Solar Now

By YANG ZEKUN in Hainan, Qinghai | China Daily | Updated: 2026-07-24 08:53
Sheep grazing beneath photovoltaic panels is helping solar farms reduce mowing costs, restore vegetation and provide herders with better forage — a model locals call “photovoltaic sheep”.
The term refers to sheep raised under solar panels. In this model, the panels generate clean electricity while providing shade, reducing wind erosion and creating conditions that help grass grow. During the growing season, the sheep feed on the grass, turning solar parks into shared spaces for clean energy generation, desertification control and ecological animal husbandry.
The model has been developed in Gonghe and Xinghai counties in the Hainan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Qinghai province.
Since 2022, Hainan has promoted the coordinated development of photovoltaic desert control and photovoltaic pastures. So far, 32 ecological photovoltaic pastures and 56 grazing sites have been established at solar bases operated by multiple companies. The program involves 18 village collectives and 6,330 households in five townships.
The prefecture has planned 609 square kilometers of photovoltaic parks, of which 420 sq km have been built. According to local forestry and grassland authorities, average grass output in the parks has reached 174 kilograms per 0.06 hectare, producing about 118,000 metric tons of forage annually. At a 70 percent utilization rate, the grass can support about 100,000 sheep.
For Yeduo, a 50-year-old Tibetan herder from Tiegai township, the benefits have been immediate.
Before moving his flock to a photovoltaic park at the end of 2018, Yeduo grazed more than 100 sheep on his own pasture, where grass resources were limited and forage quality was lower. His flock had to move between seasonal pastures each year.
Now he keeps about 300 sheep, most of them grazing beneath solar panels.
“The grass under the photovoltaic panels is much better,” Yeduo said. “The sheep gain weight faster, and their live weight is higher when they are sold. That has increased my income.”
The new grazing model has also made herding easier. In the past, Yeduo had to drive his sheep more than 10 km to seasonal pastures and sometimes buy additional forage. Now his flock can remain in one area for much of the grazing season.
Yeduo still remembers what the area looked like before the solar park was built.
“It used to be seriously desertified,” he said. “When the wind blew, dust filled the air. Sometimes the wind lasted for one or two months, and the sheep could not go out to graze.”
Jiu Xiantai, deputy director of Hainan prefecture’s agriculture and animal husbandry bureau, said the solar panels have improved the local microenvironment.
“The panels provide shade, reduce wind and help prevent sand from burying young grass,” Jiu said. “In some desertified areas, annual forage output used to be only about 50 kg per 0.06 hectare. Now it reaches about 150 to 200 kg.”
Jiu said the model delivers benefits for solar companies, herders and the environment alike. Companies save on mowing costs, herders spend less on forage and pasture transfers, and the vegetation growing beneath the panels helps control sand and restore grassland.
Management has also become more standardized. In the past, some herders grazed sheep in solar parks through private arrangements with companies. Now village collective cooperatives sign agreements with photovoltaic companies, and grazing is organized according to the carrying capacity of the grassland.
Each grazing site generally supports about 400 sheep, and every sheep wears an electronic ear tag for traceability. Grazing usually takes place from June to October to prevent overuse of grass resources.
The prefecture has also promoted the “photovoltaic sheep” brand, expanding sales through company procurement, east-west cooperation programs, livestreaming and supermarket channels. Village collectives now record average annual income growth of 14.57 million yuan ($2.15 million), while participating households earn about 2,300 yuan more on average.
Government support includes subsidies, animal disease prevention and marketing services. Herders receive subsidies of 30 to 50 yuan for each sheep sold. If sheep sent to livestock trading markets are not sold immediately, the government covers short-term forage costs.
Hainan plans to further improve pasture management rules, breeding standards, grazing arrangements and traceability while developing an operating model linking companies, village collectives, photovoltaic bases and herders.
For Yeduo, the transformation is already evident.
“Grazing under the panels has brought us many benefits,” he said. “The grass is better, the sheep grow better, and life is more convenient.”
yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn

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Home – Tech – Farmers put 40 sheep near solar panels: it wasn’t a stunt, it quietly changed how clean energy gets made
A flock of roughly 40 Cotswold and Lincoln sheep is doing far more than trimming grass at Westmill Solar on the Oxfordshire and Wiltshire border in southern England. The animals graze among more than 20,000 panels, keep dominant plants in check, and use the arrays as shelter from wind and rain.
The result is a practical lesson for the solar industry. Clean power sites do not automatically become nature reserves, but Westmill shows that when panel design, grazing schedules, and habitat management are planned together, the same 30 acres can generate electricity, support livestock, and create better conditions for wildlife.
Westmill is an example of “agrivoltaics”, which means producing solar electricity and agricultural goods on the same land. Its 30-acre solar park generates about 4.5 gigawatt-hours a year, enough electricity on average for roughly 1,600 homes, while avoiding about 1,820 U.S. tons of carbon dioxide annually when it displaces gas-fired generation.
Why bring sheep into the equation? Solar sites need vegetation kept low enough to avoid shading equipment and blocking maintenance access, and sheep can reach areas beneath panels that are awkward for machinery. They turn that plant growth into food while reducing the need for repeated mowing or chemical control.
Westmill did not simply fence off a solar array and release a flock. After construction, the site was seeded with a mixture of local plants, and regular grazing now helps prevent one vigorous species from crowding out more delicate wildflowers.
The project describes this as “intermediate disturbance.” In practical terms, carefully managed feeding pressure can keep the plant community from becoming a one-species carpet, but timing and intensity matter. Too many animals for too long could produce the opposite result.
That is why the sheep graze mainly in winter, when they are less likely to disturb nesting birds and when important pollinator plants are not flowering. Claims about “soil regeneration” should still be handled carefully, since the published material cited by Westmill does not isolate the flock as the sole cause of soil recovery.
The stronger conclusion is that varied vegetation, targeted grazing, and limited intervention can support a healthier soil food web than single-purpose land management.
The arrangement also appears to help the animals. Westmill says shepherdess Vera Hoenen has seen the sheep use the panels for protection from the weather, while the wider variety of plants helps them “gain weight more effectively.” Older sheep also have access to different plant species that may be easier on worn teeth and jaws.
That observation fits a growing body of agrivoltaic research. An Oregon State University study found that lambs in solar pastures gained about as much weight as lambs in open pastures, despite lower overall forage volume, because the shaded forage was higher in quality.
A California study also found that sheep with access to panels spent more time grazing and had forage with higher digestibility and protein content.
Still, there is no universal stocking formula. A 2025 New York study found that about three sheep per acre best balanced flock health and vegetation control at its particular solar site, while panel shade reduced forage yield directly underneath the arrays. Different soils, climates, breeds, and panel layouts will change that calculation.
A row of solar panels does not heal an ecosystem by itself. Outcomes depend on the seed mix, grazing pressure, seasonal timing, water access, fencing, and whether operators monitor what is actually growing and living on the site. Recent research still identifies important knowledge gaps involving long-term soil effects, native plant communities, parasites, and animal welfare.
Westmill does have encouraging evidence beyond its sheep. A study published in April 2026 documented five Corn Bunting nests inside the solar park between 2019 and 2023, plus 36 nests within about 0.6 miles of its boundary.
The researchers described it as the first published evidence of a ground-nesting farmland bird nesting at a UK solar park, while birds observed inside spent the largest share of their time foraging.
But the authors also issued an important warning. Westmill has an unusually open design and low-intervention management, so its results should not be treated as proof that every solar development will benefit birds. More sites need to be studied.
For solar operators, the appeal is partly environmental and partly commercial. Sheep can provide vegetation management without sending mowers repeatedly between electrical equipment, while grazing contracts can give flock owners access to land and an additional source of revenue. That makes the field work two jobs instead of one.
The engineering choice matters too. Westmill says its panels were selected with sheep grazing in mind, and the shepherdess later reduced extra protections after learning how sturdy the structures were. Planning for animals, access, water, fencing, and seasonal rotations from the start is likely easier than forcing livestock into a site designed only for machines.
Forty sheep will not solve every conflict over solar land, and poorly managed grazing can create new problems. But Westmill makes a convincing case that clean energy infrastructure can do more than occupy a field when farmers, ecologists, and engineers design the site as one system. 
The official project statement was published on Westmill Energy.

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A Virginia Habitat home gets solar roof No. 100, and a family could save $25,000  Yahoo
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Trump administration admits politics killed grants for green energy in N.J. and other Blue states  NJ.com
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An MP has called for the government to refuse the application for one of Europe's largest solar farms, as he says its case is "still full of holes".
Calum Miller, Lib Dem MP for Bicester and Woodstock, said questions around the Botley West Solar Farm submission, including impact on nearby communities and uncertainty over the proposed grid connection, "remain unanswered".
Developer Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) said it had addressed each point and added the application had been developed following "extensive consultation with local communities, alongside detailed environmental and technical assessments".
The government declined to comment due to the planning case being live.
PVDP wants to build the solar farm across more than 2,000 acres of land to the north and west of Oxford.
In March, it was announced that a decision would not be made until September, with minister for energy consumers Martin McCluskey explaining that would "enable" the government to "seek further information" from developers.
Miller said the government had called for final submissions last week and his response "reflected the fact that I believe that the developer has not provided adequate information to justify such a huge scheme".
"It was strongly recommended that they should identify the houses that will be most affected and agree that there should be no panels within 250 metres of them and they have not done that nor agreed to it.
"Secondly, they need to connect to the National Grid and [it] has not committed to give them a connection before 2031, which is two years after they intend to start production."
Miller also said the developers "haven't been able to clarify their financial guarantees or how the £800m that is required to build this scheme will be raised".
"That means that this is a case that's full of holes.
"My argument to the Secretary of State is that … [he should] ask the developers to go away and come back when they're ready to actually make a serious proposal."
Among his concerns he also listed "unresolved questions concerning flood risk, aviation safety and land rights".
"I strongly support renewable energy, but that cannot mean giving developers a blank cheque," MIller said.
But PVDP said it had assessed "every home within 250 meters of the development, and listened carefully to feedback from local communities and the Planning Inspectorate".
"As a result, we have removed panels from a number of locations, increased buffer zones to residential properties and added further non-panel fields to reduce impacts on nearby homes," it said.
It added the project had been developed "in coordination with National Grid and the relevant network operators".
"We remain confident that a viable connection can be delivered in line with the project's anticipated timetable."
PVDP said it had "worked closely with hydrologists" and had collaborated with relevant local aviation authorities, "which concludes there will not be any significant issues raised by this project".
It added it had presented "full financial information" to the Planning Inspectorate, "who have not raised concerns regarding funding for the project" and that each of its partners "are satisfied" with its position.
"UK power and natural gas prices are today at four year highs, showing how urgent it is for the UK to deploy solar farms in order to increase renewable generation and lower national dependence on highly-priced fossil fuels."
Six vote in favour, five vote against plans for a solar farm which could power 23,000 homes a year.
Whitelee Windfarm has been producing electricity for about 20 years on a stretch of moorland near Eaglesham but is reaching the end of its life.
Campaigners say it is a "great relief" that the plans for 52 turbines near Hawick have been dropped.
Campaigners on the Isle of Man gather at Tynwald at the last sitting before September's election.
Developers want to build 21 turbines and a battery energy storage system in the Southern Uplands.
Copyright 2026 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
 

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Wind energy and solar energy are the twin standard bearers of the renewable energy movement. They are both in abundant supply and produce no greenhouse gases once installed, leading to better air quality and paving the way to curbing global warming. They are also more affordable now in most places than fossil fuels, which are subject to highly volatile price shifts. Wind and solar are superior to oil and coal in almost every single way, but how do they stack up to each other? While both are productive in their own right, wind holds the edge for a very simple reason.
Turbines convert roughly half of the wind energy passing through them into electricity, but solar panels only convert around a fifth of the solar energy that hits them into electricity. As it stands, wind turbine technology is simply more efficient than solar array technology. However, it could be argued that energy efficiency is only one part of the overall efficiency of these two technologies. Truthfully, wind and solar are hard to compare because they are each suited to totally different needs.
Aside from the efficiency of turbines over solar arrays, the next biggest advantage that wind energy has is availability. Modern turbines can generate electricity from wind speeds as low as 6 mph, which is classified by the National Weather Service as a “light breeze”. Electricity production scales up with wind speed and only cuts off if winds become dangerously strong. Changes in wind speed are typically gradual and predictable, unlike shut downs at power plants.
Wind turbine technology has been steadily advancing to harness even greater amounts of power. In the past two decades, wind turbines have grown 59% taller on average, according to the World Economic Forum. This number is significant because wind speeds are stronger higher above ground. Objects on the ground, like buildings and trees, impede the flow of wind, slowing it down and offering less power for turbines to harness. For that same reason, offshore wind farms (in particular the big ones going up in China) are going to be a key part of the energy sector going forward.
The big drawback to wind energy is that you can’t put a wind turbine just anywhere. They need to be clear of obstacles and they generate too much noise to be close to communities. Although they are more efficient than solar panels, they aren’t as versatile or easy to install. For these reasons, wind power is almost exclusively used on the industrial scale, and not for home installation (although some small home turbines do exist).
Solar energy is not only less efficient than wind energy, but it’s also less available. While it only takes a light breeze for a wind turbine to start producing electricity, solar arrays can only gather power when they receive direct sunlight. This means they have to be oriented very particularly to face the sun, and they won’t work at night or in heavily overcast weather conditions. This, coupled with the far lower efficiency, might have you thinking that solar is a total waste, but it has some sneaky advantages over wind power as well.
Solar panel arrays are much easier to install and maintain than wind turbines, making them more accessible for home use (you might even be able to install them on your windows soon). Installing solar panels for an entire home typically costs somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000, but a single wind turbine costs between 2 and 4 million dollars. The ease and cost-effective nature of solar arrays is arguably the main reason solar energy has now overtaken coal in the United States for the very first time.
On the other hand, another downside to solar energy is the fact that solar panels are made with silicon and various rare metals that are obtained by mining. The mining industry is a major contributor to climate change, so manufacturing solar panels does come at a notable cost. With this in mind, on top of all else we’ve covered here, it’s clear that wind is the king of clean energy.
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Free-on-board (FOB) China TOPCon cell prices continued to decline, pressured by weak end-user demand, cautious procurement and persistent oversupply, according to industry sources. Export demand also remained subdued, with overseas buyers continuing to seek lower offers and purchasing only limited volumes, market participants said.
According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released July 21, FOB China TOPCon M10 cell prices fell 1.49% week on week to $0.0404/W. FOB China TOPCon 210R cell prices declined 1.94% to $0.0412/W.
Upstream wafer prices also remained under pressure, limiting cost support for cells.
The Silicon Industry Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) said weak demand from cell manufacturers had restricted wafer procurement largely to small-volume purchases for immediate production needs. Wafer producers, meanwhile, maintained broadly stable operating rates, keeping overall supply largely unchanged.
According to the association, two leading wafer producers were operating at 54% and 56%, respectively, while integrated manufacturers were running at 58%-60% and other producers at 56%-78%, broadly in line with the previous week.
CNMIA said falling polysilicon prices had weakened cost support for wafers, while elevated inventories and subdued downstream demand continued to weigh on the market. Expectations of further price declines also discouraged purchasing and reinforced bearish sentiment. The association expects wafer prices to remain under pressure in the near term.
Demand from India, however, is expected to provide some support for FOB China cell exports during the remainder of 2026.
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has postponed the implementation of its Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II domestic-cell requirement for open-access and net-metering projects until Jan. 1, 2027.
Projects in the two categories commissioned by Dec. 31, 2026, may continue using India-made modules containing imported cells that are not listed under ALMM List-II.
An Indian manufacturer said the extended window would likely prolong cell procurement from China and delay part of India’s transition toward modules made with domestically manufactured cells, supporting imported-cell demand through the second half of 2026.
However, market sources said additional demand from India would be insufficient to offset weak consumption and excess supply across the broader export market.
Separately, China will introduce a consumption tax on photovoltaic cells from April 1, 2027, beginning at 2% before increasing to 4% from April 1, 2028.
The tax will also apply to the cell-manufacturing portion of finished modules, including modules produced by vertically integrated manufacturers. Emerging technologies including perovskite, tandem and gallium arsenide cells will remain exempt through Dec. 31, 2028.
Market participants said the measure could put upward pressure on cell offers and temporarily strengthen demand if buyers bring forward purchases ahead of its implementation.
However, sources cautioned that manufacturers may struggle to pass the additional cost fully to customers because of persistent oversupply and weak margins across the supply chain.
Some export-oriented manufacturers could also consider shifting a greater share of cell and module production outside China to reduce their exposure to the tax. Industry participants said producers would need to compare the potential tax burden on orders after April 2027 with the cost differential between domestic and overseas production before determining whether such a strategy is economically viable.
OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data, and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/NGL, coal, metals, and chemicals, as well as renewable fuels and environmental commodities. It acquired pricing data assets from Singapore Solar Exchange in 2022 and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly Report.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
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China to resume taxing lithium batteries and solar cells  Dialogue Earth
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Seed crystals push solvent‑free perovskite cells to 25.53% efficiency  Tech Xplore
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Solar panels are believed to have caused a fire at a North Yorkshire hospital earlier this month, the fire service has said.
The Springwood unit at Malton Hospital, which provides mental health services for older people, went up in flames on 8 July, completely destroying the building.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the 14-bed unit, said an investigation into the blaze was ongoing, with a full report expected in the coming weeks.
"However, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has established that the fire most likely started at one of the solar panels on the roof of the building," a trust spokesperson added.
"Due to the damage sustained to the solar panels during the fire, it has not been possible to determine any further details about the cause."
All 15 patients were safely evacuated from the ward during the incident and no injuries were reported.
The fire follows a similar blaze at a village primary school in Suffolk last year, in which solar panels were identified as the cause.
On the day of the fire, the school had been unoccupied and no casualties were reported.
In March, another primary school in Brantham caught fire due to a solar panel issue and last month, the roof of an Ipswich primary school went up in flames with the same cause identified.
As a result, about 80 schools in Suffolk switched off their solar panels as a precautionary measure.
Suffolk County Council told the BBC the fires were all believed to have had different causes, suggesting there was not a common fault with the panels, but the three fires originated around the units.
The spokesperson for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said the safety of staff and the people they cared for remained their priority.
"We have robust fire safety measures in place across our trust, including regular fire alarm testing and fire safety checks," they added.
"We can confirm that fire safety risk assessments are in place and current for all our trust buildings. This also applies to our electrical infrastructure and installations."
They confirmed fire safety systems had operated as they were supposed to at the Springwood unit when the fire started.
Further updates are expected from the trust as work at the site progresses.
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
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Officials believe ‘electrical malfunction’ to be cause of fire at Pittsfield solar facility  newscentermaine.com
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My family has enough solar panels on our roof to offset all of our annual home energy needs, but just covering our roof with photovoltaic panels was not enough to make our renewable energy dreams come true. Here are the other investments we’ve made along the way.
It’s not immediately obvious, but most homes with solar panels still lose power when the grid goes down. These solar arrays are designed to turn off in the event of an outage, which protects the engineers working to get our power back on.
To turn on the lights in the meantime, we need a home backup battery. Built-in batteries like a Tesla Powerwall or an Enphase IQ battery tend to be expensive, with installs starting at around $15,000. Unlike solar panels, they rarely pay for themselves in the long run. For the time being, my wife and I have opted to purchase large portable power stations instead.
When the lights go out, we connect an Anker SOLIX F3800 or Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus to our electrical panel using a generator inlet box and an interlock kit. The panels on our roof remain off, but at least we can still power our home using the energy we captured while the panels were on.
The Anker F3800 Plus is an updated version of Anker's F3800 solar generator, offering the same 3.84kWh capacity and 6000W output. This model comes with improved charging, with a new max solar input of 3200W and 165V, along with support for 240V from a gas generator.
An Anker SOLIX F3800 supplies both less and more power than you might expect. On one hand, it can easily turn on all the lights in our home as well as the ceiling fans. We can keep our internet router running with no problem, and our fridge will continue to preserve our food. It powers our well pump and our septic tank so that we retain access to water.
On the other hand, with a starting capacity of 3800kWh, we can expect it to run out of juice in under twelve hours when carrying that kind of load. The battery will drain even faster if we turn on the TV, plug in a computer, or run our NAS. To extend how long this power station is able to power our home, it helps to unload smaller devices onto separate smaller power stations.
During an outage, we plug our TV and Nintendo Switch dock into an Anker SOLIX C1000 instead. From our experience, the TV can run on this battery for around six hours. Considering we aren’t the sort to keep the TV on all day, six hours is plenty.
The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is a small, compact, and lightweight portable power station. With a fast 49-minute recharge time and up to 2,000W of output power, you'll find that this compact system has everything you need. With five 120V AC ports, three USB-C (two of which can do 140W), USB-A, and a DC car port, you can use this portable power station to recharge all of your gear off-grid or when the grid goes down.
Smaller power stations like the Anker SOLIX C300 are more than large enough to power fans and recharge laptops. We’ve also filled our home with portable power banks for our phones and tablets as well.
Disposable batteries can buy you time during a power outage, but you’ll eventually need to run to the store for more. Rechargeable batteries cost more up front but eliminate this concern. Ours power our devices for months. When they run out, we can bring them back to life using the same portable power stations we use to power other devices.
Renewable batteries don’t hold all that much power, so recharging them doesn’t put much of a dent even in our smaller portable power stations.
I want a built-in home battery that can manage our rooftop solar during outages, but in the meantime, we have stocked up on portable solar panels so that we have a way to recharge all of our batteries. Our large 400W panels connect to our F3800 and, when we have more than one plugged in at once, allow the power station to bring in energy from the sun at a faster rate than it sends power out to the house. These 400W panels are heavier and far more unwieldy than I expected, so I prefer to pull out smaller panels whenever possible.
200W panels are often enough to rejuvenate our C1000 units within a few hours, but I actually use our 100W panels the most since they’re so light. It may take me longer to charge, but that’s the advantage of having multiples of each power station. We can leave one outside to capture energy throughout the day while we use the other indoors.
Whether you have a home backup battery or not, don’t expect your house to be able to output the same amount of energy that it can when the grid is up—not unless you’ve spent many tens of thousands of dollars for that much capacity. It’s far more affordable to reduce how much of a load you’re putting on your system.
A desktop PC can drain a power station in just a few hours, but a laptop can last most of the day on its own without needing any power from your home. Then, when it’s time to recharge, it may only require as much power as a desktop would pull in one hour. You can recharge it several times before draining a power station, meaning you can use it for days not hours. By doing my computing from a foldable phone instead of a laptop, the math is even better. Keeping my computer charged is no longer a concern.
While a PlayStation 5 requires continuous power, a battery-powered Nintendo Switch can outlast most outages without even needing to be plugged in. You can watch videos on a tablet instead of the TV. My favorite new tech product of the past year is SwitchBot’s circulating pedestal fan, which can run for up to 12 hours on its own built-in battery. This helps us keep air circulating even if we leave the ceiling fans off.
Warm weather can be a sticky situation, but SwitchBot aims to fix that with its smart Standing Circulator Fan. The fan can be controlled by the SwitchBot app, is adjustable, and operates quietly to easily fit into your home and routine.
Last year, I filled my home with cheap night lights that stay on during an outage by switching over from AC to battery power automatically. This way we’re never left in the dark. They even double as flashlights.
Every device we’ve transitioned from wall power to battery power has made outages less disruptive and reduced the amount of solar energy we need to sustain our everyday life.
I love solar energy, but it’s an inherently intermittent source of power. Clouds can block the sky throughout the day. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes snow blankets our roof. The secret to living off solar is to get as many batteries as you can in as many sizes as possible in order to capture maximum energy while the sun is high in the sky.
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Canadian Solar subsidiary opens Indiana solar cell facility By Investing.com  Investing.com Canada
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Canadian Solar says its Jeffersonville facility has started operations with Phase I now producing bifacial n-type HJT solar cells 
CS PowerTech plans to expand the site further, with work on the second phase expected to begin before the end of 2026 
The plant is expected to exceed 6 GW of annual cell manufacturing capacity and create more than 1,200 jobs when fully operational 
CS PowerTech, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, has inaugurated Phase I of its solar cell manufacturing facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana. This marks the start of production at what the company says is the first US factory designed to manufacture heterojunction (HJT) bifacial n-type solar cells. 
Located at the River Ridge Commerce Center, Canadian Solar said the facility is intended to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing and expand the company’s vertically integrated US supply chain. Trial production on site started in April 2026 with 2.1 GW nameplate capacity (see Canadian Solar Q1 2026 Revenue Reaches $1.1 Billion). 
The company said production will gradually ramp up to the full capacity of the first phase over the coming months. It also plans to begin work on a second expansion phase before the end of the year. 
Once fully operational, the Jeffersonville facility is expected to produce more than 6 GW of solar cells annually, and represent nearly $1 billion in local investment. It will create over 1,200 manufacturing, engineering, and technical jobs in Southern Indiana, 
The plant will complement CS PowerTech’s module manufacturing operations in Mesquite, Texas, for which it targets 10 GW nameplate capacity by H2 2026. Its current operational capacity is 5 GW. 
Canadian Solar CEO Colin Parkin said, “HJT technology is critical for the next generation of high-efficiency, high-performance solar modules, and this plant gives CS PowerTech the ability to deliver leading technology, improved energy yield, and long-term value for customers while strengthening domestic advanced manufacturing.” 
Rusty Schmit, President of CS PowerTech, said the Jeffersonville plant is central to the company’s strategy to build an advanced solar manufacturing supply chain in North America.  
This expands the US’ solar cell production capacity, which stood at 3.2 GW at the end of H1 2026 (see SEIA: US Solar Installations Fall 27% YoY To 7.8 GW In Q1 2026). 
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For Willard Scoops owner David Bass-Clark, the project is part of an effort to build a small business around long-term sustainability.
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BP nears deal to sell solar business Lightsource to Kuwait-backed group  Financial Times
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The lightweight four-seat SunV combines a 94-mile battery range with solar charging to reduce plug-in frequency for daily commutes.
Solarky Mobility Technologies is expanding its compact solar-assisted electric vehicle after launching sales in Thailand in late 2025 and starting production in Indonesia in 2026. The four-seat SunV is built for short city commutes and uses fold-out solar panels to generate extra driving range when parked in direct sunlight.
The SunV measures 10.3 feet long and 4.9 feet wide with an 81.5-inch wheelbase, making it well suited for busy urban roads and tight parking spaces. It also offers 7.5 inches of ground clearance, while its lightweight construction keeps curb weight at about 1,455 pounds.
The vehicle achieves this low weight through an aluminum chassis paired with plastic body panels.
A versatile writer, Sujita has worked with Mashable Middle East and News Daily 24. When she isn't writing, you can find her glued to the latest web series and movies.
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Xcel Energy completes latest phase of massive solar energy project at Sherco site  Bring Me The News
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“We’re building more than a customer base. We’re building a constituency.”
Photo Credit: Bright Saver
Balcony solar — compact, plug-in panels that can hang from a railing or fence — may soon become much easier to buy across most of the United States, as California nonprofit Bright Saver says a new $29 annual membership could give shoppers access to at-cost kits and cut hundreds of dollars off the upfront price.
Bright Saver is moving its plug-in balcony solar kits into nearly the whole U.S. market instead of limiting sales more narrowly. As pv magazine reported, that wider release is tied to a membership option that gives subscribers access to near-wholesale pricing.
With a basic membership priced at $29 per year, buyers can get a 180-watt kit for $285.30 or a 360-watt kit for $414.17. Without membership, those same kits cost $499 and $699. Even after one year of the membership fee, that works out to roughly $184.70 in savings on the smaller kit and about $255.83 on the larger one.
The kits include either one or two 180-watt panels, along with a 120-volt microinverter, a 15-foot power cord, and DIY instructions for securing the panels to a balcony with screws or zip ties. Preorders are expected to ship in late August.
Bright Saver told pv magazine that orders will be available in almost every state, but not in Maine, New York, or Vermont because of those states’ plug-in solar regulations.
For many households, traditional rooftop solar remains out of reach because of cost, homeownership limitations, or the complexity of installation. Balcony solar offers a smaller, simpler alternative that can help reduce daytime electricity use without requiring a full rooftop system.
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A plug-in solar setup priced below $300 may be more attainable for renters, condo residents, and homeowners who want to try solar without spending thousands of dollars upfront.
Actual savings on electricity bills will still depend on factors such as sunlight exposure, utility rates, and how much power a household uses during the day. Still, cutting the purchase price by hundreds of dollars could help shorten the payoff timeline.
Bright Saver also says these systems top out at 360 watts, a level designed to stay within standard household circuit safety limits. That could help ease concerns for consumers considering a plug-in solar product that is still relatively new in the U.S.
Interest in plug-in solar has also been building in state legislatures, suggesting this once-niche technology may be moving closer to the mainstream.
Bright Saver says the membership program is meant to do more than lower shopping costs. Bright Saver co-founder Kevin Chou said in a statement, “We’re building more than a customer base. We’re building a constituency.”
Bright Saver co-founder Cora Stryker told pv magazine that the membership acts as “a flywheel,” helping increase both consumer demand and policy pressure. She said, “With this huge membership, you drive policy change that shapes clean energy policies, and you also drive the consumer market.”
The nonprofit says policy changes are underway in 35 states, while bills are advancing in places including Massachusetts and California. At the same time, Bright Saver says it is no longer waiting for every state to change its laws before expanding access.
“Our goal from the beginning has been simple: make solar accessible to all Americans so everyone has a way to reduce their electricity bills and fight climate change at the same time,” said Bright Saver co-founder Rupert Mayer. As Stryker put it, “This is our moment.”
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The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has suspended 21 solar companies from the small-scale solar rebate scheme, moved to ban a retailer for falsely claiming installations were complete, and issued a warning to installers over fake verification photos.
All 21 companies have been permanently suspended from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), which supports Australia’s solar rebate. They no longer meet the “fit and proper person” requirements.
The CER stated that the “main impetus for this action is that these companies were deregistered by ASIC and are, as a result, not legal persons.”
Installers, retailers, and similar businesses must always meet this legal standard to stay compliant. These requirements are ongoing – anyone registered to create Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), which fund the rebate, must maintain good standing.
In short, this is simply the removal of companies that can no longer trade STCs. The enforcement update follows a February crackdown on poor battery installations.
These actions are detailed in the CER’s Quarterly Compliance Update for April to June 2026.
Asun Solar Pty Ltd was suspended for a more significant issue. The CER cancelled its registration under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 after the company failed to comply with a statutory notice. Asun Solar could not demonstrate the capability, skills, and business practices expected of a registered agent.
The most serious action in this update is against an unnamed solar retailer. The CER has issued a notice that could make this retailer ineligible to sign the written statements required to support STC claims.
Early findings show the retailer made false or misleading statements, claiming several solar PV systems were “complete and capable of generating electricity” when they were not. If the ban goes ahead, the retailer will not be able to support STC creation for up to three years.
According to the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001, a solar system only qualifies for the rebate if it is finished and generating power, not just installed in name.
CER Acting Chair Carl Binning says the message to the industry is clear:
“False statements and incomplete work will not be tolerated.”
Battery labels such as those shown above are now subject to AI checks.
This update also confirms that the AI-assisted image checker mentioned in the CER’s February battery inspection is now in use. It helps CER officers find missing labels and check the metadata on geotagged, timestamped label photos of battery installs that installers have been required to submit since 1 March 2026. Officers still make all compliance decisions themselves – the tool only flags cases for review.
Binning says the standard remains the same, but the ability to check it has improved:
“We’re warning installers that we will fail their applications and send them back to site if things aren’t done properly the first time.”
A job verification photo by SolarQuotes’ in-house installer Anthony Bennett – a legitimate example of the mandatory selfie that other installers are faking.
The CER has also sounded the alarm on installer on-site verification (IOV) selfies that do not actually show the accredited installer for the job. In June, installers, retailers, and agents were reminded that all evidence for STC creation must accurately show what happened on site.
Providing false or misleading evidence can lead to compliance action against both the installer and the registered agent.
If your installer or retailer has been suspended, you may be concerned about your rebate. Usually, this doesn’t affect it.
A suspension means the company cannot create new STCs. It does not remove any certificates you already have. The CER also says it will not cancel valid STCs if an agent is later re-assigned or loses registration.
If you are having solar or a battery installed, ask your installer for the same labelling and verification photos that the CER now checks. Only sign off once your system is fully commissioned and generating power.
For practical tips on how to sus out your installer’s work, read our articles on what to look for before your solar installer leaves and the five tests to run before your battery installer departs.
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Jacob Boyd draws on years of solar industry experience to deliver clear, analytical writing that makes clean energy topics genuinely accessible. He has taught at the university level, published fiction, and directed independent films; a range of creative work that shapes how he approaches every piece. Jacob believes a great solar article does one thing above all else: it leaves readers better equipped to understand and embrace the energy sitting right above their rooftops. He earned his MFA in Writing from San Francisco State University, and believes in the power of sunshine.
It’s a pity these 21 companies are not named. The only way to check, it seems, is to go to https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/SearchRegisters.jspx and enter the name of the company to see if it’s deregistered.
I know someone who is thinking of getting about 28kWh system. I checked the Installer via that website and they are still registered. I personally think this installer is a bit dodgy due to the heavy cheap advertising I see and the low prices to hook you in.
You should tell them about a website I know, which I won’t mention here, where they can get 3 quotes for Solar and batteries from vetted installers. Apparently started by some guy called Finn and I’ve heard they are pretty good. But who knows, doing it yourself might be OK too.
Yep, told them. You can lead a horse to water, if they don’t drink it they turn into donkeys overnight. (◕‿◕)
In some ways the CER announcement appears to be trying to say “Look out, we are being tough”, but apart from the named retailer they are merely bringing their records into alignment with reality. The articles says ‘ The CER stated that the “main impetus for this action is that these companies were deregistered by ASIC and are, as a result, not legal persons.”’.
The companies no longer exist, so of course they are permanently removed. It also follows that they cannot install product or take money from customers because they don’t exist anymore.
That’s probably why they were not named as there is no point.
Company’s doing the dodgy deregistered, that’s good.
But what stops the same people opening a new business to do the same dodgy work?
And were these dodgy businesses fined and that money used to rectify any bad solar jobs or are those people just stuck in the crapper chasing up a deregistered business to fix it?
$4 bn in taxpayer money has been given out and the CER are just starting to crack down? Asleep at the wheel much? It’s likely just the tip of the iceberg if past program compliance is anything to go off
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The reported battery level appears to be steadily falling.
Photo Credit: Reddit
What should have been a short-lived power or internet disruption has become a more troubling issue for one Tesla Powerwall 3 owner. Since the outage, the app has shown no clear charging activity or grid movement, and the reported battery level appears to be steadily falling.
On Reddit, the homeowner said the problem has lasted about a week and began after a “minor power and internet outage.” Now, the system “will only display home and solar values that are identical to each other.” 
They added that several troubleshooting steps have failed to fix the issue, including resetting the Gateway 2, performing a full shutdown, and disconnecting and reconnecting the taco small harness. Meanwhile, their utility account still reports that the system is producing electricity and exporting extra power back to the grid.
That mismatch has left the owner unsure whether the battery is still charging and storing energy normally or whether the problem is limited to monitoring and communications. 
“I am hoping this is just a minor display issue,” they said. 
Other Reddit users offered their takes. “Inverter problem?” one wondered.
When a home battery system stops showing accurate data, the problem is more than a confusing app display. People buy these systems for resilience — to keep lights, refrigeration, internet, and other essentials running when the grid goes down.
In fact, adding battery storage is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and even move closer to going off-grid. If you’re exploring your options, EnergySage’s free tools can help you compare home battery storage choices and get competitive installation estimates. 
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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?
If you’re not ready for a whole-home battery system or installing one isn’t feasible, another option is Pila, whose plug-and-play batteries are a fraction of the cost.
Battery storage can also help households save money by storing solar power for use later in the day, when electricity rates are often higher, and by reducing how much energy a home needs to buy from the grid.
If homeowners cannot verify whether their battery is charging, it becomes harder to trust the system in an emergency or know whether they are getting the financial value they expected.
If your battery system starts acting strangely after an outage, document what you’re seeing. Take screenshots of the app, note any error messages, and compare the battery data with your utility portal or solar production records to see whether energy is still being generated or exported.
Check the basics: the internet connection, router status, gateway indicator lights, and any alerts from the battery manufacturer or installer. A temporary communications failure can sometimes make a working system look broken, but a falling state of charge may be a sign that service is needed.
If the issue does not clear after standard resets, homeowners should contact their installer or the manufacturer’s support team and provide a timeline of what happened before and after the outage. While waiting for a fix, a smaller backup option can help cover essentials. 
Eventually, the homeowner said, they were able to fix the battery expansion error. However, they had to wait 5-10 business days for their installer to troubleshoot other issues. 
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KUALA LUMPUR: Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd has completed its first solar power installation project at its manufacturing plant in Melaka, marking a big step in its sustainability journey and long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The project, which was commemorated by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, involved about RM14 million investment.
The company said the initiative reflects its commitment to integrating sustainable practices into its manufacturing operations while supporting Malaysia’s renewable energy agenda.
The solar power system consists of about 8,960 solar panels installed across the rooftops of the Melaka plant, with a total generation capacity of more than 5.6 megawatts.
The company expects the system to generate about 7,042 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, reducing the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions by around 4,584 tonnes a year, equivalent to about 10 per cent of its total carbon emissions.
Honda Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Narushi Yazaki said the project represents an important milestone in the company’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.
“Beyond reducing our environmental footprint, it reflects our commitment to responsible manufacturing and our aspiration to contribute towards a carbon-neutral future,” he added.
In addition to the solar photovoltaic system, Honda Malaysia has also installed a battery energy storage system, which stores excess solar energy for later use and helps ensure a more stable electricity supply for operations.
Yazaki said the company aims to expand its solar power initiative to its parts supply warehouse in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, in 2027 as part of its broader sustainability strategy.
The solar project reinforces Honda Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable business growth while supporting Honda’s global target of achieving carbon neutrality across all products and corporate activities by 2050.

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Nevada-based Comstock Metals has announced a solar material recycling services agreement with Illuminate USA. Under the agreement, Comstock Metals will manage the transportation, sorting and recycling of solar panel manufacturing byproducts from Illuminate USA’s facility in Pataskala, Ohio. 
The partnership aims to provide a zero-landfill solution that repurposes materials into new industrial goods and eliminates downstream liability. Comstock Metals has touted its ability to recover 100% of useful materials from end-of-life solar panels using a proprietary thermal process that separates panel components and spits out raw aluminum, glass and metal.
Illuminate USA began production at its 1.1 million-square-foot Pataskala facility in February, 2024. The company says the factory is the largest single-site solar panel manufacturing facility in North America, with an annual production capacity of 5 GW.
The announcement of the Illuminate partnership comes several months after Comstock Metals announced plans to build an industrial-scale recycling and logistics hub in Cambridge, Ohio — just over 60 miles from Illuminate’s facility. 
Other recycling partnerships
The agreement with Illuminate USA builds on a series of recent strategic partnerships for Comstock Metals. In April 2025, the company entered into a master services agreement with RWE Clean Energy to provide recycling, decommissioning, and logistics services for the developer’s U.S. solar installations. 
According to Comstock Metals, the companies had already collaborated on the recycling of more than 4 million pounds of end-of-life solar materials in Nevada and California prior to that agreement.
In June 2025, Comstock Metals formed a strategic partnership with Virtus Renewables to create an integrated recycling and logistics network for solar markets. The company says its zero-landfill process recovers 100% of materials — including aluminum, copper, silver, and glass — for reuse in domestic supply chains.
In August, 2025, Illuminate USA announced an agreement to purchase recycled solar glass from Solarcycle, to support the production of 3 GW of modules annually for 5 years. At the time of the announcement, delivery of glass from the recycler’s Cedartown, Georgia facility was expected to begin in 2028.
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Solar panels in Europe’s Iberian Peninsula region generated a staggering surplus of energy during the first quarter of 2026. When the energy supply outstrips market demand like this, it creates an unexpected effect on energy prices: they become negative. A negative price means that producers are actually paying someone to take the energy off their hands. In Spain, there was a total of 397 hours over the course of January to March during which energy prices were negative in 2026, compared to just 48 hours during that same time period in 2025.
Imagine going to the grocery store, filling up your cart, and receiving a pile of cash from the owner as a thank-you for clearing out their inventory. If that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. You see, the average consumer is not benefiting from the negative energy prices in Europe. According to NPR, negative energy prices are purely for the wholesale market. This means that local electric companies can get a good deal, but they’ll turn around and charge homeowners the usual contracted rate. The savings don’t trickle down, so some homeowners should resort to installing their own panels, even if it takes years for solar panels to pay for themselves.
So why are these negative prices happening at all? How could energy — something that every person and business needs to support a modern lifestyle — ever be worth less than zero? The main reason is that electricity is difficult to store. There are certain times of year when solar panels generate more energy due to hours of sunlight per day or the angle of the sun’s rays.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a practical battery storage method for containing all the extra energy harvested during these seasons. When you consider that solar power has overtaken coal in the U.S., it’s only going to become more common for solar farms to have this type of energy surplus. The excess energy can’t simply be fed into the grid, either; the frequency with which electricity can be provided to the grid is carefully managed for the sake of stability.
Shouldn’t the energy producers simply halt their operations if they expect to generate a surplus of energy they can’t store? Well, that’s not always an option. Many solar farms benefit from purchase agreements or policy incentives that make it worthwhile for them to continue operating even when they have to pay to offload their excess energy. There’s also the coal industry to consider; even when solar or wind is slated to generate surplus energy, coal plants cannot adapt their outputs to avoid contributing to the oversupply. And that’s just one of the ways that fossil fuels are ruining solar power.
The increased frequency of negative energy prices in Europe is a mixed blessing. On one hand, it’s very promising to know that solar panels are capable of contributing enough energy to create such a surplus. On the other hand, it is indicative of a huge battery storage problem that needs to be solved. According to a 2026 report by Solar Power Europe, the EU must grow its battery fleet tenfold by 2030 in order to meet crucial energy storage goals. As it stands, consumer energy prices are rising in Europe due to the transition to renewable energy sources.
It’s even difficult for homeowners to build their own energy solutions. A home photovoltaic solar panel system starts at €7,000 (approximately $8,000 USD) for a basic installation in some European countries. But if solar power producers had adequate battery deployments, excess energy could be stored for future use, and negative prices would become less and less common. Savings might actually trickle down to the consumer. The International Energy Agency even explains that widespread access to battery storage leads to increased practicality for solar home systems. It’s a possibility to keep in mind, alongside other things you should know before installing solar panels for your home.

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STATEMENT: Plug-in solar takes step forward with first national safety certification  Environment America
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A new Fraunhofer ISE guidance estimates that Germany’s degraded agricultural peatlands could accommodate 134-268 GW of PV capacity  
It recommends restricting peatland PV projects to degraded agricultural peatlands 
The report highlights significant research gaps before the technology can be deployed at scale 
Germany’s degraded agricultural peatlands could support between 134 GW and 268 GW of solar PV capacity, according to a new guidance published by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE). 
While the country’s total technical solar PV potential for ‘peatland PV’ is estimated at 560-1,120 GW, the lower figure reflects land considered suitable for peatland PV after excluding protected and other restricted areas. It could support the country in achieving its 400 GW solar PV target by 2040, highlight the authors of the guidance. 
Peatlands cover about 5% of Germany’s land area, mainly in the North German Plain and the Alpine foothills. Since most of these have been drained, they are difficult to identify. However, peatlands are estimated to contribute nearly 7% of the country’s GHG emissions. The guidance says restoring these peatlands could help reduce emissions while creating additional space for renewable energy projects. 
According to the guidance, Germany has supported electricity generation on permanently rewetted peatlands under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) since 2023. Combining solar installations with the rewetting of degraded peatlands could help the country reduce GHG emissions while providing an additional income source for landowners and easing land constraints for expanding renewable energy. 
“Currently, around 70% of all formerly intact peatlands in Germany have been drained for agricultural use; they cause almost 7% of Germany’s total greenhouse gas emissions,” said Agnes Katharina Wilke, Project Manager of the MoorPower research project at Fraunhofer ISE. 
Germany plans to rewet around 50,000 hectares of degraded peatland annually to help achieve its climate targets. However, the authors highlight that the potential is much greater, as the amount of degraded agricultural peatland in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern alone – not subject to nature conservation restrictions – amounts to 85,000 hectares. 
The guidance says peatland PV projects require permanent rewetting, as drained peatlands would continue emitting greenhouse gases and reduce the overall climate benefits of solar installations. Authors recommend that peatland PV projects be developed only on drained, highly degraded agricultural peatlands and not on ecologically valuable peatlands or legally protected areas. 
“It is important to only develop drained and highly degraded areas for the dual use of peat soils and photovoltaics. Peatlands and peat soils of ecological value within legally protected areas should be excluded,” said Franziska Tanneberger, head of the Greifswald Moor Centre. 
The authors note that experience with peatland PV remains limited both in Germany and internationally. They say further research is needed on integrating solar projects with rewetting and paludiculture, as well as on long-term operation, maintenance, and environmental impacts. 
Prepared with the Greifswald Moor Centre, Humboldt University of Berlin, the University of Göttingen’s Institute for Agricultural Law, and law firm Becker Büttner Held (BBH), the guidance is intended for farmers, solar developers, public authorities, and other stakeholders. It outlines technical, legal, and environmental recommendations for developing solar projects on permanently rewetted peatlands while supporting climate and renewable energy goals. 
It covers the planning, construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning of peatland PV projects, while discussing their potential, technical challenges, and legal framework. 
The complete guidance in German, titled Moor-PV: Doppelter Klimaschutz durch Photovoltaik-Systeme auf wiedervernässten Moorböden, is available for free download on Fraunhofer ISE’s website. 
In an earlier report, Fraunhofer ISE projected Germany’s agrivoltaic potential at 500 GW (see Fraunhofer ISE Pegs Germany’s Agrivoltaic Potential At 500 GW). 
TaiyangNews 2024

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Solar Power World
By Kelly Pickerel | July 24, 2026
The United States is producing heterojunction technology (HJT) solar cells for the first time, after Canadian Solar announced the official opening of the first 2.1-GW phase of its cell manufacturing facility in Jefferson, Indiana. The site, working under the CS PowerTech subsidiary name, will produce HJT cells that will be sent to Canadian Solar’s module assembly plant in Mesquite, Texas.
At full capacity, the facility is expected to produce more than 6 GW annually, support more than 1,200 jobs and represent nearly $1 billion in local investment.
“Jeffersonville is a cornerstone of our strategy to build one of North America’s most advanced energy manufacturing supply chains,” said Rusty Schmit, President of CS PowerTech. “This facility will produce next-generation HJT solar cells, support domestic manufacturing and ultimately strengthen grid reliability as our customers deploy the products. We are proud to invest in Indiana’s workforce and work with regional partners to build a long-term center of excellence for solar technology and advanced manufacturing.”
The Jeffersonville facility will ramp production to full capacity for phase one over the next few months and CS PowerTech expects to begin work on phase two expansion before the end of the year. Canadian Solar also plans to boost its Texas panel assembly capacity to 10 GW annually.
Canadian Solar is the first manufacturer operating in the United States to produce HJT cells. All other domestic cell manufacturers (Suniva, ES Foundry, Qcells) are producing n-type (either PERC or TOPCon) designs. A few panel assemblers say they are making HJT designs, but the cells are not domestic.
Kelly Pickerel has more than 15 years of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World. Email Kelly.

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Amid rising national electricity demand and climbing retail energy prices, the U.S. solar and energy storage sectors achieved several deployment and generation milestones in the first half of 2026. Data compiled by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows that these technologies are increasingly moving from emerging resources to primary components of the domestic power grid.
According to the trade group, grid operators from California to Texas and across the Midwest have registered record-breaking performance metrics, driven by competitive technology costs and rapid installation timelines.
1. Dominance in grid additions
During the first quarter of 2026, solar and energy storage combined to account for 91% of all new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. grid. This represents the highest collective quarterly share ever recorded by the two technologies. Solar continues its five-year trend as the leading source of new U.S. generation capacity, while utility-scale battery storage deployment continues to accelerate.
2. Solar outpaces coal generation
In May 2026, monthly electricity generation from solar resources exceeded generation from coal for the first time in U.S. history. While solar accounted for a negligible fraction of the national energy mix a decade ago, it now supplies approximately 13% of total American electricity requirements.
3. California storage performance
On the evening of July 9, 2026, the battery storage fleet within the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) footprint discharged a record 12.99 GW of power. At its peak, this storage output covered 36% of total regional energy demand, mitigating supply strain during historically challenging post-sunset peak load hours.
4. California solar generation peaks
The following day, July 10, CAISO established a new solar generation record of 23 GW, which successfully met 72% of the afternoon electricity demand in the region. This milestone marked the third time California surpassed its own solar generation record since June 1, 2026.
5. Multi-record trends in Texas
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid also logged multiple renewable energy and storage milestones throughout the spring and early summer:
Texas currently serves as the fastest-growing utility-scale solar market in the United States and holds the position of the second-largest energy storage market.
6. Broad geographic expansion
While California and Texas continue to lead in raw volume, major regional transmission organizations (RTOs) across the country recorded independent solar generation peaks. Over the last three months, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), ISO New England (ISO-NE), the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and the PJM Interconnection all established new solar generation records. Notably, these generation peaks coincided with record-high maximum loads on these grids, underscoring the role of renewable assets in maintaining summer grid reliability.

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Canadian Solar opens US solar cell factory in Indiana  TradingView
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bp plc is in negotiations to sell its solar power business Lightsource to a consortium made up of Spanish private equity firm Qualitas Energy and Kuwait Investment Authority’s Wren House, AzerNEWS reports via the Financial Times.
According to people familiar with the matter, talks are at an advanced stage, and a deal is expected to be announced “soon.”
According to the report, bp is unlikely to seek a high price for the business, as it is primarily interested in selling it due to its high debt burden.
A former small start-up, Lightsource is currently active in over 15 markets, with 14.2 gigawatts delivered, 7.5 GW under construction and over 52 GW in its development pipeline.
BP declined to comment on the report, ‌while ⁠Lightsource, Qualitas Energy and Wren House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
BP’s ​decision to ​divest Lightsource ⁠is part of the oil giant’s broader efforts to ​simplify operations and refocus ​on ⁠traditional oil and gas in a bid to reduce debt, boost ⁠profit ​and return on ​investment.
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Panamint Capital, an energy investment firm, has started construction on the 1.2GWdc Big Rooter Power solar PV project at its Twin Oaks power station in Robertson County, Texas.
The US$1.7 billion development, positioned between Dallas and Houston, is being built on a former coal mining site. The company claims it will become the largest solar installation ever constructed at an existing coal mining location in North America.
Work has begun on the initial phase, Big Rooter West, a 491MWdc project slated to start commercial operations in August 2028. The subsequent phase, Big Rooter East, will contribute 658MWdc, with construction anticipated to commence in December 2026 and commercial operations expected by August 2029.
Panamint CEO Apolka Totth stated that the Big Rooter Power initiative embodies the firm’s strategy to enhance the utilization of America’s energy infrastructure and secure the country’s energy leadership. Totth noted that upon completion, the Twin Oaks complex will feature 1.5GW of combined thermal and renewable power capacity, over 20 miles of new 345kV transmission lines, 1.6GWh of battery energy storage, and 790MW of Batch Zero data center capacity under development across the 10,000-acre site.
The company reported that the two phases will generate over 800 construction jobs. For the engineering, procurement, and construction work, Panamint chose SOLV Energy, which will handle the solar array along with substation and transmission infrastructure. In 2025, SOLV disclosed plans to develop 6GW of solar-plus-storage capacity nationwide, including projects for Panamint.
First Solar will provide roughly two million solar modules for the project, produced at its plants in Ohio, Louisiana, and Alabama. The installation will also incorporate Nextpower’s NX Horizon solar tracker systems, equipped with Hail Pro-75 and NX Navigator software.
Panamint Capital, a Nevada-based energy infrastructure developer majority-owned by Global Atlantic Financial Group, oversees more than 3GW of operational and developmental conventional and renewable energy assets throughout North America.
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This report provides a comprehensive view of the solar cells and light-emitting diodes industry in the United States, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the solar cells and light-emitting diodes landscape in the United States.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for the United States. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
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New solar cell manufacturing facility opening in southern Indiana  whas11.com
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CS PowerTech Inc. has launched the first phase of its flagship PV cell manufacturing facility at the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The plant is designed to produce heterojunction (HJT) bifacial n-type solar cells.
The facility represents nearly $1 billion in total local investment and is expected to support over 1,200 skilled manufacturing, engineering, and technical jobs in Southern Indiana once fully operational. The Indiana plant will supply cells to CS PowerTech’s module manufacturing facility in Mesquite, Texas, establishing a localized supply chain for its U.S. operations.
Phase one production will ramp over the coming months, with the company planning to begin work on a phase two expansion before the end of the year.
“Jeffersonville is a cornerstone of our strategy to build one of North America’s most advanced energy manufacturing supply chains,” said Rusty Schmit, president of CS PowerTech Inc. “This facility will produce next-generation HJT solar cells, support domestic manufacturing, and ultimately strengthen grid reliability as our customers deploy the products.”
Colin Parkin, chief executive officer of Canadian Solar Inc., noted that HJT technology remains critical for higher-efficiency, higher-yield solar modules as domestic content requirements and supply-chain policies continue to shape North American project development.
Governor Mike Braun said, “CS PowerTech’s investment strengthens Indiana’s position in advanced manufacturing, creates good-paying jobs for Hoosiers in the area, and reinforces our role in building the technologies that will continue to power America’s future.”
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ASHLAND, Va. — Habitat for Humanity Virginia installed a solar system on its 100th home Tuesday, marking a major milestone in the organization’s efforts to provide safe, affordable housing for families.
Volunteers, homeowners, and guests gathered at the Ashland home to put the finishing touches on the project, lifting the solar panels into place.
Habitat says most of its families have saved $75 to $90 a month since adding solar panels, with lifetime savings expected to range from $25,000 to $40,000.
The homeowner says Habitat has done far more than help her build a house — fulfilling her dream of becoming a homeowner and giving her family a safe, sustainable place to live.
“Today we celebrate more than a solar panel. We celebrate community, we celebrate compassion, and the power of people working together to create lasting change,” she said.
In a partnership with Give Solar, Habitat for Humanity Virginia aims to install solar panels on at least 625 Habitat homes in the state.
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Chinese solar cell and module manufacturer Aiko has received a “PV Module Anti-Ignition Hazard” certification from German technical advisory firm TÜV Rheinland.
According to the company, its all-back contact (ABC) modules are the first solar PV modules to receive that certification from TÜV Rheinland.
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Under TÜV Rheinland’s testing conditions, Aiko’s ABC modules recorded hot spot temperatures over 35% lower than TOPCon modules.
The certification comes as Europe faces more frequent and intense heatwaves across the continent, with temperatures reaching new high records. According to Aiko, these record-breaking temperatures are posing new challenges for energy infrastructure, including solar systems.
The cell and module manufacturer added that ABC technology is designed to effectively limit hot spot temperatures to below 100 degrees Celsius under relevant operating conditions, helping reduce excessive thermal stress and mitigate potential ignition risks.
An advantage that has also been demonstrated in comparative shading tests with ABC modules recording lower hot spots temperatures than TOPCon modules under both single-cell shading and large-area shading conditions. Hot spots can occur when partial shading, micro-cracks or other internal defects disrupt normal current flow within a PV module.
The Chinese company added that its copper interconnection technology also significantly reduces the risk of hot spots associated with micro-cracks. Unlike conventional silver-paste metallisation, which typically contains glass frit, Aiko’s ABC cells use pure copper grids bonded to the silicon wafer.
Moreover, the manufacturer did a live demonstration at Intersolar Europe 2026, held in Munich, Germany, last month about the difference in thermal behaviour between an ABC and TOPCon module. At the event, Aiko also launched two new solar PV products, targeting both the utility-scale and residential solar sectors. These were the fourth generation of its Infinite Ultra ABC PV modules and the new Z series of residential modules.

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Doug Marrin
The Dexter Area Fire Department (DAFD) Administrative Board has approved a solar energy project for all three of its fire stations, authorizing the department to enter into a contract with Ann Arbor-based Homeland Solar for the installation. 
The project will install rooftop solar photovoltaic systems at the department’s stations on North Territorial Road, Webster Church Road and Main Street in the City of Dexter. DAFD Chief Doug Armstrong explains the investment is intended to reduce long-term operating costs, improve energy sustainability and take advantage of federal clean-energy incentives currently available to governmental entities.
“The Board viewed this project as an opportunity to make a smart investment in the future of the Fire Department and the communities we serve,” says Armstrong. “By generating a significant portion of our own electricity, we can reduce long-term operating expenses and better manage future utility costs. Every dollar saved on operating expenses is a dollar that can remain focused on emergency response, equipment, training, and service delivery. We are excited to move forward and look forward to the long-term benefits the project will provide.”

Cost and Savings

The total project cost is approximately $273,700. Based on the current federal Direct Pay incentive program, the department expects to recover about 40% of the project cost, reducing the net cost to approximately $164,000. Department projections estimate the investment will pay for itself in about six years while generating more than $865,000 in utility savings over 25 years.
The proposed systems include:

• Main Street Station in Dexter: 51.43-kilowatt system 
• Webster Church Road Station: 47.87-kilowatt system 
• North Territorial Road Station: 52.78-kilowatt system 

Together, the systems are expected to generate nearly 186,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. 

Homeland Solar Selected

The department evaluated five proposals based on cost, projected energy production, compliance with the request for proposals, municipal experience and the ability to complete the work in 2026. Homeland Solar received the highest overall ranking among the five bidders.
According to the department’s evaluation, Homeland Solar offered the lowest project cost while also projecting the highest annual energy production, making it the best overall value. The company was selected over Srinergy, Michigan Solar Solutions, Harvest Solar and Oak Electric. 

Backup Power Remains Unchanged

The solar systems will be connected to the DTE Energy electrical grid and will operate alongside each station’s existing emergency generator system.
During a power outage, the solar arrays will automatically disconnect from the grid in accordance with utility safety requirements. The fire stations’ emergency generators will continue to provide backup power.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026, pending final permitting and approvals.
Featured photo: Contractors continue working through the final punch list at Dexter’s new Main Street fire station before the facility officially opens. The station is one of three Dexter Area Fire Department facilities slated to receive rooftop solar panels under a newly approved department-wide energy project. Photo by Doug Marrin

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Panamint Capital has broken ground on Big Rooter Power, a 1.2 GWdc solar project at its Twin Oaks power station in Robertson County, Texas, located between Dallas and Houston. The $1.7 billion project is described by the company as the largest solar project built at an existing coal mining site in North America. Construction is underway on the 491 MWdc Big Rooter West phase, targeted for commercial operation in August 2028, while the 658 MWdc Big Rooter East phase is expected to begin construction in December 2026.
“Big Rooter Power represents our vision for getting more out of America’s energy infrastructure and ensuring America’s energy dominance,” said Apolka Totth, Chief Executive Officer of Panamint Capital. “When Big Rooter is complete, the Twin Oaks complex will have 1.5 GW of operating thermal and renewable power, in addition to over 20 miles of new 345 kV transmission, 1.6 GWh of battery energy storage and 790 MW of Batch Zero data center capacity under development across our 10,000-acre site.”
“Big Rooter is a landmark project that reflects the scale of investment being made in America’s energy future,” said George Hershman, CEO of SOLV Energy, which will provide EPC services for the project’s solar, substation and transmission infrastructure.
First Solar will manufacture roughly 2 million solar panels at facilities in Ohio, Louisiana and Alabama for the project, while Nextpower will deploy its NX Horizon solar tracker systems. The two phases are expected to create more than 800 construction jobs, with Big Rooter West alone projected to contribute more than $66 million to the local economy over its lifetime.

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In some cases, homeowners put in the panels first to lock in bill savings.
Photo Credit: iStock
Two solar installers gave the same recommendation to an Ohio homeowner shopping for a roughly $38,000 rooftop system: hold off on battery storage for now.
With favorable net metering in the state, that could be the cheaper choice in the near term.
The homeowner brought the question to Reddit while describing a planned setup of “38k for 39 SEG 440 panels and Enphase iq8ac.” They said they wanted to think ahead about how batteries might fit into the project later.
They wrote: “I’ve been told by two installers now that it’s probably best to wait on batteries for now, due to the net metering but also since battery technology is rapidly advancing and will make the cost much cheaper in the future.”
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.
Cost was a major part of the discussion. The homeowner said a large Franklin battery had been quoted at “around 13 to 14k at the moment” and asked, “is there any way to estimate what I am looking at for battery cost in 5 to 7 years?”
Responses in the thread mostly supported waiting, particularly for a home with strong net metering and few outages. Some commenters, however, questioned whether battery prices will really drop enough over the next several years to make delaying the obvious choice.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re pricing out a system, EnergySage offers free tools to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
For many households, strong net metering can make the grid work a bit like a virtual battery. If your utility gives you solid credit for excess daytime solar power, adding a battery right away may not offer the fastest financial return.
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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.
Storage remains a major upfront expense. In this case, a single battery quote of roughly $13,000 to $14,000 would add more than a third to the cost of the homeowner’s planned solar installation.
The tradeoff is resilience. Batteries can keep key appliances running during outages, but if blackouts are uncommon, some homeowners may prefer to install solar first and revisit storage later.
In some cases, homeowners put in the panels first, lock in bill savings, and add backup later if their needs change.
If you’re considering a similar setup, start by asking how often your home actually loses power, how your utility handles net metering, and whether your installer can make the system battery-ready even if you do not buy storage today.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
That approach can help you avoid paying for something you may not need yet while preserving flexibility down the road.
EnergySage’s free services can also help take some of the guesswork out of the process. 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 on a state-by-state level, as well as details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help readers get 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. If you want to compare your options now or later, explore EnergySage‘s free tools for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
As the homeowner put it, “it feels somewhat valuable because I would expect sales people to sell me everything.”
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Sharp Energy Solutions takes full control of Vietnam solar unit  International Business Times
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Solar with a battery can effectively take you from needing any grid power if you size your system right.
Photo Credit: iStock
Rooftop solar can be a major money-saver, but one homeowner’s experience shows that when electricity is generated can matter nearly as much as how much.
After adding battery storage to an existing 6-kilowatt solar setup, the family sharply reduced its expensive evening grid use.
The problem was not that the panels were underproducing. In a post on Reddit, the homeowner said the system was making plenty of electricity during the day, but much of that power was exported because the house was mostly empty. Later, once the utility’s 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. peak period arrived, the family was back to buying electricity at about 58 cents per kilowatt-hour.
That mismatch was adding up quickly. On most weekdays, evening activities such as air conditioning, dinner, laundry, and other regular household use were driving about 8 to 10 kilowatt-hours of grid consumption during that window. 
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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.
At the end of February, the homeowner added an Anker Solix E10 whole-home backup power system and two batteries. Nothing else about the setup changed, but typical weekday grid use from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. fell to around 1 to 3 kilowatt-hours. They are still analyzing their early returns, but they are promising. 
In fact, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially when a system is designed around how your household actually uses power. Homeowners curious about their options can explore EnergySage‘s free tools to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
The homeowner’s experience highlights a common issue with time-of-use utility plans: Solar panel systems may generate the most electricity during lower-value daytime hours, while many households need the most power later, when rates are highest. A battery helps close that gap by storing extra daytime electricity for use in the evening.
Stored energy can cover air conditioning, cooking dinner, or doing laundry without the same level of evening grid use. Battery storage can also provide added resilience during outages and severe weather by helping keep important appliances running.
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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.
A closer look at the home’s interval data is what revealed the extent of the savings. The installation cost about $8,400, and the homeowner was pragmatic, noting that the upgrade wasn’t a fast-payback purchase. However, it had made clear how expensive the disconnect between daytime production and evening demand had become, and their utility bill had begun to drop.
“That drop from 8-10kWh to 1-3kWh at 58 cents is the whole story,” a commenter marveled. 
If you are considering a similar step, a good place to start is by reviewing your utility rate plan, export credits, and hour-by-hour electricity use. If your highest demand comes in the evening, pairing solar panels with battery storage may make more sense than installing solar alone.
For readers considering rooftop solar, EnergySage‘s free services can make comparison shopping much easier. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. 
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help you access incentives and get the best price for rooftop solar panels.
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 help households keep critical appliances running during blackouts while cutting expensive evening power purchases. 
Explore EnergySage‘s free tools for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
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An upcoming public meeting will highlight a planned solar farm to be built north of Thessalon that will power 40,000 homes.
Garden River First Nation and Neoen are teaming up for the Dunns Valley Solar project that will convert sunlight into electricity. The First Nation has a 50 per cent ownership stake. The 200-MW development, to be constructed on Shaw Road, will include power conversion stations, substation, an electrical conversion system and maintenance buildings, a notice of proposal said.
The information session runs Aug. 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wharncliffe Community Hall. Project staff will be in attendance. A development report can be viewed at the drop-in event.
Lewis Boislard is project manager. The project website is Canada.Neoen.com/Dunns-Valley-Solar/. The email address is DunnsValleySolar@Neoen.com
Neoen, a global renewable energy company, was founded in 2008 and was acquired by Brookfield Renewable Holdings in 2025. Dunns Valley Solar was awarded a 20-year contract by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator. The venture will be the largest solar farm in the province, Neoen says. Up to 300 full-time jobs are projected at peak construction. Work is expected to take 18 to 24 months and start in the second quarter of 2028. Operations are projected to start in the first quarter of 2030.
An open house was held in Garden River on July 13.
“Dunns Valley Solar project will play a critical role in meeting Ontario’s projected electricity needs by producing emissions-free power, daily, during peak demand,” Neoen says.
The venture is on 1,038 acres managed by Ministry of Natural Resources east of Garden River. Neoen will prepare a plan outlining the site’s decommissioning and site restoration.
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Lebanon is seeking private sector interest for up to 350 MW of grid-connected solar PV paired with 1,000 MWh of BESS 
The EOI launched by the ERA also covers dual-fuel thermal power plants ranging from 20 MW to 100 MW 
The process is intended to identify qualified developers and support future licensing and procurement, said the ERA 
Lebanon’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has launched a Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for electricity generation projects, including 350 MW solar PV along with 1,000 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities.   
The initiative falls under the ERA’s regulatory and licensing mandate in accordance with Law No. 462/2002 and is intended to build a pipeline of bankable generation projects, explains the ERA.  
The EOI covers up to five grid-connected solar PV projects with a combined installed capacity of 350 MW, supported by BESS totaling 1,000 MWh. It also includes distributed dual-fuel thermal power plants with net capacities ranging from 20 MW to 100 MW. These plants are expected to operate primarily on natural gas, with heavy fuel oil (HFO) serving as a backup fuel.  
According to ERA, the exercise is designed to identify technically and financially capable developers that can contribute to Lebanon’s electricity sector reforms and future generation expansion. The call is open to developers, investors, independent power producers (IPPs), EPC contractors, equipment suppliers and consortia to submit their technical, financial and project development credentials.  
According to the ERA, the EOI marks the first stage of the project development process. Information received will be used to prepare future licensing, procurement and implementation phases of bankable generation projects.  
The call was issued on July 22, 2026 with the last date of bid submission being August 31, 2026. 
Lebanon’s electricity sector is facing challenges such as limited generation capacity, aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and grid losses, due to which it remains dependent on imported fuels for electricity.  To improve supply, the government is seeking private investment in new power generation and a more diversified energy mix.  
Solar is an important part of the mix as the country sees rapid growth of distributed solar PV systems for reliable electricity. It creates opportunities to expand renewable energy alongside stable dispatchable generation, says the ERA.  
As per the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), at the end of 2025, Lebanon had around 1.8 GW renewable energy capacity of which 1.5 GW came from solar PV.  
TaiyangNews 2024

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