Solar Now

The trick isn’t using perovskites—the trick is making them last.
In one episode of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Birdman, the eponymous hero struggles to fight the evil Dr. Shark aboard a submarine without solar energy to recharge his powers. So Birdman would surely appreciate the new perovskite solar cells developed by a team led by Simin Ma at Yunnan University, since they are designed to work underwater.
Solar cells made from perovskites rather than silicon are always a tale of trade-offs. They can be made cheaply, they can take interesting forms (like thin, flexible, transparent films), and they can convert substantially more of the incoming solar energy into electricity. The difficulty is that they tend to degrade quite quickly.
Moisture is particularly destructive to perovskites, making them a seemingly odd choice for an underwater solar panel. But these materials have another critical superpower: They can be tuned to work with different wavelengths of light. Water quickly blocks the wavelengths of light that silicon solar panels absorb, but a carefully designed perovskite cell could still make electricity in the deep blue sea. And actually, the lower light levels and cooler temperatures should help it live longer.
Tuning perovskites just requires tweaking some of their chemistry during production, so getting something that absorbs the wavelengths present a few meters deep was not a challenge. The real task was making the cells durable. The team found a particularly effective additive (polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride) that helped in several ways.
It built a water-repelling layer around the material, for one. But part of the compound also gets involved with the perovskite crystal lattice, helping larger crystals form and preventing ions from moving around in the lattice structure. The additive limits some of the common ways that perovskites break down, while also improving the solar cell’s electricity production.
Testing under light filtered to match an ocean depth of about 10 meters, the cells were remarkably efficient, converting about 35 percent of that light energy to electricity. (Silicon solar panels are generally closer to 20 percent efficiency.)
After building a proper little solar panel by sandwiching the perovskite in some protective layers, the team ran real-world durability tests. First, they submerged it in seawater (using their filtered light) for about 40 days, at which point it was still at 99.6 percent of its original efficiency. Based on that, they estimate it should last 5.5 years in seawater before it drops to 80 percent—what is typically considered its useful lifetime. While terrible compared to silicon, it’s well beyond what most perovskites have achieved.
They also tested a panel in the South China Sea, attaching it to a small vehicle that could maintain a specific depth and position. The panel charged some coin cell batteries for a couple of hours each at 2, 6, and 10 meter depths. There were no surprises in performance beyond noticing that power fluctuated pretty strongly at 2 meters thanks to sunlight interacting with the surface waves. At the deeper depths, the increased scattering made the light hitting the solar panel much more consistent, though dimmer. At 10 meters, it produced a little less than a quarter as much energy as it did at 2 meters.
The researchers say their design could enable “autonomous marine power systems and submerged Internet-of-Things infrastructure”—think uncrewed underwater vehicles and sensors, for example. Of course, if you go much deeper, there won’t be enough light to work with. Birdman is still on his own down there.
Joule, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2026.102672 (About DOIs).
Listing image: Richard A. Brooks
Ars Technica has been separating the signal from the noise for over 25 years. With our unique combination of technical savvy and wide-ranging interest in the technological arts and sciences, Ars is the trusted source in a sea of information. After all, you don’t need to know everything, only what’s important.

source

Panels on a solar farm(Image: Getty Images )
Proposals to set up a ground-mounted solar energy system at the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone in Thornton have been lodged with planners.
The proposed10MW Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Array is a large-scale utility solar power plant that uses thousands of ground-based panels to convert sunlight into roughly 40,000 to 50,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity daily.
The development area is approximately 10 acres, within the Hillhouse site.
Site operator and owner, Le-Fylde Estates Ltd /Thornton Facilities Management Ltd, is proposing to submit a planning application from the scheme but before that will happen, is requesting a formal Screening Opinion from planning authority Wyre Council.
The Screening Opinion is a formal decision by planners on whether a proposed development requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The applicants argue that their proposals do not amount to EIA development and that an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required.
Investigations have been launched by the Environment Agency into the presence of PFAS (toxic "forever chemical") in sites close the Hillhouse site, in connection to site-based Fluoropolymers producer AGC Chemicals Europe, but this is not referred to in the proposals.
In the request for a formal Screening Opinion, the applicants outline why they consider the development is not considered EIA development.
They say in their statement: "We submit that the proposed development is unlikely to give rise to significant effects on the environment.
"Solar PV arrays are passive in operation, generate no emissions, noise or effluent in normal operation.
"The site is brownfield, ex-chemical works land, predominantly concrete slab and hardstanding. Ground disturbance associated with panel mounting is limited and the development will not result in the loss of greenfield, agricultural or ecologically valuable land."
On the subject of ground contamination, the applicants say: "Given the site's history as a chemical works, ground contamination is a known site characteristic.
"This is a manageable engineering and remediation matter rather than a source of likely significant environmental effects.
"Intrusive site investigation and an appropriate remediation and foundation strategy will be undertaken and secured at the planning application stage.
"We recognise that the River Wyre and its estuary lie to the east of the wider Hillhouse site and carry statutory nature conservation designations, and we identify these here in the interests of a complete and transparent assessment.
"However, the nearest designations are associated with the Wyre Estuary, the nearest point of which is approximately 300m metres from the proposed development area, with industrial facilities between."
It concludes: "It is considered that the proposed development would not be likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of its nature, size or location.
"The matters identified – in particular legacy ground contamination, flood risk and the proximity of estuarine nature conservation designations – are capable of being addressed through the subsequent planning application.
"It is therefore submitted that the development is not EIA development and that an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required."
Choose Business Live as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.

source

Australian engineering firm UGL has received a contract to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the APA Group’s Sybella solar-plus-storage project in Queensland, Australia.
The project will pair a 72MW solar PV project with a 52MW/104MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and will be the 16^th solar farm and 12^th BESS in UGL’s portfolio.
Get Premium Subscription
Two years ago, UGL delivered early works and operations and maintenance services at the 700MW Cobbora solar-plus-storage project in New South Wales, where the development rights were owned by Pacific Partnerships; both UGL and Pacific Partnerships are subsidiaries of the CIMIC Group, an Australian construction, mining and infrastructure company.
“We are proud to continue supporting clients with the delivery of critical energy infrastructure that will help power Australia’s future,” said UGL managing director Sam Goldsmith, who said that the company has built a “strong relationship” with the APA Group through collaborations on the Dugald River solar farm and the Port Hedland BESS.
UGL advanced 2.1GWh of battery storage for Neoen in Queensland and Western Australia earlier this year. The EPC firm expects to start construction work at the Sybella project in late 2026 and expects to complete construction in mid-2028.
The Queensland government is aiming to add 4.4GW of new utility-scale solar and wind capacity by 2035, up from 3.2GW of operational utility-scale solar capacity as of last year. This year has seen a number of new developments in solar-plus-storage projects, in particular, with Windlab and Squadron Energy, Naturgy and  Zero-E Australia advancing such projects over the summer.
This growth comes as Queensland joined the Northern Territory in refusing to back a national framework that would require new data centres to provide their own renewable energy. Singapore-based developer Zerra DC has submitted proposals to build a new data centre in the state that would be the largest in the country, with a forecast daily power demand over one-quarter of Queensland’s current daily electricity consumption.

source

DIY solar gazebo generates up to 11 kWh a day, with owner eyeing 6-month payoff  Yahoo
source

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Renogy is a well-known solar panel manufacturer that earned a spot on our list of the top rated foldable solar panels you can buy on Amazon. If you’ve been investigating solar or are considering installing it in your home, you may have stumbled across the brand and been curious about where its panels are made, and what its ownership looks like.
Renogy is owned by RNG Group Inc. The company began life as a student project with connections to Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Business and Technology Center, and has since grown into a global renewable-energy company that produces a number of different types of consumer solar panels, as well as batteries and portable power systems.
The company was founded by Dr. Yi Li and is headquartered in Ontario, California. Beyond homeowners looking to reduce their reliance on the grid, Renogy’s main customer base includes RV, boat, and van owners looking for reliable solar power on vacation or living a fully nomadic lifestyle.
Renogy doesn’t say where it manufactures its solar panels on its website. While its HQ is in California, Renogy has manufacturing ties to China, where it owns and operates a factory in Wuxi, Jiangsu. A response from Renogy to a user’s question on Home Depot seems to confirm that its solar panels are made in China.
Bear in mind that the actual provenance of a single solar panel can be complicated, because each is a complex assemblage of components, including photovoltaic cells, aluminum framing, backsheets, and junction boxes, all of which can come from different manufacturers in different countries. China is a major player in solar manufacturing, specifically in wafers and PV cells, so Renogy’s investment there is unsurprising. If you’re considering installing solar on your home, there are a number of key things to consider, and who makes your panels (and where they’re produced) is one of them.

source

A team of scientists have demonstrated that perovskite solar cells can function 10 meters below the surface of the South China Sea.
Study author Wen-Hua Zhang, from Yunnan University and Southwest United Graduate School in Kunming, said there are only few studies reported on underwater solar cells, with all focused on water depths of two meters or less.
“This work presents the first functional validation of submerged solar cells practically operating at a water depth of up to about 10 meters, greatly broadening their application scope,” Zhang said. 
The scientists deployed lead halide perovskite solar cells with a wide-bandgap of approximately 1.96 eV. The research paper explains that in order to achieve efficient and durable submerged perovskites, the team introduced polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride for energy-level modulation.
“This enables the perovskites to convert from p- to n-type, facilitating electron extraction, suppressing halide ion migration, reducing defect density, and improving lattice stability,” the paper adds.
To test their perovskites, the research team developed a customized laboratory system with tailored optical filters that simulated underwater illumination at various depths. Under testing, their submerged perovskite delivered a power conversion efficiency of 34.71% and showed almost no degradation after 1,160 hours under simulated conditions at a depth of 10 meters.
The team then integrated perovskite solar cells with underwater robots, deploying them at a depth of 10 meters off the Weizhou Islands in the South China Sea to test their real-world application.
The large-area modules were found capable of generating 324 mWh of electricity upon underwater illumination for 2 hours at a depth of 10 meters, sufficient to charge lithium-ion batteries and light up LEDs.
Additional accelerated testing outlined in the research paper predicts the cells could have a lifetime almost 5.5 years when submerged at 25°C at a depth of 10 m.
“What surprised us most was [how] much electrical energy our large-area modules generated under real-world conditions at 10-meter water depth for only two hours,” says Zhang. 
“We also achieved scaling from small‑area laboratory cells to large‑size modules,” he added. “The combination of the laboratory investigations and the in-field experiments provides strong evidence for the operation of underwater photovoltaics.” 
The research paper says the findings “pave the way for the practical deployment of perovskite photovoltaics in underwater environments” to power submerged sensors, cameras, and communication systems far from land. 
“This offers a promising route toward self-sustained marine energy systems and autonomous underwater devices,” the paper concludes.
The research work is presented in the study “Submerged solar harvesting with wide-band-gap perovskites for autonomous underwater energy systems,” available in the research paper Joule. 
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
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!

You have no items in your basket.

source

Solar panels could become more affordable for homeowners and small businesses in Southwest Ohio through a new cooperative program.
Nonprofit Solar United Neighbors and the city of Cincinnati are teaming up to launch the Southwest Ohio 2026 Solar Co-op. The program brings people together to buy solar panels in bulk, which is cheaper than buying individually.
“You go to Costco or Sam’s Club, and you’re buying a whole bunch of toilet paper, and it’s a discounted rate per unit, right? Same sort of deal,” said Nikki Vandivort, clean energy and climate resilience manager for Cincinnati. “The installers are bidding on a big amount of work, and they don’t have to spend all that money going out and getting work. So, they’re able to offer a lower rate.”
She says people can save 10-20% off the normal cost of solar installations using the co-op’s volume discount. The program also provides education on the benefits of solar and helps participants determine whether it’s the right fit for their house and energy needs.
“[Solar United Neighbors is] always there to answer questions,” Vandivort said. “They help guide the selection process for the installer. They organize the selection process and the request for proposals for the installers.”
The city has led similar programs in the past, but it decided to launch this solar co-op after the federal tax credits that had been available for individual homeowners to go solar expired at the end of 2025. Vandivort says the city wants to keep expanding access to renewable energy and support its goals to reduce climate pollution.
“All of our efforts are working toward meeting the goals of the city’s Green Cincinnati Plan — our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our buildings, improve energy resilience and grid stability, and make clean energy more accessible,” Vandivort said.
She says Cincinnati receives enough sunlight to make solar energy a viable alternative to fossil fuels, adding as electricity prices continue to climb, going solar is a way to save on utility bills.
The co-op is open to people living in 12 counties in Southwest Ohio: Brown, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hamilton, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Warren. Its free to join.
You can learn more during a webinar hosted by Solar United Neighbors on Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Find the link to sign up here.
If you join the co-op, you have until Dec. 1, 2026, to decide whether to move forward with putting solar panels on your house and signing a contract with the chosen solar installer.
You can sign up to join the co-op at solarunitedneighbors.org/Cincinnati by filling out a form. Solar United Neighbors says signing up isn’t a binding commitment to go solar with the group, but the organization asks that you’re fairly certain you want to pursue a solar installation for your property.
The city also has a solar co-op program for local nonprofits, schools and houses of worship, called Solarizing Southwest Ohio Nonprofits. It aims to help these organizations install and save money on solar systems before federal tax credits expire at the end of 2027. Find out more here.
Read more:

source

0
By clicking the button, I accept the Terms of Use of the service and its Privacy Policy, as well as consent to the processing of personal data.
Don’t have an account? Signup
Powered by :
India’s 6-Hour Solar-Storage Bet: How SECI Is Moving Beyond Daytime Solar Photograph: (AI)
With its latest 1,200 MW solar-plus-storage tender, SECI is procuring renewable power that can be delivered when the grid needs it most. The strong developer response and sharply lower tariffs point to a major shift in India’s renewable energy procurement strategy. For more than a decade, India’s solar story has largely been defined by scale and falling costs. The objective was straightforward: add as much low-cost solar generation as possible and bring down the cost of electricity.
But as solar penetration increases, another challenge is becoming harder to ignore. Solar generation is abundant during the day, while some of the grid’s highest demand comes later in the day, when solar output begins to decline. This is where energy storage is increasingly becoming part of the solar procurement equation.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) latest tender for 1,200 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar PV projects with 600 MW/3,600 MWh of energy storage systems (ESS) is a clear example of this transition. The projects have been awarded at tariffs of ₹3.12-3.13/kWh and are designed to provide firm and dispatchable renewable power rather than simply daytime solar generation.
India’s move towards storage-backed renewable power did not begin with the latest SECI tender. One of the earliest major experiments came in 2020, when SECI conducted a 1,200 MW renewable energy tender requiring six hours of peak power supply. Greenko won 900 MW using pumped-hydro storage at around ₹6.12/kWh, while ReNew won 300 MW using battery energy storage at around ₹6.85/kWh. The latest tender therefore represents an important change in the economics of the model. Five to six years after that early six-hour procurement, successful bids have come in at just ₹3.12-3.13/kWh.
The comparison is not completely like-for-like because the tender structures and market conditions are different. But the headline numbers nevertheless illustrate how dramatically the economics and competitiveness of storage-backed renewable power have evolved.
SECI itself has continued to expand its procurement of renewable energy coupled with storage, including a 1,200 MW solar-plus-1,200 MWh ESS tender issued in 2024. Its subsequent tenders have increasingly focused on firm and dispatchable renewable energy rather than generation alone.
SECI’s Tranche-XXI tender, issued in June 2025, sought 1,200 MW of ISTS-connected solar PV capacity along with 600 MW/3,600 MWh of ESS under a build-own-operate model. The headline number of 600 MW of storage capacity, however, does not tell the complete story. The tender requires at least 0.5 MW/3 MWh of ESS for every 1 MW of contracted project capacity. That translates into six hours of storage at the ESS’s rated discharge capacity. In other words, the requirement is not simply to install batteries alongside a solar plant. The developer has to combine renewable generation and storage in a manner that allows the contracted power to be supplied during the hours specified by the buyer.
The buyer can schedule six peak hours for drawing power from the storage system. The contracted energy requirement is 3 MWh for every 1 MW of project capacity across those hours. For the overall tender, that translates into 600 MW of ESS power capacity and 3,600 MWh of energy capacity.
The significance of the tender lies less in the number six and more in what those six hours represent. Traditional solar projects sell generation when the sun is available. A storage-backed solar project, by contrast, is being asked to reshape that generation profile. The objective is to make renewable power available closer to the period when the grid needs it.
This changes the commercial proposition for developers. They are no longer competing solely on the cost of solar generation. They have to optimise the combination of solar capacity, storage capacity, charging strategy, degradation, financing and power-delivery obligations. It also explains why the tender specifies penalties for shortfalls. Developers are responsible for meeting the contracted supply profile, with the applicable shortfall penalty going up to 1.5 times the tariff for electricity not supplied during the contracted period.
The selected projects are also required to enter into 25-year power purchase agreements, giving developers a long-term revenue framework against which the substantial investment in generation and storage can be financed.
The market response was significant. SECI received 24 bids representing an aggregate 6,150 MW against the 1,200 MW capacity on offer. That means the tender attracted more than five times the capacity being procured. Following technical and commercial evaluation, 23 bidders representing 6,060 MW were shortlisted for the electronic reverse auction.
The result is particularly notable because the initial financial bids ranged from ₹3.40/kWh to ₹5.40/kWh, before competition through the reverse auction brought the winning tariffs down to ₹3.12-3.13/kWh. Interestingly, Oriana Power had bid for 300 MW but ultimately received 100 MW, while the other three successful bidders were awarded their full bid capacities.
It is not necessarily a “BESS-only” story
There is an important distinction in how the tender should be described. Although battery energy storage is likely to be a major technology for such projects, SECI’s requirement is for an energy storage system rather than exclusively a battery energy storage system. The tender is technology-agnostic, meaning developers can potentially use different commercially established storage technologies as long as they meet the contractual requirements.
This is significant because six-hour storage sits at a point where technology selection becomes more consequential. Batteries can provide fast response and modular deployment, while longer-duration technologies such as pumped hydro can offer different economics and operational characteristics. The tender therefore represents a procurement requirement for a particular power-delivery profile rather than a government decision in favour of one storage technology.
We are India’s leading B2B media house, reporting full-time on solar energy, wind, battery storage, solar inverters, and electric vehicle (EV)
Quick Links
© 2025 Saur Energy. All Rights Reserved.

source

Your complete guide to the emerging economies of Southeast Europe. From latest news to bespoke research – the big picture at the tip of your fingers.
SeeNews is your complete guide to the emerging economies of Southeast Europe. Latest news, market intelligence, industry analyses, on-demand research – the big picture at the tip of your fingers.
Get ahead of the competition with SeeNews Premium Access. Unlimited news and objective analysis you can trust, company data and more. Subscribe now and start making agile business decisions.

source

Improved thin film harnesses indoor light to power devices  Tech Xplore
source

After the Inflation Reduction Act was introduced in 2022, most of the investments into new solar PV manufacturing in the United States were directed towards module assembly capacity, with effective c-Si module capacity levels reaching about 50 GW by the end of 2025.
This focus on final module assembly of silicon-based solar panels occurred in part due to the attractive production incentives on offer for module suppliers (7c/W) and the existing channels still available for shipping solar cells from Southeast Asia (mostly from Indonesia).
However, the main question related to the United States having a domestic silicon-based manufacturing ecosystem during 2023 and 2024 was on solar cell investments in the country and how this would come to fruition.
One of the first companies to move on solar cell production in the United States was ES Foundry, seeking to specialize at the cell stage – in contrast to other domestic manufacturers such as Qcells, T1 Energy and Canadian Solar (now CS PowerTech) whose cell plans were part of staged integrated cell/module in-house operations.
Two years on from ES Foundry’s initial announcement of its cell manufacturing plans in the United States, I decided to take a deep dive into the progress of the company and what can be learned by the domestic PV sector as increased cell-specific capital expenditure is released.
With these topics centre stage at the forthcoming Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 event in Austin, Texas on 22-23 September 2026 – including a 20-minute presentation from ES Foundry on Day One of the conference – I reached out to ES Foundry’s CEO Alex Zhu to contribute additional commentary in this feature article.
Before diving into the details, let’s look quickly at the company’s ‘entrance’ to the sector.
Early in 2024, ES Foundry announced plans to retrofit an existing manufacturing facility in Greenwood, South Carolina to establish a 1 GW solar cell production line. The building had originally been part of Fujifilm’s Greenwood manufacturing hub (equipped with cleanrooms) from 1988 producing disposable cameras, photographic paper and printing plates.
The entire site was acquired in December 2022 by real estate firm Phoenix Investors that leased part of the area back to Fujifilm to allow for its scaled down domestic market activities. Similarly, ES Foundry signed a long-term lease with Phoenix in 2024, effectively making ES Foundry and Fujifilm co-tenants on the overall site that also includes a distribution centre for VELUX Group.
During the second half of 2024, ES Foundry’s facility was retrofitted to allow solar cell operations based on the technology choice of p-type PERC. Initial production started early 2025 with offtake agreements announced. By the end of 2025, the 1 GW cell production line had been fully ramped, leading to the company announcing plans for an expansion to 3 GW of cell capacity by the middle of 2026, confirmed recently in press releases.
To understand more about this initial phase of the company’s growth, I can now bring in Alex to help.
What were the key factors in the original decision to retrofit an existing manufacturing facility and not go for a greenfield site approach? And what do estimate were the savings in terms of time to reach initial production and in cost terms for the original capex involved?
[Alex]
Three factors typically slow a greenfield manufacturing project: power infrastructure, permitting and workforce. The Greenwood site offered significant advantages in all three areas. It already had robust power infrastructure, wastewater treatment capabilities compatible with our manufacturing processes and access to an experienced local workforce. At its peak, Fujifilm employed about 1,200 people at this campus, which resulted in a strong base of manufacturing expertise in the community.
Retrofitting the facility allowed us to begin production sooner and with substantially less upfront capital than would have been required for a greenfield development. While we have not disclosed specific time or cost savings, the existing infrastructure was critical to accelerating our path to commercial production.
Did the original refitting of the facility have expansion of cell capacity factored in, aside from the initial 1 GW production line? And what is possible in the existing building in terms of cell capacity, before having to look for a second site?
[Alex]
From the outset, we designed the Greenwood facility to accommodate up to 3 GW of annual cell production. We divided the buildout into two phases, beginning with the initial 1 GW line and then adding 2 GW. This phased approach allowed us to demonstrate that we could successfully transform an older industrial building into a modern solar cell manufacturing facility before completing the full expansion.
The existing building has now reached its planned 3 GW capacity. Any expansion beyond that would require an additional location.
One of the key issues the entire U.S. PV manufacturing sector is tracking today relates to cell manufacturing viability, from a yield and profitability standpoint. Ultimately, this will determine which cell manufacturers become the dominant suppliers in the domestic production landscape from 2030 onwards.
At what point did you decide that the move to 1 GW to 3 GW was justified? Were there certain yield and cost targets that needed to be satisfied first with the 1 GW line?
[Alex]
The move from 1 GW to 3 GW was part of our plan from the beginning, rather than a decision made only after the first line began operating. Because the facility’s infrastructure was designed to support 3 GW, operating at just 1 GW carried higher unit costs and did not capture the efficiencies of the full buildout.
During the initial ramp, we closely monitored yield, quality, throughput and operating costs, but the expansion was not dependent on any single target. We expect to realize the facility’s intended economies of scale once the full 3 GW is ramped by the end of 2026.
We do not expect to compete with Asian manufacturing on labor costs alone. Our value comes from efficient production at scale, reliable domestic supply and the benefits of manufacturing solar cells in the United States.
At this point, it is worth looking at some of the issues in terms of operating a cell line, in particular the materials supply and consumables.
Apart from the wafers required, cell production lines generally require high-purity process gases for films and layers, texturing and cleaning chemicals, quartz tubes for diffusion, metallization paste and screen-printing masks.
In terms of the cost-of-goods for running a cell line, this is dominated by metallization paste, with the market dominated since 2020 by Chinese companies.
The supply of metallization paste used in solar cell production has been dominated by Chinese companies since 2020, with the market leaders, DKEM and Fusion, accounting for more than half of the supply volumes in 2025.
Ideally, materials supply for solar cell production in the United States should come from domestic production facilities. Are you seeing any movement from materials suppliers to establish production sites that could decrease the reliance of Asian supply chains?
[Alex]
Yes, we are seeing growing interest from suppliers across nearly every major input category, including metallization paste, screens, chemicals and industrial gases, in establishing or expanding U.S. operations.
That shift will take time. Suppliers need sufficient and sustained demand from U.S. cell manufacturers to justify the capital required for domestic production. As U.S. cell manufacturing capacity grows, I believe that demand will support a broader domestic supply chain and gradually reduce reliance on imports from Asia.
And specifically on wafer production in the United States, this has been somewhat slow to emerge, with Corning and Qcells potentially having minimal availability to third parties given a broader value-chain participation from each. What do you think will be the catalysts to drive further investments into the U.S. ingot and wafer segments?
[Alex]
Recent Section 232 action on polysilicon could be an important catalyst by creating more predictable market conditions and improving the investment case across the domestic supply chain, including ingot and wafer production. That stability can give companies greater confidence to make the significant capital investments these facilities require.
However, policy support alone will not create a durable industry. Solar ultimately competes on cost in the end-user energy market. We need to use this policy window to build scale, strengthen our technology and operating capabilities and establish a healthy domestic supply chain that can compete over the long term. The ultimate goal remains delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.
Workforce availability is another issue being discussed by the U.S. solar industry today. How has ES Foundry addressed this issue since 2025? Are there any key initiatives that could be adopted across the sector as a whole?
[Alex]
Training is the answer, but it requires a sustained investment of time and resources. Rebuilding the U.S. workforce for solar cell manufacturing won’t and can’t happen overnight.
ES Foundry is working with the MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing and here in Greenwood we are partnering with the Piedmont Technical College to develop a training program tailored to our manufacturing needs. This program will introduce local students to modern manufacturing, help them develop relevant technical skills and prepare them for long-term careers in the industry.
This type of partnership among manufacturers, universities and local community colleges could serve as a model across the sector. Workforce development is most effective when training is closely connected to the skills employers need and the career opportunities available in the local community.
Has the scaling of capacity from 1 GW to 3 GW created any new challenges from a workforce perspective? And on this topic, when do you expect the extra cell capacity to reach full production levels?
[Alex]
Scaling from 1 GW to 3 GW has required us to continue hiring locally while also expanding our investment in training. The challenge is not simply adding more people but preparing them to work in a more automated manufacturing environment.
As part of the expansion, we introduced automated guided vehicle systems and other advanced equipment. Our employees must develop the skills to operate, monitor and troubleshoot these systems effectively. We expect the full 3 GW of capacity to be ramped by the end of 2026.
Moving on to cell technology, the choice of ES Foundry for PERC is interesting. Let’s take a few moments to put this into perspective.
PERC was the dominant technology in the PV sector globally for several years, up to 2023. Consequently, bifacial mono PERC based modules are currently powering a high percentage of solar farms globally, with the U.S. no exception to this trend.
PERC based cells accounted for about 65% of global production volumes back in 2023, down from levels above 80% a couple of years before this. TOPCon production volumes, driven by the shift in China from p-type to n-type cell production.
During 2025, production volumes of PERC were still above 50 GW – more than 20% higher than the cumulative production of the other TOPCon options, HJT and back-contact.
The top-20 cell producers globally accounted for more than 93% of silicon-based output during the period 2023-2025, with TOPCon dominating the technology-choice. Modest volumes of PERC, HJT and back-contact accounted for about 15% of cell production in 2025.
Besides the known issues in the U.S. market today related to Intellectual Property concerns on TOPCon, what other factors were important at ES Foundry in choosing PERC? And was there any consideration for HJT or back-contact cell options at the time?
[Alex]
Our decision was not based solely on the intellectual property questions surrounding TOPCon. PERC is a mature, well-established technology with a strong reliability record and a robust manufacturing process window. That makes it easier to achieve consistent quality and yields while training a new workforce and rebuilding domestic expertise in solar cell manufacturing.
Although HJT and back-contact architectures offer potential advantages, they require different processes, equipment and technical expertise. For ES Foundry’s initial manufacturing platform, PERC offered the best balance of performance, reliability, manufacturability and ramp-up risk.
What are your thoughts on some of the other plans for cell investments in the United States for HJT? It seems that the companies choosing HJT are looking at more integrated operations across cell/module, as opposed to being pure-play cell companies. Is this significant?
[Alex]
It is a classic chicken-and-egg challenge. As a pure-play cell manufacturer, ES Foundry needs to produce cells that can be readily incorporated into existing module manufacturing lines. PERC was the best fit because it is broadly compatible with the equipment and processes already used by module manufacturers.
HJT can require specialized module assembly equipment and processes to achieve its full cost and performance benefits, including reducing silver consumption. An integrated cell and module manufacturer can coordinate those investments across both operations. If we had started with HJT, we might also have needed to enter module manufacturing to support adoption. So yes, the integrated model can be particularly significant for companies pursuing HJT.
Efficiency levels have become somewhat secondary in purchasing decisions of recent. It seems that derisking supply channels is more important, while proven technology choice is also a factor for module buyers in the United States. Does this deprioritize somewhat the push to squeeze out the last few efficiency points from PERC cells, or is this technology now mature and operating at its maximum performance level?
[Alex]
PERC is a mature and extensively studied technology, so the opportunity for significant additional efficiency gains is limited. That does not mean efficiency is unimportant, but incremental improvements must be weighed against reliability, manufacturability and consistent product availability.
For many of our customers, securing a dependable supply of proven cells is the more immediate priority. A substantial amount of U.S. cell capacity has been announced since 2022, but relatively little of it is actually operating today. That gap between announced capacity and available product is why execution and supply certainty matter so much in current purchasing decisions.
With the U.S. industry now focused on scaling overall cell production volumes in the coming years, the performance of ES Foundry as a trailblazer in this regard is clearly important to understand.
However, the company’s plans to 2030 and beyond could be far more interesting to understand. In this regard, I am delighted that ES Foundry will be speaking at the forthcoming Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 conference in Austin, Texas on 22-23 September 2026.
The presentation from ES Foundry is part of a series of talks during the event focused specifically at pure-play solar cell investments in the United States.
Details on how to register to attend the conference can be found at the event portal here.
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
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.

You have no items in your basket.

source

Energies Media
Solar power is the primary driver of the global green energy transition.
Worldwide, major economies are becoming digitalized to streamline operations across various sectors.
However, this shift requires high levels of electricity, which complicates progress toward climate goals.
While utility-scale solar plants are set to address both obstacles, developers are facing land acquisition problems.
But if nations are running out of available land for solar installations, where else could they turn to?
Modern economies have become globally competitive.
To keep up, major ones are undergoing a swift digital transformation.
Governments and businesses are moving legacy infrastructure to the cloud. They are also implementing advanced automation.
This shift cannot be completed without the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) and AI.
Multiple industries are utilizing digitalization to streamline real-time operations.
Automation eliminates human error from supply chains. Machine learning algorithms optimize manufacturing pipelines.
Downtime costs are cut by using predictive maintenance sensors to monitor factory equipment.
These digital tools enable the processing of vast volumes of data to make quick, efficiency-driven decisions.
However, these highly interconnected networks, devices, and complex AI models consume substantial power.
Tech companies must continuously construct more data centers to handle these major workloads.
The round-the-clock operations and server racks are pushing global electricity demand to unprecedented heights.
Furthermore, it slows down progress toward achieving climate goals.
India is among the many nations that experienced this rapid digital expansion.
In 2025, the nation’s data center capacity increased to 1,500 MW.
This capacity is predicted to increase further to nearly 10,000 MW by 2030.
Consequently, India’s data centers are projected to consume 45 TWh of electricity by the end of the decade.
This demand leads to an immense environmental risk.
India’s energy system is still dominated by coal. It supplies nearly 75% of the country’s grid.
Relying on existing infrastructure to power data centers will tighten the reliance on fossil fuels.
This regression will derail progress toward national climate targets.
India built one of the world’s fastest-growing solar industries. The goal is to achieve 500 GW of carbon-free capacity by 2030.
That is why the rapid deployment of major solar installations is essential to climate goals and the digital economy.
Unfortunately, India is running out of expansion space.
Land-based solar plants are dominating India’s green energy capacity.
However, these facilities require nearly four times more land space than the panels occupy.
This physical footprint makes solar development slow, expensive, and prone to legal disputes with agriculture.
Fortunately, India has found 102 GW of solar by turning its attention to water.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) confirmed that India has massive untapped potential for floating solar power.
National floating solar photovoltaics (PV) will increase India’s estimated solar energy potential to 3,445 GWp.
The government is actively forming a national program and policy framework to accelerate floating PV deployments.
By shifting water reservoirs into clean energy assets, intense land acquisition conflicts can be bypassed.
The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the Military Engineer Services formed a new partnership. This was formed to increase renewable energy across defense facilities.
Global digitalization will continue to expand rapidly. It is therefore vital to balance rising power demand with strict climate mandates.
While traditional land limitations derail highly ambitious green strategies, India proves it can be overcome.
Deploying floating PV across inland reservoirs ensures that the digital age can continue without compromising the planet’s health.
However, careful management of these floating PVs is important, as they can have unprecedented environmental impacts.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
Because many Florida households rely on air conditioning for much of the year.
Photo Credit: iStock
Duke Energy Florida wants to replace a previously approved 2027 rate increase with a small decrease instead, a shift that could modestly lower bills for its Florida customers, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
If regulators approve the request, customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month would pay 71 cents less beginning in January.
The utility has asked the Florida Public Service Commission to approve a 2027 rate cut instead of a planned increase. 
That would move the typical monthly bill for 1,000 kilowatt-hours from $165.35 in December 2026 to $164.64 in January, per Duke Energy Florida spokeswoman Aly Coleman Raschid.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Regulators had approved a 2% electric-rate increase for 2027 back in 2024. Duke Energy Florida now says cost savings from an “innovative tax strategy” related to its battery storage systems support lowering rates instead.
In a news release, Melissa Seixas, president of Duke Energy Florida, explained the decision. 
“What matters to our customers matters to us, and right now, we know they’re carefully watching every dollar,” she began. 
“While we’re glad to start 2027 with a rate decrease, we’ll remain focused on making smart, disciplined investments that allow us to keep our costs in check and continue delivering increasingly reliable service all year long.”
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Homeowners who want to compare money-saving options should check out EnergySage for free solar installation estimates and highly competitive quotes.
Florida ranked ninth in the country for high electric bills despite placing 28th for electric rates, according to a ConsumerAffairs.com list cited by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Usage helps explain the gap. Because many Florida households rely on air conditioning for much of the year, even comparatively moderate rates can still lead to pricey monthly bills.
The proposed reduction would follow other bill decreases customers have seen in 2026, Duke Energy Florida said. The company removed a $33 storm cost recovery charge in February tied to its 2024 response to hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. 
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
It also applied an $11 monthly reduction for customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours from March through November, along with another decrease of about $6 from June through September.
Duke Energy Florida credited the newest proposed cut to an “innovative tax strategy” involving the Powerline Battery Energy Storage System. 
“It allows us to store electricity when demand is low,” Coleman Raschid said of the Powerline Battery facilities.
EnergySage’s free tools can help homeowners evaluate whether solar makes financial sense. 
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and new installations. 
EnergySage’s solar map tracks the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with available incentives, which can help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access savings you might otherwise miss.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is also one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. 
Those interested in backup power and lower long-term energy costs can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
“By finding a way to return these tax credits faster, we’re able to put millions of dollars to work for our customers sooner, while also building the modern energy infrastructure Florida’s rapidly growing communities need,” Seixas remarked. 
Each of these stories touches on the forces influencing Duke Energy Florida’s proposal: utility tax savings, pressure to ease monthly bills, and growing interest in technologies that can lower energy costs at home. 
They also show the many ways policy shifts, company programs, and solar investments can inform what households pay.
• Duke Energy Florida used $50 million in tax savings to avoid a planned 2027 rate hike.
• In Massachusetts, utilities launched innovative utility discount programs that lowered electric bills for heat-pump owners.
• In Maryland and Virginia, plug-in balcony solar can cut household power bills by up to 25%.
• One homeowner saw their summer bill drop down to $13 after signing a solar lease.
• Homeowners with rooftop solar reported electricity bills near $8 after installing panels.
If you’re thinking about what a lower utility bill could mean for your own budget, these stories offer a view into how those savings are affecting companies, regulators, and homeowners. 
They also help explain why rooftop solar and backup power keep coming up in conversations about long-term energy costs.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

Indian crystal-growth equipment manufacturer Raana Semiconductors is targeting the launch of a commercial-grade 12-inch Czochralski (CZ) ingot growth machine within the next ten to 12 months, with the company aiming to sell to India’s solar cell and module manufacturers
The Hosur, Tamil Nadu-based company said its machines could support around 10GW of solar cell production capacity over the next three years as Indian manufacturers increasingly look to move upstream into ingot and wafer production.
Get Premium Subscription
Raana is also establishing a 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Hosur to support the 12-inch machine programme. The company said its existing CZ equipment has approximately 70% local content, with further localisation planned at the new facility.
“We are hoping to manufacture and supply a capacity of machines that can support cell production of roughly 10GW in the next three years,” said Rajasekar Elavarasan, founder and CEO, Raana Semiconductors.
“Indian cell and module makers are investing in ingot and wafer capacity, and they need equipment partners who can deliver, service and upgrade machines locally. Our 12-inch CZ platform is built for exactly that.”
The CZ process is widely used to produce monocrystalline silicon ingots, which are subsequently sliced into wafers for solar cells and semiconductor applications. According to Raana, China currently accounts for more than 90% of the CZ machines supplied to the solar industry.
The planned machine comes as Indian solar manufacturers expand into upstream manufacturing to reduce reliance on imported wafers.
“The 12-inch platform is the culmination of over a decade of building CZ systems for some of India’s most demanding customers in defence, atomic energy and national laboratories,” said Avinash Kumar, head of technology, Raana Semiconductors.
“Scaling from 6-inch to 12-inch ingots at solargrade throughput demands upgraded hot-zone, controls, electrical and mechanical design to ensure defect free 12-inch mono-crystalline silicon ingot growth. Our engineering team has designed the machine ground-up for high-yield, low-oxygen monocrystalline growth, and we are now moving into qualification with early customers.”
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed adding solar ingots and wafers to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) from 1 June 2028. If implemented, the measure could further encourage domestic investment in ingot and wafer manufacturing.
Raana said it is currently seeking to secure an order for approximately 2GW of machine capacity from a major Indian solar manufacturer. Based on orders of this type, the company is targeting revenue of around INR3 billion (US$34 million) by FY2028.
The company currently has more than 40 CZ machines deployed in India, covering 2-, 4- and 6-inch formats. These systems are being used by customers in defence, atomic energy and national laboratories, as well as for the production of specialty materials including lithium niobate and germanium.
The company said it intends to supply CZ equipment to GW-scale solar manufacturers over the next few years and, further down the line, supply semiconductor wafers to semiconductor fabs within the next four to five years.

source

Colorado homeowner baffled by $195 electric bill after solar app shows 754 kWh  Yahoo
source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but getting the numbers right is key.
Photo Credit: iStock
One U.K. homeowner weighing a boiler replacement found himself confronting a much bigger question.
The man asked Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community,he if you’re already considering air conditioning, a heat pump, solar panels, and batteries, what should be prioritized and why?
The British homeowner laid out his dilemma in a Reddit post, writing that he is “Technically competent, starting solar from scratch… Looking for your ideas. [Should I] go small, go big, DIY?”
The original poster added that he lives in a detached bungalow in the Midlands, works from home four days each week, and knows his 13-year-old Atag boiler will likely need to be replaced within a few years. 
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Now, what started as a plan to add air conditioning has since expanded into a broader question about whether a cooling-capable heat pump would be a better fit, and whether it made sense to combine that with a larger solar-and-battery project in the £10,000 to £15,000 range ($13,500 – $20,290).
He also described the home features affecting that choice, including several roof sections facing different directions, a flat warm-roof area that might take angled solar panels, and earlier insulation work using 3-inch (75mm) foil-faced PIR insulation.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but getting the numbers right is key. Homeowners comparing options can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before deciding whether a DIY or professionally installed system makes more financial sense.
Commenters largely urged the homeowner to start with the fundamentals. One wrote, “You need to come up with daytime peak loads to size your inverter and then nighttime loads to size your battery.” The same commenter also warned, “Don’t hurt yourself or catch anything on fire.”
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Another added, “The Off Grid Garage is a great resource, particularly for battery building. There’s an amazing amount of info out there now, if you’ve got the time and energy to commit to it.”
The discussion focused on a few recurring recommendations: tighten up insulation where possible, use as much viable roof space for panels as the property allows, and consider whether an air-to-air heat pump could cover both heating and cooling needs. 
Another commenter offered a DIY example of the potential savings. They said they had done “99% DIY,” with a setup that included 32 kilowatt-hours of battery storage and 22 solar panels totaling 11 kilowatts. “All for about £12k,” the commenter wrote, adding: “My energy bill went from £2500 a year to minus £800 a year.”
EnergySage’s free services can help people who are still deciding whether a project makes financial sense. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. Readers can also use EnergySage’s solar map, which shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with solar panel incentives for each state, helping shoppers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
For the greatest energy efficiency and the ability to go off-grid, pair solar panels with battery storage. EnergySage also helps homeowners understand their battery options and find vetted installers.
It helps to look at upgrades that affect more than one piece of the puzzle. The stories below show how solar, smarter controls, and simple efficiency fixes can shape monthly bills, comfort, and the payoff for a larger project.
• For many homeowners, free electricity for decades can also raise property value over time.
• Across U.K. homes, smart thermostats can pay for themselves by trimming heating demand.
• Many households found that common heating shortcuts waste energy instead of lowering bills.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

We use cookies to improve your experience and for marketing. Read our cookie policy Manage cookies
Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories.
The US Department of Commerce has locked in its final antidumping and countervailing duty rates on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells shipped from India, Indonesia and Laos, with the combined burden for Indian producers climbing to 249.13%. The affirmative determinations, made public on 11 September, wrap up the department’s side of the most recent US solar trade dispute.
For India, Commerce settled on a final dumping margin of 123.04% applying to every producer and exporter, calculated using adverse facts available, plus a final countervailing duty rate of 126.09%. Together these yield a 249.13% combined rate before any other US tariffs are layered on. Mundra Solar PV, Mundra Solar Energy, Kowa Company and Premier Energies Photovoltaic were each assigned the same dumping margin and a cash deposit rate of 107.17% after subsidy offsets were factored in.
For Indonesia, Commerce set a final dumping margin of 94.36% for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia, PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all remaining producers. Countervailing duty rates span from 73.20% for PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all others up to 173.70% for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia.
Laos drew a final dumping margin of 65.43% covering the named exporters and the Laos-wide entity. Final countervailing duty rates run from 82.03% for Solarspace Technology (Laos) and all others to 153.67% for Vietnam Sunergy Joint Stock Company. After subsidy offsets, the final cash deposit rate for the Laos dumping determination stands at 65.03%.
Joe Hennessy, a market research analyst at PV Tech Research, said the publication of the final rates will probably bring cell imports from these countries to a halt. For Indonesia and Laos, he said, the likely result is the shutdown of some or most of these facilities unless they can be converted to serve certain European projects. In India’s case, he expects demand to fall, though many manufacturers there had not been shipping to the US over the past year, so most of them will see only a minimal effect. He observed that with ALMM mandates applying to both cells and modules, Indian manufacturers have prioritised supplying their home market.
Prabhakar Sharma, a senior consultant at JMK Research & Analytics, told PV Tech that the immediate consequence is a substantial drop in exports once the duties take effect, even though the US has yet to make a final decision. He pointed to US Department of Commerce statistics showing India sends only 2GW to 3GW of modules to the US each year, a relatively marginal figure next to the volume of production currently absorbed domestically. He also said Indian players will be driven to establish their own facilities in the US, noting that Waaree‘s plant is already running in Texas, and that other companies which had previously announced US factory plans may revive them with greater determination.
The investigation began after petitions were filed in August 2025 by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, whose members include Hanwha Qcells USA, First Solar and Mission Solar Energy.
Tim Brightbill, co-chair of Wiley’s International Trade Practice and lead counsel to the Alliance, said America’s solar manufacturing sector is set for a historic comeback, with domestic module capacity having risen by more than 750% since 2022 and cell production also growing. He said that momentum is being undermined by dumped and subsidised imports from India, Indonesia and Laos that have deprived American producers of a level playing field, and called the final determinations a crucial step toward enforcing US trade laws and restoring fair competition for US solar manufacturers and their workers.
Commerce’s final determinations concluded that producers in India, Indonesia and Laos had sold crystalline silicon PV cells into the US at below fair value and had received countervailable subsidies. The investigations cover crystalline silicon PV cells, whether or not assembled into modules. These duties stand apart from broader US tariff measures and, if ultimately imposed, would be added on top of other tariffs that apply to the imported goods.
The determinations alone do not create permanent antidumping or countervailing duty orders. The US International Trade Commission is running parallel injury investigations and is due to issue its final ruling on 14 October 2026 on whether imports from India, Indonesia and Laos materially injure, or threaten to materially injure, the US solar manufacturing industry. A positive ITC finding would let Commerce issue the final duty orders, presently slated for 2 November 2026. Should the ITC find no material injury or threat of it, the investigations would end and cash deposits already collected would be returned.
Hennessy said the main US suppliers from abroad have already relocated cell manufacturing to other places, among them Egypt, Ethiopia and Nigeria, while also seeking to onshore module manufacturing capacity where they have not yet done so. He added that several petitions are already looking to investigate some of these new manufacturing locations. He further noted that with Section 232 on the horizon, future attention will likely shift away from specific countries and individual antidumping and countervailing duty cases toward imports as a whole.
For Indian manufacturers especially, the final dumping margin and subsidy rate pose a major obstacle to keeping US market access if the ITC makes an affirmative injury determination. The 14 October ITC vote is thus the next key milestone in deciding whether the rates Commerce announced become enforceable orders.
In February 2026, the US Department of Commerce had imposed preliminary countervailing duties of as much as 125.87% on crystalline silicon solar cells from India. The preliminary determinations issued in April set dumping margins of 123.04% for India, 35.15% for Indonesia and 22.46% for Laos. The final determination kept India’s margin unchanged but sharply raised the rates for Indonesia and Laos to 94.36% and 65.43%, respectively.
India’s renewable energy transition, spanning solar PV and energy storage to grid integration, will be a central topic at the Renewable Energy India Expo, co-located with the Energy Storage Summit India, in Greater Noida on 22-24 October 2026.
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
The Largest Destinations for Exports
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
Instant access. No credit card needed.
Online access to 2M+ reports, dashboards, and tables. Trusted by Fortune 500 teams.
IndexBox, Inc.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1441
Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Contact us
© 2026 IndexBox, Inc

source

As solar penetration rises, project developers are facing tighter grid availability, curtailment, and pressure on project economics, making flexibility and smarter plant design increasingly important. The TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Solar & Storage Power Plant Developments will bring together developers, EPCs, procurement managers, and technology suppliers to discuss how battery storage, advanced trackers, high-power modules, hybrid generation, and other plant-level technologies are shaping the next generation of utility-scale solar projects.
Gloria Gao, Marketing Director at JA ESS, will share her insights on: Beyond LCOE – How Solar + Storage is Reshaping the Future of Utility-Scale Power Plants.
The conference is scheduled from 09:30 to 13:00 CEST on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Register for free here.
PV module manufacturer GCL SI and digital technology platform Ant Digital have signed a cooperation agreement in Shanghai to advance the GCL Carbon Chain 4.0 platform. The partnership will combine blockchain and AI agent technologies to trace carbon footprints across the full lifecycle of PV products, improve supply-chain management, and enable dynamic verification of carbon data.
The companies also plan to expand into carbon accounting, carbon-asset verification, green power trading, and green finance services, aiming to develop the Carbon Chain platform into industry infrastructure. GCL SI has integrated the platform across its full range of BC modules. The two companies previously launched GCL Carbon Chain 3.0 in June.
A 400 MW solar-plus-storage demonstration project in Shangyi County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, constructed by a Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA) subsidiary, has been connected to the grid and begun generating power.
Covering approximately 8.13 km², the project uses elevated mounting structures 1.5 to 2.5 m high to accommodate grassland grazing and ecological restoration. Once fully operational, it is expected to generate approximately 792 million kWh annually, save 238,800 metric tons of standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by about 655,000 metric tons per year. The project is also expected to improve power supply capacity in northern Hebei and the wider Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Last month, POWERCHINA announced it had achieved full-capacity grid connection for the 1.1 GW Hangjin Banner wind-solar project in Ordos, Inner Mongolia (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
PV wafer and module manufacturer Gokin Solar has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), committing to its 10 principles covering human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption as part of its ESG efforts.
Gokin Solar’s production bases in Yibin, Xining, and Zhuhai have received China’s National Green Factory designation. All operating sites are certified to ISO 14001 for environmental management, ISO 50001 for energy management, and ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety. The company said its sustainable procurement guidelines cover 100% of procurement, while its supply-chain traceability audit pass rate has also reached 100%.
TCL Technology, the parent company of TCL Zhonghuan (TCL TZE), has invested RMB 200 million in perovskite manufacturer Xi’an Tianjiao New Energy (TJ So to acquire an approximately 20% stake. The relevant corporate registration changes have been completed. The investment will mainly fund the construction and operation of a 100 MW perovskite production line, along with R&D and market expansion.
TJ Solar develops lightweight flexible perovskite PV modules, with proprietary technologies for low-light power generation and flexible thin-film encapsulation. Its products primarily target consumer applications such as low-power devices, auxiliary vehicle power, e-paper, and smart homes.
TCL Technology plans to combine the precision-coating and encapsulation capabilities of its display subsidiary TCL CSOT with TJ Solar’s technology to commercialize integrated ‘display + solar energy’ products, while developing technologies for potential future power-plant applications.
In late August, TCL Electronics announced plans to spin off its PV business, which includes TCL Photovoltaic Technology and SunPower, for a separate listing on the stock exchange (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
TaiyangNews 2024

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“I think you’re over complicating this.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Before opting for solar panels, one homeowner thought they had found a smart way to keep energy bills down in the meantime. 
The proposed overhaul centered on a 132-gallon (500-liter) attic tank that could be heated on a discounted EV power tariff. The elaborate money-saving solution was shot down in the comments as people pointed to something much simpler that offered similar benefits. 
In a Reddit post, the homeowner described a pre-solar stopgap: switch to condenser gas central heating, eliminate the current electric-shower and heating-tank setup, and add an attic-mounted tank of about 132 gallons (500 liters) heated on an EV tariff to feed three showers.
Instead of endorsing the tank plan outright, commenters advised comparing it with a heat pump water heater and said utility rebates and tax credits might reduce the upfront price.
While a large tank can help shift energy use to cheaper hours, it does not automatically solve the efficiency question if the water is still being heated with resistance elements. A heat pump water heater, by contrast, is designed from the outset to use much less electricity.
For a household with three showers, hot-water demand can be high enough that timing and recovery rate become major considerations. A large thermal store may help keep the household from running out of hot water, especially if it is charged overnight, but bigger tanks also take up space and can lose heat while sitting full.
Then there is the attic factor. A 132-gallon (500-liter) tank is not a small piece of equipment, and a plan like that raises practical questions about weight, plumbing runs, installation complexity, and whether another system could provide the same comfort with lower overall energy use.
Commenters pushed the discussion toward cost calculations rather than focusing only on the overnight tariff. If a homeowner is already thinking about replacing multiple parts of a hot-water system, the cheapest option over time may not be the one tied to the lowest hourly electricity price.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn’t that worth an email or two?
The first step is to compare total installed cost, expected energy use, available rebates, and the home’s actual hot-water demand — not just tank size. It can also help to ask an installer about structural limits, ventilation, and whether future solar production could change which option makes the most sense.
Cala is one company focused on that kind of optimization. Its customizable smart heat pump water heaters help homeowners decrease their energy bills by heating water exactly when it’s needed. That can be especially useful for households trying to match hot-water production to off-peak power prices, daily routines, and future rooftop solar output.
The main takeaway is that cheap electricity and efficient water heating are not always the same thing. In many cases, the best option may combine both — accessing lower-cost power when it is available and using equipment that wastes less energy in the first place, which is part of the pitch behind Cala.
“I think you’re over complicating this,” one commenter wrote. “Install a large heat pump water.” 
“A heat pump water heater can be powered by solar, be controlled by Wi-Fi, has leak detection and auto shut off, will cool and dehumidify the attic, in the USA most utilities will offer a rebate to install one, and there may be state and federal tax credits,” another added. 
Homeowners worldwide are looking to the benefits of heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. While some encounter difficulties, there is still plenty to like about the technology if it can be installed.
• In the Netherlands, homeowners were told to rethink EV charging and heat pump upgrades as grid congestion worsened.
• In the U.K., one homeowner chased a 400%-efficient heat pump but encountered some hurdles.
• In Vermont, a freezing winter still left one homeowner calling heat-pump savings a no-brainer.
A heat pump’s effectiveness ultimately comes down to balancing tariff timing, equipment efficiency, and the limits of the house and local grid.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

source

Energies Media
Solar power is the primary driver of the global green energy transition.
Worldwide, major economies are becoming digitalized to streamline operations across various sectors.
However, this shift requires high levels of electricity, which complicates progress toward climate goals.
While utility-scale solar plants are set to address both obstacles, developers are facing land acquisition problems.
But if nations are running out of available land for solar installations, where else could they turn to?
Modern economies have become globally competitive.
To keep up, major ones are undergoing a swift digital transformation.
Governments and businesses are moving legacy infrastructure to the cloud. They are also implementing advanced automation.
This shift cannot be completed without the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) and AI.
Multiple industries are utilizing digitalization to streamline real-time operations.
Automation eliminates human error from supply chains. Machine learning algorithms optimize manufacturing pipelines.
Downtime costs are cut by using predictive maintenance sensors to monitor factory equipment.
These digital tools enable the processing of vast volumes of data to make quick, efficiency-driven decisions.
However, these highly interconnected networks, devices, and complex AI models consume substantial power.
Tech companies must continuously construct more data centers to handle these major workloads.
The round-the-clock operations and server racks are pushing global electricity demand to unprecedented heights.
Furthermore, it slows down progress toward achieving climate goals.
India is among the many nations that experienced this rapid digital expansion.
In 2025, the nation’s data center capacity increased to 1,500 MW.
This capacity is predicted to increase further to nearly 10,000 MW by 2030.
Consequently, India’s data centers are projected to consume 45 TWh of electricity by the end of the decade.
This demand leads to an immense environmental risk.
India’s energy system is still dominated by coal. It supplies nearly 75% of the country’s grid.
Relying on existing infrastructure to power data centers will tighten the reliance on fossil fuels.
This regression will derail progress toward national climate targets.
India built one of the world’s fastest-growing solar industries. The goal is to achieve 500 GW of carbon-free capacity by 2030.
That is why the rapid deployment of major solar installations is essential to climate goals and the digital economy.
Unfortunately, India is running out of expansion space.
Land-based solar plants are dominating India’s green energy capacity.
However, these facilities require nearly four times more land space than the panels occupy.
This physical footprint makes solar development slow, expensive, and prone to legal disputes with agriculture.
Fortunately, India has found 102 GW of solar by turning its attention to water.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) confirmed that India has massive untapped potential for floating solar power.
National floating solar photovoltaics (PV) will increase India’s estimated solar energy potential to 3,445 GWp.
The government is actively forming a national program and policy framework to accelerate floating PV deployments.
By shifting water reservoirs into clean energy assets, intense land acquisition conflicts can be bypassed.
The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the Military Engineer Services formed a new partnership. This was formed to increase renewable energy across defense facilities.
Global digitalization will continue to expand rapidly. It is therefore vital to balance rising power demand with strict climate mandates.
While traditional land limitations derail highly ambitious green strategies, India proves it can be overcome.
Deploying floating PV across inland reservoirs ensures that the digital age can continue without compromising the planet’s health.
However, careful management of these floating PVs is important, as they can have unprecedented environmental impacts.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.

source

Chilean utility Copec has acquired the Tamarico II solar-plus-storage project, which combines 165MW of solar PV generation with 725MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) that is extendable to 925MWh, from Greek renewables developer Metlen Energy & Metals.
Announced 10 September, the agreement was signed with Copec S.A. through its subsidiary Copec Flux S.p.A.. Metlen claimed the sale Tamrico II reaffirms its ability to develop, build and operate its own renewable energy projects, and ultimately monetise their value through its Asset Rotation model.
Get Premium Subscription
Metlen also stated that the agreement further strengthens its partnership with the COPEC Group, one of Latin America’s leading energy groups, a partnership that started three years ago. It lays the groundwork for the two companies to expand their collaboration further through new renewable energy and BESS investments in Chile.
Chile’s BESS market has experienced rapid expansion, emerging as one of the key drivers of global battery storage deployments in April. That month marked a significant milestone when the country surpassed 1GW of operational BESS capacity, according to then-Energy Minister Diego Pardow, following the commissioning of Atlas Renewable Energy’s standalone 200MW/800MWh project.
Notably, the market has been so active that Chile reached its 2027 energy storage deployment target a year early and appears set to achieve its 2050 target by 2027.
Read the full version of this story on our sister site Energy-Storage.news.
Our publisher Solar Media, part of Informa Connect, will host the Energy Storage Summit Latin America 2026 on 26-27 October, 2026, in Santiago, Chile. Energy-Storage.news readers can use our discount code ESN20 at checkout for 20% off tickets.  

source

The US DOC has finalized separate AD/CVD rates for solar imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos 
The measures require a positive final injury determination from the ITC to come into effect  
The ITC decision, if supporting the DOC decision, will be followed by the latter issuing AD/CVD by November 2, 2026  
The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has finalized antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on solar imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos. Final rates vary significantly across the three countries.
In its investigation, the DOC found that crystalline silicon PV (CSPV) solar cells and modules from the three countries were sold in the US at unfairly low prices and benefited from countervailable subsidies. The Department states this caused material injury to the domestic solar manufacturing industry.  
The final rates vary by country. According to the DOC factsheet, the Department has set an AD margin of 123.04% and a CVD rate of 126.09% for India. For Indonesia, the final dumping margin is 94.36%, while the CVD rates range from 73.2% to 173.7%. For Laos, the dumping margin is set at 65.43%, while CVD rates range from 82.03% to 153.67%.
Among the Indian manufacturers, the DOC has specifically named Mundra Solar PV Limited, Mundra Solar Energy Limited, Kowa Company Ltd., and Premier Energies Photovoltaic Private Limited. Companies identified in the Laos investigation include Solarspace Technology (Laos), JA Solar Vietnam, and Trina Solar Science & Technology (Thailand), among others.
The DOC’s final decision follows an investigation launched in August 2025 in response to a petition by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade (AASMT) concerning solar cell and module imports from the three countries. In April 2026, the department announced preliminary antidumping duties (ADDs) of up to 123.04% on the imports (see US: Up To 123% ADD On Solar Imports From India, Laos, Indonesia).
AASMT’s Lead Counsel and Co-Chair of Wiley’s International Trade Practice Tim Brightbill welcomed the DOC decision, calling it an essential step towards restoring fair competition for US solar manufacturers.
“Today’s final determinations are an essential step toward enforcing our trade laws and restoring fair competition for U.S. solar manufacturers and the workers they employ,” said Brightbill.
The final imposition of duties, however, still depends on the International Trade Commission (ITC) making its final injury determination, expected on October 14, 2026. If the commission finds that the US industry has been materially injured or faces a threat of material injury from the imports, the DOC will issue the AD/CVD orders on November 2, 2026.
The determinations are part of a broader trade enforcement effort by US solar manufacturers seeking action against imports they say have harmed domestic production.
The original AD/CVD orders, known as Solar I, were imposed on Chinese CSPV products in December 2012. Claiming that Chinese producers shifted production to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam to circumvent the duties, the US administration issued new AD/CVD orders, known as Solar III, in June 2025. According to the Alliance, imports from those four countries fell from $12.2 billion in 2023 to $1.3 billion in 2025 following the trade actions (see USITC Issues Final Injury Determination In AD/CVD Investigation).
US solar manufacturers filed the Solar IV petitions against India, Indonesia, and Laos in July 2025. The latest announcement moves the three-country case closer to a final outcome, pending the ITC’s October injury vote.
Supported by these actions, US solar module manufacturing has expanded way beyond the actual demand – 66 GW DC of nameplate module capacity against annual installation projections of 44 GW DC (see US Solar Installations Rebound 45% YoY To 11.4 GW DC In Q2 2026).
Nevertheless, the US now sources solar cells from other geographies, such as Ethiopia, which is now the subject of a new AD/CVD petition filed by the AASMT. The alliance claims manufacturers are importing solar cells and modules assembled in Ethiopia using Chinese-origin components (see New US Petition Targets Ethiopia Solar Imports).
The trade dispute is unlikely to end with these three countries (Indonesia, India, and Laos), as Brightbill said the group would continue monitoring import data and holding ‘bad actors accountable wherever they move next’.
Meanwhile, the US administration continues to restrict solar imports through broader trade measures, including a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon derivatives and a minimum import price (MIP) for polysilicon products entering the US (see US Announces 15% Tariff On Imported Polysilicon Under Section 232).
Separately, a coalition of Canadian Solar, SEG Solar, and Heliene – called American Manufacturers for Energy Resilience (AMER) – has petitioned the DOC to investigate solar cell imports from South Korea, including from Hanwha Qcells, which is a part of the AASMTC (see Waaree Hit By US Duties; South Korea AD/CVD Probe Sought).
TaiyangNews 2024

source

US Commerce finalises steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on crystalline silicon solar cells imported from India, Indonesia and Laos.
September 14, 2026. By EI News Network
The United States has finalised steep anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells imported from India, Indonesia and Laos, in a move that could significantly raise the cost of these products in the US market.
The US Department of Commerce announced the final affirmative determinations following investigations into whether producers and exporters from the three countries were dumping solar cells in the US market or benefiting from government subsidies.
For Indian exporters and producers, Commerce determined a weighted-average anti-dumping margin of 123.04 percent. The corresponding cash deposit rate, after adjustment for subsidy offsets, is 107.17 percent. The 123.04 percent dumping margin was determined using facts available with adverse inferences.
The companies covered by the Indian anti-dumping determination include Mundra Solar PV Ltd., Mundra Solar Energy Limited, Kowa Company Ltd. and Premier Energies Photovoltaic Pvt. Ltd.. The 123.04 percent margin also applies to all other exporters and producers covered by the determination.
On the countervailing duty side, Commerce determined a 126.09 percent subsidy rate for Mundra Solar Energy Limited and Mundra Solar PV Ltd.. The same rate applies to all other Indian exporters and producers covered by the determination. The subsidy rate was also based on facts available with adverse inferences.
The US market has emerged as an increasingly important destination for Indian solar products. Imports of the investigated solar cells from India jumped from 232.4 million watts in 2022 to 2.05 billion watts in 2023, before reaching 2.30 billion watts in 2024.
In value terms, imports from India increased from USD 83.9 million in 2022 to USD 760.8 million in 2023, and further to USD 792.6 million in 2024, according to US Census Bureau data cited by Commerce.
Indonesia has also been assigned significant duties. Commerce determined a 94.36 percent weighted-average dumping margin for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia, PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all other exporters and producers. The department said that the rate was based on facts available with adverse inferences.
The final countervailing duty rate for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia is 173.70 percent, while PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all other exporters and producers face a 73.20 percent subsidy rate.
US imports of the investigated solar cells from Indonesia increased from 499.1 million watts in 2022 to 1.80 billion watts in 2024. Their value rose from USD 177.5 million in 2022 to USD 415.2 million in 2024.
For Laos, Commerce determined a 65.43 perccent weighted-average dumping margin, with a 65.03 percent cash deposit rate after subsidy offsets. The determination covers Solarspace Technology (Laos) Sole Co., Ltd., SolarSpace Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, JA Solar Vietnam Co. Ltd., Trina Solar Energy Development Pte. Ltd. and Trina Solar Science & Technology (Thailand) Company Limited, among others.
The countervailing duty rate for Solarspace Technology (Laos) Sole Co. Ltd. was set at 82.03 percent, while Vietnam Sunergy Joint Stock Company was assigned a substantially higher rate of 153.67 percent. The rate for all other exporters and producers from Laos is 82.03 percent.
Imports from Laos have risen particularly sharply. After recording no imports in 2022, the US imported just 44,629 watts in 2023, before imports surged to 1.91 billion watts in 2024, valued at about USD 335.7 million.
The latest Commerce determinations, however, do not by themselves conclude the entire trade-remedy process. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is conducting concurrent investigations to determine whether the imports have caused material injury to the US solar industry.
The petitioner in the cases is the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, whose members include Hanwha Q CELLS USA, First Solar and Mission Solar Energy.
The investigations cover crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules. The cases involving India are A-533-942 and C-533-943, those involving Indonesia are A-560-846 and C-560-847, and those involving Laos are A-553-003 and C-553-004.
The US Commerce Department said that the import statistics were sourced from the US Census Bureau through S&P Global Trade Atlas and covered the relevant Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications.
Commerce currently maintains 844 anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders, which it says provide relief to US companies and industries affected by unfair trade practices.

Renewables, Storage and Granular Energy Matching Key to Sustainable AI Growth: PDG

Neuron Energy’s Pratik Kamdar Says Scale, R&D and Technology Will Drive Next Phase of Growth

Naveen Gupta, Trev Mobility, Says Premium EV Mobility Must Compete on Reliability and Service

Advanced Coated Steel Can Improve Solar Asset Life, Reduce Maintenance, Says Ranjan Dhar

India’s CNG, CBG and Hydrogen Push Makes it Strategic Market for KonveGas: Alexander Enulescu

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
A smaller system may still make sense if the real goal is limited to phones, flashlights, and radios.
Photo Credit: Anker
A Pacific Northwest family looking for a basic blackout backup plan got blunt feedback online: In the region’s winter weather, even a small solar kit may be tougher to count on than the specs suggest.
Posting on Reddit in the r/AnkerSOLIXCommunity, the user said their three-person household was preparing for outages and was considering a $1,150 bundle that included an Anker S2000 and a 400-watt portable panel.
The user said their family was intentionally keeping expectations modest. “We want something that can charge our phones, flashlights, and maybe charge a laptop for a movie once a week,” they said.
Big household loads weren’t part of the plan, and the original poster said they weren’t trying to keep a refrigerator, chest freezer, or similar appliances running.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The OP was also hesitant about rigid panels, citing storage concerns and saying many two-panel 200-watt combinations seemed to run into the S2000’s input limits.
Several commenters said that outlook may have been too optimistic, both about Pacific Northwest winter conditions and about how much power a household might actually want available.
“I think you are ignoring the clouds and rain of the PNW in the winter. That means very little solar recharge capability,” one warned. 
The same commenter also pointed to the unit’s power ceiling, writing that the S2000 “only has AC output of 1500w” and later adding, “You may want to run a microwave or toaster or other device that takes more than 1500w.”
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
For homeowners thinking beyond portable backup packs, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. You can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Many shoppers want emergency power for essential devices, but they do not want to overspend on a larger system they may rarely use.
Other replies focused specifically on the poster’s assumptions about panel choices and wiring.
One commenter wrote that with parallel wiring, “you can go over in amps” and added, “Don’t go over on volts, that amount is pushed through to your device.” 
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Meanwhile, another said rigid panels “are definitely going to be a better option and give you much better performance and will last much longer.”
A smaller system may still make sense if the real goal is limited to phones, flashlights, radios, and occasional laptop charging. But if cooking, heating, or refrigeration could become important during an outage, it may be worth comparing stronger setups or a second recharge path, such as a generator or vehicle-based charging option.
EnergySage’s free tools can also help people considering a fuller home-energy upgrade. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state, helping buyers find the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. It can also keep critical devices running when sunlight or grid access is limited. You can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
The Reddit discussion focused on a small portable bundle, but the same tradeoffs come up when people weigh home batteries, rooftop solar, or alternatives to a generator. These stories show how backup power works in practice and how rebates or utility programs can shape what households can actually afford.
• In Australia, one homeowner’s 20kW solar setup made blackouts nearly invisible and even earned credits.
• Energy experts say home batteries can outclass gasoline generators during outages and indoor safety risks.
• In Texas, a new deal lets residents get state-of-the-art home solar power without upfront costs.
For households building an outage plan, these articles show when a basic backup kit can do the job — and when moving up to a larger system may make more sense.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

The US Department of Commerce (DoC) has finalised antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) rates on crystalline silicon PV cells imported from India, Indonesia and Laos, with combined rates reaching 249.13% for Indian manufacturers.
The final affirmative determinations, announced on 11 September, conclude the DoC’s portion of the latest US solar trade case.
Get Premium Subscription
For India, DoC determined a final dumping margin of 123.04% for all producers and exporters, based on adverse facts available, alongside a final CVD rate of 126.09%. This levies a combined rate of 249.13% before consideration of other applicable US tariffs.
Mundra Solar PV, Mundra Solar Energy, Kowa Company and Premier Energies Photovoltaic all received the same 123.04% dumping margin and 107.17% cash deposit rate adjusted for subsidy offsets.
The rates represent a substantial escalation in trade barriers for Indian solar manufacturers seeking access to the US market.
For Indonesia, Commerce established a 94.36% final dumping margin for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia, PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all other producers. CVD rates range from 73.20% for PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all others to 173.70% for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia.
Laos faced a 65.43% final dumping margin across the named exporters and the Laos-wide entity. Final CVD rates range from 82.03% for Solarspace Technology (Laos) and all others to 153.67% for Vietnam Sunergy Joint Stock Company.
The final cash deposit rate for the Laos dumping determination, adjusted for subsidy offsets, is 65.03%.
“The release of the final rates will likely stop cell imports from these countries. For Indonesia and Laos, this will likely result in the closure of some or most of these facilities, unless they can be repurposed to serve certain projects in Europe,” said Joe Hennessy, market research analyst, PV Tech Research.
“For India, the impact will likely be a reduction in demand, but many manufacturers there were not shipping to the US over the past year, so the effect on most of them will be minimal. With ALMM mandates covering both cells and modules, Indian manufacturers have been focusing on supplying the domestic market first.”
Echoing this sentiment, Prabhakar Sharma, senior consultant, JMK Research & Analytics told PV Tech, “The immediate implication is that exports will reduce substantially once the duties are implemented, although a final decision is yet to be taken by the US. However, as the US Department of Commerce statistics show, we export only 2GW to 3GW of modules to the US annually, which is relatively marginal compared with the scale of production currently being consumed domestically.”
“Additionally, Indian players will be motivated and driven to set up facilities in the US themselves. Waaree’s facility is already operational in Texas, and other players that had initially announced plans to set up factories in the US may resume those plans with greater rigour.”
The investigation was initiated following petitions from the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, whose members include Hanwha Qcells USA, First Solar and Mission Solar Energy in August 2025.
“America’s solar manufacturing sector is poised for a historic resurgence, with domestic module capacity up more than 750% since 2022 and cell production expanding as well,” said Tim Brightbill, co-chair of Wiley’s International Trade Practice and lead counsel to the Alliance.
“But that progress is being harmed by dumped and subsidised imports from India, Indonesia and Laos that have denied American producers a level playing field. Today’s final determinations are an essential step toward enforcing our trade laws and restoring fair competition for US solar manufacturers and the workers they employ.”
DoC’s final determinations found that producers in India, Indonesia and Laos had sold crystalline silicon PV cells into the US market at less than fair value and had benefited from countervailable subsidies.
The investigations cover crystalline silicon PV cells, whether or not assembled into modules.
The duties are separate from broader US tariff measures and, if ultimately imposed, would apply in addition to other tariffs applicable to the imported products.
However, the DoC determinations do not by themselves result in permanent AD/CVD orders.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is conducting the parallel injury investigations. The Commission is scheduled to make its final determination on 14 October 2026 on whether imports from India, Indonesia and Laos materially injure, or threaten to materially injure, the US solar manufacturing industry.
An affirmative ITC determination would allow Commerce to issue the final AD/CVD duty orders, currently scheduled for 2 November 2026.
If the ITC determines that the US industry has not suffered material injury or is not threatened with material injury, the investigations will terminate and previously collected cash deposits would be refunded.
“The key US suppliers from abroad have already moved cell manufacturing to different locations, including Egypt, Ethiopia and Nigeria, while also looking to onshore module manufacturing capacity where they have not already done so. There are already a few petitions seeking to investigate some of these new manufacturing locations,” Hennessy said.
Furthermore, Hennessy added that with Section 232 [subscription required] looming, there will likely be less focus in the future on specific countries and individual AD/CVD cases and more on imports as a whole.
For Indian manufacturers in particular, the final 123.04% dumping margin and 126.09% subsidy rate represent a significant barrier to maintaining US market access if the ITC issues an affirmative injury determination.
The 14 October ITC vote will therefore be the next major milestone in determining whether the rates announced by Commerce become enforceable AD/CVD orders.
In February 2026, the US DoC had issued preliminary countervailing duties of up to 125.87% on crystalline silicon solar cells from India.
The preliminary determinations issued by the DoC in April set dumping margins of 123.04% for India, 35.15% for Indonesia and 22.46% for Laos. While the final determination left India’s margin unchanged, it significantly increased the rates for Indonesia and Laos to 94.36% and 65.43%, respectively.
India’s renewable energy transition, from solar PV and energy storage to grid integration, will be a key topic of discussion at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo, co-located with the Energy Storage Summit India (ESS India), in Greater Noida on 22-24 October 2026. For the full agenda and booking details, click here.

source

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 14): NuEnergy Holdings Bhd (KL:NHB) said it is investing in solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities worth RM48.8 million across 49 rooftop sites at the premises of a government agency.
In its bourse filing on Monday, NuEnergy said its wholly-owned unit, IL Energy Sdn Bhd, will acquire and retain ownership of the solar PV systems, which will form part of the renewable energy group’s portfolio of owned renewable energy assets.
The development of the facilities with an aggregate capacity of 21 megawatt-peak (MWp) will be undertaken by the subsidiary of the government agency as the main engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor.
Meanwhile, another wholly-owned unit of the group, Armani Sinar Sdn Bhd (ASSB), will serve as a strategic partner, providing engineering design support and establishing the technical standards for the execution of the works.
NuEnergy said the facilities are targeted to be completed by the second quarter of 2027.
It added that the investment will be funded through internally generated funds and borrowings, and is expected to contribute recurring energy income and increase the net assets of the group upon completion.
NuEnergy said the project extends the group’s commercial and industrial renewable energy activities beyond conventional industrial and manufacturing facilities into public-sector premises.
It provides the group with “a reference and track record in the public-sector segment which may support the group in pursuing similar solarisation programmes involving government facilities and other public infrastructure”.
Shares of NuEnergy closed unchanged at RM1.14 on Monday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM222.33 million.

Copyright © 1999-2026 The Edge Communications Sdn. Bhd. 199301012242 (266980-X). All rights reserved

source

A team of scientists have demonstrated that perovskite solar cells can function 10 meters below the surface of the South China Sea.
Study author Wen-Hua Zhang, from Yunnan University and Southwest United Graduate School in Kunming, said there are only few studies reported on underwater solar cells, with all focused on water depths of two meters or less.
“This work presents the first functional validation of submerged solar cells practically operating at a water depth of up to about 10 meters, greatly broadening their application scope,” Zhang said. 
The scientists deployed lead halide perovskite solar cells with a wide-bandgap of approximately 1.96 eV. The research paper explains that in order to achieve efficient and durable submerged perovskites, the team introduced polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride for energy-level modulation.
“This enables the perovskites to convert from p- to n-type, facilitating electron extraction, suppressing halide ion migration, reducing defect density, and improving lattice stability,” the paper adds.
To test their perovskites, the research team developed a customized laboratory system with tailored optical filters that simulated underwater illumination at various depths. Under testing, their submerged perovskite delivered a power conversion efficiency of 34.71% and showed almost no degradation after 1,160 hours under simulated conditions at a depth of 10 meters.
The team then integrated perovskite solar cells with underwater robots, deploying them at a depth of 10 meters off the Weizhou Islands in the South China Sea to test their real-world application.
The large-area modules were found capable of generating 324 mWh of electricity upon underwater illumination for 2 hours at a depth of 10 meters, sufficient to charge lithium-ion batteries and light up LEDs.
Additional accelerated testing outlined in the research paper predicts the cells could have a lifetime almost 5.5 years when submerged at 25°C at a depth of 10 m.
“What surprised us most was [how] much electrical energy our large-area modules generated under real-world conditions at 10-meter water depth for only two hours,” says Zhang. 
“We also achieved scaling from small‑area laboratory cells to large‑size modules,” he added. “The combination of the laboratory investigations and the in-field experiments provides strong evidence for the operation of underwater photovoltaics.” 
The research paper says the findings “pave the way for the practical deployment of perovskite photovoltaics in underwater environments” to power submerged sensors, cameras, and communication systems far from land. 
“This offers a promising route toward self-sustained marine energy systems and autonomous underwater devices,” the paper concludes.
The research work is presented in the study “Submerged solar harvesting with wide-band-gap perovskites for autonomous underwater energy systems,” available in the research paper Joule. 
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].
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
Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026
14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Martedì, 22 Settembre 2026
11:00 – 12:00 CEST, Roma
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.

You have no items in your basket.

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
Once panels are added, rain and snow may no longer travel across a roof the same way.
Photo Credit: Reddit
A rooftop solar setup is supposed to lower utility bills, not send a sheet of rain pouring over the side of the house.
For one homeowner, however, panels mounted near the edge of a metal roof appear to be turning ordinary rainfall into a messy runoff issue right when the gutters need to be replaced.
A homeowner in Reddit’s r/diySolar asked whether bigger gutters might solve a problem they blamed on panels sitting close to the roof edge. The original poster wrote, “Currently during medium rains, a waterfall of rain overshoots the gutter.”
Because relocating a solar array can be expensive — especially on a standing-seam metal roof — any fix that controls the runoff without moving the panels could spare the homeowner from paying for oversized gutters or a more involved solar modification.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
One commenter suggested first looking at whether the existing gutters are mounted too low or whether leaf guards are hurting performance. Another recommended a less drastic solution, saying, “I’d look at installing a diverter along the bottom edge to direct it down into a standard 5″ gutter. It might interfere with snow if that’s an issue where you are. Sometimes you’d rather have the snow held up by a raker anyway though.”
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but installation details can influence maintenance costs later on. Homeowners considering rooftop panels can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
The discussion points to an often-overlooked part of solar ownership: Once panels are added, rain and snow may no longer travel across a roof the same way. On smooth metal roofing, especially with panels set close to the edge, runoff can pick up speed on its way to the eaves and fly past the gutter even in moderate storms.
Several commenters also noted that a diverter or lip attachment could affect how snow behaves on the roof. That means the best solution may depend on local weather conditions and whether the home already deals with sliding snow loads.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Instead of immediately moving the panels or replacing the gutters with oversized ones, a more practical step may be to ask a roofer, gutter installer, or solar professional whether adjusting gutter height or adding a diverter strip or panel-edge lip could slow the water before it leaves the roof. A targeted change like that may cost less than relocating the array or installing larger gutters.
Reviewing multiple quotes in one place can help buyers avoid overpaying from the start.
Those interested in solar and the best option for their home can also use EnergySage’s solar map. This free tool shows the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state, along with details on solar panel incentives. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. 
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and rely less on the grid. Batteries can store extra electricity for use when the grid is down or when utility rates are higher. Homeowners can also explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Work on a roof can ripple out in ways that have nothing to do with the electric bill. The stories below look at how drainage, roof design, and other home upgrades intersect in real situations homeowners are already dealing with.
• Homeowners dealing with roof runoff can turn heavy rain into stored water for gardens.
• After a season of ice buildup, sheets of ice began sliding off one home’s solar-covered roof, turning the panels into what the homeowner described as a serious hazard near the front of the house, but others pointed to an easy fix.
• Installing solar panels on a standing-seam metal roof could be one of the smartest long-term home energy moves homeowners overlook.
Each of these stories shows that what happens on the roof can influence drainage, comfort, and costs elsewhere around the home.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

Keep community journalism going. Subscribe today for online annual or monthly access!
August 28 Trash: Deputies were called to check on a road hazard at West Clark St. and West Zinda Dr. at 12:30 a.m. The deputy found miscellaneous clothing
Copyright 2017-2026. Point/Plover Metro Wire. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without written permission.

source

Energies Media
The clean energy transition has brought the entire U.S. energy landscape together, as companies are aware that the nation has objectives to meet. The U.S. government also deserves huge credit for the role that it has played in making it easier for companies to pursue and successfully execute energy projects that reduce carbon emissions. The nation continues to be among the leading solar energy producers in the world, falling only behind the dominant China. However, the United States has access to a wide range of resources and wealth that allow it to bring the most sophisticated and groundbreaking projects. As of late, SunPower raised $26.2 million in fresh capital to give its U.S. solar business more room to grow.
SunPower is headquartered in San Jose, California, which is the leading solar energy-producing state in the U.S. SunPower was founded in 1985 by Richard Swanson, an electrical engineering professor at Stanford University. TotalEnergies purchased a controlling interest in the company in 2011 before the company spun off its manufacturing arm as Maxeon Solar Technologies in 2020.
The solar energy industry has transformed massively because of the integration of technology and scientific expertise that opens up greater possibilities for developers who are seeking to execute sophisticated projects. For the United States, the current state of the landscape is advantageous considering the access to wealth and resources that the nation possesses. 
A press release from SunPower announced that it has raised $26.2 million in an equity private placement round, which was funded mainly by investors from Sand Hill Road, the “Wall Street” of Silicon Valley at the northern boundary of Palo Alto and Stanford University. The round was anchored by Foris Ventures, the family office of John Doerr Chairman of venture firm Kleiner-Perkins. 
The raising of such significant amounts of funds displays how committed the United States is to advancing its clean energy sector and reducing carbon emissions. The variety of entities that are involved in the money raised is a testament to the collective nature that the nation is operating at during the clean energy transition.
Although the U.S is eager to diversify the energy portfolio of every state, California remains the leading solar energy-producing state in the country, generating 50% of its electricity from solar in mid-2026. According to reports, the state has over 55,000 MWdc of installed solar, powering over 16 million homes. 
2026 has been a record-breaking year in California’s solar energy sector. Utility-scale solar generation surpassed natural gas on a majority of days during early 2026. In battery storage, large fleets now capture midday solar power to discharge during peak evening demand, hitting a record 12.99 GW output in July 2026.
The state mandates 60% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045. The only slight negative that arose is rooftop solar decline. The changes to net-billing rules reduced credit for excess residential solar exports by an estimated 75%, causing a major slowdown in new rooftop installations. 
There has been a massive amount of excitement following SunPower’s announcement. T.J. Rodgers, who is SunPower’s CEO, stated the following:
“I want to thank all the investors who participated in this round. Today, SPWR’s share price hovers under $1 due to the solar market reset caused by the loss of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) combined with the Q2’26 misexecution of our SunPower Direct Division, which has been reassigned to our most experienced P&L manager, Kapil Rai, and will soon be back to normal.”
SunPower is a solar technology, services, and installation company that is mainly focused on delivering reliable and affordable energy solutions. The company’s digital platform and installation services support energy demands for customers who want to make the transition to a more energy-efficient lifestyle.
Prince is a versatile writer focused on energy, automotive, environmental, and general news topics. He makes complex technical and policy issues clear, engaging, and accessible for a broad audience.
Prince is a versatile writer focused on energy, automotive, environmental, and general news topics. He makes complex technical and policy issues clear, engaging, and accessible for a broad audience.
Prince is a versatile writer focused on energy, automotive, environmental, and general news topics. He makes complex technical and policy issues clear, engaging, and accessible for a broad audience.

source

We use cookies to improve your experience and for marketing. Read our cookie policy Manage cookies
Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories.
The US Department of Commerce has locked in its final antidumping and countervailing duty rates on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells shipped from India, Indonesia and Laos, with the combined burden for Indian producers climbing to 249.13%. The affirmative determinations, made public on 11 September, wrap up the department’s side of the most recent US solar trade dispute.
For India, Commerce settled on a final dumping margin of 123.04% applying to every producer and exporter, calculated using adverse facts available, plus a final countervailing duty rate of 126.09%. Together these yield a 249.13% combined rate before any other US tariffs are layered on. Mundra Solar PV, Mundra Solar Energy, Kowa Company and Premier Energies Photovoltaic were each assigned the same dumping margin and a cash deposit rate of 107.17% after subsidy offsets were factored in.
For Indonesia, Commerce set a final dumping margin of 94.36% for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia, PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all remaining producers. Countervailing duty rates span from 73.20% for PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia and all others up to 173.70% for PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia.
Laos drew a final dumping margin of 65.43% covering the named exporters and the Laos-wide entity. Final countervailing duty rates run from 82.03% for Solarspace Technology (Laos) and all others to 153.67% for Vietnam Sunergy Joint Stock Company. After subsidy offsets, the final cash deposit rate for the Laos dumping determination stands at 65.03%.
Joe Hennessy, a market research analyst at PV Tech Research, said the publication of the final rates will probably bring cell imports from these countries to a halt. For Indonesia and Laos, he said, the likely result is the shutdown of some or most of these facilities unless they can be converted to serve certain European projects. In India’s case, he expects demand to fall, though many manufacturers there had not been shipping to the US over the past year, so most of them will see only a minimal effect. He observed that with ALMM mandates applying to both cells and modules, Indian manufacturers have prioritised supplying their home market.
Prabhakar Sharma, a senior consultant at JMK Research & Analytics, told PV Tech that the immediate consequence is a substantial drop in exports once the duties take effect, even though the US has yet to make a final decision. He pointed to US Department of Commerce statistics showing India sends only 2GW to 3GW of modules to the US each year, a relatively marginal figure next to the volume of production currently absorbed domestically. He also said Indian players will be driven to establish their own facilities in the US, noting that Waaree‘s plant is already running in Texas, and that other companies which had previously announced US factory plans may revive them with greater determination.
The investigation began after petitions were filed in August 2025 by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, whose members include Hanwha Qcells USA, First Solar and Mission Solar Energy.
Tim Brightbill, co-chair of Wiley’s International Trade Practice and lead counsel to the Alliance, said America’s solar manufacturing sector is set for a historic comeback, with domestic module capacity having risen by more than 750% since 2022 and cell production also growing. He said that momentum is being undermined by dumped and subsidised imports from India, Indonesia and Laos that have deprived American producers of a level playing field, and called the final determinations a crucial step toward enforcing US trade laws and restoring fair competition for US solar manufacturers and their workers.
Commerce’s final determinations concluded that producers in India, Indonesia and Laos had sold crystalline silicon PV cells into the US at below fair value and had received countervailable subsidies. The investigations cover crystalline silicon PV cells, whether or not assembled into modules. These duties stand apart from broader US tariff measures and, if ultimately imposed, would be added on top of other tariffs that apply to the imported goods.
The determinations alone do not create permanent antidumping or countervailing duty orders. The US International Trade Commission is running parallel injury investigations and is due to issue its final ruling on 14 October 2026 on whether imports from India, Indonesia and Laos materially injure, or threaten to materially injure, the US solar manufacturing industry. A positive ITC finding would let Commerce issue the final duty orders, presently slated for 2 November 2026. Should the ITC find no material injury or threat of it, the investigations would end and cash deposits already collected would be returned.
Hennessy said the main US suppliers from abroad have already relocated cell manufacturing to other places, among them Egypt, Ethiopia and Nigeria, while also seeking to onshore module manufacturing capacity where they have not yet done so. He added that several petitions are already looking to investigate some of these new manufacturing locations. He further noted that with Section 232 on the horizon, future attention will likely shift away from specific countries and individual antidumping and countervailing duty cases toward imports as a whole.
For Indian manufacturers especially, the final dumping margin and subsidy rate pose a major obstacle to keeping US market access if the ITC makes an affirmative injury determination. The 14 October ITC vote is thus the next key milestone in deciding whether the rates Commerce announced become enforceable orders.
In February 2026, the US Department of Commerce had imposed preliminary countervailing duties of as much as 125.87% on crystalline silicon solar cells from India. The preliminary determinations issued in April set dumping margins of 123.04% for India, 35.15% for Indonesia and 22.46% for Laos. The final determination kept India’s margin unchanged but sharply raised the rates for Indonesia and Laos to 94.36% and 65.43%, respectively.
India’s renewable energy transition, spanning solar PV and energy storage to grid integration, will be a central topic at the Renewable Energy India Expo, co-located with the Energy Storage Summit India, in Greater Noida on 22-24 October 2026.
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
The Largest Destinations for Exports
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
Instant access. No credit card needed.
Online access to 2M+ reports, dashboards, and tables. Trusted by Fortune 500 teams.
IndexBox, Inc.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1441
Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Contact us
© 2026 IndexBox, Inc

source

Electric farm tractors are a great idea that hasn’t quite found a way to succeed in the market, but Ohio-based GoSun thinks the time is right to try again – this time with integrated solar charging technology that could give its all-electric tractor a serious advantage over the diesel-powered competition.
Co-developed with Indian tractor brand Moonrider, the descriptively named Moonrider 27 All-Electric Solar Tractor from GoSun features a 20 kW (~27 hp) electric motor that sends torque to all four wheels for maximum traction and pulling power on any kind of terrain. A 540 rpm mechanical power take off (PTO) at the rear enables enables the tractor to run a whole lineup of farm-friendly implements, from mowers and tillers to post-hole diggers that might already be sitting in the barn – a huge market advantage.
“Small-scale farming and property management have relied on noisy, costly diesel utility vehicles for far too long,” said Patrick Sherwin, founder and CEO of GoSun. “With our new All-Electric Tractor, we are empowering farmers and land managers to literally work in the sunshine – reducing operational costs while protecting the soil and air.”
The really cool thing about GoSun’s new All-Electric Solar Tractor, though, is that word, “solar,” and that’s where the tractor gets really interesting.
The GoSun’s 27 hp motor draws its electrons from a 24 kWh LFP battery pack, which the company says is good for up to five hours of continuous operation. That works out to more a full day of chorin’ on most hobby farms, and when it’s time to call it quits for the day, the tractor can be charged using either 220/240V AC “L2” connector or by parking to somewhere and letting its optional 1.1 kW solar array do its thing.
During buys parts of the year, GoSun says the solar array can provide about 1.5 hours of additional runtime on a sunny day – but if you’re not using it every day, or using it that much every day, you could conceivable go days, weeks, or even months without the need to plug it in.
The flexible solar canopy is interesting it must fold up under the ridgid canopy. If you leave your tractor in the field I guess works. The image showing plugging the tractor in to a solar canopy will get people thinking. Solar panels are getting cheaper then traditional roofing. Almost as cheap as metal in some cases.

27hp is a good size big enough for most hobby farms and many bigger farms have something around that size for smaller jobs. With the increased torque you might be able to use a bigger rotary mower then with a diesel tractor of the same size.

Pricing seesm good it’s about what you would pay for a diesel even a little less. Probably save enough in the purchase price to build the solar canopy. Mahindra has been the best selling in that class for over a decade so Indian manufacturer shouldn’t scare anyone off there is a good chance most buyers would have a similar size Mahindra anyway. If not Kubota thinking about buying a Mahindra or TYM.
Which, in fairness, means I could have put “never needs charging” up in the headline, but I know you guys don’t like that, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if I ignored the commenters. Speaking of commenters, give the company’s press video a watch, below, then let us know if you think this is going to be the all-electric tractor that (finally) cracks n ag into the North American market in a big way.
SOURCE | IMAGES: GOSUN.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
I’ve been involved in the electric vehicle transition in one way or another since 1997, and have covered the industry as a journalist since 2008. You can catch more of my work on Quick Charge and The Heavy Equipment Podcast with Mike Switzer.
NOTE: any opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Federal government, the State of Illinois, Electrek, or anyone else. Nothing here should be interpreted as a statement of official policy, legal guidance, or an endorsement unless expressly labeled as such.
Find a reliable home solar and battery installer and save 20-30% compared to going it alone.
Qmerit makes electrification easy — connecting you with trusted pros who get it done right.

source

Get the latest news and updates from Dawn
Pakistan should start building a recycling industry for solar panels and batteries now rather than wait for the first large wave of end-of-life equipment to become a waste-management problem.
Speaking to Dawn during a recent visit to Pakistan, Global Solar Council (GSC) chief executive Sonia Dunlop said the country’s rapid, largely consumer-led adoption of solar power offered an opportunity to build a circular solar and battery economy, with valuable materials eventually recovered and reused locally.
“The smart thing to do for Pakistan is to put in place a system now for the recycling of the solar panels that are being installed now. In 20 years’ time, you will have a huge mine of silver, of polysilicon, of aluminium that you can then just recycle and turn into a totally circular economy here in Pakistan,” Ms Dunlop said.
She said battery recycling could develop even sooner because batteries had shorter lifetimes than solar panels. “We don’t want to fix an atmospheric pollution problem with an environmental waste problem,” she said, describing battery recycling as a growing challenge. She said lithium-ion batteries are recyclable and contain valuable materials, creating a commercial incentive to recover them rather than dispose of them.
Setting up a system for recycling panels will yield a huge mine of critical minerals that can turn into a circular economy
The comments come as Pakistan experiences an unprecedented surge in rooftop solar installations, driven largely by consumers seeking relief from high electricity bills. Much of the equipment has been imported from China, raising questions about the sustainability of an import-dependent solar transition and whether Pakistan should develop domestic manufacturing capacity.
Ms Dunlop, however, argued that importing solar technology was fundamentally different from importing fossil fuels. “This is a technology, not a fuel,” she said. “Once you have imported the technology, you have it for 25, even 30 years. It is yours, and it is domestic energy security.”
She paid tribute to China for dramatically lowering the cost of solar and battery storage, saying this had “transformed the world’s prospects”. But she argued that Pakistan should focus on capturing value at the end of the equipment’s life.
Global Solar Council chair-elect John Grimes, who is also chief executive of the Renewable Energy Council Asia Pacific, said Pakistan should not attempt to compete directly with China in mass production of solar panels. “I wouldn’t encourage any country to try and compete head-to-head on the volume that is produced out of China,” he said, noting the scale of Chinese production, thin margins and extensive research and development capabilities of Chinese manufacturers.
Instead, he suggested Pakistan develop expertise in specialised areas suited to its domestic market, such as low-voltage solar and battery systems and equipment designed around 12-volt and 24-volt appliances, and eventually export that expertise.
The GSC officials described Pakistan as an exceptional example of how quickly distributed solar can expand when consumers have a strong economic incentive. “Pakistan is the miracle country of the last five years,” Ms Dunlop said, referring to the rapid growth of rooftop solar. She said the country’s “solar rush” showed how quickly an energy transition could take place from the ground up.
But the rapid expansion has also exposed weaknesses in Pakistan’s electricity system. Solar adoption has been concentrated among households, businesses and industries able to afford the upfront cost, while poorer consumers remain reliant on the grid. Rising distributed generation is also reshaping demand and straining traditional tariff and market structures.
Ms Dunlop said the next phase should be a “solar and battery storage rush”, backed by market reforms, time-of-use pricing and a battery-storage action plan allowing batteries to earn revenue from frequency, voltage and other grid services.
Ms Dunlop said solar and storage were uniquely scalable technologies that could serve households at very different income levels. Small off-grid systems, plug-in solar and storage and community or shared systems could extend the benefits beyond homeowners able to finance large rooftop installations. “If you add to that local microfinance solutions, where local banks just get over that hurdle and get comfortable with this technology enough to give out small loans to help people get over that initial capital cost, then this really can be something that leaves no one behind,” she said.
Mr Grimes said a small solar panel and battery could transform the lives of poorer households by providing electricity, allowing children to study at night. He also argued that existing solar consumers should not necessarily be viewed as imposing a cost on other electricity users, because their generation reduces demand on the grid. The bigger challenge, he said, was that solar generation was concentrated during daylight hours while electricity demand rises in the evening. Batteries could bridge that gap.
He pointed to Australia, where government support for household batteries has helped increase storage alongside rooftop solar. The country is also developing systems capable of controlling electricity flows from individual solar installations, effectively creating a virtual power plant. For Pakistan, the challenge is how to integrate millions of distributed solar systems into an already financially stressed electricity network.
Ms Dunlop said the GSC was developing a tool for grid operators that would allow them to simulate future electricity systems with high shares of distributed solar and storage and determine how networks could meet demand throughout the year. She said Pakistan would also need concessional financing from multilateral development banks to modernise its grid.
But she argued that distributed generation could ultimately reduce, rather than increase, some grid-investment requirements because electricity could be generated close to where it was consumed. Such arrangements, she said, could turn distributed solar and batteries into a solution for grid operators rather than a challenge.
Mr Grimes was more blunt about the role of government in Pakistan’s solar expansion, noting that much of the investment had come directly from households and businesses rather than the state. “It hasn’t cost the national budget,” he said. “I think that’s the beauty. It’s almost the case of, actually, let the government get out of the way, let households and businesses find the solution. If they’re economical, invest in that solution and bring that capacity forward for the benefit of Pakistan.”
The next challenge is not simply to add more solar capacity but to ensure that the benefits of the transition reach poorer households, batteries are integrated into the grid, electricity markets reward flexibility, and the equipment installed today eventually becomes the raw material for a domestic recycling industry.
The writer is a Dawn staffer
Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, September 14th, 2026
Compunode.com Pvt. Ltd. (www.compunode.com).Designed for Dawn.
Copyright © 2026, Dawn
NewsKit Publishing Platform

source

Australia’s Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council has endorsed a regulatory framework setting national rules for energy devices used by households and small businesses.
The Consumer Energy National Technical Regulatory Framework, covering 2026 to 2029, has been developed by the Australian government in partnership with state and territory governments. It aims to close existing gaps in the current technical regulation of consumer energy resources (CERs), such as rooftop PV arrays, solar inverters, home battery systems and electric vehicles.
The framework commits to establishing a technical code covering CERs that defines technical requirements, applicable product types and deemed-to-satisfy solutions.
The framework document says this work will be led by Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and will be updated every two years with ministerial approval. In order to oversee compliance and conformance of the technical code, a Consumer Energy National Technical Regulator (CENTR) will be established.
A statement published on the Australian government’s website says the technical codes will “support a more reliable energy system by ensuring products can connect to and work with the grid.”
Products covered by the code will be subject to mandatory certification and independent testing, with CENTR responsible for certifying and publishing a publicy-accessible product list of CER products.
The framework also states CER suppliers will be responsible for ensuring their products meet the technical code. Suppliers will be subject to mandatory registration, according to the document, and will tasked with maintaining conformity and providing information and data to CENTR.
This measure will be adopted nationally, replacing existing supplier requirements that can differ across states, territories and electricity distribution networks. The government says the change will make it easier and less costly for suppliers to operate across Australia.
The framework also brings in a national approach to installer accreditation, requiring installers using CER products covered by the new technical code to be accredited.
Accredited installers will be listed on a national register, which the government says will make it easier to identify qualified installers, in turn supporting accountability and high-quality installations.
The regulatory document states that accreditation requirements will be established as a national baseline, and that states and territories are free to develop additional accreditation requirements to complement CENTR’s requirements.
CENTR will also be tasked with establishing and maintaining an accredited installer list and registered supplier list, to be published and updated regularly. The regulator will be given broad powers to monitor compliance, investigate breaches, and enforce obligations on installers and suppliers.
The statement on the government’s website adds that the reforms under the regulatory framework will “ensure CERs are reliable and compatible with Australia’s electricity system.”
“The framework aims to support greater consumer choice, improve product quality and performance, make it easier for products and services to work together and help Australians get more value from their CER assets,” it says.
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].
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
Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026
14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Martedì, 22 Settembre 2026
11:00 – 12:00 CEST, Roma
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.

You have no items in your basket.

source

WSB Now

ATLANTA — Georgia Power has received approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission for 1,137 megawatts of new solar power purchase agreements.
The regulatory approval covers seven utility-scale solar projects procured through the company’s CARES 2023 and CARES 2025 requests for proposals.
The seven newly approved solar power purchase agreements are distributed across several Georgia counties. The projects include 200 MW in Sumter County, 200 MW in Irwin County, 194 MW in Jefferson County, 185 MW in Emanuel County, 150 MW in Warren County, 130 MW in Decatur County and 78 MW in Appling County.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Wilson Mallard serves as the director of renewable development for Georgia Power. He said using more solar power resources will help everyday Georgians with power affordability.
“These new solar resources will deliver affordable and reliable energy at a fixed price for the benefit of all Georgia Power customers for years to come,” Mallard said. “The approval of these agreements by the Georgia PSC helps advance cost-effective renewable energy in our state and adds more than 1,100 megawatts of renewable energy resources to our diverse generation portfolio.”
TRENDING STORIES:
Mallard said renewable energy plays a large role in meeting Georgia’s growth and growing energy needs, with the CARES subscription program helping to do so.
The CARES 2025 request for proposals was originally approved under Georgia Power’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan.
The recent decision follows a September 2025 approval by state regulators for 1,068 MW of projects under the CARES 2023 period, which included multiple facilities across Georgia.
The program divides projects into two categories based on customer size: Utility-Scale for metered commercial and industrial subscribers with annual demands exceeding three MW looking to subscribe to projects larger than six MW and Distributed Generation for subscribers with demands between one MW and three MW seeking local solar projects ranging from 250 kilowatts to six MW.
Georgia Power has also opened enrollment for its CARES Customer Identified Resource program, which state regulators approved for up to 3,000 MW of additional renewable energy capacity.
The CARES program was established in coordination with state regulators to allow commercial, industrial and other eligible subscribers to purchase a proportional share of energy generated by renewable facilities.
The expanded capacity is intended to meet growing subscriber demand for carbon-free power across Georgia.
The approved Georgia Power solar projects are scheduled to begin commercial operation as early as 2029.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
© 2025 Cox Media Group. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices.

source

Australia’s Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council has endorsed a regulatory framework setting national rules for energy devices used by households and small businesses.
The Consumer Energy National Technical Regulatory Framework, covering 2026 to 2029, has been developed by the Australian government in partnership with state and territory governments. It aims to close existing gaps in the current technical regulation of consumer energy resources (CERs), such as rooftop PV arrays, solar inverters, home battery systems and electric vehicles.
The framework commits to establishing a technical code covering CERs that defines technical requirements, applicable product types and deemed-to-satisfy solutions.
The framework document says this work will be led by Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and will be updated every two years with ministerial approval. In order to oversee compliance and conformance of the technical code, a Consumer Energy National Technical Regulator (CENTR) will be established.
A statement published on the Australian government’s website says the technical codes will “support a more reliable energy system by ensuring products can connect to and work with the grid.”
Products covered by the code will be subject to mandatory certification and independent testing, with CENTR responsible for certifying and publishing a publicy-accessible product list of CER products.
The framework also states CER suppliers will be responsible for ensuring their products meet the technical code. Suppliers will be subject to mandatory registration, according to the document, and will tasked with maintaining conformity and providing information and data to CENTR.
This measure will be adopted nationally, replacing existing supplier requirements that can differ across states, territories and electricity distribution networks. The government says the change will make it easier and less costly for suppliers to operate across Australia.
The framework also brings in a national approach to installer accreditation, requiring installers using CER products covered by the new technical code to be accredited.
Accredited installers will be listed on a national register, which the government says will make it easier to identify qualified installers, in turn supporting accountability and high-quality installations.
The regulatory document states that accreditation requirements will be established as a national baseline, and that states and territories are free to develop additional accreditation requirements to complement CENTR’s requirements.
CENTR will also be tasked with establishing and maintaining an accredited installer list and registered supplier list, to be published and updated regularly. The regulator will be given broad powers to monitor compliance, investigate breaches, and enforce obligations on installers and suppliers.
The statement on the government’s website adds that the reforms under the regulatory framework will “ensure CERs are reliable and compatible with Australia’s electricity system.”
“The framework aims to support greater consumer choice, improve product quality and performance, make it easier for products and services to work together and help Australians get more value from their CER assets,” it says.
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
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!

You have no items in your basket.

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
The high school will be the next campus to get a project like this.
Photo Credit: iStock
Cambria Heights Elementary in Cambria County, Pennsylvania has brought a 346-panel rooftop solar array online to help offset added electricity demand from a new air-conditioning system and lower utility costs for years to come, WJAC reported.
According to WJAC, the district worked with a state-approved energy savings company on the installation, and state funding provided more than $1 million for the project. Cambria Heights Elementary has a new heating system and energy-efficient lighting as well, which will help the district reduce wasted energy.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the panels, fifth grade students also learned how particles like protons and electrons produce solar energy.
The Cambria Heights superintendent, Kenneth Kerchenske, told WJAC that the high school will be the next campus to get a project like this.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Because public funds cover school electric bills, generating more power on-site can help limit the strain of rising utility prices and reduce future pressure on taxpayers. 
Plus, pairing efficiency upgrades with solar can make these public buildings more resilient to inflation and blackouts over time. Better temperature control can make the building more comfortable for students and staff while reducing the energy waste older systems often create.
For homeowners, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re curious about costs, you can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. 
EnergySage’s solar map also shows the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state and the incentives available there, helping readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
And if you can’t put solar panels on your home for whatever reason, there may be a community solar program near you that could help you out.
Cambria Heights is one of many community institutions using rooftop solar to steady budgets while improving buildings.
• In Goleta, Ellwood School completed a solar campus overhaul projected to save $2 million.
• Across the country, solar panels on schools are turning unused rooftops into revenue.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• One church used government-backed solar discounts to cut costs by more than $180,000.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

Armenia’s Ministry of Energy has published a tender for the development of small–scale solar PV systems.
Available tender details state successful bidders will be responsible for the supply, delivery, installation, warranty and maintenance of the PV systems.
The project forms part of Armenia’s Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project, or CAFSEP, which is working to improve sustainable agricultural productivity and help scale-up livelihoods in rural areas of the country.
The ministry has received financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) toward CAFSEP and intends to use part of the proceeds to payments under this tender.
Bidding is open to companies from eligible source countries of ADB, encompassing the bank’s 69 regional and non-regional members.
Prospective bidders can contact the ministry for a free copy of bidding documents. The deadline to submit bids is October 7.
Armenia added around 615 MW of solar last year, taking cumulative capacity past 1 GW. Last year’s additions included a 62 MW solar project, the country’s largest in operation. 
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].
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
Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026
14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Martedì, 22 Settembre 2026
11:00 – 12:00 CEST, Roma
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.

You have no items in your basket.

source

0
By clicking the button, I accept the Terms of Use of the service and its Privacy Policy, as well as consent to the processing of personal data.
Don’t have an account? Signup
Powered by :
India’s 6-Hour Solar-Storage Bet: How SECI Is Moving Beyond Daytime Solar Photograph: (AI)
With its latest 1,200 MW solar-plus-storage tender, SECI is procuring renewable power that can be delivered when the grid needs it most. The strong developer response and sharply lower tariffs point to a major shift in India’s renewable energy procurement strategy. For more than a decade, India’s solar story has largely been defined by scale and falling costs. The objective was straightforward: add as much low-cost solar generation as possible and bring down the cost of electricity.
But as solar penetration increases, another challenge is becoming harder to ignore. Solar generation is abundant during the day, while some of the grid’s highest demand comes later in the day, when solar output begins to decline. This is where energy storage is increasingly becoming part of the solar procurement equation.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) latest tender for 1,200 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar PV projects with 600 MW/3,600 MWh of energy storage systems (ESS) is a clear example of this transition. The projects have been awarded at tariffs of ₹3.12-3.13/kWh and are designed to provide firm and dispatchable renewable power rather than simply daytime solar generation.
India’s move towards storage-backed renewable power did not begin with the latest SECI tender. One of the earliest major experiments came in 2020, when SECI conducted a 1,200 MW renewable energy tender requiring six hours of peak power supply. Greenko won 900 MW using pumped-hydro storage at around ₹6.12/kWh, while ReNew won 300 MW using battery energy storage at around ₹6.85/kWh. The latest tender therefore represents an important change in the economics of the model. Five to six years after that early six-hour procurement, successful bids have come in at just ₹3.12-3.13/kWh.
The comparison is not completely like-for-like because the tender structures and market conditions are different. But the headline numbers nevertheless illustrate how dramatically the economics and competitiveness of storage-backed renewable power have evolved.
SECI itself has continued to expand its procurement of renewable energy coupled with storage, including a 1,200 MW solar-plus-1,200 MWh ESS tender issued in 2024. Its subsequent tenders have increasingly focused on firm and dispatchable renewable energy rather than generation alone.
SECI’s Tranche-XXI tender, issued in June 2025, sought 1,200 MW of ISTS-connected solar PV capacity along with 600 MW/3,600 MWh of ESS under a build-own-operate model. The headline number of 600 MW of storage capacity, however, does not tell the complete story. The tender requires at least 0.5 MW/3 MWh of ESS for every 1 MW of contracted project capacity. That translates into six hours of storage at the ESS’s rated discharge capacity. In other words, the requirement is not simply to install batteries alongside a solar plant. The developer has to combine renewable generation and storage in a manner that allows the contracted power to be supplied during the hours specified by the buyer.
The buyer can schedule six peak hours for drawing power from the storage system. The contracted energy requirement is 3 MWh for every 1 MW of project capacity across those hours. For the overall tender, that translates into 600 MW of ESS power capacity and 3,600 MWh of energy capacity.
The significance of the tender lies less in the number six and more in what those six hours represent. Traditional solar projects sell generation when the sun is available. A storage-backed solar project, by contrast, is being asked to reshape that generation profile. The objective is to make renewable power available closer to the period when the grid needs it.
This changes the commercial proposition for developers. They are no longer competing solely on the cost of solar generation. They have to optimise the combination of solar capacity, storage capacity, charging strategy, degradation, financing and power-delivery obligations. It also explains why the tender specifies penalties for shortfalls. Developers are responsible for meeting the contracted supply profile, with the applicable shortfall penalty going up to 1.5 times the tariff for electricity not supplied during the contracted period.
The selected projects are also required to enter into 25-year power purchase agreements, giving developers a long-term revenue framework against which the substantial investment in generation and storage can be financed.
The market response was significant. SECI received 24 bids representing an aggregate 6,150 MW against the 1,200 MW capacity on offer. That means the tender attracted more than five times the capacity being procured. Following technical and commercial evaluation, 23 bidders representing 6,060 MW were shortlisted for the electronic reverse auction.
The result is particularly notable because the initial financial bids ranged from ₹3.40/kWh to ₹5.40/kWh, before competition through the reverse auction brought the winning tariffs down to ₹3.12-3.13/kWh. Interestingly, Oriana Power had bid for 300 MW but ultimately received 100 MW, while the other three successful bidders were awarded their full bid capacities.
It is not necessarily a “BESS-only” story
There is an important distinction in how the tender should be described. Although battery energy storage is likely to be a major technology for such projects, SECI’s requirement is for an energy storage system rather than exclusively a battery energy storage system. The tender is technology-agnostic, meaning developers can potentially use different commercially established storage technologies as long as they meet the contractual requirements.
This is significant because six-hour storage sits at a point where technology selection becomes more consequential. Batteries can provide fast response and modular deployment, while longer-duration technologies such as pumped hydro can offer different economics and operational characteristics. The tender therefore represents a procurement requirement for a particular power-delivery profile rather than a government decision in favour of one storage technology.
We are India’s leading B2B media house, reporting full-time on solar energy, wind, battery storage, solar inverters, and electric vehicle (EV)
Quick Links
© 2025 Saur Energy. All Rights Reserved.

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
Full efficiency figures for the new models have not been published yet.
Photo Credit: Hitachi Global Life Solutions
Hitachi is introducing a new range of EcoCute heat pump water heaters in Japan that use CO2-based heating and add controls suited to electricity pricing that favors daytime solar power. 
For households, that matters because heat pump water heaters can reduce utility bills by using electricity far more efficiently than standard electric hot-water tanks.
According to pv magazine, Hitachi Global Life Solutions plans to start selling its new residential Y-series EcoCute water heaters in Japan in November 2026.
The new models include the fully automatic BHP-FV37YD and BHP-FV46YD. Both provide direct mains-pressure hot water and offer storage capacities of 97.7 gallons (370 liters) and 121.5 gallons (460 liters).
Using natural refrigerant carbon dioxide — long a defining feature of EcoCute systems in Japan — the two models target different household sizes: about three to five people for the smaller unit and four to six for the larger one.
A key update in the Y series is wider compatibility with electricity tariffs meant to move water heating into daytime hours.
Utilities are increasingly encouraging daytime water heating as more solar power enters the grid. Hitachi said owners can choose supported rate plans through the water heater’s remote controller, while other tariffs can be configured manually.
Water heating is one of the largest energy demands in many homes, so shifting it to periods when solar generation is plentiful can help households use cleaner electricity more effectively while potentially lowering costs.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn’t that worth an email or two?
Full efficiency figures for the new models have not been published yet. Under JIS metrics for yearly water-heating and heat-holding performance, the earlier BHP-FV37WD and BHP-FV46WD are rated at 4.2 and 4.1, respectively.
Hitachi also has not said whether the Y series includes a redesigned compressor, refrigerant circuit, or heat-exchange setup.
From the specifications released so far, the new products appear to be an update to Hitachi’s current EcoCute platform rather than a wholly new heat pump architecture.
In addition to the tariff controls, the Y series can connect to Hitachi’s home energy management system through separate HEMS and wireless LAN adapters.
That connectivity can help homeowners better coordinate appliances, monitor energy use, and align hot-water production with household demand.
Hitachi is also introducing a five-year manufacturer warranty for the Y series that covers the heat pump, the hot-water tank, certain consumable parts, plus the remote control and both connectivity adapters.
This move toward smarter water heating is also showing up in products from Cala. Its customizable smart heat pump water heaters help homeowners decrease their energy bills by heating water exactly when it’s needed. Instead of following a generic schedule, the systems adapt to a home’s routines and electricity prices, which can be especially useful for households trying to get more out of rooftop solar or time-of-use plans. For consumers focused on comfort and savings, Cala points to where the category is headed.
Hitachi’s launch suggests the next generation of efficient home appliances will do more than simply use less power. Increasingly, they may help households use electricity at better times, potentially cutting bills while making cleaner energy easier to use.
These stories focus on EV charging instead of water heating, but they point to the same trend: homes are getting more electric, and people are paying closer attention to when they use power. They offer a useful look at how companies and homeowners are changing equipment choices, installation decisions, and charging habits in response to energy prices and grid conditions.
• Qmerit is helping homeowners snag a free EV charger during home installation projects.
• Qmerit says home EV charger costs can fall as drivers charge overnight.
• ChargePoint says its 10-minute EV charging breakthrough could reshape public power access.
For anyone following Hitachi’s solar-friendly EcoCute rollout, these articles help show where smart water heating fits into the broader home-electrification push. The products differ, but the bigger theme is the same: timing and location of electricity use are becoming a bigger part of how households save money and make the most of cleaner power.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Swipe for next article
The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. If you submit a form or click links to other sites on this page, we will earn commission. 
Here’s how to make your solar power work harder
Removed from bookmarks
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
When the sun is shining, your solar panels could be generating much more electricity than your home needs at that moment. The question is what happens to the excess.
If you have a battery, it can be stored for later. If you have an export tariff, you may be able to sell it back to the grid. But one of the simplest ways to get more value from your solar panels is to use more of the electricity yourself while it is being generated.
If you can do this, the savings can be significant. Phil Steele, future technologies evangelist at Octopus Energy, says the exact benefit depends on the size of your solar panel system and how much electricity your household consumes – but in the UK a typical home could potentially save more than 40 per cent on its annual electricity bill with solar panels, particularly when paired with a battery.
From changing when you run the dishwasher to charging an electric car, a few adjustments to your routine can help you make the most of particularly sunny days so that you start getting more from your solar panels.
Use our comparison tool to find free quotes from leading UK solar panel installers.
Solar panels generate electricity whenever there’s sufficient daylight, but production typically rises through the morning before falling again later in the day.
That means it can make sense to move electricity-intensive jobs you were going to do anyway into periods when your panels are producing plenty of power.
Running the washing machine or dishwasher during the day rather than in the evening, for example, could allow more of the electricity they consume to come directly from your solar panels rather than the grid.
Timers, smart plugs and connected appliances can make this easier, particularly if nobody is at home during the day.
But there’s little benefit in simply consuming more electricity just because it happens to be sunny. Electricity exported to the grid can have a value too, so the aim is to shift necessary consumption rather than invent new uses for your solar generation.
Hot water can provide another opportunity to make use of excess solar generation. Steele schedules his own heat pump to produce hot water during the middle of the day.
“I’ve got our heat pump scheduled to do hot water from midday till 3pm,” he says. On a sunny day when The Independent spoke to him, his solar panels were generating 3.6kW, with around 3kW being used by the heat pump.
“So 3kW is producing free hot water for me effectively at the moment,” Steele says.
What’s more, households with a hot-water cylinder may also be able to use a solar diverter, which sends surplus solar electricity to an immersion heater rather than exporting it.
The principle in both cases here is similar: use surplus electricity to heat water now that can be used later.
An electric car can also provide somewhere for surplus solar power to go.
Simply charging an EV during daylight hours can increase the proportion of home-generated electricity that you use yourself, while some compatible chargers and energy-management systems can adjust charging according to how much surplus solar electricity is available.
Steele says his own system allows him to choose whether solar generation goes towards his home battery or his car.
“We can prioritise the car being charged from the solar rather than the home battery if I wanted to because it’s all integrated,” he says.
Exactly how much of an EV’s charging can be covered by rooftop solar will depend on the size of the solar array, how much electricity it’s producing and whether the vehicle is at home during daylight hours.
One limitation of rooftop solar is that homes often produce the most electricity when household demand is relatively low.
A home battery can bridge that gap by storing surplus generation during the day and supplying it later, when the panels are producing less or nothing at all.
“The moment you’ve got solar, you’re obviously generating your own energy and you are storing any excess energy,” Steele says. “I much prefer it when batteries are paired with solar for that reason because you’re storing your own energy to then use later on.”
Steele’s own home demonstrates how this can work on a particularly sunny day, explaining that his 10kWh battery had already reached full charge during the morning.
“I’m going to run the house off-grid overnight until tomorrow because it’s in this sunny weather,” he said.
A battery won’t necessarily make financial sense for every household, though. Its value will depend on factors such as the cost and capacity of the battery, the size of your solar system, your home’s electricity consumption and the tariffs you’re using.
You don’t necessarily need to guess when your panels are generating the most electricity. Many solar inverter and battery systems provide an app or online dashboard showing generation, household electricity consumption and, depending on the setup, how much electricity is being imported, exported or stored.
Checking this can help you understand your own system rather than relying on a fixed rule about when to use electricity. And generation can change surprisingly quickly when the conditions change.
“I’ve stood and watched the real-time solar generation of a large solar system,” Steele says. On a partly cloudy day, he saw its output “swinging between half its generation and its full generation within a minute as a cloud went over.”
Watching your own generation over several days can help reveal when your particular roof tends to produce the most power and how changes in cloud cover affect it.
Using as much solar electricity as possible yourself isn’t always automatically the most profitable option.
If you receive payment for exporting electricity to the grid, every kilowatt-hour you use yourself is also one you aren’t exporting.
The calculation therefore depends partly on the difference between what you pay to import electricity and what you receive for exporting it.
For most households, the sensible approach isn’t to waste electricity simply because it’s being generated, but to shift consumption that would otherwise happen later in the day.
Sunny days are also a useful opportunity to check that your solar panels are performing roughly as they’re expected to.
If generation appears unusually low compared with similar conditions in the past, it may be worth investigating whether shading, debris or a problem with the system is affecting its performance.
Trees and other vegetation can grow enough over time to create shading that wasn’t present when you first had the system installed. Also, heavy dirt or bird fouling can also reduce the light reaching the panels.
But that doesn’t mean you should climb onto the roof to clean your solar panels yourself. If the panels appear to need cleaning or inspecting, using a suitably qualified professional is the safer approach.
You can’t make your solar panels generate more sunshine, but you can decide what happens to the electricity they produce.
Running flexible appliances during periods of high generation, heating water, charging an EV and storing spare electricity in a battery can all increase the amount of solar energy your household uses itself.
A simple way to think about a sunny day’s generation is to use what you need, store what you can and export the rest.
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

source

Check Out The NLR Career Center!!

WILMINGTON, DE, UNITED STATES, September 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Two 1,024Wh power stations can look almost interchangeable on a spec sheet. They feel much less alike when the power goes out and a refrigerator, Wi-Fi, phones, and a laptop need to keep running—or when the same battery comes along for a weekend road trip.
For a comparison of GEYOTO N1000 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3, those situations provide a useful starting point rather than capacity alone. Both the N1000 and DELTA 3 Classic pair a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 battery with 1,800W rated AC output, so they cover much of the same essential-power territory.
The choice changes once the station’s actual use is considered. The N1000 suits setups that involve several devices, solar recharging, wireless phone charging, or vehicle-side power. The DELTA 3 Classic provides higher surge headroom and includes EcoFlow’s Storm Guard feature.
GEYOTO N1000 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic: Quick Comparison
Specification GEYOTO N1000 EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic
Battery capacity 1,024Wh 1,024Wh
Battery chemistry LiFePO4 LiFePO4
Rated AC output 1,800W pure sine wave 1,800W pure sine wave
Peak / surge output 3,000W peak 3,600W surge
Boosted appliance support — Up to 2,600W with X-Boost
Total connections / outputs 18 total, including 13 output ports 6 outlets
USB-C 4, up to 140W 2: 100W + 30W
USB-A 2 1
Wireless charging 25W Qi2.2 No
12V DC car output Yes No
Dedicated jump-start output XT60, 12.6V/30A No
UPS switching <10ms 10ms
Maximum solar input 800W 500W
AC charging to 80% 43 minutes 45 minutes
Battery cycle rating 4,000 cycles Long-life LFP; DELTA 3 Series rated to 4,000 cycles to 80%
Weight 13.6 kg 12.1kg ±0.3kg
App control Yes Yes, including Storm Guard
Warranty 3 years + 2-year extension 3 years + 2-year extension
The shared 1,024Wh capacity and 1,800W rated output put these power stations in the same basic performance class. The N1000 has a much broader output layout, while the DELTA 3 Classic keeps the connection set simpler and puts more emphasis on surge performance and software features.
What Does the N1000 Have That the DELTA 3 Classic Does Not?
Built-in wireless charging and dedicated vehicle power are the two clearest functional differences.
Does Either Power Station Have Wireless Charging?
The N1000 includes a foldable 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging pad; the DELTA 3 Classic has no built-in wireless charging.
During an outage, a phone can stay on the top charging pad while USB-C and AC connections remain available for a laptop, router, light, or other equipment. At camp, the same setup removes one cable from a table already crowded with chargers.
Can Either One Support a Vehicle Emergency?
The N1000 adds both regular DC vehicle power and a dedicated XT60 jump-start output rated at 12.6V/30A, with up to 378W available for compatible jump-start applications.
The DELTA 3 Classic has no 12V DC or Anderson output. It can still recharge from a vehicle through its charging input, but it cannot provide the same vehicle-side DC output or dedicated high-current jump-start connection.
That distinction becomes useful on road trips, overlanding routes, evacuation drives, and other situations where the power station has to serve the vehicle as well as phones and camping gear.
Which Power Station Handles More Devices at Once?
The N1000 offers considerably more connection flexibility, while both remain limited by their 1,800W continuous AC rating.
The N1000 has 18 total connections, including 13 output ports. The output layout includes four AC outlets, four USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, DC output, XT60 output, and the 25W wireless charging surface. USB-C charging reaches up to 140W for compatible equipment.
The DELTA 3 Classic provides six outlets, including one 18W USB-A connection, one 100W USB-C port, and one 30W USB-C port. It has no 12V DC output.
A blackout scenario where a refrigerator is already connected, two phones need charging, someone is working on a laptop, the router needs power, and a light comes on after dark illustrates the difference. More outputs make that setup easier to organize without adding separate USB hubs.
The port count does not increase available inverter power. The combined continuous AC load still needs to stay within 1,800W.
Which Recharges Faster from AC or Solar?
AC charging is nearly even to 80%, while the N1000 provides a higher maximum solar-input ceiling.
The N1000 reaches 0–80% in 43 minutes and a full charge in about 68 minutes. The DELTA 3 Classic reaches 0–80% in 45 minutes using AC power. A two-minute difference at 80% is too small to be a meaningful buying factor.
Solar charging creates a wider gap. The N1000 accepts up to 800W of solar input, compared with 500W for the DELTA 3 Classic.
A higher input ceiling does not guarantee a faster recharge every time. Solar performance changes with panel capacity, sun angle, cloud cover, shade, temperature, and cable losses.
For a multi-day campsite or extended outage with a larger compatible panel array, however, the 800W ceiling gives the N1000 more room to use available solar power.
Which Handles High-Draw Appliances Better?
The DELTA 3 Classic has more headroom above the shared 1,800W continuous rating.
The N1000 provides 1,800W pure sine wave output with a 3,000W peak for brief startup demand.
The DELTA 3 Classic also delivers 1,800W continuously but reaches 3,600W surge and can support compatible devices up to 2,600W through X-Boost.
That favors EcoFlow when higher startup demand or X-Boost-compatible appliances are part of the setup.
For a refrigerator, TV, router, laptop, lights, or other everyday outage essentials, the shared 1,800W continuous rating remains the more useful baseline. A 1,300W microwave, for example, falls within that normal rated output, while equipment above 1,800W requires closer attention to the specific operating mode and appliance behavior.
Which Is Easier to Carry and Protect Outdoors?
The DELTA 3 Classic is lighter, while the N1000 puts more emphasis on exterior protection and emergency utility.
The N1000 weighs 13.6 kg in the product comparison data and adds silicone armor designed for scratch and impact protection, including a 75cm drop-tested design. Emergency lighting and SOS functionality are built into the same unit.
The DELTA 3 Classic weighs 12.1kg ±0.3kg and uses a compact cell-to-chassis design intended to handle transport, vibration, humidity, and outdoor conditions.
If carrying weight is the priority, EcoFlow has the advantage. If the station spends more time moving between a garage, vehicle, campsite, and outdoor work area, the N1000’s protective armor and integrated emergency functions add another kind of value.
How Do UPS and Smart Features Compare?
UPS performance is effectively tied, while the DELTA 3 Classic adds a stronger weather-specific automation feature.
The N1000 switches to backup power in under 10ms, while the DELTA 3 Classic uses a 10ms UPS transfer. Both support app-based monitoring and control.
The DELTA 3 Classic also includes Storm Guard, which can automatically initiate charging after severe-weather alerts when the feature is configured.
That makes Storm Guard useful for a station kept plugged in as part of a home outage plan. The N1000’s advantage appears elsewhere: SOS alerts, emergency lighting, and broader hardware connectivity.
Sensitive electronics and medical equipment should always be tested with the exact backup configuration before they are depended on during an outage.
What Can a 1,024Wh Portable Power Station Power?
Both are best treated as essential-load backup systems rather than whole-home power sources.
Use Case Typical Setup Best For
Home outage Refrigerator, router, phones, lights N1000 if several devices need separate connections
Remote work Laptop, Wi-Fi, monitor, phone Either; N1000 offers more USB-C connections
Camping Fridge/cooler, lights, cameras, phones N1000 if DC or wireless charging matters
Road trip Electronics and vehicle accessories N1000 for vehicle-side DC and jump-start support
Higher-draw appliances Microwave, tools, kitchen equipment DELTA 3 Classic for greater surge/X-Boost headroom
A 1,024Wh battery can support several essential devices, but runtime changes sharply with load. A refrigerator that cycles on and off behaves differently from a laptop drawing steadily, while running several devices at once shortens the available backup window.
During a power outage, keeping food cold, Wi-Fi online, phones charged, and essential lighting running will usually stretch stored energy further than treating a 1kWh station like unrestricted household power.
Which Power Station Fits Different Use Cases?
The N1000 is suited to connection flexibility, vehicle support, and larger solar input, while the DELTA 3 Classic provides higher surge capability, lower weight, and Storm Guard functionality.
Multi-device home backup: N1000
Camping with DC equipment and several electronics: N1000
Road trips and vehicle emergencies: N1000
Larger compatible solar arrays: N1000
Higher surge demand: DELTA 3 Classic
Lower carrying weight: DELTA 3 Classic
Weather-triggered smart charging: DELTA 3 Classic
These differences provide a more useful distinction than reducing a close 1,024Wh comparison to a single winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic Have a Car Outlet?
No. The DELTA 3 Classic does not provide a 12V DC or Anderson output. It can still recharge from a car through its charging input.
Does the GEYOTO N1000 Have Wireless Charging?
Yes. A foldable 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging pad is built into the N1000.
Can the GEYOTO N1000 Jump-Start a Car?
The N1000 supports compatible vehicle jump-start applications through a dedicated XT60 output rated at 12.6V/30A, with up to 378W output. Vehicle and battery compatibility, cable polarity, and the correct connection procedure still need to be checked before use.
Which Has the Higher Surge Output?
The DELTA 3 Classic has the higher surge specification: 3,600W versus the N1000’s 3,000W peak. Both provide 1,800W rated continuous AC output.
Which Supports More Solar Input?
The N1000 supports up to 800W solar input, while the DELTA 3 Classic supports up to 500W. The higher input limit provides more potential solar headroom but does not guarantee a specific recharge time outdoors.
Final Comparison: GEYOTO N1000 or EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic?
The DELTA 3 Classic provides higher surge loads, lighter carrying weight, and weather-aware smart backup, while the N1000 offers a broader mix of home, camping, solar, and vehicle functions.
The DELTA 3 Classic pairs 1,024Wh capacity and 1,800W rated output with 3,600W surge, 2,600W X-Boost, 500W solar input, fast AC charging, and Storm Guard.
The N1000 pairs the same battery capacity and rated output class with 13 output ports, four USB-C connections, 25W wireless charging, up to 800W solar input, DC vehicle power, and a dedicated high-current jump-start connection.
For a power station used across outages, campsites, road trips, and vehicle-related situations, the N1000 combines several types of power and connectivity in one configuration. The phrase “All-in-One: One Station. Fully Loaded.” describes that configuration, although the comparison itself depends on the specific features involved.
If higher surge performance and smart weather automation are the main considerations, the DELTA 3 Classic offers those capabilities. If several devices, solar charging, wireless charging, and vehicle backup need to be supported within the same setup, the N1000 provides a broader hardware configuration.
Match the Backup Setup to the Devices in Use
For home, camping, or vehicle applications involving multiple outputs and solar recharging, the available output and solar configurations of the GEYOTO N1000 provide one set of options. The DELTA 3 Classic offers a different combination centered on surge capability, portability, and weather-aware charging. Comparing those functions alongside the shared 1,024Wh capacity and 1,800W rated output provides a clearer view of how the two power stations differ.

GEYOTO
GEYOTO
+1 213-292-9187
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

 
Sign Up for any (or all) of our 25+ Newsletters
 
You are responsible for reading, understanding, and agreeing to the National Law Review’s (NLR’s) and the National Law Forum LLC’s  Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before using the National Law Review website. The National Law Review is a free-to-use, no-log-in database of legal and business articles. The content and links on www.NatLawReview.com are intended for general information purposes only. Any legal analysis, legislative updates, or other content and links should not be construed as legal or professional advice or a substitute for such advice. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is formed by the transmission of information between you and the National Law Review website or any of the law firms, attorneys, or other professionals or organizations who include content on the National Law Review website. If you require legal or professional advice, kindly contact an attorney or other suitable professional advisor.  
Some states have laws and ethical rules regarding solicitation and advertisement practices by attorneys and/or other professionals. The National Law Review is not a law firm nor is www.NatLawReview.com  intended to be a referral service for attorneys and/or other professionals. The NLR does not wish, nor does it intend, to solicit the business of anyone or to refer anyone to an attorney or other professional.  NLR does not answer legal questions nor will we refer you to an attorney or other professional if you request such information from us. 
Under certain state laws, the following statements may be required on this website and we have included them in order to be in full compliance with these rules. The choice of a lawyer or other professional is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Attorney Advertising Notice: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Statement in compliance with Texas Rules of Professional Conduct. Unless otherwise noted, attorneys are not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, nor can NLR attest to the accuracy of any notation of Legal Specialization or other Professional Credentials.
The National Law Review – National Law Forum LLC 2070 Green Bay Rd., Suite 178, Highland Park, IL 60035  Telephone  (708) 357-3317 or toll-free (877) 357-3317.  If you would like to contact us via email please click here.
Copyright ©2026 National Law Forum, LLC

source

Basketball icon Bill Walton has long embodied the principles of sustainable living. Together with his wife Lori, he nurtured an impressive garden for over four decades. Their residence showcased solar panels and an extensive rainwater harvesting system. Walton prioritizes recycling and consciously avoids single-use plastics while traveling, proving that sustainable living thrives through everyday actions and choices.
Basketball icon Bill Walton has long embodied the principles of sustainable living. Together with his wife Lori, he nurtured an impressive garden for over four decades. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Their residence showcased solar panels and an extensive rainwater harvesting system. Walton prioritizes recycling and consciously avoids single-use plastics while traveling, proving that sustainable living thrives through everyday actions and choices. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

(Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates.
(Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates.
NTA eyes China’s Gaokao Model; plans global exam tech push
‘Many thought we wouldn’t succeed in adopting declaration’: Ramaphosa
BRICS Summit 2026: Rare unseen moments of world leaders
‘Proud moment’: PM hails women cricketers after Asia Cup triumph
Bain’s Manny Maceda on End of Globalisation and India’s Opportunity
India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first T20I
New Delhi Declaration: 140-point pact decoded
‘BRICS is an ecosystem of solutions’, says Modi as India hands chair to China
BRICS Day 2: PM Modi poses for a family photo with world leaders
‘Very comprehensive…’: Khurshid praises BRICS’ Joint Declaration
NTA eyes China’s Gaokao Model; plans global exam tech push
‘Many thought we wouldn’t succeed in adopting declaration’: Ramaphosa
BRICS Summit 2026: Rare unseen moments of world leaders
‘Proud moment’: PM hails women cricketers after Asia Cup triumph
Bain’s Manny Maceda on End of Globalisation and India’s Opportunity
India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first T20I
New Delhi Declaration: 140-point pact decoded
‘BRICS is an ecosystem of solutions’, says Modi as India hands chair to China
BRICS Day 2: PM Modi poses for a family photo with world leaders
‘Very comprehensive…’: Khurshid praises BRICS’ Joint Declaration
Hot on Web
In Case you missed it
Top Searched Companies
Top Calculators
Top Commodities
Private Companies
Top Slideshow
Top Prime Articles
Top Definitions
Top Story Listing
Latest News
Follow us on:
Find this comment offensive?
Choose your reason below and click on the Report button. This will alert our moderators to take action
Reason for reporting:
Your Reason has been Reported to the admin.
Log In/Connect with:
Will be displayed
Will not be displayed
Will be displayed
Stories you might be interested in

source

Texas home shows off 15.05-kW solar array, 13.12-kWh battery in all-Qcells setup  Yahoo
source

Sheep and solar panels cohabitate on about 15% of the land in Philadelphia-based Doral Renewables’ Mammoth Solar project in northwestern Indiana.
(Photo courtesy of Doral Renewables)
By Joey Harris
Indianapolis Business Journal
For proponents of solar energy, the fields of panels that increasingly dot Indiana landscapes are essentially an expansion of the state’s agricultural production.
Instead of harvesting crops for biological energy, the panels are harvesting the sun to meet society’s growing demand for electric energy.
Not everyone sees it that way.
In fact, the potential for solar panels to compete with crops has been a sticking point for some project opponents in recent years. And those concerns have fed into zoning restrictions, project denials and a few outright bans on solar farms.
But the two land uses don’t necessarily need to compete.
At least one project in Indiana integrates solar energy and agricultural production alongside each other — a practice referred to as agrivoltaics.
Over the past year, a group of Purdue University researchers has been looking into how far the approach could go in Indiana and surrounding states as part of the Midwest Agrivoltaics for Resilient Communities incubator, or MARC.
Widespread adoption of agrivoltaics is not necessarily simple, MARC researchers told IBJ. There are a lot of questions about costs, design, what type of agriculture production is compatible with solar and where agrivoltaics could take place.
But if the technical and economic questions get worked out, agrivoltaics could help bring more communities on board with solar projects.
“The question for us is really whether agrivoltaics could be a solution to help resolve this conflict, and really, there’s a tremendous amount of potential [from solar farms] for growing not only resilience but prosperity across the rural Midwest,” said Dan Chavas, professor of atmospheric science at Purdue and a member of MARC’s leadership team.
Sheep shade
Despite frequent pushback against projects, Indiana has quickly climbed the ranks of states for solar energy production.
The Solar Energy Industries Association reported in June that Indiana has the 11th-highest installed solar capacity in the United States. It was 26th at the same point in 2020.
And Indiana ranked No. 3 in the country for the amount of capacity added last year.
That growth has been assisted by Doral Renewables’ huge Mammoth Solar project in Starke and Pulaski counties, which will total about 1,300 megawatts upon completion this year. Philadelphia-based Doral is seeking zoning approval for an additional 1,000 megawatts of solar nearby.
The project is set to be one of the largest solar farms in the world and is also a proof of concept for agrivoltaics.
About 2,500 sheep — along with some pigs and chickens — share 1,200 acres, or 15%, of the farm with the solar panels. They eat the plants that grow along the panels and rest in the panels’ shade.
The animal program began as a small pilot.
Now, Doral has plans to expand agriculture production across the entire project, said Ed Baptista, the company’s vice president of development and agrivoltaics.
In this instance, the sheep perform a job that is typically done by humans at most solar farms: mowing the grass.
Solar developers can’t let the grass grow too high; it can block the sun and create a fire hazard.
Baptista said the budget otherwise allocated to mowing can be used to help farmers buy the sheep. Raising sheep, he said, “is also producing something.”
One factor that has limited expansion: “We don’t have enough sheep yet,” he said.
Design adaptations
Sheep and some other animals provide a clear path for an agrivoltaic project to work because integrating the animals requires few, if any, changes to a solar farm’s design.
But introducing some animals and crops isn’t so easy.
Setting cattle to graze among solar panels is tricky; the panels need to be elevated so the cows don’t bump into them. The panels need to be elevated for some crops, too.
“[With elevated panels], you have both solar and ag production, which is great, but you also have a huge capital expenditure,” said Juan Sesmero, a Purdue professor of agricultural economics and researcher with MARC.
“That will kill the economics of any project,” he added. “It’s just way too expensive.”
A project needs to make sense financially for both the energy company and the farmer, said Katie Nelson, executive director of public policy at the Indiana Farm Bureau.
“We’re not just going to graze sheep because it looks pretty [and] it makes the land look like it’s still in agriculture,” Nelson said.
Doral, for its part, plans to initiate a pilot project with cattle on a relatively small piece of land next year, though the company has a warranty from its supplier for those panels due to the unknowns associated with the larger animals, Baptista said.
“Those products are not there yet, commercially,” he said.
Sesmero said developers of agrivoltaic projects will likely opt to keep panels mounted closer to the ground because of the steep costs of elevating them.
So in order to grow crops alongside solar panels, developers need to consider how the panels are spaced out to allow for the right level of sun to hit the crops and provide enough space for farm equipment to travel through, Sesmero said.
The design could be complex even for certain crops that appear especially well-suited for agrivoltaics.
Aaron Thompson, Purdue associate professor of horticulture and landscape architecture, pointed to southwestern Indiana’s melon farms, which could use the shade from the panels to prevent scalding.
Melon farmers “are really excited about the possibility, but the design is going to have to change quite a bit. … You don’t grow melons on the same field year after year after year,” he said. “So we’ve got to be able to develop a rotation [by growing other crops] and the physical layout that supports that.”
Community acceptance
In MARC stakeholder meetings across the state, including in central Indiana, farmers and others showed enthusiasm for agrivoltaics, Thompson said.
“We don’t have uniform acceptance from the farm community about solar … but we’ve got a lot of creative farmers that are thinking about the future and thinking about ways to bring solar into their operation,” he said.
Still, solar’s political problems aren’t likely to disappear. Hoosier communities in recent years have turned down permit requests and passed restrictive zoning ordinances in response to projects.
In the grand scheme of land uses, solar energy does not intrude that much on farmland, said Jerome Dumortier, an Indiana University economics professor who recently published a paper on solar’s impact on food prices. The total area needed for the highest estimates of U.S. solar production are about 7 million hectares, or 17 million acres.
“It’s a big number, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nothing like the amount of cropland out there in the U.S.,” he said.
But solar projects can have an impact locally. That’s why the Indiana Farm Bureau supports local zoning, Nelson said.
“It’s hard when it’s your neighbor’s land, and you’ve always lived in a rural community and now you are living next to a solar development,” she said.
There have also been instances of direct competition for land, Thompson said.
“At a very local level, that can raise the rent costs for leasing farm ground for farmers,” he said.
More broadly, some communities say they are sacrificing their local resources for someone else’s energy needs, he said.
“The early pushback we heard from rural communities and farmers in particular against solar was, ‘Why are we the place that has to accommodate this new land use if all of the energy is being put into the grid to power Chicago?’” Thompson said.
“And that’s a legitimate question in rural areas that suffer from the most frequent power outages. … They want to know what’s in it for them.”
The answer is, potentially a lot.
The upsides
Among the topics the MARC incubator is examining is whether these solar systems could also be the power source for “microgrids” for rural areas that could help keep the lights on when disaster hits.
“Basically, it’s a localized system liberating local resources to pick up the local [demands],” said Xiaonan Lu, Purdue associate professor of electrical engineering technology.
The benefits of a microgrid are mostly hypothetical for now, but others plusses aren’t.
“The farm economy is tough, and dual-use systems — like having agrivoltaics, or even just having a solar lease — helps stabilize farm income during really volatile commodity [price] cycles,” Nelson said.
Meanwhile, the surrounding area sees benefits from renewable energy development, too, said Dagney Faulk, director of research at Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research.
A recent study by the center found that the Indiana counties with restrictions on solar power saw a combined dip of $204 million in gross domestic product and a net employment loss of more than 8,700 jobs.
A lot of that can be explained by where manufacturers are choosing to locate operations, Faulk said.
“Often, big users of electricity locate near the source, and they have these power purchasing agreements to buy the electricity,” she said.
Dumortier said he doesn’t see agrivoltaics being the norm for solar projects anytime soon.
“It’s just going to be in different places,” he said, adding, “land is only a very small proportion of the investment costs.”
But for Doral, agrivoltaics “is the future of the industry,” Baptista said.
“As the year passes by and people start to understand, some [project opponents] are converting into participating farmers,” he said. “Some of them are now being hired to do some vegetation management.”•
Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic.
2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201
Main Switchboard: (812) 379-5601 

All text, photos, graphics, artwork and other material on this site are copyrighted and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

source

Summerside solar farm fire contained to single battery cell as burn-out enters 7th day  CBC
source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“Given location and winter sun, I expect to break even after 18 months.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
One California DIYer shared the plug-in solar array they designed online, even though the system isn’t technically legal yet. 
The homeowner also shared how expensive it was to build and what went into designing it.
The homeowner shared their design in Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community, writing, “Thanks to knowledge here, [I] wanted to share my balcony solar system installed in California! Been operating for about a month now, utility company hasn’t said anything. This setup is awaiting governor signature to make legal.”
The original poster then laid out the project budget. It included three 585W bifacial panels (for $550), a microinverter (for $300), mounts (for $250), a smart meter (for $70), and three PV junction boxes (for $100). This puts the total cost just above $1,200, far less than a standard solar installation.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The OP emphasized both the difficulty of setting up the project and its output. They wrote that the “Power output is great!… [But] man those panels are a pain to get up. They are approximately 4’x8′ and weigh 70 pounds each.”
Commenters were overwhelmingly supportive of the project, with the top comment saying, “Good job. Yes, you can clean it up and yes, there will be nay-sayers. Keep learning about the new state rules and move to full compliance if you can.”
And while some pointed out potential safety risks, others were more concerned with the payback period. When one commenter asked, “Have you calculated when you will break even?” OP wrote, “Given location and winter sun, I expect to break even after 18 months.”
Plug-in solar, sometimes called balcony solar, can be much cheaper and easier to start than a full traditional rooftop system. Rather than committing to a large installation, some households are looking at smaller systems that can offset daytime electricity use with a lower upfront cost.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
That is especially relevant in places with high utility rates. A setup that can produce nearly 1,200 watts during sunny stretches can help reduce the amount of electricity a home draws from the grid for appliances, electronics, and cooling.
These reasons likely explain why so many states are now pushing to legalize these smaller-scale systems. To see the status of balcony solar legislation in your state, check out Bright Saver’s map that tracks plug-in solar bills across America.
For households with good sun exposure, though, getting rooftop solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and exploring EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. Readers can also use EnergySage’s solar map, which shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. 
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
California’s plug-in solar rules are changing fast, and outlet-connected systems are moving closer to the mainstream. 
• Lawmakers have approved a plug-in solar bill letting residents use wall outlets.
• California moved toward balcony solar projects that plug into wall sockets and cut monthly power bills.
• California took another step closer to legalizing permit-free plug-in solar for homeowners.
Policy changes and local programs may shape the next wave of home solar.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

West Carroll students had the opportunity to be part of an exciting moment for our local community this week as they attended the Trezevant Solar Farm “Flip the Switch” event!

TREZEVANT —A ceremonial event hosted by the Carroll County Electric Department and Silicon Ranch, marked the official opening of the Trezevant Solar Farm.

Students were able to visit an operating solar energy facility and get a firsthand look at an industry that connects energy, technology, agriculture, business, and skilled careers right here in our district. Students were given a chance to see how what they learn in the classroom connects to real businesses, careers, and developments happening in their own communities.

Thank you to Carroll County Electric Department and Silicon Ranch for including our students in this special event and giving them another opportunity to learn beyond the classroom.
A limited number of students from each of the county’s school systems was invited to be part of the celebration.

McKENZIE (September 11) — On Friday, Cash Express honored McKenzie Police (MPD), McKenzie Fire & Rescue (MFD), and Baptist-Carroll County Ambulance first responders with cakes decorated with the American flag and cards signed by McKenzie businesses thanking them for their…
Sep 11, 2026
Carroll County Electric Department (CCED) and Tennessee-based Silicon Ranch , owner and operator of one of the nation’s largest fleets of solar facilities and a community-focused energy infrastructure company, invite you to attend a “Flip-the-Switch” ceremony for the new…
Sep 10, 2026
DRESDEN (September 1) — A Weakley County Grand Jury has indicted Khristi Dawn Cunningham in connection with the January shooting death of Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy Derrick Bonham, and prosecutors have filed notice that they intend to seek the death penalty if she is convicted of first-degree murder.
Sep 8, 2026
BRUCETON (September 2) — A Pre-K teacher at Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central Elementary School faces an assault charge following an August 28 classroom incident involving a 4-year-old student.
Sep 8, 2026
Get unlimited access to McKenzie Banner stories, sports, and community news.
Sep 13, 2026
Sep 13, 2026
Sep 13, 2026
Sep 11, 2026
Sep 11, 2026
Sep 11, 2026
Sep 10, 2026
Sep 10, 2026
Read this week’s printed edition online.
3 Banner Row
McKenzie, TN 38201
1-731-352-3323

source

Energies Media
A single track railway in the western Swiss mountains, pasture on both sides, a station a short walk away.
Between the rails, where there is normally gravel and nothing else, a run of dark blue panels lies flat.
They sit low enough that a train passes straight over them without touching anything.
The strip is about 330 feet long, which is roughly the length of a football field.
The panels are not fixed down.
A machine rolls them out like carpet.
The gap looks easy. It is flat, it faces the sky and nobody claims it for anything else.
What passes over it is the problem. Every train pushes a pressure wave outward from the leading edge, flexing the ballast beneath the sleepers and shaking whatever sits on top.
A railway environment also throws dust, metal particles from wheels and brakes, and in mountain country a season of snow.
Those contaminants land on flat solar panels at greater concentration than on a rooftop, and a tilted panel sheds rain and debris by itself while a flat one does not.
Glare is the other constraint, because a panel that reflects light into a driver’s sightline is a safety problem rather than a nuisance.
The coating that answers it has to kill the reflection while still passing light.
The array is 48 panels across about 100 yards of an operating regional line, each panel a little over 3 feet by 5 feet.
Total capacity is around 18 kilowatts, which is a large domestic rooftop rather than a power station.
The panels rest on a custom frame that sits on the sleepers and clamps to the rail foot, so a maintenance machine can lift the whole run out.
That removability is the condition the regulator cared about most, because track maintenance cannot be blocked by anything bolted down permanently.
Cleaning is handled by cylindrical brushes fitted to the back of a passing train rather than by a crew on foot.
The engineering answer to a flat panel is a brush on something already moving.
The developer spent years on the regulatory file, and an earlier application to the Swiss federal transport authority was refused outright.
The resubmission took about ten months of technical review before authorization came through, and the company has said it worked through more than 150 identified risks.
The array went live in the spring of last year on a line in the Val de Travers, and trains cross it at around 43 miles an hour.
The authorization is for a three year pilot, and it is a test rather than a deployment.
What is being measured is stability under load, glare in the driver’s cab, and whether the panels interfere with ordinary track maintenance.
Output is the easy number. The rest is the actual question.
Run the national figure and the scale of the claim becomes clear.
The developer puts the theoretical potential of the whole Swiss network at roughly 1 terawatt hour a year, across about 3,100 miles of track.
Against that, this pilot is 330 feet. It is four ten thousandths of one percent of the network it is meant to prove.
That is not a criticism of the pilot, which is exactly the right size for a first authorization on a live railway.
It is a criticism of any sentence that treats a working 18 kilowatt strip as evidence about a national program.
Floating and awkward mounting keeps producing the same lesson, as with a solar system built for 11 foot waves.
The panel count, the approval history and the pilot terms are described by a technology outlet.
A working strip is a permit rather than a business case.
Three winters is the term, and the alpine seasons are the part that has historically forced closures on this line.
A single winter with heavy ice accumulation on flat glass could settle several open questions at once.
For projects where the location itself is the engineering puzzle, independent certification usually arrives later than commercial interest does.
Interest from other rail networks is already logged, with operators in several countries watching the file and one agreement signed to study the approach in a second country.
The founder has confirmed the project met its objectives on both railway safety and electricity production, which is a statement about the pilot rather than about the network.
This line has been covered here before from the village end, where a Swiss village watches the trains pass over the array.
The launch date, the three year term and the approval conditions are set out by a Swiss agency.
The trains keep running and the panels keep working, and the network decision is years away and not yet argued.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.

source