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The New South Wales government has opened consultation on a proposal that would create Australia’s first mandatory solar panel recycling scheme, according to pv magazine. The proposed product stewardship scheme is intended to keep valuable solar panel materials in circulation through recovery, reuse and recycling instead of disposal.
The measure is designed to divert thousands of tonnes of solar panel waste away from landfill. Under the proposal, solar manufacturers and importers that supply regulated photovoltaic panels into New South Wales would be required to help fund collection, recycling and resource recovery activities across the state.
Government data cited in the consultation shows New South Wales has more than 1.18 million rooftop solar systems. As those systems age and as households increasingly switch to higher efficiency panels, waste volumes from photovoltaic panels are projected to rise sharply over the next two decades. Around 14,000 tonnes of solar panel waste is generated in the state each year, and that figure is forecast to reach 89,000 tonnes by 2045.
The New South Wales Environment Protection Agency said in its consultation paper that existing disposal pathways are not sufficient to manage the growing waste stream safely and sustainably. It noted that most end-of-life photovoltaic panels continue to be sent to landfill, stockpiled or illegally dumped.
New South Wales Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the proposed regulation is about more than cutting waste. She indicated it is also aimed at capturing valuable resources and creating new economic opportunities, adding that the state has embraced rooftop solar and now wants to prevent those panels from becoming a future landfill problem. She noted that solar panels contain valuable materials that can be recovered and put back to use, and said a mandatory product stewardship scheme can help build a circular economy for solar panels while supporting new recycling and manufacturing opportunities in New South Wales.
Smart Energy Council Chief Executive David McElrea said the proposed legislation offers a strong foundation for a circular economy, but warned that state-level initiatives need to be matched by a unified national framework led by the federal government. He commented that states and territories should ideally not have to act alone because solar supply chains do not stop at a border, and that a patchwork of rules would be more inefficient and costly for consumers, business, industry and authorities.
McElrea said New South Wales is showing leadership, but argued that unless the effort is transitioned into a Commonwealth scheme, more than 70 percent of Australia’s decommissioned solar panels will remain uncaptured outside New South Wales. He added that the federal government must deliver a national product stewardship framework to provide the scale, consistency and certainty the country needs.
Alongside the opening consultation on the draft regulation, the New South Wales government has released an issues paper seeking feedback on how the state can support growth in solar panel recycling, remanufacturing and manufacturing industries. Submissions on both the draft regulation and the issues paper are open until 16 November.
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Seven of the eight photovoltaic projects are ready to build
September 22, 2026
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Kelag International, part of Austrian energy provider Kelag Group, which develops, operates, and manages renewable energy projects, has acquired eight photovoltaic projects in Italy with a total planned capacity of approximately 64.4 MW and expected annual electricity generation of around 107 GWh.
The projects are primarily located in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions. Seven have reached the ready-to-build stage, while the remaining project is at an advanced stage of development.
Following the acquisition agreement, Kelag International will assume responsibility for the projects’ further development, construction, and operation. The company expects the projects to be built over the coming years.
“Solar energy is an important pillar of our growth strategy, and Italy is a market with strong potential for further renewable development,” said Ingo Preiss, Managing Director of Kelag International. “With this acquisition, we are adding well-advanced PV projects to our pipeline and further strengthening our position in a market where we already have strong local expertise and an established presence.”
The acquisition expands Kelag International’s photovoltaic project pipeline in Italy, which the company has identified as one of its key growth markets.
From 2026, Kelag International is consolidating its international renewable energy activities under the Kelag International brand. The move includes companies and teams, including Interenergo, that were already part of the same international organization but previously operated under different names.
According to the company, the unified structure is intended to coordinate its activities across European markets and support renewable energy project development with local stakeholders.
Kelag International develops, operates, and manages renewable energy projects based on solar, wind, and hydropower across 14 European markets. Its activities also include wholesale electricity supply and the structuring and management of long-term power purchase agreements for industrial customers and energy markets.
According to Mercom’s 1H and Q2 2026 Solar Funding and M&A report, approximately 25.2 GW of solar projects were acquired in the first half of 2026, compared to 19.9 GW in the first half of 2025.
In September 2026, Enel, a multinational power company, completed the acquisition of a 625 MW solar portfolio in the United States from Excelsior Energy Capital for approximately $760 million through its wholly owned subsidiaries Enel Green Power North America and EGPNA Project Holdco 2.
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Perovskite-based solar cells are inching closer to market viability with the help of researchers at The University of Toledo.
As this promising thin-film photovoltaic technology now bests the silicon-based cells that are the industry standard in some categories, physicists are chipping away at the categories where it still lags. Three such researchers at UToledo’s Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization recently lent expert insights to research published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Materials, part of the prestigious Nature Portfolio, which breaks ground in improving the ability of these solar cells to withstand rain and other real-world environmental conditions.
From left, the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization’s Dr. Yanfa Yan, Dr. Jiahao Xie and Dr. Xiaoming Wang lent expert insights to research published in the journal Nature Materials.
“The best perovskite solar cells contain lead, which is highly toxic and can harm health and the environment,” said UToledo’s Dr. Jiahao Xie, a postdoctoral researcher who shares first-author credit with collaborators at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies. “Tin perovskites are the leading lead-free alternative, but their drawback is that tin oxidizes easily in the presence of oxygen and moisture. Our research is significant because it supports a solution to this central challenge for tin-perovskite photovoltaics.”
UToledo is a leader in the research and development of thin-film photovoltaic technology, including cells that rely on the category of compound materials known as perovskites. Perovskite photovoltaics have long attracted researchers for their powerful potential to be a lower-cost, higher-efficiency alternative to solar cells that rely on silicon.
Campus research tackling the lingering challenges related to perovskite photovoltaics — chief among them durability and stability — contributes to a broader distinction in materials science that positions UToledo among U.S. News & World Report‘s Best Global Universities.
With two physicists credited among the most highly cited researchers in the world working out of the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization, UToledo is further ranked No. 1 among all global universities for the percentage of total research publications that are among the top 1% most highly cited papers in the materials science category.
UToledo’s Dr. Xiaoming Wang, a research assistant professor, and Dr. Yanfa Yan, a Distinguished Professor of physics and Ohio Research Scholar Endowed Chair, join Xie as well as colleagues across the country as co-authors on the latest research in Nature Materials. Their research focuses on a type of photovoltaic technology that pairs perovskites with tin, which has lagged behind lead-perovskite technology as a result of stability challenges despite its powerful potential as a safer alternative to lead-perovskites.
To tackle stability challenges specifically related to oxidation, the research team advanced a previously established approach to protecting tin-perovskites by incorporating “spacer” molecules into the tin-iodide frameworks, creating thin layers that slow the entry of oxygen and water.
This advancement came by attaching chlorine to the standard spacer molecule. UToledo’s Xie, assisted by Wang and Yan, took the lead on the density functional theory calculations that explained the theory behind the approach.
“By mapping the pathways by which oxygen and water molecules move through the organic layer, we showed that the chlorinated spacer uniquely blocks the major pathways, suppressing oxygen and water diffusion by roughly seven to 11 orders of magnitude compared with the standard spacer,” he said.
The result?
The most air-stable tin-perovskite of its kind to date, which maintained its integrity for several months in air. The solar cells created with this material combined state-of-the-art efficiency with exceptional long-term stability, signifying a significant milestone on the path to market viability.
“It’s just as important as the results that we are able to explain why it works to use a chlorinated molecule as the spacer,” Xie said. “This gives us a clear design principle for future lead-free perovskites.”
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Tandem solar cells are widely viewed as a path to cheaper, more powerful solar electricity.
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A team of researchers in China appears to have cleared a major hurdle for next-generation solar power, pushing a tandem solar cell to 34% efficiency in the lab while also showing strong durability.
According to Interesting Engineering, scientists at Soochow University and LONGi Central R&D Institute built the device, and independent certification measured its open-circuit voltage at 2.014 volts — one of the highest readings reported for this kind of cell.
Clean-energy researchers have been watching perovskite-silicon tandem cells closely because they pair a perovskite top layer with a conventional silicon base, a setup that can capture more solar energy than standard silicon-only panels.
A big obstacle has been achieving strong performance at scale. Textured silicon surfaces are excellent for trapping light, but their uneven structure makes it harder to create smooth, high-quality perovskite films, and charge can also be lost at a buried interface inside the cell, reducing both efficiency and voltage.
Instead of using a flat insulating layer, the team placed ultra-thin monoclinic zirconia nanoparticles at the interface to manage that trade-off.
“Second, the discrete nanoparticles form nanoscale localized contacts at the interface. The zirconia regions provide field-effect passivation that suppresses non-radiative recombination, while the exposed monolayer pathways preserve efficient hole extraction,” the researchers explained in a press release.
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In testing, the device reached a laboratory power conversion efficiency of 34.0%. Its steady-state efficiency was certified at 33.5%, and its open-circuit voltage was independently verified at 2.014 volts.
Tandem solar cells are widely viewed as a path to cheaper, more powerful solar electricity. If manufacturers can extract more energy from each panel, homes, businesses, and utilities could generate more power from the same roof or plot of land.
What makes this advance stand out is that earlier efforts to improve the buried interface often fixed one problem while worsening another: They reduced charge losses but also made it more difficult for electricity to move through the device.
The team also reported signs of improved longevity. After 2,000 hours of continuous simulated sunlight at room temperature, encapsulated cells still retained 84% of their initial efficiency. Time-resolved measurements found charge carriers lasting nearly twice as long, increasing from 1.46 to 2.81 microseconds.
Professor Jiang Liu, Prof. Xiaohong Zhang, and Dr. Hongbo Mo co-led the research at Soochow University, along with Dr. Bo He at LONGi Central R&D Institute. Huimin Zhang and Qingshui Zheng contributed equally as first authors.
At the nanoscale, the design used a speckled zirconia scaffold to help the perovskite spread more evenly, produce larger crystal grains, and stay better anchored through strong chemical bonding. Zirconia’s high dielectric properties also helped shield the device from electrical fluctuations and charge buildup.
While this remains a laboratory result rather than a product on store shelves, it points to a practical route for making tandem solar panels more efficient and durable.
“The results show that a carefully patterned insulating interface can improve perovskite film growth and suppress recombination without blocking charge extraction. This nanoscale interface design provides a practical strategy for developing more efficient and durable perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells,” the press release concluded.
These stories explore tandem and perovskite solar cells, from efficiency records to new ways of improving performance.
• In Germany, scientists completed a years-long tandem solar project that could reshape the energy industry.
• Researchers built an antimony-selenide tandem cell that reached 20% efficiency and widened material options.
• In Singapore, engineers achieved certified world-record efficiency with a redesigned perovskite solar cell.
• Scientists unveiled a selenium-based performance boost that could make solar panels more effective.
• Researchers developed a pulse-shaped light treatment to lift solar-cell output and energy generation.
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Canada-based solar panel maker Heliene is poised to add U.S.-sourced solar glass to its products manufactured south of the 49th Parallel. Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Heliene, told pv magazine USA that it is receiving the first commercial shipments from Stewart Glass’ new production facilities in Ohio. The output will feed Heliene’s U.S. module factories in Minnesota.
Heliene has invested resources and research in Stewart’s effort to become a U.S. manufacturer of solar glass. According to Pochtaruk, the effort is a key aspect of the company’s strategy of establishing U.S.-source solar panels for the practical purpose of enabling developers and owners to meet domestic content requirements and avoid foreign entities of concern (FEOC) in order to make solar projects economically viable. Heliene offers customers a “drop down” menu approach to solar components so developers can pick and choose how much domestic content they need to move forward.
“Domestic content is percentages,” Pochtaruk said. The company could offer a client a module build outside the U.S.: zero domestic content. On the other side, Heliene could produce the same module with everything made in the U.S. except the glass because it wasn’t available. The partnership with Stewart Glass is changing that equation.
Pochtaruk said Stewart Glass approached Heliene a year ago with its plans to produce solar glass in the U.S. The Ohio facility it acquired had been making architectural glass and has since been converted to making laminated solar glass with the low iron content and high light transmission suitable for quality solar modules. Rather than simply waiting for the glass to roll, Heliene is invested in the startup process.
“When we engage with makers of U.S. wafers, for instance, they require a contract for a period of time at a minimum volume,” he said. “So, we have done the same with Stewart Glass. We have commitments to buy an annual volume from them going forward. And that means making prepayments: sending money and then being part of their startup.”
Glassmakers have to do a lot of groundwork to ensure that they will have pipelines of raw materials, customers for the finished product and a process that produces glass of high quality and low impurities before firing up the furnace. In April 2025, Stewart Glass, a maker of primarily automotive glass based in Michigan, acquired a facility in Ohio to begin produce solar glass and opened its first line in March 2026 that is capable of producing 150 tons per day. The company says it plans to open up a second production line in June 2027 with a projected output of 250 tons per day.
Pochtaruk points out that glassmaking is akin to steelmaking in that a manufacturer can’t let the furnaces go out without essentially destroying them. In the case of steel, countries turning to less energy intensive methods of steelmaking, principally using scrap in electric furnaces, risk making traditional blast furnaces capable of smelting steel from ore obsolete. This is fine as long as you have a supply of scrap. However, bricking the blast furnaces and losing the ability to produce steel from ore has strategic consequences.
The point is that glassmaking plants are not casually built.
Not all glass is created equal. Heliene specifies 3.2 mm glass for its products, which Pochtaruk says has the right mix of lightness, transmissibility, durability and hail resistance. Stewart has committed to this format. In addition, the company has been testing early runs of glass for PV properties and structural integrity using its extensive research and development capabilities. Heliene engineers and technicians are on-site at Stewart’s Ohio facility as it stands up operations.
That being said, while Heliene is counting on Stewart Glass output for its products, Pochtaruk readily admits that his company can’t possibly absorb 100% of its output. Other module makers will inevitably queue up for U.S. solar glass. This is even desirable as higher output and economic success means lower cost all around.
“In the current environment, solar project financeability is now more front and center than ever,” he said. “Manufacturing in the U.S. is one way to achieve some of that financeability. Glass is an important part of solar manufacturing.”
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“Gas prices matter because they’re one of the few economic indicators voters experience and see in real time.”
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For many drivers, higher gas prices are not an abstract economic talking point. In South Texas, Quinten Martinez, a 28-year-old Amazon delivery driver, said the rising cost of fuel can mean choosing between getting to work and paying for basic necessities as frustration over prices at the pump surfaces across party lines ahead of the midterms.
“Is it going to be groceries this week? Is it gonna be getting gas in our tank to go to work?” Martinez said, according to the Associated Press.
President Donald Trump has described higher gas prices during the war with Iran as “a very inexpensive price to pay,” but Martinez said the increased cost of fuel is making everyday life harder. His frustration reflects wider anger over prices at the pump across party lines as voters weigh the economy ahead of the midterms.
Veteran Republican strategist Chris Wilson said, “Gas prices matter because they’re one of the few economic indicators voters experience and see in real time. The price is literally staring them in the face several times a week. So I wouldn’t minimize the frustration we’re seeing, particularly among working- and middle-class voters.”
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AAA put the national average at $4.48 a gallon.
If there is a silver lining for households, it is that cutting dependence on expensive fossil-fuel energy can lower monthly bills over time. One of the best ways to save money on home energy is going solar, and homeowners can use EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
A Fox News survey said 61% of voters consider gas prices a major problem for their household. Interviews with voters in Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Virginia, and North Carolina suggested many see fuel costs as part of a broader affordability squeeze that also includes groceries, housing, and health care.
Few expenses are as visible for drivers as gasoline. Unlike rent or insurance, it is a cost many people face almost every time they stop at a station.
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Martinez rejected the idea that higher prices are worth it, and some voters linked gas costs to a wider sense that the economy is becoming harder to manage.
“I don’t feel like it’s a good trade-off,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is good for anyone.”
For working people who commute long distances or run businesses that depend on gas-powered vehicles, even modest increases can add up quickly. That is especially true in rural and suburban areas, where driving is often unavoidable.
Reducing exposure to unpredictable fuel and energy costs can mean driving less, choosing more efficient vehicles, or lowering home energy bills. For homeowners, rooftop solar can be one of the strongest ways to stabilize monthly expenses.
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With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. Tools such as EnergySage’s solar map show 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, helping homeowners 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.
These stories look at gas-price pain, how households are responding, and fuel-policy changes affecting drivers.
• As prices climbed nationwide, 56,000 U.S. households switched to hybrids and EVs.
• In many communities, soaring fuel prices spark pump anxiety as drivers rethink car ownership.
• With gas near $5, EVs could start making sense even without home charging.
• In Washington, nationwide policy on gasoline sales could shape the availability of cheaper E15.
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US renewable energy developer NorthStar Clean Energy has completed construction of a 120MW solar PV project in Oceana County, Michigan.
The Hart Solar Project is expected to generate 200GWh of power annually and is backed by long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Executive Energy Services and Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA). NorthStar said it will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project next month.
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“Hart Solar is an important investment in Michigan’s energy future and demonstrates how strong partnerships can help deliver clean energy solutions to communities across our state,” said Brian Hartmann, president and CEO of NorthStar Clean Energy.
“Through joint action, public power communities of all sizes can share in the economies of scale needed to make utility-scale renewable projects like Hart Solar a practical, long-term resource for the customers and communities they serve,” said Patrick Bowland, CEO & general manager at MPPA, a joint action agency for energy projects and supply.
NorthStar Clean Energy already has utility-scale solar projects under development in Michigan. In March 2025 it secured US$334 million for two projects in the state, the 200MW Branch solar project in Branch County, Michigan, and the 50MW Genesee Solar project in Genesee County.
Earlier this year, the state utility DTE Energy issued a public tender seeking 1GW of new solar PV and wind power capacity across the state; in line with the company’s integrated resource plan and commitments to phase out coal use in the state, the projects must be operational by 2029. Elsewhere in Michigan, utility Consumers Energy began operations on the 250MW Muskegon PV plant, and Linea Energy finalised project financing for the 172MW Watertown solar PV project in Sanilac County.
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NorthStar Clean Energy has finished building a 120MW solar photovoltaic facility in Oceana County, Michigan, according to pv-tech. The Hart Solar Project is projected to produce 200GWh of electricity each year and is supported by long-term power purchase agreements with Executive Energy Services and the Michigan Public Power Agency.
NorthStar indicated that a ribbon-cutting event for the installation will take place next month. Brian Hartmann, the company’s president and chief executive, described Hart Solar as a significant commitment to Michigan’s energy future and pointed to partnerships as a means of bringing clean energy solutions to communities statewide.
Patrick Bowland, chief executive and general manager of the Michigan Public Power Agency, a joint action agency for energy projects and supply, commented that coordinated action allows public power communities of varying sizes to benefit from economies of scale, making utility-scale renewable projects such as Hart Solar a practical long-term resource for the customers and communities they serve.
NorthStar Clean Energy already has utility-scale solar projects in development in Michigan. In March 2025, the company secured US$334 million for two state projects: the 200MW Branch solar project in Branch County and the 50MW Genesee Solar project in Genesee County.
Earlier this year, state utility DTE Energy launched a public tender seeking 1GW of new solar photovoltaic and wind capacity across Michigan, consistent with its integrated resource plan and commitments to phase out coal use in the state. The projects must be operational by 2029.
Separately in Michigan, utility Consumers Energy began operations at the 250MW Muskegon photovoltaic plant, and Linea Energy completed project financing for the 172MW Watertown solar photovoltaic project in Sanilac County.
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Schematic illustration showing how underwater solar cells could supply clean energy to marine monitoring, communication and exploration equipment. Graphic: Courtesy of Yunnan University
China’s installed photovoltaic power generating capacity surpassed that of coal power for the first time, becoming the country’s …
The first phase of the Huaneng Nagu Photovoltaic Power Station, the world’s highest-altitude solar power project, was officially …
A total of 5,000 solar panels were put into use at an expressway section linking Southwest China’s Sichuan …
The New South Wales (NSW) government has launched consultation on a proposal to introduce Australia’s first mandatory solar panel recycling scheme, aiming to ensure valuable solar panel materials are recovered, reused and recycled rather than being dumped.
Intended to divert thousands of tonnes of solar panel waste from landfill, the proposed product stewardship scheme would require solar manufacturers and importers supplying regulated PV panels into NSW to help fund collection, recycling and resource recovery across the state.
Government data shows NSW is home to more than 1.18 million rooftop solar systems and as they age, and as households increasingly upgrade to higher efficiency panels, waste volumes of PV panels are projected to increase sharply over the next two decades. About 14,000 tonnes of solar panel waste is generated in the state each year, and that figure is forecast to rise to 89,000 tonnes by 2045.
“Current disposal pathways are insufficient to safely and sustainably manage this growing waste stream,” the NSW Environment Protection Agency said in its consultation paper. “Most end-of-life PV panels continue to be landfilled, stockpiled or illegally dumped.”
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the proposed regulation is not simply about reducing waste, but is also about capturing valuable resources and creating new economic opportunities.
“NSW has embraced rooftop solar, and now we’re making sure those panels don’t become tomorrow’s landfill problem,” she said. “Solar panels contain valuable materials that can be recovered and put back to work.”
“A mandatory product stewardship scheme can help build a circular economy for solar panels, while supporting new recycling and manufacturing opportunities here in NSW.”
Smart Energy Council (SEC) Chief Executive David McElrea said the proposed legislation provides a strong foundation for a circular economy but cautioned that state-level initiatives must be matched by a unified national framework led by the federal government.
“Ideally, states and territories won’t have to go it alone, because solar supply chains do not end at a border,” he said, adding that a patchwork of rules will be more inefficient and costly for consumers, business, industry and authorities.
“NSW is showing leadership, but unless transitioned into a Commonwealth scheme, over 70% of Australia’s decommissioned solar panels will remain uncaptured outside NSW,” he said.
“The federal government has to step up and deliver a national product stewardship framework to provide the scale, consistency, and certainty Australia needs.”
In addition to publishing the opening consultation on the draft regulation, the NSW government has released an issues paper seeking feedback on how the state can support the growth of solar panel recycling, remanufacturing and manufacturing industries.
Submissions on the draft regulation and issues paper are open until 16 November.
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“The first thing I do is think layers. Both on you and the house.”
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A renter in a 325-square-foot unit said persistent snow and frigid temperatures pushed monthly power costs as high as $500 last winter.
In an effort to avoid a repeat of those sky-high utility bills, the renter turned to the internet for advice about how they and their pet cat could stay warm during cold months while saving money on heating costs.
“My average monthly bill ranged from $350-$500,” the renter wrote. “I want to do all that I can now to avoid that happening again.”
Posting to Reddit’s r/frugal forum, the original poster said that they kept their rental home at 68 degrees using the unit’s electric baseboard heater. Their electricity costs about $0.15 per kilowatt-hour.
The renter further explained that, to help keep the heat in and the cold out, they already hang blankets over the windows and use a draft stopper at the front door.
As the OP has learned the hard way, resistance heat can be especially expensive during extended cold snaps, even in a very small space. This is because every hour the system runs adds directly to the monthly power bill.
For homeowners dealing with similarly shocking winter-heating bills, upgrading heating and cooling equipment is often one of the most effective ways to cut utility costs and protect against rising energy prices. Palmetto can help homeowners understand their HVAC options and slash their energy bills through its Comfort Plan network, which connects customers with vetted installers.
As for the OP, because they are a renter, their options are much more limited.
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As a result, much of the commenters’ advice focused on inexpensive renter-friendly steps, including dressing more warmly indoors, adding rugs to cover the floor, looking for air leaks around the windows, and using heavier curtains.
As one commenter put it: “The first thing I do is think layers. Both on you and the house.”
Some commenters emphasized that insulated curtains would likely work better than blankets in preventing heat loss through the rental unit’s windows.
“Heavy insulated curtains is a good first step,” wrote one commenter. “Close in the night, open during the day if you get enough sun to heat things up. They work better than blankets in my experience.”
The renter further explained that their couch sits in front of the unit’s baseboard heaters. While the unit’s small size means there’s nowhere else for the couch to go, the OP acknowledged that this setup is less than ideal because it could be reducing airflow and making the heat less effective at warming their home.
The OP also noted that their pet cat remains home during the day, which limits the renter’s ability to simply turn off the heat when they are away.
Some users suggested cat-friendly ways to cut back on heating without leaving the pet cold.
“60F + is still reasonable temp for the cat,” said one commenter.
Others recommended using a heated pet bed. The renter replied that their cat already uses a small heating pad with an automatic shutoff timer.
For renters, small, simple steps can add up. Warm people and pets directly with layered clothing, blankets, and heated bedding. Let in sunlight during the day, close insulated curtains at night, seal drafts, and move furniture away from baseboards when possible.
Additionally, some utility companies offer level-pay or budget billing plans, which can make winter heating costs more manageable by spreading them throughout the year.
For homeowners, more options are available, with better equipment often delivering more savings on utility costs. Palmetto’s Comfort Plan includes $0 down options that can lower heating and cooling costs by up to 50% while providing 12 years of free maintenance.
Going further, pairing solar panels with electric appliances such as efficient HVAC systems can drive bills even lower. EnergySage makes it easy to find the best solar system and installer for your home and budget, with potential savings of up to $10,000 on installations.
As for the OP, they are simply looking out for any small fixes that could make a difference once the cold weather returns.
“I just want to know if there’s anything I can do now that might help prepare for winter months before the bills hit,” they wrote.
These articles look at renter electricity savings, thermostat settings, winter heating habits, radiator tricks, and door weatherstripping.
• Across the United States, renters can cut bills with draft blocking and peak hour habits.
• HVAC experts say common thermostat habits can quietly drive up winter electricity costs.
• Energy pros recommend small winter thermostat tweaks to keep homes warm affordably.
• HVAC pros say foil behind radiators may change how efficiently rooms hold heat.
• Homeowners found front door weatherstripping gaps can send heating bills climbing in winter.
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Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly. Where we take on huge problems, like the future of our planet, and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. I’m Megan Hall.
Solar panels can help you power your home with renewable energy and save money on your electric bill. But they can be expensive, and take a while to set up.
Today, Juliana Merullo from our Possibly team is here to tell us about another option– plug-in solar panels.
Juliana Merullo: Hiya Megan!
Megan Hall: So what exactly is plug-in solar?
Juliana Merullo: Plug-in solar, which is also called balcony solar, is just what it sounds like. You plug solar panels into a small inverter, which then gets plugged into an outlet in your house. Instead of using electricity like most things you plug into the wall, this system generates it!
Megan Hall: Do these panels really work?
Juliana Merullo: They do! They’re a lot smaller than a conventional rooftop solar system, so they don’t generate as much electricity. It’s not going to power your whole home or apartment, but an average sized system that gets good sunlight during the day could power your refrigerator and save you over a hundred dollars a year on electricity costs.
Megan Hall: Ok, but that’s not that much. Why are people so excited about these?
Juliana Merullo: Well for one thing, plug-in solar panels are a lot cheaper than regular rooftop solar. And they’re a lot easier and faster to set up. Ben Paulos, a researcher with the Clean Energy States Alliance, says that on top of that,
Ben Paulos: A number of people can’t really do rooftop solar. They don’t own the roof. You know, if you are a renter, or if you live in an apartment building…a portable kit that you can move with you when you move one apartment to another is a good idea.
Megan Hall: That makes sense. But is it actually safe to just plug these panels into the wall?
Juliana Merullo: Yeah, it is! Most of the safety concerns get figured out between the manufacturer and the testing labs that certify the panels. Keep an eye out for UL labels, which mean your panel and inverter have been tested and certified as safe. Then, Ben says you just want to be careful where you plug them in.
Ben Paulos: You really don’t want to plug in your solar system into a circuit that’s already very busy and very crowded, like kitchens tend to use a lot of electricity, so you may not want to plug it into your kitchen.
Juliana Merullo: When he bought plug-in panels for his home, he plugged them into the garage.
Ben Paulos: I bought some used panels on Facebook Marketplace. And then my son hoisted those panels up to me on my garage roof and I plugged it in.
Megan Hall: So I can just go out and buy them? Why don’t more people have them?
Juliana Merullo: It depends where you live! In Germany you can find them at IKEA, and almost a million of them have been installed. In the US, it’s just starting to gain traction. It’s not technically illegal anywhere, and you can find the panels online. But only 9 states have laws that officially allow it. To make sure you don’t get in trouble with your utility company, it’s smart to wait until your state has passed a bill allowing it.
Ben Paulos: If you’re in one of the states that has passed legislation, then you’re probably going to be good to go as soon as that takes effect. If you’re not, then maybe you want to call your state legislature and ask them when it’s going to happen.
Megan Hall: What about here in Rhode Island?
Juliana Merullo: Well just this year, State Representative June Speakman introduced a bill that would allow Rhode Islanders to use plug-in solar without needing the utility company’s approval.
June Speakman: This was one of the most popular pieces of legislation that I had ever introduced, this was a love fest. Everyone thinks these are fabulous, I mean, I was getting emails. Please make sure this passes. Please make sure this passes.
Juliana Merullo: It passed unanimously in the House, but got held up in the Senate. June is going to re-introduce it next session and she thinks it has a good chance of becoming law.
Megan Hall: So if it does, should I go out and buy plug-in panels for my house?
Juliana Merullo: Yes! The impact of these panels might be small, but they still make a difference:
June Speakman: You know some people describe it as a feel good bill. Sure, makes me feel good, but it also does those two things, right? It brings us a little bit more into a cleaner, greener future, and it does bring costs down.
Juliana Merullo: There are over 20 other states like Rhode Island that are considering plug-in solar bills. So we’ll have to keep an eye out for more of these systems to be popping up all over the country!
Megan Hall: Great! Thanks Juliana. That’s it for today.
For more information, or to ask a question about the way your choices affect our planet go to askpossibly.org. You can also subscribe to Possibly wherever you get your podcasts or follow us on social media at “ask possibly”
Possibly is a co-production of Brown University’s Institute for Environment and Society, Ocean State Media and WBRU.
Vertically integrated PV manufacturer LONGi, which has entered the energy storage sector recently, has signed an energy storage cooperation agreement with Shanxi Dingxin Logistics. Under the agreement, it will supply a LONGiBank liquid-cooled energy storage system (ESS) for the logistics company’s heavy-truck charging station in Yuncheng, Shanxi province. LONGi describes the facility as the largest heavy-truck charging station in Shanxi, with daily electricity consumption of around 150,000 kWh.
A 3.2 MW rooftop distributed PV system at the site was connected to the grid at the end of 2025, using LONGi Hi-MO X10 modules and providing estimated average annual generation of approximately 4 million kWh. With the addition of the storage system and LONGi One OS energy management system, the site will integrate PV generation, energy storage and heavy-truck charging under a unified dispatch system. The storage system will absorb surplus midday solar generation, support time-of-use electricity price arbitrage and reduce grid impacts from high-power heavy-truck charging.
Huawei Digital Power’s SUN2000-506KTL-H1 smart string inverter has obtained certification under Germany’s VDE-AR-N 4110, 4120 and 4130 grid-connection standards, covering medium-, high- and extra-high-voltage networks, respectively. Huawei said it is the world’s first 500 kW-class smart string inverter to obtain all three certifications.
The inverter has a maximum efficiency of 99.1% and European efficiency of 98.8%. Its grid-forming capabilities include active transient overvoltage suppression, inertia response and wideband oscillation damping. The inverter series has also received a Grid-Forming Unit Certificate from TÜV SÜD based on the VDE FNN Guideline Version 2.1:2026, supporting grid stability in systems with high renewable penetration and weak-grid conditions.
Midea New Energy, the renewable energy business of Chinese appliance manufacturer Midea Group, has launched a 5.5 MW centralized aggregation PV demonstration project in Donglu Village, Zhangzhuang Township, Pei County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.
According to the company, the project uses a clustered residential rooftop PV development model, installing distributed PV systems on local households’ roofs and aggregating their output for centralized grid connection.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration, together with two other government departments, have launched applications for the 2026 national green computing facility program. The program will select facilities with high energy and carbon efficiency, low-carbon operations, appropriate siting, advanced technologies and sound management.
It covers computing facilities in sectors including industry, information and communications, energy, the internet, finance and public institutions. The share of electricity consumption supplied by wind, solar and other renewable energy sources must be no lower than the renewable electricity consumption responsibility weighting applicable to the province, autonomous region or municipality where the facility is located.
The authorities will also encourage new computing facilities to be planned and deployed in coordination with renewable power generation, provided they have stable supporting power supplies and flexible regulation capabilities, with the aim of improving the alignment between electricity demand and renewable generation.
TaiyangNews 2024
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After rebates and incentives, the homeowner’s out-of-pocket cost would drop to only $4,348.
Photo Credit: iStock
For one Denver homeowner, a rooftop solar quote went from pricey to surprisingly affordable once all of the available incentives were taken into account.
However, some commenters cautioned the homeowner that lower upfront costs could lead to higher expenses later if they decided to add a home battery to their system.
Posting to Reddit’s r/solar community, the Denver-area homeowner shared that they could save roughly $10,000 on a solar installation thanks to several available incentives. However, the homeowner was still undecided about whether going solar was worth it, so they asked fellow Redditors for their takes.
According to the original poster, they obtained a quote of roughly $14,400 for a 4.86-kilowatt setup. However, after rebates and incentives, the homeowner’s out-of-pocket cost would drop to only $4,348.
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The proposed setup would include 12 Hyperion 405 panels and 12 Enphase IQ8+ micro-inverters. The homeowner said the discounts came via a 30% HDM rebate, $4,000 from a program funded by the City of Denver, and $1,740 through Xcel’s disproportionately impacted community program. In all, the savings would total more than $10,000.
The OP explained that the system would generate roughly half of their household’s typical electricity consumption. While this would not cover all of their home’s electricity use, it still would result in significant savings.
Additionally, the homeowner said the quote included a production guarantee.
When considering whether a solar quote fits their budget, many homeowners calculate how long it will take the system to pay for itself. Put differently, they estimate how much they expect their solar system to save them in annual energy costs and compare that to the total cost of the system.
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As an example, if a solar installation costs $4,000 and yields $500 in annual savings, it would take eight years for the system to “pay for itself.” ($4,000 divided by $500 is eight.)
However, the OP conceded they were having a hard time determining their potential savings because of complicated time-of-use pricing.
“I’m struggling with figuring that out due to the TOU rates,” the OP wrote.
As for the quote itself, several commenters said the out-of-pocket number looked favorable, particularly for a smaller installation. Still, they cautioned that certain aspects of the setup could make later upgrades more expensive.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
“If you think you ever want to add batteries, either get a Combiner 6C now, or go with a hybrid inverter and not micros,” advised one user.
Another Redditor agreed, saying that making the change later would be “much more expensive.”
“I’ve been investigating doing this for 6 months and am an engineer,” they continued. “Wish I had gone with a hybrid inverter instead of Enphase. It is at least $4k to DIY 1 rack battery. Would have been $1.5k if I had gone with a hybrid inverter instead.”
With so many factors to consider, going solar can seem daunting. EnergySage can simplify the solar-installation process with free estimates and price comparisons from local installers.
Saving a few dollars now could mean paying a lot more later, so it is important to consider your future plans when deciding which system is right for you.
The post also showed how much money you can still save by taking advantage of state and local solar incentives.
EnergySage’s solar map can help identify available incentives while also showing the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level. Together, those resources can help homeowners 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. Homeowners interested in backup power 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. That makes it especially valuable for people trying to balance a low upfront quote with the possibility of future upgrades.
These stories offer a deeper look at homeowner solar quotes, incentives, tax credits, and unexpected utility costs.
• A Chicago-area homeowner saw Illinois incentives cut net cost on a $37,000 solar quote.
• In El Paso, a new rooftop solar fee pushed one homeowner’s bill from $30 to $117.
• One homeowner got up to $9,000 off after timely advice on solar tax credits.
• A proud homeowner said he snagged $10,000 in incentives for brand-new solar panels.
• A new homeowner’s first bill hit $420 despite rooftop panels highlighted during the sale.
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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Tandem solar cells are widely viewed as a path to cheaper, more powerful solar electricity.
Photo Credit: iStock
A team of researchers in China appears to have cleared a major hurdle for next-generation solar power, pushing a tandem solar cell to 34% efficiency in the lab while also showing strong durability.
According to Interesting Engineering, scientists at Soochow University and LONGi Central R&D Institute built the device, and independent certification measured its open-circuit voltage at 2.014 volts — one of the highest readings reported for this kind of cell.
Clean-energy researchers have been watching perovskite-silicon tandem cells closely because they pair a perovskite top layer with a conventional silicon base, a setup that can capture more solar energy than standard silicon-only panels.
A big obstacle has been achieving strong performance at scale. Textured silicon surfaces are excellent for trapping light, but their uneven structure makes it harder to create smooth, high-quality perovskite films, and charge can also be lost at a buried interface inside the cell, reducing both efficiency and voltage.
Instead of using a flat insulating layer, the team placed ultra-thin monoclinic zirconia nanoparticles at the interface to manage that trade-off.
“Second, the discrete nanoparticles form nanoscale localized contacts at the interface. The zirconia regions provide field-effect passivation that suppresses non-radiative recombination, while the exposed monolayer pathways preserve efficient hole extraction,” the researchers explained in a press release.
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In testing, the device reached a laboratory power conversion efficiency of 34.0%. Its steady-state efficiency was certified at 33.5%, and its open-circuit voltage was independently verified at 2.014 volts.
Tandem solar cells are widely viewed as a path to cheaper, more powerful solar electricity. If manufacturers can extract more energy from each panel, homes, businesses, and utilities could generate more power from the same roof or plot of land.
What makes this advance stand out is that earlier efforts to improve the buried interface often fixed one problem while worsening another: They reduced charge losses but also made it more difficult for electricity to move through the device.
The team also reported signs of improved longevity. After 2,000 hours of continuous simulated sunlight at room temperature, encapsulated cells still retained 84% of their initial efficiency. Time-resolved measurements found charge carriers lasting nearly twice as long, increasing from 1.46 to 2.81 microseconds.
Professor Jiang Liu, Prof. Xiaohong Zhang, and Dr. Hongbo Mo co-led the research at Soochow University, along with Dr. Bo He at LONGi Central R&D Institute. Huimin Zhang and Qingshui Zheng contributed equally as first authors.
At the nanoscale, the design used a speckled zirconia scaffold to help the perovskite spread more evenly, produce larger crystal grains, and stay better anchored through strong chemical bonding. Zirconia’s high dielectric properties also helped shield the device from electrical fluctuations and charge buildup.
While this remains a laboratory result rather than a product on store shelves, it points to a practical route for making tandem solar panels more efficient and durable.
“The results show that a carefully patterned insulating interface can improve perovskite film growth and suppress recombination without blocking charge extraction. This nanoscale interface design provides a practical strategy for developing more efficient and durable perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells,” the press release concluded.
These stories explore tandem and perovskite solar cells, from efficiency records to new ways of improving performance.
• In Germany, scientists completed a years-long tandem solar project that could reshape the energy industry.
• Researchers built an antimony-selenide tandem cell that reached 20% efficiency and widened material options.
• In Singapore, engineers achieved certified world-record efficiency with a redesigned perovskite solar cell.
• Scientists unveiled a selenium-based performance boost that could make solar panels more effective.
• Researchers developed a pulse-shaped light treatment to lift solar-cell output and energy generation.
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Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate complex, built at a cost of $3 billion a decade ago, reaches nearly 600 megawatts of capacity.
Morocco is home to one of the world’s largest solar energy complexes. Noor Ouarzazate is a vast facility built by Saudi company ACWA Power in one of the country’s sunniest regions. A decade after it began operating, the complex has just under 600 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and can meet the electricity needs of more than one million people, according to World Bank figures.
The project, which required more than $3 billion in international financing, began operating in 2016 and became one of Morocco’s flagship initiatives in its drive to increase renewable energy production. However, Noor has one feature that sets it apart from a conventional solar farm. Part of the complex can store heat captured during the day and use it later to continue generating electricity after the sun has gone down.
The complex is not a single power plant but consists of four separate facilities. Noor I, which began operating in 2016, has a capacity of 160 MW and uses parabolic trough collectors. It was subsequently joined by Noor II, with 200 MW; Noor III, which produces 150 MW using solar tower technology; and Noor IV, a 70 MW photovoltaic facility. Together, the four plants have a total installed capacity of 580 MW.
The most striking sight at the complex is Noor III. Its distinctive tower stands approximately 800 feet tall and is surrounded by thousands of heliostats, mirrors that track the position of the sun and concentrate its rays onto a receiver at the top of the structure. The resulting heat is stored in molten salts and later used to produce steam, drive a turbine and generate electricity.
This technology helps overcome one of the main limitations of conventional solar power, since electricity production does not have to stop as soon as the sunlight disappears. Noor III has around seven hours of thermal energy storage, while Noor I and Noor II also have storage systems that allow some electricity generation to be shifted beyond daylight hours.
Morocco has abundant solar and wind resources but lacks significant oil and gas reserves of its own. When development of the project began, Morocco relied on imports for approximately 95% of its primary energy needs, leaving the country highly exposed to fluctuations in international fuel prices.
Morocco’s energy strategy has sought to capitalize on the country’s geographic advantages to reduce that dependence. Renewable sources currently account for around 44% of Morocco’s installed electricity-generating capacity, according to the country’s Ministry of Energy Transition, which has maintained an official target of surpassing 52% by 2030.
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Cumulative solar photovoltaic manufacturing capital expenditure in the United States is forecast to reach $12.2 billion by the end of 2026, according to Terawatt PV Research, a figure that would represent more than half of all solar PV manufacturing spending recorded in the country since 2001. The projection appears in the firm’s new Solar Manufacturing USA Quarterly report, released on the same day as the analysis, which was carried out by the company’s founder.
The research draws on the author’s experience examining the operations of more than 500 solar PV manufacturers worldwide across a period of more than two decades, spanning the industry’s shift from research and development to commercial activity.
The U.S.-focused report is built around the core building blocks needed to interpret quarterly metrics at individual PV manufacturing sites: effective ramped capacity, production output, technology segmentation and manufacturing capex. For the first time, coverage of PV manufacturing capex extends beyond equipment spending at the company level.
The analysis now breaks capex down quarterly for individual U.S. manufacturing sites and further divides company, site, value-chain and technology-specific spending across buildings and infrastructure, new production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades. The consolidated totals are intended to provide an accurate picture of the domestic solar PV manufacturing landscape, supporting forecasting out to 2030.
The report covers company-specific manufacturing sites in production since 2020, the period leading into the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, the subsequent rise in manufacturing capex from 2023 onward, and bottom-up forecasting to the end of 2030 that factors in new investments arising from Section 232.
U.S. solar PV manufacturing capex has exceeded $2.5 billion in each year since 2023. A record $4.14 billion was spent during 2024, with more than 60% of that total coming from just two companies: First Solar, mainly through spending on new factories in Alabama and Louisiana, and Qcells, part of Hanwha Solutions, through vertically integrated investments in Georgia.
Segmenting capex across buildings and infrastructure, new production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades highlights differing dynamics at domestic production sites. Allocations to buildings and infrastructure vary widely, from refitting an existing warehouse for module assembly to building a dedicated greenfield site for solar cell manufacturing, a difference of more than an order of magnitude on a per-installed-watt basis. Buildings and infrastructure costs accounted for about 60% of total spending during the 2023-2026 period.
Effective capacity levels for crystalline silicon cells and modules in the United States have grown quarter on quarter since the start of 2025, with effective-capacity-conversion rates varying considerably by site, from 15-20% during early ramp-up to 70-80% at a select group of companies. Forecasting cell and module production volumes to 2030 frames the additional upstream capex needed for a more balanced silicon-based value chain in the country.
Site-level analysis allows regional trends to be identified quickly, and production data is particularly useful in assessing where materials supplies could be strategically developed. Currently, this type of analysis can only be applied to module production in the United States; doing so for ingots, wafers and cells is considered too early.
At state level, Ohio was the dominant zone for module production volumes leading into the rollout of the Inflation Reduction Act, by virtue of First Solar’s manufacturing bases. Texas has become the leader in the post-IRA era, emerging as the top state for module production in 2026 with contributions from Canadian Solar, Sirius/Elin, Imperial Star, SEG Solar, T1 Energy, TOYO/Abalance and Waaree Energies. Much of the remaining activity is in the Southeast, with a geographic split between the gulf coast corridor of Louisiana and Florida and an advanced manufacturing region covering the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.
The report’s final output is to rank and rate the companies analyzed. This step is intended to focus attention on the manufacturing decisions of the top 20 companies in the U.S. solar sector, a subset that typically accounts for more than 95% of all significant investment and production.
The report is built from a proprietary bottom-up database of U.S. solar manufacturing activity analyzed at site level by quarter. Production is tracked across the crystalline silicon value chain from polysilicon through modules, alongside segmented thin-film cell and module output equivalence. Capex is divided between buildings and infrastructure, production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades, while excluding research and development contributions. The underlying data draws on audited filings and company reporting where available, supplemented by market research based on operational and industry evidence and personal communications.
Production and capex are independently subjected to statistical transformation and normalization before being combined through a weighted methodology to generate a Manufacturing Strength score for each company. An operating-production screening process prevents companies with little or no realized output from being elevated solely by announced or early-stage capital spending. The scores determine company rankings, while a standardized Z-score analysis measures each qualifying manufacturer against the wider U.S. peer group and forms the basis of AAA-to-C Manufacturing Strength ratings presented as a truncated pyramid. Ratings are displayed annually, with each quarterly report updating production and capex assumptions and therefore the forecast full-year ranking and rating.
The first Manufacturing Strength Ratings Pyramid for U.S. solar PV manufacturers is scheduled to be revealed during an opening talk at the Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 conference in Austin, Texas, on 22-23 September 2026. The Solar Manufacturing USA Quarterly report is released today, with the first quarterly deliverable scheduled for the start of October 2026, when analysis for the third quarter of 2026 is completed. Report enquiries and subscriptions are managed exclusively by pv magazine USA, extending a working partnership that led to the launch of the Solar Manufacturing USA event in 2026.
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Zelestra, a global renewable energy developer, has started construction on its 38.5 MWdc Detershagen solar project in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the company’s second solar project to enter construction in Germany, following the recently energised 27.5 MWdc Klevenow plant. Secured through Germany’s EEG tenders, Detershagen will feature approximately 62,000 solar panels. The plant is expected to generate 40,200 MWh annually and avoid approximately 13,300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. Construction is expected to support around 55 jobs, with commercial operation anticipated by Q2 2027. Zelestra is also advancing a German development pipeline exceeding 2 GW across solar, hybrid, BESS and wind projects.
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The rooftop solar revolution will only succeed if city halls and capitals work together Reuters
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“This is every day since day one.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A homeowner with a brand-new solar-panel system turned to the internet for advice after their actual production fell far below forecasts.
Day after day, the app’s forecast was coming in 30% to 40% above the system’s actual production, leaving the homeowner wondering whether the shortfall was nothing to worry about or a sign of a real issue.
In a Reddit thread, the original poster explained that their week-old solar system had consistently been generating only about a third of the forecasted electricity production.
“And this is every day since day one,” the original poster wrote, adding that they had been monitoring the forecasts and actual production using the Netzero app.
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.
As one might expect, Redditors flooded the comments with their takes. While some users cautioned that something could be off and others described the situation as normal, the general consensus was that the OP should keep monitoring to see whether the shortfall continued over the long term.
On the side of OP having nothing to worry about, one Redditor wrote, “It happens – a forecast is just a forecast after all.”
Another agreed, saying their own estimates had been thrown off by changing weather and describing solar output as “unpredictable” at times.
Other commenters focused on the homeowner’s description of the panels as being spread across three different roofs, with the front and rear roof sections appearing to share one string, while the panels on the garage were on a second string.
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.
According to some Redditors, such a setup could cause output issues.
If the front and rear roof sections, which faced different directions, indeed shared a string, “One would drag down the output of the other,” one commenter warned.
Homeowners should remember that solar forecasts are only estimates, and many aspects of a system’s design can directly affect how much electricity a home actually produces.
If panels facing different directions are wired together improperly, one group can reduce another’s performance, especially when sunlight hits each roof section at different times of day.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Still, going solar remains one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re interested in learning more about home solar, EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before signing a contract.
While forecasts aren’t guarantees, system underperformance can significantly reduce solar-related savings and affect household budgets. Reduced production tied to temporary cloud cover is one thing, but a recurring shortfall caused by wiring or configuration issues is another.
For solar users concerned that their system is generating less power than expected, a useful first step is to monitor whether the shortfall keeps happening over time. It is also important to see whether shortfalls occur only on cloudier days or follow a repeatable pattern, especially on bright, sunny days.
Shopping carefully before installation can help homeowners avoid these problems down the line, while also potentially saving on both up-front and long-term costs.
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help homeowners 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. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For now, most Redditors advised the OP not to worry too much about the production shortfalls.
“Unless it’s consistently down over weeks or in a pattern (e.g. if it’s an east/west array, output drops to nothing on the west array at 13.00) I wouldn’t worry too much,” one Redditor wrote.
These articles look at how homeowners are saving money with rooftop solar, battery backup, tax incentives, and utility programs.
• In Australia, a homeowner’s 20kW solar array made blackouts invisible and earned a $545 credit.
• Across the U.S., homeowners can still cash in on incentives and save thousands on solar.
• In the U.S., homeowners facing shrinking incentives get up to $9,000 off solar costs.
• In Texas, a new power deal offers home solar for free through a virtual plant program.
• Across the U.S., homeowners buy before the deadline as Congress slashes lucrative solar incentives.
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.
Legal battles over proposed Ottawa County solar farm intensify with dismissal efforts MLive.com
source
Premier Energies commissioned a large solar cell manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh. This new plant significantly boosts the company’s total solar cell production capacity. The facility is India’s largest solar cell manufacturing plant and was completed on schedule. It aims to meet rising demand for high-efficiency solar modules in domestic and international markets. This expansion supports India’s broader clean-energy transition goals.
Premier Energies commissioned a large solar cell manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh
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Comstock 
LODE rises 4.7% in Tuesday's trading after saying its solar panel recycling production system is now operating continuously at its Silver Springs, Nevada, facility.
Comstock LODE said the Silver Springs facility processes end-of-life solar panels using what the company describes as a zero-landfill recycling approach, and will now be ramped up to meet increasingly higher customer volume demands.
The facility's transition to continuous production will eliminate disposal-related environmental liabilities for utility-scale solar customers and provide them with certified, audit-ready chain-of-custody documentation validating that their end-of-life regulatory obligations have been fully discharged, the company said.
"The successful transition to continuous processing represents the most meaningful operational milestone to date for our expanding recycling platform," Comstock LODE CEO Corrado De Gasperis said. "We have methodically developed, deployed, tested and are now continuously operating… With demonstrable continuous production, our focus now turns to volume ramp."
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NorthStar Clean Energy has finished building a 120MW solar photovoltaic facility in Oceana County, Michigan, according to pv-tech. The Hart Solar Project is projected to produce 200GWh of electricity each year and is supported by long-term power purchase agreements with Executive Energy Services and the Michigan Public Power Agency.
NorthStar indicated that a ribbon-cutting event for the installation will take place next month. Brian Hartmann, the company’s president and chief executive, described Hart Solar as a significant commitment to Michigan’s energy future and pointed to partnerships as a means of bringing clean energy solutions to communities statewide.
Patrick Bowland, chief executive and general manager of the Michigan Public Power Agency, a joint action agency for energy projects and supply, commented that coordinated action allows public power communities of varying sizes to benefit from economies of scale, making utility-scale renewable projects such as Hart Solar a practical long-term resource for the customers and communities they serve.
NorthStar Clean Energy already has utility-scale solar projects in development in Michigan. In March 2025, the company secured US$334 million for two state projects: the 200MW Branch solar project in Branch County and the 50MW Genesee Solar project in Genesee County.
Earlier this year, state utility DTE Energy launched a public tender seeking 1GW of new solar photovoltaic and wind capacity across Michigan, consistent with its integrated resource plan and commitments to phase out coal use in the state. The projects must be operational by 2029.
Separately in Michigan, utility Consumers Energy began operations at the 250MW Muskegon photovoltaic plant, and Linea Energy completed project financing for the 172MW Watertown solar photovoltaic project in Sanilac County.
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Power Station and Generator Prices Are Just as Low as Black Friday With These Prime Day Deals Yahoo
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Speaking in the first session of the morning, Koen Kok of Technical University Eindhoven pointed out that the Netherlands, this year’s EUPVSEC host country, has the highest per capita PV capacity in Europe (and the second highest in the world), and that with this come the growing challenges of grid congestion and PV curtailment.
Many would expect this key conference for solar researchers and industry professionals to maintain its focus inward on cell technology, system performance and other topics inherent to solar energy. But the topics chosen for the opening sessions and the program for the rest of the week-long conference at Rotterdam’s World Trade Center point to a much broader focus reflecting an industry recognizing that many of solar’s biggest challenges today come down to its rapid growth encroaching on other sectors, and focusing on the need to carefully manage these many interfaces.
Koen Kok of TU Eindhoven set the scene early on the first morning, discussing congestion and overvoltage events on the Netherlands grid, and their relationship to peak solar generation period. The discussion carried on in this vein later in the morning, with TU Delft’s Peter Palensky describing the inherent unreliability of electricity systems. He noted that solutions to balancing grids with high levels of variable renewable energy are sometimes hidden within the massive complexity of such systems, and that recent developments with AI and modelling technologies mean we now have the tools to deal with that complexity.
He further told the audience that the market alone is not solving grid congestion quickly enough, and that implementing solutions would require a change in the way we look at energy systems, and recognition that “every billion not invested in grids adds to up €10 billion in lost investment.”
Accepting the Becquerel Prize for her work on high efficiency and reliable industrial PV technologies, CEA Liten’s Delfina Muñoz spoke of the management of many ‘interfaces’ that working in solar entails – whether between two layers in a solar cell, or between two entirely different industries beginning to work together. She neatly described these interfaces as the place “where competition stops and collaboration begins.”
And growth in the number of interfaces was on show throughout the week-long conference. The solar industry’s interfaces with the grid emerged as the most important one right now, but talks on integrating solar’s activities with agriculture, the built environment, recycling and waste disposal, along with the potential for new materials and device designs, and even earning and maintaining trust from the public.
In her acceptance speech, Muñoz also told the crowd that she had first turned to AI for some guidance on what to talk about. And AI remained a theme throughout the week, with entire sessions dedicated to its use in operating PV projects – from analyzing masses of inverter data to quickly spot faults, to teaching software how to identify and analyze individual modules in a drone image of a whole project or string.
The other side of this is the infrastructure needed to power AI, and solar’s role in that was much discussed. Representatives of Solaris, an EU funded project supporting resource efficiency and sustainability in the solar industry, also brought up the need for better access and management of the huge amounts of data generated by PV inverters, sensors and other applications – which can provide valuable insights, provided it has a suitable framework for anyone to find them.
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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Martedì, 22 Settembre 2026
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“This is every day since day one.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A homeowner with a brand-new solar-panel system turned to the internet for advice after their actual production fell far below forecasts.
Day after day, the app’s forecast was coming in 30% to 40% above the system’s actual production, leaving the homeowner wondering whether the shortfall was nothing to worry about or a sign of a real issue.
In a Reddit thread, the original poster explained that their week-old solar system had consistently been generating only about a third of the forecasted electricity production.
“And this is every day since day one,” the original poster wrote, adding that they had been monitoring the forecasts and actual production using the Netzero app.
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.
As one might expect, Redditors flooded the comments with their takes. While some users cautioned that something could be off and others described the situation as normal, the general consensus was that the OP should keep monitoring to see whether the shortfall continued over the long term.
On the side of OP having nothing to worry about, one Redditor wrote, “It happens – a forecast is just a forecast after all.”
Another agreed, saying their own estimates had been thrown off by changing weather and describing solar output as “unpredictable” at times.
Other commenters focused on the homeowner’s description of the panels as being spread across three different roofs, with the front and rear roof sections appearing to share one string, while the panels on the garage were on a second string.
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.
According to some Redditors, such a setup could cause output issues.
If the front and rear roof sections, which faced different directions, indeed shared a string, “One would drag down the output of the other,” one commenter warned.
Homeowners should remember that solar forecasts are only estimates, and many aspects of a system’s design can directly affect how much electricity a home actually produces.
If panels facing different directions are wired together improperly, one group can reduce another’s performance, especially when sunlight hits each roof section at different times of day.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Still, going solar remains one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re interested in learning more about home solar, EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before signing a contract.
While forecasts aren’t guarantees, system underperformance can significantly reduce solar-related savings and affect household budgets. Reduced production tied to temporary cloud cover is one thing, but a recurring shortfall caused by wiring or configuration issues is another.
For solar users concerned that their system is generating less power than expected, a useful first step is to monitor whether the shortfall keeps happening over time. It is also important to see whether shortfalls occur only on cloudier days or follow a repeatable pattern, especially on bright, sunny days.
Shopping carefully before installation can help homeowners avoid these problems down the line, while also potentially saving on both up-front and long-term costs.
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help homeowners 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. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For now, most Redditors advised the OP not to worry too much about the production shortfalls.
“Unless it’s consistently down over weeks or in a pattern (e.g. if it’s an east/west array, output drops to nothing on the west array at 13.00) I wouldn’t worry too much,” one Redditor wrote.
These articles look at how homeowners are saving money with rooftop solar, battery backup, tax incentives, and utility programs.
• In Australia, a homeowner’s 20kW solar array made blackouts invisible and earned a $545 credit.
• Across the U.S., homeowners can still cash in on incentives and save thousands on solar.
• In the U.S., homeowners facing shrinking incentives get up to $9,000 off solar costs.
• In Texas, a new power deal offers home solar for free through a virtual plant program.
• Across the U.S., homeowners buy before the deadline as Congress slashes lucrative solar incentives.
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.
Kenya’s electricity regulator has formally codified charges for unauthorized solar power exports and confirmed net-metering credit provisions in a statement that takes retroactive legal effect more than a year before its publication date, with no public explanation given for the backdating.
Kenya backdated new solar-export rules by more than 14 months, and no one has explained why. The regulator’s changes, reported Sept. 21, are legally in effect retroactive to July 1, 2025 – but neither the government nor local media have said what’s behind the delayed disclosure.
The amendment introduces a formal definition of “dumping” – the unauthorized injection of electricity from a customer’s generation system into the Kenya Power and Lighting Co.’s (KPLC) network without company approval or a valid net-metering agreement. Energy dumped into the grid will be billed at the standard base tariff, and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) or KPLC may pursue further action if the practice damages equipment, according to the notice.
The notice also codifies a net-metering export credit of 50% of a customer’s exported electricity, applied as a bill credit before pass-through costs, taxes and levies are calculated on total energy supplied. That rate is not new: it traces to Kenya’s Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations of 2024, which took effect in July of that year. The recent statement formalizes the existing rate within the tariff schedule rather than introducing a cut.
Net metering under the amended schedule remains capped at 1 MW of installed capacity per customer, also constrained by each customer’s maximum recorded demand over the prior 12 months. Commercial and industrial (C&I) customers seeking to self-consume solar power above that threshold must pursue separate embedded-generation or open-access arrangements rather than net metering.
Formal net-metering approval requires bidirectional metering and EPRA-licensed installation – conditions some industry observers say not all earlier installations meet, though no public estimates exist.
EPRA has not issued any enforcement notices or retroactive billing advisories under the new dumping definition. The Kenya Renewable Energy Association and solar installer organizations have also not made any public statement on either change.
The change comes as KPLC reported fiscal 2026 revenue up 8.6% to KES 238.24 billion ($1.8 billion) and profit up 2.1% to KES 24.99 billion for the year ended June. Management has cited the tariff structure as limiting revenue growth despite higher sales, though it hasn’t linked that constraint to the net-metering amendment.
Separately, the notice sets Kenya’s e-mobility tariff at KES 16 per unit for standard hours and KES 8 off-peak, removing a prior 15,000 kWh monthly cap that had constrained larger EV-charging operators. It gives no rationale for the change.
EPRA also confirmed three September pass-through charges – a KES 3.00 fuel energy cost charge, a KES 1.1443 foreign exchange adjustment, and a Water Resource Management Authority levy – adding KES 4.16 per unit to bills. All three are calculated before net-metering credits are applied, magnifying their impact on net-metered customers.
The 1 MW ceiling and the underlying net-metering framework aren’t new: EPRA first floated a draft version of the rules in 2022, capping eligible systems at the same 1 MW threshold and targeting roughly 100 MW of initial distributed solar deployment. What’s changed since is the retroactive codification of the export-credit rate and the new “dumping” penalty regime – additions that formalize enforcement around a policy Kenya has been building toward for four years.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
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The new ESS News magazine is here!
Download your free digital copy today.
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Martedì, 22 Settembre 2026
11:00 – 12:00 CEST, Roma
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026
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Researchers Develop Single-Image Method To Quantify PV Module Degradation Photograph: (Archive)
Researchers have developed a new luminescence-based method that can quantify photovoltaic (PV) module degradation using a single image, potentially enabling faster inspection of large solar installations and reducing the need for multiple measurements during field diagnostics.
The method, developed by researchers from Zhejiang University, Quantified Energy and the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, combines machine-learning-assisted degradation classification with a physics-based reconstruction model. It converts a single electroluminescence (EL) or photoluminescence (PL) image into spatial maps of power loss and device parameters.
The researchers said conventional quantitative luminescence diagnostics generally require multiple images captured under different electrical bias or illumination conditions. While a single luminescence image can reveal defects, multiple operating points have traditionally been needed to distinguish between different sources of performance loss and quantify their impact.
The new approach addresses this by first classifying degradation into two broad mechanisms — recombination-driven and resistance-driven losses. A lightweight machine-learning classifier identifies the dominant mechanism, after which a physics-based inversion model uses the luminescence image to reconstruct local current-voltage behaviour and power-loss distributions.
The researchers said the approach can account for degradation mechanisms including light-induced degradation (LID), light- and elevated-temperature-induced degradation (LeTID), ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) and potential-induced degradation (PID), along with transport-related defects such as wafer cracks and grid breaks.
The method was validated on 300 crystalline-silicon modules rated at 575 W and retrieved from field operation. The modules covered multiple manufacturing batches, operating environments and degradation modes. According to the study, the reconstructed power values closely matched conventional I-V measurements. The overall root-mean-square error (RMSE) across the 300 modules was 0.5%, while most of the modules showed errors within ±1.5%.
At the individual-module level, the researchers compared their reconstruction with conventional I-V testing on two representative 575 W modules. For a recombination-driven degradation case, the method estimated maximum power at 532.7 W against 532.3 W from the electrical measurement. For a resistance-driven case, the corresponding values were 536.7 W and 541.3 W. The researchers said using a single fixed operating point could also reduce errors associated with differences between multiple images, including image misregistration and noise amplification.
The technique was also tested at a utility-scale PV installation comprising 342 crystalline-silicon modules rated at 545 W each, giving the installation a capacity of about 186 kW. For the field demonstration, the researchers captured a night-time EL image using a drone while the PV strings were forward-biased at 0.22 times their short-circuit current. The drone operated approximately 5–10 metres above the array.
The resulting image was used to map degradation at the intra-cell level and then aggregate the results to individual modules and strings. In the analysed section of the plant, the average module power loss was 7.53%, while a severely degraded cell region showed localised power loss of approximately 25%.
The study also assessed three strings affected predominantly by different degradation mechanisms, including mild cracking, severe cracks and grid breaks, and LID. The analysis showed that the method could capture differences in power-loss distributions between strings as well as module-to-module variations.
The researchers said the technology could eventually support routine PV operations and maintenance by moving beyond simple defect detection to quantifying the amount of power lost by individual modules. Such information could help plant operators prioritise maintenance, repair and module replacement based on the severity and location of degradation.
Although the demonstration primarily used EL imaging, the researchers said the framework can also be applied to calibrated PL imaging. They further noted that, with suitable spectral selection and calibration, the approach could potentially be extended to other PV technologies, including perovskite and tandem modules.
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The ₹3,293-crore plant can produce about 88,000 solar cells per hour.
Premier Energies has commissioned a 7GW N-type TOPCon G12R solar cell plant in Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh, raising its total solar cell capacity to 10.6GW.
The ₹3,293-crore facility spans 101 acres and can produce about 88,000 solar cells per hour.
The plant uses automated production, digital systems and artificial intelligence for process control and performance analysis. It is also equipped with a Zero Liquid Discharge system to recycle and reuse water.
The facility can be upgraded to next-generation TOPCon+ technologies. Once fully ramped up, it is expected to achieve average cell efficiency of about 25.8%, the company said.
The commissioning expands Premier Energies’ capacity to supply high-efficiency solar products to domestic and international markets.
The company also plans to expand backward integration into ingots and wafers.
“The timing of this 7 GW capacity addition is therefore significant: as the line stabilises and ramps up, it gives us the scale to serve that demand with greater supply reliability and operating efficiency,” said Chiranjeev Saluja, managing director at Premier Energies Limited. “Together with our planned backward integration into ingots and wafers, this strengthens our strategy of building a fully integrated and globally competitive solar manufacturing platform while supporting India’s clean energy transition.”
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Herds of elk graze in the foreground of a lush wetland in Yancheng, East China’s Jiangsu Province, while rows of wind turbines turn gracefully against the distant sky on July 16, 2026. Photo: VCG
A 360-meter-tall wind measurement tower has been completed and put into operation at an 800,000-kilowatt experimental wind farm …
China’s high-altitude wind power technology has achieved a major breakthrough, as the domestically developed S4000 Stratosphere Airborne Wind …
The core castings for the world’s most powerful onshore wind turbine in terms of single‑unit capacity have recently …
From the Journal: Journal of Applied Physics
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 — Commercial cameras can be powerful, producing images with exquisite details that mimic real life. In the lab, specially designed cameras can photograph objects in the infrared region, invisible to the naked eye.
In The Journal of Applied Physics, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the University of Stuttgart, the Research Center Jülich, and the German company Solarzentrum Stuttgart modified a commercially available camera for something usually done in the lab: measuring the electroluminescence of solar cells.
Electroluminescent quantum efficiency is commonly used to determine the efficiency of solar cells. The value is directly related to the cell’s voltage, and, generally speaking, the higher the luminescent quantum efficiency, the better the solar cell. It’s also normal to measure this value with a camera — albeit an expensive, industrial camera that must be carefully calibrated.
“Our approach shows that even a relatively inexpensive consumer camera can provide quantitative results when its physical response is properly modeled and calibrated,” said author Jürgen Werner.
The camera they used was already primed for their experiment since it lacked an internal infrared-blocking film, something that is normally present in most commercial cameras. These modified cameras can also be used for artistic infrared photography or photos of the night sky.
The researchers added a long-pass filter in front of the camera lens to decrease visible background light, providing an infrared electroluminescence image that could later be analyzed based on brightness.
“An electroluminescence image contains much more quantitative information than simply showing bright and dark regions,” said Werner. “With a suitable physical camera model and calibration, it can provide absolute luminescent quantum efficiency and, therefore, information about the local quality of a solar cell or module.”
The researchers plan to expand the camera’s capabilities in future work, keeping an emphasis on using commercially available technology.
“Our next step is to use the calibrated camera to determine quantum efficiencies and open-circuit voltages of further, previously uncharacterized solar cells and modules,” Werner said. “The same model should also be applicable to photoluminescence measurements and potentially to measurements performed in daylight.”
The article “New camera model for absolute quantum efficiency measurements from electroluminescence of solar cells or modules” is authored by Jürgen H. Werner, Georgette Udo, and Liviu Stoicescu. It will appear in The Journal of Applied Physics on Sept. 22, 2026 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0349589). After that date, it can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.10.1063/5.0349589.
###
New camera model for absolute quantum efficiency measurements from electroluminescence of solar cells or modules
Jürgen H. Werner, Georgette Udo, and Liviu Stoicescu
University of Stuttgart, Forschungszentrum Julich, Solarzentrum Stuttgart
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For a lot of high school students, summertime brings opportunities to sleep late, hang out with friends or just take time for themselves. However, Annalise Forgash saw the time as an opportunity to serve others.
Forgash, a senior at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, spent a week of her summer volunteering with the nonprofit Let’s Share the Sun Foundation in Puerto Rico, where she helped install solar panels. She was able to participate in the project through a connection with her father, John Forgash, a solar power engineer.
One of the reasons Forgash said she wanted to participate was to feel closer to her heritage.
“I’m half Colombian. So, I’m of Latin American descent, and being in Puerto Rico makes me feel a little bit closer to that side of my heritage,” she said. “I also felt like it would be a really cool experience because I’ve never done a mission trip before.”
Along with a professional crew, Forgash was one of the interns working on the project. “I was the only one that was in high school,” she said. “I was the youngest there.”
A crew would deliver all the solar panels and equipment, and then Forgash and her group did the installation. “We had to drill holes into the concrete roof, place down all the brackets, and then lift the solar panels onto the roof and install it,” she said. “It was kind of hard, but the crew was really helpful. We would work for five hours, six hours, and then we had part of the time to talk to [the homeowner] Maria about her story.”
Maria, a single mother, lives in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, a remote village in the mountains. Her home received extensive storm damage, forcing her and her son, who has Down syndrome, to live in the basement of the house without electricity or running water for more than eight months.
“They didn’t have electricity for TV. They didn’t have air conditioning. They had no lights or energy,” Forgash said. “They had to collect water. It was like going back in time.”
She remembered Maria’s reaction once the work was completed. “You could tell she was over the moon. She kept saying how her son could watch television now and not have food go bad, or worry about it getting too hot at nighttime.”
A parishioner of Saint Joan of Arc in Marlton, she said that her summer experience ties into the Catholic values she has learned in school.
“I think it definitely relates to giving back into the community and doing things for others,” she said, as well as “having an open mind, not being judgmental of others, being able to open up, and seeing issues and actually working on them.”
She said that the experience also helped her appreciate the things she takes for granted. “I have electricity and water all day, every day. I don’t have to worry about it; it’s like peace of mind. A lot of people have peace of mind knowing that they have all these things, when there are so many people in the world that just don’t have that luxury.”
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Solex Energy Ltd has outlined plans to expand beyond solar module manufacturing and EPC services into solar cell production and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
The company unveiled its expansion roadmap at its 12th Annual General Meeting, setting a target of 2.2 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity by FY28 and 5.2 GW by early FY29. It also plans to develop 10 GWh of battery pack and container assembly capacity, with the first 5 GWh phase targeted for FY29.
The expansion is part of an investment program of approximately INR 4,000 crore between FY27 and FY30, representing the largest expansion programme in the company’s history.
Solex reported revenue of INR 16,211 million for FY 2026, registering a 143.9% year on year growth. EBITDA stood at INR 1,867 million, while Profit After Tax reached INR 983 million. The company also highlighted order visibility exceeding INR 34,000 million, reflecting the growing scale of its operations and market demand for its solar solutions.
“Our focus is on creating an integrated, technology driven and globally competitive energy platform from India, with the resilience to grow across cycles and the discipline to create enduring value,” said Chetan Shah, Chairman and Managing Director, Solex Energy Ltd.,
Solex expects its expansion into solar cell manufacturing to strengthen control over quality, costs and supply chain resilience, while deepening its participation in India’s evolving domestic manufacturing ecosystem. Energy storage represents another strategic pillar of the company’s growth plans.
The company sees the integration of renewable generation and storage as increasingly important as electricity demand expands across electric mobility, industrial electrification, artificial intelligence, data centres and other energy intensive sectors. It is targeting revenue potential of more than INR 4,500 crore by FY28, while maintaining a disciplined approach towards capital deployment, execution and technology investments.
Solex is also expanding its international outlook through plans for Solex Europe and Solex USA.
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The United States has surpassed a major clean energy milestone, reaching enough operating solar capacity to power more than 50 million American households. The cumulative national solar footprint now stands at 299.4 GWdc across more than 6.2 million installed systems, meaning solar power generation can now cover the equivalent electricity needs of more than one-third of all households across the country.
The national landmark was highlighted in the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie. The report reveals that the domestic solar industry installed 11.4 GWdc of new generating capacity in the second quarter of 2026 alone. That quarterly deployment figure represents a 45% increase compared to the same period last year and a 43% step-up from the first quarter.
Utility-scale installations led the second-quarter expansion, accounting for 9.6 GWdc of new grid capacity, up 61% year-over-year. The surge was driven in part by developers expediting project timelines to bring capacity online ahead of the July 2026 safe harbor deadline for federal tax credit eligibility. Together, solar and storage technologies represented 70% of all new electricity generating capacity added to the national power grid during the first half of the year.
The expanding deployment footprint reflects broader structural growth across the domestic solar economy. Today, solar supplies nearly 9% of total U.S. electricity generation, nearly seven times its grid share from a decade ago. The sector employs over 280,000 workers across more than 10,000 businesses nationwide, with private solar investment totaling $69.1 billion in 2025 alone.
“Solar and storage have grown to a scale most Americans have yet to fully realize, and we simply can’t meet America’s growing energy needs without these technologies,” said SEIA President and CEO Tim Pawlenty.
Deployment gains continue to concentrate heavily across Republican-led states. Geographically, states won by President Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 57% of total cumulative capacity and 71% of all new solar capacity brought online during the first six months of 2026. Eight of the top 10 states for new capacity additions this year were red states, driven by rapid project execution in major sunbelt markets.
California and Texas continue to anchor national totals, holding 56,457 MW and 55,125 MW of cumulative solar capacity, respectively. Florida ranks third with 22,550 MW, followed by Arizona with 13,197 MW and North Carolina with 10,127 MW. Rounding out the top 10 markets are Illinois at 9,337 MW, New York at 8,410 MW, Nevada at 8,253 MW, Virginia at 7,868 MW, and Georgia at 7,786 MW.
Alongside generation deployment, domestic clean energy manufacturing has scaled significantly. More than $18 billion has been invested in U.S. solar factory construction, expanding active facilities across 43 states. Operational U.S. module manufacturing capacity has reached 75.3 GW, with an additional 14.4 GW currently under construction. Domestic solar cell manufacturing infrastructure is also taking shape, with 10.6 GW of operational capacity and 19.1 GW actively being built.
Despite macroeconomic pressures and the expiration of residential tax credits that temporarily cooled the rooftop sector, long-term industry projections remain robust. Wood Mackenzie forecasts that the domestic solar market will nearly double over the next five years, maintaining an average annual buildout of roughly 44 GWdc through 2031. Cumulative U.S. solar deployment is projected to reach 769 GW by 2036.
Looking out toward mid-century grid projections, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that solar and storage will account for 67% of all planned grid capacity additions through 2030, with solar specifically representing 44% of new grid builds. By 2060, roughly half of all new annual power generation added to the national electrical grid is projected to come from solar energy.
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The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, opened to the public on September 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, according to Solar Power World. Onyx Solar supplied more than 32,000 square feet of photovoltaic glass for the museum roof, a system with a peak power of 279 kW.
The building was designed by MAD Architects under Ma Yansong, with Stantec serving as executive architect and Alfa-Tech as the MEP engineer. It covers 300,000 square feet across a 13-acre landscaped campus. Its curved volume has no flat facades and no right angles, rising above the ground and combining a green roof on one slope with the solar roof on the other.
Diego Cuevas, vice president of Onyx Solar North America, said projects such as the Lucas Museum show that solar energy does not have to be added to architecture and can instead become part of the architecture itself. He said taking part in a project of this significance gives Onyx Solar an opportunity to demonstrate what building-integrated photovoltaics can achieve.
The Spanish BIPV company designed the solar system for the curved rooftop. The PV glass panels use high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells with a black rear finish to meet the intended aesthetic. Multiple tapered panels were engineered and fabricated to follow the shape of the rooftop arrays.
Electrical contractor Baker Electric integrated the PV glass panels, using IronRidge XR1000 profiles and clamps.
Onyx Solar has an established presence in the U.S. market. Its solar glass is also installed at the former headquarters of Bell Labs in New Jersey, which appears as the office space in the Apple TV+ series Severance.
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Cumulative solar photovoltaic manufacturing capital expenditure in the United States is forecast to reach $12.2 billion by the end of 2026, according to Terawatt PV Research, a figure that would represent more than half of all solar PV manufacturing spending recorded in the country since 2001. The projection appears in the firm’s new Solar Manufacturing USA Quarterly report, released on the same day as the analysis, which was carried out by the company’s founder.
The research draws on the author’s experience examining the operations of more than 500 solar PV manufacturers worldwide across a period of more than two decades, spanning the industry’s shift from research and development to commercial activity.
The U.S.-focused report is built around the core building blocks needed to interpret quarterly metrics at individual PV manufacturing sites: effective ramped capacity, production output, technology segmentation and manufacturing capex. For the first time, coverage of PV manufacturing capex extends beyond equipment spending at the company level.
The analysis now breaks capex down quarterly for individual U.S. manufacturing sites and further divides company, site, value-chain and technology-specific spending across buildings and infrastructure, new production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades. The consolidated totals are intended to provide an accurate picture of the domestic solar PV manufacturing landscape, supporting forecasting out to 2030.
The report covers company-specific manufacturing sites in production since 2020, the period leading into the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, the subsequent rise in manufacturing capex from 2023 onward, and bottom-up forecasting to the end of 2030 that factors in new investments arising from Section 232.
U.S. solar PV manufacturing capex has exceeded $2.5 billion in each year since 2023. A record $4.14 billion was spent during 2024, with more than 60% of that total coming from just two companies: First Solar, mainly through spending on new factories in Alabama and Louisiana, and Qcells, part of Hanwha Solutions, through vertically integrated investments in Georgia.
Segmenting capex across buildings and infrastructure, new production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades highlights differing dynamics at domestic production sites. Allocations to buildings and infrastructure vary widely, from refitting an existing warehouse for module assembly to building a dedicated greenfield site for solar cell manufacturing, a difference of more than an order of magnitude on a per-installed-watt basis. Buildings and infrastructure costs accounted for about 60% of total spending during the 2023-2026 period.
Effective capacity levels for crystalline silicon cells and modules in the United States have grown quarter on quarter since the start of 2025, with effective-capacity-conversion rates varying considerably by site, from 15-20% during early ramp-up to 70-80% at a select group of companies. Forecasting cell and module production volumes to 2030 frames the additional upstream capex needed for a more balanced silicon-based value chain in the country.
Site-level analysis allows regional trends to be identified quickly, and production data is particularly useful in assessing where materials supplies could be strategically developed. Currently, this type of analysis can only be applied to module production in the United States; doing so for ingots, wafers and cells is considered too early.
At state level, Ohio was the dominant zone for module production volumes leading into the rollout of the Inflation Reduction Act, by virtue of First Solar’s manufacturing bases. Texas has become the leader in the post-IRA era, emerging as the top state for module production in 2026 with contributions from Canadian Solar, Sirius/Elin, Imperial Star, SEG Solar, T1 Energy, TOYO/Abalance and Waaree Energies. Much of the remaining activity is in the Southeast, with a geographic split between the gulf coast corridor of Louisiana and Florida and an advanced manufacturing region covering the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.
The report’s final output is to rank and rate the companies analyzed. This step is intended to focus attention on the manufacturing decisions of the top 20 companies in the U.S. solar sector, a subset that typically accounts for more than 95% of all significant investment and production.
The report is built from a proprietary bottom-up database of U.S. solar manufacturing activity analyzed at site level by quarter. Production is tracked across the crystalline silicon value chain from polysilicon through modules, alongside segmented thin-film cell and module output equivalence. Capex is divided between buildings and infrastructure, production equipment, and maintenance and upgrades, while excluding research and development contributions. The underlying data draws on audited filings and company reporting where available, supplemented by market research based on operational and industry evidence and personal communications.
Production and capex are independently subjected to statistical transformation and normalization before being combined through a weighted methodology to generate a Manufacturing Strength score for each company. An operating-production screening process prevents companies with little or no realized output from being elevated solely by announced or early-stage capital spending. The scores determine company rankings, while a standardized Z-score analysis measures each qualifying manufacturer against the wider U.S. peer group and forms the basis of AAA-to-C Manufacturing Strength ratings presented as a truncated pyramid. Ratings are displayed annually, with each quarterly report updating production and capex assumptions and therefore the forecast full-year ranking and rating.
The first Manufacturing Strength Ratings Pyramid for U.S. solar PV manufacturers is scheduled to be revealed during an opening talk at the Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 conference in Austin, Texas, on 22-23 September 2026. The Solar Manufacturing USA Quarterly report is released today, with the first quarterly deliverable scheduled for the start of October 2026, when analysis for the third quarter of 2026 is completed. Report enquiries and subscriptions are managed exclusively by pv magazine USA, extending a working partnership that led to the launch of the Solar Manufacturing USA event in 2026.
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Patria Investments has divested its entire stake in a 360MW operational solar photovoltaic plant in Colombia, according to pv-tech. The asset manager sold the project, known as Puerta de Oro, to Colombian energy company Isagen, marking the first divestment of Patria Infrastructure V, an infrastructure fund focused exclusively on the Latin American market.
The Puerta de Oro solar PV project is one of the largest in Colombia. It is located in the central department of Cundinamarca and began commercial operations earlier this year, alongside Enel’s 360MW solar PV plant in the northern department of Atlantic. The project spans nearly 530 hectares and incorporates more than 511,000 installed modules.
Jose Mestres, a partner for infrastructure at Patria Investments, described Puerta de Oro as an example of the firm’s capacity to identify infrastructure opportunities and generate value by guiding projects through the full development cycle. He noted that Patria supported the project from structuring and financing through construction, commercial operation and sale, helping establish it as a major renewable energy asset expected to contribute to Colombia’s energy system in the years ahead.
With the acquisition, Isagen expands its solar PV portfolio in Colombia. The company had previously partnered with independent power producer Atlas Renewable Energy to develop, build and operate a 1GW solar PV portfolio in the country. Last year, the two companies commissioned the 201MW Shangri-La solar project in the central-west department of Tolima.
The previous Colombian government introduced a grid expansion plan at the beginning of the year that could unlock 6GW of new renewable energy capacity in the country’s Caribbean region. The plan is expected to enable mainly solar PV and wind developments, with investment of up to US$1.7 billion in grid infrastructure.
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