mobilizing to the site, enhancing the appearance of the finished project. News item from Burns & McDonnell Kelly Pickerel has more than 15 years of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World. Email Kelly.
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A measure to help renters and homeowners save on their monthly electric bills with plug-in solar panels died in committee this week amid safety concerns from monopoly utilities. House Bill 146, “Affordable electricity act of 2026,” died Tuesday in the House Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee for lack of a motion to move it forward. Sponsored by Jackson Democratic Rep. Liz Storer, the bill would have clarified that small plug-in solar devices, unlike rooftop solar systems, are exempt from state-level regulations — things like city inspections and an interconnect approval from a utility. A typical plug-in or “balcony solar” panel sold at a box store converts solar energy to household alternating current and can be plugged into a standard outlet, injecting about the same amount of electricity as a blow-dryer. Proponents estimated it could save renters or homeowners up to a couple hundred bucks a month — significant for an investment of about $300 to $2,000, compared to $10,000 or more for a rooftop solar array. Utah passed similar legislation last year, and at least 24 other states are considering following suit, proponents noted. “This legislation would empower renters, folks that live in prefabricated or manufactured homes and people for whom, they are homeowners of a regular stick-built home, but the math just does not work in their favor for installing a full-size home-solar system,” said Stephen Magnifico, community organizer for the Sheridan-based landowner advocacy group Powder River Basin Resource Council. “I think it would save people a lot of money,” Patrick Lawson of Riverton told the legislative panel while video streaming from an electric vehicle. “I’m also a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, and I know there’s a lot of our members that would benefit a lot.” Though Wyoming still enjoys among the lowest electric rates in the nation, a series of rate increases have shocked customers and elected officials alike. But some recent legislative policies have added to customers’ bills. Last year, lawmakers passed House Bill 192, “Public utilities-wildfire mitigation and liability limits,” restricting what wildfire victims can claim damages for when an electric utility sparks a blaze. Utilities argued it’s necessary to protect their essential services from billion-dollar class-action lawsuits, claiming such legal action could bankrupt a utility. Part of that bargain, however, requires utilities to increase wildfire mitigation measures — a cost that is passed on to ratepayers. Utilities claim the extra costs will be minimal because they already have wildfire mitigation programs and continually upgrade power systems. Critics, however, have worried that banning class action lawsuits against utilities could shift the burden of rising insurance costs to property owners. Wyoming’s 2020 coal carbon capture mandate, intended to extend the life of coal power plants in the state, has tapped ratepayers for a collective $5 million so far, according state officials. House Bill 56, “Carbon capture mandate-repeal,” which would cancel the law, is advancing through the Legislature. Though not in play this budget session, the Legislature has made repeated attempts to revise or squash Wyoming’s net-metering law for rooftop solar. The argument, according to proponents, is that net-metering creates an unfair cost shift to those without rooftop solar. Net-metering requires utilities to compensate rooftop solar owners for extra electricity they pump back into the grid. Last year, some Wyoming ranchers backed a measure — House Bill 183, “Net metering amendments” — to extend the state’s net-metering cap of 25 kilowatts. Proponents argued it would empower agricultural operations to be more self-reliant and protect ag operations from skyrocketing electricity costs. The measure failed. Though plug-in solar devices are supposed to adhere to Underwriters Laboratory and National Electrical Code standards, utilities cannot be assured their customers won’t buy and install some knock-off product that isn’t up to snuff, several utility representatives testified to the committee. Like a rooftop solar array, plug-in solar panels are supposed to shut off when a utility cuts power — in the case of a fire, for example. That’s for the safety of electricians who need assurances a system isn’t energized. There have been instances when that didn’t happen with rooftop solar arrays, attorney Nathan Nicholas, of Cheyenne firm Koch Law, told the panel. Plug-in solar devices could also pose a potential hazard by “overloading” home wiring systems, said Nicholas, who spoke on behalf of client Rocky Mountain Power, the state’s largest electric utility. If wiring is overloaded, he said, “You start overheating wires, you start subjecting the house to electrical fires and other types of injuries and damage.” A Black Hills Energy representative shared those concerns, as did Wyoming Rural Electric Association Executive Director Shawn Taylor. Taylor, however, noted that its members are customer-owned, nonprofit rural co-ops. Safety concerns likely are not insurmountable, he suggested. “If our members want to do something like this, we want to work with them.” Testimony regarding safety hazards felt like a canard, Lawson told WyoFile. “They’re afraid of linemen getting zapped or something,” Lawson said. “It’s basically not even possible. It’s pretty simple: If they don’t have power, the inverter doesn’t run, and they don’t produce power.” Lawson reiterated that plug-in solar is a particularly viable option for low-income households to withstand rising electricity bills — especially on the Wind River Reservation. “The poverty level is pretty high, and if there was a device that could help them cut their electric bill by any amount, it would be a big deal.” It was “weird” that there was no motion to move HB 146, Lawson added. “The power companies were the only ones that were against it, and everybody else was for it.” For Cheyenne Republican Rep. Landon Brown, chair of the Transportation Committee, the bill’s death might be inconsequential. “I honestly don’t think the law is needed,” Brown told WyoFile via email. “There’s no need to actually create the law because there’s nothing prohibiting the use of them. I feel like the idea of us creating a law right now to allow this actually may create more issues rather than fix something that’s not broken.” For more legislative coverage, click here. Reporting You Can Trust
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Americans are told over and over how we have a “free market” compared to those over-regulated, over-protected Europeans. But they can get balcony solar that these American legislators say is too dangerous. They can get heat pumps using common “natural” refrigerants, but our regulators say those are too dangerous. They can install solar on rooftops w/o months hung up with building inspections and utility interconnection paperwork. Add in our protectionism and non-tariff barriers from vested interests, and one can start to see why, even for things invented in American research facilities, development and deployment of innovative energy and building and transportation systems don’t happen here until years or decades later. And then we cry…. “OMG, all these things are imported.” It is telling that Rocky Mountain Power retained an outside law firm to oppose this bill while relying on safety narratives that have already been scrutinized in other jurisdictions. The lineworker electrocution argument, in particular, does not reflect how modern UL-listed, IEEE 1547–compliant inverters actually perform in the field. I was present at the Utah State Capitol for the committee hearing and final vote on HB340. Rocky Mountain Power did not appear in opposition. The bill moved forward without the dire warnings now being repeated in Wyoming. So what changed? Plug-in PV did not suddenly become more dangerous when it crossed a state line. The technology is the same. The standards are the same. What changed is that Utah demonstrated a workable regulatory pathway, and that precedent carries national implications. When a utility supports silence in one state and escalates to organized legal opposition in another, it is fair to ask whether the concern is public safety or regulatory control. If states are unwilling to modernize their interconnection frameworks, federally recognized Tribes such as the Northern Arapaho Nation possess inherent sovereignty to adopt their own building codes and exercise Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) status. Many Tribes are already asserting that authority in other infrastructure domains. Energy policy need not be an exception. Policy debates should be grounded in technical evidence, not hypothetical hazards that have already been engineered out of compliant systems. Wyoming lawmakers deserve a discussion rooted in facts and grid performance, not in fear of the much needed progress. As an electrical engineer, I can tell you that a properly designed and UL-listed plug-in solar system poses no danger and should be allowed by law. In addition, it is easy to place a device at the electric meter that prevents backfeeding if you’re not “net metering,” which is a good safety measure in general. But the electric monopolies are too cheap to do that. Probably another case of our legislators not understanding how it all works. I have had solar on my house for 10 years, haven’t had an electric bill since. It powers my house and car. It has already paid for itself and I really like being energy independent. Tired of the noise? We’ll send you the facts, straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
Solex Energy has secured ₹74.77 crore worth of domestic orders to supply Solar PV Modules. The entire contract is fast-tracked for full execution by December 2026, boosting H2 FY27 revenue visibility. This order expands the company's active short-term pipeline alongside an existing executable backlog of ₹845.84 crore. Market snapshot: Solex Energy Limited has received new domestic work orders valued at ₹74.77 crore for the manufacture and supply of solar PV modules. Formally disclosed to stock exchanges on September 3, 2026, the entire order is slated for complete execution by December 2026. This fast-turnaround contract is expected to immediately boost the company's financial performance in the second half of the fiscal year. This quick-execution domestic win is a strategic positive for Solex Energy. After reporting compressed margins in Q1 FY27 due to monsoon-led delivery delays and high depreciation, this ₹74.77 crore order ensures high utilization across its newly expanded 4 GW module manufacturing facility in Gujarat. Quick-turnaround contracts of under four months allow the company to rotate working capital rapidly, addressing short-term cash flow needs while building up to its larger long-term projects. The order reflects persistent domestic demand for high-quality PV modules under India's local sourcing mandates. Fast-execution order books protect solar players from inventory risks and allow smaller-to-medium-scale companies like Solex to sustain operational momentum. The shift of module deliveries from Q1 to the second half of the year (H2 FY27) highlights that industry capacity utilization is set to ramp up sharply. Market Bias: Bullish This ₹74.77 crore order win represents ≈28.1% of Solex's Q1 FY27 revenue, providing vital near-term cash rotation. Short-run execution by December 2026 will accelerate revenue conversion, offsetting seasonal margins pressure. Overweight: Renewable Energy, Solar Equipment Manufacturers Trigger Factors: Time Horizon: Near-term (0-3 months) India's solar manufacturing landscape continues to adapt to regulatory policy developments. Local supply mandates and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) regulations are creating a highly favorable domestic environment for Indian PV manufacturers. These structural shifts are helping local players scale up capacity and technical quality, despite broader headwinds like export duties in western markets. In August 2026, Solex completed its listing on the BSE, enhancing investor reach. On August 17, 2026, the company reported steady Q1 FY27 consolidated revenue of ₹265.63 crore, though PAT fell 66.6% YoY to ₹8.26 crore due to monsoon seasonality. This followed a massive ₹628.37 crore order in July 2026 from a global renewable energy group for N-Type TOPCon modules and a proposed ₹4,000 crore manufacturing MoU signed with the Government of Gujarat. Solex Energy's aggressive domestic order accretion underscores strong manufacturing alignment with India's clean-energy transition. As the company manages its massive cap-ex scale-up, these bite-sized, high-velocity domestic wins provide the necessary operational liquidity to support its ambitious growth roadmap. High Performance Trading with SAHI. Disclaimer: This news section may include AI-generated or AI-assisted news, summaries, drafts, or insights. All content is subject to human review before publication. While we aim for accuracy, readers should independently verify information before relying on it. 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As per Market Research Future analysis, the Solar Photovoltaic System Market was estimated at 235.94 USD Billion in 2024. The Solar Photovoltaic System industry is projected to grow from 254.44 USD Billion in 2025 to 541.34 USD Billion by 2035, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% during the forecast period 2025 – 2035 The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is experiencing robust growth driven by technological advancements and increasing adoption in emerging markets. CAGR 7.84% The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is currently experiencing a transformative phase characterized by rapid technological advancements and increasing adoption across various sectors. The shift towards renewable energy sources is becoming more pronounced, as governments and organizations worldwide recognize the necessity of sustainable energy solutions. This market is witnessing a surge in investments, driven by favorable policies and incentives aimed at reducing carbon footprints. Furthermore, the integration of solar technologies into residential, commercial, and industrial applications is expanding, indicating a broader acceptance of solar energy as a viable alternative to traditional power sources. In addition to technological innovations, the Solar Photovoltaic System Market is influenced by evolving consumer preferences and heightened awareness regarding environmental issues. As individuals and businesses seek to lower energy costs and enhance energy independence, the demand for solar photovoltaic systems is likely to grow. The emergence of energy storage solutions and smart grid technologies further complements this trend, enabling more efficient energy management. Overall, the Solar Photovoltaic System Market appears poised for sustained growth, driven by a combination of regulatory support, technological progress, and changing societal attitudes towards energy consumption. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is witnessing continuous innovations in technology, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. New materials and designs are being developed, which may lead to higher energy conversion rates and longer system lifespans. This trend suggests that advancements in solar technology could significantly impact market dynamics. Emerging economies are increasingly embracing solar photovoltaic systems as a means to address energy shortages and promote sustainable development. This trend indicates a growing recognition of solar energy’s potential to provide reliable power in regions with limited access to traditional energy sources. The integration of solar photovoltaic systems with energy storage technologies is becoming more prevalent. This trend may enhance the reliability and efficiency of solar energy, allowing users to store excess energy for later use. Such developments could transform how solar energy is utilized, making it a more attractive option for consumers. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is significantly influenced by the rising global energy demand. As populations grow and economies expand, the need for sustainable energy sources becomes more pressing. Projections indicate that energy consumption could increase by over 25% by 2030, necessitating a shift towards renewable energy solutions. Solar photovoltaic systems offer a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels, providing clean energy that can be harnessed locally. This shift is particularly evident in regions with abundant sunlight, where solar energy can be efficiently captured and utilized. The increasing demand for energy, coupled with the declining costs of solar technology, positions the Solar Photovoltaic System Market for substantial growth in the coming years. Technological innovations play a pivotal role in shaping the Solar Photovoltaic System Market. Advances in solar panel efficiency, such as the development of bifacial and perovskite solar cells, are enhancing energy output and reducing costs. As of 2025, the average efficiency of commercial solar panels has reached approximately 20%, with some cutting-edge models exceeding 25%. These innovations not only improve the performance of solar systems but also contribute to lower installation and maintenance costs. Additionally, the integration of smart technologies, such as IoT and AI, is optimizing energy management and consumption patterns. This continuous evolution in technology is likely to attract more investors and consumers to the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, driving its expansion. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is experiencing a surge in growth due to favorable government incentives and policies. Many countries are implementing tax credits, rebates, and grants to encourage the adoption of solar energy. For instance, in several regions, feed-in tariffs guarantee fixed payments for solar energy producers, enhancing the financial viability of solar projects. As of 2025, it is estimated that these incentives could account for up to 30% of the total installation costs, making solar energy more accessible to both residential and commercial users. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks are increasingly supportive, streamlining the permitting process and reducing bureaucratic hurdles. This supportive environment is likely to drive further investments in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, fostering innovation and expansion. The decentralization of energy production is transforming the Solar Photovoltaic System Market. With advancements in technology, consumers are increasingly able to generate their own electricity through solar installations. This shift towards distributed energy resources empowers individuals and communities, reducing reliance on centralized power grids. As of 2025, it is estimated that residential solar installations could account for over 40% of new solar capacity additions. This trend is particularly pronounced in urban areas, where rooftops can be utilized for solar panels. Furthermore, the rise of community solar projects allows multiple stakeholders to benefit from shared solar resources. This decentralization not only enhances energy security but also fosters local economic development, thereby driving further growth in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market. The growing awareness of environmental concerns is a significant driver for the Solar Photovoltaic System Market. As climate change becomes an increasingly urgent issue, there is a collective push towards sustainable energy solutions. Solar energy, being renewable and clean, presents a compelling alternative to fossil fuels, which are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Reports suggest that transitioning to solar energy could reduce carbon emissions by millions of tons annually. This shift is not only beneficial for the environment but also aligns with corporate sustainability goals, prompting businesses to invest in solar technologies. The heightened focus on sustainability is likely to propel the Solar Photovoltaic System Market forward, as both consumers and corporations seek to minimize their ecological footprints. In the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, Mono-Crystalline Silicon has emerged as the dominant technology, accounting for a significant share of the market due to its high efficiency and performance. Following closely, Poly-Crystalline Silicon also holds a commendable market position but trails behind Mono-Crystalline. Thin-Film Silicon and Concentrated Solar Photovoltaic, while smaller in market share, are gaining traction as innovations enhance their efficiency and applicability in diverse settings, leading to a dynamic market landscape. Technology: Mono-Crystalline Silicon (Dominant) vs. Thin-Film Silicon (Emerging) Mono-Crystalline Silicon is recognized for its superior efficiency and longevity, making it the preferred choice for large-scale solar installations and residential applications. Its ability to perform better under low-light conditions and its sleek aesthetics contribute to its dominance in the market. On the other hand, Thin-Film Silicon is gaining momentum as an emerging technology, particularly in niche applications where flexibility and lightweight design are essential. Although generally less efficient, advancements in production techniques are reducing costs and enhancing performance, positioning Thin-Film Silicon as a viable alternative in specific scenarios. In the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, Grid-Connected systems hold the largest share, dominating the landscape due to their integration with existing power grids and reliable energy supply. These systems primarily benefit residential and commercial sectors, offering increased energy efficiency and lower electricity costs. As more consumers and businesses opt for renewable energy sources, Grid-Connected installations continue to expand their market presence. System Type: Grid-Connected (Dominant) vs. Off-Grid (Emerging) Grid-Connected systems are recognized as the dominant force in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, providing consistent power through connectivity to the electrical grid. These systems are favored for their ability to leverage net metering, allowing users to sell excess power back to the grid. On the other hand, Off-Grid systems are seen as an emerging trend, particularly in remote areas lacking grid infrastructure. These systems are gaining traction due to advancements in battery storage technology and an increasing desire for energy independence, especially in regions prone to power shortages. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is predominantly led by the Residential sector, which boasts the largest market share due to increasing consumer adoption of solar energy solutions for home use. Residential applications are favored for their ability to reduce energy bills and enhance energy independence. Meanwhile, the Utility-Scale segment is gaining credibility and swiftly capturing market attention, fueled by higher investments in large-scale renewable projects and advancement in solar technologies. Application: Residential (Dominant) vs. Utility-Scale (Emerging) The Residential segment stands out as the dominant force in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, characterized by a decentralized energy approach tailored for individual homes. This segment benefits from supportive government incentives and increasing consumer awareness of environmental sustainability. In contrast, the Utility-Scale segment is emerging rapidly, marked by significant investments in large-scale solar farms that benefit from economies of scale and the ability to generate cleaner energy for thousands of homes. This segment is vital for the transition towards renewable energy, driven by utility companies and governmental policies aimed at reducing carbon footprints. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is increasingly dominated by the Rooftop mounting type, which captures a significant share due to its suitability for urban environments and the rising trend of residential solar installations. Ground-Mounted systems, while traditionally popular in larger energy projects, are expanding their share as more organizations and utilities invest in larger-capacity installations, contributing to the diversification of the market. Rooftop (Dominant) vs. Ground-Mounted (Emerging) Rooftop solar systems represent the dominant segment in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market, favored for their accessibility and efficiency in utilizing unused space on homes and buildings. Their integration into residential solar initiatives and commercial projects makes them a preferred choice for consumers looking to reduce energy costs. Meanwhile, Ground-Mounted systems are emerging rapidly, driven by installations on larger open sites and utility-scale projects. These systems allow for higher capacity outputs and flexibility in design, appealing to developers seeking to maximize energy production and return on investment. North America is witnessing a robust growth in the solar photovoltaic (PV) system market, driven by favorable government policies, technological advancements, and increasing environmental awareness. The United States holds the largest market share at approximately 60%, followed by Canada at around 15%. Regulatory incentives such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and state-level renewable energy mandates are significant catalysts for this growth. The competitive landscape is dominated by key players such as First Solar, SunPower, and Enphase Energy, which are leading innovations in solar technology. The U.S. market is characterized by a mix of large-scale solar farms and residential installations, while Canada is focusing on utility-scale projects. The presence of established companies and new entrants is fostering a dynamic market environment, enhancing competition and driving down costs. Europe is at the forefront of the solar photovoltaic system market, propelled by ambitious renewable energy targets and stringent climate policies. Germany and France are the largest markets, holding approximately 30% and 20% of the market share, respectively. The European Union’s Green Deal and national initiatives are pivotal in driving solar adoption, aiming for a significant reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Leading countries like Germany, Spain, and Italy are enhancing their solar capacities, supported by a competitive landscape featuring companies such as Trina Solar and Canadian Solar. The region is witnessing a surge in both residential and commercial solar installations, with innovative financing models and community solar projects gaining traction. This collaborative approach is expected to further accelerate market growth and technological advancements. The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a powerhouse in the solar photovoltaic system market, driven by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and government support for renewable energy. China is the largest market, accounting for over 40% of global solar installations, followed by Japan and India, which hold approximately 10% and 8% respectively. Government policies, such as feed-in tariffs and renewable energy certificates, are crucial in promoting solar energy adoption across the region. China’s dominance is reflected in its extensive manufacturing capabilities and the presence of major players like JA Solar and LONGi Green Energy. Japan and India are also expanding their solar capacities, focusing on both utility-scale and rooftop installations. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of domestic and international companies, fostering innovation and cost reductions in solar technologies. The Middle East and Africa region is witnessing a burgeoning interest in solar photovoltaic systems, driven by abundant sunlight and the need for energy diversification. Countries like South Africa and the UAE are leading the market, with South Africa holding approximately 15% of the market share. Government initiatives and international investments are crucial in developing solar infrastructure, aiming to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enhance energy security. The competitive landscape is evolving, with local and international players entering the market. South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has attracted significant investments, while the UAE is focusing on large-scale solar projects like the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This growth is expected to create numerous opportunities for innovation and collaboration in the solar sector. The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is currently characterized by a dynamic competitive landscape, driven by increasing global energy demands and a pronounced shift towards renewable energy sources. Key players such as First Solar (US), Trina Solar (CN), and Enphase Energy (US) are strategically positioning themselves through innovation and regional expansion. First Solar (US) focuses on advanced thin-film technology, which enhances efficiency and reduces costs, while Trina Solar (CN) emphasizes large-scale solar projects and international partnerships to bolster its market presence. Enphase Energy (US) is leveraging its expertise in microinverter technology to enhance system performance, indicating a trend towards specialization in product offerings that cater to specific market needs. The competitive structure of the Solar Photovoltaic System Market appears moderately fragmented, with numerous players vying for market share. Companies are increasingly localizing manufacturing to mitigate supply chain disruptions and optimize logistics. This tactic not only enhances operational efficiency but also aligns with regional sustainability goals, thereby appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. The collective influence of these key players shapes a competitive environment where innovation and operational agility are paramount. In August 2025, First Solar (US) announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing capacity in the United States, aiming to produce 10 GW of solar panels annually by 2026. This strategic move is likely to enhance its competitive edge by reducing reliance on overseas supply chains and responding to the growing demand for domestically produced solar technology. Such an initiative underscores the importance of local manufacturing in achieving energy independence and sustainability goals. In September 2025, Trina Solar (CN) launched a new line of high-efficiency solar modules designed for residential applications, which could potentially capture a larger share of the growing residential market. This product innovation reflects a strategic pivot towards meeting the specific needs of homeowners, thereby enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. The introduction of these modules may also position Trina Solar favorably against competitors who have yet to address this segment effectively. In October 2025, Enphase Energy (US) unveiled a new software platform that integrates AI-driven analytics for solar energy management. This development is indicative of a broader trend towards digitalization within the industry, as companies seek to enhance system performance and user experience. By harnessing AI, Enphase Energy is likely to differentiate itself in a crowded market, offering customers advanced tools for optimizing energy consumption and maximizing savings. As of October 2025, the Solar Photovoltaic System Market is witnessing a pronounced shift towards digitalization, sustainability, and technological integration. Strategic alliances among key players are increasingly shaping the competitive landscape, fostering innovation and collaborative advancements. The evolution of competitive differentiation appears to be moving away from mere price competition towards a focus on technological innovation, reliability in supply chains, and enhanced customer experiences. This trend suggests that companies that prioritize these aspects will likely emerge as leaders in the market. Recent developments in the global solar photovoltaic system market indicate a surge in demand for renewable energy solutions. Governments worldwide are implementing supportive policies, including incentives and tax breaks, to promote solar adoption. Technological advancements, such as the development of high-efficiency solar panels and cost reductions in manufacturing, are making solar energy more accessible and cost-effective. The market is witnessing strategic partnerships and acquisitions among key players to strengthen their market position and expand their product offerings. Ongoing research and development efforts are focused on improving solar cell efficiency, reducing system costs, and enhancing energy storage capabilities. These advancements are expected to drive the growth of the solar photovoltaic system market in the coming years. In December 2023, Nio, the top producer of electric vehicles, announced a partnership with Longi Solar, an important participant in the global PV market, to furnish its battery swap stations with photovoltaic systems. This cooperative venture is likely to assist in the promotion of sunlight energy utilization in the automotive industry, thereby improving the functionality of Nio’s battery charging facilities. By 2025, the corporation sets a more ambitious target to deploy photovoltaic systems on over 3,000 battery swapping stations with an envisaged cumulative capacity of 300 MW. In the year 2023, Microsoft continued its sustainability quest by collaborating with Pivot Energy for up to 500 MW of community-scale solar projects. They are one of the measures taken by Microsoft as part of a more general effort to attain its clean energy targets, including supplying 100% of its data center operations with renewable sources by 2025. In June 2023 Starbucks worked together with Nexamp, where they aim to deploy 40 MW of community solar projects in Illinois. This will enable more sources of energy, bettering Starbucks’s operations as well as helping local communities by providing energy credits to more than 1,100 small businesses and residents. In June 2024, EcoFlow presented its new hybrid inverter which is called PowerOcean Plus that can support up to 40 kW solar input. Much like its predecessors, the inverter is engineered to serve larger domestic photovoltaic systems which is what the clients need larger and more efficient solar systems The Solar Photovoltaic System Market is projected to grow at a 7.84% CAGR from 2025 to 2035, driven by technological advancements, regulatory support, and increasing energy demand. New opportunities lie in: By 2035, the market is expected to be robust, driven by innovation and strategic partnerships. The projected market valuation for the Solar Photovoltaic System Market is 541.34 USD Billion by 2035. The overall market valuation of the Solar Photovoltaic System Market was 235.94 USD Billion in 2024. The expected CAGR for the Solar Photovoltaic System Market during the forecast period 2025 – 2035 is 7.84%. The Mono-Crystalline Silicon technology segment is projected to reach 230.0 USD Billion by 2035. The Grid-Connected system type is projected to reach 392.0 USD Billion, while the Off-Grid system type is expected to reach 149.34 USD Billion by 2035. The Utility-Scale application segment is projected to reach 311.34 USD Billion, making it the largest segment by 2035. The Rooftop mounting type is expected to reach a valuation of 160.0 USD Billion by 2035. Key players in the Solar Photovoltaic System Market include First Solar, Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, and SunPower, among others. The Thin-Film Silicon technology segment is projected to reach 70.0 USD Billion by 2035. The Commercial application segment is projected to reach 70.0 USD Billion, while the Residential segment is expected to reach 100.0 USD Billion by 2035. Kindly complete the form below to receive a free sample of this Report * Please use a valid business email No regional reports available for this market. No country-specific reports available for this market. “This is really good guys. 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Looking for more news? Visit our sister site, OK Politics Today, and subscribe here today! The application covers five total assets in three locations and came after an August 6 earnings call where Evergy CEO David Campbell told investors it was a “priority” for the company to obtain prior approval for new power plants. The Hutchinson News reported the application covers five total assets in three locations: ● A combined-cycle gas natural gas turbine facility near Frazier in Buchanan County, Missouri, that would be 100% owned by Evergy Kansas Central. It would be called the Buchanan Bluffs Energy Center Unit 1. ● A solar generating facility near Parsons in Labette County, Kansas. There would also be a battery energy storage system, or BESS, near the Parsons solar facility. Both the solar farm and the battery system would be owned 50% by Evergy Kansas Central and 50% by Evergy Kansas Metro. They would be known as the Iron Horse Energy Center and Iron Horse Storage. ● Another solar facility plus another battery system in Barber County, Kansas. They would be owned 100% by Evergy Kansas Central. They would be known as Pixley II Hybrid and Pixley Energy Storage. As the newspaper stated, “The case before the KCC allows regulators to predetermine ratemaking principles, which could allow Evergy to charge higher electric rates during the construction process to pay for the construction. The process was established by lawmakers and the governor in 2024 after Evergy argued it would ultimately save customers money on financing and interest costs. Filings indicate Evergy wants the natural gas plant to follow that process, having customers pay a construction work in progress rider on their electric bills until the investment is incorporated into base rates. Evergy already has CWIP rider approved for two other gas plants that are being built. Ron Klote, the senior director of regulatory affairs, said the estimated impact of the gas plant CWIP rider on customer bills would be between 1.22% and 4.85% compared to current rates. When the power plant goes into service, Klote said, the “all-in bill impact” is estimated to be 8.93%.”
Jerry Bohnen is the founder and creator of OK Energy Today, which began in 2012. He is an Edward R. Murrow Investigative award winner and has been recognized by other national, regional and state institutions during his 50 years as a broadcast journalist. Contact Jerry at editor@okenergytoday.com OK Energy Today is a news media publication committed to timely, accurate reporting on Oklahoma energy. Have a story idea? Send it to us at editor@okenergytoday.com
Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Advertisement Nature Communicationsvolume 17, Article number: 6070 (2026) Cite this article 6917 Accesses 1 Citations 4 Altmetric Metrics details The formation and evolution of the Solar System’s two major comet reservoirs, the Oort Cloud and the Scattered Disk, remain poorly constrained. Observations of comet flux imply a population ratio between these reservoirs that exceeds predictions from models of giant planet instability by more than two orders of magnitude. A major source of uncertainty lies in determining comet sizes, as the nucleus is often obscured by the surrounding coma. Here we derive independent nucleus sizes for 28 comets by activity modeling with artificial intelligence to infer sizes directly from variations in water emission. We find that long-period comets possess significantly larger nuclei than short-period comets with comparable absolute brightness. Our results indicate that the Oort Cloud is nearly three orders of magnitude more populated than the Scattered Disk, implying that processes such as stellar flybys could have played an important role in shaping the outer Solar System. Our knowledge of the extent and structure of the Solar System beyond Neptune remains incomplete, primarily due to the observational challenges posed by its vast distance and the faintness of its constituents1,2. The architecture of that remote region is conventionally inferred from the observed fluxes of various types of comets3,4. Long-period comets (LPCs)–which approach the inner Solar System from nearly isotropic directions and have orbital periods exceeding 200 years–are believed to originate from the distant, spherical Oort Cloud (OC)5. Short-period comets (SPCs), particularly Jupiter-family comets (JFCs), are dynamically linked to the Scattered Disk (SD), a region consisting of Trans-Neptunian Objects with high eccentricity and inclinations6. It is widely accepted that the present-day OC and SD were populated during the phase of giant planet instability in the early Solar System (see Nesvorný7 and references therein). Primordial planetesimals were dispersed primarily due to the migration of the giant planets, particularly the outward movement of Neptune2,4. Numerical simulations stated that < 1% of the objects in the outer protoplanetary disk were implanted into the SD, and up to about 5% into OC, yielding an OC/SD population ratio of approximately 5–202,4,8,9. However, this theoretical ratio is two to three orders of magnitude lower than that inferred from the observed comet flux. Observational data suggest that roughly 3–7 dynamically new LPCs per year have absolute magnitudes brighter than about 11 and perihelion distances less than 4 au10,11,12, implying an OC population of 7−8 × 101113. Estimates of the SD population, based primarily on the observed population of JFCs, are more uncertain due to the so-called “fading” problem14,15. As a result, the prediction of SD population ranges broadly from 4.4 × 108 to 6 × 109 (see Kaib & Volk4 and references therein), leading to an OC/SD population ratio of approximately 100–2000. Efforts have been made on both fronts to reconcile this discrepancy. From the modeling perspective, recent works incorporate interactions between planetesimals and the early solar nebula, as well as perturbations from stellar encounters in the Sun’s birth cluster, offering a more comprehensive picture of outer Solar System evolution8,16,17,18. Meanwhile, observational interpretations have been revisited on the relationship between comet flux and the inferred populations of the OC and SD, for which a central issue is the poorly constrained sizes of cometary nuclei4,9,19. Determining the sizes of comets poses significant challenges due to their extreme faintness during inactive phases and the obscuration caused by dust comae during periods of activity20,21,22,23. Existing methods include photometric techniques, infrared and thermal modeling, dynamical analysis, and direct imaging (a comprehensive review of these methodologies can be found in the literature21,23). Photometric and infrared analyses are most widely applied. However, as most comets are observed in the active phase, both approaches face the challenge of subtracting signals from the dust coma. The contamination of residual coma, together with unconstrained surface albedo, could lead to large uncertainties in the estimated nucleus size24. Dynamical modeling, which reconstructs the observed non-gravitational forces exerting on the comet by its gas emission, is less sensitive to coma-related uncertainties but is influenced by the diverse and often poorly understood activity patterns of individual comets24. Direct spacecraft imaging provides the most accurate measurements of cometary nuclei, yet its applicability remains limited to the small number of comets that have been visited by space missions. The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission, which conducted an in-depth investigation of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) over more than two years, has significantly advanced our understanding of cometary activity25,26,27. A key discovery was the ubiquitous presence of water ice in the shallow subsurface of the nucleus25, giving rise to the release of water vapor controlled by insolation26,27,28. Nucleus thermophysical models could reproduce 67P’s time-varying water production rates by optimizing physical properties of the nucleus29,30. This modeling approach inherently avoids complications associated with dust coma, and could be in principle applied to any comet with reliable measurements of water production rates. However, producing complete water production profiles with sophisticated thermophysical models and vast parameter spaces remains computationally intensive–particularly for comets with limited prior information. Recent advancements in deep learning (DL) offer promising solutions to the computational bottleneck encountered by traditional numerical approaches31,32,33,34,35,36,37. Leveraging the deep operator neural network (DeepONet)38, we developed ThermoONet–a DL-based thermophysical modeling tool for small bodies39,40. Similar to conventional numerical methods, ThermoONet predicts the temperature at the subsurface ice front of a comet, which governs the sublimation rate of water ice. However, it achieves this with computational speeds several orders of magnitude faster than traditional models40. This substantial performance advantage enables integration with computationally intensive global optimization techniques, such as simulated annealing (SA), to infer time-dependent water production rates and constrain key physical parameters, including nucleus size. In this study, we utilize a unique dataset of water production curves (hereafter “water curves”) derived from Lyman-α observations by the Solar Wind ANisotropies (SWAN) ultraviolet spectrometer aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)41,42. SWAN’s all-sky coverage and consistent observational cadence have enabled continuous monitoring of comets throughout their perihelion passages, providing water curves for over sixty comets spanning nearly three decades43,44. By applying ThermoONet to these water curves, we derive independent estimates of nucleus sizes across a diverse population of comets, which lead to updated estimates on the population of cometary reservoirs. We find that the Oort Cloud is significantly more populated than the Scattered Disk by almost three orders of magnitude, indicating that various dynamical processes could have contributed to shaping the architecture of our Solar System. We analyzed water curves for a total of 28 comets: 26 derived from SWAN observations45,46, and two–comet 1P/Halley and 67P–were derived from earlier HI Lyman-α observations47 and in situ Rosetta/ROSINA measurements48, respectively. This sample includes 7 SPCs, comprising 5 JFCs and 2 Halley-type comets (HTCs), as well as 21 LPCs that are further categorized as Old Long-period (OL), Young Long-period (YL), and Dynamically New (DN) comets, following the classification scheme in A’Hearn et al.49. We applied the ThermoONet-based fitting procedure to retrieve physical parameters of the nucleus that best reproduce the observed water curve (see “Methods”). To ensure the robustness of the derived size estimates, we further employed a post-optimization perturbation strategy (see “Methods”). Figure 1 displays the measured water curves of all 28 comets alongside the corresponding fits, and Fig. 2 shows the distribution of size estimation resulting from the perturbation analysis. The mean values (μ) of each distribution is adopted as the best-fit nucleus diameter, with the 1 − σ standard deviation representing the uncertainty, which is about 17% on average. Dynamical and physical properties of the comets and fitting results of their sizes are listed in Table 1. Water production rates are shown as black points for HI Lyman-α measurements obtained by SOHO/SWAN45,46, and by IUE for 1P/Halley47. The water production rates of 67P, shown as rectangles, were obtained by Rosetta/ROSINA48. The error bars indicate observational uncertainties reported in the original literature. For each comet, the red curve represents the best-fit water curve after global optimization of nucleus parameters, while the pink bands indicate solutions with a mean absolute percentage error below approximately 30%, obtained through random perturbations of the optimized solution. The vertical dashed line indicates the perihelion epoch of the corresponding comet. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. Blue histogram bars represent probability densities across different diameter intervals for approximately 400 samples per comet, with the red dashed curves as the fitted normal distribution. The pink vertical line ithe mean value adopted as the effective diameter of the nucleus for the corresponding comet, and black vertical dashed lines indicate the 1-σ confidence interval adopted as the error bar. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. We compare size estimates for six comets, four SPCs and two LPCs, derived using various data sources and methods (Table 2). For the SPCs, which were all spacecraft mission targets, we consider direct imaging results as ground truth, and found size estimates by water curve fitting achieve a mean relative error of about 20% with respect to the actual size (Fig. 3). Since no LPC has yet been visited by a spacecraft, most reliable estimates of their nucleus sizes are inferred from extremely distant observations, for example the observation of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) at 32 au50. Using this benchmark, water curve fitting yielded a relative error of about 8%. Dynamical analyses provide reasonable size estimates for SPCs, but exhibit larger errors when applied to LPCs, likely due to the difficulty in accurately constraining the non-gravitational effects of LPCs with limited astrometric data51,52. Color coding corresponds to individual comets, and symbol notation distinguishes different estimation techniques as listed at the top of the figure. The error bars indicate the uncertainties of the estimations as stated in Table 2. References of the data points are listed in Table 2. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. A widely accepted theory posits that LPCs are intrinsically more active than SPCs due to their more “primitive” nature9. Consequently, an LPC with the same absolute magnitude as an SPC is expected to have a smaller nucleus3,4,9,53,54,55. We re-examine this hypothesis in light of the updated size estimation. Unlike asteroids, a comet’s absolute magnitude–defined as its apparent magnitude when located at one au from both the Sun and the Earth–reflects the combined brightness of its nucleus and coma, and is therefore dependent on its activity level56,57. To ensure consistency throughout our analysis, we adopt the absolute magnitude values reported in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Small-Body Database (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html). The majority of LPCs in our sample have effective diameters in the range of 4 to 20 km, whereas most SPCs have diameters between 1.5 to 5 km (Fig. 4). The largest LPC is C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp), with a diameter of 68.13 ± 10.42 km, while the largest SPC is 1P/Halley, with a diameter of 11.64 ± 2.13 km. To investigate the potential systematic size differences between LPCs and SPCs, we incorporated additional size estimates from Bauer et al.12 and Knight et al.23, and compared the average diameters of LPCs and SPCs within equivalent intervals of absolute magnitude. As shown by the green bars in Fig. 4, all LPC/SPC size ratios, except the one in the 11–11.5 magnitude bin, are greater than one, indicating that, on average, LPCs possess larger nuclei than SPCs of the same absolute magnitude over a broad range of brightness between 4 to 13. This result contradicts the prevailing expectation that LPCs should have smaller nuclei than equally bright SPCs. Absolute magnitudes are sourced from the JPL Small-Body Database. Data for LPC with absolute magnitudes larger than 14 are excluded to avoid observational biases. Filled circles with error bars represent water curve fitting results. Triangles denote data complied by Knight et al.23, and squares denote data estimated by Bauer et al.12. Red symbols represent LPC and blue symbols represent SPC. The error bars of the filled circles represent the 1-σ confidence intervals of the size inversion results reported in Table 1. All other error bars are adopted from the corresponding literature. Light green bars (referenced to the right y-axis) show the ratio between the average effective diameter of all LPC and all SPC within each absolute magnitude bin of 0.5 magnitude. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. We subsequently derived updated correlations between the absolute magnitudes and effective diameters using newly estimated nucleus sizes. For LPCs, we find a relationship of where HT is the JPL absolute total magnitude and DLPC the effective diameter in kilometers (Fig. 5a). Compared to previous correlations found based on non-gravitational effect analyses53, our updated relationship predicts larger nuclei for the same absolute magnitude. We also note that DN comets and YL comets follow a more confined linear trend than OL comets, possibly reflecting enhanced erosion of OL over repeated perihelion passages. We did not classify 1P/Halley and 55P/Tempel-Tuttle as OC objects because HTCs may originate from both SD58 and OC59, and the grouping has limited impact on the statistics (Supplementary Fig. 1). a Linear correlations between absolute magnitudes and effective diameters of LPCs. The color coding of the filled circles represents water-curve-fitted sizes of subgroups of LPCs: red for DN comets, green for YL comets, and blue for OL comets. The black dashed line shows the linear fit. The pink bands, ranging from dark to light, indicate the 1-σ to 3-σ confidence intervals for this fit. Beige triangles indicate results from Sosa and Fernández53 (corresponding to JPL absolute magnitudes), with the dashed line being the linear fit of their data. b Linear correlations between absolute magnitudes and effective diameters of SPCs. Green circles represent HTCs, and blue circles represent JFCs. All other follow the conventions described for Panel a. The error bars in Panels (a, b) indicate uncertainties of the estimated size as reported in Table 1. c Dependence of the OC/SD population ratio on the slope and intercept of the linear relationship between absolute magnitude and effective diameter of LPCs. The black dashed line denotes the contour derived from the direct simulation result of the Nice model9. The purple asterisk denotes the ratio estimated by Brasser and Morbidelli9 based on the linear relationship derived by Sosa and Fernández53. The red asterisk denotes the ratio derived in this work. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. The D–HT distribution for SPCs shows greater scatter, likely due to their more evolved nuclei (Fig. 5b). To provide a direct and intuitive comparison with D–HT of LPCs, we also fit their correlation of The SPC regression line exhibits a shallower slope and lower intercept than that of LPCs, consistent with the trend observed in our statistical comparison of their nucleus sizes (Fig. 4). Interestingly, for comet 81P/Wild, which has a JPL absolute magnitude of 9.8, this correlation yields a diameter of 4.7 km, closely matching the space mission-derived value of 4.17 km60. Assuming similar size-frequency distribution (SFD) slopes for LPCs and SPCs with diameters exceeding 1 km61, the population ratio between OC and SD can be inferred from the parameters of the DLPC − HT relationship (see “Methods”). By applying our newly derived DLPC − HT correlation, we estimate a revised OC/SD population ratio of (99{8}_{-794}^{+2045}) (Fig. 5c). This ratio, approaching three orders of magnitude, confirms that OC is significantly more populated than SD, substantiating the long-standing discrepancy between OC and SD population estimates derived from comet flux observations and formation models4,9. It naturally results in a more massive OC than previous estimations, as larger nuclei are inferred with the same magnitude. This suggests that mechanisms beyond giant planet migration may be required to account for the populating of the OC, and/or possibly depopulating of the SD. The influence of the Sun’s birth cluster has been suggested as a mechanism that could significantly alter the populations of both the OC and SD8,16,62,63. More recently, stellar flyby events have gained attention as a plausible explanation for the orbital distributions of Sedna-like objects, high-inclination trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), and cold classical Kuiper Belt objects18. To investigate the potential impact of such stellar encounters on OC and SD formation, we constructed a toy model using similar parameters as the stellar flyby event proposed by Pfalzner et al.18. By integrating the trajectories of 105 massless test particles initially distributed between 100 and 500 au (see “Methods”), we find that such a flyby could efficiently disperse the initial disk with only approximately 40% of the particles remaining gravitationally bound to the Sun 100 kyr after the encounter. Intriguingly, a substantial fraction (about 30%) of the remaining bound particles subjected to significant gravitational perturbations are excited to large semi-major axes (lower right section of Fig. 6), shown as particles orbiting along large elliptical trajectories in the animation (Supplementary Movie 1). These particles are likely to become part of the OC under the influence of Galactic tides and stochastic stellar perturbations3,19. Approximately 60% of the particles were scattered into hyperbolic trajectories and escaped the Solar System, shown in the animation as particles flying out of the field of view at high speed. They have, in general, high inclinations due to the inclined flyby trajectory of the star. If such a flyby event happens early when the Sun was still in its birth cluster64, it could have created a heterogeneous initial distribution of OC and SD objects, setting the stage for subsequent planet migration to reshape them further. Conversely, a flyby occurring after giant planet migration may have transferred some SD objects into the OC, thereby amplifying the OC/SD ratio. Dots represent the distribution of semi-major axes and eccentricities for the massless model particles after 10 kyr of the flyby, with colors indicating their orbital inclinations. Particles with eccentricities larger than one (denoted by the horizontal dashed line) are considered escaped. The ratio between the number of particles escaped and bounded is approximately 3:2. The region on the right side of the vertical dashed line denotes the classical Oort cloud. An animation of the flyby event is displayed in Supplementary Movie 1. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. Comets are not only key to understanding the primordial conditions of the Solar System but also serve as critical tracers of the dynamical processes that occurred during planetary system formation. However, gaining insights from comets hinges on accurately determining their physical properties, particularly their nucleus sizes. Recent advancements in deep learning, as demonstrated in this study, have enabled an alternative and efficient approach for independently estimating nucleus sizes from cometary water production curves. Despite this progress, the number of comets with continuous water production rate measurements remains limited, particularly for those with large perihelia. Expanding these observational datasets is essential to reduce selection biases and to derive a statistically more robust relationship between absolute magnitude and effective diameter. To date, spacecraft explorations have exclusively visited SPCs. Observations of LPCs, especially for their activity patterns and direct size measurements, remain a critical knowledge gap. The upcoming ESA Comet Interceptor mission is expected to help address this need by providing the first in situ observations of a dynamically new LPC65. As a close stellar flyby offers a compelling explanation for the high OC/SD population ratio, its actual impact depends on the detailed configuration. Determining the precise timing, geometry, and influence of such an event needs further investigation. Additionally, recent results from Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations have shown that primordial protoplanetary disks are often far from uniform66. Many exhibit irregular density distributions and concentric ring-like substructures. Such complexities in the initial mass distribution of planetesimals can significantly influence their dynamical response to perturbations, including planetary migration and stellar encounters67. Thus, adjusting assumptions about the primordial architecture of the Solar System’s protoplanetary disk may also strongly affect the resulting OC/SD population ratio. A more comprehensive understanding of the Solar System’s early evolution requires the synthesis of nuanced dynamical models with refined observational evidence. We model the cometary water outgassing in the framework of the so-called “dust mantle” model for cometary water activity, where the cometary nucleus is treated as a thin desiccated mantle overlying the dust-ice mixture68. Assuming the thickness of the dust mantle is X, the energy balance at the interface between the dust mantle and dust-ice mixture can be expressed as40,68,69: The temperature T at the interface is determined by the solar irradiation on the surface of the nucleus, based on the law of energy conservation along with the longitudinal heat conduction28,68. κd, κm respectively correspond to the thermal conductivity of the dust mantle and dust-ice mixture. l is the latent heat of water ice, and Z(X) is the mass flux of sublimation determined by68,70 where f is called the icy area fraction and represents the microscopic areal abundance of water ice at given depth within the dust-ice mixture. f will enter inside the thermal equilibrium calculation, influencing the temperature at the sublimation front in a nonlinear way. Ψ is a reduction factor determining the permeability of the dust mantle to gas flow and is determined by 1/(1 + pH)68,71, with a constant coefficient p and H = X/d related to the diameter d of the spherical dust aggregates forming the dust mantle72. ZH−K(T) is the Hertz-Knudsen formula, describing the sublimation flux from the surface of pure solid ice into vacuum71,73, where (widehat{m}) is the mass of a water molecule, and kB is the Boltzmann constant. PV(T) is the saturation vapor pressure. α(T) is the sublimation coefficient, representing the reduction in sublimation flux due to the reattachment of gas molecules to the ice surface after impacting with each other. They are respectively evaluated as71,73,74,75 with a, b, c0, c1, c2, c3 constants68. ThermoONet, the DL-based comet thermophysical modeling tool, was developed to approximate the above thermophysical process40. It retrieves an accuracy of T(X) better than 95% compared to traditional numerical approaches, while reduces simulation time by nearly six orders of magnitude40. Each iteration of the global optimization requires a full thermophysical simulation of the water production rate, which involves solving the heat conduction equation for every facet at all orbital phases. A single solve of global temperature takes about 104 s using traditional finite-difference methods, but only 10−2 s with ThermoONet. As a result, a full SA inversion, which would formerly require months of CPU time, can now be completed in a matter of minutes within our ThermoONet-based framework. The leap in computation efficiency enables ThermoONet to reproduce the water curve of a comet with an irregular shape, as well as the exploration of a large and high-dimensional parameter space. For a nucleus represented as a polyhedron with k facets, its water outgassing rate nZ(t0) at time t0 could be expressed as the total global outgassing rate averaged over one spin period P, starting from t0: where Zk, Sk indicate the sublimation flux and the area of the k-th facet. In this sense, the size of the nucleus can be treated as an independent scaling factor for a normalized water curve. However, it is essential to first assess the influence of other model parameters to avoid the potential degeneracy. To this end, we performed benchmark analysis with comet C/2001 Q4 (Neat) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon), focusing on the influence of the key parameters shaping the water curve, including the icy area fraction f, the thickness of dust mantle X, thermal conductivity κ, a composite parameter ps (defined as the square root of the product of density ρ, specific heat capacity C, and rotational angular velocity ω), the obliquity of spin axis β, and the nucleus effective diameter dn. To isolate the effects of each parameter, we apply the control variate method by oscillating a certain parameter while fixing the others. The results demonstrate that the size of the nucleus only controls the overall intensity of the water emission and has no effect on the shape of the water curve. On the contrary, other parameters do not contribute significantly to the level of production rate compared to the size, but mainly alter its trend (Fig. 7). Therefore, as long as the highly nonlinear shape of the water curve is fitted by optimizing these parameters, we could retrieve the size of the nucleus simply as a scaling factor. Column (a) Results based on the orbital parameters of C/2001 Q4. Column (b) Results based on the orbital parameters of C/2012 F6. The first row shows the influence of the icy area fraction of 1% (black), 5% (red), and 10% (blue). The second row shows the influence of dust mantle thickness of 5 mm (black), 8 mm (red), 10 mm (blue). The third row shows the influence of thermal conductivity (in W m−1 K) corresponding to 0.002 (black), 0.004 (red), and 0.007 (blue). The fourth row shows the influence of a combined parameter ps (defined in Zhao et al.40) of 5 (black), 10 (red), 15 (blue). The fifth row shows the influence by the obliquity of the spin axis of 20∘ (black), 50∘ (red), and 80∘ (blue). And the last row shows the influence of the effective diameter, corresponding to 1.52 km (black), 7.63 (red), and 15.26 km (blue). The vertical dashed lines indicate times of perihelia. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. The influence of icy area fraction f on the slope of the water curve is a noteworthy phenomenon, for which we provide a concise explanation. A lower f reduces the energy consumed by sublimation, resulting in a higher equilibrium temperature at the ice front under the same insolation. Since the Hertz-Knudsen sublimation rate depends exponentially on temperature, a given temperature increase (e.g., 20 K) causes a more substantial rise in the sublimation rate at higher temperature ranges (e.g., 200 K to 220 K) than at lower ones (e.g., 160 K to 180 K). Consequently, a lower f leads to a steeper increase in water production as the comet approaches the Sun, thereby altering the slope of the curve, the behavior clearly illustrated in Fig. 7(first row). We initialize our inversion by constructing the nucleus as a normalized tri-axial ellipsoid with semi-axes (an, bn, cn) where an = 1 km. The actual axial ratios are applied for those comets with measured shape. Statistical investigations of light curves have demonstrated that the axial ratios of most comets distribute between 1 and 2, with a median value of 1.521,23,76. In our previous work on comet 21P40, we showed that the axial ratio has a negligible impact on insolation received and the resultant water production rate per unit area, unless it arrives at an extremely large value (i.e., > 4). The axial ratio primarily affects the results through its determination of the surface area and volume of the ellipsoid. We quantify the effect on diameter estimation by comparing results for different axial ratios while holding the semi-major axis constant at 1 km and the observed-to-modeled water production ratio at unity (Eq. (9)). The derived diameters are respectively 0.55 km, 0.56 km, and 0.54 km for axial ratios of 1.5, 1 (sphere), and 2. This narrow range of values demonstrates that the assumed shape has only a minor effect on the estimated diameter for typical cometary shapes. Therefore, for comets with unknown axial ratios, we model their nuclei as a spheroid with an axial ratio of 1.5. We adopt the Simulated Annealing (SA) global optimization scheme77 to find the parameters that reproduce the overall normalized water production curves. The algorithm proceeds as follows: It starts with an initial set of parameters. At each step, it proposes a new set of parameters by randomly perturbing the current set. If the new parameters yield a better fit, they are always accepted. Critically, if they yield a worse fit, they can still be accepted with a probability that depends on the current fitting quality and the level of increase in the misfit. This controlled acceptance of worse solutions allows the algorithm to escape from local minima in the parameter space. The misfit is gradually decreased according to a predefined schedule, and the process converges towards a set of parameters corresponding to a global optimum. Twelve variables are fitted through the procedure, including f, X(x1, x2, x3, x4, x5), κd, κm, ps, the spin axis orientation (RA, Dec) and the effective diameter dn. For comets with measured spin axis orientation, RA and Dec are excluded from the fitting. Investigations of 67P by Rosetta have revealed that comets possess extremely low thermal conductivity78. Low thermal conductivity of comets is also predicted by recent works on comet formation and evolution via pebble accretion24,79,80. Therefore, we set an upper limit of κ as 0.01 W m−1K−1. Based on the aforementioned sensitivity analysis for parameters, we decouple dn from the rest of the variables, reserving it as a scaling factor of the water production rate, while optimizing the other five or seven parameters to reproduce the trend of the curve. Rosetta observations of comet 67P have demonstrated a varying dust mantle thickness through its perihelion passage, thinning on the inbound and thickening on the outbound81,82. We include this dynamic behavior into our SA optimization by formulating X as a heliocentric distance r-dependent variable with monotonic reduction before peaking of the water activity, followed by a gradual recovery. Based on the spectral slope analysis by Filacchione et al.82, we model the thickness of dust mantle X as a piece-wise function: where ∣*∣0−1 denotes normalization to the [0, 1] interval. Parameters x3, x4, x5 respectively represent the dust mantle thicknesses corresponding to three critical phases of the observed water production rate curve: initiation (t0), termination (tend), and peak (tp). The functional dependence on x1 and x2 exhibits a positive correlation with system nonlinearity, where increasing parameter values correlate with enhanced nonlinear behavior. The five-dimensional parameter set (x1, x2, x3, x4, x5) is explicitly incorporated into the SA framework as the mathematical parameterization of the crucial variations on the surface dust. Optimal fitting is achieved by minimizing the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between the observed and reconstructed curves, both normalized: ({{{boldsymbol{W}}}}_{o}/{W}_{o,max }) and ({{{boldsymbol{W}}}}_{f}/{W}_{f,max }). Here Wo denotes the observed curve with its maximum value of ({W}_{o,max }), and Wf is the corresponding fitted curve derived from SA and ThermoONet with its maximum of Wf,max. The effective nucleus diameter D is subsequently calculated as To address potential over-fitting issues arising from the high-dimensional parameter space and the broad distribution of observational data, we implement a post-annealing perturbation strategy. Following the completion of SA, we generate normally distributed random sampling points centered on the optimized parameter set while maintaining a relatively large parameter space. Water curves are produced with these perturbed parameter combinations. We then select all curves exhibiting MAPE below approximately 30% relative to the observed curve, perform size inversion and retrieve a distribution of estimated sizes. For each comet, we analyse approximately 400 qualified parameter sets to establish size distribution statistics. The resulting distributions followed normal distributions, from which the mean values combined with 1-σ confidence intervals (encompassing 68.27% of the data) are adopted as the final size estimates with corresponding uncertainties (Fig. 2). SPCs experience mass loss during repeated perihelion passages. To assess the extent of erosion they underwent and its impact on the estimate of the OC/SD ratio, we introduce an indicator of erosion probability factor. The precise timing of an SPC into its current orbit remains largely unknown, and constructing accurate physical models for cometary mass loss presents significant challenges, making it difficult to precisely quantify mass loss for individual comets. However, we can perform a statistical analysis at a probabilistic level based on their current orbit configurations. Specifically, we combine the Hertz-Knudsen formula (Eq. (5)) with the characteristic temperature of the comet at different orbital phases to qualitatively assess the total amount of erosion over one complete orbital period. The erosion probability factor of the comet is defined as the average erosion over the orbit, obtained by dividing the total erosion by the comet’s orbital period. Statistical analysis between this erosion probability factor and cometary magnitude reveals a general trend (Supplementary Fig. 2). Comets with smaller magnitudes tend to have lower erosion probability factors, implying a lower probability for them to have undergone severe erosion. Based on the relationship between the erosion probability factor and magnitude, we can infer that currently observed JFCs larger than 10 km, those we use for inferring the OC/SD ratio, have statistically experienced relatively limited erosion. Therefore, from a statistical perspective, we propose that the current sizes of these objects can reasonably represent their primordial sizes within the SD. By integrating comet observations56,83, the flux of new LPCs with absolute magnitudes < 6.5 is estimated to be (0.7{6}_{-0.33}^{+0.33}) per year9. Combined with the absolute magnitude-size linear relationship proposed by Sosa and Fernández53 and the average fraction of OC reported by Kaib and Quinn13, it was predicted that the number of OC objects with nuclei > 2.3 km was (7.{6}_{-3.3}^{+3.3}times 1{0}^{10})9. To revise this estimation, we need to first reassess the linear regression between nucleus sizes from Sosa and Fernández53 and corresponding absolute magnitudes from JPL (the beige dashed line in Fig. 4a). The updated correlation reveals that, according to Sosa and Fernández53, a nucleus size of 2.3 km corresponds to a JPL magnitude of about 10. This critical magnitude translates to a nucleus size of about 10 km according to the updated DLPC − HT found in our study. Therefore, based on the estimation by Brasser et al.9, there should be (7.{6}_{-3.3}^{+3.3}times 1{0}^{10}) OC objects exceeding 10 km in diameter. The possible higher new LPC influx found by Fouchard et al.11 as well as inactive OC objects detected by Meech et al.84 indicate a potentially larger number. Based on a sample of (11{7}_{-50}^{+50}) visible JFCs with nuclei > 2 km85, and a cumulative JFC size-frequency distribution N(N > D) ∝ D−286,87,88, a model connecting the population of SD with JFCs was established9, indicating that there are (1.{7}_{-0.9}^{+3}times 1{0}^{9}) SD objects with diameters > 2.3 km. Above calculations of OC population have revised the nucleus size constraint for LPCs, the minimum nuclear diameter is 10 km, and the size cutoff for JFCs should also be updated. Utilizing the same size distribution of JFC and starting from the count of SD objects with diameters greater than 2.3 km, we estimate that the population of SD objects with nucleus diameter > 10 km through standard scaling is (7.{6}_{-4}^{+13}times 1{0}^{7}). Given the similar slope of the size-frequency distribution for LPCs and SPCs with diameters exceeding 1 km61, the OC/SD population ratio is larger than (99{8}_{-794}^{+2045}). Considering the uncertainties inherent in the determination of cometary absolute magnitudes due to their model-dependent nature, and to underscore the importance of employing a self-consistent photometric model, we have supplemented our analysis with an independent assessment of the comet size-magnitude relationship and the derived OC/SD ratio using the MPC (Minor Planet Center) database. This procedure was conducted in a manner consistent with that used for the JPL database. Our results are presented in the Supplementary Fig. 3. Based on the cometary nuclear size from53, a nucleus of 2.3 km corresponds to an MPC magnitude of approximately 8. Applying this magnitude to our revised relationship yields an estimated LPC size of about 9 km, which is comparable to about 10 km derived from the JPL data. Furthermore, we calculated an OC/SD population ratio of 715 under the MPC photometric model, a value that differences less than 30% with the result of 998 obtained using the JPL model. One recent work demonstrated that a stellar flyby involving a (0.{8}_{-0.1}^{+0.1}) solar mass perturber with closest encounter distance at (11{0}_{-10}^{+10}) au and an inclination of ({7{0}^{circ }}_{-10}^{+5}) can adequately explain the dynamical evolution of Sedna-like TNOs, high-inclination TNOs, and cold Kuiper Belt objects18. We adopt a similar scenario to investigate the simultaneous effects of this stellar flyby on the more distant disk objects. We initiate the outer debris disk as a nearly circular thin annulus, regardless of whether it originated from nebular evolution or emerged through the giant planet migration process. Based on the typical sizes of protoplanetary and debris disks of 100–500 au18,89,90, and the size of the scattering disk from giant planet migration3,4,19, we set the initial annulus to have a size of 100–500 au. The initial disk consists 105 massless particles with semi-major axes sampled between 100–500 au, following a radially decreasing density, and eccentricities uniformly sampled between 0–0.1, inclinations uniformly sampled between 0–5∘, and other angular elements (longitude of ascending node, argument of perihelion, eccentric anomaly) uniformly sampled across their full value ranges. Each particle is propagated in the framework of a three-body problem during the stellar encounter with the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg 7(8) (RKF78) adaptive integration scheme, neglecting the interparticle interactions. To capture both pre-encounter orbital configurations and post-encounter dynamical evolution, the simulation time extends from 10 kyr before to 100 kyr after the stellar closest encounter. Following the simulation, particles escaping the solar gravitational influence are excluded based on their orbital elements. After 100 kyr, the flyby star has receded to a considerable distance, leaving the remaining particles in Keplerian orbits around the Sun. The current simulation omits the subsequent long-term dynamical evolution, since the main goal is to get a qualitative idea of the OC populating efficiency by a stellar flyby. It is foreseeable that during subsequent evolution, perturbations from distant stars would replenish some inner Oort cloud objects into the outer Oort cloud region91,92. Combined with Galactic tidal effects, the spatial distribution would become isotropic3,19. All data supporting the findings of this study are publicly available. The SOHO/SWAN comet water production rate data that support the findings of this study are available in the NASA PDS small body node with the identifier: https://doi.org/10.26007/8716-yz0944. The Rosetta-derived water production rate data of comet 67P are available in Läuter et al. 202048. 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Destruction of long-period comets. Astron. J.164, 158 (2022). ArticleADS Google Scholar Download references The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Michael R. Combi and his team for their dedicated efforts in deriving and curating the invaluable SOHO/SWAN cometary water production rates collection. S.J.Z thanks Dr. Liu Tao for helpful discussions about the Oort Cloud. This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12233003, 12573063). School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China Shunjing Zhao & Hanlun Lei Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics in Ministry of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China Shunjing Zhao & Hanlun Lei Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China Shunjing Zhao, Xian Shi, Man-To Hui & Jianchun Shi Search author on:PubMedGoogle Scholar Search author on:PubMedGoogle Scholar Search author on:PubMedGoogle Scholar Search author on:PubMedGoogle Scholar Search author on:PubMedGoogle Scholar X.S. conceived and designed the study. S.J.Z. performed thermophysical modeling, size estimation, and dynamical simulations. S.J.Z. and X.S. drafted the manuscript. H.L.L., M.T.H., and J.C.S. contributed to the interpretation of the results and revising the manuscript. Correspondence to Xian Shi or Hanlun Lei. The authors declare no competing interests. Nature Communications thanks Hai Jiang, Nalin H. Samarasinha and the other anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available. Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. 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China’s installed photovoltaic (PV) power capacity surpassed coal-fired power capacity for the first time, making PV the country’s largest power source by installed capacity, the National Energy Administration said Tuesday. China’s installed PV power capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts at the end of July, edging past coal-fired power capacity of 1.285 billion kilowatts, according to the administration. “This marks a milestone in China’s green and low-carbon energy transition,” said Liu Zhiqiang, an expert from the China Electricity Council, adding that the country’s new power system, with new energy as the mainstay, is taking shape at an accelerated pace. By the end of July, PV power accounted for more than 30 percent of China’s total installed power generation capacity. Measured by newly added capacity, the share rose to more than 40 percent in the first seven months, underscoring the rapid expansion of the PV sector. China has built a complete PV industry chain covering research and development, design and integrated manufacturing. Technological advances, including repeated breakthroughs in PV conversion efficiency, have helped drive continuous upgrades and rapid cost reductions. China’s rapid development of PV power and other forms of new energy is also making a positive contribution globally. With the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, the country supplies more than 80 percent of the PV modules and 70 percent of the wind power equipment around the world, assisting the green transition in many countries. In particular, amid uncertainties in global supplies of energy and key raw materials, China’s growing new energy capacity helped it meet domestic energy demand while contributing to the stability of global energy markets and supply chains, experts said.
The US has become a unique market when it comes to the technology choice for solar PV. The majority of the manufacturing announcements made until late 2025 had PERC as the technology of choice for module or solar cells, but more recently, several manufacturers have either brought online or announced plans to build heterojunction (HJT) manufacturing capacity for solar cells and/or modules. One of the main reasons for the rise of HJT as the n-type technology of choice in US solar manufacturing is the history of intellectual property issues surrounding TOPCon technology. Over the past couple of years, there has been a flurry of patent infringement cases not only in the US but also in Europe. This was further escalated earlier this year when the US International Trade Commission (ITC) began a Section 337 investigation into TOPCon solar products in the US, following a complaint by US thin-film module manufacturer First Solar. Get Premium Subscription However, this year has seen several new announcements focused on heterojunction, with Canadian Solar and SEG Solar among the first to bring online either cell or module capacity for that technology. This is despite the fact that even in China, the number of companies making HJT has decreased over the years in favour of TOPCon or back contact, as shown earlier this year by Kiwa PVEL’s PV Module Reliability Scorecard. Tristan Erion-Lorico, vice president of sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL, told PV Tech at the time that there were fewer HJT testings than in previous years. In the US, the trend is going the opposite direction, as shown from the conversations held at PV ModuleTech USA earlier this year and from recent data from PV Tech Research, which forecasts that HJT cell production capacity could account for around 10% of total US cell production capacity in 2027, as shown in the chart below. Amongst the companies planning to build new solar cell capacity in the US is Japanese solar cell and module manufacturer Toyo. The company recently announced plans to build HJT capacity in the US with a 1.5GW solar cell nameplate production capacity at its Houston, Texas, manufacturing facility, where it is already producing TOPCon modules with a 1GW annual nameplate capacity that will increase to 2GW in the coming weeks. Another is California-based module manufacturer DYCM, which expects to begin commercial shipments of its first HJT line in Q4 2026. Rhone Resch, chief strategy officer at Toyo, explains that the HJT solar cell expansion factors in the recent Section 232 tariffs on polysilicon and its derivatives. “What that proclamation really does is it allows you to bring product in at a reduced tariff level, or maybe tariff-free, if you’re building out capacity in the United States,” says Resch. Certainly, having an import tariff not only on polysilicon but also on its derivatives helps balance the price of foreign-made cells and modules compared to domestic ones, making HJT technology more financially viable. Both Resch and DYCM explain that the capital expenditure required for HJT manufacturing is higher, with Resch saying that “we fully expect that to come down”. For Resch, Section 232 tariffs on polysilicon and its derivatives create a structure that “does support investment into advanced solar technologies”. He also adds that one of the benefits of having more companies manufacturing HJT cells is improved equipment scalability: “The benefit of having more companies manufacture HJT cells is that the equipment that’s used to produce the cells is going to be manufactured at a much greater scale, and subsequently at a much lower cost.” However, equipment procurement has been highlighted as one of the main challenges for HJT technology by both SEG Solar and DYCM. SEG Solar’s CEO Jim Wood highlighted the difficulty of procuring equipment for HJT lines from Chinese suppliers in an interview with PV Tech in July. “I could definitely see companies that didn’t already secure their HJT equipment having issues,” said Wood at the time. “Securing specialised overseas production gear is increasingly tight as Chinese policymakers weigh advanced technology export curbs on key suppliers such as Suzhou Maxwell Technologies, compounding US customs reviews. The US policy regarding tariffs on imports from China has compounded the issue,” a DYCM spokesperson further explains to PV Tech. DYCM adds that “its historic relationship with European equipment manufacturers has secured excellent cooperation in addressing its requirements of turnkey production line”, and that the entire production line will be set up by DYCM in collaboration with European manufacturers. Ascribing the move by many US manufacturers from PERC to HJT in preference to TOPCon purely to the latter’s IP risk would be to oversimplify. After all, several of the companies that are manufacturing HJT also have TOPCon manufacturing in the US. “First and foremost, HJT has the highest commercially available efficient solar cell on the marketplace. When we talk to our customers, who are primarily utility-scale developers or asset owners, they are looking to generate greater output from a similar footprint, and that means higher efficiency,” explains Resch regarding the advantages of HJT technology. Another advantage for HJT technology over TOPCon or IBC (interdigitated back-contact) is its better energy yield over the lifetime of a solar system. DYCM adds that HJT offers “outstanding low-light performance, minimal heat-related power loss and very low annual degradation”. Resch adds that the lower-temperature coefficient for HJT is really important for utility-scale developers, especially in projects built in the Southwest Texas desert areas and other similar areas. “If you use typical solar panels, obviously, they’re going to overheat, and the efficiency drops off. HJT doesn’t have that same type of drop-off in performance,” says Resch, adding that HJT also has better bifaciality than a TOPCon module. Another key challenge that solar cell manufacturing faces is the high silver consumption for metallisation. The latest edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics (ITRPV) highlighted that slightly more than a fifth (21.4%) of the entire silver supply was consumed in solar PV modules shipped in 2025. In that same report, the silver consumption in 2025 for HJT cells was higher than for TOPCon bifacial cells, at 12mg/W versus 10 mg/W, respectively. The ITRPV roadmap projects a drastic reduction in silver consumption for both technologies over the coming decade, with HJT cells set to be lower at 4.3 mg/W compared to 6.3 mg/W for TOPCon cells. “Silver is an increasingly expensive part of a solar cell, and if you can move towards technologies that reduce it, in the long run, you are going to have a potentially more competitive product from a manufacturing perspective,” says Resch. He adds that the higher silver consumption in HJT cells, which in itself increased manufacturing costs, was also one of the reasons why companies shifted to TOPCon years ago. “The reality is today the silver gap has narrowed dramatically, and frankly, HJT is moving away from silver entirely,” says Resch, adding that “cell manufacturers have reduced the silver consumption for HJT through finer screen printing, multi busbar and zero busbar designs, better paste formulations, copper-assisted metallisation.” Resch adds that Toyo’s target is to reach single-digit use of silver per watt for when its HJT solar cell processing line comes online and that the company has a technology roadmap that uses even less silver through copper metallisation. Indeed, last year, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) developed a new HJT solar cell that used 1.4mg/W of silver. The scientists replaced the silver with copper in the new HJT cell, replacing it entirely on the rear side. “The industry is rapidly transitioning towards copper-based metallisation, and so we believe that the silver usage is going to continue to decline, while HJT retains these fundamental advantages in efficiency, energy yield, degradation and, clearly, compatibility with perovskite tandem cells,” explains Resch. Looking further ahead, HJT can also offer a bridge towards tandem-perovskite technology, as shown by perovskite-silicon tandem cell manufacturer Swift Solar earlier this year when it acquired Meyer Burger’s manufacturing assets and patents. “For us, thinking about how to progress a two-terminal architecture for tandems, it comes down to picking the right bottom cell. And for us, the bottom cell choice was heterojunction, so that’s been on our roadmap,” explains Geoff Dunican, VP, commercial strategy & partnerships at Swift Solar. “We can code on both TOPCon and heterojunction, but heterojunction for us provides better cost efficiency, better process efficiency, as well as a bump in overall power efficiency.” Dunican adds that HJT ended up being a better bottom-cell technology choice for Swift Solar, which is why the company jumped at the opportunity to acquire Meyer Burger’s assets. “It’s just a way for us to go bigger and faster sooner, as opposed to just focusing on perovskites as a standalone, which would not get to the scale as quickly as having a heterojunction backbone behind it,” he adds. Dunican says that both HJT and tandem-perovskite solar cell and module production will be brought online in parallel during the second half of 2028 in the same facility. And this is because, for Dunican, scale is currently one of the main gaps towards commercially manufactured perovskites. “The pathway to scaling up is really important, and the pathway that we’re going down, which is using the heterojunction as our foundation for tandems, is something that is important for the market.” Resch adds that HJT technology is “widely recognised as the preferred base technology for perovskite tandem solar cells”, which helps make the bridge between the technologies that are currently in the market and what will be the next technological solar PV jump in the coming years. “We don’t want to do mono-PERC. It’s last year’s technology. TOPCon’s great for this year’s technology, but we want to be shooting out into the future, and HJT certainly provides that long-term manufacturing platform that can evolve as the industry advances,” concludes Resch. The technology trends shaping US PV manufacturing will be under discussion at our PV CellTech USA event in California on 13-14 October. For full details, click here.
The first three articles in this series treated US manufacturing capacity as a single, undifferentiated pool at each stage of the supply chain. That simplification is useful for mapping overall capacity and identifying structural gaps, such as the wafer shortage in the US supply chain. But it obscures a critical dimension: which cell technologies that capacity is actually built around, and whether the technology mix emerging in the US is the result of a deliberate competitive strategy or a defensive response to trade-enforcement risk. The US is home to what is likely the largest concentration of thin-film solar capacity anywhere in the world, entirely owned by First Solar. PV Tech Research puts thin-film module capacity at 19.5GW against production of 15.4GW, a utilisation rate of roughly 79%, comfortably the healthiest ratio of any technology tracked in this series. The cell-stage figures are identical to the module figures, and that is not a coincidence: thin film’s cadmium telluride process deposits the semiconductor layer directly during module fabrication, so there is no separate wafer-to-cell step to create a gap between the two numbers. Thin film is the one technology in the US market where the cell-to-module bottleneck that defines the rest of this series simply does not apply. Get Premium Subscription Crystalline silicon tells a very different story, and the same cell-to-module gap that showed up at the whole-of-market level in Part 2 of this series reappears, with variation, inside each individual technology. PERC module capacity stands at 24.8GW against 15.4GW of production (63% utilisation), while PERC cell capacity is just 7.5GW against 4.6GW of production (61% utilisation). Domestic PERC cell capacity covers only about 30% of domestic PERC module capacity, meaning well over half of the silicon going into US-assembled PERC modules must originate as imported cells. HJT shows an almost identical pattern at a smaller scale: module capacity of 5.5GW versus 2.4GW of production (44% utilisation), and cell capacity of 2.1GW versus 1.3GW of production (62% utilisation). HJT cell capacity covers roughly 38% of HJT module capacity, essentially the same shortfall as PERC, just on a smaller base. TOPCon is both the largest technology by capacity and the one with the widest internal gap. Module capacity reaches 32.7GW against 22.2GW of production (68% utilisation, the strongest of the three), but cell capacity is only 1GW against 311MW of production, a utilisation rate of just 31%, the weakest cell-stage figure of any crystalline technology in this dataset and mainly due to the fact that it is newer and still ramping up and carrying a lot more legal risk. TOPCon cell capacity covers barely 3% of TOPCon module capacity, the largest cell-to-module gap in the market. TOPCon has become the default technology for module assembly, but the domestic cell base beneath it has not kept pace. The US exhibits an unusual degree of technology diversification compared to global standards, where TOPCon has emerged as the dominant crystalline silicon technology with limited competition from PERC or HJT. Rather than reflecting a deliberate efficiency or cost optimisation strategy, the US pattern appears to function as a hedge against legal risk. The industry’s typical migration path (from PERC to TOPCon and onward to back-contact architectures) has been consistently shadowed by patent litigation at each transition point. This legal uncertainty has driven a significant portion of US manufacturers to bypass the conventional TOPCon-to-back-contact progression entirely. Instead, they have pursued one of two alternative strategies: committing to HJT as a parallel technology pathway or maintaining PERC production rather than following the migration trajectory that has become standard in other markets. The technology split within the under-construction pipeline in PV Tech Research’s ‘US Domestic Solar Manufacturing Tracker’ suggests that the hedge is intensifying rather than resolving. At the cell stage, TOPCon leads newly announced capacity with 13.1GW, HJT at 12.16GW, PERC at 11.8GW and the remainder distributed across other technologies, including perovskite. At the module stage, HJT dominates announced capacity at 16.56GW, significantly outpacing TOPCon at 1GW and PERC at 4GW. That divergence is worth examining closely. TOPCon remains a technology that manufacturers are willing to build new cell capacity around, likely because it is the most commercially proven route and offers a clear efficiency advantage over PERC. However, when it comes to new module capacity, HJT is where the announced pipeline is concentrated (a signal that a meaningful share of US manufacturers are positioning module assembly around a technology they view as further removed from the patent risk building up around the TOPCon-to-back-contact transition), even while a separate cohort continues building TOPCon cell capacity in parallel. The result, at least through the current wave of announcements, is a market that is not converging on a single dominant crystalline technology the way most of the rest of the world has. This creates a cell-to-module capacity gap that appears set to persist across all three technologies through 2030, regardless of which one ultimately prevails. This technology divergence is not simply a transitional phase. It reflects a structural feature of the US solar manufacturing landscape, one shaped as much by legal strategy as by technical or economic logic. The question now is not which technology will dominate, but whether this multi-technology approach can sustain itself as capacity scales and competitive pressures intensify. The final article in this series addresses that question directly. It moves beyond the current state of the supply chain to project where US solar manufacturing capacity is headed by 2030, across each stage of production and each competing technology, and explores what those projections mean for manufacturers, policymakers, and the broader market dynamics that will define the next phase of this buildout. Learn more about the technology trends shaping US PV manufacturing at our PV CellTech USA event in California on 13-14 October. For full details, click here. Further analysis of the emerging HJT manufacturing trend in the US is available here (subscription required).
A little over a decade ago, solar energy occupied only a small place in India’s electricity system. High costs and limited deployment meant it was often viewed as a technology for the future rather than a practical solution for the present. That has changed dramatically. Today, India has over 150 GW of installed solar power capacity, making it one of the world’s largest solar markets. Solar panels have become a familiar sight on rooftops, industrial facilities, agricultural fields, and utility-scale solar parks across the country. More importantly, solar energy has moved from the margins to become a key component of India’s energy mix. Several factors have driven this transformation. Falling technology costs have made solar power increasingly affordable, while supportive government policies have encouraged investment across the value chain. As India’s electricity demand continues to rise with rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, and the growth of digital infrastructure, solar energy is playing an increasingly important role in meeting that demand. Government programmes have helped broaden access to solar energy. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to expand rooftop solar installations among households, while PM-KUSUM supports the use of solar-powered irrigation pumps by farmers. At the same time, initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme have encouraged investment in domestic manufacturing of solar equipment, reflecting a broader effort to strengthen India’s clean energy supply chain. The growth of solar energy extends beyond electricity generation. It has created employment in manufacturing, project development, engineering, installation, operations, and maintenance. The sector is also attracting significant private investment and supporting the growth of industries that depend on reliable and affordable power, including data centres and advanced manufacturing. Behind every solar panel lies a complex manufacturing process. Highly purified silicon is converted into ingots, sliced into wafers, processed into solar cells, and finally assembled into modules. India has substantially expanded its manufacturing capacity for solar cells and modules in recent years. However, much of the upstream supply chain, particularly polysilicon and wafers, continues to rely on imports. Developing these capabilities domestically remains one of the next milestones for the industry. The rapid expansion of solar energy has also brought new challenges. As a variable source of power, solar generation must be complemented by investments in battery storage, transmission infrastructure, and a more flexible electricity grid to ensure reliable supply throughout the day. Land availability, project financing, and faster grid connectivity will also influence the pace of future growth. India’s energy transition will ultimately depend on a diverse mix of technologies, including solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, and conventional power. Within that mix, solar has emerged as one of the country’s most important sources of new generation capacity because of its scalability, declining costs, and widespread availability. The past decade has demonstrated how technological progress, policy support, and private investment can accelerate the adoption of clean energy at scale. The next phase will be shaped not only by how much solar capacity India adds, but also by how effectively it builds a resilient manufacturing ecosystem and modernises the power system to support a growing economy. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine. 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]. Comments Please login to comment Thursday, October 7, 2026 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
India’s solar cell and module manufacturing capacity has grown significantly. However, the nation still imports essential upstream components like polysilicon. China dominates global photovoltaic manufacturing, supplying most of India’s imports. India’s solar capacity is expanding, requiring greater domestic component production. Expanding from polysilicon to cell manufacturing is critical for future integration. Listen to this article in summarized format Unlock AI Briefing and Premium Content
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Some interesting thoughts here from RiskSTOP on plug-in solar panels; Risk assessment experts RiskSTOP are highlighting the introduction of new solar panel technology to the UK market and the need for insurers, brokers, property owners and landlords to be fully aware of it and the potential insurance risks involved. From 27 August 2026, plug-in photovoltaic (PV) solar panel systems can legally be bought and used inthe UK, following changes announced by the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero. Already becoming familiar in parts of Europe, this new technology is designed to make small-scale solar generation much more accessible. Johnny Thomson, Head of Strategic Planning at RiskSTOP said: “Unlike conventional roof-mounted PV systems, plug-in systems are designed to be installed by householders and connected directly to a standard electrical socket. They offer a relatively simple means of generating renewable electricity and may be particularly attractive to residents in flats, apartments, rental properties and homes unsuitable for traditional roof-mounted solar installations. “Whilst plug-in PV systems are generally smaller than conventional solar installations, they should not be considered risk-free. They introduce many of the same electrical, fire and structural hazards associated with traditional PV systems, together with additional risks arising from user installation, product compliance, mounting arrangements and interaction with existing electrical circuits.” A different type of solar installation Smaller Plug-in PVs are less complex than roof mounted installations, but they are still electrical generation equipment and introduce some specific considerations. One of the main differences is how electricity enters the property involved. Rather than being hard-wired into the electrical distribution system, plug-in PV feeds electricity through an existing socket circuit. This means product compliance, the condition and suitability of the existing electrical installation, and the protection built into the system all remain important parts of the risk assessment. There are also practical considerations. Where panels are positioned on balconies, walls, terraces or other external areas, secure mounting and exposure to wind and weather need to be considered. Depending on the property, landlord, freeholder, planning permissions and insurance company requirements may also be relevant. Network operator notification requirements may still apply, while regular visual inspection can help identify deterioration, damaged cables, loose fixings or signs of overheating. Keeping the risk proportionate Johnny Thomson concludes: “Compared with larger conventional PV installations, these systems are generally lower in complexity and scale. However, the important point is that as they become more widely available, they may begin appearing on properties where solar generation has not previously formed part of normal risk assessment. “For insurers and brokers, understanding what has been installed, where it has been positioned and how it is being managed will become increasingly important. As with many developing technologies, effective risk management is about recognising the exposure early and making sure the controls remain proportionate.”
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India has moved from more than 90% import dependence to become the world’s second-largest solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing hub, with 233 GW of capacity as of June 2026. However, module manufacturing capacity has expanded faster than market demand, leaving factories operating at just 35–40% utilisation—well below the 50–65% generally considered necessary for sustainable operations. A new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research, ‘Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market’, finds that solar manufacturing expansion has been overwhelmingly concentrated at the module stage. Module capacity now stands at nearly 7x cell capacity and 116x ingot-wafer capacity, leaving upstream segments such as cells, wafers, and polysilicon underdeveloped and the supply chain dependent on imported inputs, predominantly from China. “India has added module capacity faster than the market can absorb it,” says Prabhakar Sharma, Senior Consultant at JMK Research and lead author of the report. “With around 135GW more already planned or under construction and factories running at 35–40%, the pressure on utilisation, margins, and returns will only intensify. Standalone module manufacturers face a real risk of stranded assets.” The report finds this imbalance is unlikely to ease by 2030. India’s solar deployment is expected to grow strongly, but not fast enough to absorb the capacity already committed. New demand from data centres, green hydrogen and ammonia, and exports offers the most credible upside, an incremental 17–22GW by 2030, with green hydrogen the single largest avenue given the dedicated renewable capacity it requires. Even so, this is unlikely to fully offset the planned scale of expansion. Exports will therefore be pivotal, and here the picture is shifting fast. India’s export base is heavily exposed to a single market: the US absorbed around 97% of module export volume in financial year (FY) 2026. That channel has since been disrupted by combined US duties exceeding 200% on most Indian manufacturers, which have cut exports to the US by 44–47% from their FY2024 peak. The European Union, whose recent supply-chain and sourcing rules increasingly reward diversification, now offers the most structured medium-term alternative. “India may have the opportunity to unlock new export markets, provided Indian solar PV manufacturers can effectively compete with Chinese manufacturers by investing in R&D and the manufacturing of polysilicon, ingots, wafers, and cells,” says Charith Konda, Lead Energy Specialist at IEEFA, and contributing author of the report along with Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, IEEFA. “But market access alone will not be enough. Sustained export growth depends on closing the cost and technology gap with China through scale, integration, and operational efficiency.” On the supply side, the report expects the gap between capacity and demand to reshape the industry. Smaller, non-integrated manufacturers will come under greater pressure, while larger, vertically integrated players are positioned to gain. Domestic manufacturing is also likely to move upstream, from modules into cells, wafers, and eventually polysilicon, reducing reliance on imported inputs. “The challenge is no longer building capacity; it is using it well and deepening the value chain. That means spreading incentives evenly across cells, wafers, and polysilicon rather than rewarding modules alone, strengthening industry-research collaboration, and giving exporters targeted, time-bound support,” says Chirag H. Tewani, Senior Research Associate, JMK Research, and report co-author. “India’s entry into the Pax Silica coalition is a real opportunity to diversify silicon inputs and cut its reliance on China,” says Pulkit Moudgil, Senior Research Associate, JMK Research, and co-author of the report. Alongside these measures, the report calls for faster power transmission and right-of-way (RoW) clearances to sustain domestic deployment, and a framework to repower ageing solar assets. It concludes that today’s module overcapacity is best viewed as a transitional feature of a fast-expanding industry, one that can be resolved through demand absorption, consolidation, and disciplined upstream investment over the coming decade. 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]. Comments Please login to comment Thursday, October 7, 2026 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
I assume it’s no coincidence the World Bank made announcements of new support for clean energy in both India and Pakistan on the same day. If you’re going to support one, you better support the other! Anyway, the good news is that the World Bank is facilitating much more clean energy deployments in both major countries. First of all, we’ve got the India story, which is perhaps a little more exciting since it concerns rooftop solar. (Also, India is … well, a bit bigger and more romanticized around the world, right?) “The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved financing to accelerate India’s national program for solar rooftops to bring clean energy to millions of homes and create 1.7 million job opportunities across the renewable energy manufacturing, installation, and services value chain,” the World Bank wrote yesterday. 1.7 million jobs! … Or job opportunities. I’m not sure what that means, but if they actually mean jobs, that’s great. They also mention India’s net zero commitment. Though, personally, I just find that embarrassing. Apparently, the country has committed to achieving net zero emissions … by 2070. (Yikes.) More notably, the country plans to have 60% of its electricity coming from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources by 2035. “While large-scale solar has grown rapidly, residential solar adoption has been limited. To unlock this potential, the Government of India established the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana program to incentivize solar rooftop installation for 10 million rural and urban households nationwide, reduce household electricity costs, and encourage local manufacturing of solar rooftop equipment,” the World Bank adds. That’s the program the financial agency is supporting. “The financing package for the program includes an $820 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a $60 million concessional loan from the Clean Technology Fund, and a $10 million grant from IBRD’s Livable Planet Fund. In addition, the World Bank will mobilize $4.2 billion in private financing in the form of commercial loans enabling them to install solar rooftops for households.” I don’t know enough about the workings of the World Bank to know where this stands amongst its broader work, but this is clearly a significant boost to the rooftop solar industry in India. It should be greatly appreciated. “The program will transform the residential solar market by removing financial barriers and building the capacity of distribution companies, banks, and vendors to deliver integrated service solutions,” notes Moez Cherif, Task Team Leader of the program. “Through collateral-free financing, households can install solar power and significantly reduce their monthly electricity bills.” The World Bank also noted that it has supported solar power in India for several years. “The World Bank has been supporting India’s solar rooftop sector for over a decade, mobilizing more than $2 billion to catalyze market growth from 500 MW to over 27 GW of installed capacity,” said Paul Proccee, World Bank Acting Country Director for India. “This new financing will help India scale up residential solar, while creating job opportunities across the supply chain and installation ecosystem.” In a little more complicated of a program, the World Bank is also supporting clean energy growth in Pakistan. “The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved US$375.9 million in financing for Pakistan’s Grid Stability Enhancement Project, to strengthen its national power transmission network under the Boosting Energy Security through Transmission in Pakistan (BEST-PAK) Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA). The Project is the first phase of a 10-year program to help Pakistan modernize its electricity transmission network, reduce power outages, and bring more clean energy to homes, businesses, and industries,” the World Bank wrote yesterday. This will help integrate a lot more wind energy, and also boost grid stability and resilience. “The project will install advanced equipment to stabilize the transmission grid and improve the flow of electricity at key substations. This includes Static Synchronous Compensators, or STATCOMs, at three major 500 kV substations, as well as fixed reactors and capacitor banks across 26 grid substations. These upgrades will help bring 640 MW of currently curtailed wind energy onto the grid, enabling the full use of 1,840 MW of wind capacity in southern Pakistan by moving power to major demand centers. They will also support the integration of approximately 491 MW of planned private sector-led renewable energy projects. Together, these improvements will help Pakistan move toward its national commitment of achieving 60 percent renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030, in line with the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement. Over its lifetime, the project is expected to avoid approximately 832,500 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, or more than 20.8 million tons cumulatively over 25 years.” 60% renewable electricity by 2030! That beats India! (Come on, let’s make this a competition.) “Pakistan’s energy challenges are deeply interconnected with its broader economic stability,” said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “By investing in advanced technologies for more resilient transmission infrastructure, this project will contribute to reducing electricity costs, bring more renewable energy onto the grid, and lay the groundwork for a power sector that works better for households, businesses and industries, as well as overall Pakistan’s economy.” Indeed. It’s nice to see the World Bank supporting clean energy like this. Much better than subsidizing more coal and fossil gas power plants! Zach is tryin’ to help society help itself one word at a time. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its editor-in-chief and CEO. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about electric vehicles and renewable energy at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, and Curaçao. Z. S. has 9362 posts and counting. See all posts by Z. S.
Publicly-owned renewable energy company State Electricity Commission (SEC) Victoria has connected the 119 MW Horsham solar farm to the grid for the first time. Part of the hybrid SEC Renewable Energy Park, the solar farm is located approximately 300 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, and consists of 212,296 solar panels installed in 2025. Being developed by Swedish headquartered clean energy company OX2 Australia, which sold the project to the SEC in 2024, construction is being done in partnership with South Australian (SA)-headquartered engineering business PSD Energy. SEC Victoria Assets Executive General Manager Lane Crockett said the energy park will support the state’s planned retirement of key coal assets, including Yallourn, which is scheduled to close in 2028. The solar farm now proceeds to hot commissioning and hold point testing stages as it prepares for the arrival and installation of a 100 MW / 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in late 2026. Switzerland-headquartered storage solutions company Energy Vault will supply the BESS, which will be built using the company’s proprietary X-VAULT integration platform and proprietary UL9540 certified B-VAULT product, and VaultOS energy management system to control, manage and optimise the hybrid BESS operations. The grid-scale energy storage solution’s AC-coupled and DC-coupled configurations will also provide drop-in flexibility. Once operational in 2027, the hybrid energy park will be capable of generating around 242,000 MWh of clean energy per year, equivalent to the annual energy demands of 51,000 homes. 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]. Comments Please login to comment Thursday, October 7, 2026 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
India’s solar module manufacturing capacity has grown much faster than cell and upstream capacity, raising the risk of oversupply, according to a new report New demand from data centers, green hydrogen, and exports could ease some of the pressure The capacity mismatch could increase pressure on smaller manufacturers and accelerate consolidation across the sector India’s solar manufacturing sector is heading toward a potential oversupply of module capacity, cautions a new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research. India’s cumulative nameplate solar module manufacturing capacity reached 233 GW as of June 2026, with another 135 GW in the pipeline. This capacity is well ahead of India’s annual demand since the country installed around 13 GW in FY2022, reaching over 30 GW in FY2025. Over the same period, its module production capacity rose from around 38 GW to over 90 GW. While India’s nameplate module production capacity has made it one of the largest module manufacturing bases globally, this growth is woefully short on vertical integration. As per the analysis, the 233 GW is nearly 7 times India’s solar cell manufacturing capacity, and 116 times higher than ingot and wafer capacity. With this arrangement, India’s solar supply chain remains dependent on imports, mainly from China. Report writers attribute the rapid build-out of module capacity partly to the relatively low barriers to module assembly since such projects require less capital and can be commissioned faster than cell or ingot-wafer facilities. Cell and ingot-wafer manufacturing, by comparison, require substantially higher investment, longer construction periods and more specialized expertise. The difference has resulted in a manufacturing base that has grown much faster downstream than upstream. Analysts also highlight that manufacturers are already operating below sustainable utilization levels – 35% to 40% –as compared to 50% to 65% needed to operate sustainably. Upcoming capacity additions could put further pressure on the market. According to the report titled Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market, this imbalance could become more pronounced as additional projects come online. The report says about 135 GW of future module capacity is backed by firm investment commitments and near-certain commissioning schedules. This raises the risk of further widening the gap between available supply and market demand. Analysts believe that continued capacity additions could put further pressure on factory utilization, margins and investment returns. Standalone manufacturers could face a higher risk of stranded assets if demand does not grow quickly enough, they warn. The capacity imbalance could also change the structure of India’s solar manufacturing industry as consolidation concerns become real. Smaller, non-integrated manufacturers may face greater pressure as surplus capacity increases, while companies with vertically integrated operations, greater scale, and stronger technology capabilities could be better positioned. According to the analysts, the sequencing of India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework has contributed to the imbalance in India’s vertical integration. ALMM List-I for modules became operational in March 2021, and nearly five years later ALMM List II for cells became operational in June 2026 (see India Brings ALMM List-II For Solar Cells Into Force). The government now plans to bring ALMM List-III for wafers into force from June 1, 2028 (see India To Enforce ALMM List-III For Ingots, Wafers On June 1, 2028). “This staggered rollout created a one-sided demand pull for modules, while cells continued to compete against lower-cost imports, directing investment toward the only segment with assured offtake,” reads the report. Simultaneously, the report highlights that domestic demand has faced near-term constraints, especially due to contraction in utility-scale tenders. For instance, renewable energy tenders issued in FY2026 totaled about 24 GW, down around 47% from nearly 45 GW in FY2025, even though the annual bidding target is 50 GW. The report links the decline to issues including land acquisition, grid connectivity and delays in power supply agreement execution. The report’s scenarios show that the mismatch across India’s PV manufacturing chain could persist through FY2030. In FY2026, domestic demand was about 65 GW, but module production capacity had reached 150 GW, while cell, wafer-ingot, and polysilicon capacity remained below demand. Based on confirmed investments and credible commissioning timelines, India’s annual solar demand is expected to reach about 80 GW by FY2030 under Scenario I modeled in the report. Yet module capacity would still have a 135 GW surplus, while cell capacity would move into a 40 GW surplus. Wafer-ingot capacity would nearly meet demand, but polysilicon would remain 56 GW short. The oversupply risk under Scenario II, which includes all announced capacity and Scenario I capacity, is much larger. Module capacity would exceed around 80 GW of expected demand by 335 GW, while cell capacity would have a 240 GW surplus. Polysilicon would continue to show a 56 GW shortfall. “These scenarios point to sustained utilisation pressure across the PV manufacturing value chain, particularly in modules, where Tier I manufacturers already operated at 50–85% utilisation in FY2026. As surplus capacity expands, the sector is likely to face increasing margin pressure and a higher risk of stranded manufacturing assets,” according to the analysts. The report identifies data centers, green hydrogen and exports as the main potential sources of additional module demand through 2030, while India’s domestic demand accelerates. Together, these areas could create an estimated 17 GW to 22 GW of annual incremental solar demand beyond conventional deployment, provided policy support and project execution keep pace. Data centers, with their preference for open access and captive procurement requirements, alone could provide around 2 GW to 3 GW of annual solar demand by 2030, according to the report. Analysts see exports as playing a larger role in utilizing India’s manufacturing base while domestic demand accelerates. India’s previous reliance on the US as a major export market, disrupted by high tariffs, has highlighted the risks of depending heavily on one destination. They identify Europe as a more structured medium-term opportunity for Indian manufacturers as its policies increasingly emphasize supply-chain resilience and diversification. “The timing favours such investment, as leading Chinese producers are absorbing losses from oversupply while Indian manufacturers have stayed profitable,” highlights the report. But, as the analysts point out, gaining access to new markets alone may not be enough. Indian manufacturers would need to narrow the cost and technology gap with Chinese producers through greater scale, vertical integration and operational efficiency. Indian solar modules remain more expensive than Chinese modules, but the cost gap has narrowed. Indian module costs fell from $0.18/W in 2024 to $0.15/W in March 2026, a 28.6% reduction, while Chinese module costs declined from $0.11/W to $0.10/W over the same period. The complete report is available for free download on IEEFA’s website. TaiyangNews will delve into India’s solar PV manufacturing industry during the two-day Solar Technology Conference India (STC.I 2027) on January 20-21, 2027, in New Delhi. The third edition of the annual in-person conference will cover the entire upstream supply chain. Registrations will open soon. TaiyangNews 2024
Scientists in Japan have developed a new approach that they claim can improve the durability of tin-based perovskite solar cells. Researchers at the Sophia University in Tokyo and the and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, both of which are in Japan, have added a particular molecule to a tin-based perovskite solar cell, which has stabilised its performance under controlled conditions. Get Premium Subscription The molecule in question is 2-aminobenzothiazole (2-ABZ), a “heteroatom” molecule containing nitrogen, carbon, sulphur and hydrogen. The researchers found that adding 2-ABZ to “Ruddlesden–Popper” tin halide perovskite cells creates a “multifunctional passivation strategy that enhances both photovoltaic performance and device longevity.” The “optimised” devices containing 2-ABZ had conversion efficiencies of 9.07%, compared with 6.6% for control devices used in the experiment. The 2-ABZ cells retained 84.94% of their initial efficiency after 100 days of storage, compared with 48.95% for untreated cells, and maintained 89% functionality after ten hours of simulated sunlight exposure, while untreated cells “degraded rapidly within the first hour”. Professor Yuko Takeoka, leading the research at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Materials and Life Sciences, at Sophia University said: “The findings from our research showed the way for developing safer lead-free solar cells, which could help expand the use of photovoltaic cells.” The use of tin in perovskite cells is a potential replacement for lead, which is poisonous and, the researchers claim, limited in its commercial viability. However, lead offers a higher power conversion efficiency and more stable performance than tin. The research said that 2-ABZ “functions as a multifunctional molecular stabiliser throughout the entire device architecture. By regulating crystallisation, reducing trap formation, preventing ion migration, inhibiting tin oxidation and improving interfacial energy alignment, 2-ABZ addresses several of the intrinsic weaknesses that have limited the efficiency” of tin-halide perovskite cells. Takeoka said:“The buildup of 2-ABZ at the interface is crucial for decreasing buried defects in the perovskite layer by creating densely populated nucleation sites at the base of the layer, resulting in the production of a high-quality and stable film.” Perovskite research runs down many avenues in the modern solar industry. Takeoka’s research is pursuing “lightweight, flexible, and shape-controllable” perovskite cells, potentially for use in niche applications. A number of other companies are pursuing industrial-scale, commercial perovskite production; notably Caelux, which is producing solar glass laced with perovskite material in the US, and Oxford PV, the widely regarded technology and patent leader in the industry, which has licensed its technology to multiple large-scale solar manufacturers.
Thunderstorms, some strong this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Damaging winds with some storms. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Thunderstorms, some strong this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Damaging winds with some storms. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Updated: September 3, 2026 @ 7:42 pm Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Reporter Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. CARROLLTOWN, Pa. – A group of Cambria Heights Elementary School fifth-graders flipped a ceremonial switch Thursday to bring the school’s new solar array online. Construction on the roughly $6 million project started in the spring and wrapped up before the start of the 2026-27 school year. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026. Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh. Central Cambria School District’s solar project at the Cambria Township campus has been narrowed down to two candidates, and Monday the school board heard from those prospects. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Vote for your favorite businesses and people in Simply the Best. Johnstown Magazine is a positive and forward-thinking monthly publication for the people of our region. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks. 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Solar panels will be banned from Alberta’s provincial landfills beginning Oct. 1. The province is also launching a solar panel recycling program. A $14 environmental fee will be added to every new panel to cover future collection and recycling costs. “Responsible solar energy growth means considering environmental responsibility throughout its lifecycle,” says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities. “By planning ahead to ensure expired panels are properly collected and materials are reused where possible, we’re protecting taxpayers from future cleanup costs and keeping power affordable and sustainable for generations to come.” The government says the move will ensure valuable materials can be recovered and help build a new recycling industry in Alberta. (with files from The Canadian Press) 10 Boundary Road S.E. Redcliff, Alberta T0J 2P0 Phone: (403) 548-8282 Newsroom: (403) 548-8008 Advertising: (403) 548-8262 We strive to achieve the highest ethical standards in all that we do. Our newsroom abides by the RTDNA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and follows the Canadian Press Stylebook CHATNewsToday is a division of
UNSW Sydney researchers have secured $64.8 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for 12 solar projects, according to the university. The funding represents the bulk of ARENA’s $105.6 million investment in a new wave of solar innovation projects, with UNSW receiving funding for 12 of the 20 successful projects. ARENA almost doubled its planned grant allocation for Ultra Low-Cost Solar PV Research following what it described as a high quality of applications. The investment is the agency’s largest single commitment to solar photovoltaic research. The UNSW projects span areas including improving the durability of silicon solar modules, increasing solar cell efficiency, developing materials aimed at improving the cost and performance of solar panels, and enhancing the monitoring of solar farms. Professor Bronwyn Fox, UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, said the funding would support a range of solar energy research projects. “Ever since UNSW’s pioneering work developing high-efficiency silicon solar cells 50 years ago, the University has been a leader in solar energy research,” Prof Fox said. “UNSW is thrilled to partner with ARENA on these 12 projects which continue to build on this strength and help drive the development of more affordable solar technology.” Eleven of the successful projects are associated with UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, while one is from the School of Chemistry. UNSW Dean of Engineering Professor Julien Epps said the funding would support collaboration between solar researchers and industry. “This funding enables some of the leading experts worldwide in solar photovoltaics to work hand-in-hand with industry to drive forward innovative research and development that is pivotal to the energy transition and pivotal to climate change mitigation,” Prof Epps said. ARENA acting chief executive Chris Faris said the projects addressed a range of challenges across the solar sector. “The portfolio brings together a mix of near-term improvements and breakthrough technologies that have the potential to lower costs, improve performance and accelerate the deployment of solar energy both in Australia and around the world,” Mr Faris said. He said achieving ultra low-cost solar would require innovation across the value chain, including solar cells and modules as well as the construction, operation and maintenance of solar farms. Keep me up to date with the latest Australian Manufacturing news, events, resources, and information. Australian Manufacturing (AM) is the leading publication, directory, and resource for the manufacturing and industrial sector in Australia.
Search Enter your search term *Limited to most recent 250 articles Use advanced search to set an earlier date range Where? With? When? Sponsored by Saving articles Articles can be saved for quick future reference. This is a subscriber benefit. If you are already a subscriber, please log in to save this article. If you are not a subscriber, click on the View Subscription Options button to subscribe. Article Saved Article Removed Login Contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za Forgot Password Please enter the email address that you used to subscribe on Engineering News. Your password will be sent to this address. Content Restricted This content is only available to subscribers Early Access Content Restricted Subscribers enjoy immediate access to the complete video series. Registered viewers will receive email access to each episode as it is released. REAL ECONOMY NEWS sponsored by Article Enquiry Falling costs make renewables more viable Falling costs make renewables more viable Should you have feedback on this article, please complete the fields below.
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At the time of your subscription, Creamer Media’s subscriptions department will be in contact with you to ensure that you receive a copy of your preferred Research Report. The most cost-effective way to access all our Research Reports is by subscribing to Creamer Media’s Research Channel Africa – you can upgrade your subscription now at this link. If you are a Creamer Media subscriber, click here to log in. 4th September 2026 By: Nadine Ramdass Senior Staff Writer Font size: –+ Sustainability aside, falling solar and battery costs have made renewable energy a compelling solution for reducing energy costs and improving power reliability, with dispatchable solar and battery systems expected to play an increasingly central role in powering industrial growth across Africa, says renewable energy systems developer and operator CrossBoundary Energy commercial head Franck Alloghe. Aligned to this, CrossBoundary Energy is currently delivering the Kamoa-Kakula solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) baseload project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The development will provide 30 MW of 24/7 power to copper miner Kamoa Copper’s Kamoa-Kakula copper mining complex, through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The project consists of a 233 MW solar PV power plant and a 526 MWh battery, delivering 30 MW of continuous dispatchable power to the mining complex. Alloghe attributes the project’s viability to converging cost trends, noting that while solar PV costs have significantly decreased over the past decade, the “real game changer” has been the rapid decline in battery storage costs. Citing intergovernmental organisation International Renewable Energy Agency’s 2024 Renewable Power Generation Costs report, he explains that BESS costs fell by 93% between 2010 and 2024, from about $2 571/kWh in 2010 to about $192/kWh in 2024, making it more economical to store excess daytime solar energy for night-time dispatch. This, in turn, has unlocked significantly higher solar penetration, enabling renewables to meet a more meaningful share of a mine’s 24/7 power requirements, as well as lowering energy costs, improving power security and reducing exposure to fuel price volatility. Continued improvements in energy density and operating performance are expected to further improve battery costs, with intergovernmental organisation International Energy Agency estimating that innovation could reduce battery storage capital costs by a further 40% by 2030, reinforcing the trend towards competitive, dispatchable solar- plus-storage solutions. These trends are further strengthened by the context of the local power market, where the grid reliability of certain regions remains a challenge. Combined with costly, inconsistent imported power, reliable onsite power becomes significantly valuable for big, energy-intensive mining operations, explains Alloghe. For diesel generation-reliant mines, dispatchable solar power and battery storage can now deliver substantially lower lifetime energy costs compared to diesel when factoring in transport, storage, working capital, maintenance, spare parts, security and the supply-chain risks associated with diesel, he adds. In contrast, Alloghe says most of the costs of solar power and battery systems are incurred upfront, providing long-term price visibility and reducing operational risk over the asset life, alongside decarbonisation benefits.
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Solar panels will be banned from Alberta’s provincial landfills beginning Oct. 1. The province is also launching a solar panel recycling program. A $14 environmental fee will be added to every new panel to cover future collection and recycling costs. “Responsible solar energy growth means considering environmental responsibility throughout its lifecycle,” says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities. “By planning ahead to ensure expired panels are properly collected and materials are reused where possible, we’re protecting taxpayers from future cleanup costs and keeping power affordable and sustainable for generations to come.” The government says the move will ensure valuable materials can be recovered and help build a new recycling industry in Alberta. (with files from The Canadian Press) Suite 220, 410-7th Street South Lethbridge, AB T1J 2G6 Phone:(403)329-0955 NEWSROOM:(403)329-6397 We strive to achieve the highest ethical standards in all that we do. Our newsroom abides by the RTDNA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and follows the Canadian Press Stylebook. LethbridgeNewsNow IS A DIVISION OF
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