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Toshiba, Shin-etsu, Niigata University's new tech beats China in durability race
A consortium of Toshiba, Shin-Etsu and Niigata University is working to commercialize what would be the world’s most durable perovskite solar cells. (Source photos by Yuki Nakao, Takako Fujiu)
TOKYO/NIIGATA, Japan — Japan's Toshiba and Shin-Etsu Chemical, working with Niigata University, have developed a perovskite solar cell that is 1.5 times more durable than existing alternatives, giving it the world's highest durability and an edge in the competition with Chinese manufacturers currently leading the race to mass-produce next-generation solar cells.

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Higher yields, better technology can strengthen India’s ethanol economy: Krishna Mohan Puvvada
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Solarworld Energy Solutions Limited’s board of directors, at a meeting held on September 7, 2026, approved a Securities Subscription Agreement (SSA) and Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Rays Power Infra Limited to jointly develop a 2.4 gigawatt (GW) solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh, the company said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges.
Under the agreements, Solarworld will acquire and hold 50 per cent of the equity share capital of Rays Green Energy Manufacturing Private Limited, with the remaining 50 per cent held by Rays Power, the filing showed. The joint venture will undertake development, construction, commissioning and operation of the facility on about 41.30 acres of land at Mohasa, Babai, in Narmadapuram district.
The company’s aggregate financial commitment under the arrangement is up to Rs 420 crore, comprising equity subscription of up to Rs 100 crore, of which about Rs 26.82 crore forms the initial tranche, and a loan of up to Rs 320 crore to Rays Green for funding the project, according to the disclosure. Rays Power will separately subscribe up to Rs 100 crore in equity. The company said the transaction does not involve any related-party interest and is not linked to its promoter group.
The board also approved a variation in the objects of its initial public offering (IPO), redirecting an unutilised amount of Rs 420 crore, earlier earmarked for part-financing a 1.2 GW cell manufacturing facility at Pandhurana through subsidiary Kartik Solarworld Private Limited, toward the new Rays Green investment instead, the filing said. The company said the revised project is estimated to cost about Rs 1,000 crore for the 2.4 GW capacity, with commercial production targeted from June 2027.
Rays Green, incorporated in 2022, reported a turnover of Rs 437.63 crore in FY26, up from Rs 166.75 crore in FY25 and nil in FY24, as per the disclosure.
The company also informed exchanges that its trading window for dealings by designated and connected persons would remain closed from September 7, 2026 until 48 hours after declaration of voting results of its 13th Annual General Meeting, and that the AGM notice for the year ended March 31, 2026 would be submitted in due course.
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Solar-powered ‘boat of the future’ will be docked in N.J. — and local kids will be on board  NJ.com
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Projects commissioned after July 2027 would need two-hour storage capacity.
New ground-mounted solar and onshore wind power plants in India would need energy storage equal to at least 10% of installed capacity for a minimum of two hours under draft rules proposed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
The requirement would apply to plants commissioned after 1 July 2027.
For projects commissioned after 1 July 2029 and up to 30 June 2031, the minimum storage duration would increase to four hours, whilst the capacity requirement would remain at 10%.
For a 100-megawatt (MW) solar plant, the draft sets a minimum storage requirement of 10 MW for two hours under the first phase, rising to 10 MW for four hours under the second phase.
The CEA also proposed grid-forming requirements for renewable energy power plants commissioned after 1 July 2027.
At least 15% of inverters would need grid-forming control, whilst all power conversion systems of battery energy storage systems would need the capability.
The proposed requirements form part of amendments to the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electric Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations.
The amendments would require renewable energy plants to comply with technical requirements under the CEA’s grid connectivity regulations.
The authority said it may change the required percentage of grid-forming capability or energy storage capacity through future notifications.
The CEA published the draft regulations on 3 September and said it would consider them after 30 days from the date the notification is made available to the public.
It invited objections and suggestions during the period.
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Its electrical efficiency rose to around 11.1%, compared with 8.1% for the conventional panel.
Photo Credit: Image © 2026 by Baskaran et al. is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Researchers in India say injecting tiny air bubbles into cooling water could help solar technology work harder by lowering the operating temperatures of photovoltaic-thermal panels and increasing hydrogen output.
During rooftop trials, sending air bubbles through cooling water was associated with lower operating temperatures in photovoltaic-thermal panels and higher hydrogen output.
To measure the impact of the bubbles, the researchers tested the new water-cooled, air-injected design against three other systems: a standard photovoltaic panel, an air-cooled photovoltaic-thermal setup, and a water-cooled photovoltaic-thermal setup, pv magazine reported.
Measurements were collected from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. over seven consecutive summer days on a rooftop in Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, where researchers from K.S.Rangasamy College of Technology and SRM Institute of Science and Technology installed the systems.
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The best results came from the photovoltaic-thermal water setup with air injection at 0.024 pounds per second (0.011 kg/s), which reached a peak thermal efficiency of about 45.5%, versus roughly 30% for the air-cooled version.
Its electrical efficiency rose to around 11.1%, compared with 8.1% for the conventional panel.
The air-injected system reached about 0.52 fluid ounces per minute (15.5 milliliters per minute), while the standard photovoltaic setup peaked at 0.28 fluid ounces per minute (8.3 ml/min).
The research team noted, “Numerous researchers have used several cooling methods, including air cooling, liquid cooling, and phase change materials, but failed to explore the impact of air bubbles on the performance of PV system efficiency and hydrogen yield rate.”
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The experiment used a small 20-watt panel. Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and homeowners can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Solar panels lose efficiency as temperatures rise, especially in hot, sunny climates.
Photovoltaic-thermal systems are designed to address that problem by producing electricity while also capturing heat that would otherwise go to waste.
More efficient solar-powered electrolyzers can help produce cleaner fuel for industry, backup power, and energy storage without depending as heavily on polluting energy sources.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
More study is needed to identify the best air-injection rate across different conditions and system designs.
Advanced control algorithms could help manage integrated solar-and-hydrogen systems and maximize output.
For people looking into solar, EnergySage’s free services can help simplify the process. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives. Together, these resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages. It can also help you save money on energy and go off-grid. You can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
“This study’s findings will be advantageous for both developed and emerging nations, taking into account environmental pollution and energy requirements,” the research team said. 
The types of effort seen here are showing up in several places, from India’s rapid solar expansion to new materials that could make panels work better.
• In India, the solar surge is creating demand for a giant battery that lasts decades without fire risk.
• Scientists have shown tin perovskite solar cells can deliver stronger performance without lead.
• At the atomic scale, researchers used a new lamination method to lift solar-cell efficiency.
Even relatively small gains can have a big impact when they scale across solar systems.
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Europe’s off-the-shelf solution to fight high energy costs is finally coming to the US.
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With a deep breath, I took the cable seething with 800W of solar power and plugged it directly into a standard wall jack in my home. Nothing sparked, nothing smoked, and by the end of that sunny summer day, my electricity bill had dropped to nearly $0.
As unnerving as it sounds to treat a common household power outlet like a power input, these DIY plug-in solar kits, sometimes called balcony solar, have proven to be safe and effective for years already in Europe, and are slowly making their way into the US to democratize the production of energy. They transform solar from a high-barrier capital improvement (starting at around $15,000) requiring contractors, engineering permits, and utility preapproval, into an consumer appliance you can buy at a supermarket (starting around $300) and hang from a balcony railing or prop against a wall — all without the help of an electrician.
Traditional plug-in solar kits include a few solar panels and a small microinverter that ties itself to the electrical grid. The microinverter converts solar energy into power that’s prioritized for use by devices inside your home.
Optionally, you can add a battery to the kit to store any surplus energy produced during the day. That way, you can continue to cut your costs by feeding that stored energy back into the home when the sun goes down. These so-called power stations can also be used to power a fridge and other critical devices during a blackout. They start at around $500 for a small 1kWh battery or $1,500 for 3kWh.
I live in Europe, where millions of households, including as estimated 1.5M in Germany, have purchased plug-in solar systems over the last few years to gain a modicum of energy independence. They’re so popular, even Ikea sells them (though they’re actually just EcoFlow resellers).
Plug-in solar’s popularity has been fueled by two things. Oil and gas prices have surged ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, and have remained high amid the ongoing US war with Iran. Meanwhile, global prices for solar panels and batteries have fallen to record lows — though US consumers face higher costs due to Trump’s tariffs on panels and batteries and the elimination of solar tax credits. Nevertheless, plug-in solar is finally getting a foothold in those amber waves of grain.
Historically, utility regulations in the US treated a budget solar panel in a garden like a massive 10kW rooftop array. Now, over a dozen states have passed laws or introduced bills to legalize the deployment of plug-in solar systems. The rules vary, but in general they allow for qualifying plug-in solar systems to be installed without utility preapproval so long as they meet safety requirements, prevent individual circuits from overloading, and shut down during a power outage to keep line workers safe.
I’ve had a modest 400W plug-in system operating on my rooftop deck in the Netherlands. In those 21 months of use, it produced 709kWh, saving me about €225 (about $260) — enough to nearly offset the purchase price of my kit. It will take longer to offset the rather large $1,800 power station it all plugs into when I’m home. But as an avid vanlifer, I get a ton of extra value out of that emergency battery, which also enables me to live and work off grid for months at a time.
People operating a plug-in solar system in sunnier climates with maxed out solar arrays will recoup costs much faster. European plug-in solar systems can feed as much as 800W into the home, while US states typically support up to 1200W. And kits often support even greater solar capacity so long as it’s diverted to a battery.
In the US, plug-in solar is now legal in Virginia, Maine, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire, ever since Utah pioneered the state-level reclassification of plug-in solar as a small household appliance last year. Legislation is awaiting governor signature in California and New York, while another half-dozen states have introduced bills.
In Europe, of the 27 EU member states, only Sweden and Hungary still prohibit plug-in solar devices.
European adoption of plug-in solar systems will almost certainly continue its upward trend so long as solar and battery prices keep falling — it’s not like the geopolitical situation will bring energy prices down anytime soon. US adoption could be in for a hockey stick moment of growth just as soon as California — the state with the highest residential electricity rates — signs plug-in solar into law.
Now that the legal dominos have started falling in the US, the nascent plug-in solar category has piqued the interest of companies focused on home energy. EcoFlow, Bluetti, Anker, and many others, are all trying to capitalize on the surge of interest, giving renters and budget-conscious consumers a wider selection of kits to choose from.
Already in the last few months, we’ve seen EcoFlow launch its more capable Stream 2 series alongside Bluetti’s Balco series. Both of these plug-in solar systems are built on modular architectures so that owners can expand from entry-level solar generation to a larger, whole home energy system over time.
I can attest that plug-in solar is a slippery slope. First you buy the microinverter and a few solar panels, then more panels and a battery to store the energy surplus, and then you start looking at how you can extract even more energy out of thin air. Because once you start looking closely at the power you’re paying for, canceling it out with “free energy” becomes an addictive game.
Plug-in solar isn’t going to replace utility-scale solar farms or 10kW rooftop arrays, but it fills the missing bottom layer of the clean energy transition. My two-year-old kit has already nearly paid for itself. Beyond the savings, I like that I’m reducing my contribution to climate change, and that feeling’s invaluable.
And who knows, maybe a new US administration will arrive in a few years to give the entire sector a goose, instead of actively working against solar and handing the future of energy production to China, uncontested.
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That means a better payoff for solar panels already installed.
Photo Credit: iStock
Researchers in Namibia and Germany are testing a new glass coating for solar panels that could let in more sunlight and help the panels cool themselves down by releasing the heat better. 
While it’s still in early stages, pv magazine reported that these tests could help make solar panels work better.
The research team, which included the University of Namibia and Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, is focusing on solar panels’ outer glass efficiency, pv magazine reported. 
In its tests, the coating helped solar panels let in 91% of sunlight and released the heat really well, roughly 90%. These improvements, while small, could make the average solar panel more efficient — pushing it from its current standing at 20% efficiency to 20.25%. 
Solar panels can lose their efficiency when they get hot, and this coating could help them shed the heat without needing extra energy or equipment.
By more sunlight getting through and the panels running cooler, the same panel produces more clean electricity. That means a better payoff for solar panels already installed.
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While the efficiency gain is only 0.25%, this matters a lot. It could add up to more clean energy across the world and create a better return on resources. 
Cooler modules may also experience less thermal stress over time, though the researchers have not yet confirmed that through real-world outdoor testing.
The coating has been demonstrated on glass samples rather than finished commercial modules, meaning important questions still need to be answered before it could see widespread use, pv magazine reported. 
The group intends to move beyond standalone coated glass and evaluate the material on full photovoltaic modules outdoors, tracking both power output and operating temperature. 
The team is also looking into manufacturing-friendly versions for large sheets of industrial solar glass. It wants to conduct tests of how well the coating holds up over time and whether it can help resist soiling.
New studies are happening all the time within the solar industry to ensure this technology will keep delivering more and more benefits.
• Researchers are pushing transparent solar cells in glass to turn buildings and cars into generators.
• Scientists have used fish oil to boost solar panel efficiency.
• In Australia, engineers tested plastic reflector mirror technology to capture more of the sun’s energy.
• Scientists have created record-efficiency polymer solar cells that could lower future panel costs.
• Researchers have shown transparent anti-fog optical coatings can keep lenses and windows clear.
While it may take some time to use these innovations at scale, these examples go to show that people are very invested in making these solutions a reality.
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‘So worth doing’: Solar panel advocates calling Hochul to sign SUNNY Act  RochesterFirst
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India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has proposed new technical requirements for renewable energy projects, including mandatory grid-forming inverters and co-located energy storage for new ground-mounted solar and onshore wind projects.
Under the draft rules, renewable energy power plants commissioned after July 1, 2027, would be required to have at least 15% of their inverters equipped with grid-forming controls. All power conversion systems (PCS) used in battery energy storage systems (BESS) would also need to feature grid-forming controls to comply with the requirements of the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations.
The CEA has also proposed that ground-mounted solar and onshore wind projects commissioned after July 1, 2027, be equipped with co-located energy storage systems (ESS) with a minimum duration of two hours and power capacity equivalent to at least 10% of the renewable energy plant’s installed capacity.
Under the proposal, a 100 MW solar plant, for example, would require at least 10 MW of energy storage with a minimum duration of two hours.
The storage requirement would increase for ground-mounted solar and onshore wind projects commissioned between July 1, 2029, and June 30, 2031. These projects would be required to install co-located ESS with a minimum duration of four hours and power capacity equivalent to at least 10% of the plant’s installed capacity.
The proposed requirements are included in the CEA’s draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electric Plants and Electric Lines) Second Amendment Regulations, 2026, notified on Sept. 3.
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The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
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A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
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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.

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Solarworld Energy Solutions Limited has entered into a joint venture with Rays Power Infra Private Limited to establish a 2.4 GW solar photovoltaic cell manufacturing facility at Mohasa, Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh. Solarworld Energy Solutions will hold a 50 per cent stake in the joint venture entity, Rays Green Energy Manufacturing Private Limited, while Rays Power Infra will hold the remaining 50 per cent. The company’s board of directors approved the transaction at its meeting held on September 7, 2026.
Manufacturing facility
The facility will be established on approximately 41.30 acres of land allocated by the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation, with construction already underway. The project will manufacture n-type TOPCon G12R cells, with commercial production expected to commence by June 2027.
The estimated project cost for the 2.4 GW facility is approximately Rs 1,000 crore, translating into a capital cost of about Rs 417 crore per GW. Solarworld Energy Solutions will invest up to Rs 100 crore in equity and extend a loan of up to Rs 320 crore to Rays Green Energy Manufacturing Private Limited to fund the project.
IPO proceeds
Separately, the board approved a variation in the utilisation of the company’s initial public offering proceeds. Solarworld Energy Solutions had raised Rs 550 crore through its IPO in September 2025, of which Rs 420 crore was originally earmarked for investment in its subsidiary, Kartik Solarworld Private Limited, for setting up a 1.2 GW facility at Pandhurana.
As of June 30, 2026, no amount had been deployed towards the Pandhurana project. The company now proposes to redirect the unutilised funds towards the new 2.4 GW joint venture facility.
Project advantages
The new facility is expected to offer improved capital efficiency and economies of scale, while benefiting from its location within a solar manufacturing cluster with established trunk infrastructure. Rays Green Energy Manufacturing Private Limited has already obtained consent to establish from the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
The joint venture is also eligible for electricity at a subsidised tariff of approximately Rs 4.30 per unit under the applicable government scheme.
The joint venture will be governed by a securities subscription agreement and a joint venture agreement that provide for equal governance rights. These include nominee director appointments, affirmative voting rights, and pre-emptive rights on future issuances.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
GreenGo Energy has signed an agreement to develop the Megaton Moon Green Hydrogen Project in Mauritania. The agreement grants GreenGo Energy access to over 100,000 hectares of land near Nouakchott for the project’s development. With this, the company has entered the development phase, which includes detailed site and geotechnical surveys, meteorological data collection, and feasibility…
Read More GreenGo Energy to develop green hydrogen project in Mauritania
The European Energy Exchange (EEX), Indian Gas Exchange (IGX), and GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) have signed an agreement to establish a hydrogen trading market in India.  This initiative is part of the International Hydrogen Ramp-Up (H2Uppp) program, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The program aims to…
Read More EEX, IGX, and GIZ partner to develop hydrogen trading market in India
Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVNL) announced the results of its 4.3 GW solar auction held under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme, with 4.01 GW of capacity awarded to 82 companies. Among the key winners, Dilip Buildcon Limited secured 1,363.54 MW at a tariff…
Read More MPUVNL awards 4.01 GW in 4.3 GW PM KUSUM-C solar auction
The West Bengal government has allocated Rs 5,345.16 crore to the Power Department in its 2026-27 budget, outlining a series of thermal power, renewable energy and transmission infrastructure projects to meet rising electricity demand. The budget also earmarks Rs 305.87 crore for Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Sources and Rs 100 crore for rooftop solar installations….
Read More West Bengal budget plans new thermal plant, floating solar and 15 new substations
PFC Consulting Limited (PFCCL) has incorporated Fatehgarh II And Barmer I PS Transmission Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV), for the augmentation at Fatehgarh-II PS, Fatehgarh-IV PS (Section-II), and Barmer-I PS. The incorporation was completed on December 30, 2024. PFCCL is serving as the bid process coordinator (BPC) to select a transmission service provider (TSP)…
Read More PFCCL incorporates SPV for Fatehgarh and Barmer transmission projects
Adani Green Energy has announced that its independent review into the US indictment of its founder and senior executives has found no evidence of non-compliance or irregularities. In a filing to the stock exchange, the company stated that it had appointed independent law firms to conduct a thorough review of the allegations. This review aimed…
Read More Adani Green finds no irregularities in internal review of US bribery charges
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Axis Energy Partners with Brookfield-Backed Lumara to Develop 400 MW Solar Project in Andhra Pradesh  SolarQuarter
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Chardonnay vines grown beneath adjustable solar panels in southern France produced 60% more fruit than uncovered vines during one season, according to results from an agrivoltaic trial. The technology could also help growers retain acidity, reduce alcohol levels and use less water as French vineyards contend with increasingly extreme heat.
Solar panels positioned above vines could offer French winegrowers another tool for adapting to rising temperatures, with trials in southern France reporting improvements in yields, water use and grape composition.
Results reported by Ecoportal show that Chardonnay grown beneath an adjustable agrivoltaic system in the Pyrénées-Orientales yielded 60% more fruit than uncovered control vines during the 2024 season.
Marselan yields were 30% higher and Grenache Blanc 20% higher under the panels.
However, results from the same vines a year earlier differed considerably. In 2023, covered Chardonnay yielded just 10% more than the control, compared with increases of 25% for Marselan and 45% for Grenache Blanc.
The year-to-year variation suggests caution is required when interpreting the headline yield figures, particularly as the results were published by Sun’Agri, the company behind the technology, rather than as part of peer-reviewed research.
Unlike conventional solar installations designed primarily to maximise electricity generation, the system uses movable panels controlled according to the needs of the vines.
Mounted above the trellis, the narrow panels can provide shade during periods of intense heat before moving to increase the amount of light reaching the plants when required. The design also allows vineyard machinery to operate beneath the installation.
Around 11 acres at the main trial site in the Pyrénées-Orientales are covered by panels, with approximately seven acres of uncovered vines providing a comparison.
The principle is to protect vines and grapes from excessive solar radiation during the hottest parts of the day.
Extreme temperatures can reduce photosynthesis and increase water stress, while grapes continue to ripen and lose acidity. Providing temporary shade could therefore help slow ripening and preserve a more favourable balance between sugar and acid.
The trials reported water savings ranging from 20% to 70%, alongside reductions in plant losses of between 25% and 50%.
The panels were also reported to offer protection during frost events, mitigating temperature drops of around 4°C.
A separate trial involving unirrigated Grenache Noir in the Vaucluse recorded yields more than 30% above uncovered vines.
For wine producers, the effect on grape composition may ultimately prove more important than individual yield increases.
According to the results reported by Ecoportal, wines produced from vines under the panels contained approximately 1.5 percentage points less alcohol, with acidity better preserved in white varieties.
That could have particular relevance in southern France, where warmer growing seasons can accelerate sugar accumulation and push harvest dates earlier.
Unlike the yield results, which varied substantially between varieties and seasons, Ecoportal reported that the effects on alcohol and acidity had been more consistent across the trials.
The findings come as winegrowers across France explore ways to protect vineyards from increasingly severe weather.
As previously reported by the drinks business, temperatures reached as high as 44°C during a heatwave in June, compounding the effects of drought, frost and hail in several regions.
Dr Alistair Nesbitt, CEO of Vinescapes, told db at the time: “When it gets too hot, the vines shut down. The soil becomes very dry. If there is no moisture in the soil, then no moisture is being pulled into the vines. It creates a really unsuitable growing environment. Producers in France and elsewhere are really struggling.”
One Loire Valley grower was reported to have lost around 40% of their crop after grapes suffered damage from prolonged exposure to intense sunshine.
Extreme heat can also affect the style of the resulting wine, with smaller berries and changing sugar, acid and flavour profiles presenting winemakers with difficult decisions over when to harvest.

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CSIRO and Macquarie University have teamed with the Australian arm of Philippines-based energy company Acen Corp to bring new precision to vegetation management, fire preparedness and daily operations at Acen’s New England Solar Farm site in New South Wales (NSW).
The New England facility is a 720 MW solar and battery project being built in stages across a 2,000-hectare site of mostly cleared grazing land near Uralla in northern NSW. The 400 MW first stage commenced operations in 2023 while the construction schedule for the 320 MW second stage is expected to be announced soon.
A 200 MW / 400 MWh battery energy storage system has also been built on site and is now undergoing final testings and commissioning. 
The site is also home to more than 6,000 sheep that are grazing beneath the panels.
Acen is now working with researchers from CSIRO and Macquarie University to balance the competing demands of the agricultural activities and the day-to-day operation of the solar and battery facility.
The researchers are using satellite and drone imaging to map vegetation growth and associated fire risk across the entire site. Grass height, moisture and biomass all influence how a site is insured, maintained and grazed.
Those conditions are usually determined through manual processes. This project is using hyperspectral imagery from Germany’s environmental EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program) satellite to measure vegetation down to a biochemical element.
CSIRO principal research scientist Cindy Ong said the biochemical detail will provide the solar farm operator with the ability to distinguish moist grass from dry, flammable fuel, and see how that biomass is distributed around assets such as transformers and cabling.
Ong said the data will allow fire risk to be determined in a quantitative form, helping inform which areas need grazing or slashing intervention.
“It can also help farmers better manage their grazing patterns and work collaboratively with the solar farm operator to balance both the fire risk and yield of a farm,” she said.
Acen Australia Managing Director David Pollington said the project has the potential to set an important example for the Australian renewable energy industry, demonstrating how renewable energy and productive agriculture can successfully coexist and deliver mutual benefits.
“Ultimately, it demonstrates that renewable energy projects can be partners in rural land stewardship, creating shared value for landholders, communities and the clean energy sector,” he said.
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CSIRO and Macquarie University have teamed with the Australian arm of Philippines-based energy company Acen Corp to bring new precision to vegetation management, fire preparedness and daily operations at Acen’s New England Solar Farm site in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
The New England facility is a 720 MW solar and battery project being built in stages across a 2,000-hectare site of mostly cleared grazing land near Uralla in northern NSW. The 400 MW first stage commenced operations in 2023 while the construction schedule for the 320 MW second stage is expected to be announced soon.
A 200 MW / 400 MWh battery energy storage system has also been built on site and is now undergoing final testings and commissioning. 
The site is also home to more than 6,000 sheep that are grazing beneath the panels.
Acen is now working with researchers from CSIRO and Macquarie University to balance the competing demands of the agricultural activities and the day-to-day operation of the solar and battery facility.
The researchers are using satellite and drone imaging to map vegetation growth and associated fire risk across the entire site. Grass height, moisture and biomass all influence how a site is insured, maintained and grazed.
Those conditions are usually determined through manual processes. This project is using hyperspectral imagery from Germany’s environmental EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program) satellite to measure vegetation down to a biochemical element.
CSIRO principal research scientist Cindy Ong said the biochemical detail will provide the solar farm operator with the ability to distinguish moist grass from dry, flammable fuel, and see how that biomass is distributed around assets such as transformers and cabling.
Ong said the data will allow fire risk to be determined in a quantitative form, helping inform which areas need grazing or slashing intervention.
“It can also help farmers better manage their grazing patterns and work collaboratively with the solar farm operator to balance both the fire risk and yield of a farm,” she said.
Acen Australia Managing Director David Pollington said the project has the potential to set an important example for the Australian renewable energy industry, demonstrating how renewable energy and productive agriculture can successfully coexist and deliver mutual benefits.
“Ultimately, it demonstrates that renewable energy projects can be partners in rural land stewardship, creating shared value for landholders, communities and the clean energy sector,” he said.
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 issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
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India’s power demand is surging, but some solar energy is going to waste  wjtv.com
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Suzlon secures 200 MW wind energy order from Ayana Renewable Power  Business Standard
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Inox Solar Americas has signed an agreement to supply 767 megawatts of photovoltaic modules to a leading U.S. renewable energy developer and independent power producer, which the company did not name. The modules will feed three utility-scale solar projects in North Carolina and Texas, sized at 71 MW, 102 MW and 594 MW, with deliveries beginning in 2027.
The order covers Inox’s Vega Series bifacial modules in single-glass and dual-glass configurations, built on Galaxion N-type PV cells. The agreement is structured around U.S. supply-chain rules, including domestic-content thresholds and Prohibited Foreign Entity and Foreign Entity of Concern requirements that developers increasingly must meet to qualify for federal incentives. Inox has emphasized U.S. supply-chain traceability as part of the deal.
Inox acquired Boviet Solar’s U.S. operations in 2026, gaining a 3 GW annual module manufacturing plant in Greenville, North Carolina. The Boviet Solar brand has held BloombergNEF Tier 1 PV module manufacturer status continuously since 2017, and the company produces its Gamma Series and Vega Series modules using monocrystalline Galaxion N-type cells. Inox plans to add 3 GW of cell manufacturing capacity at the Greenville site in 2027, which would make its U.S. operations fully vertically integrated from cell to module.
“This 767-MW agreement represents a significant milestone for Inox Solar Americas and demonstrates the confidence leading U.S. renewable energy developers place in our manufacturing capabilities, technology, and commitment to the U.S. solar market,” said Ashok Nair, President and CEO of Inox Solar Americas.
Domestic-content rules are reshaping how developers source panels, opening large solar supply deals to U.S.-based manufacturers now competing with other solar module makers for the domestic market.

#Solar#Solar Energy#United States
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Solarworld Energy has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Rays Power to establish, develop, construct, commission, and operate a 2.4 GW solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing facility at Mohasa-Babai in Narmadapuram district, Madhya Pradesh. Both parties will hold a 50% stake in the project.
The announcement also marks a change in the proposed utilisation of proceeds from the company’s fresh issue. The funds were originally earmarked for investment in Solarworld Energy’s subsidiary, Kartik Solarworld Private Limited (KSPL), to part-finance a 1.2 GW solar TOPCon cell manufacturing facility at Pandhurana, Madhya Pradesh.
The company now proposes to deploy the unutilised amount towards its investment in Rays Green, the JV entity. The proposed 2.4 GW facility will be jointly developed, constructed, commissioned, operated, and managed by Rays Power and Solarworld Energy across approximately 41.30 acres at Mohasa-Babai, Narmadapuram district.
Following its successful IPO and listing, Solarworld Energy raised ₹550 crore in September 2025. This included a fresh issue of 12,535,612 equity shares at ₹351 per share, generating approximately ₹440 crore in IPO proceeds.
The company also undertook a pre-IPO placement of 3,124,548 equity shares at an issue price of ₹352.05 per share, including a premium of ₹347.05 per share, aggregating to ₹110 crore in pre-IPO proceeds. In addition, a promoter selling shareholder offered 1,424,501 equity shares at ₹351 per share through an offer for sale, aggregating to ₹50 crore.
As disclosed in the prospectus, Solarworld Energy had proposed to invest ₹575.299 crore in its subsidiary KSPL to part-finance the establishment of the Pandhurana project. Of this amount, ₹5.18 crore had been deployed as of September 17, 2025.
The company had planned to utilise ₹420 crore from the Net Proceeds and Pre-IPO Proceeds for the Pandhurana project, while ₹101.678 crore was earmarked for general corporate purposes.
During fiscal 2025, Solarworld Energy deployed ₹22.575 crore from the Net Proceeds and Pre-IPO Proceeds for general corporate purposes. However, the proposed ₹420 crore investment in KSPL for part-financing the Pandhurana project remains unutilised.
The company now plans to redirect this unutilised amount towards its investment in Rays Green and, consequently, the new 2.4 GW manufacturing project.
Solarworld Energy entered into the joint venture arrangement with Rays Power Infra Limited on September 7, 2026. Under the agreement, Solarworld Energy will hold 50% of the equity share capital of Rays Green, with Rays Power Infra holding the remaining 50%.
Instead of the previously proposed investment in KSPL, the company intends to use the unutilised portion of the fresh issue proceeds to invest in Rays Green. The investment will part-finance the establishment of a 2.4 GW n-type TOPCon G12R solar PV cell manufacturing plant.
The project will be located at the Manufacturing Zone for Power and Renewable Energy Equipment, Plot No. P-23, Mohasa-Babai Industrial Area, Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
A total of 41.30 acres has been allocated for the facility. The land was allotted to Rays Green through a letter dated February 14, 2025, issued by the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation (MPIDC). Rays Green subsequently entered into a registered lease deed with MPIDC on March 4, 2025.
The latest funding structure is expected to improve capital efficiency. The 2.4 GW facility has an estimated project cost of approximately ₹1,000 crore, translating into a capital cost of around ₹417 crore/GW.
The scale of the proposed facility is expected to generate economies of scale, lower per-unit manufacturing costs, and improve the project’s overall competitiveness.
The project site has relatively flat topography and is located in an area with established trunk infrastructure, which is expected to reduce land development requirements and associated execution costs. Its location within a solar manufacturing cluster could also provide ecosystem benefits, including access to skilled manpower, technical expertise, and supporting infrastructure.
Rays Green executed the lease deed for the project land with MPIDC on March 4, 2025, and has obtained consent to establish from the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Construction activities have already commenced at the site, which is expected to facilitate an earlier start of operations and shorten the overall implementation timeline.
The project is also eligible for electricity at a subsidised tariff of approximately ₹4.30 per unit under the applicable government scheme, potentially providing an additional operating cost advantage.
Rays Green was incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, on April 5, 2022. The company is engaged in the manufacturing, designing, developing, trading, importing, exporting, assembling, operating, and maintaining of renewable energy products. It is currently developing the 2.4 GW TOPCon solar PV cell manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
Rays Green has authorised and paid-up share capital of ₹1 lakh each, divided into 10,000 equity shares of ₹10 each. The company recorded a turnover of ₹437.63 crore during FY2025-26.
The proposed facility will manufacture solar PV cells using TOPCon technology. Rays Green currently operates in India and has no overseas operations as of the date of the disclosure.
The Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) was executed simultaneously with the Securities Subscription Agreement (SSA). These agreements establish the terms governing the parties’ rights and obligations relating to the project’s operation, control, management, governance, financing, and rights over its output.
The investment is intended to create a backward integration platform for high-efficiency solar PV cell manufacturing. It is expected to strengthen Solarworld Energy’s renewable energy value chain, secure long-term access to solar cells, reduce its dependence on third-party suppliers, and create greater business synergies.
The target entity’s business is aligned with Solarworld Energy’s existing operations and complements its solar EPC and module manufacturing businesses.
Solarworld Energy also proposes to subscribe to equity shares of Rays Green for an aggregate amount of up to ₹100 crore. Of this, ₹26.82162 crore will constitute the initial subscription amount.
The equity shares will be issued at ₹21,287 per share, comprising a face value of ₹10 and a securities premium of ₹21,277 per share. The initial subscription covers 12,600 equity shares.
The aggregate financial commitment under the agreements is capped at ₹520 crore. This comprises an equity subscription of up to ₹200 crore in Rays Green, with Solarworld Energy subscribing up to ₹100 crore and Rays Power subscribing up to ₹100 crore.
In addition, Solarworld Energy will provide a loan of up to ₹320 crore to Rays Green to finance the project.
Under the financing arrangement, Solarworld Energy will extend the loan to Rays Green on an arm’s-length basis to fund part of the project cost for the 2.4 GW solar cell manufacturing facility.
The financing will be provided in accordance with the agreed business plan and governed by definitive loan documentation. The total loan amount of up to ₹320 crore will be disbursed in one or more tranches, depending on the project’s funding requirements.
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Solar power: From intermittent sunshine to reliable power  mckinsey.com
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DJI enters the balcony photovoltaic track, where opportunities and challenges coexist and reshape the inherent logic of the industry.
Energy Foresight learns that as IFA 2026 (Berlin International Consumer Electronics Fair) recently opens, DJI showcases a set of balcony solar system among the dazzling array of new product booths. A photovoltaic panel, a micro-inverter and a Schuko power socket are connected in series to form a complete power generation system.
This scene is interpreted by many media outlets as a “cross-border strike”. But a question worth exploring is: what exactly does DJI’s entry into the balcony photovoltaic sector mean for the photovoltaic industry?
DJI’s layout in the energy sector is not a random decision, nor is it simply chasing a fleeting trend. The starting point of this business line comes from the real pain points of drone users.
In the second half of 2022, DJI began to plan portable energy storage products internally. Back then, range anxiety for outdoor drone shooting was a rigid demand — a single battery can only support 20 to 30 minutes of flight, so it was common for users to carry several spare batteries.
Previously, this demand was met by third-party power supply brands, but DJI chose to develop its own products. At the end of 2023, DJI officially launched its first outdoor power station, one of the core selling points of which is supporting fast charging for its own drone batteries.
The positioning of this step is very clear: it is not an independent energy business, but a supporting service for the drone ecosystem.
After that, DJI gradually expanded its power product portfolio. In 2025, its energy storage products began to extend from “outdoor” to “indoor” — the term “home backup power supply” appeared in its official descriptions.
In the same year, DJI launched supporting solar panels, allowing users to charge the energy storage device with photovoltaic power. Up to this point, DJI’s energy business has completed its first leap from a “charging accessory” to an “independent power system”.
At the IFA exhibition in September 2026, DJI took the third step: it packaged energy storage devices, photovoltaic panels and micro-inverters into a complete grid-connected home energy system that can be directly plugged into a household socket for use, targeting urban apartment residents.
This system does not rely on rooftop installation and requires no construction team, with target users being people who cannot install traditional photovoltaic systems but want to reduce their electricity bills.
Looking through this timeline, from drone chargers to outdoor power stations, and then to home energy storage systems with photovoltaic panels, every step is an extension of the previous stage. The user group has expanded from drone enthusiasts to camping crowds, and then to urban renters. This is not a “cross-border strike”, but a natural process in which a company gradually expands its business along the needs of its core users.
DJI has picked a favorable timing to enter the market.
Germany is one of the world’s largest markets for balcony photovoltaics. As of May 2026, the number of official registrations for plug-and-play photovoltaic systems in Germany has exceeded 1.3 million units. After Germany simplified registration procedures, relaxed the power upper limit and granted renters the right to install such systems through the Solar Package I in 2024, market demand grew rapidly. The United Kingdom has allowed legal access and use of plug-and-play photovoltaic systems since August 27, 2026. Relevant bills have also been passed in California. DJI has chosen a region where the policy window has already opened.
However, picking the right timing does not mean there are no challenges. DJI faces at least three real problems:
First, there is uncertainty in policy orientation.
The rapid development of balcony photovoltaics relies heavily on policy support, but policies are not set in stone. In June 2025, Germany issued the draft of “IEC 60364-7-751”, which requires balcony photovoltaic systems to be connected through independent circuits with protective devices, and cannot be powered through ordinary sockets. France has also mandated that all balcony photovoltaic devices be connected to independent circuits with circuit breakers and installed by licensed electricians since August 2025.
Although Germany and the UK still maintain a relatively loose regulatory framework at present, the trend of European supervision tightening from “plug-and-play” to “standardized installation” has emerged. If more countries follow the French model, the core selling point of DJI’s system — “usable as soon as plugged into a socket” — will be greatly weakened.
Second, there are shortcomings in channels and services.
DJI is good at developing consumer electronics products, covering design, production and sales through retail channels. But balcony photovoltaic systems involve installation, grid connection and after-sales maintenance, for which DJI has no ready-made experience. Although “plug-and-play” lowers the installation threshold, users still need basic electrical knowledge and operational capabilities. If problems occur during installation, equipment fails, or the connection with the power grid is not smooth, does DJI have the ability to handle these issues? This is not a simple matter of users returning drones for repair, but a problem related to household electricity safety.
The German Plug-and-Play Photovoltaic Association also pointed out that if regulators force users to hire electricians or install special sockets, the cost will rise significantly and popularization will be inhibited, which poses a potential threat to DJI’s “plug-and-play” model.
Third, the competitive landscape is far more crowded than imagined.
DJI is not the only company that has spotted this opportunity. Anker Innovations released its balcony photovoltaic and energy storage product Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro in May 2026. IKEA has launched balcony photovoltaic packages in Germany. There are also many local balcony photovoltaic brands in Europe.
More importantly, DJI’s pricing strategy puts it in a delicate position. The basic version of IKEA’s package is priced at 449 euros, and a typical dual-panel plug-and-play system in Germany costs about 500 euros. The standalone price of DJI’s Power 2000 is around 900 to 1100 euros, and the full set of system with photovoltaic panels and micro-inverters is most likely to cost more than 1500 euros.
DJI is not selling the cheapest photovoltaic system, but an “energy system” with energy storage function. The question is, for an urban apartment renter, when choosing between an entry-level system priced at 500 euros and DJI’s system priced at more than 1500 euros, what choice will they make? Whether DJI’s brand premium can support this price gap remains to be verified by the market.
There is also a more fundamental question: how large is the market size of balcony photovoltaics itself. Germany has an estimated installation potential of 20 million balcony-level units.
A brokerage research report estimates that based on Germany’s 2026 data, assuming that the annual new installation volume of balcony photovoltaics reaches 400,000 units, Germany will have about 3.17 million balcony photovoltaic households by 2030, with a penetration rate of around 7.6%. There is a huge gap between “having potential” and “all users will install it”. A system priced at more than 1500 euros is not an impulsive purchase for ordinary households.
The real impact of DJI’s entry on the industry does not lie in sales volume, but in reshaping the industry logic. It has verified a new path: photovoltaic products can be sold in the same way as consumer electronics.
For a long time, photovoltaic is a typical B2B business with multi-level distribution. Power stations are treated as assets, and photovoltaic panels are treated as production materials. But DJI packages photovoltaic panels, micro-inverters and energy storage devices into a “plug-and-play” set, which is displayed at the IFA consumer electronics fair alongside drones and robotic vacuum cleaners.
This action sends a signal that photovoltaics are becoming “home appliances”, entering supermarket shelves and e-commerce shopping carts.
This trend is not being followed by DJI alone. Haier has invested 6 billion yuan to build a new energy ecological park, TCL Zhonghuan maintains its leading position in silicon wafer shipment, Midea holds a controlling stake in Hiconics, and BYD has launched household photovoltaic products in its dealership stores in Brazil. Cross-border players are pouring in from all directions, jointly activating the consumer market for photovoltaics.
However, whether DJI’s model can be successfully implemented depends on whether two key problems can be solved:
The first is to convert “consumer brand trust” into “professional trust in the energy sector”. When buying a drone, users care about image quality; when buying a photovoltaic system, users care about whether it will catch fire, how much electricity bill it can save, and who will be responsible for maintenance when it breaks down. The logic of building these two types of trust is completely different.
The second is to cope with the fading of policy dividends. If the convenience of “plug-and-play” is gradually weakened by policies, DJI will lose its biggest differentiated selling point. At that time, it will have to compete head-on with traditional photovoltaic installers, which will be a completely different battle.
For traditional photovoltaic enterprises, DJI’s entry serves as a mirror.
It warns the entire industry that if the consumer market for photovoltaics is really activated, traditional enterprises must learn to build brands, develop sales channels and optimize user experience, instead of only focusing on producing components and building power stations.
But DJI may not necessarily be the final winner. The “plug-and-play” policy dividend it relies on has shown cracks in Europe, and the energy service capabilities it lacks are precisely the core barriers in the home scenario.
This case will eventually prove one thing: whether the consumer market for photovoltaics is a real huge blue ocean, or just a short-lived window brought by policies and capital.
The answer may not lie in DJI’s booth, but in the trend of European regulation and the real choices of users in the next three years.
This article is from the WeChat official account “Energy Foresight”, written by Wang Mengjiao, and published with authorization from 36Kr.
该文观点仅代表作者本人，36氪平台仅提供信息存储空间服务。
36kr Europe (eu.36kr.com) delivers global business and markets news, data, analysis, and video to the world, dedicated to building value and providing business service for companies’ global expansion.
© 2024 36kr.com. All rights reserved.

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Mon 7th September 2026
Solar panel imports have increased amid rising demand from mining companies. Can the technology prove key to connecting off-grid communities?
DR Congo, despite its immense wealth from minerals and other natural resources, has been one of the least successful countries in the world at connecting its people to electricity.
Just 21.5% of the population had access to electricity in 2024; connections are virtually non-existent apart from in the Katanga mining belt and in a handful of major cities. Yet new data on solar panel imports suggest there is hope that this dire situation could be starting to change.
Figures published on Thursday by energy think tank Ember show that DR Congo has been Africa’s fourth-largest importer of Chinese solar panels over the last year. Solar panel imports totalled $249m, while spending on batteries reached $429m.
Ember estimates that solar installations in DR Congo will increase 544% year-on-year in 2026. It says new solar capacity added this year alone is equivalent to a remarkable 63% of existing grid generation.
The answer to what is driving DR Congo’s sudden boom in solar can be found outside the Kamoa Copper mine near Kolwezi. Here, an area the size of 230 football pitches has been carpeted with 357,000 solar panels. The project, installed by CrossBoundary Energy, a developer of distributed energy systems, began commercial operation on 12 August.
With rapidly rising demand for critical minerals, especially copper, companies in DR Congo’s mining heartland of Katanga are straining to find sources of power that will enable them to expand.
At the same time, volatility in diesel prices – especially following the outbreak of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East – gives mining giants an obvious incentive to invest in solar as a way to cut their fuel bill.
The new solar facility at Kamoa boasts a 233 MW solar array. The addition of 526 MW-hour battery storage capacity means that it delivers a minimum ‘baseload’ of 30 MW at all times – contradicting sceptics who have long dismissed renewables as incapable of providing continuous power to a major industrial facility.
“What we’re showing now, in the first month of operation, is that it’s working,” says Richard Stanford, CrossBoundary’s chief technical officer. “It does what it says on the label.”
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Kamoa project is that solar panels are powering mining operations just 24 months after the mining company launched a tender for independent power producers, and only 14 months after ground was broken at the site.
This is despite the logistical nightmare of transporting panels, batteries and other equipment to the Katanga mining region. CrossBoundary had to move 998 truckloads of equipment from the Port of Durban in South Africa to the mine, a journey of just over 3,000km that takes an average of 18 days per vehicle.
Many similar projects are already underway. Kamoa announced in May that is has contracted another IPP, Green World Energie, to install a second solar-plus-battery scheme that will ensure another 30 MW of baseload power. Stanford tells African Business that CrossBoundary is also in discussions about expanding its facility at Kamoa, adding that the company is participating in three other tender processes for mining companies in DR Congo.
“I think there will be a rush in terms of looking to replicate this model in other mines and other industrial off takers,” he says.
The rapid development of CrossBoundary’s project at Kamoa highlights one of the key advantages of solar power. A solar farm uses modular designs and can make use of mass-produced equipment, meaning giant solar projects can be up and running much faster than almost any other type of energy generation infrastructure.
The contrast with DR Congo’s dreams of massive hydropower projects could not be greater. Plans to expand electricity production at the Inga Rapids – the site of two existing dams – have remained firmly on the drawing board for decades. The deadlock reflects the extreme complexity of securing finance and addressing social and environmental concerns for vast hydropower schemes.
The World Bank announced a $250m commitment in June 2025 to help prepare the next phase of Inga’s development, which could yield up to 11 GW of power. However, Albert Zeufack, the World Bank’s division director for DR Congo, told African Business at the time that completing the Inga 3 dam would take “at best” another 8-10 years.
Even if a project on the scale of Inga 3 is completed, actually delivering power to industries and homes will be another matter.
A truly national electricity grid that can reach DR Congo’s most remote towns and villages is “impossible to imagine” within the foreseeable future, says Lyza Shodu, DR Congo country lead at the non-profit Global Energy Alliance.
For the time being, mini-grids and other forms of off-grid solar power offer the only feasible hope of getting power to all corners of the country. Mini-grids work in a similar way to a regular grid but on a smaller scale, typically powering a village with solar power backed-up by batteries or diesel generators.
Shodu says off-grid solar will play a “dominant role” in DR Congo’s efforts to achieve its ambitious goal of increasing its electrification rate to 62% by 2030. New hydropower projects, she believes, will make a major contribution only over the longer term.
Several of the world’s largest mini-grid developers, including Madagascar-headquartered WeLight and Indian-founded Husk Power Systems, have already entered the DR Congo market. The question now is how quickly they can expand their pipelines and get panels on the ground.
“Financing will become the bottleneck,” says David Ekabouma, CEO of GreenMax Capital Group, the firm tasked with managing the government-backed Mwinda Fund, which is mandated to finance off-grid energy and clean cooking solutions for the country.
The fund is aiming to raise $500m to support project developers with grants, concessional loans, guarantees and technical assistance. Ekabouma says active fundraising will begin early next year, though the fund has already secured commitments from the World Bank and Global Energy Alliance, and is in discussions with European development agencies.
“All the donors have DRC as a top priority when it comes to energy access,” he notes.
While donors may be enthusiastic about mini-grids, not everyone is convinced that they are financially feasible in communities where there is little in the way of cash-generating activities.
“We think that that mini-grid model isn’t flexible enough to serve all the way from the lowest income customers up to those higher power users,” says Luke Burras, chief operating officer at green tech company MOPO.
An alternative, which MOPO is rolling out in DR Congo and several other African countries, is to rent out portable batteries of varying sizes and recharge the devices at solar-powered hubs. Burras says the very low cost of the service allows it to reach “an order of magnitude, if not three or four orders of magnitude, deeper” compared to mini-grids.
In the race to electrify DR Congo, the challenges remain immense. The current electrification rate leaves around 80m people without power; and, with the population growing by around 4m a year, it is a challenge that is getting larger all the time. The country’s 62% access target for 2030 appears barely plausible.
Yet there is little doubt that solar can be a game changer. From vast mine sites to isolated villages, the availability of relatively cheap and easy to install solar power is offering hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  

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Multiple agencies battling fire at solar farm near Hillsboro  Yahoo
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Australia’s EPC Renewables and Spanish project developer Grupo Cobra have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Energy Fiji Ltd. (EFL) for the development of a large-scale solar and battery project in Fiji.
The Yaqara solar and battery project is to be delivered over two stages with the initial phase to comprise 22 MW of solar paired with a 40 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). Stage two features 120 MW of solar generation and a 200 MWh BESS.
EPC Renewables, formerly EPC Solar, will be responsible for the financing, development, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the solar and batter facility that is to be supported by a long-term energy supply arrangement with EFL.
In addition to the agreement with EFL, EPC Renewables has also executed an MOU with Grupo Cobra, establishing a framework to collaborate on the delivery of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works for stage one and future project expansions.
EFL said it will now work with EPC Renewables to finalise a power purchase agreement (PPA) by the first quarter of 2027. The parties are aiming for the solar and batter facility to achieve commercial operations by no later than the first quarter of 2029.
EFL Chief Executive Officer Fatiaki Gibson said the project will support the authority’s plan to reduce Fiji’s reliance on imported diesel generation and increase renewable electricity generation from approximately 49% at present to 60% by 2029, and 90% by 2035.
“EFL has set clear renewable energy targets, but ultimately our customers need to see these translated into projects connected to the grid,” he said in a statement. “Our focus now is on completing the necessary due diligence, negotiating a commercially acceptable power purchase agreement and ensuring the required transmission infrastructure progresses alongside the generation project.”
EPC Renewables Managing Director Daryn Stocks said the project marks a significant milestone in the company’s evolution from an EPC contractor to a developer, owner and operator of renewable energy infrastructure across Australia, Fiji and the Pacific.
“The Yaqara Project is a transformational opportunity for EPC Renewables,” he said. “This project establishes our first major IPP (independent power production) platform in Fiji and demonstrates our commitment to delivering reliable renewable energy infrastructure while creating long-term economic, employment and community benefits.”
Stocks said the Yaqara project will significantly reduce Fiji’s reliance on imported diesel generation and improve long-term energy self-sufficiency. The integration of large-scale battery storage will further enhance grid stability and reliability by enabling renewable energy to be dispatched when it is needed most. He also noted it has the potential to create a foundation for long-term economic development in the region.
A key focus of the development will be workforce participation and skills development. EPC Renewables expects the project to support the employment of approximately 200 Fijians, creating pathways into the renewable energy sector through electrical traineeships, apprenticeships and technical training programs.
“As an Indigenous-focused renewable energy company, we are committed to ensuring the benefits of the energy transition extend beyond clean power,” Stocks said. “Through training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities, we aim to help build a skilled local workforce that can participate in Fiji’s renewable energy future.”
The company said it will work alongside the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), the Smart Energy Council (SEC) and the Sustainable Energy Industry Association of the Pacific Islands (SEIAPI) to develop local renewable energy capabilities and establish long-term career opportunities for Fijians in engineering, electrical and clean energy industries.
“Yaqara is more than a renewable energy project. It is a platform for regional growth, skills development and community participation,” Stocks said.

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The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
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Three of solar's biggest names traded in completely different directions in 2026, and the one posting the worst losses also happens to be the most profitable of the group. Find out what policy shocks and platform bets separated the winners…
Market Movers desk. Editor: David Moadel.

Solar’s 2026 scoreboard through Friday’s close doesn’t read like a sector at all. Three of the best-known U.S.-listed solar names moved in different directions this year, and the winner may surprise anyone who assumed size and profitability would carry the group.
SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) stock closed at $34.20, up 19% year to date. Meanwhile, Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) stock finished at $36.37, up 13%. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) stock, the largest and most profitable name of the three, ended at $204.45, down 22%.
Between them sits a sector fund that never picked a side. The Invesco Solar ETF (NYSEARCA:TAN) was down 2% year to date. To provide the broader context, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) was up 13%, putting the broad market above every solar name except SolarEdge.
Solar spent 2026 trading on federal tax-credit policy rather than on reported results. Expiration of the Section 25D residential clean energy credit pressured U.S. distributor buying and installer cash flows, and both SolarEdge and Enphase described soft domestic sell-through even as European demand grew sharply. That policy overhang set the tone for the group all year, overshadowing earnings results.
The 25D reset hit residential demand harder than sector fundamentals suggested it would. Enphase’s U.S. sell-through fell 34% from the prior year in Q2 2026, and industry-wide residential permits ran 30% below prior-year levels in June. Distributors have stayed cautious on inventory while tax-equity funding and FEOC definitions remain unresolved.
SolarEdge still returned to non-GAAP operating profitability in Q2 2026 with revenue of $346.25 million and a clear beat against consensus. Enphase’s Q2 revenue landed at $291.85 million with non-GAAP gross margin of 46.8%, aided by an IEEPA tariff refund. Both names now carry heavy safe-harbor books tied to future third-party-owned project starts across 2028 and beyond.
SolarEdge’s rally reflects recovery from deeply depressed levels rather than a rerating on quality. The company captured more than 50% of U.S. commercial and industrial rooftop installations in the most recent industry report, and it’s scaling its Nexus platform across Europe. Management has also pointed to the SolarEdge SST as an early foothold in AI data center power infrastructure.
Enphase’s own IQ Solid-State Transformer targets the same AI power theme, with pilots planned for 2027 and commercial shipments in 2028. First Solar’s problem was different. Its utility-scale model leans on Section 45X credits, and its 2026 guidance still assumes $2.10 billion to $2.19 billion of those credits.
First Solar’s underlying business still looked strong on paper. The company’s Q2 2026 adjusted EBITDA margin reached 61%, up from 51% a year earlier, and its contracted backlog stands at 45.1 gigawatts extending through 2030. Yet, FSLR stock spent the year absorbing a legal overhang from securities litigation tied to prior tariff disclosures alongside market questions about backlog conversion and future average selling prices.
The spread inside a single sector fund is the real story here. The TAN ETF’s slight decline hides a wide gap between two recovering inverter names and a utility-scale leader that moved the other way. Its own holdings show First Solar as the largest of the three positions at 11.7% of net assets, followed by Enphase at 8.8% and SolarEdge at 6.3%, so FSLR stock weakness actively muted the fund’s gain from SEDG and ENPH stock.
SolarEdge holds an investor day on September 10, 2026, and its safe-harbor detail plus updated Nexus rollout guidance could shape the fourth-quarter setup for SEDG stock. Investors can watch for Section 232 clarity on polysilicon, which First Solar cited as a gating item for its Southeast Asia capacity decisions. Any easing of U.S. residential funding uncertainty would also matter for both inverter names.
Enphase’s Propel financing program is another swing factor to track. Management expanded it from four states to six during Q2 2026 and targeted 12 states in Q3 2026, aiming to replace part of the loan volume lost with 25D expiration. Momentum there could give ENPH stock a domestic demand story that doesn’t require Washington’s help.
The takeaway is that 2026 rewarded recovery from depressed levels rather than quality, and the largest, most profitable name in the group sits at the bottom. Investors sizing their exposure to any of these solar stocks should keep their positions moderate given the policy sensitivity. Another credit or tariff headline can flip the leaderboard again before year-end.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.
Solar stocks are splitting on Thursday. Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH | ENPH Price Prediction) is up 15% to $48.13 and SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG) is up 17% to $50.04, while Canadian Solar (NASDAQ:CSIQ) is down 11%…
Shares of SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) are ripping higher in Friday’s midday session, with SEDG stock up 22% to $61.44. That extends Thursday’s surge into a powerful two-day run, with the…
First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR | FSLR Price Prediction), Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH), and SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ: SEDG) are the three names most investors reach for when they want solar exposure. For a retirement-focused investor…
It’s a rough Monday for many solar investors. SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) stock is down 7% today, sliding from $48.75 to $45 and change, while Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) stock is off…
Solar stocks are ripping higher in Monday trading, led by a bullish Wells Fargo note on the sector’s biggest domestic manufacturer. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR | FSLR Price Prediction) shares are up 5% to $236.52,…
A fresh FCC ruling on foreign inverters sent one solar stock surging while its closest peers slid, and the divergence reveals exactly which companies stand to win or lose as Washington rewrites the rules…
Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH | ENPH Price Prediction) just picked up another sell-side endorsement. Goldman Sachs raised its price target on Enphase Energy to $57 from $51 and maintained a Buy rating on the shares.…
SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) stock is surging 10% on Tuesday, rallying to $38 intraday. Solar-industry peers Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) and Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) are joining the party, with the shares of both…
When Saudi Arabia starts building solar farms instead of oil refineries, something fundamental just shifted. The kingdom that powered the 20th century on petroleum is betting billions on photovoltaics for Vision 2030. If the…
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In Africa, cheaper Chinese solar panels and energy storage systems are helping households and businesses transition to renewable sources. As the South China Morning Post reports, energy costs have become an important factor for many African countries amid differing energy approaches by the United States and China.
According to the Global Solar Council, the volume of new solar capacity in Africa grew by a record 54% in 2025, with up to 4.5 GW of photovoltaic generation added. The council’s executive director, Sonia Dunlop, said that cheaper solar energy and improved storage systems make it possible to replace fossil fuels more quickly. She linked this process to two major disruptions in the fossil fuel market over four years — the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Chinese companies and financial institutions have participated in the development of hydropower, wind power and solar energy in several African countries. Among these facilities is the 1.8 GW Benban Solar Park in Aswan, Egypt, completed in 2019 with the participation of China Energy Engineering Corporation and TBEA.
In Ethiopia, the Adama I and Adama II wind farms, with a combined capacity of 204 MW, were financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, while HydroChina and CGCOC Group built them in 2015. In South Africa, the 244 MW De Aar wind project, developed and operated by China Longyuan Power Group and China Energy Investment Corporation, supplies electricity to more than 300,000 households in the Northern Cape province.
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In Nigeria, according to the 2025 Connecting the Sun study prepared by the Global Solar Council, households use around 22 million gasoline and diesel generators due to limited electricity supply from the national grid. Operating these generators costs about $12 billion annually, and they generate eight times more electricity than the national grid.
SBM Intelligence analyst Cheta Nwanze called high fuel prices the main incentive for renewable energy development and noted that affordable Chinese panels have made the alternative economically viable. In April, the Nigerian government announced a transition to a decentralized system involving the use of households’ surplus energy, standalone systems and interconnected mini-grids.
The International Energy Agency forecasts that solar capacity installations in Africa this year will exceed the 2025 figure. According to its data, 15 major African markets imported more than $400 million worth of solar panels in the first quarter of the year, compared with $600 million for all of 2025.

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The company will deliver round-the-clock monitoring, inspections and maintenance for the new solar facility in Finland.
Enersense has agreed to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for Alight’s 101MW Eurajoki Solar Park and its associated substation in Luvia, Finland.
Under the signed agreements, Enersense will be responsible for routine operations, inspections, fault response, and the upkeep of both the solar plant and the substation.
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The Eurajoki solar park, commissioned earlier this month, ranks among the largest solar facilities in Finland.
The park’s expected annual output is around 100GWh, which is sufficient to supply approximately 20,000 households.
Alight built, owns and operates the plant, which covers 123ha. Electricity generated at the facility is sold to Autoliv through a long-term virtual power purchase agreement.
Enersense’s responsibility includes overseeing the plant’s performance from its control centre, which provides continuous monitoring around the clock.
This remote supervision enables the rapid detection of any deviations or alarms, allowing Enersense to dispatch personnel to site when needed.
The company states that ongoing monitoring helps maintain safe operation, high availability and efficient energy production.
The long-term nature of the agreement is expected to create work opportunities for service providers and professionals in the local area.
Enersense maintenance and services head Antti Vainionpää said: “We are grateful to our customer Alight for their trust. The agreement reflects Enersense’s growing role as a lifecycle partner for renewable energy infrastructure.
“As the solar power capacity in the electricity system continues to grow, the importance of reliable maintenance in ensuring production availability and grid stability also becomes increasingly significant.”
The solar facility comprises two distinct sites connected to a shared substation, linked to the national grid through Caruna’s network.
Environmental measures at the sites include habitat restoration projects, improved wetland edges at one location, and the creation of a new pond at another.
The Eurajoki Solar Park marks Alight’s first project in Finland. Its construction began in Q1 2025 and was completed this month.
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Solarworld Energy has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Rays Power to establish, develop, construct, commission, and operate a 2.4 GW solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing facility at Mohasa-Babai in Narmadapuram district, Madhya Pradesh. Both parties will hold a 50% stake in the project.
The announcement also marks a change in the proposed utilisation of proceeds from the company’s fresh issue. The funds were originally earmarked for investment in Solarworld Energy’s subsidiary, Kartik Solarworld Private Limited (KSPL), to part-finance a 1.2 GW solar TOPCon cell manufacturing facility at Pandhurana, Madhya Pradesh.
The company now proposes to deploy the unutilised amount towards its investment in Rays Green, the JV entity. The proposed 2.4 GW facility will be jointly developed, constructed, commissioned, operated, and managed by Rays Power and Solarworld Energy across approximately 41.30 acres at Mohasa-Babai, Narmadapuram district.
Following its successful IPO and listing, Solarworld Energy raised ₹550 crore in September 2025. This included a fresh issue of 12,535,612 equity shares at ₹351 per share, generating approximately ₹440 crore in IPO proceeds.
The company also undertook a pre-IPO placement of 3,124,548 equity shares at an issue price of ₹352.05 per share, including a premium of ₹347.05 per share, aggregating to ₹110 crore in pre-IPO proceeds. In addition, a promoter selling shareholder offered 1,424,501 equity shares at ₹351 per share through an offer for sale, aggregating to ₹50 crore.
As disclosed in the prospectus, Solarworld Energy had proposed to invest ₹575.299 crore in its subsidiary KSPL to part-finance the establishment of the Pandhurana project. Of this amount, ₹5.18 crore had been deployed as of September 17, 2025.
The company had planned to utilise ₹420 crore from the Net Proceeds and Pre-IPO Proceeds for the Pandhurana project, while ₹101.678 crore was earmarked for general corporate purposes.
During fiscal 2025, Solarworld Energy deployed ₹22.575 crore from the Net Proceeds and Pre-IPO Proceeds for general corporate purposes. However, the proposed ₹420 crore investment in KSPL for part-financing the Pandhurana project remains unutilised.
The company now plans to redirect this unutilised amount towards its investment in Rays Green and, consequently, the new 2.4 GW manufacturing project.
Solarworld Energy entered into the joint venture arrangement with Rays Power Infra Limited on September 7, 2026. Under the agreement, Solarworld Energy will hold 50% of the equity share capital of Rays Green, with Rays Power Infra holding the remaining 50%.
Instead of the previously proposed investment in KSPL, the company intends to use the unutilised portion of the fresh issue proceeds to invest in Rays Green. The investment will part-finance the establishment of a 2.4 GW n-type TOPCon G12R solar PV cell manufacturing plant.
The project will be located at the Manufacturing Zone for Power and Renewable Energy Equipment, Plot No. P-23, Mohasa-Babai Industrial Area, Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
A total of 41.30 acres has been allocated for the facility. The land was allotted to Rays Green through a letter dated February 14, 2025, issued by the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation (MPIDC). Rays Green subsequently entered into a registered lease deed with MPIDC on March 4, 2025.
The latest funding structure is expected to improve capital efficiency. The 2.4 GW facility has an estimated project cost of approximately ₹1,000 crore, translating into a capital cost of around ₹417 crore/GW.
The scale of the proposed facility is expected to generate economies of scale, lower per-unit manufacturing costs, and improve the project’s overall competitiveness.
The project site has relatively flat topography and is located in an area with established trunk infrastructure, which is expected to reduce land development requirements and associated execution costs. Its location within a solar manufacturing cluster could also provide ecosystem benefits, including access to skilled manpower, technical expertise, and supporting infrastructure.
Rays Green executed the lease deed for the project land with MPIDC on March 4, 2025, and has obtained consent to establish from the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Construction activities have already commenced at the site, which is expected to facilitate an earlier start of operations and shorten the overall implementation timeline.
The project is also eligible for electricity at a subsidised tariff of approximately ₹4.30 per unit under the applicable government scheme, potentially providing an additional operating cost advantage.
Rays Green was incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, on April 5, 2022. The company is engaged in the manufacturing, designing, developing, trading, importing, exporting, assembling, operating, and maintaining of renewable energy products. It is currently developing the 2.4 GW TOPCon solar PV cell manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
Rays Green has authorised and paid-up share capital of ₹1 lakh each, divided into 10,000 equity shares of ₹10 each. The company recorded a turnover of ₹437.63 crore during FY2025-26.
The proposed facility will manufacture solar PV cells using TOPCon technology. Rays Green currently operates in India and has no overseas operations as of the date of the disclosure.
The Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) was executed simultaneously with the Securities Subscription Agreement (SSA). These agreements establish the terms governing the parties’ rights and obligations relating to the project’s operation, control, management, governance, financing, and rights over its output.
The investment is intended to create a backward integration platform for high-efficiency solar PV cell manufacturing. It is expected to strengthen Solarworld Energy’s renewable energy value chain, secure long-term access to solar cells, reduce its dependence on third-party suppliers, and create greater business synergies.
The target entity’s business is aligned with Solarworld Energy’s existing operations and complements its solar EPC and module manufacturing businesses.
Solarworld Energy also proposes to subscribe to equity shares of Rays Green for an aggregate amount of up to ₹100 crore. Of this, ₹26.82162 crore will constitute the initial subscription amount.
The equity shares will be issued at ₹21,287 per share, comprising a face value of ₹10 and a securities premium of ₹21,277 per share. The initial subscription covers 12,600 equity shares.
The aggregate financial commitment under the agreements is capped at ₹520 crore. This comprises an equity subscription of up to ₹200 crore in Rays Green, with Solarworld Energy subscribing up to ₹100 crore and Rays Power subscribing up to ₹100 crore.
In addition, Solarworld Energy will provide a loan of up to ₹320 crore to Rays Green to finance the project.
Under the financing arrangement, Solarworld Energy will extend the loan to Rays Green on an arm’s-length basis to fund part of the project cost for the 2.4 GW solar cell manufacturing facility.
The financing will be provided in accordance with the agreed business plan and governed by definitive loan documentation. The total loan amount of up to ₹320 crore will be disbursed in one or more tranches, depending on the project’s funding requirements.
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Energies Media
Africa officially added about 4.5 GW of solar last year. It imported roughly 18 GW of modules in the same period.
That gap isn’t a rounding error or a paperwork delay. Panels arriving at port aren’t the same as operating power systems — but a fourfold discrepancy demands an explanation. Somewhere on the continent, mines, malls, factories, and warehouses have been quietly covering their rooftops with hardware that no government registry is counting. A parallel energy economy appears to be taking shape, largely out of sight of the statistics meant to track it.
The numbers are striking on their own. Africa officially recorded roughly 4.5 GW of new solar capacity in 2025, while importing approximately 18.2 GW of solar modules — a fourfold difference. By mid-2026, another 12.53 GW of Chinese modules had already shipped to African markets, deepening the discrepancy further.
Warehouse stock and port delays account for some of that lag. Hardware moves from ship to storage before it moves to rooftop. But not at this scale — a four-to-one ratio isn’t a logistics footnote.
The central question isn’t whether the official figures are incomplete. It’s where all that hardware is actually going. The panels exist. They cleared customs. Someone bought them. That gap between import volumes and registered capacity points toward a deployment story that official statistics simply aren’t designed to tell.
The economics were already in place before the import surge became visible. Chinese module prices fell sharply in recent years, making self-financed solar attractive to a wide range of buyers — not just large utilities with government backing, but individual businesses running their own numbers.
Diesel is expensive across much of the continent. Grid power, where it exists, is often unreliable. That combination gives mines, factories, telecom operators, farms, and commercial warehouses a direct financial incentive to generate their own electricity rather than depend on a utility that may not deliver. Batteries are getting cheaper too, reinforcing the case for behind-the-meter systems that can store daytime solar and discharge it when the grid fails or prices spike.
These are customer-driven purchases. No government target triggered them. A business owner, a facilities manager, or a mine operator ran the numbers and wrote a check — which is exactly why these systems don’t appear in the registries that conventional statistics rely on.
Some of this invisible deployment is now becoming visible from above. DataDesk and The Outlier analyzed satellite imagery covering 209 shopping malls in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni and found rooftop solar on 76% of them — a striking share.
Malls fit the ideal early-adopter profile for reasons that aren’t hard to see. Large, unobstructed roofs. Electricity demand that peaks during daylight hours, matching solar output well. Owners who can finance equipment purchases and who feel the cost of grid unreliability more acutely than households do. A solar-covered shopping center doesn’t appear in any government capacity registry. Someone simply decided to install it.
Aerial evidence has real limits, though. Small homes, rural installations, telecom towers, irrigation pumps, and panels hidden beneath tree cover are far harder to detect than commercial rooftops. A panel visible from above also doesn’t confirm that the inverter and battery system behind it is operational. Satellite imagery adds a measurement layer — it doesn’t replace installation data.
Pakistan offers an instructive comparison. Following its own surge in Chinese module imports, Pakistan experienced a massive and highly visible residential rooftop boom — panels spreading across neighborhoods in ways that were legible from above and traceable through import records.
Africa’s pattern looks structurally different. The evidence so far is concentrated in commercial, industrial, and institutional sites, not in residential neighborhoods blanketed in panels the way Pakistani cities became. The primary movers appear to be businesses protecting themselves against outages, diesel costs, and poor power quality.
That distinction matters beyond mere categorization. It shapes which customer segments lead the transition, how quickly the economics spread to other users, and what the aggregate effect on grid demand and diesel consumption actually looks like. Africa may be building a solar economy from the commercial and industrial layer inward, rather than from the household up.
Official statistics are built around utility-scale projects. They’re weakest precisely where Africa’s boom appears to be happening: behind-the-meter systems, off-grid installations, and distributed commercial deployments that never touch a government registry.
That’s not just a data problem. Large commercial and industrial customers adding solar and batteries reshape grid demand, reduce diesel consumption, affect utility revenues, and alter industrial competitiveness. If that shift is already underway at scale, policy responses calibrated to official figures will be working from an incomplete map — one that may be missing the most dynamic part of the story.
Independent signals are converging. Customs data, satellite imagery, and market-structure analysis all point in the same direction. The burden of proof has shifted — the question is no longer whether official figures are missing something significant, but how much of Africa’s hidden solar layer is already quietly operating while the statistics catch up.
That gap deserves serious attention. An energy transition that outpaces its own measurement systems is one that planners, investors, and policymakers may be systematically underestimating, with consequences that compound the longer the blind spot persists.
Carlos is an engineer with strong expertise in technical and industrial topics. He previously worked at international companies such as Siemens and is multilingual.
Carlos is an engineer with strong expertise in technical and industrial topics. He previously worked at international companies such as Siemens and is multilingual.
Carlos is an engineer with strong expertise in technical and industrial topics. He previously worked at international companies such as Siemens and is multilingual.

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Large grass fire ignites at Hill County solar farm  Yahoo
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Intelligence for the New World Economy
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has exposed just how vulnerable African economies remain to energy shocks. Many higher-income countries, though challenged by the disruption, have cushioned the blow by tapping strategic reserves or using their financial and political clout to secure emergency supplies. African countries have had far fewer options. Fuel prices have surged or supplies have simply disappeared, with consequences rippling through economies. Diesel prices in Lagos nearly doubled, fishing vessels in Maputo were left on the beach, and construction projects in Addis Ababa stalled, sending workers home.
The disruption may ease. But African governments should not mistake a ceasefire, or even the reopening of the strait, for a return to business as usual. The Hormuz crisis is not a black swan. It is the latest reminder that repeated energy shocks are an expensive and largely unpriced risk for African economies.
That should change how policymakers think about energy security. Rather than treating each disruption as an emergency, leaders should build systems that are resilient by design — improving efficiency, diversifying energy sources, strengthening domestic supply chains, and pricing volatility into investment decisions.
The first opportunity is efficiency. African power grids lose roughly 12% to 20% of generated electricity through transmission and distribution networks — more than twice the OECD loss rate. Advanced transmission technologies can reduce those losses and increase existing network capacity without requiring entirely new lines. Pooling distributed generators into minigrids or virtual power plants can similarly allow them to operate closer to optimal levels and reduce fuel consumption.
Diversification is the second line of defense. The more an economy depends on a single fuel or imported energy source, the more exposed it is to disruptions beyond its control. Kenya offers one example: about 90% of its electricity comes from renewables. Its growing fleets of electric motorcycles and buses have been less exposed to the fuel-price shock than peers elsewhere on the continent, and have seen demand rise. Pakistan’s rapid expansion of solar power has similarly cushioned its dependence on imported liquefied natural gas while lowering electricity costs. Nuclear power, where viable, can offer another source of relatively stable generation costs.
But access to energy is not the same as control over it. Even countries with abundant oil and gas can be exposed when resources are committed to foreign markets or when they lack sufficient refining capacity and remain dependent on imported petroleum products.
Egypt is a case in point. After Kuwaiti crude supplies were disrupted, it turned to Libya for oil, providing an alternative source of supply. Nigeria offers a different lesson. Despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, the Dangote Refinery initially struggled to secure enough domestic crude and had to turn to international suppliers at a premium. Producing energy is valuable; having the infrastructure and policy framework to direct it where it is needed during a crisis is something else.
That distinction should be central to national energy planning. Governments need to treat volatility as a risk alongside currency fluctuations, interest rates, and credit costs. Quantifying the cost of disruptions — from fuel subsidies and emergency imports to lost output and idle workers — would make the case for resilience more tangible.
This is not an argument for any single technology or a retreat from global energy markets. It is an argument for redundancy: more efficient grids, a broader generation mix, greater domestic refining capacity, and distributed systems, with investment decisions accounting for the possibility that supplies may suddenly become far more expensive — or unavailable altogether.
The technologies exist, and the economics are increasingly compelling. The same investments that improve energy security can lower consumer costs, reduce emissions, strengthen industrial capacity and support growth.
The lesson from Hormuz should not be to wait for the next crisis to pass. It should be to use this one to rethink what energy security means.
African leaders should seize the moment to build energy systems that can withstand the next shock — wherever it comes from.
Nana Menya Ayensu is an energy strategy and infrastructure investment executive, a former White House Special Assistant to the President, and a fellow at the Columbia Global Center on Energy Policy.
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Not every family has the cash, roof conditions, or grid connection needed.
Photo Credit: iStock
A community-scale solar push is gaining momentum on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, with one organization reporting rapid expansion across rural communities.
Global Sustainability says 28 solar systems are already operating, and it is aiming to bring that total to 100 across peninsula communities before the end of 2026.
For rural households, projects like these can mean cheaper, more dependable electricity in homes, farms, and shared spaces, especially in places that may not be well served by traditional energy infrastructure.
According to PV Magazine Mexico, Global Sustainability, a Mexican civil association, reported 28 photovoltaic installations during the first half of 2026. It plans to deploy another 72 before the end of 2026 to reach its goal of 100 systems on the Yucatán Peninsula.
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The first-half installations were split between two local partners. Global Sustainability said 20 systems were installed with Túumben K’óoben, a Mayan women’s cooperative in Quintana Roo, benefiting more than 20 families, while the other eight were completed with U Yits Ka’an, an agroecological school in Maní, Yucatán, for eight families.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If rooftop panels are an option where you live, exploring EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Not every family has the cash, roof conditions, or grid connection needed for a standard home setup, so smaller local systems can help bring power to places the conventional market often does not reach.
The 2026 rollout follows a November 24, 2025, equipment delivery in which Túumben K’óoben received 37 complete solar systems intended for homes, farm plots, production areas, and community spaces in Quintana Roo and Yucatán.
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The equipment moved through the Alliance for Energy Equity, led by Global Sustainability. Energía Real provided reused photovoltaic panels from a recovery program, while Sostenibilidad Global and Enértika supplied the other needed components, including batteries, inverters, wiring, and related hardware.
Since 2019, Túumben K’óoben has focused on improving access to energy and water in rural communities across Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatán. Its Mayan Women Promoters of Solar Energy program trained at least 80 women and included a pilot project to sell 50 solar lighting systems and four solar-powered water-pumping units.
In these communities, solar can support water access, food production, education, and other daily needs while lowering ongoing fuel and electricity costs.
These projects are part of the Alliance for Energy Equity, a Global Sustainability-led initiative that, since 2024, has brought together civil society groups, businesses, international cooperation agencies, and community stakeholders. Its work includes community photovoltaic projects, distributed generation, microgrids, energy self-sufficiency, and the reuse of solar equipment.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Global Sustainability has pursued related efforts in other parts of Mexico too, including a 2025 partnership in Querétaro centered on community solar, distributed generation, and electric mobility.
For readers considering solar at home, EnergySage’s free services can help simplify the shopping process. Meanwhile, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these tools can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages. It can also help save money on energy and make it easier to go off-grid, and readers can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
If Global Sustainability reaches its 2026 target, the Yucatán Peninsula could offer an even stronger real-world example of how community solar can reach families and community spaces that traditional rooftop solar projects often leave behind.
These articles look at shared solar programs and how quickly renewable energy is expanding in other parts of the world.
• Across the U.S., community solar programs save money for households without suitable rooftops.
• In Germany, solar generation overtook coal and gas despite long-standing doubts about weak sunlight.
They also highlight why shared access and a basic understanding of the technology matter as adoption grows.
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Germany’s innovative balcony solar systems provide a hassle-free solution for renters looking to harness solar energy. Designed for easy self-installation, these plug-in units are backed by simplified regulations and new protections for landlords. This initiative empowers apartment residents to actively contribute to renewable energy efforts, aligning with Germany’s ambitious energy transition goals.
Germany’s balcony solar experiment exploded from 550,000 systems in 2024 to 1 million within a year.

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Cutting dependence on the grid and helping households manage rising energy costs.
Photo Credit: iStock
In Goa’s mining belt, Harvalem is showing how rooftop solar can shift from a niche home upgrade to an everyday source of power.
Nearly 80% of homes in Harvalem, a developing village, have solar panels, a level of adoption that is helping the community move toward energy self-sufficiency while trimming residents’ power bills.
According to The Times of India, Harvalem is becoming a local example of sustainability in practice. Solar panels spread across the village are producing electricity for homes, cutting dependence on the grid and helping households manage rising energy costs.
That shift matters even more as the village’s electricity needs grow. Rooftop solar can help families lower their bills, reduce the impact of tariff hikes, and better control monthly spending.
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.
Explaining the goal, Harvalem sarpanch Gauravi Naik said, “We wanted our village to be carbon footprint-free, and the PM Surya Ghar scheme has helped the villagers towards this end.”
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also pointed to Harvalem as an example of becoming swayampurna, saying the village is “shining a new light on being swayampurna.”
“Under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, Harvalem village is transforming into a swayampurna solar village, with 70-80 rooftop solar panels already installed. With a simple registration process and the benefits of clean, renewable energy, more households are embracing solar power as the new normal,” Sawant said.
For homeowners more broadly, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re considering making the switch, you can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
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The village’s solar progress is also part of a wider Goa government push to build energy self-sufficient communities suited to different local conditions.
The state selected three villages for its net-positive panchayat plan: rural Caurem Pirla, developing Harvalem, and urban Calangute.
Harvalem has growing residential and commercial energy demand. Officials are treating it as a test case for a developing village meant to be net-positive, meaning it is intended to generate and conserve enough clean energy to support local demand while limiting pollution and waste.
Officials are not limiting the effort to private rooftops. Goa also plans to install solar at Harvalem’s public and community sites — including the panchayat office, schools, and health facilities — while adding energy-efficiency measures that can lower operating costs and improve day-to-day reliability for residents.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Wider solar adoption can also reduce dependence on dirty energy sources, helping curb planet-warming pollution and contributing to cleaner air over time.
The Goa Energy Development Authority is shaping each village model around local realities. Plans for Caurem Pirla focus on low-impact, community-led eco-tourism tied to livelihoods, while Calangute is being guided toward greener tourism because of intense visitor traffic and congestion.
EnergySage offers free tools that can make the process easier to navigate. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with solar panel incentives available in each state. Together, those resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations, making the switch more realistic for households trying to lower long-term utility bills.
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 who want to learn more can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Naik summed up the village’s ambition this way: “We wanted our village to be carbon footprint-free, and the PM Surya Ghar scheme has helped the villagers towards this end.”
Harvalem’s progress is part of a larger shift as villages, governments, and homeowners make solar an everyday power source. The articles below look at how that change can bring more reliable electricity, lower energy bills, and speed the move to cleaner power in very different places.
• In rural Indonesia, life-changing solar power now keeps village homes bright through the night.
• Across India, solar expansion is saving billions while reducing reliance on costly fossil fuels.
• In Colorado, officials are removing barriers and red tape so more residents can power homes with solar.
• For homeowners, how solar panels work helps explain why rooftop systems can steadily cut bills.
• For households without viable roofs, community solar programs can still deliver lower electricity costs.
Harvalem isn’t the only place showing what solar can do locally. These articles also show there’s no single path forward. Communities and households are finding different ways to make solar pay off.
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Researchers from the University of Freiburg, Fraunhofer ISE and partner institutions studied sequential thermal evaporation for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. They presented a fully solvent-free top cell in a 2-terminal tandem device. The tandem achieved a champion power conversion efficiency of 27.3% and a stabilized efficiency of 27.0%. Using in situ X-ray diffraction, the researchers observed higher conversion of lead halides into perovskite on micro-textured silicon than on planar substrates. Morphological analysis revealed compact lead-halide layers on planar substrates and porous layers on textured substrates. The researchers also identified interlayer mixing after formamidinium iodide deposition and halide redistribution during annealing. Evaporated EDAI passivation improved surface electronic properties and penetrated beyond the perovskite surface.
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This development could help buildings generate electricity without shutting out daylight.
Photo Credit: Image © 2026 by Pap et al. is licensed under CC BY 4.0
German and Austrian scientists said transparent solar has passed a key scaling test, with larger semitransparent organic modules maintaining performance far better than this type of technology often does when moved beyond tiny formats.
The devices can function like glass, potentially helping buildings generate electricity without shutting out daylight.
Working across Fraunhofer ISE in Germany, the University of Freiburg, and the University of Innsbruck in Austria, the researchers produced semitransparent organic photovoltaic modules spanning 32.6 square inches (210.25 square centimeters) and recorded a power conversion efficiency of 9.3%.
According to pv magazine, the top module paired an average visible transmittance of 43.2% with a 4.0% light utilization efficiency, a measure that reflects both transparency and electricity generation.
Corresponding author Uli Würfel noted that semitransparent organic PVs have typically posted their strongest results only in very small laboratory cells.
“The novelty of our development lies in the innovative cell stack, and further, the successful upscaling to modules on areas larger than 200 cm2,” Würfel said. “Positively surprising was the fact that we could advance from small-area spin-coated cells to slot-die coated modules on these larger areas of more than 200 cm2 almost without any loss in performance.”
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The modules rely on a structure that pairs a metal-free top electrode with a back electrode that reflects near-infrared light. They were made using slot-die coating, a process generally regarded as more suitable for large-scale manufacturing than delicate, small-batch lab methods.
If semitransparent solar can be produced reliably at larger sizes, it may become easier to turn windows, facades, skylights, and other glass-heavy surfaces into sources of electricity. For cities and companies, that could open the door to lower energy bills without requiring additional land for power generation.
Because semitransparent solar materials are designed to preserve natural light, they could help keep indoor spaces brighter while allowing building surfaces to double as energy-generating assets.
For smaller flexible modules, the researchers reported 7.9% efficiency, 4.1% average light utilization efficiency, and 52.1% average visible transmittance.
The study also included durability checks. Smaller rigid modules remained under continuous illumination for more than 1,000 hours, while flexible versions were bent up to 1,275 cycles around a 0.59-inch (15-millimeter) rod.
The researchers presented the findings in the journal Joule in a paper titled, “Toward scalable semitransparent organic photovoltaics: Slot-die-coated 210-cm2 modules with visible transmission of up to 50% and LUE up to 4%.”
From here, the main challenge is to increase transparency further without giving up efficiency.
The team is also pursuing roll-to-roll manufacturing, which could eventually enable continuous production of solar films or modules on flexible substrates. If that works, it could lower costs and make the technology more attractive to builders, property owners, and companies seeking new clean energy options.
Würfel summed up the next phase this way: “The next steps are to enhance visual transmission further and to transfer these results to roll-to-roll manufacturing technology.”
This work is part of a wider effort to make organic solar more efficient, durable, and affordable at larger scales. Other coverage looks at how researchers are improving the plastic-based materials inside these cells and bringing the technology closer to real-world use.
• Scientists are turning organic solar cell tech into lightweight panels built from plastic-like materials.
• Using PTQ15, scientists have developed a record efficiency polymer solar material for cheaper panels.
Developments such as these help explain why scaling semitransparent organic modules matters beyond one lab result. Better materials, stronger efficiencies, and cheaper production could bring power-generating glass closer to use in real buildings.
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Shakti Pumps Invests INR 11 Crore in Solar Manufacturing Subsidiary to Develop 2.2 GW Plant  SolarQuarter
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Large grass fire ignites at Hill County solar farm  KWKT – FOX 44
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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
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When India’s power demand surged at the height of summer, the country struggled to meet evening needs as air conditioners ran longer amid hotter nights. Despite this demand, some renewable energy providers were told to limit their output because the country had more clean electricity available than its grid could safely handle.
In the last 15 months, India curtailed nearly 11 terawatt-hours of solar generation — enough electricity to power about 10 million homes, according to government data and research by energy think tank Ember. That solar power went unused even as extreme heat and poor monsoon rains drove up demand for power in India for cooling and pumping groundwater for agriculture.
India, the world’s most populous country and one of the largest emitters of climate-polluting gases, is rapidly adding clean energy, especially solar, to its power mix. However, it can’t use all the clean power it could generate because of insufficient transmission and storage capacity and the technical difficulty of shifting between fossil power and renewables.
Energy experts say that contradiction points to the next big challenge for India’s energy transition. Building solar and wind farms is no longer enough. India also needs more transmission lines to move electricity across the country, batteries to store renewable power until it is needed and a more flexible power system that can quickly adjust as wind and solar output rises or falls.
“We’re in a stage where some of the biggest hurdles in renewables are starting to hit us,” said Neshwin Rodrigues, an energy analyst at Ember.
Clean power gets switched off despite record demand
India has more than 300 gigawatts of clean power capacity, more than half its total installed electricity capacity. But coal still produces most of the country’s electricity.
Experts said the main reason for this is curtailment — when a wind or solar plant could produce electricity but is ordered to reduce or stop generation as the grid cannot take the power.
Rodrigues said that when solar generation surges in the afternoon, it’s difficult for coal units to reduce their output because they are relatively inflexible and cannot ramp down quickly without compromising efficiency, increasing costs or risking operational problems.
Trying to make thermal power plants flexible and adapt to increasing supply from clean energy sources “is like asking an elephant to dance,” said Vinay Pabba, CEO of Hyderabad-based renewable energy company Vibrant Energy.
Pabba said curtailment results in losses for clean power developers. “We get paid only for what we put on the grid,” he said.
The high concentration of renewable generation in western India has also meant that transmission lines in that part of the country get congested quickly. The western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan account for nearly 50% of India’s solar power capacity.
“When solar peaks, usually in the afternoon, there is a limited pipe to evacuate it,” said Pabba.
Another risk of not building storage quickly is that dirty fuels get used more. “Without enough storage, India risks keeping coal plants running even when cheap renewable power is available,” said Vibhuti Garg, South Asia director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
While a solar or wind farm can sometimes be completed within two years, building new power lines can take a minimum of three years, according to energy experts.
India has achieved only about 80% of its annual transmission construction targets over the past five years, research by Ember has found.
Spreading more renewable development across other parts of the country, while adding more wind and smaller local solar projects, could reduce pressure on crowded transmission corridors and make the electricity supply more balanced throughout the day, said Disha Agarwal, an energy analyst at the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water.
Agarwal said the challenge is likely to become more difficult as renewable capacity keeps rising.
India is aiming for 500 gigawatts of clean electricity capacity by 2030. Also, Indian policymakers expect nearly 70% of India’s installed power capacity to come from nonfossil sources by 2036.
Batteries could help save power for when it is needed
A study released earlier this month by the India Energy and Climate Center at the University of California, Berkeley, found that renewable power backed by batteries can provide electricity with reliability approaching that of conventional power plants at a price researchers said is lower than the price of power from new coal-fired plants.
Batteries make it possible to store solar electricity when it is abundant in the afternoon and discharge it after sunset, when demand remains high.
But India’s storage sector remains far smaller than what planners said will eventually be required.
“If we try to increase the solar installations without solving for energy storage, it is only going to lead to curtailment,” said Ankit Mittal, CEO of battery storage company Ingro Energy.
Mittal said India is trying to transform several parts of its electricity system simultaneously as power demand rises. “Things that were supposed to happen over decades” are now happening at once, he said.
The government said in July that it had about 3 gigawatts of battery storage and 7.4 gigawatts of operational pumped-storage capacity. It expects India’s storage needs to reach about 74 gigawatts by 2032.
“If high quality energy storage projects are not built, we could be adding an additional layer of risk to grid operations while also decelerating our nation’s ability to achieve our energy transition targets,” said Avinash Rao, CEO of Mahindra Susten, a leading renewable energy company in India.
Rodrigues, the energy analyst, said batteries can be built much more quickly than major transmission infrastructure, making them one of the fastest options for easing some immediate constraints.
Industry stakeholders said that few, if any, foresaw the incredible increase in demand happening as the country’s transportation and other major sectors electrify and data centers are built.
“None of us saw it coming. If we had seen it coming, we would have probably planned our way around it,” said Pabba of Vibrant Energy.
___
Sibi Arasu can be followed on X at @sibi123. Reach him at sarasu@ap.org.
___
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
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The plan aims to expand access to grants and rebates that help people install solar at home.
File: Solar panels in Oregon. (Business Wire)
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As energy bills continue to soar, Delaware is taking new steps to help more residents save money by connecting to solar power.
Gov. Matt Meyer announced last week what he calls the “most comprehensive” solar and battery storage program in the U.S.

The initiative, dubbed Delaware SHINES, will offer grants, loans and rebates to help residents, small businesses and nonprofits utilize solar energy generation and battery storage. The goal is to lower energy bills, decrease the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and reduce strain on the electric grid.
The initiative, which stands for “Solar + Storage Home Incentive Network for Economic Stability,” comes about a year after the Trump administration dismantled parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides incentives for green energy. The move repealed the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which covers up to 30% of the cost of installing qualified clean energy properties, such as solar energy projects.
“We understand that what is being done in Washington is neither based on sound energy science, nor economic policy,” Meyer said during an interview with WHYY News. “If you want to reduce costs for Delawareans and Americans, if you want to sustain the environment for generations to come, we should be incentivizing solar and wind and other renewable energy forms.”
The price per unit of energy, as well as the price to deliver energy to households, has increased significantly – driving energy companies like Delmarva Power to raise peoples’ bills.
Prices for grid operator PJM Interconnection’s capacity auction, a complex pricing system that guarantees future electricity supply, have increased significantly because of a supply-demand imbalance, increased demand from AI data centers and slow construction for new energy generation.
The energy needed to power data centers, large facilities that house servers that fuel artificial intelligence and cloud computing, has led some states to pass laws preventing those costs from being handed down to residents.
Experts say at-home solar and battery storage can reduce the load, decreasing open-market power purchases.
“Anything that you can do to generate your own electricity, as well as reduce your consumption, which is the cheapest and cleanest thing to do, can be beneficial,” said Drew Slater, executive director of Energize Delaware, which is helping to coordinate Delaware SHINES. “Because I don’t think their prices are going to come down anytime soon at the PJM market, which is a significant part of your everyday bill.”
Meyer said one of his goals is to ensure Delaware produces more of its own power. About 60% of the state’s total electricity is brought in from out-of-state power suppliers through the PJM grid.
Wilmington residents encouraged to sign up for community solar initiative

Proponents of community solar energy say the initiative is a solution to rising costs of electricity.
5 months ago
Families are struggling to keep up with the cost of keeping the lights on. In 2024, there were more than 30,000 electric service disconnections in Delaware because of unpaid bills, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Households that use solar can benefit from significant energy savings, but the amount varies based on a household’s size and power usage. The process works through net-metering, which credits homeowners and businesses for the excess electricity their solar panels send back to the grid.
Russell Pfaller, operations manager at Green Street Solar, said people who finance solar systems typically see a full return on their investment before their loan is over.
“It does vary per individual, but if you’re paying cash and not paying any interest at all, if you are a Delmarva Power customer with a relatively good exposure to the sun, it’s not unreasonable to see a six-year, five-year, return on investment,” he said.

At-home solar generates electricity from sunlight, while battery storage saves that surplus electricity for later use. Batteries allow residents to store energy and use it when they lose connection to the grid. In states that have higher energy rates during certain times of the day, residents can use their batteries to save money.
In the future, the program may also make way for virtual power plants on peoples’ roofs. Virtual power plants utilize solar panels, batteries, electric vehicle chargers and smart thermostats that are linked together by software to operate like a single, large power plant.
Delaware SHINES will utilize existing energy programs in the state to expand access to at-home solar and battery storage.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will use increased Green Energy Fund grants to help make installing solar projects more affordable for residents.
Pennsylvania lawmakers push federal bill to boost clean energy

The Energy Bills Relief Act would reinstate tax incentives and speed the development of new clean energy projects.
3 months ago
The program, which began in 1999, offers financial rebates and incentives for the installation of renewable energy systems. The program this year raised residential solar rebates from $6,000 to $10,000.
Delaware SHINES will also be coordinated by the state’s Energize Delaware program. Funded by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, it offers energy audits, financial incentives and low interest financing to help residents and businesses connect to solar.
Slater said the nonprofit saw a spike in demand for its services in the weeks before the federal tax credits expired. Since then, it has increased its loan maximum from $30,000 to $50,000. The loans now cover 100% of a project’s cost, and its terms have increased to up to 15 years. The interest rate remains the same at 3.9%
Delaware SHINES aims to help reduce the financial barriers to accessing solar.
“In the past, there’s always been an argument, ‘I have to pay more for the solar than I’d be paying for the electricity from the grid,’ or ‘I’m basically paying the same thing,’” Pfaller said. “These [Delaware SHINES] incentives bring you to a place where it actually does make sense on paper.”
In addition to lowering energy bills, Meyer said the plan will create jobs in the energy sector and help the state meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.
“We’re increasing affordability while reducing the impact on climate, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and on gas and the oil powered energy,” he said. “Every rooftop system is power generated, not through importation from another state or country, its emissions not produced, and its money very directly kept in Delaware family’s pockets when climate policy and kitchen table economics point in the same direction.”
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Conservationists to restore wetlands, save habitat for diamondback terrapins in New Jersey

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Energy transition taking place alongside an aggressive push to shield the city against severe weather
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[TOKYO] In pursuit of greater energy resilience, Tokyo is preparing to tap the fierce winds whipping across its remote Pacific islands, Governor Yuriko Koike told The Straits Times in an exclusive interview.
While many think of Tokyo as a bustling metropolis, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) also administers 219 islands stretching hundreds of kilometres south into the Pacific Ocean, 11 of which are inhabited.
Japan is a resource-scarce nation heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, and these isolated outposts represent an untapped green frontier.
“Offshore wind power generation carries vital significance for our energy security,” Koike said in an interview to mark her 10th anniversary as Tokyo governor.
“We are moving forward with plans to install floating offshore wind turbines on the waters surrounding the Izu Islands, aiming for the introduction of gigawatt-class capacity.”
A gigawatt-scale wind farm – capable of producing at least one billion watts of power – can generate enough clean electricity to power at least 750,000 average Japanese households simultaneously.
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Koike famously launched Japan’s national “Cool Biz” campaign in 2005 as environment minister, urging office workers to ditch their suits and ties. Now, she has made energy security and climate adaptation central pillars of her gubernatorial legacy.
As Tokyo targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, her administration is combining clean energy deployment with heavy civil infrastructure designed to withstand extreme weather and seismic events.
Onshore, Koike is championing next-generation perovskite solar cells that are dubbed “Air-Solar”.
SEE ALSO
These ultra-thin, flexible photovoltaic films can wrap around curved building facades, thus transforming ordinary office windows and walls into power generators.
Crucially, the cells are produced using iodine, a raw material of which Japan is the world’s second-largest producer after Chile, commanding a 30 per cent share of the global market.
Tokyo was the first prefecture in Japan to mandate solar panel installations on newly constructed single-family homes starting in April 2025, a policy that helped TMG hit its municipal energy storage targets two years ahead of schedule.
Downstream, the capital is accelerating its transition to a hydrogen-based economy. Following the launch of Tokyo’s first major green hydrogen production facility in late 2025, TMG is studying pipeline delivery networks around Haneda International Airport and coastal logistics hubs.
The city aims to scale its current fleet of about 150 fuel-cell buses into 5,000 commercial hydrogen vehicles, including trucks and taxis, by 2030.
“Industries and communications are undergoing a revolutionary transformation led by artificial intelligence,” Koike noted, linking her environmental agenda to economic progress.
Tokyo already hosts over 100 power-hungry data centre facilities, and securing localised, green power will increasingly be an economic prerequisite. “The test before us is how we can harness this change, and convert it into an opportunity.”
This energy transition is taking place alongside an aggressive push to shield the city against severe weather.
Beyond measures such as the installation of mist-spraying systems to make extreme heatwaves more bearable, Koike signed off on a headline-grabbing policy in April 2026, allowing male public servants to wear shorts and T-shirts to work.
While the dress code has faced a slow adoption rate in the private sector, the policy reflects Koike’s belief that TMG must lead by example to normalise climate-conscious practices.
Tokyo is also defending against catastrophic deluge – intense, sudden downpours dubbed “guerilla rainstorms” in Japanese – that have severely tested the city’s defences. On Aug 22, a violent cloudburst dumped over 120mm of rain per hour in parts of Tokyo, closely following another intense downpour a week earlier that killed 13 in neighbouring Chiba prefecture.
Tokyo’s primary shield lies deep underground: an intricate cavern of subterranean regulating reservoirs and flood diversion tunnels. Between 2015 and 2025, TMG expanded its subterranean flood storage capacity from 2.12 million cu m to 2.73 million cu m.
“We have spent the last 10 years advancing and upgrading these systems,” Koike said of these hidden flood-prevention engineering feats that Tokyo is still working to expand. “Even when torrential downpours strike, while there may be some localised flooding, our subterranean storage facilities prevent major disasters.”
Simultaneously, the city has been swapping out its ageing municipal water and sewerage mains for flexible, earthquake-resistant piping designed to bend without snapping if a seismic event strikes the capital.
As a result, Tokyo has far outpaced the rest of Japan on this front, making its utilities network more resilient to a major tremor.
The seismic resistance rate of Tokyo’s water mains connected to critical facilities stands at 92 per cent compared to a national average of 47 per cent, while its sewerage pipeline resistance has reached 87 per cent, compared to 53 per cent nationwide.
For Koike, maintaining high standards of urban safety and climate resilience is directly tied to Tokyo’s standing as an international financial and business hub.
Koike, who also chairs the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Champion Mayors network, said: “Instead of looking at Tokyo through a purely domestic lens, collaborating with other cities and sharing our mutual know-how ultimately translates into safety and security for all our citizens.”
To sustain its competitive edge, Tokyo is investing heavily in talent and new business.
In 2023, Koike launched the annual SusHi Tech Tokyo (Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo), which has grown to be recognised as Asia’s largest startup and innovation gathering. In 2026, the event attracted a record 60,779 participants from 103 countries and regions, bringing together venture capitalists, startup founders, and civic leaders.
Tokyo is also grooming the next generation. In July, TMG and New York University began discussing establishing a branch campus in its western suburb of Tama. And, under the Tokyo Global Passport initiative, Tokyo provides travel grants of up to 900,000 yen (US$5,760) to encourage local university students to study abroad.
“My goal is to drive Japan’s sustainable development through both ‘hardware’ (infrastructure) and ‘software’ (human capital and systems),” Koike said. THE STRAITS TIMES
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Rooftop solar can still be a smart investment, but full energy independence in a cloudy climate can be elusive.
Photo Credit: iStock
For off-grid solar users, winter can turn a comfortably sized summer setup into a system that still needs backup.
A Reddit discussion on the r/OffGrid subreddit about powering a small cabin shows why. In some cloudy regions, even doubling an array may not be enough.
The post on Reddit centered on a small cabin expected to use about 3,500 watt-hours a day for Starlink, lights, refrigeration, and a small pump. With roughly 5.5 peak sun hours in summer but only about 2.5 to 3 in winter, the poster wanted to know how much extra solar capacity people really plan for.
As it turns out, location and weather matter a lot.
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.
A commenter from the Pacific Northwest described just how uneven seasonal output can be, saying their setup makes “20+ kW easily in summer” yet only “we get a max of 2 kW a day” during rainy winter periods.
In that user’s view, building enough solar to cover those stretches does not pencil out. They wrote that “adding 5-6x our current array would be ridiculous,” so “running a generator regularly during rainy winter weeks is the only logical solution.”
That doesn’t mean an initial buildout is bad. In fact, going solar is still one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially for households that do not need a fully off-grid setup. If you’re weighing costs, it can help to explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
A common assumption is that adding more panels always solves low production. Several commenters said that on dark, misty, or rainy winter days, output can fall so sharply that even a larger array produces very little.
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
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A different cabin owner said they had already overhauled the system, including, in their words, moving “48v from 24v, added a huge amount of additional battery and more than doubled our array.” Even after that, they wrote that they “burn a little diesel then rather than doubling our panel size.”
Rooftop solar can still be a smart investment, but full energy independence in a cloudy climate can be elusive. Off-grid living is not a one-size-fits-all goal.
Systems need to be modeled around real winter conditions.
Commenters pointed to a few ways to make winter solar more resilient, including larger battery banks, steeper panel angles, and clearing snow. They also stressed that those steps only go so far.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
“it really doesn’t matter how much solar you have if there is no sun,” a Redditor noted.
If you are considering rooftop solar, EnergySage can also help you curate competitive bids from local installers without them getting your contact information unless you decide to move forward. Its free services can be especially valuable because, with EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. 
You can also use EnergySage’s solar map, which shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, plus details on solar panel incentives in each state, helping readers get the best price and access available savings.
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. If that is part of your plan, explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
These stories show how sharply winter solar performance can vary based on climate, equipment, and what you expect from a fully off-grid setup. They also reveal the trade-offs between building for rare stretches of terrible weather and leaning on batteries or a generator when storms drag on.
• One off-grid homeowner said solar carried winter loads after two years away from the grid.
• Across the U.S., homeowners are ditching aging backup generators for solar-plus-battery systems.
• In the Rockies, a family of five used 1,000 watts of solar off-grid.
• EnergySage COO Charlie Hadlow helped demystify solar installation costs for homeowners.
Reading through them can help clarify whether winter reliability comes down to panel capacity, storage, or just a lack of sun. They also offer a clearer sense of when full energy independence is worth the cost, and when backup power is the more practical call.
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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China has temporarily halted approvals for new battery storage factories that have not yet begun construction, according to a report by Chinese financial news outlet Cailianshe, which cited industry sources. The move comes amid rising concerns about overcapacity in the sector, as China is the world’s largest manufacturer of batteries for energy storage.
The country, also the largest market for electric vehicles and a leading player in battery storage, has seen these energy-transition industries grow for years with generous subsidies, leading to overcapacity. The government has already taken measures to curb excess in electric vehicles and solar panels, and now batteries are facing similar scrutiny.
Chinese solar equipment manufacturers have also diversified into battery storage to cope with a chronic oversupply in the panel and equipment market, which has hurt many companies’ profitability. The surge in electric vehicles and renewable energy installations has led to excessive manufacturing capacity, sparking price wars that have damaged most sector players, including major solar panel producers. Authorities recognized last year that intense competition, overcapacity, and low-quality manufacturing were harming enterprises.
To address the battery storage boom, China’s authorities have started implementing measures. In July, the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Taxation Administration announced consumption taxes on batteries, effective September 1, 2026. Mercury-free primary batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium primary batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and all-vanadium redox flow batteries will be taxed at 2% from September 2026 and at 4% from September 2027. Photovoltaic cells will face a 2% tax from April 2027 and 4% from April 2028. New-technology batteries, including sodium-ion, solid-state, fuel cells, and advanced photovoltaic types like perovskite, tandem, and gallium arsenide cells, are exempt from the tax until December 2028.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
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Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
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How the Report Was Built
World's largest battery maker
Vertically integrated EV maker
Volkswagen strategic partner
Key supplier to global brands
Leading cylindrical cell maker
Major aviation & EV supplier
Spin-off from Great Wall Motor
Supplier to global automakers
State-owned pioneer
Leading material & battery maker
Leading in 3C & power tools
Comprehensive battery supplier
Part of EVE Energy group
Leading ESS battery specialist
Growing ESS & consumer brand
Solar company expanding to ESS
Part of state-owned Shanghai Electric
Same as Gotion High-tech
Long-established battery maker
US-listed, China HQ, fast-charge focus
Lithium battery subsidiary of Topband
Diversified into lithium ESS
Leading backup power supplier
Consumer leader, owned by TDK (Japan)
Traditional leader diversifying
Batteries for IoT, portable devices
Part of Zhongtian Technology Group
Battery pack & BMS specialist
Electronic component maker with battery packs
Part of ZTE for telecom & ESS
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