Solar Now

Owner gets $14,000 quote to add solar to old carport, then learns wind is the real cost  Yahoo
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“I have used every single thing in that backpack at least once this year.”
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A thoughtfully packed car can do more than help in a roadside emergency. One prepper shared a detailed list of the supplies they had used, explaining how items ranging from winter gear to sunscreen and a spare swimsuit had helped when weather shifted, plans changed, and an ordinary errand got complicated.
On r/TwoXPreppers on Reddit, the original poster said their approach to preparedness took shape after Hurricane Helene and the wildfires in Los Angeles. They focused less on dramatic end-of-the-world scenarios and more on the everyday disruptions commonly called “prepping for Tuesday.”
At the center of their setup was a backpack kept in the trunk. It was stocked with spare outfits for different weather, extra socks and underwear, swim gear and a Turkish towel, sunscreen, toilet paper, a multitool, a blanket, cards, a hat, and a rain jacket. 
“One thing that will usually catch ME by surprise is how often I use my car preps,” they wrote. “… I have used every single thing in that backpack at least once this year.”
Elsewhere in the vehicle, they keep roadside and cold-weather supplies such as jumper cables, reflectors, traction gear, and snow tools along with flashlights, gloves, ponchos, umbrellas, blankets, canned water, a compass, emergency matches and whistles, spare shoes, cash, a first-aid kit, and a portable toilet.
After another user wondered how one car held it all, the poster said their Nissan Rogue made it possible with trunk storage space, seat pockets, under-seat space, door compartments, and a trunk organizer. “My backpack is just chilling in the trunk,” they added.
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What set the list apart was that many of the items had already proved useful in ordinary life. The poster emphasized gear that had earned its space through repeated, practical uses.
That kind of prepping can cover a wide range of everyday problems. As the OP noted, a towel may help at a park stop, after an unexpected swim, or while waiting by the road, while spare shoes can help in mud, rain, or a breakdown situation.
Commenters discussed trade-offs, especially around safety and storage. “I know you have jumper cables, but a battery jump starter is actually much more reliable,” one wrote. “You can get one that also has a tire inflator so that an unexpected low tire won’t sideline you.”
Someone else warned, “There are a number of things in this list that are either not safe at summer car temperatures or that will need to be rotated/checked frequently.”
Long before an emergency, it can be useful to keep clothes, water, a flashlight, a phone charging cord, a first-aid kit, and weather gear in your vehicle.
The OP’s setup also reflected regional and work-related needs: a mini snow shovel and kitty litter for New England winters, plus a tick kit, bug spray, and sting care. They also said they were set to add extra scrubs because they worked at a hospital and may need to stay on-site during bad weather.
“May we all get through our Tuesdays unscathed,” the OP concluded.
The most useful gear helps with everyday hassles as much as emergencies. 
• On Reddit, commuters facing icy roads built ultimate winter survival kits for breakdowns and delays.
• Across storm-prone regions, seasoned preppers showed you don’t need thousands of dollars in gear.
• During fuel shortages and gridlock, bicycles will be worth their weight in gold.
Preparedness works best when it focuses on practical tools you’ll actually use and the weak spots most likely to trip you up. That’s the same reasoning behind keeping a car kit ready for whatever an ordinary Tuesday turns into.
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Tesla solar owner says roof replacement left panels off for a year, and lease bills kept coming  Yahoo
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Shenzhen, China – September 18, 2026 – FoxTechSolar has announced its participation in Middle East Energy Dubai 2026, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the UAE from September 1 to 3, 2026.

The core objectives for this exhibition are to understand the solar energy market demand across the Gulf and Africa, connect with project developers and EPC general contractors, showcase the company’s comprehensive photovoltaic product line, and establish long-term cooperative relationships with regional wholesalers, system integrators, and distributors.
Deepening the Gulf Solar Energy Market
FoxTechSolar has chosen Dubai as the premier platform to enter the Gulf market due to several strategic market opportunities:
FoxTechSolar provides a comprehensive supply of components and energy storage systems to the Middle East and Africa markets. The company has already established business cooperation with several regional EPC companies and system integrators. Due to customer confidentiality agreements, no specific project cases will be disclosed in this news release.
Solar Energy Products and Custom Capabilities
Designed specifically for the Middle East and Africa markets, FoxTechSolar will showcase the following key products:
All relevant IEC and TÜV certifications are complete. Certification numbers can be provided upon request, eliminating the need to review lengthy certification content. While there is currently no third-party dust and sand resistance test report, the products undergo rigorous internal aging verification based on Middle East desert operating conditions. Factory, production line, and product photos have been provided and are available.
Seeking Project Developers, EPC Companies, and Regional Partners

At the exhibition, FoxTechSolar hopes to engage directly with project developers, EPC companies, and regional channel partners. The key negotiation focus for this event includes project supply, regional agency agreements, OEM customization, and sample trial orders. While there are currently no publicly disclosable potential customer projects, the company remains highly active in seeking new partnerships.
Interested parties are encouraged to reach out for business discussions via email at sales@foxtechsolar.com or on WhatsApp at +86 137 2376 4549.
Building a Clean Energy Future
Participating in Middle East Energy Dubai 2026 is an important step for FoxTechSolar to continuously deepen its market presence in the Middle East and Africa. Drawing on the company’s product capabilities, strict quality control, on-time delivery, and global export experience in the photovoltaic sector, FoxTechSolar expresses a strong willingness to provide long-term and stable services to customers across the Gulf and Africa. This initiative further aligns the company’s business with the broader industry narrative by tying into the global carbon neutrality trend and the urgent energy transition needs of both regions.
For more details visit https://www.foxtechsolar.com/
Email kevin@foxtechsolar.com or call +86 137 2376 4549
Address: 21st Floor, Evoc Intelligent Industrial Park, No. 11 Hi-tech Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, China.
About Foxtech Solar
Shenzhen Foxtech Energy Co., Ltd is a professional green and solar energy products supplier and manufacturer in China. Founded as a high-tech enterprise in 2017, the company specializes in the research and development, production, and sales of high-power solar panels, intelligent solar LED lights, solar energy systems, solar EPC, and related new solar applications.
Media Contact
Company Name:Foxtech Energy Co., Ltd
Contact Person: Kevin Shenzhen
Email:Send Email
Phone: +86 137 2376 4549
City: Guangming District
State: Shenzhen
Country: China
Website:www.foxtechsolar.com

 
Press Release Distributed by ABNewswire.com
To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: FoxTechSolar to Attend Middle East Energy Dubai 2026 to Drive Solar Energy Partnerships Across the Gulf and Africa


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Eastern Germany is home to some of the world’s most advanced ‘torture chambers’. Here, water, fire, high-voltage current and even dust are used to press and squeeze, twist and strike, shake and hammer the beating hearts of the technology we use every day, like electric vehicles.
At Europe’s largest battery testing centre, they put batteries into every imaginable situation to see what happens. Whether they explode, survive or thrive, it’s better to find out here than in a consumer’s garage.
I am standing beside a long row of garage-sized boxes inside the DEKRA facility in the small town of Klettwitz in Lusatia. Each box has its own unique purpose. Head of DEKRA, Thomas Hucke, is showing me around. Thermometers and warning lights surround me – what do they mean?
“We’re testing how battery prototypes behave at very low temperatures, or at very high temperatures. From Siberia to the Sahara,” Hucke explains. “In other words, the classic environmental conditions that a battery like this experiences over its lifetime.” He then walks over to a control panel and, with grim determination, turns it all the way to the minus max level: “Right, minus 40 degrees Celsius – let’s take it right down to the limit…”
Full-blown sandstorm? No problem for Hucke and his team. If a specialised battery is to survive use in the desert, its suitability must be certified before it can be marketed and sold. For that, the DEKRA team naturally have some particularly gruelling dust chambers.
We cross an industrial road and enter a hall on the opposite side. A few staff members hurriedly push plastic crates in front of a prototype that has just been delivered to block the view. “Camera off!” they say. This is top secret.
“We also test very large batteries,” says Hucke, explaining the enormous size of the test hall, “such as stationary energy storage systems, for example.
“Over there,” Hucke points to another test chamber, “we carry out vibration tests. In vehicles, batteries are usually subjected to vibrations. What happens when a vehicle drives over a curb, or when it receives a mechanical impact?” All of this is tested, documented and reported to the manufacturer. Certification is only granted once the new battery model has met all stress parameters to Hucke’s complete satisfaction.
Consumer safety is a top priority in the European Union. “The EU has drawn up a Battery Regulation which sets out the tests that must be carried out on batteries. It’s about sustainability, the value chain, and ultimately, always about safety.”
Hucke elaborates: “The energy transition isn’t just about electric mobility. At the test centre, we naturally also test vehicle batteries. But beyond that, we are increasingly testing energy storage solutions for stationary applications. These are mostly intermediate storage systems for renewable energies, namely solar and wind. That is the future.”
Hucke smiles as he leads us into the next fiery circle of battery hell.
“What happens in the event of a fire? In an accident? Or if batteries are overcharged or discharged improperly? Batteries must remain safe even in these situations,” he says. “The energy transition [and the associated electrification] must function safely and sustainably. This requires testing service providers who ensure that certain rules and standards are adhered to.”
Hucke nods towards the ‘fire hall’. There, they recently tried to set an entire battery container alight. This is not an unrealistic scenario: planet-heating fossil fuel emissions are leading to increasingly extreme temperatures. Europe experienced this first-hand in a scorching summer filled with devastating wildfires and drought.
It cannot be ruled out that one day a major fire might also reach the buffer electricity storage facility at a solar or wind farm. Up to certain temperature levels, a large-scale battery storage facility must be able to withstand this.
Opening a high-security airlock, Hucke leads me into a room with a cathedral-high ceiling. Massive metal blocks are firmly bolted to the floor. This is the bunker hall of the ‘crush bed’.
“We’ve got an oversized vice here,” says Hucke, where batteries are clamped to be stress tested. “The battery is squeezed – and the regulations stipulate that absolutely nothing must happen.”
But what if it does? What if the new prototype can’t take any more, after the water, dust, heat and cold tests? What if it really does crash and explode in the crushing bed between the jaws of the steel clamps?
Hucke points to the special fixtures on the thick walls. “We have pressure relief flaps here – and outside the building, a complete flue gas scrubbing system that extracts the gases in an emergency.”
Wind and solar power are a rapidly growing source of energy in Europe. Grid constraints and the intermittent nature of these renewables means the need for flexible storage is rapidly increasing.
Battery test centres are “a key component” of the energy transition, says Hucke, ensuring that this renewable power can be stored safely.
“Standards and regulations have been in place in the automotive sector for some time now. And the same is now happening in the field of stationary battery storage solutions for renewable energies,” he tells me. “This requires state-of-the-art testing laboratories. We ensure that batteries entering service meet all safety requirements.”
What about the test centre’s own sustainability? A huge, ultra-modern battery test centre like this requires a lot of energy. “We’re expanding our solar PV systems,” emphasises Hucke, “and using stationary battery storage to ensure we can recover energy”.
The DEKRA Group also took a stand at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, joining the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. “In an increasingly disruptive global environment, in which the urgency and even the existence of the climate crisis is, in some quarters, being called into question once again, we emphasise the strategic importance of jointly combating climate change,” states the Group headquarters.
The DEKRA Climate Impact Programme includes internal decarbonisation and support for external climate projects that make a measurable contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.


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The most helpful replies did not start with equipment recommendations.
Photo Credit: iStock
A New York homeowner hoping to build a backyard solar setup ran into a reality check many first-time buyers face. 
The panels and batteries may be the exciting part, but the paperwork often comes first, and it is anything but optional.
In the Reddit thread on the r/diySolar subreddit, the homeowner described the situation.
“I am a first time homeowner in Long Island, N.Y., and I would like to build a solar system to help take the edge off my electric bill,” they wrote.
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The plan involved a wood-framed array of roughly eight to 10 panels, and the poster said that “what i really need help with is the inverter side of things.”
The most helpful replies did not start with equipment recommendations. Instead, they started with permits, utility approval, and plans.
Local approvals were the first order of business in the replies. One commenter said the project needed plans, an interconnection agreement, and a permit before moving forward, while another urged them to “start with [the] town and learn what permitting they require.”
A grid-connected solar system is not just a shopping project; it is also a building, electrical, and utility project. One commenter also issued a warning.
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“You’ll probably not get away with wooden frame in NY, they’ll ask you for pre-engineered ground mount or structural stamp,” they suggested.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially in places with high power bills. Homeowners who want to compare professional options before buying equipment can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Buying an inverter, battery, or a set number of panels too early can become an expensive mistake. If the design does not match local permitting rules or utility interconnection requirements, that equipment may not be permitted or interconnected.
Solar can reduce how much electricity a home pulls from the grid, while battery storage can help save power for later use. That includes the kind of “rate skimming” the homeowner mentioned, where stored energy is used during more expensive hours.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Still, DIY solar is not always a simple plug-and-play money saver. Ground-mount systems may require engineered designs, and battery-backed setups can add another layer of complexity.
For homeowners in a similar position, a more workable order is to check with the town first, verify how the utility handles interconnection, and only then size the setup based on the home’s electricity use and the available budget.
Free quote-comparison tools can also help people avoid overpaying. 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, those 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. It can also give homeowners more flexibility over when they use stored power instead of buying electricity at the highest rates. Readers can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
The Long Island homeowner’s questions about permits point to a bigger issue of how solar projects often hinge on local rules before any equipment is even ordered. 
• In New York, lawmakers could allow plug in solar panels on balconies without utility approval.
• In Connecticut and Virginia, new advocates are pushing cheaper home solar through faster approvals.
• One homeowner learned HOA solar policies can become another obstacle before panels ever go up.
Understanding the rules around a system matters just as much as choosing the hardware. For homeowners planning solar, that is a valuable lesson.
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SMA Inaugurates New Gigawatt Factory in Germany for Utility-Scale Energy Technologies  solarquarter.com
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Monthly dues can rival a second housing payment, and they can keep climbing.
Photo Credit: iStock
The listing price on a condo in California’s Coachella Valley may be the number that grabs buyers first. But in many communities, a hefty homeowners association fee can reshape the true cost of ownership before the mortgage payment even clears.
For some buyers, those charges are not just an extra line item, and they can add well over $20,000 a year.
According to a breakdown from NBC Palm Springs, average condo HOA dues were about $448 a month in Palm Springs, $436 in Rancho Mirage, $413 in La Quinta, and $367 in Palm Desert. Across the Coachella Valley overall, the typical monthly fee was about $394.
The difference between average dues and some high-end communities is substantial. Figures discussed on the Roggin Report listed Big Horn in Palm Desert at about $1,357 per month; Desert Island in Rancho Mirage at about $1,735 a month, though current listings differ by unit and included items; and The Springs Club in Rancho Mirage at roughly $1,826 a month in mandatory community and social charges before golf.
In Palm Desert, NBC Palm Springs noted published monthly charges of around $1,860 for Marrakesh Country Club and about $1,887 for The Lakes. That works out to roughly $22,644 a year at The Lakes before mortgage costs, property taxes, and golf. Golf dues are additional.
Rather than paying only for landscaping, HOA dues can cover a broad mix of services and amenities. Depending on the property, that may include security, roads, pools, building maintenance, insurance, internet, cable, reserves, fitness facilities, and social amenities. Country club communities may also include extensive recreational facilities, the outlet said.
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A lower purchase price can look attractive at first glance, but large monthly dues can change the math significantly.
Using NBC Palm Springs’ example, a $400,000 condo with a $1,800 monthly community charge would add $21,600 a year in HOA costs. If the dues never increased, that would total $108,000 over five years and $216,000 over 10 years.
HOA fees also can move in a way a 30-year fixed mortgage does not. As insurance, labor, and maintenance costs rise, dues can go up as well, and older communities may need repairs or impose special assessments beyond the regular monthly charges.
The first step is to treat HOA documents as part of the home itself. That means reviewing not only the monthly fee but also exactly which services are included.
Ask whether the community has repairs that could raise costs. A seemingly manageable fee can become much less affordable if it rises sharply a few years into ownership.
When comparing multiple properties, calculate total monthly housing cost, including mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA dues together, instead of focusing on sale price alone.
The sticker price is only the starting point. In some communities, as NBC Palm Springs showed, monthly dues can rival a second housing payment, and they can keep climbing long after a mortgage rate is locked in.
HOA costs are only part of the equation. Homeowners in California and elsewhere are also running into vague maintenance rules, EV-charger obstacles, solar disputes, landscaping bans, and the kind of frustration that grows when fees and restrictions keep stacking up.
• On Reddit, years of steep maintenance fees still left one homeowner guessing at lawn rules.
• On Reddit, new hurdles to prevent an EV charger sparked pushback over condo HOA authority.
• In California, an HOA cannot ask for unreasonable solar-installation demands when state rights laws apply.
• Some homeowners could never live in an HOA after seeing restrictions pile up.
For buyers, the bigger lesson is to look past the listing price and pay attention to how an HOA operates day-to-day. Monthly dues matter, but so do the rules, enforcement style, and surprise costs that can shape ownership over time.
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Saturday, September 19, 2026
An abundance of rooftop solar generation has helped set a new record high for the total share of renewables on Australia’s main grid, reaching nearly 80 per cent on a sunny Friday afternoon in Spring.
Data on OpenElectricity.org says the share of renewable energy on the National Electricity Market (NEM) hit 79.5 per cent at 1.30 pm on Friday September 18, beating the previous high – as measured by the Australian Energy Market Operator – of 78.6 per cent recorded nearly a year earlier at 11.30 am on Saturday October 11, 2025.
The record is based on 30-minute intervals, as is the measure used by the Australian Energy Market Operator – but there have been suggestions that the share in renewables went as high as 80.1 per cent according to 5-minute data.
At the time of the 1.30pm record, there was a total of 26,316 megawatts (MW) of renewables powering the NEM, compared to just over 2,000 MW of fossil fuels.
Rooftop solar was supplying nearly half of all generation at the time of the record – at a 47.9 per cent share – followed by 22.1 per cent from utility-scale solar. Brown and black coal, combined, held roughly 20 per cent of the mix.
Gas, meanwhile, was barely there, contributing a total of less than 1 per cent to the generation mix at the time of the record.
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Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
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“But if this were the case, panels would be breaking all the time in Florida rain.”
Photo Credit: iStock
After only a few months with a rooftop solar system, one homeowner said pollen and bird droppings were quickly collecting on the panels. The buildup appeared to affect the system’s performance too, with output dipping during the brightest stretch of the day.
The homeowner then turned to Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community to ask whether spraying the panels off at midday would help restore production, or whether the sudden temperature change would damage the glass.
The homeowner posted the question in the Reddit thread: “Wondering if I need to worry about thermal shock if I hose my panels down on a hot day.” 
They also said that grime on the panels was already causing a visible “production dropoff” when the sun was most intense.
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Replies didn’t fully agree on the level of risk, but much of the practical guidance pointed in the same direction. While some people advised against rinsing panels while they are hottest, others said tempered solar glass is built to handle outdoor temperature swings and compared hosing panels down to rain hitting them on a hot day.
One commenter asked, “Why not [wash them] in the morning before they heat up?” Another wrote, “Make sure you can touch their metal frames barehanded without discomfort, and that your cleaning water isn’t icy cold. Early AM and after-sunset are the recommended times.” 
A third user said, “Never had a problem cleaning panels in the middle of the day with people’s tap water. Makes it easy when they are warm to get the grime off. I get the logic… But if this were the case, panels would be breaking all the time in Florida rain.”
Commenters also stressed that cleaning panels takes more care than many household chores. The discussion touched on timing, water temperature, and method, and one commenter specifically said to avoid pressure washing, use a soft cloth, and use cleaning products cautiously.
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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 local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Waiting until early morning or evening may not be convenient, but it can help reduce risk and protect the equipment.
For homeowners still interested in going solar, EnergySage’s free services can also clarify the bigger financial picture. Homeowners considering panels can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. Those who do can save up to $10,000 on installations.
These stories also show how routine upkeep connects to the bigger math of owning solar at home.
• Some solar owners found a simple rinse can unlock roughly 5% more power.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• One homeowner found a simple cleaning hack dramatically boosted panel performance.
• At EnergySage, Charlie Hadlow helped unravel the mystery of solar panel costs.
If you’re dealing with pollen, dust, or droppings on your panels, these articles can help you sort out what cleaning can solve and what depends on the rest of the setup.
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Chinese cell prices fell for a third consecutive week as the export-buying rush faded and lower wafer and silver prices eased cost pressure.
Free-On-Board (FOB) China TOPCon M10 cell prices fell 2.29% week on week to $0.0469/W, while FOB China TOPCon 210R cell prices declined 1.72% to $0.0458/W, according to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released on Sept. 15.
M10 and 210R cell prices are now approximately 12% below their late-August peaks but remain around 20% and 18% above their Aug. 4 levels, respectively.
Restocking by overseas buyers ahead of the U.S. Section 232 measures, set to take effect on Dec. 4, continued to fade as inventories accumulated in overseas warehouses, according to a tier-1 supplier.
Domestic demand also remained subdued as the shift to market-based electricity pricing under the Document 136 reform has reduced expected project returns relative to the previous fixed-tariff regime, according to a trade source.
China’s solar cell output, meanwhile, rose modestly in August to 67.02 GW, up approximately 1.9% from July, according to National Bureau of Statistics data released on Sept. 15. Production nevertheless remained 12.9% below year-earlier levels, while January–August output fell 14.6% year on year to 505.90 GW.
The trade source said cell prices may remain under pressure in the near term as inventories accumulate amid cooling overseas buying and continued domestic weakness.
On the cost side, the supplier said easing silver prices have reduced metallization costs. Silver prices fell as much as 9% from their late-August peak earlier this week but have since recovered to around 5% below that level.
Lower wafer prices are reinforcing the cost relief for cell producers. Market participants said persistent oversupply continued to weigh on the wafer market, with some specifications declining further this week.
According to the OPIS report, FOB China M10 wafer prices remained unchanged week on week at $0.149/pc. FOB China 210R wafer prices, in contrast, declined 1.92% to $0.153/pc.
M10 wafer prices have been comparatively stable as the format has a limited market share and production capacity inside China, while relatively strong overseas demand has provided additional support.
Despite weak market fundamentals, one trade participant noted that wafer inventories have started to decline, with manufacturers’ inventory days falling to less than two weeks of production. The source said wafer producers were maintaining production at their own pace, with no output cuts observed, while new polysilicon purchases by wafer manufacturers have remained limited.
With the fourth quarter approaching, market participants are watching whether wafer manufacturers will accelerate price cuts or reduce output to generate cash flow and draw down inventories. Some sources said second-tier manufacturers are already seeking to stimulate sales through lower prices, with wafer prices potentially declining further by the end of September.
However, another market participant said fourth-quarter wafer output is unlikely to be lower than in the third quarter and could gradually increase month over month through December, before producers begin bringing forward Lunar New Year holidays in January 2027.
Further upstream, market reports have circulated regarding a production-cut agreement involving the China Photovoltaic Industry Association and 10 major polysilicon manufacturers. Although the arrangement has not been officially confirmed, producers would reportedly operate at 35% of nominal capacity.
Some market participants expect the reported agreement to provide short-term support for polysilicon prices and ease inventory accumulation, potentially increasing procurement pressure on wafer manufacturers.
However, a source at a leading wafer producer said the wafer market had yet to respond, adding that the agreement’s implementation and actual impact still need to be verified.
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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SMA Inaugurates New Gigawatt Factory in Germany for Utility-Scale Energy Technologies  SolarQuarter
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Lexington council said yes to rural solar farms. Why the mayor is vetoing them.  Yahoo
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“That quote is very expensive, check with other companies as I am getting same installed for [~$13,500] next month.”
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A homeowner in Northwest England says a rooftop solar quote that was more than $14,000 (£12,500) in May became much harder to justify after the price of a similar 19-panel system rose by more than $5,100 (£4,500), stretching the projected payback period to 20 years.
The homeowner shared their story in a post to Reddit’s r/SolarUK community. The original poster explained that the first quote they received in May priced a 9.21-kilowatt-peak, 19-panel installation at $14,000, including a Tesla Powerwall 3 battery and a Backup Gateway 2.
But when the system was priced again, a similar configuration came back at nearly $20,000 (£17,000), with roughly $2,000 of the increase attributed to updated scaffolding costs.
The OP then wrote, “Unfortunately, didn’t have the funds to proceed earlier in the year, but now I feel I’ve been priced out of an efficient solar system…. Anyone else had a jump in quotes this year?… ROI jumped from 16 to 20 years”
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For OP’s household, which uses about 6,000 kilowatt-hours per year, the quote was based on an estimated self-consumption rate of 62%.
In the discussion that followed, several users said the higher total may reflect the battery and backup equipment as much as any wider rise in solar panel prices.
The top comment read, “A 16 year ROI isn’t great to begin with, I’m on around 6 or 7 with my system based on current prices.” Another added, “That ROI seems miles off surely?”
A third user wrote, “That quote is very expensive, check with other companies as I am getting same installed for [~$13,500] next month.”
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People responding to the post cited factors such as installer demand, constrained panel supply, and shipping disruptions (in part due to the Iran War), while others argued that premium equipment choices were probably the larger driver of the quote.
For homeowners dealing with quote shock, it may make more sense to reprice the full system rather than looking only at the sticker price of the panels. That can mean requesting at least three new quotes and checking the payback yourself using realistic assumptions for grid imports, exports, and off-peak charging.
If you’re comparing options, EnergySage offers free solar installation estimates and lets homeowners compare quotes side by side. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
For readers in the U.S., EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state and details solar panel incentives for each state. 
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid, too. Homeowners can also explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Each article touches on the same affordability questions that surfaced in the Reddit thread, from incentives and equipment choices to cheaper ways to source panels. 
• Budget-minded homeowners on Facebook Marketplace found eye-popping deals for solar by buying used panels.
• In Florida, one homeowner said solar turned an $800 power bill into a $300 credit.
• U.S. homeowners learned that they could get up to $9,000 off solar panels.
These stories can help homeowners sort out whether a long payback comes from market conditions, pricey add-ons, or represents a deal that doesn’t make sense.
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Alpex Solar has commissioned its 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon cell manufacturing line 
Its Kosi-Kotwan plant expands Uttar Pradesh’s advanced solar manufacturing base, stated the company 
Alpex is also expanding its manufacturing footprint across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh 
Alpex Solar has officially entered into solar cell manufacturing with the inauguration of a 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility at Kosi-Kotwan Industrial Area in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh (UP). 
Spread over a 900,000-square-foot area, the plant is the first integrated TOPCon giga manufacturing line in Uttar Pradesh, according to Alpex. The facility will manufacture G12R TOPCon solar cells to serve the domestic market. 
The new capacity adds cell manufacturing to Alpex Solar’s existing operations in modules and EPC services. 
The cell plant forms part of Alpex Solar’s broader move toward an integrated solar manufacturing platform. Its portfolio now spans solar cells, PV modules, EPC solutions, solar pumps, and aluminum frames. At the end of December 2025, Alpex operated 1.2 GW of solar module production capacity, which it planned to expand to 3.6 GW. 
“The 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon cell manufacturing facility marks an important milestone in Alpex Solar’s journey from a solar module manufacturer and EPC provider to a more deeply integrated renewable energy company,” said Aditya Sehgal, CEO of Alpex Solar. 
Speaking with TaiyangNews at REI 2025, Sehgal had shared that the initial plan was to operate the 2.2 GW cell factory as a mono-PERC facility, but it switched to G12 TOPCon cell technology to better align with industry trends (see TaiyangNews Leadership Talks: Alpex Solar At REI 2025). 
Monica Sehgal, Whole-Time Director, Alpex Solar, said vertical integration would provide the company greater control over inputs, technology, and quality while allowing it to respond to changing market requirements. 
Alpex said it is expanding existing operations in Greater Noida, with five new manufacturing units planned across Greater Noida, Kosi-Kotwan in Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, without sharing details of the capacity, investment, or timeline.  
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On a battery-backed system, that kind of always-on drain can quietly eat away at stored energy.
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For off-grid cooks, induction burners can seem like an easy win: fast heat, less indoor warmth, and no propane refill. But people using solar power say another detail can matter just as much as cooking speed — what a unit does when it is not in use.
That tradeoff came into focus in a Reddit discussion built around a simple question: Is a single countertop induction burner worth keeping in the cabinet for occasional meals at a solar-powered cabin?
The conversation started when an r/OffGrid user asked on Reddit whether keeping an induction burner for occasional cabin cooking made sense.
They said, “I have a solar/battery/inverter setup sufficient for occasional cooking use. It seems like a nice thing to have in the cabinet.”
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One user replied, “We’ve been using one for 5-6 years now, works great. Ours shows wattage so it’s easy to keep an eye on electricity use.” 
Reported cooking loads in the thread ranged from about 800 watts to 1,800 watts depending on the task.
For households thinking beyond a single burner, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Those curious about costs can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Idle power use drew some of the strongest caution. 
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One user said, “I bought a very expensive induction stovetop with 2 burners and thought it would be energy efficient, but found out that it pulled 100 watts just when plugged in. I changed up by buying this $75 induction burner from Ikea.” 
The reason for this, as TCD has covered before, is typically from induction range models that have a built-in battery of their own to soak up power when not in use to then be able to work in an outage or simply to provide more cooking power all at once without needing a 240-volt outlet like those used by virtually all electric ranges. The constant draw into a battery allows these models to match the same concurrent power output with a standard 120-volt outlet.  
Some models, such as ones made by Copper, can even be calibrated to draw energy from the grid during off-peak pricing, reducing your bill, but that constant draw could conceivably add up to slightly more total power consumption than expected if you didn’t account for it — or, at the very least, mess with whole-home battery planning.
In other words, on a battery-backed system, that kind of always-on drain can quietly eat away at stored energy.
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Several replies focused on the inverter more than the battery alone. Their advice was to compare the burner’s top wattage with the inverter’s continuous output, rather than relying on battery capacity or a brief peak rating.
The thread also reminded readers that adding one electric appliance can force other upgrades. 
Cooking results were another theme. Some users said induction boils water faster than propane at high elevations and helps keep the kitchen cooler in summer, while others mentioned center hot spots, uneven heating, or difficulty holding a very low simmer.
Used under the right conditions, a portable induction burner can cut fuel use and take advantage of spare daytime solar generation, but commenters generally agreed induction’s pros tend to outweigh its cons.
Users said to verify the inverter’s continuous output, make sure the battery and cabling can handle the load, and look for a burner with adjustable power settings. 
EnergySage can also help people planning a larger home-energy upgrade instead of just buying another appliance, whether that be whole-home batteries, solar panels, or heat pumps. With EnergySage, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar and battery purchases and installations. That kind of savings can make a major difference when you are trying to avoid overspending on panels, inverters, or backup power.
Meanwhile, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help 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 on energy costs, and go off-grid. It can also make stored solar power more useful for evening cooking and other high-draw tasks. 
The Reddit thread points to a bigger question for off-grid and solar-powered homes: how to run useful appliances without overtaxing your system or your budget.
• For cabins without ideal roof space, portable solar setups can add daytime cooking power.
• Across many neighborhoods, rooftop and community solar are trimming monthly electric bills by more than $100.
• As grid upgrades raise long-term costs, rooftop solar can save households from steeper utility bills.
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“Letting the battery die once won’t cause noticeable degradation to it.”
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A Tesla solar customer says an installation pause caused by intense heat left a brand-new home battery in limbo, slowly draining as the next appointment was pushed back for weeks.
In a Reddit post, the homeowner said, “So I had my initial install set for 9/10, this past Thursday, but because of the intense heat over 100°, the solar panel team was unable to finish.”
The homeowner said pausing work in extreme heat was understandable, but the unfinished setup left the battery unable to charge. The OP also said messages to a project advisor were going unanswered.
Advice in the thread focused on both battery health and stopping further drain. 
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One user said, “Letting the battery die once won’t cause noticeable degradation to it. It’s when you drain a battery repeatedly that causes it to degrade.” 
Another explained, “There is a physical off switch on the left side of the unit,” which led the homeowner to shut the system down at 1%.
Homeowners considering panels can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
A half-finished solar-plus-storage project can create a frustrating gap between installation day and the point when the benefits actually begin. Even after hardware is mounted, systems may still need final commissioning, inspection, and utility approval before everything works as intended.
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If a system is incomplete, homeowners may still be paying for grid power while a new battery sits idle.
Suggestions on Reddit included changing how the homeowner contacted Tesla and asking about temporary charging options. One user recommended scheduling a phone call with an advisor instead of relying on text messages.
Ask installers exactly what happens if weather or permitting delays interrupt a project. It can also help to request shutdown instructions, confirm whether battery charging from the grid is allowed in your configuration, and keep records of the battery’s state and your communication with the company.
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. Home batteries can also store extra solar electricity for later use, and homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
EnergySage’s free services can also be valuable before you sign a contract. 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, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Tesla’s installation pause left one homeowner stuck with an unfinished solar project and little communication. Unfortunately, other homeowners have had frustrations too. 
• One homeowner was left in a frustrating position after an HOA rejected a Tesla solar plan.
• Tesla is attempting to salvage its reputation as customer service complaints keep piling up.
• In Monterrey, Tesla promised to plant double the number of trees removed for its Gigafactory.
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Saturday, September 19, 2026
An abundance of rooftop solar generation has helped set a new record high for the total share of renewables on Australia’s main grid, reaching nearly 80 per cent on a sunny Friday afternoon in Spring.
Data on OpenElectricity.org says the share of renewable energy on the National Electricity Market (NEM) hit 79.5 per cent at 1.30 pm on Friday September 18, beating the previous high – as measured by the Australian Energy Market Operator – of 78.6 per cent recorded nearly a year earlier at 11.30 am on Saturday October 11, 2025.
The record is based on 30-minute intervals, as is the measure used by the Australian Energy Market Operator – but there have been suggestions that the share in renewables went as high as 80.1 per cent according to 5-minute data.
At the time of the 1.30pm record, there was a total of 26,316 megawatts (MW) of renewables powering the NEM, compared to just over 2,000 MW of fossil fuels.
Rooftop solar was supplying nearly half of all generation at the time of the record – at a 47.9 per cent share – followed by 22.1 per cent from utility-scale solar. Brown and black coal, combined, held roughly 20 per cent of the mix.
Gas, meanwhile, was barely there, contributing a total of less than 1 per cent to the generation mix at the time of the record.
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Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
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It’s often said that if a major industrialized economy like Germany’s could achieve 24/7 renewable energy supply, so can anywhere else. There’s hardly a better place to understand where this idea comes from than at BASF’s headquarters and the world’s largest contiguous chemical production site in Ludwigshafen. A facility like this, with around 33,000 employees …
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A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
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“Your roof is irreplaceable essentially at this point.”
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A New Jersey homebuyer said a pending purchase hit an unexpected snag when an insurance agent flagged the property’s Tesla Solar Roof for underwriting review.
According to a post in Reddit‘s r/TeslaSolar, the buyer was close to closing when their insurance agent said an underwriter was reviewing the property. The OP said the concern centered on claims that the solar roof system had been discontinued.
The buyer asked other Tesla Solar Roof owners which insurers they use and whether the system had caused higher premiums or trouble getting covered. They said their agent was making it sound like “I might not have coverage or that I’ll have to pay even more than usual.”
One response suggested the main issue may be how the roof is categorized on the policy. That homeowner said their insurer “ended up entering ‘metal roof’. Premium did not change and you probably have the option to bump up your dwelling coverage if you think its not enough (atleast I was able to).”
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Another user said, “Your roof is irreplaceable essentially at this point. If a tree falls on your roof what amount should insurance pay you? They can’t pay for a Tesla roof because you can’t get one. Does that make sense?” 
When a specialized roof product is no longer sold, replacing the same system after a loss may become a separate question from simply insuring the home.
Going solar is still one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Homeowners comparing options can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Unlike a standard rooftop solar setup, Tesla’s Solar Roof builds the electricity-generating elements directly into the roof. That can complicate claims if an insurer must decide whether compensation should reflect a specialty roof, a conventional replacement roof, or a separate solar-panel installation.
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In follow-up comments, the OP said their broker was still checking with the underwriter and had tied the review to Tesla’s Aug. 21 announcement that it would stop offering roof systems to new customers. The buyer disagreed with that interpretation.
They said, “Tesla never said anything adversely for old customers. I think she is giving the wrong light into the issue.”
Once a product is discontinued, uncertainty can extend to underwriting, replacement value, warranties, and whether a purchase can proceed without a last-minute change in coverage.
Anyone buying a home with a discontinued solar product may want to sort out the insurance details before closing. Key questions include whether the insurer will describe it as a metal roof, a solar roof, or both, and whether the policy uses replacement-cost coverage or actual cash value if the original product can no longer be purchased.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Having those answers in writing can also help a buyer decide whether to increase dwelling limits. 
One user said, “You will be able to find an insurance company that will cover,” but a buyer may still need to keep checking with brokers or carriers until the policy terms are clearly spelled out.
Free tools can make the broader solar decision easier too. 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, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is also one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations, and its free services can help homeowners compare equipment, installers, and pricing without locking into a single quote too early.
Questions about insuring a discontinued Tesla roof are part of a bigger conversation around Tesla products, repair costs, and customer support. 
• Tesla owners are seeing insurance rates increase as repair costs keep climbing.
• At Tesla, an AI customer-service fix is being used to address growing owner frustration.
• In South Korea, officials said battery rules could strip Tesla vehicles of key subsidies.
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Solar panel maker Avaada Electro files updated DRHP for ₹7,600 crore IPO  business-standard.com
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Rocket Lab closed a $1.944 billion equity raise to fund its Iridium takeover, but shares fell as the FCC review draws SpaceX scrutiny.
Rocket Lab’s ambitions have never been modest, but the scale of what the Long Beach-based company is now attempting would have seemed fanciful a few years ago. Building rockets, manufacturing satellite components, and now reaching for entire operator networks — the vertical integration strategy is audacious. It is also expensive, and shareholders are beginning to feel the weight.
The clearest illustration of how far the company has moved beyond pure launch services sits not on a pad in Mahia, but in a manufacturing facility producing solar cells. On September 8, Rocket Lab announced the start of series production for IMM Apex, a germanium-free high-performance space solar cell. The specifications tell the strategic story: 31.5 percent beginning-of-life efficiency and a 40 percent reduction in cell mass compared with conventional multi-junction solar cells.
Those two numbers address distinct vulnerabilities. Every gram saved translates into lower transport costs for future satellite generations. And by eliminating germanium — a strategic raw material subject to global supply bottlenecks — Rocket Lab insulates itself from a procurement risk that has bedeviled the industry. Production capacity extends into the multi-hundred-kilowatt range, giving the company room to scale as constellation operators ramp up.
Engineering breakthroughs, however, do not pay for acquisitions. On Tuesday, Rocket Lab confirmed the completion of an at-the-market equity program totaling $1.944 billion. The proceeds fully fund the cash component of its planned takeover of satellite network operator Iridium Communications. The transaction, subject to customary conditions, is targeted for completion in mid-2027 and represents the boldest move in the company’s history.
The mechanics of the raise were substantial. Rocket Lab sold 29.3 million shares, retired a $3.6 billion bridge financing facility, and reduced its debt load in the process. The balance-sheet discipline is real. So is the dilution.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Rocket Lab?
Investors have registered both. On Friday, the stock dropped 4.7 percent to close at EUR 56.30, leaving it 58 percent below its 52-week high of EUR 133.80. The following session brought no relief — shares fell another 5.6 percent to EUR 55.80, leading sector losses. Media reports indicated that peers including AST SpaceMobile and Planet Labs also came under pressure, suggesting a broader reckoning with valuations after an extended rally rather than a verdict on any single company’s fundamentals.
The path to closing the Iridium deal now runs through Washington. The FCC has accepted the license transfer applications for review and opened a public comment period running through November 9, 2026. That process has attracted an intervention from SpaceX, which filed a submission asking regulators to examine whether Iridium engaged in anti-competitive conduct toward rival satellite operators. SpaceX stopped short of formally opposing the transaction, but the filing introduces friction into an already complex approval timeline.
Against that regulatory backdrop, the operational record offers a counterweight. Rocket Lab completed its 16th Electron mission of the year roughly a week ago — the 95th launch of the vehicle overall. That cadence reflects a reliability and routine that few competitors in the small-launch segment can match.
Raymond James initiated coverage on September 11 with an $80 price target and an Outperform rating. Analyst Brian Gesuale highlighted the combination of the Neutron rocket and the Iridium project as completing the company’s capabilities in the medium-payload segment and across application and frequency spectrum through 2027. His note was equally direct about the execution, integration, and margin risks that accompany that ambition.
The competitive landscape adds urgency. On September 8, Stoke Space demonstrated that venture capital remains abundantly available for launch ventures, closing a $1 billion funding round to develop a more capable reusable rocket designed to deploy satellite constellations. Rocket Lab must therefore deliver on two fronts simultaneously: the core launch business cannot afford to stumble while the expansion consumes capital and management attention.
At a market capitalization of EUR 36.44 billion, Rocket Lab is no longer judged as a scrappy space startup. It is measured against hard milestones — launch cadence, integration progress, regulatory clearance, and ultimately whether the earnings power of a vertically integrated space platform can outrun the dilution taken on to build it. The solar cells will not answer that question. The next several quarters will.
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September 19, 2026
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The new power hub is designed to support surveillance and IoT installations where access to conventional power infrastructure is limited
Consistent Infosystems, a leading IT hardware, surveillance, and electronics brand, has launched its 36W Solar Power Hub with a 13,500mAh Li-ion battery, designed to support CCTV systems, IoT devices and other compatible low-power equipment in outdoor and remote deployments. The power hub combines solar charging and battery storage in a single device, offering an alternative to conventional power connections for supported applications.
The Solar Power Hub delivers a maximum output of 36W and features a 13,500mAh Li-ion battery for storing solar-generated power. It is equipped with a Smart Battery Management System (BMS) for battery management and includes over-temperature protection. The device also carries an IP65 rating, making it suited to outdoor environments.
The product is designed for installations such as CCTV cameras, remote monitoring points, perimeters and other outdoor locations where establishing a conventional power connection can be challenging. By integrating solar generation and energy storage, this Consistent device can help simplify power deployment for compatible surveillance and IoT equipment in locations with limited access to fixed electrical infrastructure.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Yogesh Agrawal, CMD and Co-Founder, Consistent Infosystems, said, “As surveillance and IoT applications continue to expand across diverse environments, reliable power support has become an important part of the overall infrastructure. With our 36W Solar Power Hub, we aim to provide a practical solution that combines solar power generation, battery backup, and intelligent power management. This launch reflects our focus on developing reliable solutions that address the evolving requirements of India’s surveillance and IoT ecosystem.”
As surveillance and connected devices continue to expand across outdoor and distributed locations, access to suitable power infrastructure remains an important consideration for deployment. Solar-powered systems can provide an alternative approach for extending such installations to locations where conventional electrical connections may not be readily available.
Pricing and Availability
The Consistent 36W Solar Power Hub carries an MRP of INR 9,999 and is available through Consistent Infosystems’ extensive channel partner network across India and can also be purchased online at shop.consistent.in.
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Solar names bounced hard on Thursday, but that relief trade collapsed by Friday morning, and now one question hangs over the sector: whether the rate path has already decided where these stocks go next.
Market Movers desk. Editor: David Moadel.

Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH | ENPH Price Prediction) is sliding again on Friday, giving back part of a bounce that formed earlier in the week. The Invesco Solar ETF (NYSEARCA:TAN) is down 2%. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down only 0.2%, so the selling is concentrated in solar rather than spread across the broad market.
ENPH stock is at $34.29, down 5% in Friday morning trading. That leaves Enphase Energy stock up 7% year to date (YTD), so today’s move clips a gain rather than deepens an existing hole.
Meanwhile, First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) stock is at $193.38, down 4%, part of the same sector move. Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) stock is at $8.40, down 4%, extending a much longer slide for the residential installer.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates this week, its first increase in three years, and left the door open to another. Residential solar is financed rather than bought outright in most cases, which puts the cost of a loan directly underneath demand for home systems. That mechanism is the standing reason Enphase Energy trades on the rate path, and it explains why a macro headline can move the stock as sharply as a company release.
Enphase Energy’s residential microinverter and battery business is exposed to that dynamic more directly than a utility-scale competitor would be. When borrowing costs rise, homeowners defer or scale back the systems that carry Enphase Energy’s hardware, and the demand signal into its channel softens with them. That knock-on effect eventually shows up in shipments, sell-through and channel inventory.
Enphase Energy isn’t falling on its own today. First Solar and Sunrun are also lower, the Invesco Solar ETF slid alongside them, and the broad market barely moved. Any name in this group carries the same headline risk from the rate path, and Enphase Energy happens to be the biggest mover in the session.
24/7 Wall St. reported on Thursday that solar names rose as an earlier selloff in the group unwound. That advance hasn’t held into Friday, and Enphase Energy is giving back the largest share of it.
One feature separates Enphase Energy from the rest of the group. Enphase Energy stock is still higher on the year, so today’s selling clips a gain instead of deepening an existing hole the way it does at First Solar and Sunrun. That cushion is thin, however, and it doesn’t alter the source of the pressure on Enphase Energy.
The harder problem for Enphase Energy is that a demand story resting on financing costs doesn’t improve until the rate path does. Until borrowing conditions ease, the residential business at the center of Enphase Energy’s revenue mix stays under the same weight that pulled the stock lower on Friday.
Investors can watch for whether the Invesco Solar ETF holds through the close, since a break lower could drag Enphase Energy further with it. An advance in the same fund could lift Enphase Energy in kind, given how tightly the two names have tracked in this session.
For investors adding new exposure to Enphase Energy, a cautious posture makes sense while the sector trades on macro conditions rather than on company fundamentals. Trimming their positions, or waiting for a clearer read on borrowing costs, should keep their risk in line with a name whose demand backdrop remains tied to the rate cycle.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.
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Partly cloudy skies. High 63F. Winds light and variable..
A few clouds. Low 41F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: September 18, 2026 @ 11:49 pm
A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like immediately after construction, before trees would be planted.

A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like immediately after construction, before trees would be planted.
BLOOMINGDALE — After neighbors and community members brought their concerns about a proposed solar farm in the town of St. Armand to a public hearing, the town council is planning to set up a meeting with the solar company and property owner to try to address those concerns.
The 10-megawatt community solar farm has been proposed by solar developer Our Generation at the Trudeau Field across from the school bus garage on state Route 3. The energy generated from these panels could be able to give town residents and subscribers a lower rate on their electric bills.
The town council passed a one-year moratorium on commercial and community solar energy farms in June to give them more time to draft a local zoning law regulating their use and decommissioning.
Town Supervisor Davina Thurston said that the comments from the public hearing will inform the regulations they eventually draw up to mitigate concerns.
Neighbors and board members brought concerns about aesthetics, drinking water contamination, property value, wildlife, glare, fire risk and noise. Dan Leary, a managing partner from Our Generation, said the company would address these concerns. Board members and neighbors said they want guarantees in writing.
Thurston said they will set up a meeting with the board and the developers at a future meeting. She said she wants to make sure what they ask of them makes sense and meets the needs of the community.
Councilman Karl Law grilled Leary with hard questions. At the end of the day, he said the land is Trudeau’s property, and as a believer in capitalism, he does not believe in unreasonably restricting what the family can do with their own property. But he does want to watch out for board members 30 years from now.
The property is owned by the Trudeau family under Trudeau’s Green Valley LLC. Mark Trudeau attended the meeting and said they agreed to lease the property to the solar company to help cover their property taxes.
When they’re looking to place a community solar farm, first, Leary said they look at substations and lines with enough capacity available to host a system and see if the electric rates there make sense to be offset with the credits. Then, they start looking at properties that work.
The project involves two proposed solar arrays — one in the field in view of Route 3 and one behind the tree line. Much of the grassy field is classified as wetlands and cannot hold solar panels. Most of the panels in the field would be in the north end of the field, behind the barns and structures there. The panels would extend into the field, up to around where the bus garage starts across the road. Leary said they tried to put as many of the panels as possible behind the buildings and out of site.
Leary said this is not an array to supply a BESS or power a data center.
The farm would put electricity directly into the grid, connecting to National Grid distribution lines that run by the back of the field. The solar panels would rotate throughout the day to follow the sun.
Leary said the electricity would stay here in the community. After energy is produced, he said it takes the path of least resistance to be consumed. A 10-megawatt farm can produce power for around 1,500 homes a year.
Thurston clarified that this is not a town project. She’s had several people ask her if it is.
Leary said he started his career selling systems to big box stores like Walmart and JCPenny. He prefers community solar, because people get the benefit of the solar credits instead of big companies.
With the community solar program, up to 1,500 St. Armand residents would be able to sign up and get up to a 10% reduction of their energy costs from National Grid. Leary estimated that this could save a home an average of $200 per year, which could be hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings across the town.
The way this works is the farm produces energy, which Our Generation sells to National Grid in return for energy credits. The solar company then passes on some of those credits to subscribers, who can apply a discount index percentage to their electric rates.
Leary said this would likely be an opt-in program and there would be no cost to sign up or cancel the subscription.
The system has a maximum number of people who can sign up — 1,500 subscribers. Thurston said there are 980 homes and businesses in town.
Subscriptions would not be limited to town residents.
Law said unless town residents get the chance to be the first to sign up, he wouldn’t feel comfortable calling it a “community” solar installation.
Leary said Our Generation would love to open the sign-up to town residents first.
Leary also said National Grid has requirements that the project capacity includes 51% low to moderate income households. Thurston said St. Armand should easily reach this.
The project would also increase the town’s property tax revenue. Leary estimated the increase from around $600 to $14,000 in revenue per year for the town. The school district and county would also get more tax revenue.
The solar company would pay National Grid for upgrades to substations and infrastructure.
It would be in charge of training local fire departments to respond to emergencies.
Leary said that no harmful or toxic chemicals would leach from the panels, even if they are broken.
Law was still concerned. He said some chemicals currently considered safe may be found to be harmful in the future, and uncommon weather events could cause them to be introduced into the local watershed.
He wants Our Generation to put it in writing that if, say, a hailstorm breaks the panels and chemicals leach into the Saranac River, that the town would not be held responsible if downriver communities wanted to sue.
Leary said this was a hypothetical he has never come across before.
Stephanie Koff owns the house right next to the north end of the property. Their drinking water is on site, so she wanted something in writing that the solar farm would not use herbicides.
She also took issue with the photos in Our Generation’s slide show. The photographer stood in her driveway to take the photos and didn’t tell her. After she said she was not OK with this, Leary apologized.
Koff also had property value concerns and requested that the solar panels be set back further from the property line.
She pointed out that Our Generation would be using state tax dollars for the installation. Leary said every electric bill includes a “SBC systems benefits charge” which goes toward things like energy efficiency programs and public services NYSERDA administers, including the NY-Sun program.
He said the state funding will be a single-digit percentage of the capital of the investment, adding that if people are already paying that change, solar credits could allow them to benefit from it.
Town resident Larry Sweeney said he loves solar energy, but he had concerns that they act like “big mirrors” reflecting light that could be seen from the McKenzie range or Whiteface Mountain.
Leary said the panels are designed to absorb as much energy as possible and have anti-reflective glass that is less reflective than metal or glass. The company also plans to surround the panels with trees.
Leary said the project is currently going through the Adirondack Park Agency permitting process.
The solar panels have a 25-year output warranty and Leary said more than 85% of the material in panels can be recycled.
The project would have a decommissioning bond to cover the cost of returning the land to its current state after the contract ends. The bond would name the town as the beneficiary and escalate with inflation.
More documents about the proposed project can be found at townofstarmandny.gov/community-solar-project-trudeau-field.
To reach Aaron Marbone, email him at acerbone@adirondackdailyenterprise.com
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“As long as the grid is providing a decent value for exporting…”
Photo Credit: Reddit
A Dutch homeowner with a modest rooftop solar setup is running into a problem finding battery storage that actually makes financial sense.
With changes to the Netherlands’ salderingsregeling, its net metering scheme, expected in January 2027, the goal is no longer just producing power cheaply — it’s keeping more of that power at home without overpaying for “compatible” hardware.
The battery search appears to be driven first and foremost by policy changes. In a Reddit thread on r/SolarDIY, the original poster wrote, “I want to purchase batteries to limit whatever shenanigans this government is about to do to solar owners. (Salderingsregeling)” and said their current setup uses a Sun2000-2KTL-L1 inverter with four 450-watt panels that “peak around 1400 to 1600W on a good sunny summer day.”
Rather than paying up for the few batteries that seem to work directly with that inverter, the homeowner was focused on a cheaper route. They said Luna2000 modules and LG Chem RESU 7H/10H batteries looked overpriced, especially compared with the plug-in “Indevolt PowerFlex 2000 eco – 10kwh” set, which they viewed as a higher-capacity option for far less money.
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.
For homeowners facing similar decisions, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. It can help to explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before committing to costly equipment.
The homeowner did not see an inverter swap as an easy money-saving fix. After one commenter wrote, “Then a switch from this inverter to something that takes standard 48v batteries is trivial, as all the wiring is already there, and no change on roof is needed,” the original poster argued that buying a new inverter along with a battery would defeat the purpose of trying to cut costs.
When homeowners can no longer count on getting the same value for exported electricity, storing midday solar power for evening use starts to look much more appealing.
That does not necessarily mean batteries are a bargain. For many households, the math comes down to upfront equipment costs, how much solar power they actually generate, and whether backup power during outages is part of the plan.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The thread also points to a broader issue in home energy upgrades: Proprietary ecosystems can lock buyers into higher-priced add-ons, even when lower-cost storage options are available elsewhere on the market.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and potentially go off-grid. It can also help households use more of their own solar power instead of sending it back to the grid at less favorable rates. If you’re exploring those options, EnergySage offers information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For anyone comparing panels, batteries, and inverter upgrades, EnergySage’s free services can make the decision much easier. 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, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
The poster also acknowledged that batteries are not always the best deal while export compensation remains reasonable, writing, “But yes, as long as the grid is providing a decent value for exporting, it is a better value to not ad batteries.” They had summed up their view of the brand-compatible products more bluntly: “Both of those options are imho way overpriced.”
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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Scientists Successfully Test Underwater Solar Cells 32 Feet Below The South China Sea  sciencealert.com
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French researchers found solar panels can protect nectarine flowers from frost. Agrivoltaic systems kept flower buds significantly warmer during cold nights. This innovation offers a new method for fruit growers to prevent crop damage. The study examined a nectarine orchard in Etoile-sur-Rhone, France. Agrivoltaics provide frost protection while generating solar energy.
Researchers in France turned solar panels into a nighttime frost shield for nectarine trees, keeping flower buds warmer and reducing flower injury. (Representative Image)

View of the ‘Kinolea’ nectarine orchard during bloom; panels were in a horizontal position during the night with frosts. 

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CTUIL issues guidelines for enhancing storage capacity of BESS projects
September 17, 2026
Follow Mercom India on WhatsApp for exclusive updates on clean energy news and insights
The supply mismatch between India’s solar module and cell capacity has had an unlikely fallout: low utilization of module manufacturing lines. With average capacity utilization at about 35% to 40%, manufacturers are struggling to keep their lines running as module capacity continues to expand while domestic cell production lags.
The Central Transmission Utility of India (CTUIL) issued the procedure for battery energy storage system (BESS) projects with existing connectivity to increase their energy storage capacity in MWh without increasing their approved charging or discharging capacity in MW.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued operational guidelines for the GOBARdhan program to accelerate the development of the compressed biogas sector.
Coal India floated an engineering, procurement, and construction tender to develop 80 MW/320 MWh battery energy storage systems at four locations in Odisha, along with comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) for 15 years. The last date to submit bids is October 9, 2026. Bids will be opened the following day.
NTPC Renewable Energy invited bids to develop a 215 MW wind energy project with connectivity to the state transmission utility in Madhya Pradesh. The last date to submit bids is October 9, 2026. Bids will be opened on the same day.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company invited bids from vendors to design, manufacture, supply, install, and commission off-grid solar water pumping systems under Component B of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) program.
The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh invited bids for a five-year O&M contract for a solar power project in the state’s West Godavari district. The last date to submit bids online is October 12, 2026. Bidders can submit hard copies of technical bids till October 13, 2026. The technical bids will be opened the same day, and the financial bids on October 16, 2026.
Cochin Shipyard invited bids to set up a BESS at its premises in Kochi, Kerala. The last date to submit bids is October 13, 2026. Bids will be opened the following day.
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority invited bids to develop a 3 MW green hydrogen electrolyzer plant and hydrogen refueling station at its premises in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. The last date to submit bids is October 6, 2026. Bids will be opened the following day.
Kolkata-based solar module manufacturer Vikram Solar signed an agreement with Avaada Electro to procure 1 GW of domestically manufactured solar cells.
Agastya Energy and Infrastructure’s board of directors approved a preferential issue of equity shares and convertible warrants totaling approximately ₹5.66 billion (~$59.32 million).
Houston-based vertically integrated solar manufacturer SEG Solar started commercial-scale production of heterojunction solar modules at its second U.S. manufacturing facility, Tomball #1, in the Greater Houston area, Texas.
U.S.-based solar module manufacturer First Solar planned to withdraw its Section 337 patent complaint before the U.S. International Trade Commission and continue pursuing lawsuits over tunnel oxide passivated contact technology in U.S. District Court.
Planted, a company that develops automated systems for solar project deployment, raised $31.8 million to expand its robotic fleet and scale solar project deployment. The company’s solution combines project planning software, terrain-following solar arrays, energy storage, and field robotics.
38 Degrees North, a community solar and distributed renewable energy developer and operator, closed a $260 million financing facility with infrastructure finance platform Apterra Infrastructure Capital to support the construction of approximately 85 MW of community solar projects across New York and Illinois.
ZAKH Renewable Energy and Engineering Manufacturing launched a full-cycle manufacturing facility dedicated to producing solar modules and building-integrated photovoltaics. The facility is located in the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone in the UAE.
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Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Severe thunderstorms expected. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Severe thunderstorms expected. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Updated: September 18, 2026 @ 7:27 pm
FILE – Solar panels operate, April 28, 2026, at a farm in Christiana, Tenn.

FILE – Solar panels operate, April 28, 2026, at a farm in Christiana, Tenn.
The Trump administration illegally terminated a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to more than 900,000 lower-income Americans, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Friday.
The Environmental Protection Agency rescinded the Solar for All funds in August 2025 after President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending law passed in Congress a month earlier, with Administrator Lee Zeldin calling the Biden-era grant program a “boondoggle.”
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It could potentially push solar cell efficiency beyond the theoretical 33% limit.
Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands found that tin-based perovskite solar cells can slow heat loss from high-energy “hot electrons.” It could push solar cell efficiency beyond the theoretical 33 percent limit.
When sunlight strikes a panel, photons jump-start electrons into action. The most energetic photons create super-charged hot electrons. Theoretically, these high-voltage powerhouses should generate far more electricity. In practice, they are a fleeting tease. In fractions of a trillionth of a second, these high-energy particles rapidly cool, dumping their bonus energy as waste heat before ever leaving the solar cell.
“This means that the energy is lost before the hot electron exits the solar cell material,” said Jan Anton Koster, Professor of Physics of Novel Semiconductors and Devices at the University of Groningen.
In collaboration with Maria Antonietta Loi, professor of Photophysics and Optoelectronics, the team created an experimental setup. 
Using a specialized solar cell material called tin-based perovskite, Loi’s lab performed a feat many thought impossible: she slowed the heat loss down by a factor of 1,000. Suddenly, the extra energy lingered for nanoseconds instead of vanishing in picoseconds.
Skeptics were instantly dubious. Even the researchers questioned their own data. “We even started to doubt the measurements ourselves,” admits Koster.
To solve the puzzle, Koster and PhD student Tim Faber built digital simulations to peel back the quantum layers. And discovered a surprising double-action mechanism at work.
First, a “Hot Phonon Bottleneck” creates a heat trap. As electrons release heat, the surrounding environment warms up so fast that the electrons end up reabsorbing their own lost thermal energy. Second, the “Burstein-Moss effect” creates an atomic traffic jam. Because the lower-energy states are already crowded with excited electrons, the path down becomes blocked.
Together, these two mechanisms stall the cooling process. It works. The simulations matched the exact nanosecond delay observed in the lab.
This study uses Ensemble Monte Carlo simulations and time-resolved photoluminescence to show that band filling, combined with the hot-phonon bottleneck effect, accounts for ultra-long hot-carrier cooling times in tin-based metal halide perovskites.
Through advanced computer simulations and light-based measurements, researchers discovered why tin-based solar materials can hold onto extra energy much longer than usual. These specialized materials could be used to build a new generation of super-efficient solar cells.
Tin-based metal halide perovskites are non-toxic, eco-friendly crystalline materials for high-performance solar energy conversion. These advanced semiconductors feature a specialized three-dimensional lattice structure in which tin ions pair with halogen and organic or inorganic components. 
The material possesses an unusually low electron mass. As a result, electric charges move quickly and retain extra thermal energy for extended periods. This combination of broad light absorption, efficient charge movement, and prolonged energy retention makes these materials prime candidates for next-generation solar panels. 
Commercial solar panels harvesting this lingering heat are still a ways off. “There are many other questions that still need answers, but in theory, this discovery could allow the creation of more efficient solar cells, beyond the theoretical limit of 33 percent,” the team stated.
The study findings were published in the journal ACS Energy Letters. 
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The six recommended schools — Eisenhower, Lincoln, Madison, McKinley, Underwood and Wilson — were proposed partly because of their roof conditions.
The Wauwatosa School District has identified six elementary schools where rooftop solar panel arrays could be feasible, potentially generating $6.4 million in savings over 25 years.
The six schools eyed for solar are Eisenhower, Lincoln, Madison, McKinley, Underwood and Wilson. Based on initial estimates, solar power at those schools could meet at least half of those schools’ electricity needs, with the option of expanding to other schools in the future.
The School Board listened to a presentation about the district’s solar power options at its Sept. 14 meeting, and it is scheduled to vote Sept. 28 on whether to move forward with seeking bids from contractors on the project. Construction likely would take place in spring and summer 2027.
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COnovate is among the member businesses based in the Technology Innovation Center at 10437 Innovation Drive in the Milwaukee County Research Park just south of Wauwatosa Plank Road.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 16, which county leaders tout as a major step toward transforming the 18-acre Wisconsin Avenue Park into Moss Universal Park, with facilities accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
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City officials say they are still weighing their options about whether to conduct potentially costly repairs to the Hart Park softball field or seek a new use for the space.
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Expandable Solar Power Stations: The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus Now Supports 500W Solar…  Trend Hunter
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Cloud-Driven IoT Solar Tracking System: Real-Time Control and Power Optimization With Raspberry Pi and MATLAB  Wiley Online Library
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September 19, 2026
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The new power hub is designed to support surveillance and IoT installations where access to conventional power infrastructure is limited
Consistent Infosystems, a leading IT hardware, surveillance, and electronics brand, has launched its 36W Solar Power Hub with a 13,500mAh Li-ion battery, designed to support CCTV systems, IoT devices and other compatible low-power equipment in outdoor and remote deployments. The power hub combines solar charging and battery storage in a single device, offering an alternative to conventional power connections for supported applications.
The Solar Power Hub delivers a maximum output of 36W and features a 13,500mAh Li-ion battery for storing solar-generated power. It is equipped with a Smart Battery Management System (BMS) for battery management and includes over-temperature protection. The device also carries an IP65 rating, making it suited to outdoor environments.
The product is designed for installations such as CCTV cameras, remote monitoring points, perimeters and other outdoor locations where establishing a conventional power connection can be challenging. By integrating solar generation and energy storage, this Consistent device can help simplify power deployment for compatible surveillance and IoT equipment in locations with limited access to fixed electrical infrastructure.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Yogesh Agrawal, CMD and Co-Founder, Consistent Infosystems, said, “As surveillance and IoT applications continue to expand across diverse environments, reliable power support has become an important part of the overall infrastructure. With our 36W Solar Power Hub, we aim to provide a practical solution that combines solar power generation, battery backup, and intelligent power management. This launch reflects our focus on developing reliable solutions that address the evolving requirements of India’s surveillance and IoT ecosystem.”
As surveillance and connected devices continue to expand across outdoor and distributed locations, access to suitable power infrastructure remains an important consideration for deployment. Solar-powered systems can provide an alternative approach for extending such installations to locations where conventional electrical connections may not be readily available.
Pricing and Availability
The Consistent 36W Solar Power Hub carries an MRP of INR 9,999 and is available through Consistent Infosystems’ extensive channel partner network across India and can also be purchased online at shop.consistent.in.
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GameChange Energy, a US maker of solar trackers, has finished commissioning its Genius Tracker 1P system at a 283MWp PV installation in South Africa known as Mooi Plaats.
Situated close to Noupoort in the Northern Cape, the installation belongs to the Koruson 2 renewable energy cluster and was developed and built by Envusa Energy, a joint venture involving EDF Power Solutions and Anglo American.
Acting as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor are China Energy Engineering Corporation, a state-owned Chinese company, together with its subsidiary China Gezhouba Group Corporation.
Vikas Bansal, who serves as CEO for international operations at GameChange Energy, described the Northern Cape as a location with tough environmental and site conditions, citing strong winds, high temperatures, dust and difficult construction settings that impose heavy demands on tracker design and execution. He explained that the Genius Tracker 1P system was picked to deliver dependable performance amid those conditions while permitting efficient installation on a project of this size, and he expressed appreciation for the close cooperation with CGGC, Envusa Energy and the wider project team during the build.
Renewable electricity from the Mooi Plaats project will be directed to Anglo American’s mining operations in South Africa, among them Kumba Iron Ore, De Beers and Valterra Platinum. Annual generation is projected at almost 360 million kWh, which helps the mining firms cut Scope 2 emissions and expand their renewable electricity supply. More than 1,600 local positions were supported while the project was under construction.
GameChange Energy was more recently chosen to provide its Genius Tracker 1P Terrain Following system for the 380MWp Lower Wonga Solar Farm in Queensland, Australia. Solar developer Lightsource bp is behind that project, and INTEC Energy Solutions is handling EPC work.
In March 2026, the company won a contract to deliver 258MWp of solar trackers for a solar-plus-storage development in Egypt. The previous month, it agreed to supply its Genius Tracker system for the 1.2GW Bisha Solar PV independent power project in Saudi Arabia. GameChange Energy stated at the time that the deal highlighted its growing manufacturing presence in Saudi Arabia, where it has built 6GW of yearly production capacity.
Elsewhere, Spanish tracker producer Gonvarri Solar Steel has reached an agreement to provide trackers for a 389MWp solar PV project in Chile’s Antofagasta region. Set in the Atacama Desert, the project will deploy the company’s TracSmarT+ 1P tracker technology. Building work is due to start in 2026 and last through the first half of 2027. According to Solar Steel, the project will pair solar generation with energy storage.
The deal lifts Gonvarri Solar Steel’s cumulative tracker supply in Chile to nearly 3GW. The company has been active in the Chilean market for over ten years and offers engineering, technical and maintenance services from an office in Santiago. It recently announced that its tracker portfolio had earned independent certification for hybrid solar-plus-storage projects in both AC- and DC-coupled setups.
Chile’s strong solar irradiation and expanding energy storage deployment have underpinned the ongoing development of utility-scale PV projects, especially in the country’s northern areas. In 2025, Gonvarri Solar Steel introduced its TracSmarT+ 1P tracker, a dual-row 1P system capable of tilt angles reaching 60 degrees. The tracker uses the company’s SmarTSlope technology, which lets adjacent piles handle as much as 0.6 degrees of variation so installation can proceed on uneven ground without reducing module row lengths.
Gonvarri Solar Steel, which forms part of Gonvarri Industries, designs and produces solar trackers and fixed structures for the PV industry, having supplied over 32GW of capacity globally.
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GREW Solar and Caelux have signed a five-year commercialization agreement for hybrid-tandem modules 
The modules will combine Caelux’s perovskite glass technology with GREW Solar’s n-type TOPCon technology 
The duo targets commercial production of the tandem modules to start in 2028 
Indian solar PV manufacturer GREW Solar is entering the perovskite-silicon tandem solar module segment through a five-year partnership with US-based solar technology company Caelux Corporation. The commercialization agreement covers 4 GW of high-power hybrid-tandem modules.  
Under the partnership, Caelux will provide its perovskite Energy Producing Glass, which will be combined with GREW Solar’s n-type TOPCon technology to produce tandem modules, including the latter’s large-format G12R platform. Caelux’s Energy Producing Glass is designed to add a perovskite layer to conventional silicon solar modules. 
With these two energy-producing layers, the partners target efficiencies above 29%. Caelux plans to begin commercial production in 2028.  
The partnership is intended to support production of the tandem modules in India, and meet the requirements of India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM).  
For GREW Solar, the agreement expands its module technology portfolio from conventional silicon-based TOPCon to hybrid perovskite-silicon tandem technology. A Chiripal Group venture, GREW operates a 6.5 GW solar module manufacturing factory in Dudu, Rajasthan, and plans to scale it to 11 GW. It is also building an 8 GW cell manufacturing factory in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, along with an 8 GW wafer plant (see GREW Solar Plans 8 GW Wafer Plant In Madhya Pradesh).  
For Caelux, the GREW Solar agreement brings the total contracted volume for its perovskite technology with module manufacturers globally to 19 GW. In July 2026, it secured two separate contracts with India’s Rayzon Solar and Navitas Solar for 5 GW capacity each (see Caelux, Rayzon, Navitas Target 10 GW Tandem Solar In India).  
TaiyangNews will host PV Leadership Briefing.India 2026 (PVLB.I 2026), an invite-only executive dinner bringing together senior PV manufacturing leaders on October 22, 2026, for a focused industry exchange during Renewable Energy India Expo 2026. Details for registration are available here.
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“As long as the grid is providing a decent value for exporting…”
Photo Credit: Reddit
A Dutch homeowner with a modest rooftop solar setup is running into a problem finding battery storage that actually makes financial sense.
With changes to the Netherlands’ salderingsregeling, its net metering scheme, expected in January 2027, the goal is no longer just producing power cheaply — it’s keeping more of that power at home without overpaying for “compatible” hardware.
The battery search appears to be driven first and foremost by policy changes. In a Reddit thread on r/SolarDIY, the original poster wrote, “I want to purchase batteries to limit whatever shenanigans this government is about to do to solar owners. (Salderingsregeling)” and said their current setup uses a Sun2000-2KTL-L1 inverter with four 450-watt panels that “peak around 1400 to 1600W on a good sunny summer day.”
Rather than paying up for the few batteries that seem to work directly with that inverter, the homeowner was focused on a cheaper route. They said Luna2000 modules and LG Chem RESU 7H/10H batteries looked overpriced, especially compared with the plug-in “Indevolt PowerFlex 2000 eco – 10kwh” set, which they viewed as a higher-capacity option for far less money.
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.
For homeowners facing similar decisions, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. It can help to explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before committing to costly equipment.
The homeowner did not see an inverter swap as an easy money-saving fix. After one commenter wrote, “Then a switch from this inverter to something that takes standard 48v batteries is trivial, as all the wiring is already there, and no change on roof is needed,” the original poster argued that buying a new inverter along with a battery would defeat the purpose of trying to cut costs.
When homeowners can no longer count on getting the same value for exported electricity, storing midday solar power for evening use starts to look much more appealing.
That does not necessarily mean batteries are a bargain. For many households, the math comes down to upfront equipment costs, how much solar power they actually generate, and whether backup power during outages is part of the plan.
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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.
The thread also points to a broader issue in home energy upgrades: Proprietary ecosystems can lock buyers into higher-priced add-ons, even when lower-cost storage options are available elsewhere on the market.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and potentially go off-grid. It can also help households use more of their own solar power instead of sending it back to the grid at less favorable rates. If you’re exploring those options, EnergySage offers information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For anyone comparing panels, batteries, and inverter upgrades, EnergySage’s free services can make the decision much easier. 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, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
The poster also acknowledged that batteries are not always the best deal while export compensation remains reasonable, writing, “But yes, as long as the grid is providing a decent value for exporting, it is a better value to not ad batteries.” They had summed up their view of the brand-compatible products more bluntly: “Both of those options are imho way overpriced.”
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Digital newspaper of Maspalomas and southern Gran Canaria
Digital newspaper of Maspalomas and southern Gran Canaria
 
The business and investment network linked to the Del Castillo family is reinforcing its asset strategy in the renewable energy sector by promoting a new grid-connected photovoltaic plant in southern Gran Canaria. The project, processed within the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, mobilizes a direct economic investment of €2,9 million, consolidating the allocation of private capital towards decentralized electricity generation infrastructure in the archipelago.

The installation is technically located in the area known as Arpón Blanco, in the coastal town of Santa Águeda. The project report details an intensive industrial deployment of high-efficiency components to optimize energy performance in this southern location. The operational core of the solar park will consist of a total of 4.224 photovoltaic modules manufactured by the multinational Jinkosolar, corresponding to the Tiger Neo 72HL4-BDV model with glass-to-glass insulation technology and an N-type monocrystalline architecture. Each of these panels has a nominal power of 600 peak watts, designed to maximize the capture of solar radiation on specific support structures adapted to the southern terrain.

The transformation and management of the generated current is handled by a converter station equipped with eight Huawei inverters, ensuring optimal stability and performance parameters for energy injection. For the evacuation of the electricity produced, the access and connection point to the distribution network will be physically located at the designated support structure on the Cercado line, directly connected to the Arguineguín Substation. The execution of this technical operation requires the prior physical replacement of the existing support structure and the corresponding implementation of the operational boundary change protocols with the distribution company.

This injection of private capital and technological development directly addresses the macroeconomic decarbonization objectives set by the regional strategic framework, whose primary aim is to reduce the historical dependence on fossil fuels in the islands’ electricity systems. The progressive implementation of distributed generation in key locations in southern Gran Canaria increases the self-sufficiency of the transmission and distribution network, while simultaneously boosting the industrial sector specializing in the green transition.

Sector analysts point out that the viability and implementation schedule of these types of industrial initiatives depend critically on administrative agility and rigorous coordination between private promoters and competent public bodies, a necessary balance to accelerate the processing of renewable energy applications without compromising environmental preservation or the planning of the island’s territory.
 
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They were also trying to avoid overpaying for a system that did not match their needs.
Photo Credit: iStock
A California homeowner hoping to add more solar panels and battery backup to an existing setup ran into a frustrating reality check that expanding rooftop solar is often more complicated than it sounds.
In a post on Reddit’s r/solar community, the homeowner said they already had a 12-panel Enphase system with IQ7+ microinverters and were trying to add more panels, expandable battery storage, and backup capability for outages. They said the original installer overlooked those goals, recommended equipment they considered undersized, and then “just ghosted me.”
A commenter explained, “Adding a second system, rather than expanding the first system, is almost always a preferable approach.” Elsewhere in the discussion, another commenter said any backup plan must start with identifying which appliances need to stay on and how long they need power when the grid is out.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but this thread highlights why it is so important to compare equipment and installers before moving forward. Homeowners considering a project can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The original poster’s concern was not only technical. They were also trying to avoid overpaying for a system that did not match their needs, writing, “I don’t want to get an installer that pushes toward a brand that’s a) not good, or b) overpriced if that’s all they really work with.”
Commenters floated a few paths: using a whole-home hybrid inverter that can work with the existing Enphase equipment during outages, keeping the current setup separate while adding a grid-tied inverter with batteries, or creating a critical-loads subpanel for essential circuits.
The most practical next step in this case is to gather several proposals and ask each installer whether they are designing a true expansion or a second independent system. It is also wise to ask about outage performance, battery capacity, service-panel limits, permitting, and whether the existing solar setup can continue producing when the grid is down.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and potentially go off-grid. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
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.
EnergySage’s free services can be especially useful when a project involves batteries, utility rules, and multiple equipment choices.
As one commenter put it, “‘Offline during a power outage’ is certainly feasible – the key questions for you are: Which appliances and loads do you want to be able to run? For how long?”
These stories address the same questions the California homeowner is facing and offer useful context for comparing equipment, planning for outages, and steering clear of a costly mismatch.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• In Australia, one homeowner said blackouts became invisible after adding a 20-kilowatt solar backup.
• At EnergySage, COO Charlie Hadlow said solar prices hinge on equipment, labor, and permitting rules.
• For homeowners weighing upgrades, different solar system options can determine installation complexity and backup flexibility.
If you’re trying to build onto an existing system, sort out your backup priorities, equipment options, and competing quotes early. That groundwork can make it much easier to spot red flags before a straightforward upgrade turns into a much more complicated job.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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PV and energy storage supplier JinkoSolar has launched its ‘Sunny 365’ smart PV-storage solution for small and medium-sized manufacturers in five sectors: electronics, home appliances, home textiles and apparel, food processing, and hardware products.
The solution combines Tiger Neo 3.0 high-efficiency PV modules with a 30-year power warranty and the SunGiga G2 commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system (ESS), including a typical 125 kW/261 kWh configuration with liquid cooling and multi-level fire protection. It also incorporates JinkoSolar’s in-house battery management system (BMS) and energy management system (EMS) technologies.
The solution is designed to reduce electricity costs through solar self-consumption, peak-valley energy shifting, and demand management. With the required grid/off-grid switching and backup configurations, it can also provide emergency power for critical loads during outages. JinkoSolar provides lifecycle services covering solution design, system delivery, and O&M.
JinkoSolar has previously introduced Sunny 365 solutions for other applications, including retail and supermarkets, artificial intelligence data centers (AIDC), manufacturing, and transportation.
Recently, JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. announced that it plans to rename itself Jinko Holdings Limited (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
PV technology company Yanhe Technology (formerly Yanhe Solar) has launched its self-developed flexible perovskite PV module into orbit aboard the Tianyi-52 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 17. The mission begins long-term performance monitoring and validation of the module’s adaptability to the space environment. The company said it is China’s first module-level engineering in-orbit validation of flexible perovskite PV technology under full operating conditions in the commercial space sector.
The module will be evaluated under extreme space conditions, including high vacuum, temperature cycling from -100°C to +100°C, high-energy particle irradiation, and atomic oxygen erosion. The company will monitor its electrical output characteristics, interconnection reliability, and mechanical stability in orbit, with key data transmitted in real time through the satellite’s telemetry system.
Yanhe Technology also plans to conduct in-orbit validation of other technology pathways later this year, including flexible silicon, perovskite-HJT and perovskite-CIGS tandem cells, module arrays and complete solar array wings. Last month, Yanhe Solar finalized the engineering prototype of its proprietary ‘Nebula’ flexible roll-up space solar wings (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Guangxi Anlan Technology, a subsidiary of China Aneng Group First Engineering Bureau, and its partners have deployed the first 4 PV installation robots at a utility-scale solar project in Wuwei, Gansu province, where construction has begun.
Developed for the challenging terrain and outdoor conditions of desert, Gobi, and other arid-land PV projects, the robots can independently perform tasks including PV module transport and standardized installation. They are designed to support continuous construction, reduce reliance on labor-intensive manual installation, and improve construction efficiency and standardization at large-scale PV projects.
TCL Zhonghuan (TCL TZE) subsidiary Huansheng Photovoltaic and HY Solar have won two procurement tender packages for 640.97 MWp of n-type TOPCon bifacial dual-glass modules. These will be used for an 800 MW PV project within Gansu’s Tengger Desert-Hexi New Energy Base.
Launched by Gansu Minqin Shagehuang Green Energy Co., Ltd., the tender was divided into two packages. Huansheng Photovoltaic secured the 320.56 MWp first package at RMB 0.695/W, while HY Solar won the 320.41 MWp second package at RMB 0.692/W.
TaiyangNews 2024

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Luis Reyes
Sep 18, at 11:00am ET
Small towns in the Midwest tend to be known for one slightly odd thing. Sometimes it’s a giant fiberglass statue out by the highway, and sometimes it’s a water tower shaped like an ear of corn. Monroeville, Ohio, a village of about 1,300 people in Huron County, might have just picked up a new one: the biggest floating solar array anywhere in Ohio, sitting on the reservoir the village gets its drinking water from.
The builder, a floating solar developer called D3Energy, said on September 16 that the array is up and running. It’s 9,222 solar panels spread across three floating islands on about 12 acres of water, and the power goes straight into the village’s own distribution grid.
A ground-mounted array making the same power would have needed about 30 acres of farmland in Huron County, according to D3Energy’s announcement. Stetson Tchividjian, the company’s managing director, summed it up with a line that’s frankly better than most press release quotes: “Monroeville had water sitting right there doing one job. Now it does two.”
It’s less exotic than it sounds like it would be, and most floating arrays work the same basic way. Panels get bolted onto plastic floats that lock together into big rafts, and the rafts get tied off so they can’t drift around the water. Monroeville’s three islands add up to 11.1 acres, according to the builder’s project page, and they’re held in place with lines run to the shore and heavy weights sitting on the bottom. The reservoir itself is 11 feet deep at its deepest point.
The array is rated at 6 megawatts, and if you divide that by the number of panels, you get roughly 650 watts apiece. That’s a big panel. EnergySage says most panels going onto house roofs are around 400 watts, so these are the bigger utility-scale kind you’d usually see on racks in a field. That 6 megawatts is also a peak figure, which means it’s what the panels could make in perfect lab conditions, and we went through why real-world output comes in lower when we looked at a solar park on an old Maryland landfill this week.
So what happens when an Ohio winter freezes that reservoir over?
One of our readers asked exactly that under our story on Lima’s floating array last month, and it’s a fair question. The honest answer is that we don’t know yet for Monroeville, because it’s only just started producing, and I haven’t seen anything published on how its islands handle ice. What I can tell you is that Ohio’s first floating array, on a Del-Co Water reservoir in Delaware, Ohio, has already sat through two winters and still counts as operating. And a research team in Ontario managed to keep the ice off a small floating test array for an entire winter with an aquarium pump, which is about as low-tech as a fix gets.
Not quite. It’s a decent start, though. When construction began, the American Public Power Association reported the array would make more than 7,500 megawatt-hours a year. The Energy Information Administration puts the average American household at about 865 kilowatt-hours a month, so I ran the math and got enough for roughly 720 homes. Monroeville had a little over 500 households at the last census.
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But houses aren’t the only thing on that grid. The village’s first solar project, a 4-megawatt array mounted on the ground that’s been running for the better part of a decade, was expected to offset about 10% of the electricity Monroeville buys each year, according to the Sandusky Register’s report when it opened. Add a bigger array on the water and solar’s share climbs a lot. Still, it’s safe to assume most of the village’s power comes from somewhere else, and the sun goes down every night anyway.
D3Energy figures the two arrays together give Monroeville about 13 times the solar per person that the rest of Ohio has. I can’t check that one independently, but with roughly 10 megawatts shared among a village this small, I don’t have much trouble believing it.
Monroeville is also one of the roughly 2,000 American towns and cities that run their own electric utility, and the American Public Power Association counts the village among its members. So the village owns the poles and wires and sends out the bills. It just doesn’t own the floating panels. Gardner Capital does. It sells the electricity to Monroeville under a long-term contract, so the village basically pays for the power and lets someone else worry about the hardware. For a place this size, that’s arguably the easiest way to get a project like this built.
Monroeville is the third floating array D3Energy has built in Ohio, after the Del-Co Water one and the array Lima switched on in August. Ohio’s county-level solar bans only reach projects of 50 megawatts and up, as we found with Lima, so none of the three had to fight that particular battle.
The company also says Monroeville’s array ranks among the five largest floating arrays in the country, and that Ohio now has more floating solar than any of its Midwest neighbors. I couldn’t find an independent tally to check either claim against, so I’d file both under probably true, but self-reported.
The array showed up a little later than planned, too. When construction began, the plan was to have it running by early 2026. It’s now September. The announcement doesn’t say which day the power actually started flowing, only that it has. For a construction job with an Ohio winter stuck in the middle of it, I’d call that a pretty forgivable delay.
Tchividjian gave the credit to Tom Gray, Monroeville’s recently retired village administrator, who, he said, saw the project through from the first meeting to the day it went live.
With Monroeville online, the September 16 announcement puts Ohio at almost 10 megawatts of floating solar across three sites, and 6 of those megawatts now sit on the reservoir of a village of 1,300 people.
What do you think?
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Sep 13, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 6, 2026
Luis Reyes · Aug 23, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Aug 30, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 12, 2026
Olivia Richman · Aug 27, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 18, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 18, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 18, 2026
Luis Reyes · Sep 18, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Sep 18, 2026
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GLENWOOD, Iowa (KMTV) — Mills County is considering a proposal for a large solar farm along the Missouri River. The Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to approve a conditional use permit for Orion Renewable Energy, which hopes to lease 6,000 acres to house a 3,200 acre solar farm.
The conditional permit is an early step toward construction.
For comparison, I told you about a solar farm under construction by Mid-American Energy, on the eastern side of the county, that is 400 acres.
Opponents raise concerns about wildlife habitat and loss of farm ground, but proponents say that land is lower quality and a solar farm would make better use of it.
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“I don’t know who would pay for the 50% privately owned ones.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A U.K. resident is raising a question that could have implications far beyond a single apartment block. They wondered if a council-controlled roof is ideal for solar panels, and who should benefit from the electricity.
In a discussion on r/SolarUK, the original poster said their building has about 1,615 square feet of flat roof. They added that the properties are split evenly between council and private ownership, while the council controls the exterior through the freehold.
The resident floated three possible paths: replacing gas with a communal heat pump powered by rooftop solar, dividing the electricity across six properties, or using a simpler setup that just exports power to the grid.
They also suggested the potential extends well beyond one building, writing that “my small estate alone has about 20 of these blocks and that is a not insignificant amount of solar that could be put in.”
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.
People responding to the post indicated that the hardware side is no longer the main mystery. “I’ve installed quite a few solshare systems that are designed for this use case!” one commenter wrote. Another installer-commenter said projects they had done for councils either used solar to supply communal areas with excess sent to the grid or used newer shared systems to divide output between properties.
What appears more complicated is how a mixed-ownership building would handle funding and electrical upgrades. One commenter said splitting solar between properties could require new cables to each unit and upgrades to each apartment’s electrical equipment, making that part of the job bigger than the panel installation itself.
For households looking at their own property, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. For those in the U.S., it can help to explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Many people live in buildings with strong solar potential, but the legal and financial path is far less straightforward than it is for a single-family home.
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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.
When shared solar works, residents can lower their electricity bills, councils can cut operating costs, and communities can rely less on gas-powered energy. In some cases, improved building electrification can also boost indoor air quality by reducing reliance on gas systems.
One installer-commenter said some council projects paired solar with batteries for communal power needs, while shared systems can distribute generation among properties and count toward each home’s EPC assessment.
Mixed-ownership buildings seem to be the sticking point. A roof may be shared, but the benefits, liabilities, and upgrade costs do not divide neatly.
For residents in similar buildings, the first practical step may be organizing neighbors and getting clarity on who controls the roof, the electrical infrastructure, and any maintenance obligations over time. In many cases, the freeholder’s approval will likely determine whether a project can move forward at all.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
For readers considering rooftop solar on their own homes, tools that simplify pricing can make a major difference. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a U.S. state-by-state level, along with solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is also one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Readers can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
EnergySage’s free services can also help cut through one of the biggest barriers to solar: price confusion. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
Questions about who gets the savings, makes the decisions, and has access to the power are coming up in shared-solar projects well beyond this one property. They show how that plays out, from U.K. community efforts to programs designed for people who do not have a workable roof of their own.
• Across many neighborhoods, community solar programs let renters and apartment residents share solar savings.
• In Colorado, officials are removing barriers and red tape for residents shut out of rooftop solar.
• EnergySage is helping homeowners cut through solar price confusion before panels go up.
Shared solar is moving ahead even in places where ownership and access are complicated. For residents in mixed-tenure buildings, the gap between what the technology can do and what the building setup allows may be the central challenge.
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Last week, I wrote about the new Jackery EnergyGuard Max 100 kWh battery at IFA Berlin. This large capacity offers customers home energy storage to easily cover their needs as electrification evolves. Those with large, fully electrified homes, solar arrays and multiple EVs would still have capacity left to participate in virtual power plants (VPP). However, the large battery goes beyond the needs or means of many customers. Even for people who could put much of the capacity to use, many may be reluctant to start out with such a large system. Many customers may prefer a scalable solution, like Jackery’s SolarVault 3 balcony solar system.
With SolarVault 3, customers could start with just a couple of panels and a 2.52 kWh main module Additional 2.52 kWh, 21 kg expansion battery modules can be added with DIY-friendly installation. As such, buyers can start small and add capacity to fit their needs.
Solar panel options also offer flexibility. Jackery offers 245W lightweight, flexible rugged solar panels that can be mounted easily with eyelets. The bifacial panels make angle to the sun less critical.
In addition, Jackery has also partnered with Sunbooster, which makes extremely flexible bifacial panels in strips that can be woven into standard wire fences.

Due to how far north much of Europe is, bifacial panels with a vertical orientation often capture more light than the typical roof angle. That is especially the case in winter and during overcast days.
The SolarVault 3 can charge up to 2500 W in the Pro Max model through a standard wall plug. It can also accept up to 4000 kW of PV power to charge the battery. These systems can output up to the 800 W maximum allowed in Germany for plug-in solar systems when connected to the grid. However, when disconnected from the utility, each unit can supply up to 3680 W of off-grid power.
However, the potential scalability doesn’t end there. At IFS, Jackery displayed the SolarVault Multisystem, which combines three balcony solar systems. While this does not have the plug-and-play simplicity of a balcony system, with a little more installation effort, the same system can increase in capability. By using a Power Hub, the combined system can accept up to 12 kW of solar input and provide up to 7.5 kW of on-grid power. Disconnected from the grid, the combined output can add up to 11 kW. Combining multiple expansion batteries can take capacity up to 45.36 kWh, which should be more than enough for many homes. The entire system is controlled and coordinated through an AI-powered energy management system (EMS).
Although it may be small, the SolarVault 3 also comes with Jackery’s FortiShield Safety System, A comprehensive 7-layer security framework. Safety does not need to be a concern for the smaller, scalable system versus a larger solar and battery system designed for just permanent installations.
In many cases, the SolarVault 3 could be a good starter system for someone in an apartment or their first home. Someone could start with just the battery for a few hundred Euros, or include a couple panels for a little over a thousand. Due to the modularity, they could add on capability as needs and finances allow. Designed for over 15 years of use and backed by a 10-year warranty, it offers an extended life. Customers could take it with them when they move. The ease of use and installation would also create a potential secondhand market.
In comparison to the SolarVault 3, the 100 kWh EnergyGuard Max would have a higher barrier to entry, costing more and requiring professional installation. However, while we do not have specific pricing, the price per kWh is undoubtedly less due to scale. If you were part of a virtual power plant (VPP) in a market with significant price fluctuations, that could make a lot of financial sense. Much of the battery could be used to simply charge when electricity is cheap and sell it back when prices are high, and there would still be plenty of capacity left to run a home. Many homes could also go off grid. The amount of power output and storage capacity should more than cover future needs of many people, even if their power demands increase. Even if the capacity of the liquid-cooled battery is reduced somewhat after a couple of decades, it would likely still retain more than enough to outlast many solar panels.
Of course, different people have different needs and different perspectives. What works well for one household might not be ideal for another.
So, what do you think is a better path forward? Start small, knowing you may have to upgrade in the future? Or start out with more than enough capability to easily cover anticipated future needs? I have a feeling that the scalability will find more customers. But which would you choose?
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Larry lives in Queens, NY, with his wife and cats. While he has spent much of his professional career leading global marketing efforts, his passions focus on clean technology and the automotive industry. He believes in Green Free Trade and the potential for the application of engineering talent to create solutions to the world’s most challenging problems.
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Alpex Solar has commissioned its 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon cell manufacturing line 
Its Kosi-Kotwan plant expands Uttar Pradesh’s advanced solar manufacturing base, stated the company 
Alpex is also expanding its manufacturing footprint across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh 
Alpex Solar has officially entered into solar cell manufacturing with the inauguration of a 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility at Kosi-Kotwan Industrial Area in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh (UP). 
Spread over a 900,000-square-foot area, the plant is the first integrated TOPCon giga manufacturing line in Uttar Pradesh, according to Alpex. The facility will manufacture G12R TOPCon solar cells to serve the domestic market. 
The new capacity adds cell manufacturing to Alpex Solar’s existing operations in modules and EPC services. 
The cell plant forms part of Alpex Solar’s broader move toward an integrated solar manufacturing platform. Its portfolio now spans solar cells, PV modules, EPC solutions, solar pumps, and aluminum frames. At the end of December 2025, Alpex operated 1.2 GW of solar module production capacity, which it planned to expand to 3.6 GW. 
“The 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon cell manufacturing facility marks an important milestone in Alpex Solar’s journey from a solar module manufacturer and EPC provider to a more deeply integrated renewable energy company,” said Aditya Sehgal, CEO of Alpex Solar. 
Speaking with TaiyangNews at REI 2025, Sehgal had shared that the initial plan was to operate the 2.2 GW cell factory as a mono-PERC facility, but it switched to G12 TOPCon cell technology to better align with industry trends (see TaiyangNews Leadership Talks: Alpex Solar At REI 2025). 
Monica Sehgal, Whole-Time Director, Alpex Solar, said vertical integration would provide the company greater control over inputs, technology, and quality while allowing it to respond to changing market requirements. 
Alpex said it is expanding existing operations in Greater Noida, with five new manufacturing units planned across Greater Noida, Kosi-Kotwan in Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, without sharing details of the capacity, investment, or timeline.  
TaiyangNews 2024

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