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Better equipment eventually changed his setup.
Photo Credit: iStock
In Dubapara, a village in Assam, India, a schoolteacher has used rooftop solar for the past 15 years, proving it can do more than back up the grid.
According to The Assam Tribune, Shozim Uddin’s interest in home solar took shape after he saw small lighting systems in remote char areas where grid service was weak or absent. He asked the crews behind those installations how solar panels and batteries functioned, then used that knowledge to create a solar-panel system for his own house.
With Dubapara dealing with repeated outages and unstable electricity that interrupted everyday routines, solar looked like a practical answer. Uddin began with six solar panels brought in from Bengaluru.
Better equipment eventually changed his setup. He has transitioned from the original off-grid setup to a PM Surya Ghar rooftop system that generates electricity at home and reduces his reliance on Assam Power Distribution Company Limited.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re comparing options, EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Uddin’s shift from an off-grid system to an on-grid rooftop installation through the PM Surya Ghar program built on his earlier investment instead of replacing it.
If you’re considering a similar switch, EnergySage offers free tools that let homeowners compare competitive bids from local installers without sharing their contact information unless they choose to move forward. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map also shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with solar panel incentives for each state, helping homeowners get the best possible price.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is a sure way to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Batteries also let households store daytime solar production for use after sunset or during service interruptions. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Switching to solar can cut bills, reduce outage stress, and give homeowners more control over where their power comes from.
• An off-grid homeowner showed that snow-covered solar panels can still produce useful power.
• In Tennessee, one family built a high-tech system that could sideline generators for decades.
• As utility costs climb, rooftop solar can save you on bills for years.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• More homeowners are pairing panels with home battery storage to ride through outages.
• At EnergySage, price quotes show how interconnected solar costs shape what homeowners ultimately pay.
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Starlight Energy, the project development arm of NextEnergy Group, has submitted four utility-scale solar and battery storage projects to the Alberta Electric System Operator’s (AESO) Cluster 3 interconnection process in Canada. The projects, with a combined generation capacity of 725 MW AC, comprise the 150 MW AC Lamoureux Agri-Solar Battery Project, the 250 MW AC Castor North Solar Battery Project, the 100 MW AC Rich Valley Agri-Solar Battery Project, and the 225 MW AC St. Albert Agri-Solar Battery Project. Starlight says these projects are intended to supply competitively priced electricity as the province’s power market evolves and electricity demand grows.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced a framework to deploy $200 million in solar incentives through its NY-Sun program. The funding is expected to support more than 565 MW of new solar capacity. Specifically, about $116 million is allocated for around 450 MW of large commercial and community solar projects larger than 1 MW, $31 million will support 75 MW of midsize rooftop installations, and $20 million will facilitate 40 MW on-site solar for low- and moderate-income households. The program also includes incentives for projects located on rooftops, parking canopies, brownfields, landfills, floating solar sites, and agricultural land where solar generation can coexist with farming.
energyRe has closed an $815 million financing package for five utility-scale solar projects totaling approximately 360 MW in South Carolina. It covers projects backed by 25-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). Bank of America, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), and Santander supported the transaction, which energyRe says is among the largest solar-only project financing deals in South Carolina’s history. The company aims to invest $2 billion in the state by 2030.
Singapore-headquartered renewable energy developer Concord New Energy Group has closed $400 million in financing for its US clean energy and digital infrastructure portfolio. The financing includes $310 million in debt and letter of credit facilities and $90 million in preferred equity for Project Chisme, the company’s first utility-scale project in the US. Located in Texas, the project comprises 215 MW of solar capacity and a 147 MW/358 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). First Citizens Bank, Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Associated Bank led the financing. Concord says this transaction supports its expansion in the US market.
Global investment firm KKR and TotalEnergies recently agreed to add 700 MW of utility-scale solar capacity to their 50:50 US joint venture. The expansion covers three solar projects in Texas and Ohio, which are expected to begin commercial operations by Q1 2027. Electricity produced is either already sold to third parties or will be marketed by TotalEnergies. The portfolio has an enterprise value of $1.2 billion. TotalEnergies will continue to operate the assets following completion of the transaction, which is expected in 2026, subject to customary conditions. The joint venture currently holds 1.4 GW of capacity.
CleanChoice Energy has secured an up to $85 million term loan facility from Aiga Capital Partners. The financing will support CleanChoice’s solar project development and help advance projects toward construction. It follows a separate $166 million financing CleanChoice raised earlier in October for two solar projects in New York and Pennsylvania. CleanChoice said that the new funding will provide financial flexibility to the company as it expands its power generation business beyond retail electricity supply.
US-based space technology startup Reflect Orbital has secured two dedicated launches from Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian private space launch company. Reflect Orbital builds and operates orbital mirrors that enable controlled lighting without ground infrastructure. It says the agreement will support the deployment of Reflect Orbital’s future spacecraft, which aim to provide additional lighting for applications including solar power generation and search-and-rescue operations. The first mission will use Skyroot’s Vikram-1 rocket, while the second will use the Vikram-1U vehicle, which is under development. The companies have not disclosed launch dates or financial terms, but the US firm said that these launches provide it with an assured schedule and capacity, and complement Reflect Orbital’s other planned launches from sites in the US.
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China has proposed export controls on 12 solar manufacturing technologies, citing national security. Open for consultation until 15 November 2026, the draft could influence India’s efforts to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing.
China has proposed export controls on 12 solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing technologies, raising concerns about access to advanced production processes across the global solar industry. Announced on October 16, 2026, the proposal cites national security concerns, noting the growing use of solar technologies in sensitive sectors such as aerospace and defence. The proposed measures would prohibit exports of certain technologies used in thin silicon wafer, polysilicon, perovskite and tandem solar cell manufacturing, while restricting selected advanced crystalline-silicon cell technologies.
The draft is open for public consultation until November 15, 2026, and the proposed prohibitions and restrictions have not yet formally taken effect. However, interim registration requirements apply to certain overseas technology transfers. Although the proposal does not impose a blanket ban on finished solar panels, it could affect access to manufacturing know-how and equipment-related technologies. This development is particularly relevant to India and other countries seeking to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing and reduce dependence on overseas technology suppliers.
What Has China Proposed?
The proposal would add 12 solar-related technologies to China’s Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export. Stakeholders have until November 15, 2026 to submit feedback, and temporary pre-export registration requirements took effect on October 16, remaining in force until the revised catalogue is formally issued. The registration rules already apply to technology ownership transfers, intellectual property licensing arrangements, and changes in control over domestic technologies transferred to foreign entities.
The 12 technologies are divided into two tiers. Prohibited exports cover technologies for manufacturing silicon wafers 70 micrometres thick or less, perovskite and perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells capable of conversion efficiencies of at least 30%, and large-scale fluidised-bed polysilicon production technologies. Restricted exports — requiring licensing rather than outright prohibition — cover specific advanced cell manufacturing processes, including selected TOPCon, XBC, and HJT production technologies, along with associated equipment designs, algorithm models, and programme codes. This two-tier structure means the practical impact will vary by technology and by the final scope of the catalogue after consultation.
Which Solar Manufacturing Technologies Are Affected?
Thin silicon wafers sit at the upstream end of the chain. Wafers thinner than 70 micrometres reduce silicon consumption and production costs, making the technology strategically valuable for cell manufacturers. Perovskite and tandem solar cells represent the next frontier of efficiency: tandem cells stack perovskite on silicon to achieve conversion efficiencies above 30%, well beyond the limits of conventional crystalline-silicon cells. Fluidised-bed polysilicon production is a more efficient route to high-purity polysilicon, the feedstock for wafers.
For TOPCon, XBC, and HJT cells, the restrictions target the specific deposition, diffusion, and electrode-manufacturing processes that determine cell performance and production throughput. Crucially, the proposal governs manufacturing technology and technical know-how, not the export of finished solar modules. A Chinese company could still sell panels abroad; what becomes harder is transferring the processes and equipment drawings needed to replicate advanced production locally. This distinction matters because it targets the longer-term objective of building independent manufacturing capability rather than the immediate availability of solar products.
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Potential Implications for India’s Solar Manufacturing Industry
India’s dependence on imported solar components makes the proposed controls relevant to its domestic manufacturing ambitions. China supplies approximately 95% of India’s solar cell imports, valued at around US$1.86 billion in FY2026, an increase of 37%. China also accounted for more than 99% of India’s undiffused silicon wafer imports. Separately, India imported 8.01 billion solar cells in FY2026, up 58% from the previous year, while total solar cell import expenditure increased 95% to ₹27,133.68 crore. Meanwhile, India’s solar module manufacturing capacity reached approximately 233 GW by June 2026, compared with around 38 GW of reported solar cell capacity. This gap highlights the imbalance between module assembly and upstream manufacturing, particularly solar cells and wafers.
The proposed Chinese export controls could create additional challenges for Indian manufacturers seeking to expand domestic cell, wafer, and polysilicon production, especially if new facilities depend on restricted technologies. Existing supply-chain delays have already disrupted some Indian module producers and put investment at risk. However, these disruptions predate the October 2026 proposal, and its additional impact will depend on the final rules and the technologies covered. India’s target of 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, including approximately 292 GW of solar capacity, strengthens the case for developing a more integrated domestic solar supply chain and reducing reliance on imported manufacturing technologies and components.
Major Indian Solar Manufacturers and Their Expansion Strategies
Effects on Global Renewable Energy Supply Chains
China’s proposed export controls could reshape global solar supply chains by restricting access to selected manufacturing technologies rather than finished solar panels. Countries such as India, the United States, and those in Europe seeking to expand domestic solar production may face additional challenges in developing advanced cell, wafer, and polysilicon manufacturing. Although the proposal could create opportunities for alternative technology providers, its impact will depend on the final restrictions and available substitutes. For manufacturers and investors, technology access, licensing requirements, and upstream capacity expansion will be key factors to monitor. Ultimately, the proposal highlights the growing strategic importance of solar manufacturing knowledge.
What Does the Proposal Mean for Solar Manufacturers and Investors?
Future Outlook
The final scope of China’s proposed export controls following the November 15, 2026, consultation will determine how licensing requirements or export prohibitions affect technology transfers. For India, the outlook will depend partly on whether it can expand solar cell manufacturing capacity to 60 GW by December 2026 and 100 GW by mid-2027 with access to the required technologies and expertise. Globally, manufacturers may accelerate alternative technology partnerships and domestic research and development to reduce dependence on Chinese processes. A key uncertainty is whether non-Chinese equipment and technology suppliers can scale sufficiently to support advanced cell and wafer production without delaying solar manufacturing expansion.
Conclusion
China’s proposed export controls on 12 solar manufacturing technologies highlight a strategic shift toward greater control over advanced manufacturing know-how. Although the proposal does not impose a blanket ban on finished solar panels, restrictions on selected technologies could create challenges for countries seeking to strengthen domestic solar production. For India, the development underscores the importance of expanding solar cell, wafer, and polysilicon manufacturing to reduce supply-chain dependence. The final impact will depend on the scope of the controls following the November 15, 2026, consultation. Ultimately, access to advanced technologies will remain crucial to global solar manufacturing competitiveness and renewable energy expansion.
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“I’m highly skeptical of that payback period of 11 years.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A Michigan homeowner’s $71,000 solar-and-battery quote sparked an online debate.
Some people on Reddit’s r/Solar forum believed the system was fairly priced, while others thought the batteries would push the payoff too far into the future.
The main sticking point was not the panels themselves. Instead, commenters focused on whether an 11-year payback is realistic under DTE’s time-of-use structure.
In a Reddit thread, the homeowner in southeast Michigan asked for input on a proposed 18.06-kilowatt rooftop solar array paired with two Powerwall 3 batteries at a total price of $71,000. The package also covered permits, interconnection, sales tax, and a Gateway 3.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
The original poster added that their household uses about 30,500 kilowatt-hours each year, with more than half of that tied to their two EVs. The installer estimated output at 22,926 kilowatt-hours annually, which would offset about 75% of their use.
The proposal came out to about $2.68 per watt for the solar portion by itself and roughly $4.03 per watt once the batteries were included. The OP then wrote, “Payback pencils out around 11 years at 4 to 5% DTE escalation.”
That projection quickly drew skepticism from other users, who zeroed in on export compensation and rate-growth assumptions. One commenter wrote, “DTE buys your excess energy at wholesale rates so keep that in mind,” while another questioned whether 4% to 5% annual utility rate increases were too optimistic.
Because the homeowner planned to pay cash, the conversation was mostly about long-term returns rather than loan terms or monthly financing costs.
One user wrote, “I’m highly skeptical of that payback period of 11 years. I think it’s closer to 14 years… But solar only and cash payment gets you in the sub-10yr payback. Without storage, your ROI actually looks really good… I would walk from this deal.”
The OP clarified that, “I already have a whole home generator, so the Powerwall’s are for TOU and self consumption under DTE’s outflow credit, not backup.” With that in mind, some commenters said the economics could improve by dropping storage, even if batteries still provide added flexibility.
Some commenters took a middle ground, arguing that while the quote is “not a great price, [it’s] not horrible either, get a system that will produce 100% of your needs.”
For homeowners looking at a similar quote, the discussion pointed to a few practical steps: collect more bids, check the assumptions yourself, and compare a battery-backed system against a solar-only version.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Still, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and homeowners can try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
Plus, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state.
And if you are interested in home backups, adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Homeowners weighing systems like two Powerwall 3 units can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
These stories look at the costs, incentives, and savings that can make or break a solar payback.
• Across the U.S., homeowners could save about $700 a year with solar, with bigger gains elsewhere.
• In Australia, a homeowner said a 20kW solar setup erased blackout worries and earned them credits.
• For many U.S. households, rooftop solar can save $50,000 over time.
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“The past 3 years the production has not even been half of the contracted amount.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A homeowner who inherited a Tesla solar lease when buying their house said the panels produced just 20 kilowatt-hours in a month while the household’s electric bill rose to nearly $600.
According to a Reddit post from the homeowner, the solar PPA transferred with the home purchase and was already 11 years into a 20-year term. They said the agreement cost $250 a month, but utility bills began climbing after about a year and a half.
They estimated they were owed about $6,000 for underproduction and reported that the system generated only 20 kilowatt-hours in a month. They wrote that “The past 3 years the production has not even been half of the contracted amount.”
Going solar is still one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but this case highlights why comparing terms matters. A commenter identifying themselves as a lawyer warned, “Declaring you’re not paying may push them to throw a lien on the property and you’re in worse shape than before. Get a lawyer and find out what the correct next steps are.”
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Homeowners can also use EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Because PPAs and solar leases can stay with a property, buying this house also meant taking on the existing contract. The poster said nine years remained, so the monthly payment and the provider’s service obligations carried over.
After seeing the high bill, the homeowner said they asked the electric company to check whether the issue was on the utility side. According to the post, the company “confirmed everything is connected correctly and they are getting correct information from the panels.” That appears to point back to the solar equipment rather than the utility bill alone.
The inverter displayed “riso low,” the homeowner said, as they also calculated what they believed the provider still owed under the production terms. They said they received one reimbursement check but that roughly $6,000 more remained unpaid.
Before withholding payments, you may need to document everything and get legal advice. The homeowner described app alerts, monthly output, billing spikes, and an inverter error — the kinds of records owners need when pushing a company to honor a production guarantee.
If you’re shopping for solar instead of inheriting a contract, EnergySage lets you compare bids from local installers without sharing your contact information unless you choose to move forward. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, plus state-specific solar panel incentives. Together, those tools can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and go off-grid. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Other homeowners have reported confusing bills, contract issues, and mixed results with rooftop solar setups, and these articles cover a few of them.
• One homeowner said a strange solar policy left them staring at a $6,000 power bill.
• After solar service, another resident received a strange energy bill that sparked confusion.
• Some Tesla customers say impressive Solar Roof earnings can bring in $350 each month.
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Darrell Proctor
NTPC Limited, India’s largest electric utility, has signed a power purchase agreement with 247 Solar and will deploy that company’s Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology as part of its energy strategy.
The companies on October 15 said it will mark the first commercial project for 247 Solar and its solar thermal tech. The Virginia-based company has said the deal is a milestone as 247 Solar improves on the first generation of its technology, which is designed to overcome the intermittency of conventional solar power.
NTPC said it will test whether 247 Solar’s system can help the utility reduce its reliance on coal-fired power generation as India expands its use of renewable energy. Officials said the project, if successful, would likely enable an expansion of 247 Solar’s technology across India.
“This new version of solar thermal solves the problem of intermittent solar and wind power, and avoids spending more on outdated, costly, and dirty coal plants,” said Bruce Anderson, founder and CEO of 247Solar. “India’s rapid growth plainly requires more clean, reliable and affordable energy. Our system can help meet that demand. I’m thrilled that after several years of deep due diligence, NTPC is working with us to bring this promising technology into wider use.”
247Solar has said its technology removes the drawbacks of previous CSP technology. The system still captures the sun’s heat with mirrors focused on towers, but the new version is simplified, modular, and scalable. It simultaneously provides heat up to 1,000C (more than 1,800F) for industrial processes, according to the company.
The system, according to 247 Solar, “stores heat for up to 20 hours in ceramic pellets, using hot air to generate electricity around the clock with unique turbines that operate without combustion under normal conditions. If the stored heat runs low overnight or during extended cloudy weather, the same turbines can also run on liquid or gaseous fuels, including natural gas, green hydrogen, or diesel, so the plant can keep producing power without interruption.”
247 Solar said the new technology has several benefits compared with traditional CSP:
The company said the NTPC project is a ~1MW hybrid, integrating one 400-kW modular 247Solar Plant with several hundred kilowatts of photovoltaic solar. It is being installed at Rajasthan’s Bhadla Solar Park, which is among the world’s largest solar energy hubs, in an arid region in northwestern India. The project is backed by the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited, which has approved preliminary studies, site surveys, and structural tests. NTPC and 247Solar said the companies selected the location for its abundant sunshine, and for its easy interconnection for offtake of its energy output.
The groups said the demonstration “marks an early step toward round-the-clock clean power for industry and residents in India,” and added that “success will position Rajasthan as a proving ground for the technology and give NTPC a new tool as it works to meet the country’s growing power demand while reducing reliance on coal, cutting costs and carbon emissions simultaneously.”
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
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A BESS factory with a capacity of 1.8 GWh is to come up in India as Sahaj Solar, an India-based solar panel manufacturer, moves into battery storage. The board of the company approved the plan for the site at Dakor in Gujarat, India, on 19 October 2026. The factory is intended to integrate the solar systems business of Sahaj Solar vertically, and that business sells solar modules, water pumps and off-grid power plants. Because the company has reported its existing BESS capacity as nil, the Dakor factory will be its first in the segment. The new capacity is to be added within 12 months, and BESS is to be launched in the same period for domestic and international buyers. The investment has been estimated at about INR 25 crore (~ $2.63 million), which excludes the factory premises that have already been built. The amount is to be financed through debt and internal accruals.
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Renewable energy developer Swift Current Energy is suing First Solar in New York state court, alleging the manufacturer knowingly supplied defective solar modules and used deceptive testing to hide significant performance issues.
The complaint, filed in Sept. 2026, alleges that First Solar supplied over 2.4 million defective Series 6 Plus and Series 7 thin-film cadmium telluride modules across three major U.S. solar installations, including the 800 MW Double Black Diamond project in Illinois.
The developer states it paid more than $360 million for the equipment, which it claims has consistently failed to meet promised power output metrics.
According to the complaint, the modules experienced increased degradation and significantly lower-than-expected output immediately upon installation in 2023 and 2024. Swift Current says it initially submitted formal warranty claims on Dec. 23, 2024, after discovering the widespread underperformance.
First Solar formally responded on May 2, 2025, stating that the developer had not adequately described or provided evidence of the claimed defects, and noted that evaluating power output claims based on system-level performance data is invalid under the warranty terms.
The module maker requested that Swift Current coordinate with its technical support to conduct individual module power output measurements in a laboratory. Swift Current’s court filing called this proposed remedy “commercially impossible,” arguing it would require shipping more than 1.5 million modules back to First Solar at a cost exceeding the value of the claims.
In the complaint, Swift Current points to its inability to meet commitments to its commercial offtakers under power purchase agreements as a result of the power output loss. In addition, the developer says it has lost revenue from decreased compensation under capacity contracts it signed for two of the projects in question.
Swift Current claims that First Solar identified two primary errors in its manufacturing process that led to lower power output in 1.6 million of the modules it purchased from the module maker.
The developer alleges First Solar knew about the defects at the time it shipped modules to its sites, but concealed them from the developer until October 2024. Importantly, one of the defects alleged in the complaint appears never to have been publicly acknowledged by the module maker.
The first type of these errors, which Swift Current calls “Edge Grind Defects” is related to a flaw in the manufacturing process for Series 7 modules first publicly disclosed by First Solar in an Oct. 2024 earnings call.
In the call, First Solar CEO Mark Widmar provided details how the company identified the issue early in Series 7 production, in which materials that have been ground from the edge of module glass “calcify” onto the glass during the “dwell time” between the grinding step and a module washing step that occurs after.
At the time, First Solar said it had identified and taken actions to address the edge grind issues and was taking a warranty charge of $50 million in anticipation of providing service to buyers of affected modules.
The second, previously-undisclosed type of defect is referred to in the complaint as “Substrate Defects,” which Swift Current alleges arose from a change to the manufacturing process initiated by First Solar in 2021, which prevented the absorber layer for its Series 6 Plus and 7 modules from forming as designed. The complaint states these defects “impacted the annealing process, film quality, recombination rates, and ultimately, module power output.”
Swift Current says it was presented with an investigative report First Solar commissioned from Leidos Engineering, LLC to examine its Series 7 modules, which identifies the two defects being present in the modules. The complaint says the Leidos report found an average power loss of approximately 8 percent for modules tested after nearly one year of field deployment.
The complaint also goes further, alleging “metastability losses inherent in First Solar’s thin film cadmium telluride technology,” which can result in seasonal loss of power output during cold periods of the year.
Swift Current alleges that First Solar artificially inflates its modules’ nameplate power ratings using a secret, proprietary “preconditioning” testing method that masks the metastability loss by testing module power output immediately after subjecting the panels to at least eight hours of extreme heat, voltage and irradiance.
The complaint says that while the edge grind and substrate defects were present in more than 1.6 million of the modules it received, all 2.4 million failed to perform as promised, with the alleged metastability issues solely at fault for lower-than expected production from the remaining modules.
Swift Current is seeking damages and restitution due to the alleged defects. In addition, it has asked the New York court to apply penalties under a Massachusetts law regarding willful misconduct, because the Swift Current employees who evaluated the modules and negotiated the deal to purchase them are based at the company’s headquarters in Massachusetts and the commercial relationship between the two companies was managed there.
The case is active and ongoing, with the parties scheduled to appear before Justice Andrew Borrok of the New York county commercial division of the New York state supreme court on Nov. 16, 2026.
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Solar energy is becoming increasingly important for bolstering sub-Saharan Africa’s trading potential, with supply chain executives telling The Loadstar that Kenya and Nigeria are two of the fastest-growing markets for the technology.
By the end of the first quarter, Nigeria had climbed into the top 10 of solar panel suppliers to the US, with some 40% of the country’s total exports of the technology, totalling $64bn, ending up in the US.
That growth has been felt by forwarders and logistics partners. DHL Express’s chief executive for Sub-Saharan Africa, Hennie Heymans, told The Loadstar the company was seeing “incredible growth” in solar-panel exports out of Nigeria – and nor is that country alone.
“We actually see an incredible growth in solar panel exports towards the United States from Nigeria and Kenya,” he said, pointing out that for Africa in general the “new energy” vertical was proving something of a winner, experiencing 20% growth year on year.
Interestingly, local forwarders told The Loadstar solar panels were also proffering volumes in the reverse direction for Kenya, although there was debate around whether the volumes were part of a local redevelopment of energy infrastructure or the result of chaos in the supply chains.
One forwarder told The Loadstar that, amid the situation in Hormuz and growing pockets of congestion at typical transhipment hubs, volumes were routing via Kenya in an effort to avoid being caught up in the chaos.
Mr Heymans, however, believes the growth in solar typifies the present story across Africa, noting that DHL had experienced a recent uptick in enquiries about special economic zones (SEZs) in several African countries, particularly Kenya and South Africa.
Without stating just how many SEZ-related enquiries his office had handled, Mr Heymans said: “In Kenya, we have seen interest focused specifically on Mombasa, as well as Nairobi, and we have seen new entrants in both locations.”
And he is not alone in noting this: businesses the world over are reassessing international supply chains amid geopolitical tension and changing trade policies, with growing indications that the continent is more than well suited as a base for production.
Port congestion is putting pressure on global supply chains from West Africa and Europe to …
DHL Group has committed €300m in investment across Africa through to 2030, as the logistics …
Wenzhou’s launch of a direct container shipping service to West Africa highlights a broader transformation …
Some forwarders on Europe-SubSaharan Africa trades are continuing to report strong momentum, their feelings backed …
‘DHL Express, Capital Market Briefing 2026’ (CMB) was held y’day in London. In short: it was …
Data and sentiment finally appear to be aligning on the Africa-Far East tradelane, with growth …
Lusaka Airport is attracting dedicated freighter capacity from two very different airlines, raising questions over …
Brazilian forwarders appear optimistic about the way trade opportunities are shaping up in Africa, and …
…capacity tailwind fading, however?
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Energy storage manufacturer HiTHIUM has announced that its cumulative energy storage product shipments have surpassed 200 GWh. Having begun shipments in late 2021, the company reached the 100 GWh milestone in August 2025 and added another 100 GWh in just over a year. HiTHIUM said it ranked among the world’s top 2 suppliers by energy storage battery shipments in 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Looking ahead, the company said it would remain focused on energy storage, with long-duration energy storage (LDES) as a strategic priority. Recall that HiTHIUM started mass production at its integrated LDES industrial park in Heze, Shandong Province, in August (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
It aims to promote large-scale global deployment of its first integrated long-duration energy storage solution, featuring 1,000 Ah-class cells, and to develop integrated solutions that cover the value chain from battery cells to the grid.
In its earnings forecast, Chinese inverter and energy storage equipment manufacturer Deye expects a net profit of RMB 4.22 billion to RMB 4.32 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 79.81% to 84.07% year-over-year (YoY). Net profit excluding non-recurring items is projected to be RMB 3.95 billion to RMB 4.06 billion, up 73.33% to 78.16% YoY.
The company attributed the expected earnings growth primarily to rising overseas demand for energy storage. Supported by energy security policies and tighter electricity supply-demand conditions in several countries, sales revenue from its residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage products increased significantly YoY. Deye also cited its global sales network and supply-chain cost management as contributing factors.
Deye released its earnings results for H1 2026, reporting that its revenue rose over 92% during the period (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Power equipment manufacturers CEEG and SINEXCEL have jointly developed a 13,800 kVA transformer for energy storage applications. The oil-immersed, self-cooled, dual-split transformer is designed for a 40-foot high-cube containerized AC/DC integrated energy storage system (ESS), enabling a rated continuous output of 13.8 MW per container.
According to CEEG, the transformer achieves 99.66% efficiency, exceeding the EU Tier 2 benchmark of 99.645%. Its design reduces overall weight by ~10% and is intended to be maintenance-free. The product series now covers single-unit power ratings from 6 MW to 13.8 MW, with grid-side voltage options of 13.8 kV, 22 kV, and 33 kV. The products target GW-scale energy storage and renewable energy projects with integrated storage.
Guangdong’s provincial development and reform commission and energy administration have issued pricing rules for local renewable energy consumption projects, including direct green power supply, integrated source-grid-load-storage projects, and zero-carbon industrial parks.
Under the policy, annual self-consumed renewable generation must account for at least 60% of total available generation and at least 30% of total electricity consumption. The minimum share of electricity consumption supplied by self-consumed renewable generation will rise to 35% for new projects from 2030.
Projects connected to the public grid must pay capacity- or demand-based transmission and distribution charges. Electricity imported from the grid will no longer incur separate system reserve charges or energy-based transmission and distribution fees. Other applicable charges, including system operation fees, government funds, and surcharges, will continue to apply under the relevant rules.
China’s renewable energy price settlement mechanism will not cover electricity exported by these projects. Renewable energy projects already covered by the mechanism price that switch to local consumption arrangements will be deemed to have voluntarily withdrawn from the mechanism.
Guangdong recently launched a mechanism price auction for 2026 renewable energy projects, with a volume of 7.934 billion kWh for distributed PV (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
TaiyangNews 2024
SMA Solar develops photovoltaic system technology for decentralized energy supply, according to its investor-relations materials. SMA Solar stock trades pre-market at EUR 54.73 at 8:46 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026, 1.21 percent below the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 (EUR 55.40).
The pre-market indication is EUR 0.67 below the Xetra reference. The further course from the Xetra open at 9:00 a.m. CEST is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of SMA Solar stock.
The company provides photovoltaic solutions for decentralized, digital and renewable energy supply, as described on its investor-relations page. The financial calendar lists the release of the quarterly statement for January through September 2026 and an analyst conference call on November 12, 2026. Market context: Market report SDAX.
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What is solar thermal energy, and how does it differ from photovoltaics?
The transition to a more efficient energy model calls for technologies capable of supplying energy that is not only sustainable but also consistent. With that in mind, we take a closer look at two renewable energy sources that are both powered by the sun yet differ in important ways: photovoltaic and solar thermal energy.
Although both draw on the same source, they don’t work the same way. They are often confused, but in reality they take different paths toward the same goal: turning solar radiation into the electricity we use every day.
In short, the main difference between solar thermal and photovoltaic energy lies in how each one converts the sun’s energy into electricity: photovoltaics uses light directly, whereas solar thermal harnesses the heat in solar radiation.
Photovoltaics is a technology that converts solar energy using solar panels. Its silicon panels capture the particles that make up light (photons) and convert them directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. It is an instantaneous physical process with no moving parts. Notably, the technology has advanced considerably in recent years, paving the way for new solutions built on more energy-efficient materials, such as perovskite, that are expanding its renewable potential.
Solar thermal energy, on the other hand, is known technically as concentrated solar power (CSP). Unlike photovoltaics, it does not convert sunlight directly into electricity. Instead, it concentrates solar radiation to generate heat, which is then used to produce electricity for a wide range of applications.
Whereas the silicon cells in conventional solar panels convert photons directly into electrons via the photovoltaic effect, solar thermal systems use fields of movable mirrors, such as heliostats or parabolic troughs, to concentrate solar radiation onto a receiver.
How does it work? As explained by IDAE, Spain’s Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving, the heat produced in this process is typically transferred to a fluid and then used to drive a turbine that generates electricity. That said, the two technologies also differ in cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Photovoltaics delivers better performance because its direct conversion process avoids intermediate losses and gives it greater durability.
In fact, unlike small-scale photovoltaic systems for residential self-consumption, the challenge with solar thermal technology is that it requires large tracts of land and substantial upfront investment. As a result, it is mainly deployed in large-scale power infrastructure projects and to supply heat for industrial processes.
Ultimately, the key difference between photovoltaics and solar thermal comes down to light versus heat. The former turns sunlight directly into electric current with nothing more than a static panel, while the latter relies on a more complex system of mirrors and mechanical turbines. This difference in processes helps explain why photovoltaics, rather than solar thermal, dominates the global energy landscape today.
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Puget Sound Energy in Bellevue, Wash., announced it has broken ground on its Battle Butte Solar Project, a 130 MW solar facility near Rapelje, MT.
Officials said the project will significantly contribute to the company’s clean energy goals. The project is expected to generate enough energy to power 20,000 homes each year. Located near PSE’s existing Beaver Creek wind facility in Stillwater County, MT, the facility is positioned to leverage existing transmission infrastructure.
“Battle Butte solar represents a critical component of our clean energy strategy,” Craig Pospisil, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for PSE, said. “This project will give us the opportunity to build upon the positive relationships we’ve forged with our neighbors in Stillwater County through the development of the Beaver Creek Wind facility and it positions PSE to meet our customers’ growing clean energy needs.”
Since the 1970s, PSE has been a partner in Montana’s energy economy. The Battle Butte Solar Project is expected to generate positive economic impacts to the local community through construction and operational phases, while supporting regional economic development by putting more power on the grid. PSE anticipates the construction will require nearly 250 skilled workers, and a small number of permanent on-site staff for continuing operational support.
“We look forward to Battle Butte bringing construction jobs, tax revenue and new economic activity to Stillwater County while adding another important piece to Montana’s all-of-the-above energy portfolio,” Roger Webb, Stillwater County Commissioner, said. “Throughout the process of developing both Beaver Creek and Battle Butte, PSE has shown a commitment to working with our county and investing in Montana while being a good neighbor – we look forward to the ongoing partnership.”
Construction on the project is expected to start this fall and be completed in mid-2028.
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Small-scale solar photovoltaic generation in the United States has increased nearly fivefold over the past decade, rising from 18,812 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2016 to 92,979 GWh in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
In an analysis published, the EIA attributes the growth to the expansion of rooftop solar capacity, with the four largest state producers — California, Arizona, Texas and Florida — benefiting from abundant solar resources. New York ranks fifth despite lower solar resources, supported by capacity growth, technology improvements and state incentives.
California was the largest producer of small-scale solar electricity in 2025, accounting for 37% of the U.S. total, or 34,411 GWh. Generation in the state increased by 8% year on year, largely due to capacity growth, with installed small-scale solar capacity rising from 18 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 to 20 GW in 2025.
Arizona ranked second, generating 5,795 GWh, equivalent to more than 6% of the national total. Its small-scale solar generation grew by 6% in 2025. The largest annual increase in the state occurred between 2022 and 2023, when generation rose by 22%. The EIA notes that Arizona offers customers a 25% state income-tax credit and other incentives for installing rooftop solar systems.
Texas and Florida have also recorded substantial growth over the past decade as additional capacity has been installed. Small-scale solar generation in Texas rose from 391 GWh in 2016 to 5,408 GWh in 2025. In Florida, it increased from 205 GWh to 5,198 GWh over the same period. Both states offer property tax exemptions and other incentive programmes, some of which are specific to individual states or utilities.
The EIA also highlights the role of incentive programmes in states with lower solar irradiance. New York, the fifth-largest producer of small-scale solar electricity, has supported deployment through incentives, while New Jersey, Massachusetts and Illinois also operate programmes aimed at encouraging rooftop solar adoption.
In California, changes to net energy metering policies partly explain the particularly strong growth recorded in 2022. U.S. small-scale solar generation increased by 25% that year amid record capacity growth. California’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0 programme, which offered higher compensation for electricity exported to the grid than the subsequent Net Billing Tariff, or NEM 3.0, remained available through April 2023. Capacity installed under NEM 2.0 was grandfathered in, encouraging installations before the new tariff took effect.
Despite the continued annual increase in small-scale solar generation, the EIA reports that the growth rate has declined since 2022.
The EIA defines small-scale solar as photovoltaic systems with a capacity of less than 1 megawatt (MW). Its estimates draw on surveys of electric utilities to collect data on the number of customers with small-scale solar systems and their aggregated capacity.
Because utilities do not necessarily know how much electricity rooftop solar systems generate across their distribution networks, the agency estimates generation using tools including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s System Advisor Model and PVWatts. The EIA also uses data on commonly applied tilt angles and orientations for small-scale solar systems in California as inputs to represent these characteristics in other states.
The analysis is based on the EIA’s Annual Electric Power Industry Report and was published in its Today in Energy series on 16 October 2026.
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WATKINS, Colo. — One of Colorado’s largest solar farms is coming to Adams County.
On Oct. 13, the county’s board of commissioners approved 2,800 acres in Watkins for the project, allowing Lightsource bp, a leading solar developer owned by British oil and gas giant BP, to use the land for the solar facility for the next 40 years.
The $675 million project, named Big Bronco Solar and Storage, will sit just east of Denver International Airport. It will include an 1,800-acre solar farm, a utility substation, a transmission line and a battery storage system.
“Power from this project can easily flow into Denver, where most of Xcel's load is, without the need for Xcel to build costly new transmission or make costly transmission upgrades,” said Will Vaughan, a development manager for Renewables at Lightsource bp. “So this contributes to keeping everybody’s power prices lower.”
The solar farm is expected to generate 300 megawatts of electricity — enough to power about 99,000 homes, according to the company. The battery system will store excess energy for later use and can deliver up to 300 megawatts of power.
A 2026 report released by Lazard finds that renewables remain the cheapest sources of new power generation, even without subsidies. Due to their relatively low costs and shorter construction times than natural gas, nuclear and coal plants, wind, solar and battery storage are expected to account for most new U.S. power sources in the coming years.
Colorado reflects this national trend. In 2025, wind, solar and geothermal sources supplied about 44% of the state’s electricity. By 2030, Colorado aims to increase that share to more than 80%.
Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict the growth of renewable energy, the U.S. clean energy sector continues to boom. In 2025, wind and solar generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity. Wind power generation rose 3% from the previous year, while utility scale solar generation jumped 34%.
Some of the largest renewable energy projects, particularly wind, are concentrated in Colorado’s eastern plains. Kit Carson is home to eight wind farms and is becoming a giant hub for green energy, with two new projects under construction and a few more planned. The county generates 3.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually from wind power.
Other wind projects in the eastern plains include Limon Wind Energy Center, a 600-megawatt wind farm in Limon that stretches across 104,000 acres and came online in 2014. It can power about 114,000 homes. The Niyol Wind Energy Center in Logan County is a 200-megawatt wind farm that came online in 2021 and generates enough electricity to power approximately 60,000 homes.
Solar energy is also expanding across the region, with solar farms in Logan and Weld counties. Pueblo County in southern Colorado is a major solar hub, accounting for nearly half of the state’s solar farm acreage as of 2024.
Since 2010, the state has more than tripled renewable energy generation driven by the growth of wind farms on the Eastern Plains and solar installations across the state. Colorado became the fourth state to legalize small, plug-in solar systems, allowing residents to install up to four solar panels on balconies, patios and yards. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
The proposed Big Bronco Solar and Storage project would add to the state’s solar capacity. According to Lightsource bp, the project is expected to generate about $40 million in property tax revenue for Adams County special districts over its lifespan and employ up to 400 workers during peak construction, with many hired locally.
There was no local opposition to the project during public hearings.
Dennis Davis, who manages Davis Farm LLC, a 320-acre dryland farm north of the proposed site that has been in his family for five generations, said he supports the project.
“Farmers out there are at the whim of Mother Nature and Mother Nature’s been getting more and more cruel,” Davis said. “As a neighboring property, I feel it [the solar farm] would be a very positive use for the property.”
Adams County resident Charles Cipriani also voiced support for the project, but recommended a bond related to the decommissioning of the lithium iron phosphate cells of the batteries.
“It is not economically viable to recycle lithium iron phosphate cells and so someone will have to pay for it or it will not be done, so I would highly recommend that you have a bond in place,” Cipriani said at the public hearing. “It is environmentally exhaustive and unsafe to dispose of the batteries without property managing the recycling of them.”
Adams County planners with the community and economic development department said it is something they will follow up on.
A proposed 900-acre solar farm near Mesa Verde National Park is also facing scrutiny over battery storage. Some residents are concerned about the project’s size and the batteries’ proximity to the park and nearby communities, particularly following a January 2025 fire at a battery storage facility in Moss Landing, California. Though not a solar farm, the battery that caught fire stored electricity for later use.
Construction for Big Bronco Solar and Storage is not expected to begin for another two years and the company is still seeking a buyer for the electricity the project would generate.
Site management will also play a role in how the project is developed, the company outlined in their development plan. Because the land was a former dryland farming area, Lightsource bp plans to restore native vegetation, manage erosion and conserve topsoil to protect the site during all project phases.
Lightsource bp operates two other large-scale solar projects in Colorado, both in Pueblo County. The company reports conserving more than 3,000 acres of native shortgrass prairie across the two sites. Bighorn Solar, a 300-megawatt facility, began operating in 2021, followed by the 293-megawatt Sun Mountain Solar facility in 2022.
Currently Lightsource bp has 33 projects operating across 11 states.
Beulah residents navigate a ‘quadruple whammy’ of fire and floods
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The recently opened Carwash A27 in Nieuwegein is now operational with 274 kWp of solar panels and 964 kWh of battery storage. This combination is necessary to power the car wash, seven wash bays and fast chargers. This is despite the limited grid connection.
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Source: Mobility Energy
The range of additional services available at car washes is growing. However, simply introducing an extra facility does not automatically mean that motorists will actually use it. Research shows that relevance, speed and clear pricing play a key role. For car wash operators, the challenge therefore lies not only in what they offer, but above…
Anyone who, like petrol station, charging point or car wash operators, works with a large number of installations knows that maintenance is vital. However, rather than carrying out repairs, it is even better to take action before anything goes wrong. And in this regard, more and more operators are turning to digital tools. Yet not…
The Avia Xpress station on Verzetslaan in Purmerend has won the 2026 Arie Keppler Prize. In addition to an unmanned petrol station, the service station also features car wash bays and a car repair workshop. The biennial prize is awarded to projects that contribute to the quality of the living environment in North Holland.
The third issue of Mobility Energy for 2026 focuses on digitalisation, a trend that is evident across all areas of the sector – from retail outlets to car washes and charging points. In this issue, we look at, amongst other things, the pros and cons of remote maintenance, the sales potential of the order kiosk…
© 2026 MobilityEnergy.com
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A research team in Germany has investigated whether compressive stress relaxation measurement (CSRM) can be used to monitor polymer degradation in aging photovoltaic modules. The technique is typically used in manufacturing quality control to assess the degree of encapsulant cross-linking after lamination.
“This publication uses the CSRM not only for lamination control, but also to monitor the mechanical response of the mini-modules’ rear side,” the researchers explained. “To achieve a higher resolution and sample throughput, the cross-linking density will be used to calibrate the CSRM. The influence of encapsulants and backsheet degradation on the CSRM during weathering is of interest. Therefore, the degradation of the encapsulant and the backsheet will be decoupled.”
CSRM is a non-destructive technique commonly used to assess encapsulant curing after PV module lamination. It involves pressing a tip into the rear surface of a module and measuring how the force decreases while the indentation depth remains constant. The response reflects the mechanical properties of both the encapsulant and the backsheet.
To evaluate CSRM as a method for monitoring aging, the researchers fabricated 200 mm × 200 mm mini-modules incorporating passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulants, and polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) backsheets. They varied lamination times at 155 C to achieve different degrees of cross-linking.
For each CSRM measurement, they heated the test location to 89 C, pressed a 4 mm steel tip approximately 100 µm into the module’s rear surface, applied a force of less than 20 N, and recorded the decline in force while holding the tip in place.
The modules were subjected to damp heat (DH) testing at 85 C and 85% relative humidity for up to 3,500 hours, or combined heat and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at 85 C, 60% relative humidity, and an irradiance of 227 W/m2 for up to 2,000 hours. At 250-hour intervals, the team used CSRM to monitor mechanical changes and measured the modules’ electrical performance. Additional solvent tests and thermal analyses helped distinguish changes in encapsulant cross-linking from backsheet degradation.
“After the first 250 h of the DH test, the encapsulants showed an increase in the degree of cross-linking but maintained differences between the samples throughout the test,” the researchers said. “As a result, the PV module power degradation correlated with the initial cross-linking state. By the end of the test, the encapsulant and the backsheet had degraded, resulting in a drop in the CSRM response.”
The results also showed that the encapsulant’s cross-linking density subsequently decreased, while the backsheet underwent post-crystallization and exhibited chain scission.
“The combined DH+UV weathering test caused post-cross-linking within the first 250 h, leading to leveling of the cross-linking states,” the researchers concluded. “The canceled chemical differences in the encapsulants became reflected in a similar module power degradation. Thus, overacceleration shall be avoided by all means to deliver realistic reliability predictions.”
The findings are presented in the study, “Non-destructive monitoring of polymer degradation in PV modules by compressive stress relaxation measurement and implications for the PV module reliability,” published in Polymer Testing. The research team included scientists from Germany’s Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and Fraunhofer CSP.
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This week on Projects Weekly, Distributed Energy Infrastructure is celebrating the cranberry harvest at two Massachusetts-based agrivoltaics projects. Also in the Bay State, Flatiron Energy has closed on financing of a gigawatt-scale battery project in the Boston area. A solar financing spree is taking place around the U.S., with energyRe inking a deal for $815 million in South Carolina, and Arevon securing three 20-year renewable energy credit contracts in Illinois. Aligned Climate Capital has also secured financing for a community solar portfolio split between Maryland and Illinois once again, and Clearway Energy Group and PacifiCorp have signed an addition to their Utah partnership worth 210 MW in battery storage. Finally, Puget Sound Energy is working on one of the largest solar installations in the state of Montana. Keep reading for all the details!
Energy infrastructure firm energyRe has closed financing on an $815 million financing package for a collection of five utility-scale projects based in South Carolina, officials announced Oct. 12.
Totaling 360 MW, the five-project portfolio’s price tag marks one of the largest solar-only financing deals in the history of the Palmetto State. The financing package is “a giant step” toward energyRe’s established goal of turning the southern state into the lynchpin of its corporate growth strategy.
“This portfolio financing is our largest to date, and it reflects the confidence our lenders have in both the quality of our assets and our team’s ability to deliver,” says energyRe CFO Pedro Pereira. “South Carolina is at the center of our growth strategy, and this closing moves us meaningfully closer to our goal of investing $2 billion in the state by 2030. These projects will create jobs during construction and operations and deliver affordable, reliable power to South Carolina homes and businesses for decades to come.”
Bright spot: energyRe has broken ground on about 450 MW of renewable energy projects in the past year, with an additional 700 MW either in operation or in late-stage development. The company sports a total portfolio of more than 1.8 GW, which spans 20 projects across the Carolinas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
In total, energyRe has raised more than $1.9 billion in support of its solar portfolio since its founding.
“This financing secures the capital to advance these projects and demonstrates energyRe’s ability to finance its development portfolio at scale,” says Surya Mohan, SVP of M&A and capital markets at energyRe. “I’m proud of our M&A and Capital Markets team for leading this transaction, and grateful to our lenders, tax equity partner, advisors and colleagues across energyRe for the work that brought it together.”
Renewable energy project developer Clearway Energy Group and electrical utility PacifiCorp have expanded their partnership, signing a deal for an extra 210 MW battery storage addition to Clearway’s Honeycomb Energy Center.
Located in southern Utah, the new storage capacity will help the Beehive State balance its electrical grid for supply and demand. The energy center’s $400 million price tag will see funding from a consortium of major banks which will invest in the project upon commercial operation, including U.S. Bank and NordLB.
“We’re proud to expand our Honeycomb storage portfolio in partnership with PacifiCorp to support Utah’s growing economy,” says Valerie Wooley, SVP of origination at Clearway. “This new energy storage infrastructure will help ensure grid and cost resiliency as power demand grows in the region.”
Bright spot: The new energy contract with Pacificorp will enable three new energy storage facilities to advance Honeycomb’s “second phase,” Clearway says. In total, the new project will push Clearway’s Utah-based storage fleet to seven systems, capable of deploying 2.1 GWh.
“Clearway Energy has become an important part of Beaver County’s growing energy economy, bringing investment, jobs, and new revenue that benefits our communities and residents,” says Matt Sterzer, the economic development manager of Beaver County, Utah.
Arevon Energy is advancing its efforts in the Land of Lincoln, securing three 20-year Indexed Renewable Energy Credit (REC) contracts for its 275 MWdc Panther Energy Project in southern Illinois.
The agreements with Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican Energy will support the Midwestern state’s energy transition efforts, as well as the Panther project. Arevon expects to begin construction on the project in 2027, with commercial operations planned for 2028.
“Arevon is proud to work with Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican through the IPA procurement to move Panther Energy closer to construction and contribute to Illinois’s energy goals,” says Arevon CCO Tommy Greer. “We appreciate the collaboration of Perry County residents, landowners, and local officials throughout the project’s development.
“We look forward to delivering reliable, homegrown energy to the grid while creating jobs, generating long-term economic benefits, and investing in the local community.”
Bright spot: Arevon is actively growing its portfolio in the Midwest region of the U.S., with the Panther Energy Project expected to create 200 jobs during construction. Once operational, the firm expects the Panther project to generate enough electricity to power 37,000 Illinoisan homes each year.
Arevon has also established a local office in Pinckneyville, Illinois, allowing landowners, residents, and other community members direct access to the project development team.
Utility-scale EPC provider Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI) is celebrating a successful harvest at two cranberry agrivoltaics projects in Massachusetts.
Owned by developer Greenbacker Renewables, the two projects are the first of their kind, DEI says. The North Carolinian firm says the projects are “a milestone for expanding agrivoltaic applications into challenging wetland environments.”
“Building solar projects over active perennial wetland crops was an exciting challenge, and we’re thrilled to see the success of these harvests,” says Prateek Tare, EVP and co-founder of DEI. “Iain’s collaboration and input at every stage was essential for us to ensure a reliable, cost-effective build while safeguarding the productivity of these heritage bogs.”
Bright spot: The two projects — Black Cat Agrivoltaics in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Ring Road Agrivoltaics in Kingston, Massachusetts — come in at 1 MW and 4.4 MW respectively. Ring Road also comes equipped with a 13.5 MWh battery system, and Black Cat has an installed energy capacity of 2.7 MWh.
“The DEI team was phenomenal at understanding and adapting solar construction so that energy production could coexist without damage to the perennial cropping system,” says Massachusetts-based cranberry farmer Iain Ward. “These projects prove that with the right approach, dual-use solar can be applied to a wide variety of agricultural environments.
“If we can build over such challenging wetland areas and have successful harvests, we can build almost anywhere.”
Flatiron Energy has closed on approximately $850 million in financing commitments for its Energizar Project, located in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Bright spot: At 1.2 GWh of battery storage, Energizar will be the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) asset on the East Coast of the U.S. once complete. That wattage is also enough to make Energizar one of the largest urban BESS facilities on the planet, as it provides “critical capacity” and energy resources for the city of Boston’s power grid.
“Energizar represents the culmination of years of work by many stakeholders. Projects of this complexity and scale only happen because of the support of the local community, policy makers, equipment and EPC providers, offtakers, and financing counterparties,” says Flatiron CFO Dan Myers. “We are incredibly grateful for such robust support and proud to contribute to the next phase of the region’s grid reliability and capacity resources.”
Flatiron expects Energizar to reach full commercial operation by Q4 2027, providing peaking energy resources for a Northeast grid that continues to undergo record levels of strain.
“Battery storage assets are playing an increasingly critical role in supporting grid stability and facilitating the integration of energy resources across the United States,” says Santander managing director Andrew Platt. “We are proud to have supported the successful financing of Energizar, an important milestone for the ISO New England market that will contribute to a more reliable and resilient power system.”
Renewable energy investment firm Aligned Climate Capital has closed on $387 million in construction-to-permanent financing for a community solar portfolio spanning 20 projects in Illinois and Maryland.
Led by Apterra Infrastructure Capital, the financing will support a 126 MW portfolio in total, according to Aligned Climate Capital officials. The lion’s share of the portfolio will be comprised of projects across Illinois, with 18 sites and 115 MWdc going to the Prairie State. The other two sites, good for 11 MWdc, will go to Maryland.
“We’re seeing an important shift in distributed energy,” says Aligned Climate Capital CEO Peter Davidson. “Individual projects may be too small for traditional infrastructure investors. But when you bring those projects together into a larger portfolio, you can attract institutional financing that would otherwise be difficult to access. That helps move more projects from development into operation.”
Bright spot: The two Maryland-based projects will participate in the state’s Community Solar Energy Generating Systems program, officials say. The program reserves “at least 40%” of each project’s capacity for low- and moderate-incoming community solar subscribers.
“Community solar is an important and fast-growing part of the distributed generation market, and this portfolio benefits from scale, contracted revenue, and experienced sponsorship,” says Apterra co-CEO Ralph Cho. “We are pleased to lead this facility for Aligned as it brings these projects online across Illinois and Maryland.”
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has broken ground on the Battle Butte Solar Project, a new 130 MW solar facility in southern central Montana.
Located near the small town of Rapelje, the project will be one of the largest solar installations in Montana once complete. Strategically located to leverage existing grid interconnection infrastructure, the project will generate enough energy to power 20,000 homes every year, PSE representatives say.
“Battle Butte solar represents a critical component of our clean energy strategy,” says Craig Pospisil, SVP and chief development officer of PSE. “This project will give us the opportunity to build upon the positive relationships we’ve forged with our neighbors in Stillwater County through the development of the Beaver Creek Wind facility and it positions PSE to meet our customers’ growing clean energy needs.”
Bright spot: PSE has already eliminated coal from its energy portfolio, going renewables-forward at the end of 2025. The company has also added 22 long-term renewable energy projects totaling 4 GW since the state of Washington passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act in 2019.
The new project’s construction will create about 250 jobs in the Treasure State, representatives say. Additionally, PSE anticipates an ongoing need for a few on-site staffers once operations commence. Both of these, the company adds, will help the project generate benefits through project spending, impact fees, and property taxes for the region.
“We look forward to Battle Butte bringing construction jobs, tax revenue and new economic activity to Stillwater County while adding another important piece to Montana’s all-of-the-above energy portfolio,” says Stillwater County Commissioner Roger Webb. “Throughout the process of developing both Beaver Creek and Battle Butte, PSE has shown a commitment to working with our county and investing in Montana while being a good neighbor – we look forward to the ongoing partnership.”
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20 Oct 2026
Author: Nibal Zgheib
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is strengthening Egypt’s renewable energy capacity and energy security by helping to finance a new large-scale solar power plant and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Minya. The facility is set to become the largest solar power plant in Egypt and Africa, with a capacity of 1.2 GW.
The Bank is arranging a loan of up to US$ 265 million (€232 million) to Nefer Menya for Renewable Energy S.A.E. (Nefer Menya), a special purpose vehicle owned by Infinity Power and HAU Energy B.V. The funding will consist of a US$ 160 million (€140.1 million) A-loan from the EBRD’s own funds, a US$ 75 million (€65.7 million) B-loan mobilised from Bank of Jordan and up to US$ 30 million (€26.3 million) in concessional financing from the CIF Clean Technology Fund (CTF) under its Global Energy Storage Program.
Nefer Menya is being co-financed by German development finance institution DEG, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO) and France’s Proparco as part of an aggregate debt financing package of up to US$ 566 million (€494.7 million).
The funds to Nefer Menya will be used for the construction and operation of a 1.2 GW solar power plant with a 600 MWh BESS, one of Egypt’s first projects to combine large-scale solar generation with battery storage. The battery system will store solar power generated during the day for use during peak demand after sunset, helping to strengthen grid stability and reliability.
Electricity will be sold to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company under a 25-year power purchase agreement, providing clean, renewable power at a lower cost than conventional generation. The project is expected to avoid more than 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year and to power more than 1.4 million homes.
The investment supports the EBRD-led Energy Pillar of Egypt’s flagship Nexus of Water, Food and Energy, launched at COP27. The initiative aims to facilitate 10 GW of new private-sector renewable energy capacity while cutting 5 GW of inefficient fossil-fuel capacity.
Infinity Power, a joint venture established in 2019 by Infinity and Masdar, is Africa’s largest pure-play renewable energy provider. The EBRD holds an equity stake in Infinity Power. HAU Energy B.V. was established in 2024 to develop renewable energy projects in Egypt and is owned by Meridiam, Hassan Allam Utilities and the EBRD.
In addition to the concessional loan, the CTF will provide technical cooperation funding to introduce two nationally accredited technical training programmes focused on green skills for young labour-market entrants in Minya governorate, equipping them with future-ready skills and enhancing their employability in Egypt’s growing renewable energy sector. The CTF funding will also help Hassan Allam Utilities to strengthen its human resources policies and practices, embed gender equality into its workforce management strategy and enhance women’s access to technical and leadership roles in the traditionally male-dominated energy sector.
Aida Sitdikova, EBRD Director of Sustainable Infrastructure in the Middle East and Africa, said: “The EBRD is proud to lead the financing of this landmark 1.2 GW solar PV and 600 MWh battery storage project, the largest in Egypt and Africa to date. Egypt continues to be a trailblazer in large-scale renewable energy deployment at affordable prices. By combining solar generation with utility-scale battery storage, this project will strengthen the country’s energy security and enhance grid resilience. We are delighted to partner once again with Infinity Power and Hassan Allam Utilities to support Egypt’s ambitious energy transition goals.”
Samer Mirai, Regional Head of Corpoate Banking and Syndications of Bank of Jordan, said: “The Bank is proud to partner with the EBRD in financing this landmark renewable energy project, an important step in advancing Egypt’s energy transition and strengthening energy security. Our participation as both a B-loan lender and original hedge counterparty reflects our strong partnership with the EBRD and our growing role in supporting strategic, large-scale sustainable infrastructure across the region. The transaction is closely aligned with Bank of Jordan’s sustainability and green finance strategy, and reinforces our commitment to mobilising capital towards projects that contribute to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.”
Eng. Nayer Fouad, Co-Founder and CEO of Infinity Power, said: “This landmark financing reflects strong confidence in Egypt’s renewable energy sector and Infinity Power’s ability to deliver large-scale clean energy infrastructure. As the largest solar PV project in Egypt and Africa, paired with one of the country’s first utility-scale battery energy storage systems, Nefer Menya will strengthen energy security, enhance grid resilience and support Egypt’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Together with HAU Energy and our financing partners, we are proud to deliver this flagship project as we advance towards our goal of 10 GW of operational renewable energy capacity by 2032 and expand access to affordable, reliable clean energy across Africa.”
Dalia Wahba, CEO of Hassan Allam Utilities, said: “Securing this financing package shows what strong partnerships can achieve in mobilising capital for transformative energy infrastructure. Egypt has set a clear ambition to generate 42 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and Hassan Allam Utilities is committed to helping drive that agenda by delivering green, reliable infrastructure across the country. Through HAU Energy, alongside Infinity Power and our financing partners, we are combining large-scale solar generation with battery storage to provide clean power that is available when the grid needs it most. Every megawatt-hour we produce reduces reliance on imported fuel, strengthens Egypt’s energy security and builds a more competitive foundation for sustainable growth.”
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Egypt. Since starting operations there in 2012, it has invested more than €16 billion through 238 projects.
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1.2 GW plant and 600 MWh battery storage to strengthen energy security
20 Oct 2026
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We estimate that U.S. generation from small-scale or rooftop solar photovoltaic systems (smaller than 1 megawatt of capacity) has increased from 18,812 gigawatthours (GWh) to 92,979 GWh over the last decade. The four states with the highest generation of small-scale solar in the country—California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida—are in regions with more abundant solar resources. Even though it is in a region with lower solar resources, New York ranks as the fifth-largest rooftop solar generation producer as a result of capacity growth supported by technology improvements and state incentives.
The year-over-year change in generation was particularly high in 2022, when total generation grew by 25% compared with the previous year amid record capacity growth. Changes in different programs supporting rooftop solar partly explain this increase in generation. For example, California’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0 program was available through April 2023. This net metering program offered higher export compensation than the subsequent Net Billing Tariff, or NEM 3.0. All the capacity built under the NEM 2.0 program was grandfathered in, incentivizing higher capacity installation before the current NEM 3.0 took effect.
California accounted for 37% (34,411 GWh) of total U.S. small-scale solar generation in 2025. Between 2024 and 2025, rooftop solar generation in the state grew by 8%, largely due to an increase in capacity. Small-scale solar capacity in California increased from 18 gigawatts in 2024 to 20 gigawatts in 2025.
The state with the next largest amount of small-scale solar power generation is Arizona, accounting for over 6% of total U.S. generation, or 5,795 GWh. Year-over-year generation in Arizona grew only 6% in 2025. The largest increase happened between 2022 and 2023 when generation from small-scale solar grew by 22% in the state. Arizona customers can access a 25% state income-tax credit and other incentives for adding rooftop solar to their properties.
States such as Florida and Texas have seen rapid growth in small-scale solar generation in the last decade as more capacity has been added. Generation in Texas grew from 391 GWh in 2016 to 5,408 GWh last year. Over the same period, Florida’s generation grew from 205 GWh in 2016 to 5,198 GWh in 2025. These two states provide incentives through property tax exemptions and other programs specific to each state and, in some cases, utility.
Programs in states with lower irradiance levels are also supporting growth in rooftop solar generation. New York offers incentives, which have encouraged small-scale solar growth in the state. Other states with similar programs include New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
Although generation from small-scale solar continues to grow year over year, the rate of growth has declined since 2022.
EIA uses its surveys of electric utilities to collect information on the number of customers with small-scale solar systems and the aggregated capacity. Electric utilities do not necessarily know how much electricity is generated by rooftop solar on their distribution systems, so generation must be estimated. To develop estimates of generation, we rely on tools such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s System Advisor Model and PVWatts. Data on commonly used tilt angles and orientations for small-scale solar systems in California were used as inputs to be representative of tilt angles and orientations in other states.
Article from Today in Energy. Principal contributors: Lindsay Aramayo, Marc Harnish
The EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.
US Energy Information Administration has 353 posts and counting. See all posts by US Energy Information Administration
Whether I’m camping or off the grid, a portable power station is my preferred way to stay charged up. But eventually, the battery runs out. I’ve found that one of the best ways to recharge small tech gadgets is with a solar panel. The exceptionally lightweight and portable Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air has become my favorite tool for keeping my phone and essential devices topped off off-grid.
Unlike power banks, solar panels don’t store power; they convert sunlight into usable energy in real time. Weighing under two pounds and folding down to the footprint of a book, this panel is built specifically for portability. It features a rugged IP68 waterproof rating, operates in extreme temperatures, and has direct USB-A and USB-C charging ports, making it an ideal companion for backpackers, campers, and field creators who need reliable power without added weight.
This ultra-portable solar panel folds down to the size of a book. It’s a great option for charging small devices, like a phone, while camping or hiking. In a pinch, it can also recharge small portable power stations and power banks, but it’ll be slow.
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Unlike most rigid and bulky solar panels, the Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air consists of four panels that fold down to a portable size — about 1 inch thick, with the footprint of a standard sheet of paper — that easily slips into a backpack. It only weighs about two pounds, and it comes with four mounting rivets and two carabiners to hang it off a backpack while hiking or attach it to the side of a tent while camping. Since it’s only about three feet long when unfolded, it sits well on my backpack without getting in the way.
On top of its portability, Jackery made this solar panel a cinch to use. Jackery included a solar charging cable with both a USB-A and USB-C port inside the box that can directly recharge devices from the solar panel, like phones, camera batteries, flashlights, and portable speakers. There’s also an adapter to recharge Jackery power stations via the solar panel and an accessory pouch to hold the cables.
Jackery added a bullseye indicator to the solar panel to help get maximum sun exposure. Once the shaded dot lands in the middle of the bullseye, you know the panel is positioned correctly to maximize sun exposure and will deliver the highest wattage output. While it has the rivets for hanging, it doesn’t have a kickstand to angle it in the sun. I typically draped it over a camping chair or found something sturdy to prop it up.
The SolarSaga 40W Air gets bonus points for being a bifacial model. Instead of absorbing light only from the front, the solar panel can absorb sunlight from both sides to deliver maximum power. Light reflected off the ground, snow, or surroundings can help to get the maximum 40 watts.
As long as you have access to full sun, the SolarSaga will pull in 40 watts of power. That’s enough to recharge smaller gadgets in almost the same amount of time as it would take with standard wall power at home. The USB-C port outputs up to 15W and the USB-A port up to 12W. On the SolarSaga, my Google Pixel 8 recharged in about 100 minutes—only 20 minutes slower than plugging into a standard wall outlet at home.
Many small devices need under 40W, like e-readers, earbuds, and camping accessories like walkie-talkies. Bigger tech items like laptops or more powerful phones like the iPhone 17 Pro need more than 40W for fast charging. Using only 40W from the Jackery will result in longer recharge times compared to plugging into a wall outlet. Instead, I use the solar panel to charge a portable power bank that can power higher-wattage devices like laptops.
The most obvious drawback is the maximum 40W input. This low amount is suitable for recharging small devices but struggles with larger ones. When testing the solar panel, it recharged my phone in the same amount of time as when plugged into the wall. It was a different story when I went to recharge the Jackery Explorer 600 Plus portable power station, which has a capacity of 632Wh. With the full 40W of solar input, it would take 15 hours to charge from 26% battery capacity back to 100% in direct sunlight. However, the Explorer 600 Plus is designed for a more powerful solar panel. It’s rated to recharge from 0 to 100% in four hours with a 200W solar panel.
My other complaint about the SolarSaga 40W Air is that the solar panel itself gets hot to the touch when left out in the sun. At times, it’s been hard for me to fold it up and touch the metal snaps to pack it up. That happened even after it sat in the intense Georgia sun for only about 15 minutes.
To test the Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air, I packed it along for a weekend camping trip and a day hike at my local park and have continued to use it on three camping trips. I also used it as much as possible outside, in the yard, to check recharge times and power input. I was happy to find that the panel could easily draw the stated 40W when I placed it in full sun. Even when the bullseye was slightly misaligned, I could get about 38W of input.
I used the panel to recharge my phone, portable power stations, a device aimed at repelling mosquitoes, and an Ember mug.
The $80 Anker PS30 solar panel is a more affordable alternative. The dimensions and weight are almost identical to the $109 Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air, but the Anker has a smaller input, maxing out at 30W.
But if you don’t need a solar panel small enough to fit in a backpack, going with a larger, higher-output model might make more sense. The Jackery SolarSaga 100 Air offers over twice the solar input wattage but is still small and light enough to take camping or pack along on an RV trip.
If you’re not planning to travel with a solar panel and instead want one for your emergency kit or for use in the yard, even larger models, such as 200W or 400W, offer better performance. As a general rule of thumb, the more power a solar panel can provide, the more expensive it is. Larger panels also don’t support USB-A or USB-C charging directly, which is what gives the Solar Saga 40W Air an edge for small devices.
With a focus on durability and portability, I love packing along the Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air on outdoor adventures. It’s small enough to tuck into my backpack, and powerful enough to recharge my phone with sunlight. Plus, it’s much lighter than packing a power bank or a portable power station.
Buy if: you need a lightweight, compact way to recharge small devices. It also works well for recharging larger items like portable power stations as long as you’re not in a hurry.
Skip if you don’t need a compact solar panel; you can get a larger, more powerful model for a similar price. For example, the 100W Renogy solar panel costs $124.99 and delivers over twice the power and recharge capacity.
Beyond smartphones, the panel’s 40W output and direct USB-A and USB-C ports can power small trail electronics like handheld GPS units, satellite messengers, smartwatches, headlamps, camera batteries, e-readers, headphones, and camping fans. It’s also ideal for topping off small 10,000-20,000 mAh power banks during the day to power larger devices later.
The Jackery SolarSaga 40W Air comes with an IP68 rating, meaning it’s both water- and dust-proof. It’ll be fine to leave outside and be exposed to morning dew or rain. It’s also fine in humid environments. However, it’s not suitable for submersion in water, and it will not charge if there is cloud cover and no direct sunlight.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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Sunrun is sliding toward a one-year low while the broader market climbs, and with earnings weeks away the question is whether the stock can hold before the next catalyst arrives.
Market Movers desk. Editor: David Moadel.
Selling in solar names is concentrating on Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN), the home solar and battery provider that’s falling harder than the rest of its sector. Sunrun stock is at $6.93, down 5% this afternoon after touching $6.91, its lowest price of the past year.
Meanwhile, Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH | ENPH Price Prediction) stock is down 1% to $30.30, a far softer slide than the one hitting Sunrun stock. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) shares are down 1% to $170.70, moving in step with Enphase Energy stock.
The Invesco Solar ETF (NYSEARCA:TAN) is down 2%, showing that the weakness extends across the solar group. Against that background, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is up 0.6%, leaving solar out of step with a rising broad market.
Sunrun stock is falling harder than Enphase Energy stock, First Solar shares and the Invesco Solar ETF, which sets its move apart from the sector’s broader slip. No fresh press release from Sunrun accompanied the decline, so the stock’s own trend carries more weight in reading the move. That makes the Q3 2026 results Sunrun is scheduled to report in early November the next clear checkpoint.
The three companies earn money differently, which explains why they don’t always trade in tandem: Sunrun installs home solar and battery systems, largely under long-term leases it finances, while Enphase Energy sells microinverters and First Solar makes utility-scale panels. Sunrun’s economics therefore hinge on borrowing costs as well as on what homeowners will sign.
For Sunrun, the no-upfront-cost subscription model is sold through power purchase agreements, leases and direct purchases. It is funded by non-recourse asset-level debt securitizations, tax equity partnerships and investment tax credit transfers, so higher capital costs flow straight into unit economics.
Customer agreements generate the recurring revenue that supports Sunrun’s business. Meanwhile, a third-party asset sale arrangement has driven rapid growth in product sales.
Home solar has faced softer residential demand and tariff and trade policy uncertainty on panels and batteries, along with the expiration of the federal Section 25D residential clean energy tax credit and modifications under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. Net metering changes remain another risk.
Facing that pressure, Sunrun trimmed its full-year outlook for subscriber value and cash generation, citing softer affiliate channel volumes and a slower-than-expected direct sales ramp. Management expects its expanded sales force to reach full productivity, which it says would let the company exit the year at a robust growth rate with higher unit margins.
Battery storage is the brighter spot for Sunrun, which describes itself as America’s largest provider of home battery storage and cites strong customer demand for storage-first offerings. Its distributed fleet also supplies on-demand dispatchable power through distributed power plant programs for utilities and hyperscalers. Beyond that, Sunrun is piloting a distributed AI data center program that places compute nodes in customer homes.
Sunrun’s early November results may indicate if the expanded sales force is reaching full productivity. A steadier read on subscriber additions and cash generation could help Sunrun shares find stronger ground.
It’s worth tracking whether Sunrun stock holds its one-year low before the report, and keeping position sizes modest. Strong home battery interest and new grid programs offer a credible upside case, but policy and demand risks weigh heavily on Sunrun shares.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.
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LONDON, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The global perovskite solar cell market was valued at USD 58.2 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.73 billion by 2035, according to Credence Research. The report states a 40.41% compound annual growth rate for 2025-2035. Asia Pacific held the largest regional share at 70.0% in 2025, while North America is the fastest-growing region at a modeled 47.00% annual rate. Market sizes, segment shares and regional allocations are Credence Research estimates.
Key Takeaways
Scope & Segmentation – Perovskite Solar Cell Market
The market counts manufacturer selling value of single-junction perovskite modules and tandem products combining perovskite with silicon or other photovoltaic materials. It includes rigid, flexible and lightweight products used in utility projects, rooftops, building-integrated photovoltaics and specialized devices. It excludes conventional silicon modules, raw precursors, coating tools, licensing fees and research grants.
Read the full report and request a sample: https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/perovskite-solar-cell-market
Why This Report Matters
Market Overview
Perovskite materials can absorb light in a thin layer and be paired with silicon to improve the conversion efficiency of solar cells. The market is emerging from research and pilot production toward limited commercial orders, especially for tandem modules and specialty building surfaces.
Higher conversion efficiency can increase output from space-constrained rooftops and facades. Yet durability, moisture resistance, heat stability and long-term warranty support remain decisive for lenders and utility-scale buyers. A laboratory cell record does not by itself demonstrate a bankable 25-year field product.
Market Insights
Key Attributes
Attribute
Details
Historical reference
2018-2025 (source report)
Base year
2025
Market size, 2025
USD 58.2 million
Market size, 2026 (source estimate)
USD 80.3 million
Market size, 2035
USD 1.73 billion
Reported CAGR and measurement interval
40.41% (2025-2035)
Largest regional share
Asia Pacific (70.0%, 2025)
Fastest-growing region
North America (47.00%)
Segments covered
Cell and module type, Application
Geographic coverage
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa
Market Segmentation
The segmentation below follows the current report taxonomy and separates products, applications and buyers to avoid overlapping revenue definitions.
Market Drivers
Tandem designs capture more of the solar spectrum than conventional single-junction silicon cells. This creates a potential output advantage where roof or land area is constrained, although certified module performance must translate into real-world energy yield.
Chinese manufacturers have invested in early perovskite lines and demonstration projects. Large silicon manufacturers are evaluating tandem upgrades that could reuse parts of established production and distribution networks.
Third-party stress testing and intellectual property licensing can make commercialization easier by giving buyers more confidence in product durability and manufacturers clearer routes to scale.
Regional Analysis
The following regional shares represent Credence Research estimates of 2025 market value. They are not independently audited supplier sales totals.
Asia Pacific | 70.0% share in 2025
China hosts several early commercial lines and utility demonstration fields, while Japan and South Korea contribute research and flexible-module programs.
Europe | 15.5% share in 2025
Germany and other European markets support tandem pilot lines, intellectual property development and building-integrated applications.
North America | 11.2% share in 2025
Domestic module initiatives and specialty rooftop uses support the fastest modeled growth from a smaller base.
Middle East and Africa | 2.4% share in 2025
High-temperature outdoor testing and utility pilots assess durability under demanding solar conditions.
Latin America | 0.9% share in 2025
Early pilot projects in Brazil, Chile and Mexico create a small commercial base for future deployments.
Market Challenges
Perovskite cells can degrade under moisture, heat and prolonged exposure to sunlight. Commercial adoption requires long-duration field data and warranties that financiers consider credible.
Lead-containing chemistries raise encapsulation, handling and end-of-life recycling questions. Low-cost crystalline silicon modules also limit the price premium that early perovskite products can command.
Future Outlook
Tandem products are likely to gain commercial traction before stand-alone perovskite modules become a mass-market substitute for silicon. Large manufacturers with certification, warranty capacity and distribution channels have advantages.
The market forecast remains sensitive to module lifetime, production yield, intellectual property access and project finance. Early high growth comes from a very small revenue base and should not be interpreted as evidence of broad grid-scale deployment today.
Competitive Landscape
The supplier landscape includes perovskite specialists such as Oxford PV, UtmoLight, Microquanta and GCL Perovskite, alongside established photovoltaic manufacturers including LONGi, Qcells and Trina Solar. Caelux develops perovskite-coated glass for tandem applications. These businesses occupy different stages of commercialization; research records and announced capacity should not be treated as realized market sales. A reliable company revenue ranking is not available from comparable public disclosures, so the release does not assign individual supplier shares.
Key Players
Recent Developments
April 9, 2025: Oxford PV and Trinasolar announced an exclusive patent licensing agreement covering the manufacture or sale of perovskite photovoltaic products in China, with sublicensing rights.
May 2025: The Credence Research report records that Qcells tandem modules passed specified IEC and UL stress-test sequences. This is presented as a report-sourced milestone, not independent proof of a 25-year service life.
Report Coverage
The study analyzes market size, the base-year product and application mix, regional demand, technology adoption, competitive positioning, constraints and dated industry developments. It also examines commercialization, customer economics and the factors that could change the pace of adoption through 2035.
Forecasts and regional shares are proprietary Credence Research model estimates. Company announcements and regulatory materials are used for industry context; they do not independently validate the modeled global revenue totals. The report’s market definition and exclusions should be considered when comparing it with broader adjacent industries.
Read the full report and request a sample: https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/perovskite-solar-cell-market
Related Reports
About Us
Credence Research Inc. is a global market intelligence and consulting firm founded in 2015. It provides quantitative market research, competitive intelligence and strategic advisory services to organizations assessing new products, investment decisions and regional opportunities. The firm combines primary and secondary research with industry interviews and structured market models.
Its research spans industrial technology, semiconductors, energy, health care, consumer markets and other sectors. Credence Research evaluates market size, segmentation, growth drivers, supply-chain risks, regional policy and competitive positioning to help clients make evidence-led decisions.
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Credence Research Inc.
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Pune – 411027, India
Europe: +44 7453 598 606 | North America: +1 6282 627 656
Email: sales@credenceresearch.com
Website: Credence Research
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The San Joaquin kit fox has adapted to residing alongside solar panels in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Researchers discovered that a purposely designed gap in the fencing permits safe access for the foxes while keeping larger predators at bay. Their studies indicate that the survival rates and home ranges of these foxes are comparable to those in nearby habitats, highlighting the viability of renewable energy coexistence with wildlife.
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“Formula rate plans have resulted in large rate increases with very few rate decreases.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Arizona Southwest Gas customers could face another increase. The utility has asked state regulators to approve a $101 million hike that would raise residential bills by almost 10.5%, according to the Energy and Policy Institute.
The request follows the Arizona Corporation Commission’s approval of a 7.5% increase.
In the same filing, Southwest Gas seeks to raise its authorized return on equity from the 9.47% the commission approved in 2025 to 10.25%.
Because Southwest Gas hasn’t had an Arizona rate case since the Arizona Corporation Commission adopted its 2024 policy statement on formula rates, the company is now asking to use that mechanism.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Consumer advocates argue the approach could allow rates to change more often between major rate cases while reducing oversight.
“A formula rate plan uses a pre-approved formula to adjust base rates between general rate cases, usually on an annual basis,” the Residential Utility Consumer Office said in testimony.
RUCO also held that Southwest Gas should receive a 9.2% return on equity if formula rates are approved, arguing that the system would reduce the company’s risk by giving it “guaranteed revenues and income” and more predictable cost recovery.
For homeowners worried about rising utility bills, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. EnergySage offers free solar installation estimates and quote comparisons to streamline the process.
A wider Arizona dispute over formula rates is also shaping this case.
RUCO is among the plaintiffs challenging the commission’s policy statement, arguing that it adopted the policy through a policy statement rather than formal rulemaking and therefore bypassed stakeholder input, impact studies, and public comment.
Then-Chairman Jim O’Connor said the policy drew opposition in more than 600 comments, while Commissioner Kevin Thompson dismissed critics’ concerns as “alarmism.”
“It’s part of the misconceptions that media and other people are feeding into that they just don’t understand,” Thompson alleged.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
RUCO also urged regulators to remove at least part of Southwest Gas’ dues to the American Gas Association and Western States and Tribal Nations from customer charges, citing advocacy for expanded gas use.
Coal and natural gas power plants contribute to air and water pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.
They keep household energy costs elevated for families that remain dependent on those fuels instead of more abundant energy sources such as wind and sunlight, while industry lobbying slows cleaner, cheaper energy solutions that would better protect families and lower costs.
RUCO and ACC staff also raised concerns about other costs Southwest Gas wants customers to absorb, including 56% of board expenses totaling $1,864,765, $400,000 in rate case expenses, and $565,061 in employee meal costs.
In Nevada, the company faced scrutiny for trying to pass on costs for luxury hotels, alcohol, limo rides, and a $5,088 dinner attended by 13 guests for former President and CEO Karen Haller.
Consumer advocates are challenging the proposal directly in the case.
RUCO recommended removing 100% of board fees from rates and argued that requiring customers to pay a return on the company’s own rate-case spending would “unfairly enrich shareholders.”
ACC staff similarly said some executive perks are “beyond the normal compensation paid to employees.” Regulators and advocates in other states are also scrutinizing fast-tracked gas infrastructure spending.
Southwest Gas wants to raise the annual cap on its Arizona system integrity mechanism from $50 million to $100 million, but a Future of Heat Initiative report found gas distribution spending climbed 200% over 15 years without measurable safety improvement.
In Massachusetts, the Department of Public Utilities lowered a similar spending cap in 2025 to prioritize leak repair over full pipe replacement.
If higher gas costs are pushing you to look at alternatives, EnergySage is especially useful. It can help the average person save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
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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. EnergySage provides information on home battery storage options and competitive installation estimates.
With Southwest Gas rebuttal testimony due Nov. 2 and intervenor responses due Nov. 20, ACC staff witness Michael Deupree of Acadian Consulting Group cited one of the central concerns.
“Formula rate plans have resulted in large rate increases with very few rate decreases and no measurable improvement in reliability of service.”
These stories show how utility decisions in several states affect what customers pay. They cover Arizona efficiency rollbacks, utility cost-recovery fights, and surging power bills.
• Arizona regulators gutted energy efficiency standards that had saved ratepayers $1.7 billion.
• In Oregon, lawmakers weighed major changes to how utilities operate as bills rise.
• PacifiCorp sought approval to bill customers for $1.7 billion in wildfire damages.
• In Missouri, cities fought pollution, then watched their power bills soar 191%.
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Solar Power World
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Pepco approved ConnectDER‘s meter collar products for solar, battery storage and EV charging installations for installation across its service territory in Washington, D.C. D.C. joins ConnectDER’s national footprint of 54 utilities reaching nearly 40 million households, with further utility expansion in progress.
ConnectDER’s adapters plug directly into the existing meter socket on the outside of the home. By establishing a safe connection point at the meter, it bypasses the need for main panel upgrades, service upsizing, circuit relocations or adding backup loads panels and system controllers, which can cause labor costs increases and project timelines delays.
“Demand for residential solar, battery backup and electric vehicles across Washington, D.C. continues to surge, but the physical challenge of older electrical infrastructure slows down installations,” said Ivo Steklac, ConnectDER president and CEO. “With Pepco approving our adapters for installation outside the home at the meter socket, installers don’t need to re-engineer the entire panel and home wiring to get these systems up and running. They can deliver clean energy resilience to district residents more efficiently, saving them thousands of dollars off total costs and days of labor. That directly translates to increased installation capacity and fewer barriers—keys for achieving D.C.’s ambitious electrification goals.”
D.C.’s clean energy market is propelled by its Clean Energy DC mandates, which include a renewable portfolio standard with a dedicated 15% local solar carve-out. The District’s unique urban building stock — primarily historic row homes with aging electrical infrastructure — frequently features 100-A electrical panels that require main service upgrades costing thousands before solar, battery storage or EV charging equipment can be interconnected.
“ConnectDER’s approval by Pepco DC is a big win for district residents and installation companies, following dedicated work from several CHESSA members to pass enabling regulations,” said Robin Dutta, executive director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (CHESSA). “This makes solar and battery storage more accessible for everyday homeowners, which is exactly the type of change we want to see more of.”
ConnectDER’s IslandDER MSA is engineered specifically for whole-home backup and battery storage, and integrates a Microgrid Interconnect Device, CTs, voltage sensing and real-time grid disconnect capability into a single compact device mounted outside at the meter. IslandDER is installed without reconfiguring panels or rerouting household circuits.
News item from ConnectDER
Billy Ludt is managing editor of Solar Power World and currently covers topics on mounting, inverters, installation and operations.
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A pond the size of a city lot now keeps an entire California winery running.
It sits behind the vines at a family farm in Mendocino County.
No new land was cleared for it.
No rooftop was torn up either.
Instead, panels went straight onto the water the vineyard already used for irrigation.
So how does a pond barely a quarter acre wide end up carrying the full electric load of a 1,800 acre farm?
A solar panel loses efficiency as it heats up, and a rooftop or a gravel field offers nothing to cool it. Floating the same panel a few inches above a pond changes that completely.
The water beneath acts as a natural heat sink, pulling warmth away from the panel’s underside and letting it keep converting sunlight efficiently through the hottest part of a Mendocino afternoon. A panel that runs cooler also degrades more slowly, which matters on a farm expecting decades of use from the same hardware.
That cooling effect is the entire reason floating photovoltaics has spread from reservoirs to quarry lakes to farm ponds over the past decade. The pond at Nelson Family Vineyards already existed as an irrigation source, so the array needed no new footprint at all.
Tyler Nelson, who owns the vineyard, put the land logic plainly: “Because the system floats on a pond, it does not take a single acre of land out of production.”
The hardware itself is modest by utility standards. The installer, a Sacramento area firm called Noria Energy, placed 252 solar panels on pontoons covering 0.28 acres of a retention pond, anchored to the bank, in water up to 10 feet deep.
That translates to a system rated at 136 kilowatts of capacity, which sounds small next to a utility scale solar farm. But paired with an existing rooftop array on the winery building, the combination now produces what the property needs to run.
Together the floating array and rooftop panels are expected to generate around 200,000 kWh of electricity annually, enough to power the winery, agricultural pumps, tasting room, shop and 12 on-site homes. For a 74 year old working farm, that is not a demonstration project. It is the entire electric bill, replaced.
The vineyard’s leadership did not frame this as an environmental statement first. The move toward renewable energy is expected to yield substantial financial benefits, with Nelson highlighting the impact of energy independence in an era of rising electricity costs, saying the shift would have “a major and immediate impact on our operation.”
That impact has a dollar figure attached. The project is projected to save Nelson Family Vineyards an estimated $90,000 annually, significantly reducing operating costs while also supporting its commitment to sustainable operation.
On a farm that has run for 74 years across 1,800 acres, that is real money taken straight off the utility ledger every year. Floating solar is still unusual enough in American agriculture that this winery’s installer calls it a milestone, marking one of the company’s first winery projects. Other growers watching the shift toward on site generation have seen similar logic play out elsewhere, including a Michigan solar farm built to help power nearby manufacturing demand.
The project’s second life is as a laboratory. Beyond the electricity, the installation is serving as a field site for an ecological study led by scientists from a university backed wild energy research center.
That matters because most floating solar research to date comes from much larger reservoirs and lakes, not farm scale ponds used for irrigation. Scientists from the UC Davis Wild Energy Center will use the system to examine how floating solar installations influence water quality, aquatic species, microclimates, and biodiversity in an agricultural setting. A major strand of that work, as the original project report describes, looks at whether the panels’ shade can curb invasive water fleas and weeds that clog the vineyard’s drip irrigation filters.
That data could shape how the next wave of American vineyards and farms decide where to put their own panels, whether that means a dedicated solar project or something closer to the scale of the Swan Solar build underway in Missouri.
Nobody is calling a quarter acre pond the future of utility scale solar. The project’s own backers describe it as a model for diversified operations rather than a template for gigawatt scale power plants.
A resource the vineyard already owned did double duty without displacing a single row of grapes. A 136 kilowatt floating array will never show up on a regional grid operator’s dashboard the way a far larger solar build does. Its significance is local, measured in one farm’s bill and one family’s margin, not in megawatts exported to the wider grid.
Still, the arithmetic is hard to argue with. A pond that once did one job now does two, and the vineyard’s own power bill is the proof. As more water rights holders and growers watch how that quarter acre performs, the real test will be whether researchers find anything in the water that complicates the picture, or whether the pond simply keeps doing what it was already doing, just with panels riding on top.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.
Hugo is an engineer with strong technical expertise. Multilingual from an early age, his writing combines technical clarity with a strong interest in science and energy.
JinkoSolar has used its Global Tech Day in Shanghai to position itself at the intersection of solar, energy storage and artificial intelligence. The event brought together customers, academics and industry leaders to examine how photovoltaic and storage technologies can support higher energy yields, stronger project returns and more resilient power systems.
The company unveiled Tiger Neo 5.0, a residential module based on its new TAC, or TOPCon based Amorphous Si Passivating Cell, technology. The first commercial version is an all-black 48 cell module with maximum output of 510 W and module efficiency of 25.52%. Its power temperature coefficient is -0.24% per degree Celsius, which JinkoSolar says supports better energy production in hot climates.
TAC uses a 2 plus 1 architecture that combines two cell technologies with one structural optimisation. It applies heterojunction passivation to the p type emitter, tunnel oxide passivated contacts to the n type region, and places both electrodes on the rear of the wafer. This removes front side metallisation, reduces optical shading and allows greater light absorption.
JinkoSolar says the approach delivers peak cell efficiency of 28%, close to the theoretical limit for monocrystalline silicon. The company also reports that Tiger Neo 5.0 provides about 30 W more power than conventional back contact products, while offering a deeper and more uniform black appearance for villa and premium residential rooftops.
The launch reflects JinkoSolar’s move from a single technology approach toward application specific products. The company says Tiger Neo 3.0 TOPCon modules will remain central for utility scale plants, commercial and industrial projects, data centres, agrivoltaics, floating solar, desert installations, solar to hydrogen projects and other demanding applications. It argues that high power, high bifaciality and strong low light performance remain decisive for lowering levelised cost of electricity and improving project returns.
JinkoSolar also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in research and development. With more than 700 GW of TOPCon based installations worldwide, the company says it is using field performance data, installation conditions and climate information to build simulation models and accelerate technology development.
Jinko ESS
Jinko ESS, a subsidiary of JinkoSolar, is progressing a 220MWh battery energy storage portfolio in Germany. The portfolio combines green and grey battery energy storage systems with planned photovoltaic capacity under a hybrid power purchase agreement strategy.
The project is designed to shift energy across time, balance variations in solar output and respond to market signals. Jinko ESS says this can improve the commercial value of renewable generation while supporting grid stability.
The storage portfolio uses the Jinko Tera liquid cooled energy storage system, which has a capacity of 5.01MWh. The system offers three times grid forming capability for 10 seconds, black start capability and fast frequency regulation. Its tested round trip conversion efficiency is 94.1%, and it has a 20 year design life.
Roberto Murgioni, General Manager of Jinko ESS Europe, said the company was proud to support the 220MWh portfolio in Germany. He said the project demonstrated what close collaboration could achieve and reflected Jinko ESS’s technology, experience and long term support.
For African energy sector stakeholders, the announcements point to a growing focus on application specific solar technology and storage led commercial models. As utilities, developers and industrial users confront grid constraints and variable renewable generation, integrated solar and battery storage solutions are likely to become increasingly relevant across the continent.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
October 7, 2026
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A new plug-in solar panel kit designed for renters and households without traditional rooftop solar is launching in the UK, just weeks after the technology was legalised.
Energy technology company Zendure has announced its SolarFlow 800 system, becoming one of the latest manufacturers to enter Britain’s emerging plug-in solar panel market.
The launch comes as households face higher energy bills, with Ofgem’s energy price cap rising by 4 per cent on 1 October to £1,723 a year for a typical household paying by direct debit.
Unlike conventional rooftop solar installations, which generally require professional installation and a substantial upfront investment, plug-in solar systems are designed to be easier to install and remove.
Zendure’s new kit includes two solar panels and an 800W microinverter, which converts the electricity generated by the panels into power that can be used by your household appliances. The system connects directly to a standard household socket, allowing the solar electricity to power appliances such as fridges, routers and televisions, reducing the amount of electricity you have to purchase from the grid.
Zendure says the panels can be mounted on the ground, a wall or certain balconies, potentially making the system suitable for renters and people living in properties without suitable roofs.
Unlike traditional rooftop solar panels, the plug-in versions can also be disconnected and taken to another property when its owner moves.
The UK government legalised compliant plug-in solar systems in Great Britain on 27 August 2026, allowing households to generate up to 800W of electricity through systems connected to ordinary sockets.
According to government estimates, plug-in solar could provide up to 20 per cent of an average household’s electricity consumption, potentially saving up to £110 a year on energy bills.
However, actual savings from plug-in solar panels will depend on factors including the panels’ position, available sunlight and how much of the electricity generated is used in the home.
Plug-in systems also have a much lower maximum output than conventional rooftop solar installations, meaning they are intended to supplement grid electricity rather than replace it.
Households will need a suitable location for the panels, while renters may require their landlord’s permission. Planning and installation restrictions can also apply, particularly to balcony-mounted systems.
Zendure has not yet confirmed a UK price for the SolarFlow 800. Pre-orders for the new plug-in kit are scheduled to open on 2 November.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
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A new plug-in solar panel kit designed for renters and households without traditional rooftop solar is launching in the UK, just weeks after the technology was legalised.
Energy technology company Zendure has announced its SolarFlow 800 system, becoming one of the latest manufacturers to enter Britain's emerging plug-in solar panel market.
The launch comes as households face higher energy bills, with Ofgem's energy price cap rising by 4 per cent on 1 October to £1,723 a year for a typical household paying by direct debit.
Unlike conventional rooftop solar installations, which generally require professional installation and a substantial upfront investment, plug-in solar systems are designed to be easier to install and remove.
Zendure's new kit includes two solar panels and an 800W microinverter, which converts the electricity generated by the panels into power that can be used by your household appliances. The system connects directly to a standard household socket, allowing the solar electricity to power appliances such as fridges, routers and televisions, reducing the amount of electricity you have to purchase from the grid.
Zendure says the panels can be mounted on the ground, a wall or certain balconies, potentially making the system suitable for renters and people living in properties without suitable roofs.
Unlike traditional rooftop solar panels, the plug-in versions can also be disconnected and taken to another property when its owner moves.
The UK government legalised compliant plug-in solar systems in Great Britain on 27 August 2026, allowing households to generate up to 800W of electricity through systems connected to ordinary sockets.
According to government estimates, plug-in solar could provide up to 20 per cent of an average household's electricity consumption, potentially saving up to £110 a year on energy bills.
However, actual savings from plug-in solar panels will depend on factors including the panels' position, available sunlight and how much of the electricity generated is used in the home.
Plug-in systems also have a much lower maximum output than conventional rooftop solar installations, meaning they are intended to supplement grid electricity rather than replace it.
Households will need a suitable location for the panels, while renters may require their landlord's permission. Planning and installation restrictions can also apply, particularly to balcony-mounted systems.
Zendure has not yet confirmed a UK price for the SolarFlow 800. Pre-orders for the new plug-in kit are scheduled to open on 2 November.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
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Kōwhai Park officially opens at Christchurch Airport, marking a major milestone for renewable energy, with around 300,000 solar panels expected to generate enough electricity to match the annual demand of 36,000 homes.
The South Island’s largest solar farm has officially opened in Christchurch adding 150MWac (168MWdc) of renewable generation capacity to New Zealand’s electricity system.
Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon opened Kōwhai Park today, marking a major milestone for the $273 million renewable energy project.
Developed through Contact Energy and Lightsource bp’s joint venture partnership, the Kōwhai Park solar farm at Christchurch Airport is expected to generate 275GWh of renewable energy a year. That’s the equivalent to the annual electricity demand of around 36,000 homes.
The solar farm is already supporting the electrification of New Zealand industry. Both Christchurch Airport and Synlait will source electricity from Kōwhai Park under long-term power purchase agreements. Synlait will buy 25 percent of the electricity generated to power its Dunsandel and Dairyworks sites.
Around 300,000 solar panels stretch across the 230-hectare site at Christchurch International Airport, creating one of the country’s largest solar farms.
Contact CEO Mike Fuge says the Kōwhai Park solar farm demonstrates the opportunity renewable energy presents for New Zealand.
“New Zealand has an incredible renewable energy advantage. Building new generation at scale gives businesses the confidence to electrify and strengthens our security of supply. That means a more resilient energy system, with more home-grown generation supporting a productive and prosperous New Zealand.
“Kōwhai Park is our first completed solar farm, and we have another two consented sites in Taranaki and Northland in joint venture with Lightsource bp.
“We have huge aspirations for what renewable energy can deliver for this country.”
Adam Pegg, Chief Operating Officer for Asia-Pacific (APAC) at Lightsource bp, comments: “Kōwhai Park is an important milestone for Lightsource bp as our first completed project in New Zealand. We are excited to bring our global experience and capability to this market and work with Contact Energy to deliver low-cost and reliable large-scale renewable energy projects.
“It also demonstrates what strong partnerships can deliver. Working alongside Contact Energy, Christchurch Airport, local businesses and the wider community, we have combined international capability with local knowledge to deliver a project that will provide renewable energy for decades to come.
“We see significant opportunity for large-scale renewables to support New Zealand’s growing electricity needs, industrial electrification and long-term energy security. Kōwhai Park demonstrates the scale of what can be achieved, and we look forward to building on that momentum across New Zealand.”
Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson says: “Kōwhai Park shows what can happen when you think differently about how airport land can be used. The vision started here at Christchurch Airport and bringing Contact Energy and Lightsource bp together to help realise it has been a fantastic example of what strong partnerships can achieve.
“For us, this has always been about more than a solar farm. Our vision for Kōwhai Park is to create a renewable energy precinct that can support new opportunities and deliver long-term value for our region.
“Seeing the solar farm operating today is a significant step towards that vision and something we’re incredibly proud to have delivered together.”
Construction has also delivered significant local economic benefits, with 235 people employed at the project’s peak and 66 Canterbury businesses involved in helping to build the solar farm.
About Kōwhai Park Solar Farm
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Chinese PV module maker JinkoSolar unveiled its TOPCon-based Amorphous-Si Passivating Cell (TAC) technology at its Global Tech Day event in Shanghai on Oct. 17. According to a technical white paper published by the company, the architecture combines TOPCon electron-selective contacts with heterojunction (HJT) hole-selective contacts and a rear-electrode layout.
The design uses an n-type crystalline silicon wafer with two alternating carrier-selective contact regions on the rear surface. Both positive and negative electrodes are located on the rear, eliminating front-side metallisation and the associated optical shading losses.
The electron-collecting n-type region retains the contact structure used in TOPCon cells, consisting of an approximately 1 nm to 2 nm silicon oxide tunneling layer and heavily doped polycrystalline silicon. This structure enables selective electron transport with low contact resistance while suppressing carrier recombination.
The hole-collecting p-type region uses intrinsic and doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si), drawing on HJT cell technology. JinkoSolar said the configuration improves surface passivation and open-circuit voltage. A transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer facilitates lateral carrier transport, while the amorphous silicon passivation process takes place at temperatures below 200 C.
High-precision laser patterning and dielectric isolation separate the two contact regions. JinkoSolar describes the architecture as a “2+1” design, combining TOPCon electron contacts, HJT hole contacts and a rear-electrode structure.
TAC belongs to the broader back-contact (BC) cell category, which includes architectures using different passivation and carrier-selective contact technologies. Unlike conventional front-contact TOPCon cells, TAC eliminates front-side metal contacts to reduce shading losses. Its distinguishing feature among BC technologies is the integration of TOPCon and amorphous silicon heterojunction contacts on the same wafer.
JinkoSolar has also developed a full-area passivation approach, called the Global Passivation Process (GPP), to reduce recombination losses across the contact regions. Another process, Multi-Dimensional Charge Passivation (MCP 2.0), targets carrier recombination at cut-cell edges. It uses a cut-before-passivation sequence, followed by chemical, field-effect and hydrogen passivation of the exposed surfaces.
Other cell-level features include high-purity, low-oxygen n-type silicon wafers and a light-trapping structure combining surface texturing, antireflection coatings and rear reflection. The white paper specifies a bulk minority-carrier lifetime exceeding 2 ms and a bulk recombination current density below 5 fA/cm² for the silicon substrate.
JinkoSolar said TAC production cell efficiency has exceeded 27%, with a peak efficiency of 28%. The company’s Oct. 17 announcement identifies the 28% figure as peak cell efficiency. However, the white paper does not specify a third-party certification, test area or average production-line efficiency for the result.
In its first-half 2026 financial report, JinkoSolar separately reported a third-party-certified conversion efficiency of 27.2% for an n-type BC research cell. The company, however, did not identify that result as a TAC measurement.
JinkoSolar identified low-temperature metallisation, copper-containing contact materials and the potential use of TAC as a bottom-cell platform for perovskite-silicon tandem devices as areas for further development.
From pv magazine Global
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Nationwide, electric utility providers are in a bind. Surging demand driven by electric vehicles, massive data center expansions and severe weather events is pushing aging power infrastructure to its limits. Utilities routinely pass massive capital investment costs straight to rate payers, squeezing household budgets at a time when families can least afford it.
When every dollar counts, waiting for energy prices to magically drop simply isn’t a strategy. That urgency is why many states are looking at how Minnesota became the nation’s premier model for localized, affordable clean energy.
Minnesota Built the Framework to Help Community Solar Programs Nationwide
Rather than waiting on regional grid updates, thousands of Minnesota households are taking advantage of the state’s pioneering Community Solar Garden program. Originally created in 2013 and subsequently updated, Minnesota’s community solar program is now named in honor of Melissa Hortman. The program serves as a policy blueprint for lawmakers across the country.
Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the largest community solar markets in the nation, boasting more than 800 megawatts of active community solar capacity. The modern legislation ensures that everyday families, not just corporations, directly benefit from grid transformation through guaranteed, income-qualified savings.
“Solar energy isn’t an expensive luxury anymore. It’s now one of the most affordable sources of new electricity generation in the country,” explained Eric Pasi, CEO of Enterprise Energy, a Minneapolis-based community solar developer. “Thanks to Minnesota’s modern energy policy, accessing those lower costs doesn’t require thousands of dollars in rooftop panels.”
Subscribers to local solar gardens can reduce energy costs by up to 15% with no upfront fees and zero equipment installations. Homeowners and renters simply subscribe to a nearby solar farm and receive savings credit on their energy statement beginning this fall.
Scaling a Local Fix Into a National Playbook
The strategy isn’t just cutting bills; it’s proving how local communities can modernize the power supply from the ground up.
“We are a locally owned company, based in Minneapolis, created to give local families direct relief from rising utility bills,” Pasi added. “Our community solar projects now power approximately 10,000 households while helping us build a cleaner, stronger power grid for our communities.”
The rapid growth underlines how hungry consumers are for alternatives. Named the #1 fastest-growing company in Minnesota on Inc.com’s 2026 5000 list, and #4 nationally within the energy sector category, Enterprise Energy projects it will power approximately 30,000 households within the next year alone.
The company is expanding its service into Illinois, where a similar state program exists. “We are providing a scalable blueprint for how the rest of the country can expand access to affordable electricity,” commented Pasi.
How Minnesota’s Solar Gardens Lower Electricity Bills
● Local solar farms generate clean, affordable electricity for the power grid.
● Households simply need to subscribe. Minnesota households served by Xcel Energy can subscribe, subject to program requirements and available capacity. There are no setup fees, credit checks or hidden costs.
● With consolidated billing, subscription charges and solar credits appear together on the household’s Xcel Energy bill. There are no second invoices to manage.
Community Solar Gardens are Better for the Environment and the Economy
Pasi estimated that the company’s community solar gardens currently offset close to 100 million pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
“We also go to great lengths to make each garden as beneficial environmentally as possible. Pollinator-friendly seed mixes are planted in all of our projects. This helps restore the health of the soil. Depending on the project, we may also plant low-growing crops below the solar panels to maximize use of the space. Some of our gardens are even used for sheep grazing.”
Enterprise Energy also prioritizes American-made equipment for its projects. “It’s important to us to support the U.S. economy. In addition to sourcing from American vendors, we are committed to growing the overall solar energy industry because it will support many high-paying local green jobs.”
Power cables weave through palm trees high above Fiji's Rukurukulevu Village, linking residents to the national grid and a select few to solar panels.
The settlement of about 400 people finally electrified its last building this year — a kindergarten, just metres from the sea.
But residents are struggling to keep the lights on as the Middle East war and other factors push up energy bills in this Pacific paradise.
It is challenging Fiji's reliance on imported fossil fuels and driving a push towards renewables in the resource-scarce island nation.
"The prices of electricity here in Fiji (are) very high," village spokesman Vereniki Nalio told AFP.
"Some houses, they got FJ$100 (US$44) and over. The church, community halls and church minister's house, they've got about FJ$200, nearly FJ$300, for a month."
Nalio said he paid about FJ$60 per month for electricity — "very, very high".
Opposite his home stands another small house with one big difference: past the clothes hanging on the washing line lies a small array of solar panels.
Another home across the road boasts an even larger installation, showing how some in the village are seeking to move away from dependence on the grid.
Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, fuel shipments from the Gulf have slowed.
Nalio said the subsequent global energy squeeze had led villagers to consider switching to renewables.
A basic solar power system costs around FJ$3,000, a higher up-front cost but an increasingly reasonable price to pay for theoretically unlimited, free electricity.
"They said we had no more fuel, no more petrol would come to Fiji. So at that time we think about solar," Nalio said.
He added that the village hoped to install solar panels on communal buildings to reduce the shared cost of powering them.
Pointing to the sky, Nalio said Rukurukulevu should not have to import its energy.
"Solar is already here."
– Rush for renewables –
Fiji hosted this month's "pre-COP" United Nations climate summit, where Pacific Island nations pressed for faster access to climate financing for projects such as renewable energy.
The event was a precursor to next month's main COP event in Turkey, where organisers will push for member states to commit to electrification — replacing technologies that burn fossil fuels directly, like diesel cars and gas heating, with electric alternatives.
Symbolising the challenges the Pacific faces, a major power outage on the second day of the event plunged the 4,000 attendees into darkness.
Government minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau blamed Fiji's rising energy prices on overreliance on fossil fuels and El Nino.
The cyclical climate phenomenon is particularly strong this year and has brought weather patterns that are drying up Fiji's hydroelectric dams.
They "will face a critical situation" if rainfall does not increase by mid-November, Tuisawau, whose remit covers public works, weather services and transport, told AFP.
"We would probably go into water rationing and power rationing in the next, maybe, four weeks if the situation doesn't change," he said.
"The hotels can enjoy (it) now, but we will cut off their water to the pool."
Fiji spends as much as 12 percent of its GDP on importing fossil fuels — "a huge drain on our resources", Tuisawau said.
The country is aiming for 90 percent renewable energy generation by 2035 and plans to spend FJ$2 billion on solar and hydropower development in the next decade.
That includes investing at least FJ$460 million in solar farms in the next four years, as well as FJ$650 million on two new dams and more than FJ$700 million to expand its main transmission lines.
For now, though, many islanders are still facing the sharp end of Fiji's energy crisis, Tuisawau acknowledged.
"With the price, with geopolitical issues, and in addition El Nino right now, it's a very difficult situation," he said.
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By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) – The US State Department said on Monday it has asked Americans to reconsider any travel to Kenya and raised its travel advisory for the African nation
By Kyu-seok Shim SEOUL, Oct 20 (Reuters) – South Korea on Tuesday vowed a stern response if North Korea acts on threats to strengthen its military posture along the border, which have fueled tensions
The Democratic pundit predicted a major purge if Republicans fall short in next month’s midterm elections.
Tech firms led heavy losses across Asian markets Tuesday as investors brushed off a rebound on Wall Street amid growing fears about the AI investment boom ahead of crunch earnings releases.Focus is now on the release of earnings results, with Meta and Tesla due this week.
By Christine Chen SYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) – Australian barber Ricky Jefferies has been hailed as a hero for running out of his store to detain a man who authorities allege deliberately drove a car
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has lost a leg after being struck by a car in a deliberate attack, local media said Tuesday.Australian media reported that he was known to police and that his name is Brendan Nugent.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu basked in Donald Trump's endorsement on Monday ahead of close-fought elections, airing a phone call in which the US president predicted he would win and suggested they may again attack Iran together.- 'Polarising figure' – Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, had waited for years for a US president who would agree to attack Iran.
A disturbing video shows agents pinning down a Long Beach man, who is screaming in pain.
French officials are imposing localized curfews — including in parts of Paris — as the country reels from its worst rioting in years.
By Bo Erickson and Kanishka Singh PARK CITY, Kansas, Oct 19 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Monday the US Department of Agriculture will launch what he called a new "harvest fuel relief
A 6-year-old boy and 35-year-old man were killed and 10 others were injured when a truck drove onto a field during a youth soccer game in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, authorities said.
WASHINGTON, Oct 19 () – US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge. could not immediately confirm the meeting, but Hegseth said in a social media post that he had visited US service members in the Central Command area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East, northeast Africa and parts of Asia.
A Japanese spacecraft was on its way to one of Mars's moons on Tuesday on a world-first mission to retrieve samples, potentially helping unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth.China's Tianwen-3 spacecraft is scheduled for launch around 2028 and hopes to return Mars samples to Earth as early as 2031 — potentially before the Japanese mission's return. aph-kh/abs
By Bo Erickson and Steve Holland PARK CITY, Kansas, Oct 19 (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump on Monday used violent unrest in France as an argument against Democrats in his battle to defend a
A rural Australian town felt a mix of horror and disbelief on Tuesday after a highly respected lawmaker was gravely injured in what looked to be a targeted attack.Haines entered parliament as an independent lawmaker in 2019, representing the sprawling seat of Indi.
A presidential runoff between Brazil's incumbent leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro will decide the fate of Latin America's largest democracy on Sunday.The runoff victor will either preserve the vast country of 214 million people as a left-wing stronghold in Latin America, or usher it into the ranks of right-wing administrations loyal to US President Donald Trump.
Hardly a day goes by now in Ukraine without news of another Russian air strike on the country's energy sector, causing widespread blackouts, including in the capital, Kyiv.Last winter, Russian strikes knocked out power and heating in sub-zero temperatures.
By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES, Oct 19 (Reuters) – US-based explorers who voyaged to a tiny South Pacific island seeking to solve conclusively the 1937 disappearance of famed aviator Amelia Earhart have
The EU is to unveil plans to bolster its foothold in the Arctic Tuesday, as it grapples with pressure from Russia and the United States in the key strategic region.- Only recently a key ally in the region, the United States is listed among those who could participate, but the country is otherwise more noticeable for its absence from the remainder of the document.
"Nobody appreciates how great a president I am!’” Trump said at a Kanas rally.
ARENA opens $250m solar manufacturing round Manufacturers’ Monthly
source
[Ed: Though Sichuan as a whole has a poor solar resource for CSP, Aba County itself has excellent DNI. It is located in the northwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with a thin and clean atmosphere, and a high number of cloud-free days.]
Source: From CSTA
Sichuan Province is set to get its first concentrated solar power plant. The Aba Prefecture Ecological Environment Bureau has approved Phase I of the Aba Maikun “CSP + PV” Integrated Power Generation Demonstration Project (Azhou Environmental Approval No. 42 of 2026).
Across two phases, the project will total 2 GW: 200 MW of CSP and 1,800 MW of PV, with a total investment of about 9.2 billion yuan.
It is Sichuan’s first tower CSP project and its first large-scale CSP demonstration project. It is also the province’s first CSP + PV hybrid. Aba sits high on the plateau in northwestern Sichuan, where direct normal irradiance (DNI) is strong, unlike most of the province.
Phase I totals 1 GW: a 100 MW molten salt tower CSP plant with thermal storage and 900 MW of PV. The PV uses a “grass-solar complementary” approach, sharing the land with grassland. Phase I will cost about 4.425 billion yuan, excluding the outgoing transmission line and grid-side upgrades. It is located in Maierma Town, Anqiang Town and Maikun Township in Aba County, at an altitude of roughly 3,600 to 3,900 meters.
The CSP plant will have a 255-meter receiver tower and a heliostat field of about 400,000 square meters. Its molten salt thermal storage will provide both peak-shaving and stable output. Shouhang Energy Saving Solar Technology Co., Ltd. won the contract for the solar field and receiver system, worth 187 million yuan.
Phase I also includes a 110 kV step-up substation for the CSP plant, two 220 kV step-up substations for the PV, and energy storage facilities. A connection for centralized clean energy heating is built in. Once complete, it can heat about 500,000 square meters of buildings in Aba County town.
Sichuan Shudao Clean Energy Group Co., Ltd. leads the project, with CGN Wind Power and PowerChina’s Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited. In September, two PV EPC contracts were awarded. One went to Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited. The other went to The IT Electronics Eleventh Design & Research Institute Scientific and Technological Engineering Corporation Limited, in a consortium with Highland Build Co., Ltd.
The bureau said the site is in a highly ecologically sensitive area. Prefecture environmental officials worked with other departments to assess and refine the plans for grassland protection, impacts on wild plants and animals, and fit with the landscape. The bureau said this let it shorten the approval process while holding to its ecological protection limits.
The bureau said the project’s model of “CSP peak-shaving + PV generation + urban heating” will build practical experience for combining renewable energy sources in Sichuan’s high-altitude alpine regions. It added that the project will support the low-carbon transition of the Aba Plateau.
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Expanding renewable energy is not necessarily at odds with the economic interests of countries that depend heavily on oil and gas exports. On the contrary, replacing fossil fuels in domestic energy consumption with renewable electricity could allow these countries to increase export revenues while developing cleaner and more efficient energy systems at home.
These are the findings of a new study conducted by researchers at LUT University in Finland, who identified Norway as a particularly successful example of this approach. The country has combined substantial oil and gas production with extensive renewable electricity generation, widespread electric vehicle adoption, and increasing electrification of heating.
“The most clever oil and gas producing countries do so, see Norway,” Christian Breyer, professor for Solar Economy at Finland’s LUT University, told pv magazine, referring to investments in renewable energy and electrification.
He explained that reducing domestic fossil fuel consumption allows exporting countries to retain more of their oil and gas production for international markets. At the same time, electrification can improve the efficiency of domestic energy use and reduce emissions. “This allows them to export more fossil fuels whereas domestically they have a highly efficient and clean energy system,” he said, describing the strategy as economically advantageous.
However, Breyer argued that Norway remains an exception rather than the rule. Many fossil fuel exporters have yet to fully exploit the economic opportunities associated with their energy resources, particularly when it comes to developing renewable electricity generation and electrifying domestic demand.
The development of renewable energy in fossil fuel-exporting economies does not necessarily send contradictory signals to importing countries, according to Breyer. He noted that several Middle Eastern countries have begun investing in large-scale solar PV projects without undermining their oil and gas export businesses.
In his view, the continued demand for fossil fuels is largely independent of whether producing countries accelerate their own energy transitions. He compared fossil fuel dependence to other forms of addiction, arguing that consumers may continue purchasing products despite being aware of their long-term economic and environmental costs.
The situation in Russia presents a markedly different picture. Although the country has developed some solar and wind power capacity, renewable energy deployment has remained relatively limited compared with its resource potential. The expansion of the sector has also stalled since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Breyer suggested that Russia could, in principle, benefit from the same strategy pursued by Norway and increasingly considered by other fossil fuel-producing economies, including countries in the Middle East, the United States, and Canada.
Such a transition could reduce domestic fossil fuel consumption and create additional economic value from the country’s energy resources. Greater deployment of distributed renewable energy systems could also contribute to electricity supply diversification and, with appropriate grid design and storage, improve resilience against disruptions.
However, Breyer sees the main obstacles as political rather than technological or economic. He is skeptical that international sanctions or Russia’s increasing technological dependence on China would, by themselves, fundamentally change the country’s renewable energy prospects. Instead, he argued that progress would depend on policy decisions prioritizing long-term national economic interests.
“It would require clever policy making to the advantage of the country and its people,” he said.
Breyer was particularly critical of the economic and human consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that the destruction of economic value, loss of life, and damage to the country’s international reputation illustrate the consequences of political decisions that run counter to long-term national interests.
“Rational advantageous choice are often not considered if irrational ruling is prevailing,” he said.
For Breyer, the contrast between Norway and Russia illustrates a broader challenge facing fossil fuel-exporting countries. Their resource wealth provides an opportunity to finance renewable energy deployment, electrify domestic energy systems, and improve economic efficiency. Whether that opportunity is realized ultimately depends on political priorities and the willingness of governments to pursue long-term economic benefits.
Breyer and his colleagues presented the results of their research in the paper “Sustainable energy transition options for Russia,” published in Energy Reports.
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“During Hurricane Helene (no power for 14 days), we saved several neighbors big chest freezers full of venison.”
Photo Credit: YouTube
A YouTube video from a homesteading creator shows the last outbuilding on his property going off-grid, with enough capacity from a new battery backup system to keep 240-volt shop tools running.
His biggest flex: When grid power drops, he said the switch happens so fast that “the modem doesn’t even reset.”
He presented the project as a roughly $10,000 setup built around EcoFlow hardware. In the sponsored video, the creator behind the YouTube channel Wranglerstar (@wranglerstar) said his shop’s Titan Plus arrangement delivers 15 kilowatt-hours of backup power and can handle 40-amp 240V tools such as welders and plasma cutters. The package uses a smart panel, the Titan Plus itself, and batteries that stack onto the system.
Most of the work, he said, was designed to be handled by the owner; the only part he outsourced was the smart panel, which he said took an electrician about two hours to install. From there, the system can refill either with solar power or by drawing from the grid during lower-cost periods, and he said a Wi-Fi connection isn’t required for operation.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Because the Titan Plus can recharge from solar, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Homeowners who want to compare options can try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Unlike fixed home batteries, he said this one is meant to be moved. The main unit can be disconnected from the house and used on a job site, lent to a friend, used for camping, or relocated for other tasks while still serving as home backup when it’s plugged in.
On cost, he compared it to a Tesla Powerwall. Wranglerstar said his own math put a Powerwall installation at about $30,000, versus roughly one-third of that for the EcoFlow system, presenting the latter as the lower-cost and more adaptable option — though that comparison was his, not an independent test.
One commenter wrote: “During Hurricane Helene (no power for 14 days), we saved several neighbors big chest freezers full of venison.” Still, a $10,000 battery system is a major purchase, and a full off-grid lifestyle will not make sense for every household.
Wranglerstar said the system also has a more everyday role than emergency backup or total grid independence. Through the Titan Plus app, users can schedule it to store grid electricity when rates are low and then use that stored power for the home or shop during higher-priced daytime periods.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Homeowners who want to compare home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates, can explore EnergySage.
That kind of comparison-shopping can make a major difference. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state.
Together, those resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives. For shoppers weighing batteries, panels, and installation costs at the same time, that can make a complicated project much easier to navigate.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Wranglerstar summed up the appeal, saying: “This is something that is not just sitting there not being used and just waiting for an emergency. This is something that is working with the grid, working with your system to automate and to actively buy power at a lower cost and feed that into your home or shop and save you money.”
For a closer look at what battery backup can do in real homes, these stories follow homeowners using batteries and solar to ride through outages and cut grid costs.
• One solar homeowner said power outages became invisible after adding whole-home battery backup.
• In Tennessee, an off-grid family said they may never need a generator again.
• Homeowners are installing game-changing home tech to keep lights on and bills lower.
• Appliance experts say next-gen backup batteries are replacing noisy generators in more homes.
• More homeowners are ditching aging generators for battery-backed power during blackouts.
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