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Photon secures $23 million for 32 MW solar projects
March 23, 2023
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Leeward Renewable Energy, a renewable energy project developer, closed $280 million in financing for its 200 MW Horizon solar project in Frio County, Texas. The financing consists of $75 million in construction-to-term from MUFG Bank and a $105 million tax equity commitment from Wells Fargo. MUFG served as the Green Loan Structuring Agent, Coordinating Lead Arranger, and Administrative Agent for the construction to term financing, arranging financing commitments from eight financial institutions and Export Development Canada.
Photon Energy, a solar project developer, secured €21.9 million (~$23.46 million) in non-recourse project refinancing from Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) for 31.5 MW of solar projects in Romania. The portfolio consists of eight solar projects located in Șiria (5.7 MW), Aiud (4.7 MW), Teius (4.7 MW), Calafat (6.1 MWp), Săhăteni (7.1 MW) and Făget (3.2 MW). The first power plant, located in Șiria, was commissioned in February, becoming Romania’s first utility-scale PV power plant commissioned since 2014. The remaining power plants will be commissioned by the end of Q2 2023.
Scale Microgrids, a distributed energy developer, has agreed to acquire 100 MW of New York community solar projects from CSG-Gutami, a renewable project developer. Scale Microgrids will construct, own and operate these projects. The agreement with Gutami is part of Scale’s rapidly growing pipeline, helping New York hit its mandated goal of a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040. That represents the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative, which includes 70% renewable energy generation by 2030 and economy-wide carbon neutrality.
Danish renewable energy company Ørsted acquired the 160 MW Garrenleen solar project from solar project developer Terra Solar in Ireland. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Ørsted already operates 360 MW of onshore wind in Ireland. This is the company’s second solar project acquisition in Ireland, and it will power up to 56,000 homes annually, making it one of the largest solar farms in the country.
BayWar.r.e, a renewable energy project developer, along with NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank secured €56 million (~$60.18 million) funding for a 53 MW solar project in Italy. BayWa r.e. will act as contractor and developer of the Tarquinia solar plant and be responsible for every project phase, from planning to construction to operation and maintenance. Construction of the Tarquinia plant is expected to get underway in the coming months. Once finalized, the plant will have an installed capacity of approximately 53 MW to provide enough renewable electricity to power 35,000 households.
Click here For reports and trackers on funding and M&A transactions in solar, energy storage, smart grid, and efficiency sectors.
Read last week’s project finance brief.
Sohini Aich
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The global clean energy transition is often discussed in terms of climate targets, renewable energy capacity additions, and carbon neutrality commitments. Yet, behind every solar panel installed across the world lies an increasingly complex geopolitical story. Solar manufacturing has evolved far beyond being an industrial activity, it has become a strategic asset, influencing national security, trade policies, economic competitiveness, and technological leadership.
For nearly two decades, China has methodically built an unparalleled position across the solar manufacturing value chain, transforming itself into the world’s undisputed manufacturing hub for photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Today, more than 80% of the world’s solar modules and over 95% of solar wafers originate from Chinese manufacturing ecosystems. Such concentration has prompted governments across the United States, Europe, Japan, and India to rethink supply-chain resilience, much like they did for semiconductors.
Against this backdrop, India finds itself at a defining moment. With one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy markets, supportive industrial policies, and rapidly expanding domestic manufacturing capacity, the country has the opportunity to emerge as a credible alternative in the global solar supply chain. However, achieving that ambition requires moving beyond module assembly to mastering the upstream segments that currently remain China’s strongest fortress.
The geopolitical significance of solar manufacturing has grown considerably over the past five years. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks associated with highly concentrated global supply chains. Subsequent geopolitical developments including the US-China strategic rivalry, trade restrictions, disruptions in maritime logistics, and increasing concerns around economic security that have reinforced the importance of manufacturing diversification.
Energy security today extends well beyond securing fuel supplies. It increasingly encompasses securing access to clean energy technologies themselves.
Countries that rely heavily on imported solar components risk exposure to pricing volatility, trade disruptions, export controls, and geopolitical uncertainties. Consequently, governments are increasingly viewing domestic solar manufacturing as a strategic capability rather than merely an industrial investment.
This shift explains why major economies are deploying unprecedented policy support through industrial incentives, local-content requirements, manufacturing subsidies, and strategic procurement frameworks.
China’s leadership did not emerge overnight. Over the past twenty years, the country has systematically invested across every stage of the photovoltaic manufacturing ecosystem from polysilicon refining and ingot production to wafer manufacturing, solar cells, modules, glass, backsheets, EVA films, and manufacturing equipment.
The result is an ecosystem that enjoys unparalleled economies of scale. According to industry estimates available until June 2026, China accounts for over 80% of global manufacturing capacity across the solar value chain while controlling more than 95% of global wafer production. Equally significant is its dominance in polysilicon production, where Chinese manufacturers continue to dictate global supply and pricing.
This vertical integration enables Chinese manufacturers to optimise costs, improve production efficiencies, shorten supply chains, and respond rapidly to technological transitions such as TOPCon and Heterojunction (HJT) technologies.
For competing nations, replicating such an ecosystem represents a far greater challenge than simply establishing module assembly plants.
India’s manufacturing landscape has transformed significantly since 2020. Just five years ago, domestic manufacturing capacity was largely limited to module assembly, with extensive dependence on imported solar cells and wafers. Today, the picture looks substantially different.
Driven by the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Basic Customs Duty (BCD), the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), and strong domestic demand, India’s manufacturing ecosystem has expanded at an unprecedented pace.
By June 2026, India’s module manufacturing capacity has crossed 200 GW annually. ALMM-approved manufacturing capacity exceeds 190 GW. Domestic solar cell manufacturing capacity has crossed 30 GW. Several integrated manufacturing facilities are under construction with investments running into billions of dollars.
Leading Indian manufacturers have announced ambitious expansion plans aimed not only at serving domestic demand but also global export markets. This rapid capacity creation has transformed India into one of the fastest-growing solar manufacturing destinations worldwide.
Despite impressive achievements, India’s manufacturing story remains incomplete. The country’s greatest vulnerability lies in upstream manufacturing.
Today, nearly all of India’s polysilicon requirements continue to be imported. Wafer imports also remain overwhelmingly dependent on China despite growing domestic module production.
This creates a structural imbalance. While Indian manufacturers increasingly produce modules domestically, the critical raw materials and intermediate products that determine manufacturing competitiveness continue to originate from overseas.
The wafer segment deserves particular attention. Solar wafers serve as the foundation upon which solar cells are manufactured. Without meaningful domestic wafer production, countries remain dependent on external suppliers regardless of how many modules they assemble locally.
Recognising this challenge, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework in March 2026 to include solar ingots and wafers. The new framework, scheduled to become operational from June 2028, reflects a strategic policy shift towards encouraging upstream manufacturing and reducing import dependence.
Ironically, China’s extraordinary manufacturing success has also created opportunities for competitors.
Massive capacity expansion within China has resulted in significant oversupply across multiple segments of the solar value chain. Intense price competition has placed financial pressure on manufacturers worldwide.
Simultaneously, governments across advanced economies are actively seeking supply-chain diversification. The United States has strengthened domestic manufacturing incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act while implementing multiple trade measures aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese imports.
Europe is similarly exploring strategies to improve manufacturing resilience and avoid excessive concentration of critical clean-energy technologies.For global developers and utilities, supplier diversification has become an increasingly important procurement criterion.
India stands to benefit from these structural shifts. Unlike several emerging manufacturing destinations, India combines a rapidly expanding domestic market with policy support, skilled engineering talent, improving infrastructure, and a mature renewable energy ecosystem. These advantages make it one of the few countries capable of supporting large-scale integrated solar manufacturing.
Capacity expansion alone will not establish India as a global manufacturing alternative. The next phase requires deeper structural transformation. First, India must significantly expand wafer and ingot manufacturing. These segments remain the weakest links in the domestic value chain while representing the greatest strategic opportunity.
Second, the country needs to accelerate investments in polysilicon production. Although capital-intensive and energy-intensive, domestic polysilicon manufacturing would substantially strengthen supply-chain resilience.
Third, manufacturing competitiveness must increasingly be driven by technology rather than protection. The global industry is rapidly transitioning toward high-efficiency technologies such as TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact (BC), and tandem cells. Indian manufacturers must remain aligned with these technological shifts to remain globally competitive over the long term.
Fourth, integrated manufacturing clusters should become the cornerstone of industrial policy. China’s competitiveness stems not only from production capacity but from tightly integrated ecosystems where raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, logistics providers, testing facilities, component manufacturers, and exporters operate within close proximity.
Developing similar manufacturing clusters in India would improve operational efficiencies, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen global competitiveness. Finally, international collaboration will remain essential.
India’s ambition should not be complete self-sufficiency but resilient diversification. Strategic partnerships with Europe, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and technology providers can accelerate technology transfer, research collaboration, and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Replacing China entirely is neither realistic nor necessary. China’s manufacturing ecosystem represents nearly two decades of sustained investment, technological advancement, industrial integration, and economies of scale.
However, global supply chains no longer require a single dominant manufacturing centre. What the world increasingly seeks is diversification. If India succeeds in building competitive capabilities across polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, and modules while maintaining cost competitiveness and technological excellence, it can emerge as the world’s most significant alternative manufacturing hub outside China.
That outcome would not merely strengthen India’s renewable energy ambitions; it would reshape global clean-energy supply chains. The geopolitics of solar manufacturing is redefining the global energy transition. Solar panels are no longer viewed simply as clean energy products, they are instruments of industrial policy, economic resilience, and strategic influence. As nations seek to reduce dependence on concentrated supply chains, the ability to manufacture critical clean-energy technologies domestically has become a cornerstone of national competitiveness.
India has already demonstrated that well-designed policies can rapidly expand module and cell manufacturing. The next challenge is considerably more ambitious: building a fully integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem that extends from polysilicon to finished modules.
Success will require sustained policy support, patient capital, technology partnerships, infrastructure development, and a long-term industrial vision.
If India can bridge the upstream gaps and continue building globally competitive manufacturing capabilities, it will not merely participate in the clean energy transition, it will help shape its future.
In the decade ahead, the countries that control solar manufacturing will influence far more than renewable energy markets. They will shape global trade, industrial growth, energy security, and the geopolitics of the low-carbon economy. India has an opportunity to become one of those countries, provided it transforms today’s manufacturing momentum into a resilient, integrated, and globally competitive supply chain.
AXITEC Energy India
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Solar Urgency: India has made a smooth transition to green energy  Open Magazine
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Indian PV manufacturers Rayzon Solar and Navitas Solar have separately entered into five-year partnerships with U.S.-based perovskite technology company Caelux to develop and manufacture a combined 10 GW of perovskite-silicon tandem solar modules in India.
Under the terms of the agreements, each company will integrate Caelux’s energy-producing solar glass—a perovskite-coated front glass—with its n-type TOPCon module technology to manufacture hybrid tandem panels with targeted efficiencies of up to 28%, compared with around 25% for conventional TOPCon modules.
Rayzon Solar’s partnership covers 5 GW of hybrid tandem module production. The company said it will leverage its 11.3 GW bifacial module manufacturing platform to integrate Caelux’s perovskite-coated glass into its TOPCon module production. Commercial production is targeted for 2028. The modules are expected to be eligible for India’s government-tendered utility-scale market.
Navitas Solar’s agreement also targets 5 GW of hybrid tandem module manufacturing, with commercial production expected to begin in 2028. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Surat, Gujarat, Navitas Solar manufactures mono PERC and n-type TOPCon modules with power ratings of up to 720 W.
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Solar Team Eindhoven, a multidisciplinary student team at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, has developed a solar-powered ambulance. Called Stella Juva, the team says it is the world’s first solar-powered ambulance.
“Stella Juva generates energy through the solar panels on its roof and uses this energy both to drive and to power medical equipment,” the team said. “On a sunny day, the solar ambulance is expected to be able to drive 715 km. This means medical care delivery is not dependent on charging infrastructure.”
According to the team, the vehicle has a driving range of up to 715 km on paved roads and an average off-road range of 360 km, depending on terrain. It is powered by a 50 kWh battery and 542 solar cells, including 326 integrated into the roof and 216 mounted on extendable solar panels. The vehicle measures 5 m by 1.9 m, weighs 1,350 kg, and has a top speed of 120 km/h. It uses a self-developed solar inverter with a reported efficiency of 97%.
Unlike a conventional ambulance, which transports patients to a hospital, Stella Juva is designed to bring healthcare services to remote communities. Equipped with integrated power outlets, it can operate medical equipment including a vaccine and medicine cooler, a portable X-ray machine, an ultrasound device, a blood pressure monitor, a thermometer, an automated external defibrillator (AED), and other first-aid supplies.
The student team plans to travel to Kenya in August to simulate healthcare delivery scenarios using the vehicle.
“Together with healthcare organisations, we’re developing a vehicle that fits real-world practice. We hope to improve healthcare access and make it more sustainable,” said Yarno Basten, partnerships manager at Solar Team Eindhoven. “We want to inspire healthcare providers, companies, and other organisations to create social impact through technology.”
From pv magazine Global

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The Rural Electrification Agency has disclosed plans to allow private investors to scale up solar panel production to 3.7-gigawatt production by next year.
Speaking during a visit by Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA) to its headquarters yesterday, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said Nigeria is already exporting solar panels to Ghana and the agency I in talks with Chinese companies to set up factories in the country.
He added that the 200 megawatt factory operated by the LPV Technologies’ is reshaping Nigeria’s solar energy landscape and its goal is to esport PV solar to other countries in Africa.
“We are about to inject 3.7 gigawatts of manufacturing capacity in Nigeria. Already many of Nigeria’s PV panels in Lagos have been exported to Ghana. We want to reduce the importation of PV panels from China.
“We are asking Chinese companies to come to Nigeria and establish their factories. As you can see, these are all the factories that are to be established in the country. By the end of next year, we will have 3.7-gigawatt manufacturing capacity,” he said.
He said the agency is increasing Nigerians access to electricity through funding and partnership from private investors and multilateral organisations.
On his part, World Bank’s Consultant at ZURA, Dr William Gboney, said Nigeria ranks the best in the area of off-grid and mini-grid regulation.
He said the Authority will guide on how to start mapping its area of coverage through Geographic Information System “because we need to know the link to your power system master plan or the integrated resource plan.”
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Lower energy costs can also make operations more resilient when electricity prices fluctuate.
Photo Credit: iStock
Best Buy is expanding its clean energy footprint beyond warehouses and back-office operations by adding a rooftop solar garden to a New York City store and tapping a solar field in California, according to Facilities Dive.
Near Dinuba, California, a solar field will help provide power for Best Buy’s distribution center. In New York, the company said its Long Island City store is the first in its portfolio to host a rooftop community solar project, Facilities Dive reported.
The move builds on a growing solar portfolio that includes projects in South Carolina, Michigan, California, and Texas.
Instead of powering only the store directly, the Long Island City system will send electricity to the local grid for a third-party community solar program. Best Buy expects the rooftop setup to generate about 461,800 kilowatt-hours per year.
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In California, the Dinuba solar field is expected to produce 5.87 gigawatt-hours annually, enough electricity for the equivalent of 559 homes. Best Buy said the New York installation could power an estimated 44 homes and businesses each year.
Tim Dunn, Best Buy’s head of environmental sustainability, said the company’s fiscal 2025 corporate social responsibility report showed operational emissions were already down 74% from its baseline. 
For homeowners, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy through the same basic reason that panels on top of a Best Buy are a smart investment. If you’re curious about the costs, EnergySage offers free tools to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Best Buy is putting solar generation projects to work at facilities people recognize and use every day.
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The company signed the Climate Pledge in 2020 and is aiming for net-zero emissions by 2040 rather than its earlier 2050 target.
Community solar can help broaden access to cleaner electricity for people who may not be able to install panels on their own roofs, while solar tied to major facilities can reduce strain on the grid during periods of high demand.
More renewable energy on the grid can help reduce the pollution created by burning non-renewable energy sources, which is linked to poorer air quality and climate-related extreme weather.
Lower energy costs can also make operations more resilient when electricity prices fluctuate.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Best Buy said the two installations build on five solar fields the company had already announced, according to Facilities Dive.
The company is also targeting a 75% reduction in scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 2030 from a 2009 baseline and plans to do that by lowering energy use, supporting a cleaner grid, using renewable energy, and offsetting what remains.
For readers considering solar at home, EnergySage’s free services can be especially useful. With EnergySage’s help, you can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. Tools like EnergySage’s solar map show the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state, along with local incentives, helping people get the best price for rooftop solar panels 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 you want to learn more, explore EnergySage for free information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For Best Buy’s part, Dunn said the company is “excited to keep making strides toward reducing our carbon emissions across our operations.”
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Ark Energy, a Queensland-headquartered renewable energy developer and subsidiary of Korean metals company Korea Zinc, has secured a financial investment decision (FID) for its AU$1.3 billion (US$855 million) Richmond Valley solar-plus-storage project in Australia.
The FID was approved at an Extraordinary Board Meeting of Korea Zinc in Seoul on 21 July 2026. The financing package comprises AU$586 million in equity and AU$716 million in debt.
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It covers the project’s priority stage: a 200MWac solar PV power plant co-located with a 275MW/2,200MWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage system (BESS), located approximately 25km south of Casino in New South Wales’ northern rivers region.
Financial close is targeted for September 2026, with construction expected to begin in October 2026 and operations targeted for January 2029. The project is the first build-to-own development in Ark Energy’s portfolio to reach FID.
The milestone follows a development timeline that Ark Energy completed in four years.
New South Wales planning approval was granted in October 2025, federal environmental clearance under the EPBC Act followed in December 2025, and grid connection approval from AEMO and transmission network provider Transgrid was secured in June 2026.
Richmond Valley was also highlighted at the time as among the first hybrid solar-plus-storage projects in the National Electricity Market (NEM) to operate through a single point of connection using grid-forming inverter technology.
The full approved configuration extends to 435MW of solar and a 475MW/3,148MWh BESS.
The project holds a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and is listed on the Australian government’s National Renewable Energy Priority List.
South Korean energy company Hanwha Energy is supplying the BESS, with Elecnor Australia engaged as early contractor for engineering and design.
Ark Energy CEO Michael Choi said the decision reflected strong backing from Korea Zinc.
“This approval represents a strong endorsement from Korea Zinc and confirms its continued commitment to supporting the Richmond Valley project and Ark Energy’s growth ambitions,” he said.
The project is expected to support more than 850 direct and indirect jobs during peak construction and generate approximately AU$180 million in local expenditure.
Australian infrastructure investor Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (QIP) has submitted a 150MW solar PV power plant in Queensland for assessment under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The referral, to be developed by Brisbane-based renewable energy developer Private Energy Partners, covers the Lansdown Solar West project, which is approximately 4-6km south-west of Woodstock and 40km south of Townsville.
Construction is targeted to begin in January 2028, with operations planned through to 2060.
The project includes a solar array of up to 150MWac, a co-located BESS with a power output of 250MWp and an 8-hour storage duration, a 33/275kV substation, and a 30-metre wide transmission line connecting to Powerlink Queensland’s existing double circuit 275kV Strathmore to Ross line, which runs adjacent to the site.
The total area spans approximately 534 hectares, with the physical disturbance footprint covering 155 hectares. The land has historically been used for cattle grazing and is characterised by cleared and modified vegetation, with patches of remnant woodland and riparian corridors along Lansdowne Creek.
The project’s stated purpose is to supply renewable energy to the Northern Quartz Campus within the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct (LEIP), a development also being advanced by Private Energy Partners that aims to convert Queensland-mined quartz into high-purity silicon for solar modules and semiconductors.
The solar farm would supplement available network capacity and provide baseload and firming electricity to the campus. It is located between the Lansdown Solar North development, which proposes up to 400MW of generation, and the Northern Quartz Campus itself.
The Lansdown Solar West referral adds to a growing queue of Queensland solar and storage projects working through federal environmental assessment at a time when the EPBC Act framework itself is in transition.
The Environment Protection Reform Act 2025, passed by the Commonwealth Parliament in November 2025, introduced a new streamlined 30-business-day assessment pathway for non-fossil-fuel projects and replaced the previous “no net loss” offsets standard with a “net gain” requirement.
The Clean Energy Investor Group has since called on the federal government to prioritise consistent and timely implementation of the reformed framework, warning that several critical regulatory instruments, including National Environmental Standards and the definition of “net gain,” remain under development ahead of a December 2026 full commencement deadline.
The pace at which projects are being processed under the current framework varies. Tonic Group obtained federal environmental clearance for a 75MW solar-plus-storage project in Western Australia within four weeks of submission in early 2026, with the department determining the Binningup Solar Facility would not be a controlled action due to the predominantly cleared and degraded condition of the site.
At the larger end of the scale, Wooderson Solar Development Co secured EPBC Act clearance for a 450MW solar project with 3,600MWh of co-located battery storage in Queensland in February 2026, also classified as not a controlled action, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for that project’s development.

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Batteries can store extra daytime power for use at night or when the grid goes down.
Photo Credit: iStock
Rooftop solar is increasingly becoming a standard part of home energy use in Southern California. In San Diego Gas & Electric territory, more than 350,000 residential customers are producing electricity at home, according to Energies Media. That at-home energy production is reshaping the grid.
Across 27 cities in two counties, SDG&E serves roughly 3.7 million people. Within that service area, residential rooftop solar has spread to more than a quarter of customers in San Diego and southern Orange County, an adoption level among the highest in the nation.
The significance goes beyond the customer count. As more households generate electricity on-site and send excess power back out, the grid is functioning less like a one-way delivery system from large plants to homes and more like a two-way network.
For many households, rooftop solar has become a practical part of everyday energy use.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
For homeowners, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re curious about the numbers, you can use EnergySage‘s free tools to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
The rise in rooftop solar can also help cut pollution by reducing reliance on dirtier energy sources. At the household level, it gives families more control over electricity costs, which is especially important as utility bills remain a major pressure point for many budgets.
For the grid, a larger share of customer-generated power means utilities must manage an energy network that is both more flexible and more complex.
According to SDG&E, part of its effort has been to simplify how customers connect solar systems to the grid while also performing above state standards.
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
If you’re considering panels yourself, EnergySage can help you go solar with free tools that let you curate competitive bids from local installers without them obtaining any of your contact information unless you choose to work with one further. That can make it easier to compare equipment, pricing, and installer options side by side.
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, as well as details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
EnergySage’s free services can be especially valuable for shoppers trying to avoid overpaying. With EnergySage’s help, an average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. That kind of transparency can make a big home upgrade feel much more manageable.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Batteries can store extra daytime power for use at night or when the grid goes down. You can also explore EnergySage‘s free tools for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
“The energy system is changing because our customers are leading that change,” Scott Crider, president of SDG&E, said, per Energies Media.
“Our responsibility is to help the grid evolve with them. That means building a system that can safely integrate customer-generated energy while continuing to deliver the reliability our customers expect.”
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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New York state’s ambitious clean energy goals rely on renewable energy to accomplish, including solar. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state has already surpassed eight gigawatts of distributed solar and is ahead of schedule for meeting the goal of 10 gigawatts by 2030.
This growth has sparked a debate over land use, with many New Yorkers concerned about the loss of agricultural land — especially farmers.
New York is making progress toward its decarbonization goals—goals that require additional solar power to come to fruition.
But all those solar farms will have to be built somewhere, and farmers like Brian Reeves are worried tillable land will be targeted.
“Where would you like to put a solar unit?” Reeves asked. “Well drained, fairly level, already cleared with trees, many of those characteristics are what we farm.”
Reeves says he’s a fan of renewable energy and supports solar use — just not on prime farmland. Instead, he says poor-quality, rocky soil that wouldn’t necessarily support agriculture would still work for solar, but without taking a toll on food production.
“I think when we put solar on our prime and statewide important soils, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” Reeves said.
He’s not the only one who feels that way. Reeves is also the chair of the Onondaga County Farmland and Agricultural Protection Board, where he says the topic of solar is discussed regularly.
“It comes up pretty much every meeting,” he said.
Tony Emmi, a neighbor of Reeves and fellow farmer, shares the same concerns for the soils, but ultimately decided to lease 30 acres of his land to a solar company.
“The only regret I have it that was really good farmland,” Emmi said with a laugh. “It was really good tillable land.”
Emmi says the decision was made to help diversify the farming and bring in some extra money.
“We’re looking at the numbers, and the rough numbers are like 15, 18 hundred dollars per year, and you’re not paying any taxes,” Emmi explained.
Those kinds of incentives are tempting for many farmers, especially in our current economy.
But Reeves worries that more farmers opting to sell could have devastating consequences down the line.
“I’m just afraid that 15 years from now, we’ll go, ‘Wow, look at all the solar, and it’s great that it’s renewable,’” Reeves said. “And we’ll go ‘Yeah, but we have a shortage of food production in New York.’”
Those fears, while valid, may be eased by a Cornell University survey which found that between 600 landowners in counties most likely to have large-scale solar development, farmers were twice as likely as non-farmers to be solicited, but less likely to sign leases.
According to NYSERDA, more than 20,000 acres of solar projects were built across the state in the last 15 years, which only accounts for about 0.3% of the approximately 6.5 million acres of farmland across the state.
Even beyond solar, New York farmland is disappearing. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that 1.5% of farmland was lost in 2025 — five times the national rate. Between 2015 and 2025, the amount of farms across the state decreased by 15%.
The office of state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, credits that loss to federal policies and tariffs, financial uncertainty and net operating losses, rising labor costs, unpredictable weather, and the impacts of climate change.
With farmland threatened for a multitude of reasons across the state, Reeves says protecting prime soils should be a key consideration as the state continues to pursue its climate and energy goals.
“Transitioning to renewables is very important and needs to be part of a comprehensive plan,” Reeves said. “Part of that comprehensive plan is protecting our best producing soils in the state.”
NYSERDA says the state is taking action to protect its agricultural lands and that under Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York has increased its support of the Farmland Protection Program, which has now preserved more than 138 thousand acres of prime farmland.
NYSERDA also emphasizes that solar development is only happening on land that is willingly leased by landowners.

source

Halocell Energy, an Australian perovskite solar developer based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea-based flexible electrode manufacturer MSWay to support the scale-up of its roll-printed perovskite solar cells.
Under the agreement, MSWay will provide its proprietary flexible transparent electrode (FTE) materials for integration into Halocell’s roll-to-roll manufacturing process, a continuous printing method that applies photovoltaic materials onto flexible substrates in a manner analogous to how paper is printed on a press.
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FTE materials play a direct role in determining how efficiently a perovskite cell collects electrical charge, how much light it transmits and how well it bends without breaking, making them a central input in the performance and durability of flexible solar modules.
MSWay, a South Korean advanced materials company specialising in flexible conductive electrode technology, has developed FTE materials that offer high transparency, strong electrical conductivity, and mechanical flexibility.
By integrating them into Halocell’s printable perovskite architecture, the two companies aim to develop flexible solar solutions for satellites, fixed-wing drones and other advanced applications where conventional silicon panels face practical limitations due to their rigidity and weight.
Halocell described the partnership as consistent with what it calls a “Smart Partnering” philosophy, selecting collaborators that strengthen its materials stack, accelerate research and development, and protect its intellectual property pipeline.
The MSWay agreement is the latest in a series of supply chain and research deals Halocell has assembled as it works towards commercial-scale production.
Last year, Halocell launched its first perovskite product, the Ambient Module series, purpose-built for indoor and low-light conditions below 500 lux, targeting applications in IoT devices, smart home gadgets and low-power electronics.
The modules are manufactured at Halocell’s Wagga Wagga facility in the New South Wales Riverina region, the same site where MSWay’s electrode materials will be integrated into the roll-to-roll production line.
In January 2026, Lava Blue, an Australian advanced materials company, signed an MoU with Halocell to establish a domestic supply chain for high-purity perovskite precursor chemicals, sourced from local feedstocks including mine tailings.
That deal targeted a recognised bottleneck in perovskite manufacturing. Research-grade precursor chemicals are expensive, sourced primarily from international suppliers, and aimed at reducing both costs and import dependency for Halocell’s production inputs.
The MSWay partnership addresses a different but complementary part of the same manufacturing challenge: the electrode layer through which electricity must pass.
Halocell’s roll-to-roll approach distinguishes it from perovskite developers pursuing conventional batch manufacturing.
The process uses compact laboratory-scale coating equipment to validate parameters before scaling to industrial production and Halocell has described the method as offering scalability and cost advantages over non-continuous techniques, provided process control is maintained consistently across the substrate width.
Perovskite solar cells can achieve efficiency levels competitive with conventional silicon in many conditions and outperform silicon in low- and diffuse-light environments, making them suited to indoor applications, satellite systems, and drones where silicon panels are impractical.
Halocell’s modules have been certified as RoHS-compliant for sale in European Union markets, and the company has received a grant from the Australian government’s Industry Growth Program to support further production scale-up.
The MSWay deal arrives as global interest in perovskite manufacturing partnerships accelerates.
US-based Caelux recently announced 10GW-scale commercialisation agreements in India, showcasing how quickly the sector is moving from laboratory demonstrations to industrial partnerships, even as manufacturing scale-up challenges persist across the industry.

source

A 1.2 GW solar project is rising at a Texas coal-mining site  Stock Titan
source

Navitas Solar and Caelux Corporation have entered into a five-year, 5 GW partnership to manufacture high-efficiency perovskite-TOPCon Hybrid Tandem solar modules in India, with commercial production targeted by 2028.
July 23, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey

Renewables Will Become the Backbone of India’s Grid, Says Wärtsilä’s Archana Bhatnagar

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Hybrid Projects Need Smarter Execution, Explains Shantanu Upasani, Head of Construction, ENGIE

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China-headquartered Trinasolar has begun mass production for the Australian market of its rooftop solar Vertex S+ G3 515 W module.
Engineered for residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop installations, the Vertex S+ G3 delivers up to 515W output and 24.7% module efficiency within a standard rooftop module footprint of 1,842mm x 1,134mm.
The lightweight 1.6mm + 1.6mm dual glass module structure on black anodized aluminium frame is built on Trinasolar’s n-type i-TOPCon Ultra technology, with the zero-gap, high-density cell layout increasing efficiency while its low voltage design supports flexible string sizing.
Its dual-glass structure, low temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C and mechanical load capacity of up to 5,400 Pa for snow and 4,000 Pa for wind, support long-term performance and durability in Australia’s harsh climates. The modules are backed by a 25-year product warranty and 30-year power warranty.
Trinasolar Asia Pacific Head of Australia Edison Zhou said in Australia, smaller lots, higher density housing and more complex roof designs are increasing the need for modules that can maximise energy generation from limited rooftop space, while remaining practical for installers to handle.
“The Vertex S+ G3 was specifically designed in response to these needs,” Zhou said.
Testing
Afield installation test was conducted in Melbourne and Adelaide to assess module handling, installation efficiency and string design in a real residential rooftop environment.
Rogue Electrical & Data Installer Trent Dorrington said the module offered a practical way to achieve higher rooftop output without the handling challenges often associated with larger-format panels.
“Panels rated above 500 W are usually considerably larger and hard to swing around on roofs,” Dorrington said.
“At under two metres high and only 30mm thick, the module was easier to handle than I initially expected. Fitting 515 W into a panel size comparable to a 475W module makes it a great product.
Dorrington said the ability to connect 18-20 panels on a string is significant.
“We can effectively halve the installation time and reduce our labour costs by avoiding the need to run as many cables onto the roof. The more efficient the installation, the more cost-effective the work is both for installer and customer.”
The Vertex S+ G3 515W module will be available to Australian residential and C&I installers through Trinasolar’s local distribution network, and is expected to arrive in July 2026.
Trinasolar operates a global annual module manufacturing capacity of 100 GW – 120 GW, shipping over 1 GW annually to Australia.
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New York state’s ambitious clean energy goals rely on renewable energy to accomplish, including solar. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state has already surpassed eight gigawatts of distributed solar and is ahead of schedule for meeting the goal of 10 gigawatts by 2030.
This growth has sparked a debate over land use, with many New Yorkers concerned about the loss of agricultural land — especially farmers.
New York is making progress toward its decarbonization goals—goals that require additional solar power to come to fruition.
But all those solar farms will have to be built somewhere, and farmers like Brian Reeves are worried tillable land will be targeted.
“Where would you like to put a solar unit?” Reeves asked. “Well drained, fairly level, already cleared with trees, many of those characteristics are what we farm.”
Reeves says he’s a fan of renewable energy and supports solar use — just not on prime farmland. Instead, he says poor-quality, rocky soil that wouldn’t necessarily support agriculture would still work for solar, but without taking a toll on food production.
“I think when we put solar on our prime and statewide important soils, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” Reeves said.
He’s not the only one who feels that way. Reeves is also the chair of the Onondaga County Farmland and Agricultural Protection Board, where he says the topic of solar is discussed regularly.
“It comes up pretty much every meeting,” he said.
Tony Emmi, a neighbor of Reeves and fellow farmer, shares the same concerns for the soils, but ultimately decided to lease 30 acres of his land to a solar company.
“The only regret I have it that was really good farmland,” Emmi said with a laugh. “It was really good tillable land.”
Emmi says the decision was made to help diversify the farming and bring in some extra money.
“We’re looking at the numbers, and the rough numbers are like 15, 18 hundred dollars per year, and you’re not paying any taxes,” Emmi explained.
Those kinds of incentives are tempting for many farmers, especially in our current economy.
But Reeves worries that more farmers opting to sell could have devastating consequences down the line.
“I’m just afraid that 15 years from now, we’ll go, ‘Wow, look at all the solar, and it’s great that it’s renewable,’” Reeves said. “And we’ll go ‘Yeah, but we have a shortage of food production in New York.’”
Those fears, while valid, may be eased by a Cornell University survey which found that between 600 landowners in counties most likely to have large-scale solar development, farmers were twice as likely as non-farmers to be solicited, but less likely to sign leases.
According to NYSERDA, more than 20,000 acres of solar projects were built across the state in the last 15 years, which only accounts for about 0.3% of the approximately 6.5 million acres of farmland across the state.
Even beyond solar, New York farmland is disappearing. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that 1.5% of farmland was lost in 2025 — five times the national rate. Between 2015 and 2025, the amount of farms across the state decreased by 15%.
The office of state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, credits that loss to federal policies and tariffs, financial uncertainty and net operating losses, rising labor costs, unpredictable weather, and the impacts of climate change.
With farmland threatened for a multitude of reasons across the state, Reeves says protecting prime soils should be a key consideration as the state continues to pursue its climate and energy goals.
“Transitioning to renewables is very important and needs to be part of a comprehensive plan,” Reeves said. “Part of that comprehensive plan is protecting our best producing soils in the state.”
NYSERDA says the state is taking action to protect its agricultural lands and that under Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York has increased its support of the Farmland Protection Program, which has now preserved more than 138 thousand acres of prime farmland.
NYSERDA also emphasizes that solar development is only happening on land that is willingly leased by landowners.

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The Washington Parish Council met on Monday, July 13. Prior to the invocation Parish President Ryan Seal asked or a moment of silence for the Matt Stuart family who recently lost their 17-month-old son and the family of Toye Taylor, first Parish President and civic leader.
The minutes from the July 9, 2026, meeting were approved. The Council then heard from Austin Magee, candidate for Louisiana’s Congressional District 5. Magee shared his qualifications and desires concerning the seat and his plans if elected. A great concern is the proliferation of data centers throughout the United States and his concern that Washington Parish is “ripe for the picking” with its undeveloped land. Currently the United States has 5,400 centers and a much larger land mass China only has 369. He is proposing a ban on such centers being built in the parish. He rhetorically asked, “What is the prize/cost if the US is to win the AI war over China?” He then offered to personally cover the cost of an ordinance concerning this matter.
The Council then moved on to the agenda of ordinances and resolutions. First the Council approved an ordinance establishing “No Thru Truck Routes” on certain parish roads. Public Works Director Alex Sumrall explained that this will apply to Hwy 1073 that connects Highways 16 and 60 that the parish obtained through the Road Transfer Program. This ordinance preserves the road and addresses the safety of residents who live on that road. Trucks will now be required to travel to Enon to the juncture of 16 and 60 instead of cutting through on 1073.
Next the Council adopted a resolution authorizing a workforce development stipend for Washington Parish Government employees who successfully complete the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Training through Geaux Jobs. Parish President Seal explained that 15 of the parish government’s workforce took advantage of the opportunity provided by Geaux Jobs and this ordinance provides them with an award.
Next was the adoption of a resolution to authorize the Parish President to sign an Intergovernmental Agreement with Tangipahoa Parish Government for the rehabilitation of Cecil Painter Road. Director Sumrall explained that this road is in both Washington and Tangipahoa parishes. There is a drainage and culvert issue that splits the parish line. Passing this resolution will enable a partnership with Tangipahoa and the cost will be split between the two parishes.

A resolution authorizing President Seal to execute an agreement with RCL Architecture, LLC was then adopted. This is for schematic site planning and conceptual design services for the Varnado Recreation Center and to utilize Opioid Settlement Funds the project. These funds will help the parish to continue to improve facilities. A master plan will be compiled and the project is expected to be completed in two phases. Financial Director Lacy Burris assured the Council that there is enough money for initial drawings, and this is a good use of the funds.
The Council then adopted a resolution authorizing the President Seal to execute an Entity/State Agreement with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) for State Project No. H.015433 / Federal Aid Project No. H015433.
Sumrall explained that the DOTD will replace the George Jenkins Bridge on this road and it is a much-needed project. Finally, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing President Seal to execute an Entity/State Agreement, Funding Commitment Letter, and any related documents with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) for State Project No. H.016879 / Federal Aid Project No. H016879, LA 25. Washington Parish Sidewalk Segment A2.
In Public Participation, Sheriff Jason Smith shared the parish jail reached a record number of inmates with 265 in a facility build for 144. This puts the jail at 121 inmates over capacity. The department also pays for housing of inmates in the Bogalusa jail as well as a facility in Tensas Parish. The Governor signed a capital outlay bill for the purpose of building a new jail with $500,000 immediately available for design and planning along with $27 million for actual construction. This was possible since the parish and other parishes are sharing the load of housing for state inmates who have not been transferred to state facilities due to overcrowding.
Smith projects seven months of planning design and then accessing the 27 million to begin construction. He hopes that by the end of 2029 there will be a new jail facility in the parish. Smith added that emergency preparedness needs to be further addressed at the 911 call center and inmate per diem rates need to be established to maintain the new jail. “However,” Smith said, “the process starts now.” Smith was followed by three other speakers who voiced their concern regarding two solar farm projects that have recently been halted after a 90-day moratorium by the Council. D’Ann Davis from Washington Parish Economic Development gave an update on various projects and opportunities. She was most enthusiastic about the August 20 release of a strategic plan for the parish.

In the President’s Report, Finance Director Lacy Burris shared that the audit is done and sent to the Legislative Auditor. She added that it was clean audit.
Public Works Director Alex Sumrall reported that in June workers completed 29 drainage projects, installed seven culverts, bushhogged 96 roads, installed 28 signs and picked up 203 bags of litter. Weather permitting, crews will begin on Zack Magee Road with soil cement and prepping Otis Bickham Road for asphalt. Sumrall assured the President and the Council that bushhogging has been a concern; however, crews are working after hours and weekends to try to catch up. The sidewalk project from Liberty Street to Old Union past Riverside Medical Center is slated to begin September 9 and will be 1.3 miles of new sidewalk. Finally, 8 New Residential and 19 mobile homes were part of 171 permits issued in June.
President Ryan Seal said he is pleased with the movement on the Varnado Recreation Project and looks forward to seeing the Master Plan. He thanked Dr. Mike Strain for providing the Liberty Tree that was planted at the Veteran’s Park on July 1 as well as the Franklinton and Bogalusa High Schools’ ROTCs. Seal was honored to be the Grand Marshal of the Bogalusa July 4 parade and praised the Watermelon Festival and its organizers for a great weekend.
Seal then took a personal moment to address misinformation circulating about solar farms. In 2022, Seal was director of Economic Development when he received a call about solar power. During his tenure he has not recruited any solar company wishing to come to Washington Parish and anyone who says otherwise is a “liar, liar, liar!”
He added that no one knew a lot about it at the time and LSU allowed Experiment Station property to be used. Across the road, landowners (within their rights) sold property for the second solar farm. This was done before the current solar ordinance was in place.

Seal ended with, ‘To say I wronged the parish because I recruited solar is wrong. I am tired of it and come what may, I’ve had enough. Truth has become a casualty, and I want decisions to be based on truth.”
The next Council meeting will be held on July 27.
https://www.era-leader.com/parish-council-meeting-parish-president-denies-ever-recruiting-solar-farms

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Altus Power Partners with New Leaf Energy on Development of Five Community Solar Projects in Virginia  Business Wire
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At TOI World Desk, our dedicated team of seasoned journalists and passionate writers tirelessly sifts through the vast tapestry of global events to bring you the latest news and diverse perspectives round the clock. With an unwavering commitment to accuracy, depth, and timeliness, we strive to keep you informed about the ever-evolving world, delivering a nuanced understanding of international affairs to our readers. Join us on a journey across continents as we unravel the stories that shape our interconnected world.Read More

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GIST Startup Lssell Partners with POSCO International to Take Solar Cell Film Overseas  Seoul Economic Daily
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“All the figurative parts of the chariots point to protective divinities.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A bronze chariot buried for roughly 2,400 years is giving archaeologists a rare look at ritual life in ancient Iberia — and possibly at the trade links that once connected what is now Spain with the Etruscan world in Italy, Live Science reported.
At Casas del Turuñuelo in Spain’s Badajoz province, archaeologists uncovered surviving pieces of a bronze chariot that seems to have been involved in ceremonies for the gods, according to Live Science.
Researchers say the object is about 24 inches long, and its flat upper surface appears to have served as a place for burning incense offerings.
For Guiomar Pulido González, an archaeologist at the Mérida Institute of Archaeology and a doctoral student at the Autonomous University of Madrid, the discovery stands out because it is “without known parallels” in Iberia.
Only part of the chariot survived, including two legs and two wheels, but the remaining pieces still show unusual artistry.
The surviving decoration includes what seem to be two human figures holding up the platform and griffins on the short sides. It also features a face that blends a gorgon — a protective figure associated with Medusa — with Achelous, a river god from Greek mythology.
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“All the figurative parts of the chariots point to protective divinities,” Pulido said, though “we are not sure what they are protecting — maybe the content of the chariot, or the viewers looking at them.”
Although comparable chariots are known from Etruscan settings, this may be the first example identified in Iberia and the first with this distinctive gorgon-Achelous combination.
That detail adds to growing evidence that elite communities in the region were tied into broader Mediterranean trade networks. Imported Greek pottery and other Etruscan bronze objects had already suggested that elites participated in long-distance exchange systems and had the wealth to obtain imported goods.
Researchers have found the same broader pattern at 14 sites in the area: burned buildings that were later filled with soil and debris. Because that sequence recurs so often, archaeologists think it may reflect a ritual closing of these places rather than destruction in an attack before the communities vanished from the archaeological record.
Researchers and restorers are continuing to study the chariot’s construction, iconography, and damage to figure out where it was made and how it reached southwestern Spain.
One clue they are weighing is the clothing of the supporting figures, which appear to wear skirts — a feature Pulido said would be unusual in Etruscan bronze work, where figures are more often shown nude.
Restoration may ultimately show whether the piece was made in Italy and then traded west, or produced locally by artisans drawing on foreign models. Either possibility would sharpen historians’ understanding of cultural exchange around the ancient Mediterranean.
Pulido suggested, “Instead, they may have formed part of a carefully planned ritual of closure, a symbolic farewell to buildings that were intentionally decommissioned.”
She said that after this, the culture “disappeared from the archaeological record.”
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Rock Creek Solar project nears completion  Clinton Herald
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Sheep grazing beneath photovoltaic panels is helping solar farms reduce mowing costs, restore vegetation and provide herders with better forage — a model locals call “photovoltaic sheep”.
The term refers to sheep raised under solar panels. In this model, the panels generate clean electricity while providing shade, reducing wind erosion and creating conditions that help grass grow. During the growing season, the sheep feed on the grass, turning solar parks into shared spaces for clean energy generation, desertification control and ecological animal husbandry.
The model has been developed in Gonghe and Xinghai counties in the Hainan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Qinghai province.
Since 2022, Hainan has promoted the coordinated development of photovoltaic desert control and photovoltaic pastures. So far, 32 ecological photovoltaic pastures and 56 grazing sites have been established at solar bases operated by multiple companies. The program involves 18 village collectives and 6,330 households in five townships.
The prefecture has planned 609 square kilometers of photovoltaic parks, of which 420 sq km have been built. According to local forestry and grassland authorities, average grass output in the parks has reached 174 kilograms per 0.06 hectare, producing about 118,000 metric tons of forage annually. At a 70 percent utilization rate, the grass can support about 100,000 sheep.
For Yeduo, a 50-year-old Tibetan herder from Tiegai township, the benefits have been immediate.
Before moving his flock to a photovoltaic park at the end of 2018, Yeduo grazed more than 100 sheep on his own pasture, where grass resources were limited and forage quality was lower. His flock had to move between seasonal pastures each year.
Now he keeps about 300 sheep, most of them grazing beneath solar panels.
“The grass under the photovoltaic panels is much better,” Yeduo said. “The sheep gain weight faster, and their live weight is higher when they are sold. That has increased my income.”
The new grazing model has also made herding easier. In the past, Yeduo had to drive his sheep more than 10 km to seasonal pastures and sometimes buy additional forage. Now his flock can remain in one area for much of the grazing season.
Yeduo still remembers what the area looked like before the solar park was built.
“It used to be seriously desertified,” he said. “When the wind blew, dust filled the air. Sometimes the wind lasted for one or two months, and the sheep could not go out to graze.”
Jiu Xiantai, deputy director of Hainan prefecture’s agriculture and animal husbandry bureau, said the solar panels have improved the local microenvironment.
“The panels provide shade, reduce wind and help prevent sand from burying young grass,” Jiu said. “In some desertified areas, annual forage output used to be only about 50 kg per 0.06 hectare. Now it reaches about 150 to 200 kg.”
Jiu said the model delivers benefits for solar companies, herders and the environment alike. Companies save on mowing costs, herders spend less on forage and pasture transfers, and the vegetation growing beneath the panels helps control sand and restore grassland.
Management has also become more standardized. In the past, some herders grazed sheep in solar parks through private arrangements with companies. Now village collective cooperatives sign agreements with photovoltaic companies, and grazing is organized according to the carrying capacity of the grassland.
Each grazing site generally supports about 400 sheep, and every sheep wears an electronic ear tag for traceability. Grazing usually takes place from June to October to prevent overuse of grass resources.
The prefecture has also promoted the “photovoltaic sheep” brand, expanding sales through company procurement, east-west cooperation programs, livestreaming and supermarket channels. Village collectives now record average annual income growth of 14.57 million yuan ($2.15 million), while participating households earn about 2,300 yuan more on average.
Government support includes subsidies, animal disease prevention and marketing services. Herders receive subsidies of 30 to 50 yuan for each sheep sold. If sheep sent to livestock trading markets are not sold immediately, the government covers short-term forage costs.
Hainan plans to further improve pasture management rules, breeding standards, grazing arrangements and traceability while developing an operating model linking companies, village collectives, photovoltaic bases and herders.
For Yeduo, the transformation is already evident.
“Grazing under the panels has brought us many benefits,” he said. “The grass is better, the sheep grow better, and life is more convenient.”
yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn
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RAYZON Solar, Caelux Sign 5 GW Partnership to Develop Perovskite-TOPCon Solar Modules in India  SolarQuarter
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Australia’s Clean Energy Investor Group has urged the federal government to accelerate the implementation of the reformed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
It warns that critical regulatory gaps remain despite the legislation already being in effect.
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The report, titled Implementing the EPBC Act: Recommendations to support better, faster decisions for renewable energy projects, was published and prepared with legal adviser Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
It sets out eight recommendations across two areas. This includes the effective administration of the amended Act and the finalisation of the outstanding regulatory instruments and sector-specific guidance that will govern the framework’s operation in practice.
CEIG represents domestic and global renewable energy developers and investors with more than 16GW of installed capacity across 76 power stations, a combined portfolio value of around AU$38 billion (US$24.9 billion), and a project pipeline of more than 46GW across Australia.
The Environment Protection Reform Act 2025 was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament on 28 November 2025, making what CEIG describes as the most far-reaching changes to Australia’s national environment law in a generation.
The reforms established a new National Environmental Protection Agency (National EPA), introduced a streamlined 30-business-day assessment pathway for non-fossil-fuel projects, and replaced the existing “no net loss” offsets standard with a “net gain” requirement.
As of 1 July 2026, the Minister has delegated almost all assessment and approval powers under the EPBC Act to office holders within the National EPA.
Despite those changes already being in effect, the report identifies several critical areas where the framework remains incomplete.
National Environmental Standards covering matters of national environmental significance, environmental offsets, community consultation, data and information, and First Nations engagement are still under development, along with the offsets calculator and the definition of what constitutes a “net gain.”
The report notes that full commencement of the reforms must occur by December 2026, leaving limited time for the government and the National EPA to close those gaps.
“Whether that objective is realised will depend on two things occurring in parallel,” the report states, referring to the government’s aim of stronger environmental protection alongside faster, more efficient approvals.
“The first is the effective implementation and administration of the amended EPBC Act. The second is the finalisation of the regulatory framework that supports it.”
The report also draws on a progress scorecard against 10 recommendations from CEIG’s 2024 EPBC Act review. Of those, only one, relating to referral processing timeframes, was assessed as fully implemented.
Several others, including improvements to bilateral assessment arrangements, the finalisation of onshore wind farm guidance, and explicit recognition of renewable energy’s climate contributions in decision-making, recorded no progress.
The bilateral assessment arrangements between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments must be renegotiated under the new higher environmental standards, with a Western Australian memorandum of understanding targeting December 2026 as a completion date.
The report also points to persistent structural issues that the legislative amendments alone have not resolved.
These include inconsistent definitions of habitat across assessments, overly conservative decision-making driven by limited data on a relatively new industry, and approval conditions that CEIG members describe as disproportionate to actual ecological risk.
A Capability Review of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), released in June 2026, found that 56% of staff said the department’s risk appetite was a barrier to performing at their best, a finding the report highlights in support of its call for a more evidence-based approach to assessments.
You can read the full article on our sister site Energy-Storage.news.

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Sonnedix closed a $196 million financing for 29.3 MW solar projects in Italy
January 4, 2021
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Sonnedix Japan, an independent solar power producer, on behalf of the Sonnedix Group, completed the acquisition of a 55.6 MW ground-mounted solar PV project. The project, located in  Hitachi City, Ibaraki prefecture, started operations in August 2017 and is currently under a feed-in-tariff until August 2037. Sonnedix Japan currently has 251.6 MW of solar PV capacity in operation and 338 MW under development.
Sonnedix also announced the completion of non-recourse financing of solar PV projects in Italy, at a value of €160 million (~$195.91 million). The financing included a debt service reserve facility and long-term facility, which has been partially disbursed for the refinancing of 21 solar projects, with an installed capacity of 29.3 MW, located in several Italian regions. Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Milan Branch acted as mandated lead arranger, green loan lead coordinator, and lender, while Intesa Sanpaolo, Societe Generale, Milan Branch, and UBI Banca (part of Intesa Sanpaolo Group) acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers, Green Loan Co-Coordinators and Lenders. Intesa Sanpaolo also acted as Account Bank and Agent.
Ecofin US Renewables Infrastructure Trust has acquired nearly 12 MW of solar capacity through two projects in the U.S. The investment trust, incorporated in England and Wales, raised $125 million in its initial public offering (IPO) in London earlier this month. The two acquisitions are part of the seed investments announced in its IPO prospectus. Ecofin paid $10.9 million in total for 100% cash equity interests in a commercial rooftop solar facility in California with a capacity of 4.8 MW and a ground-mount solar installation in Massachusetts with a capacity of 7.1 MW. Both projects have contracts for 100% of their output with a weighted average remaining term of more than 17 years.
US solar developer Sunpin Holdings has closed a tax equity financing of undisclosed size with a unit of Morgan Stanley to support a project in California with a capacity of 98 MW. Specifically, the financing coming from Morgan Stanley Renewables will back the Titan Solar 1 project in Imperial County, which has been operating since earlier this month.
Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, announced the financial close of the 100 MW Nur Navoi solar project in Uzbekistan. Masdar established Nur Navoi Solar FE as the local project company to deliver the project, which is scheduled to start operations in the third quarter of 2021. The project company will also operate and maintain the project for 25 years.
Capital Dynamics, an independent global private asset management firm, completed the sale of a majority interest in its Beacon portfolio to Tortoise Ecofin and S&B USA Energy. Each buyer has acquired a 49.5% ownership of the portfolio. Capital Dynamics retains a minority stake of 1%. The 107.8 MW Beacon portfolio consists of two projects: Beacon II (59.6 MW) and Beacon V (48.2 MW). Both sites interconnect and sell power to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) under two 25-year fixed rate Power Purchase Agreements.
Capital Dynamics also announced that it’s Clean Energy Infrastructure (CEI) business had completed the acquisition of the remaining 69.98% interest in Arlington Valley Solar Energy II (AVSE II), a 175 MW solar PV project, from funds Apollo Funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management. CEI acquired a 30.02% interest in AVSE II as part of the acquisition of three solar PV projects from LS Power in November 2020. Following the acquisition from the Apollo Funds, Capital Dynamics has assumed 100% interest in the AVSE II solar PV project.
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), a part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy and a developer of renewable energy projects closed the financing agreement for the 115 MW Metz solar project. The funding is provided by Westpac and NORD/LB in the form of a Green Loan compliant with the Loan Market Association Green Loan Principles and the Green Projects requirements. Metz Solar Farm will bring FRV’s Australian operating and in construction solar projects to eight, of which four are in New South Wales, including Moree (56 MW) and Goonumbla (69.75 MW) in operation and Sebastopol (90 MW) under construction.
Sonnedix Japan, an independent solar power producer, on behalf of the Sonnedix Group, completed a project financing led by The Daisan Bank, a local bank headquartered in the Mie prefecture. The financing covers a 2.3 MW ground-mounted operational solar PV project acquired in September this year. The project began operations in 2016.
7C Solarparken, a solar project developer, has acquired an 8.3 MW Hottingen solar project from Energiekontor. The solar project is located in the municipality of Hottingen in the central Franconian district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, around 40 km south of Nuremberg, and was put into operation on December 18, 2020. 
EDP Renováveis completed the sale of an 80% stake in a 563 MW wind and solar portfolio to Canadian firm Connor Clark & Lunn Infrastructure. The deal corresponds to an enterprise value of $684 million. The EDP – Energias de Portugal subsidiary retained the remaining 20% stake in the portfolio. EDP Renováveis will also continue to manage the portfolio, comprising the 66 MW Hog Creek wind project in Hardin County; the 100 MW Meadow Lake wind project in White County; the 98 MW Quilt Block wind project in Lafayette County; the 99.1 MW Redbed Plains wind project in Grady County; and the 200 MW Riverstart solar project in Randolph County.
Altus Power America – an investor, owner, and operator of clean energy projects – completed the acquisition of approximately 100 MW of distributed solar assets across California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont. The company expanded its long-standing partnership with Blackstone to finance the projects.
Danish renewable energy project developer European Energy signed an agreement to sell the 30 MW Naessundvej solar project in Denmark to Conquest Group, an international asset management company.
For reports and trackers on funding and M&A transactions in solar, energy storage, smart grid, and efficiency sectors, click here.
Read last week’s project finance brief.
Utsav Sinha
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23 July 2026
Science and technology, Environment, Sustainable impact, Faculty of Science
Commentary: Ralph Cooney looks at why New Zealand lags far behind Australia in residential solar energy, and identifies 10 policy shifts needed to change that.
Over the past two decades, Australia has quietly become a world leader in household solar power. About 4.4 million Australian homes have solar installed, among the highest rates of residential solar adoption anywhere on the planet.
This is in sharp contrast to New Zealand, where only about 75,000 households have installed solar, roughly four percent of homes.
The contrast is striking because New Zealand and Australia share many of the same advantages: abundant sunshine, growing electricity demand and a need to cut emissions while improving energy security.
The adoption of solar energy in Australia emerged from niche expensive off-grid use in the 1990s to the current widespread grid integration driven by government rebates, lucrative feed-in tariffs, and soaring retail electricity prices.
Australia leads the world in rooftop solar adoption, with more than 4.3 million rooftop solar installations and 28.3GW of installed rooftop solar capacity. The Australian residential rooftop solar contributes 11.2–14.6 percent of the national total electricity supply. The continued evolution of Photo Voltaic Solar Farms in New Zealand with large grid batteries should also be inspired by Australia’s many existing and planned large PV projects.
Why did Australia get so far ahead in the adoption of rooftop solar while New Zealand continues to lag so far behind? The short answer: Australia has had government incentives while New Zealand hasn’t. Contrary to common perception, though Perth and Brisbane receive more intense sunlight than any New Zealand city, major centres such as Auckland and Melbourne have similarly strong potential for rooftop solar.
The timing of an expansion of solar energy in New Zealand is likely to benefit from the ongoing exceptional rise of new technologies leading to more efficient, flexible and versatile solar panels, combined with cheaper and safer solar batteries.
A critical economic driver for a switch to solar in New Zealand is the progressively increasingly high cost of retail electricity prices. This is clear in a review of political party policies leading into this year’s election.
Several parties have already proposed measures to encourage residential solar, although the scope and ambition differ considerably, and none of them offers the full suite of measures that would be needed to close the gap with Australia. The relative commitment of the various NZ political parties to residential solar at present is as follows: Greens, The Opportunity Party, Labour, National and Act. In contrast, NZ First is promoting expansion of fossil fuels via a major oil survey.
Below are 10 ways we could accelerate solar adoption in New Zealand, some of which are supported by some parties. The list of suggestions are essentially technology steps while the political policies are obviously broader and more vague (wiggle room for each party). I have considered only those policies that seemed to have some serious priority for the parties.
The timing of an expansion of solar energy in New Zealand is likely to benefit from the ongoing exceptional rise of new technologies leading to more efficient, flexible and versatile solar panels, combined with cheaper and safer solar batteries.
Perovskite panels (next-generation solar technology that uses synthetic crystal structures to convert sunlight into electricity) promise to increase efficiency from about 22 percent for silicon panels to about 28 percent. Flexible solar panels permit deployment directly on different types of building surfaces, thus increasing the overall surface solar exposure.
Recent global energy shocks have highlighted the value of locally generated electricity. Rooftop solar and household batteries can reduce pressure on the grid, lower bills and provide backup power during outages caused by increasingly severe storms.
Australia’s experience shows us rooftop solar does not spread because households suddenly become greener or more technologically adventurous. It spreads when governments make the economics stack up. New Zealand has the sunshine, the technology and the expertise. Now we just need a clear national commitment to unlocking the potential sitting on our rooftops, millions of square metres of underused roof space could become part of the country’s energy solution.
Professor Emeritus Ralph Cooney, chemical sciences, University of Auckland FRSNZ, ONZM.
This article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland.
This article was first published on Newsroom, 23 July, 2026.
Margo White I Research communications editor
Mob 021 926 408
Email margo.white@auckland.ac.nz

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Solar farm fire in Pittsfield, Maine  newscentermaine.com
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Fire breaks out on solar farm in Pittsfield  newscentermaine.com
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Chinese solar module manufacturer Lians Technology has launched a heterojunction (HJT) solar module with multi-cut shingled cell design for residential and commercial rooftop PV systems.
The module relies on large-format HJT cells, a shingled design to reduce inactive spacing and front-side metallization losses by overlapping narrow cell strips and a zero busbar (0BB) architecture to improve current collection and reduce silver consumption. “Lians’ advanced multi-cut shingled structure optimizes current transmission paths and reduces electrical losses, enabling a 15W–20W increase in front-side power output, enhanced rear-side energy yield, and further reduction in levelized cost of energy (LCOE),” the company said in a statement.
The Venus Pro module is built with 102 multi-cut HJT cell strips derived from 210 mm wafers, each measuring 210 mm × 52.5 mm, and arranged in a 12 × 17 cell configuration. It measures 1,762 mm × 1,303 mm × 30 mm, with a surface area of approximately 2.3 m², and weighs 26 kg. It is available with an aluminum alloy or composite material frame and uses 2.0 mm front glass and 1.6 mm rear glass.
The new product is available in eight versions with power outputs ranging from 530 W to 565 W and offer power conversion efficiencies of 23.08% to 24.61%. Its open-circuit voltage is specified at 38.13 V to 38.96 V, while the short-circuit current ranges from 16.91 A to 17.20 A. It supports a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V DC and a maximum series fuse rating of 35 A.
The module has a temperature coefficient of temperature coefficient of −0.24%/C and is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from −40 C to 85 C. For mechanical performance, the Venus Pro series is certified according to relevant IEC standards and carries a TÜV SÜD Class II safety rating. The dual-glass construction is rated to withstand a front-side snow load of 5,400 Pa and a rear-side wind load of 2,400 Pa.
The Venus Pro modules come with a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year linear power warranty. Lians specifies first-year degradation below 1%, followed by annual degradation of no more than 0.32% from the second through the 30th year, ensuring a minimum retained power output of 89.75% after 30 years.
“Lians has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the world’s first HJT multi-cut shingled module manufacturer to receive both TÜV Rheinland and CE certifications, marking international recognition of its technological innovation, product reliability, and commercial application capabilities,” the manufacturer said.
Lians currently operates manufacturing facilities in China’s Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces, with a combined HJT production capacity of 8.8 GW, according to its own figures.
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The technology could reduce reliance on soy-based protein feed for livestock.
Researchers in Germany have developed a solar-powered process that produces amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, from carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methanol.
The technology was developed by scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). They believe it can provide a more sustainable way to manufacture amino acids for livestock feed and cultured meat production.
According to the team, the innovation comes at a time when global demand for food is set to surge by roughly 60 percent by 2050. In contrast, new agricultural land is projected to increase by only about two percent.
The method could also reduce dependence on research-intensive agriculture. “In the long term, this approach could help make more productive use of available land and enable a more sustainable production of amino acids,” Volker Sieber, PhD, a professor of chemistry of biogenic resources and TUM Campus Straubing rector, said.
The system works by converting solar energy into electricity through photovoltaic (PV) systems. This electricity is then used to produce hydrogen, which is combined with captured CO2 to create methanol, a widely used industrial chemical.
Meanwhile, specialized enzymes subsequently convert the methanol through a series of reactions into amino acids. For the project, the team demonstrated the production of seven amino acids, including glycine, serine, L-alanine, L-aspartic acid, L-valine, L-glutamic acid, and L-proline. The choice of enzymes determines which amino acid is produced in the process.
According to the team, the approach offers an alternative to relying on plants as the primary source of protein production. “Plants use sunlight to build biomass, but they are relatively inefficient at doing so,” Sieber stated. “We are investigating an alternative pathway in which renewable energy is first converted into chemical energy carriers and then into valuable protein building blocks.”
The modular platform builds on the team’s 2023 work, when they produced the L-alanine amino acid from green methanol. “What started with a single amino acid is increasingly evolving into a platform technology for producing protein building blocks from renewable energy,” Vivian Willers, PhD, a researcher at TUM, pointed out.
Viktoria Lehmann, a PhD researcher at TUM, revealed that dairy cows need amino acid-enriched feed to sustain high milk production. Meanwhile, millions of tons of these protein-building blocks are used in livestock feed each year.
“However, their production consumes large amounts of land, water, and other resources,” Lehmann explained. “We wanted to find a more resource-efficient way to meet this protein demand.”
But according to the researchers, the technology could have applications beyond livestock feed. Amino acids are also essential ingredients in nutrient media used to grow cultivated meat. The process could also reduce reliance on protein-rich feed ingredients like soy, which is often associated with significant land use and environmental impacts.
For now, the technology remains at the proof-of-concept stage. Even though the team successfully demonstrated the complete production chain, the output is still too low for commercial deployment. They now intend to make the methanol-converting enzymes more efficient.
“Our work is primarily a proof of technological feasibility,” Sieber concluded in a press release. “We have shown that a broad range of biologically relevant amino acids can be produced from CO2-based methanol.”
The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.
Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.
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Community solar comes to Las Cruces  Las Cruces Bulletin
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Solar tracking provider Array Technologies has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Affordable Wire Management, a supplier of cable protection and balance of system equipment, for a total potential consideration of $203 million.
The transaction includes a base purchase price of $153 million in cash at closing, supplemented by up to $50 million in performance earnouts and employment-contingent consideration through 2028. The total deal value represents an enterprise multiple of approximately 8.8 times Affordable Wire Management’s trailing 12-month EBITDA, with the target company generating nearly $60 million in trailing revenue through May 31, 2026.
The acquisition adds custom wire management hangers, trunk line clamps, and module-level cable protection to Array’s central-axis tracker and foundation platform. The transaction also establishes a footprint in battery energy storage systems and data center infrastructure markets, where Affordable Wire Management recently secured initial product backlog orders.
Subject to regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026 and achieve high single-digit accretion to adjusted earnings per share in its first full year. The acquired business will operate within Array’s existing corporate structure while retaining its senior management team.
New tracker variant
In a separate operational update delivered at its annual Insurance Forum in Boston, Array introduced a 60-degree variant of its flagship DuraTrack tracker platform. Developed for projects in moderate hail hazard regions, including Texas and the Great Plains, the system pairs a 60-degree stow angle with automated hail alert software to mitigate hail impact risks while reducing foundation and steel capital expenditures compared to higher-angle stow designs.
The new tracker variant retains Array’s wired AC grid motor architecture and wired communication cables rather than relying on wireless connections or localized batteries. The platform incorporates mechanical passive wind stow technology, which limits row stowing during turbulent wind events to yield up to a 4% energy production benefit over full-field stow configurations.
Commercial quotations for the 60-degree DuraTrack variant will begin in 2026, with initial project deliveries scheduled for mid-2027.
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Jackery is currently having a Member Sale with up to 50% discounts on a collection of its power stations, complete with member-exclusive deals (sign-up is free), and rewards in exchange for Jackery points. One of the member-only offers is a first-time bundle of the new HomePower 1000 v2 Portable Power Station with a 100W mini solar panel for $549 shipped, which is not a unit available on Amazon yet. It would normally run you $999 at full price, with non-members paying $599, while members gain an additional $50 savings to this rate. All in all, this is a 45% markdown for $450 savings, setting the bar for future discounts down the road. Considering the standalone station is sold out after being offered at $549 in the previous sale, this deal is all the better as you are getting a solar panel for free with it. You can browse all the other deals included in this sale event below.
The new Jackery HomePower 1000 v2 power station is the latest revamp of the Explorer 1000 v2 model, bringing along greater uninterrupted power supply (UPS) functionality for indoor usage with critical devices. There is a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 battery here that delivers up to 1,500W of power steadily, while able to surge as high as 3,000W – all through its seven port options: 3x ACs, 2x USB-Cs, 1x USB-A, and a 12V DC car socket.
There are more ways to recharge this station than its predecessor, including AC charging for up to 1.25 hours total to reach a full battery, which can be minimized to 50 minutes using its emergency charging mode. From there, you also have options for up to 400W of solar panel input, using your vehicle’s auxiliary port or the brand’s alternator charger as you drive, or connecting to a gas generator.
You’ll find all the Jackery point exchange options at the bottom of the main sale page here, and for deals from alternate brands, be sure to head over to our dedicated power stations hub here.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Samaiden Group Bhd’s indirect subsidiary, Samaiden Legasi Timur Sdn Bhd (SLT), has achieved a major construction milestone for its large-scale solar five (LSS5) project in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, marking the commencement of full-scale construction.
In a statement, Samaiden said the project, located on a 162-ha site leased from Perbadanan Kemajuan Iktisad Negri Kelantan (PKINK), was awarded under Malaysia’s LSS5 programme in December 2024.
It has since achieved key milestones, including the signing of a power purchase agreement with Tenaga Nasional Bhd, execution of a long-term land lease, financial close with Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, and receipt of regulatory approvals.
SLT is developing a 99.99 megawatt alternating current (MWac) solar photovoltaic facility under Package 3 of the LSS5 programme, while the neighbouring GVU Fajar Timur Sdn Bhd project will add 27.6MWac under the bumiputra Package 2.
Together, the two projects will have a combined installed capacity of about 196MWp.
SLT chairman Datuk Wira Mohd Anis Hisham said the milestone signified the successful transition from planning to execution and demonstrated the company’s capability to deliver large-scale renewable energy projects safely and on schedule.
He said the integrated development is expected to strengthen Kelantan’s position as an emerging renewable energy hub while generating employment opportunities, supporting local businesses and contributing to the state’s renewable energy ecosystem.
Samaiden Sdn Bhd has been appointed as the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor for both the SLT and GVU projects.
The group has participated in every large-scale solar programme from LSS1 to LSS5 since 2017.
Including its ongoing 9.99MWac EPCC project in Tok Bali, Samaiden expects to establish an LSS5 project footprint of about 210MWp across Kelantan, reinforcing its position as a leading utility-scale solar developer and EPCC contractor in the state.
The group said the project will also create employment opportunities, support local subcontractors and strengthen the local supply chain, while contributing to Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap.
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A South Carolina circuit judge has ruled that solar manufacturing is only permitted in heavy industrial zones in York County, but Silfab Solar‘s existing facility in Fort Mill can continue operating in a light industrial zone due to prior approval. The ruling, reported on July 23, 2026, determined that York County had incorrectly classified solar panel production as computer and electronic products manufacturing, a designation that allows operations in light industrial districts. The York County Board of Zoning Appeals had previously stated that solar panel manufacturing is prohibited in light industrial zones, and the judge agreed with that position.
York County approved construction of the Silfab plant in 2022 in a light industrial district in Fort Mill. After a Fort Mill resident filed an appeal in 2024, the zoning board reversed its earlier decision, asserting that solar manufacturing is only allowed in heavy industrial zones. The county clarified that the Silfab plant could proceed with construction and future operations because the new zoning decision applies only to future projects.
Silfab Solar is lawfully grandfathered into the zoning distinction, but Fort Mill residents have expressed strong opposition. Community members have raised safety concerns about the facility, particularly its close proximity to a newly built elementary school. Residents are worried about the chemicals used in solar cell manufacturing. Outrage escalated in March after two separate chemical spill incidents were reported, though the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed there was no risk.
In a press statement, Silfab Solar indicated that the court’s recent decision has no impact on its current operations or permits, and that all employees are reporting to work as scheduled. The company noted that York County had previously confirmed the zoning board’s ruling applies only prospectively and does not affect Silfab because its project was well underway before the decision. Silfab Solar stated it will appeal to ensure that future opportunities for expansion and hiring remain open, and to protect the zoning process from being manipulated in the future.
Silfab Solar is headquartered in Canada and operates a solar panel assembly plant in Burlington, Washington. The company was planning to be one of the first brands to establish solar cell manufacturing in the United States. The Fort Mill site is intended to produce 1 GW of cells and 1 GW of panels each year. Panel production has been ongoing in South Carolina, while full cell production has not yet been announced.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides a comprehensive view of the solar cells and light-emitting diodes industry in the United States, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the solar cells and light-emitting diodes landscape in the United States.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for the United States. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
This report provides a consistent view of market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for the United States. The profile highlights demand structure and trade position, enabling benchmarking against regional and global peers.
The analysis is built on a multi-source framework that combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, and expert validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to ensure consistency across time series.
All data are normalized to a common product definition and mapped to a consistent set of codes. This ensures that comparisons across time are aligned and actionable.
The forecast horizon extends to 2035 and is based on a structured model that links solar cells and light-emitting diodes demand and supply to macroeconomic indicators, trade patterns, and sector-specific drivers. The model captures both cyclical and structural factors and reflects known policy and technology shifts in the United States.
Each projection is built from national historical patterns and the broader regional context, allowing the report to show where growth is concentrated and where risks are elevated.
Prices are analyzed in detail, including export and import unit values, regional spreads, and changes in trade costs. The report highlights how seasonality, freight rates, exchange rates, and supply disruptions influence pricing and margins.
Key producers, exporters, and distributors are profiled with a focus on their operational scale, geographic footprint, product mix, and market positioning. This helps identify competitive pressure points, partnership opportunities, and routes to differentiation.
This report is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, investors, and advisors who need a clear, data-driven picture of solar cells and light-emitting diodes dynamics in the United States.
The market size aggregates consumption and trade data, presented in both value and volume terms.
The projections combine historical trends with macroeconomic indicators, trade dynamics, and sector-specific drivers.
Yes, it includes export and import unit values, regional spreads, and a pricing outlook to 2035.
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Cypress Creek Renewables, the company proposing to build the Carriger Solar project near Goldendale, currently operates this solar farm in Vale, Ore. It is a 13-megawatt farm compared to Carriger, which would generate 160 megawatts of electricity.
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“They told me that it would be easier to replace the string than to go through manufacturer warranty.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
A homeowner trying to troubleshoot a sudden drop in solar production ended up finding something potentially more alarming than an underperforming power string: rooftop hot spots nearing 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The discovery — made with a thermal camera whose readings may not be perfectly accurate, as the poster and commenters discussed — came after an installer allegedly offered little meaningful help, and it raised questions about whether the issue points to failing cells, a wiring fault, or something else entirely.
According to a post on Reddit, the problem showed up on a solar system installed in late 2022 when one string “started producing much less than the other.”
The homeowner said the installer provided little useful troubleshooting and mainly had them try steps to rule out the inverter as the issue. 
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.
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The user added, “They told me that it would be easier to replace the string than to go through manufacturer warranty.” 
That response, they said, made it seem like the company “just wanna sell me more stuff rather than actually providing support.”
The user then decided to inspect the array personally. 
They said, “Long story short I got on the roof and pointed my thermal camera at the panels,” they wrote, saying they saw hot areas near the sides of two panels that matched yellowish marks on the cells, with the “highest point … around 200F.”
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The discussion in the comments centered on how to read those images, including whether reflective glass might distort thermal measurements and whether the hot spots were more consistent with bad cells or a wiring issue. 
Under full sun, a healthy solar panel typically runs around 100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit across its surface fairly uniformly. If one panel ends up in significant shade, it may fall below its threshold to produce energy and instead be used by the string of panels to dissipate excess heat instead, though 200 (if accurate) would still be overly high. The homeowner also did not mention how hot it was on the day of the reading, which could play a role in a higher reading than normal. 
Some advised the homeowner to insist on a warranty claim. Most solar panels are covered on performance for 25 years and on damage for 10 years, and this homeowner said they had the panels installed in 2002, so they should be covered for a claim. 
When one solar string underperforms, it can drag down the output of an entire rooftop system, cutting into the savings a homeowner expected when they invested in more affordable energy. If the hot spots are real and not simply a reflection issue, they could also be a warning sign.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Because the underlying problem could range from damaged cells to a wiring fault, the appropriate repair may depend heavily on what technicians find.
If your system suddenly starts producing less power, it can help to document everything before agreeing to a costly replacement.
If you’re still shopping for panels, EnergySage actually keeps rankings and reviews of the best panels, and quality here would be paramount — most likely, any of the top-rated panel brands would not run into this issue. 
EnergySage can also help you go solar with free tools that let you curate competitive bids from local installers without them obtaining any of your contact information unless you choose to work with one further.
Homeowners can also check EnergySage’s solar map, which shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with solar incentives available in each state. Together, those resources can help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
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Global Solar Module Financial Rankings Reveal Strong Performers And Rising Insolvency Risks—Report  SolarQuarter
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Argentina added 40.9 MW of distributed generation capacity in the first half of 2026, increasing cumulative installed capacity by 34.5% from 118.6 MW at the end of 2025 to 159.5 MW in June. Over the same period, the number of user-generators rose 25.8%, from 3,762 to 4,734, according to the latest report from the country’s Secretariat of Energy.
The country now has 159.5 MW of cumulative installed distributed generation capacity across more than 4,700 projects that have completed installation, connected to the grid through bidirectional meters, and obtained user-generator status.
In June alone, Argentina added 186 user-generators and 6.9 MW of capacity. This represented monthly growth of 4% in the number of connected installations and 4.5% in cumulative capacity compared with May, when the country had 4,548 user-generators and 152.6 MW installed.
The report also identifies 1,041 pending applications totaling 43.8 MW. If all projects are completed, cumulative distributed generation capacity under the national program would exceed 203 MW.
The Córdoba province continues to lead the country with 1,735 user-generators and 50.9 MW of installed capacity. The Buenos Aires province ranks second with 1,072 users and 27.9 MW, followed by Entre Ríos with 524 installations totaling 20.4 MW.
Misiones ranks next with 16.3 MW, followed by San Juan with 10.4 MW and La Rioja with 9.4 MW. Córdoba accounts for about 32% of national installed capacity, followed by Buenos Aires (17.5%), Entre Ríos (12.8%), and Misiones (10.2%). Together, Córdoba and Buenos Aires represent nearly half of the country’s connected distributed generation capacity.
Buenos Aires has the largest pipeline, with 315 pending applications, ahead of Córdoba (205) and San Juan (150). In terms of capacity, however, San Juan leads with 11 MW awaiting connection, followed by Córdoba with 9.3 MW and Buenos Aires with 7.1 MW. Entre Ríos has a further 4.4 MW in the pipeline and La Rioja another 4.1 MW.
Residential systems account for the largest share of installations, with 2,443 user-generators, or 51.6% of the total. However, they represent only 12.7 MW, or about 8% of installed capacity.
Commercial and industrial systems account for 2,025 installations but nearly 127.4 MW, representing about 80% of cumulative capacity. Public entities account for 122 installations totaling 10.9 MW, while the “other” category includes 143 systems with a combined capacity of 8.7 MW.
As of the end of June, the National Distributed Generation Platform listed 350 registered electricity distributors and cooperatives, one more than in the previous report. These entities oversee the procedures established under Law 27.424, from capacity reservation requests to bidirectional meter installation and user-generator certification.
The report also highlights two grid-connected projects. The Legislature of Chubut Province operates a 150 kW system in Rawson comprising 260 PV modules. The installation achieves a self-consumption rate of 60% of the electricity it generates, reduces grid electricity consumption by 26.3% (133,407 kWh per year), and avoids an estimated 118.7 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions annually.
The second project is a 3.48 kW residential system in El Cazador, in Buenos Aires province’s Escobar district. The six-module installation supplies a 120-square-meter home occupied by four people and equipped with a swimming pool. According to the report, it reduces grid electricity consumption by about 50%.
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NORRISTOWN – Nearly $1 million in Solar for Schools funding will help advance major clean‑energy upgrades at two Norristown Area School District buildings.
State Reps. Greg Scott, Matt Bradford and Joe Webster, Democrats of Montgomery County, announced the grants to local schools jointly with the givernor’s office.
Locally, the funding supports rooftop solar installations at Norristown Area High School and East Norriton Middle School — projects designed to generate long-term utility savings, modernize facilities, and strengthen the district’s sustainability efforts, the legislators said in a press release.
The grants are:
• $480,000 for Norristown Area High School, providing an estimated average savings of $56,928 per year, and
• $480,000 for East Norriton Middle School, providing an estimated average annual savings of $58,457.
“Investments in clean-energy solutions will have an impact well beyond the buildings themselves,” Scott said. “Lower utility costs mean more resources for students, classrooms and educational programs. We appreciate the support that made these projects possible and are excited for what they mean for our community moving forward.”
“These projects represent an important step forward in our collective effort for sustainable energy practices,” Bradford said. “By installing solar systems on both the high school and middle school rooftops, we’re making practical investments that reduce energy costs and support more efficient, future‑ready facilities. Each installation will deliver significant annual savings, and together they move our region closer to a more stable, sustainable future.”
“This new funding empowers us to turn our rooftops into reliable sources of clean power and real‑world learning,” Webster said. “The solar installations will lower utility spending, shrink our carbon footprint, and strengthen the resilience of our schools—freeing more dollars for instruction and student support.
“It’s a smart, measurable upgrade that benefits our classrooms today and invests in the community our students will lead tomorrow.”
Tbe office of Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat, announced solar investment of $1.6 million in grants through the Solar for Schools Grant Program, which has invested more than $24.2 million in 82 schools across Pennsylvania.
Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger announced the grants to help five Pennsylvania schools purchase and install solar panels including permit fees, energy storage, and utility interconnection.
“Electricity bills are a major cost for school districts across the Commonwealth, often using significant parts of their budget,” said Siger. “Through programs like Solar for Schools, the Shapiro Administration is supporting schools by investing in long-term solutions that save money, create jobs, and improve the educational environment for all students.”
In the 2026-27 budget signed by Governor Josh Shapiro, the Governor secured $125 million for school infrastructure improvements, including $25 million for the Solar for Schools Grant Program.
“Solar for Schools is a win-win — it reduces costs for school districts on their energy bills, and reduces air pollution from electricity generation,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “These solar panels will generate electricity and give a visible way for students to see how the electricity that powers their school is made without air pollution.”
School districts, intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools, chartered schools for the education of the deaf or blind, and community colleges were eligible to apply for the grants.
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The global clean energy transition is often discussed in terms of climate targets, renewable energy capacity additions, and carbon neutrality commitments. Yet, behind every solar panel installed across the world lies an increasingly complex geopolitical story. Solar manufacturing has evolved far beyond being an industrial activity, it has become a strategic asset, influencing national security, trade policies, economic competitiveness, and technological leadership.
For nearly two decades, China has methodically built an unparalleled position across the solar manufacturing value chain, transforming itself into the world’s undisputed manufacturing hub for photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Today, more than 80% of the world’s solar modules and over 95% of solar wafers originate from Chinese manufacturing ecosystems. Such concentration has prompted governments across the United States, Europe, Japan, and India to rethink supply-chain resilience, much like they did for semiconductors.
Against this backdrop, India finds itself at a defining moment. With one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy markets, supportive industrial policies, and rapidly expanding domestic manufacturing capacity, the country has the opportunity to emerge as a credible alternative in the global solar supply chain. However, achieving that ambition requires moving beyond module assembly to mastering the upstream segments that currently remain China’s strongest fortress.
The geopolitical significance of solar manufacturing has grown considerably over the past five years. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks associated with highly concentrated global supply chains. Subsequent geopolitical developments including the US-China strategic rivalry, trade restrictions, disruptions in maritime logistics, and increasing concerns around economic security that have reinforced the importance of manufacturing diversification.
Energy security today extends well beyond securing fuel supplies. It increasingly encompasses securing access to clean energy technologies themselves.
Countries that rely heavily on imported solar components risk exposure to pricing volatility, trade disruptions, export controls, and geopolitical uncertainties. Consequently, governments are increasingly viewing domestic solar manufacturing as a strategic capability rather than merely an industrial investment.
This shift explains why major economies are deploying unprecedented policy support through industrial incentives, local-content requirements, manufacturing subsidies, and strategic procurement frameworks.
China’s leadership did not emerge overnight. Over the past twenty years, the country has systematically invested across every stage of the photovoltaic manufacturing ecosystem from polysilicon refining and ingot production to wafer manufacturing, solar cells, modules, glass, backsheets, EVA films, and manufacturing equipment.
The result is an ecosystem that enjoys unparalleled economies of scale. According to industry estimates available until June 2026, China accounts for over 80% of global manufacturing capacity across the solar value chain while controlling more than 95% of global wafer production. Equally significant is its dominance in polysilicon production, where Chinese manufacturers continue to dictate global supply and pricing.
This vertical integration enables Chinese manufacturers to optimise costs, improve production efficiencies, shorten supply chains, and respond rapidly to technological transitions such as TOPCon and Heterojunction (HJT) technologies.
For competing nations, replicating such an ecosystem represents a far greater challenge than simply establishing module assembly plants.
India’s manufacturing landscape has transformed significantly since 2020. Just five years ago, domestic manufacturing capacity was largely limited to module assembly, with extensive dependence on imported solar cells and wafers. Today, the picture looks substantially different.
Driven by the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Basic Customs Duty (BCD), the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), and strong domestic demand, India’s manufacturing ecosystem has expanded at an unprecedented pace.
By June 2026, India’s module manufacturing capacity has crossed 200 GW annually. ALMM-approved manufacturing capacity exceeds 190 GW. Domestic solar cell manufacturing capacity has crossed 30 GW. Several integrated manufacturing facilities are under construction with investments running into billions of dollars.
Leading Indian manufacturers have announced ambitious expansion plans aimed not only at serving domestic demand but also global export markets. This rapid capacity creation has transformed India into one of the fastest-growing solar manufacturing destinations worldwide.
Despite impressive achievements, India’s manufacturing story remains incomplete. The country’s greatest vulnerability lies in upstream manufacturing.
Today, nearly all of India’s polysilicon requirements continue to be imported. Wafer imports also remain overwhelmingly dependent on China despite growing domestic module production.
This creates a structural imbalance. While Indian manufacturers increasingly produce modules domestically, the critical raw materials and intermediate products that determine manufacturing competitiveness continue to originate from overseas.
The wafer segment deserves particular attention. Solar wafers serve as the foundation upon which solar cells are manufactured. Without meaningful domestic wafer production, countries remain dependent on external suppliers regardless of how many modules they assemble locally.
Recognising this challenge, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework in March 2026 to include solar ingots and wafers. The new framework, scheduled to become operational from June 2028, reflects a strategic policy shift towards encouraging upstream manufacturing and reducing import dependence.
Ironically, China’s extraordinary manufacturing success has also created opportunities for competitors.
Massive capacity expansion within China has resulted in significant oversupply across multiple segments of the solar value chain. Intense price competition has placed financial pressure on manufacturers worldwide.
Simultaneously, governments across advanced economies are actively seeking supply-chain diversification. The United States has strengthened domestic manufacturing incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act while implementing multiple trade measures aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese imports.
Europe is similarly exploring strategies to improve manufacturing resilience and avoid excessive concentration of critical clean-energy technologies.For global developers and utilities, supplier diversification has become an increasingly important procurement criterion.
India stands to benefit from these structural shifts. Unlike several emerging manufacturing destinations, India combines a rapidly expanding domestic market with policy support, skilled engineering talent, improving infrastructure, and a mature renewable energy ecosystem. These advantages make it one of the few countries capable of supporting large-scale integrated solar manufacturing.
Capacity expansion alone will not establish India as a global manufacturing alternative. The next phase requires deeper structural transformation. First, India must significantly expand wafer and ingot manufacturing. These segments remain the weakest links in the domestic value chain while representing the greatest strategic opportunity.
Second, the country needs to accelerate investments in polysilicon production. Although capital-intensive and energy-intensive, domestic polysilicon manufacturing would substantially strengthen supply-chain resilience.
Third, manufacturing competitiveness must increasingly be driven by technology rather than protection. The global industry is rapidly transitioning toward high-efficiency technologies such as TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact (BC), and tandem cells. Indian manufacturers must remain aligned with these technological shifts to remain globally competitive over the long term.
Fourth, integrated manufacturing clusters should become the cornerstone of industrial policy. China’s competitiveness stems not only from production capacity but from tightly integrated ecosystems where raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, logistics providers, testing facilities, component manufacturers, and exporters operate within close proximity.
Developing similar manufacturing clusters in India would improve operational efficiencies, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen global competitiveness. Finally, international collaboration will remain essential.
India’s ambition should not be complete self-sufficiency but resilient diversification. Strategic partnerships with Europe, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and technology providers can accelerate technology transfer, research collaboration, and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Replacing China entirely is neither realistic nor necessary. China’s manufacturing ecosystem represents nearly two decades of sustained investment, technological advancement, industrial integration, and economies of scale.
However, global supply chains no longer require a single dominant manufacturing centre. What the world increasingly seeks is diversification. If India succeeds in building competitive capabilities across polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, and modules while maintaining cost competitiveness and technological excellence, it can emerge as the world’s most significant alternative manufacturing hub outside China.
That outcome would not merely strengthen India’s renewable energy ambitions; it would reshape global clean-energy supply chains. The geopolitics of solar manufacturing is redefining the global energy transition. Solar panels are no longer viewed simply as clean energy products, they are instruments of industrial policy, economic resilience, and strategic influence. As nations seek to reduce dependence on concentrated supply chains, the ability to manufacture critical clean-energy technologies domestically has become a cornerstone of national competitiveness.
India has already demonstrated that well-designed policies can rapidly expand module and cell manufacturing. The next challenge is considerably more ambitious: building a fully integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem that extends from polysilicon to finished modules.
Success will require sustained policy support, patient capital, technology partnerships, infrastructure development, and a long-term industrial vision.
If India can bridge the upstream gaps and continue building globally competitive manufacturing capabilities, it will not merely participate in the clean energy transition, it will help shape its future.
In the decade ahead, the countries that control solar manufacturing will influence far more than renewable energy markets. They will shape global trade, industrial growth, energy security, and the geopolitics of the low-carbon economy. India has an opportunity to become one of those countries, provided it transforms today’s manufacturing momentum into a resilient, integrated, and globally competitive supply chain.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Columbia County Circuit Court
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A Waukesha contractor overwhelmed with debt is now facing felony charges in Columbia and Dane County, accused of using payments from new clients to fund other projects, but leaving homeowners without their money or any home improvements.
Trevor Sumner, 42, appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court on July 22, on two counts of felony theft by contractor, originally filed by the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office in March.
According to the criminal complaint, the case dates back to late December, 2021, when a Poynette resident, with her husband, entered a contract with “Sun Badger Solar,” for installation of two solar panels on the roof of their home and a shed on their property. The contract included payment in two installments, adding up to about $88,000, which had been paid in January 2022.
The project had an estimated completion of spring 2022, but according to the homeowners, company president Sumner explained that there had been a series of delays due to weather and issues with Alliant Energy. According to Alliant, Sumner had been the cause of those delays.
Sun Badger Solar eventually installed “railing” for the panels in December 2022, but the work did not progress beyond that point. The following February, the homeowners contacted Sumner, but, according to the complaint, were not satisfied with the answers that were offered, and contacted the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 14 to report the situation.
A deputy later spoke with Sumner, who reportedly said that the company had encountered financial issues with a firm called “Sunlight Financial,” with Badger owing about $600,000, resulting in the company having to lay off 120 employees.
Any money left from the $88,000 paid by the Poynette couple, would have been spent on other projects, he told the officer.
In May 2026, the Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Poynette couple to pursue criminal charges, after discovering charges had been filed against Sumner in Dane County, and it remained that the work was still not completed and money not returned.
On March 17, the Dane County District Attorney filed charges of two counts of felony theft by contractor, as a party to a crime, against Sumner. Following his initial appearance, he was released on a signature bond, with a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 13.
In the Columbia County case, he was similarly released on a signature bond, and is scheduled to next be in court for a return hearing on Oct. 16.
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The legislature voted in the second reading in favor of a legislative initiative aimed at simplifying administrative procedures related to the installation of photovoltaic systems and energy storage systems, as well as to amend the regulatory framework related to the National Fund for the Development of Regulatory Documentation in Construction.
The bill aims to remove administrative barriers that slow the development of renewable energy generation capacity and energy storage infrastructure. According to the bill’s authors, the new provisions will accelerate investment in this sector and facilitate the implementation of renewable energy projects.
Thus, the legislation will clearly define that electricity storage facilities fall under the category of work carried out under the simplified procedure. As a result, individuals who install photovoltaic panels and/or heat pumps in single-family homes, including duplexes or townhouses, in multi-unit residential buildings, or on roofs and facades, will only be required to provide design documentation for the electrical compartment.
The bill also simplifies the installation of energy storage systems and related infrastructure within photovoltaic parks or other energy, commercial, agricultural, or industrial facilities. The document establishes the minimum scope of technical documentation required for this category of structures. If such systems are installed in protected areas or in areas designated for the protection of historical monuments, an opinion from the competent authority in the field of cultural heritage protection will be required.
The provisions of the legislative initiative also ensure that secondary regulations comply with the legal framework applicable to the authorization of construction work, thereby helping to eliminate legislative gaps and discrepancies in interpretation.
The new provisions take effect on the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

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Jul 23, 2026
By Shay Lelonek / News Director
CLEAR LAKE, Minn — Xcel Energy has announced the completion of phase three for the Sherco Solar plant near its existing Sherco plant in Becker.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 21. Sherco Solar is the largest solar facility in Minnesota, and one of the biggest in the Midwest, according to a media release form Xcel Energy.
With the first three phases now online, the site produces 710 megawatts of electricity, which is powered by 1.7 million solar panels.
The proposed fourth phase would enable the plant to generate a capacity of 910 megawatts by 2029, which is capable of powering more than 190,000 homes.

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NORWICH – County officials are figuring out how to handle a major curveball for the proposed $35 million office building project.
Adhering to a relatively new state code that requires a sustainable energy component on new construction, project engineers must now plan for a solar array to power the new office building – an expense that has not yet been factored into the final cost of the building.
The project now faces a $28,000 expense increase to pay for an engineering study to determine the best placement and size of solar panels needed to power the new building, which is the minimum standard under the state’s new building codes. The project will incur additional costs when a solar array is priced and purchased.
“We thought there might be a time period where we might get grandfathered in,” said Chenango County Board Chairman Jeffry Blanchard, citing engineering plans for the county office building that predate the NYS energy conservation construction code that went into effect in December 2025.
But Blanchard said hopes of being grandfathered in are no longer realistic. The project is now looking at a large, unexpected, and unavoidable expense, he told members of the county’s Building and Grounds Committee on Tuesday.
“If we put it on the roof, we know that someday we’re going to have to deal with it. And that’s not something that we’re choosing to do, but it’s something the state is forcing us to do,” Blanchard said. “And it’s not just us. All new school buildings, any new construction, are having to deal with the same type of thing.”
Engineers have advised that roof-mounted solar panels may be the best and most cost-effective approach to meeting state regulations, although Blanchard said they’re also considering alternative county-owned sites that could allow for construction of a solar array, including the county landfill and the Preston Manor Home for Adults.
Blanchard also said the county will face the same regulatory hurdles when it moves forward on building a new DPW facility. Officials plan to move that project forward when they find a viable location.
“This regulation just came out and we’ve been in this process for a while,” said Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairman John Lawrence (R-Afton). Lawrence questioned whether the $28,000, if approved by the county board, will also fund studies of other possible locations for solar panels.
“My concern is that if we do a motion to authorize this, that’s as far as they’ll go, and they’re not going to look at anything else,” Lawrence said. “It will be $28,000; then six months down the road, they’ll say they have an option for another approach.”
The committee also raised concerns over the collective price tag of a solar array and the impact it will have on the project’s bottom line. Solar panels typically fall in the $1 million range to generate a megawatt of power, and such projects often bank on public subsidies for private developers to construct.
“We have to do the engineering before we can figure out what the final cost is going to be,” Blanchard said.
Committee members unanimously approved the request to go before the county’s Finance Committee, which meets July 30. A resolution to fund the $28,000 engineering report must go to a vote before the Chenango County Board of Supervisors in August before engineers can proceed.
The proposed building project has been an uphill battle for the county, drawing public criticism over its necessity as well as the transparency of local officials. The project hit another snag two months ago when a review put anticipated costs at nearly 7% over budget (totaling $37.6 million), triggering a contingency plan that allows an overage between 5% and 8%.
The county is working with engineers to revamp some of the design features for its IT department in order to stay within the initial $35 million budget.
The county has determined the cost of renovating the 1960s wing of the current office building was 70% to 75% of the cost of building new. Consequently, officials intend to raze the 1960s wing and build a new facility that will connect to the 1991 wing on the north side of the building. The plan is to construct the new building in front of the old one, move departments to the new building when it’s finished, and then demolish the old facility.
County officials aim to put the project out to bid in the fall with hopes of starting construction in 2027 and having it completed within two years.
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The tech could let homeowners enlarge an existing solar setup without rebuilding it.
Photo Credit: Enphase Energy
Enphase Energy is bringing its latest residential solar hardware to Australia and New Zealand, expanding a broader global rollout that could make rooftop systems more productive, easier to expand, and better suited to harsh real-world conditions.
For homeowners considering solar, that could mean more usable electricity from each panel and more control over household energy costs.
Enphase has now introduced its IQ9N microinverters to residential customers in Australia and New Zealand, following recent launches across Europe and in the United States, according to SolarQuarter. The company says the devices are built with gallium nitride, or GaN, and are intended to pair with newer, higher-power solar panels.
Enphase says the IQ9N can hit an efficiency as high as 97.95%. The units are rated for as much as 427 VA of continuous output power, support 16 A of continuous DC current, and come with a 25-year limited warranty.
For households already using Enphase products, the company says the IQ9N works with IQ Batteries and remains backward compatible with the IQ7 and IQ8 series. That could let homeowners enlarge an existing solar setup without rebuilding it or adopting a different installation approach.
With microinverters, power conversion happens at each panel instead of through one central string inverter. In practice, that means shade or buildup on a single panel is less likely to reduce output across the rest of the system.
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For many households, the biggest draw is economics. If each panel can produce more usable electricity, especially during partial shading or in high heat, homeowners may get better value from limited roof space and potentially lower their power bills over time.
Safety is part of the appeal as well. Enphase says this distributed architecture avoids long high-voltage DC cable runs, which can lower system risk compared with conventional string-inverter designs, and the units also include integrated rapid shutdown capability.
The launch is especially notable in Australia and New Zealand, where rooftop solar is already widespread and weather conditions can be demanding. Enphase says the IQ9N has an operating temperature range of minus-40 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-40 to 65 degrees Celsius).
That kind of durability can help households rely more on clean electricity and less on power generated from dirtier fuels like coal and gas.
Enphase says customers in Australia and New Zealand can now get the IQ9N microinverters through authorized distribution partners. The units meet AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 grid requirements and appear on Australia’s Clean Energy Council list.
Homeowners can monitor system performance in real time through the Enphase App, and the platform supports over-the-air software updates, which may help systems stay optimized without requiring an on-site service visit.
For people who already have rooftop solar, the backward compatibility with IQ7 and IQ8 products could offer a practical path to expansion, especially when paired with battery storage. That can be useful for households trying to use more of their own solar power at night or prepare for grid instability.
Growing battery adoption is following a similar pattern elsewhere: Australian homeowners have been installing home batteries at a record pace to store solar power and, in some cases, sell it back to the grid.
The product offers a longer warranty, high efficiency, app-based monitoring, and a design meant to keep generating even when conditions are less than ideal.
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-based battery manufacturer Fox ESS has introduced Power Beast, a commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage solution pairing its H3 Plus three-phase hybrid inverter with the modular CQ7 high-voltage battery architecture.
The company said the new solution is designed to replace complex on-site assembly and extensive cabling requirements with a modular plug-and-play architecture and reduce the number of interconnection steps while helping minimize potential wiring errors during installation.
A key feature is the optional CQ7 Dual Tower Base, which supports two battery stacks from a single base and reduces overall system height by up to 50% compared with conventional single-stack configurations, keeping the installation height below 1.3 meters. The base integrates power and communication channels, enabling rapid stack assembly, with module connections completed in as little as five seconds per unit, according to the manufacturer.
The H3 Plus inverter is available in power ratings from 50 kW to 125 kW, including 50 kW, 60 kW, 75 kW, 80 kW, 100 kW, and 125 kW models. It features up to eight MPPT trackers, a maximum input voltage of 1,000 V, and support for PV arrays of up to 250 kW.
Each H3 Plus inverter is equipped with three independent battery inputs. When paired with CQ7 battery modules, each offering a nominal capacity of 6.96 kWh, a single inverter configuration can support up to 292 kWh of battery storage.
The storage system can also be expanded through multi-inverter configurations, scaling up to 3.125 MW/7.35 MWh for grid-connected applications and up to 1.25 MW/2.94 MWh for off-grid systems.
The H3 Plus hybrid inverter series delivers a maximum efficiency of 98.5% and a European efficiency rating of 98.1%, while the CQ7 battery achieves a round-trip efficiency of more than 95%. The battery system uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP, LiFePO₄) chemistry and features an IP65 protection rating for indoor and outdoor installations.
The H3 Plus inverter operates across a voltage range of 180 V to 950 V, while the CQ7 battery operates from 104.4 V to 919.8 V and supports 100% depth of discharge. The inverter is rated for operating temperatures from -30 C to 60 C, while the battery operates from -10 C to 55 C, with optional heating extending the range to -25 C to 55 C.
For backup applications, the H3 Plus includes an integrated Emergency Power Supply (EPS) function with a transfer time of less than 10 ms during power outages. Depending on system sizing, the platform can provide more than six hours of continuous backup power and supports integration with off-grid generators, electric vehicle charging equipment, and solar PV systems, according to the company.
System monitoring and control are managed through the FoxCloud V2.0 web portal and mobile application, with support for RS485, CAN, Wi-Fi, LAN, and optional 4G connectivity.
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The new 755-foot-long vessel can transport 10,800 vehicles and will operate global shipping routes for Hyundai Glovis after its delivery to South Korea’s KOBC.
China on Tuesday delivered the world’s first 10,000-vehicle-class car carrier equipped with a photovoltaic power generation system to South Korea’s Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC). Built by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), the ship can carry up to 10,800 vehicles and uses both solar power and liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel engines to boost fuel efficiency and cut emissions worldwide.
The delivery took place through a remote online signing ceremony between GSI and China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd., as KOBC chose a virtual handover instead of an in-person event. According to GSI, the new ship will be leased to Hyundai Glovis for international routes connecting Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.
This new Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) is the fourth carrier of its size delivered by China, and it is the first in its class to have a solar power system.
The ship’s solar system can produce up to 200 kilowatts at its peak and generates about 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity daily with 5.5 to 7 hours of sunlight. This power helps run the ship’s operations, lowering fuel use and making the ship more energy efficient.
The carrier also uses a dual-fuel propulsion system that operates on conventional fuel oil and LNG. It includes a shaft generator and meets the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III emissions standards. According to GSI, this combination makes it the most energy-efficient vessel in its series.
GSI and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute worked together to design the vessel. It has been approved by Norway’s Det Norske Veritas and South Korea’s Korean Register, so it can operate anywhere in the world.
The carrier is about 755 feet (230 meters) long, 131 feet (40 meters) wide, and has a draft of 34.4 feet (10.5 meters). It can travel at speeds up to 19 knots, which is about 22 mph (35 km/h).
The ship’s LNG tanks hold enough fuel for a full trip, so it does not need to refuel during long journeys.
The ship has 14 decks for vehicles, with nine fixed and five adjustable. This setup lets it carry passenger cars, vans, heavy trucks, trailers with freight containers, and other large vehicles.
In addition to cars, the ship can carry some packaged dangerous goods covered by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. This expands the types of cargo it can transport.
This latest delivery adds to GSI’s growing lineup of large vehicle carriers and shows China’s increasing role in building new commercial ships.
When Hyundai Glovis starts using the ship, it will help move vehicles between major manufacturing and consumer markets in Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. The use of solar power and LNG engines also shows the shipping industry’s wider push to cut emissions while still carrying large amounts of cargo.
A versatile writer, Sujita has worked with Mashable Middle East and News Daily 24. When she isn't writing, you can find her glued to the latest web series and movies.
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