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“As summer turns to autumn storms will wash up new nurdles unexpectedly.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A plastic pellet spill near England’s Port of Tyne proved harder to contain than first thought, with more than 1 billion of the tiny beads estimated to have spread across a stretch of coastline.
Reports from Amble, around 30 miles from the port, sharpened concerns about beaches, wildlife, and the people involved in the cleanup.
After a July 19 collision near the Port of Tyne, nurdles — the small pellets used to make plastic goods — washed onto Northumberland beaches. According to ChronicleLive, they also spread into the River Tyne and along the northeast coast.
Nurdles are the basic building blocks used to manufacture many plastic products, but when they spill, they can spread quickly, disappear into the environment, and be nearly impossible to remove completely. Because they’re so small and often resemble fish eggs or other food sources, animals can easily mistake them for sustenance.
Residents have reported pellets on beaches near Amble, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said, describing the discovery as “further up the coast than we have seen before,” per ChronicleLive.
“The numbers are thankfully small, but this shows why we cannot let up on the fight to protect our precious coastline,” she added.
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The spill has remained contentious since the July 19 crash. As ChronicleLive noted, the Tyne Rivers Trust says it could take years to determine the full scale of the damage.
Plastic pellet spills can cause problems long after the initial event because tides, wind, and storms continue moving the materials around. Even when a beach appears clean, pellets can be buried in the sand or lodged in hard-to-reach areas before washing back out.
That has implications not only for coastal ecosystems but also for the people who rely on beaches every day. Families, swimmers, walkers, and communities may face repeated cleanup efforts, while businesses tied to tourism can suffer when shorelines are contaminated.
Since nurdles do not break down quickly, they can stay in the environment and cause harm over time.
“I know many people are worried that as summer turns to autumn storms will wash up new nurdles unexpectedly or uncover deposits buried in the sand,” McGuinness said, per ChronicleLive.
Response work follows when pellets are reported, with volunteers, councils, and other officials continuing cleanup efforts. In Amble, the Northumberland County Council has put special collection bins on beaches for volunteers who gather the pellets.
McGuinness said her team had confirmed with the Environment Agency that officers would go to the Amble area “to advise local people,” giving residents support as they respond to the spill.
“I was glad to see the shipping company insurers pay up to increase the number of workers it has out there responding quickly when this happens — it’s a local workforce they employ now and I want to see them stay in place,” she said, according to ChronicleLive.
McGuinness said she had requested an independent, expert-led review of how the region handled the disaster.
“We also need to make sure we learn from this disaster, for the North East and the world,” McGuinness said. “… Finally, I want to once again say thank you to everyone who loves our beaches and coastline and who has been out there helping.”
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Decommissioned solar panels in Sweden could reach 150,000 tons annually by 2060, requiring circular infrastructure reforms.
Sweden stands on the edge of a significant long-term resource management challenge driven by its rapid transition to renewable energy. As rooftop arrays and utility-scale solar farms proliferate across the country, researchers and sustainability experts are raising the alarm over the impending end-of-life wave for photovoltaic technology.
According to a circular-economy roadmap released under Sweden’s CircSolar project, the nation could see its annual volume of discarded solar modules grow from 17 metric tons in 2021 to 150,000 metric tons per year by 2060.
The initiative—led by non-profit organization Axfoundation and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, with backing from national innovation agency Vinnova—warns that the first major influx of decommissioned panels will begin arriving at waste sites around 2035. Industry partners, including Svea Solar, Stena Recycling, REMONDIS, and El-Kretsen, are urging policymakers and commercial actors to construct robust circular frameworks before processing systems are overwhelmed by high volumes.
The physical composition of modern solar hardware presents both an environmental hazard and a missed material opportunity. A standard module consists primarily of glass and aluminum, alongside silicon, copper, silver, and polymers. Under current operational models, discarded modules are frequently commingled with general electronic waste, leading to low-value shredding rather than precise recovery of raw materials.
To avert a long-term logistics crisis and capture valuable secondary materials, the CircSolar consortium outlines structural policy and operational shifts. The roadmap calls for creating a distinct solar waste category within broader electronic waste regulations to ensure dedicated collection and treatment channels.
“Solar power is a key part of the energy transition, but today’s system is not designed to make the best use of panels when they are taken out of service. We need to extend the lifetime of functioning panels, ensure that valuable materials remain resources rather than become waste, and make extended producer responsibility work in practice, before the large future material flows emerge,” said Johanna Olofsson Behrman, Project Manager, Future Materials, Axfoundation.
“Not everything that gets discarded has reached the end of its functional life. Our analysis shows that the solar panel ‘waste’ stream includes non-functional but also repairable, reusable, and even unused panels. Without systematic quality and safety testing, we risk overlooking both the value these panels still hold and the most appropriate pathway for their future use,” Beatriz Pérez Horno, Researcher, KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
 
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As backlash grows, Nebraska counties bank wind and solar taxes to expand schools  Yahoo
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An official publication of Michigan Farm Bureau
“Not solar farms.”
The plain white sign with plain black lettering offers no other explanation. For that, you need to chat with the folks at the Harvest Solar booth.
At this year’s AgroExpo in St. Johns, the sign beckoned passing farmers to have a conversation about solar power. The sign got its start at a trade show years ago, Harvest Solar’s Jeff Schulz told Michigan Farm News.
“People would kind of scoff and walk by, and say, ‘Well, we don’t do solar farms,’ and that they’re afraid of losing farmland to solar,” Schulz said.
“So, somebody at the show hand wrote on a sign, ‘Not solar farms,’ and it’s a conversation point that we don’t want to take up farmland either.”
Instead, Schulz said that Harvest Solar prioritizes using space on roofs, driveways or other farmstead areas that aren’t in production.
A Certified Crop Advisor himself, Schulz said he hears from farmers who are concerned about environmental impacts of solar installations — concerns that he said are based on lots of misconceptions.
“We’re putting U.S.-made steel into the ground to hold the solar array up,” he said.
“It’s galvanized — it’s the same as putting a clothesline post in. The PVC pipe, the conduit that has the wires below ground, is no different than drainage tile either. So, we’re following code. We’re doing everything as responsibly as we can.”
READ NEXT: NEW REPORT SIZES UP SOLAR POWER’S FOOTPRINT ON US FARMLAND
Another misconception, Schulz said, comes from a belief that Michigan isn’t a great state for solar production.
“People don’t give Michigan enough credit for actually being an efficient solar state,” he said.
“One thing that most people do not know is that the cooler a solar panel is in sunlight, the more efficient it is. So, on a sunny day, we’re more efficient in the winter than what Arizona is for the same amount of sun, because when you keep a semiconductor cool, it operates better, just like a computer.”
For farmers who haven’t considered solar in the past, Schulz said the biggest benefit boils down to who you pay for your energy.
“Solar can produce energy for less than what somebody is buying it for now and depending on the business situation and if a five-year a 10-year payoff is quick enough for them, it can be a great return on investment.”
Harvest Solar works with utility companies to hook into a property, “and if you’re making enough electricity, you’ll actually make the meter run backwards,” Schulz noted.
“And then when you’re not making solar at nighttime or in months when you don’t make as much solar, it will you’ll use up your credits,” he added.
“So, it makes most of the energy that property owners need, but they still get a small bill from the utility company for distribution and the infrastructure part that they’re investing in.”
Harvest Solar can demonstrate the solar energy possibilities for property owners with a free custom site analysis. Visit harvestsolar.com or call 888-90-SOLAR to learn more.
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Can’t install plug-in solar panels? No problem — I’ve hand-picked 12 solar-powered gadgets to brighten your home and save you money anyway  Yahoo Tech
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“Cost/Watt varies widely and you get tired after a while of looking at spec sheet after spec sheet.”
Photo Credit: iStock
An EV-owning homeowner in the Midwest took to Reddit for price advice on solar panels.
The plan described in a post on Reddit paired 66 REC 365AA panels with two EG4 12kPV hybrid inverters, using both the roof and a backyard ground mount. The homeowner said they were considering the bulk solar purchase with the panels priced at $102 each.
Because the south-facing roof was 38 feet wide but pitched at 45 degrees, the homeowner estimated that just one accessible row would fit there, allowing for 12 panels on the house and the remaining 54 in the yard. At that price, the full panel order would total about $6,732 — around 28 cents per watt.
Replies centered less on the bargain panel price than on the bigger economics of the project. While the sticker price looked appealing, many warned that a low-cost panel may not be much of a deal once the rest of the system is factored in. Commenters noted that an older panel design may be marked down for a reason and that the modules themselves are often only a small share of total installation costs.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially for households taking on major electric loads such as EV charging. If you’re weighing options, EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes before deciding whether a solar panel deal is really worth it.
The cheapest panel on paper is not always the cheapest system in practice.
Older panels can still perform well, but buyers often have to weigh efficiency, warranty coverage, compatibility, replacement logistics, and how much extra racking or land may be needed if lower-output panels take up more space.
That tradeoff applies directly to a hybrid design like this one. Mounting panels on a standing-seam metal roof can be appealing, but a steep pitch may make installation and maintenance more difficult. A ground mount, meanwhile, can add site prep, trenching, and hardware costs even if it offers more flexibility and space.
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Generating power at home and going all-electric can cut utility bills, reduce the cost of charging an EV, and give families more control over future energy expenses.
For shoppers comparing solar equipment, the more important calculation is total installed cost per usable watt — not just the upfront panel price. That means accounting for the full cost of inverters, racking, wiring, labor, permitting, and any added complexity from roof access or ground mounting, while also comparing performance specifications and warranty terms.
The OP captured the frustration many buyers feel while sorting through the options, writing, “There is so much variance in manufacturers and panels available new. Cost/Watt varies widely, and you get tired after a while of looking at spec sheet after spec sheet.”
It’s a lot to consider, and free comparison tools can make that process easier. 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 on a state-by-state level, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state, helping readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels with access to available incentives.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is also one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off grid. A battery can make a solar investment more resilient and flexible — especially for homeowners planning around EV charging or backup power. EnergySage is a great resource for information about home battery storage options as well, including competitive installation estimates.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..
Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 56F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: August 29, 2026 @ 2:06 am
A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like immediately after construction, before trees would be planted.
A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like after 15 years of tree growth.
The locations of the solar arrays proposed at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage.

A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like immediately after construction, before trees would be planted.
BLOOMINGDALE — A public hearing on the community solar farm proposed at Trudeau Field in St. Armand has been scheduled for Sept. 10.
The 10-megawatt community solar farm has been proposed by the solar developer Our Generation at the field across from the school bus garage on state Route 3. The energy generated from these panels is proposed to be purchased by town residents at a lower rate.
A 10-megawatt farm can produce power for around 1,500 homes a year.
In June, the town council passed a one-year moratorium on commercial and community solar energy farms to give more time to adopt a local law to regulate such installations. The town does not have zoning requirements for community solar projects regulating their use or decommissioning.
The council has set a public hearing on the solar project for Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. Town Supervisor Davina Thurston said she wants to hear from town residents and particularly the neighbors of the proposed project site.
If neighbors and residents are supportive of the project, Thurston said the town would not rescind its moratorium yet, to give the council more time to draft regulation of solar farms.
Thurston said even negative feedback can be helpful, because then the town knows what it needs to change to make the project more beneficial. Respectful negative feedback, she clarified.
To attend this meeting virtually, go to meet.goto.com/594785805. To attend by phone, dial 872-240-3212 and use the access code 594-785-805.
Dan Leary, a managing partner from Our Generation, gave a presentation on the proposal at the town council’s July 21 meeting.
He said this is not an array to supply a BESS or power a data center.
“Batteries not included,” Leary said.
The farm would put electricity directly into the grid, connecting to National Grid distribution lines that run by the back of the field.
With the community solar program, up to 1,500 St. Armand residents would be able to sign up and get up to 10% reduction of their energy costs from National Grid. Leary estimated that this could save a home an average of $200 per year.
Solar in northern New York produces more energy in the spring and summer months than the cloudy winter months. Leary said the sunny, warm months are also often when more electricity is needed. During the July heatwave this year, he said community and rooftop solar arrays saved ratepayers $200 million statewide.
The project would also increase the town’s property tax revenue. Leary estimated the increase from around $600 to $14,000 in revenue per year for the town. The school district and county would also get more tax revenue.
The solar company would pay National Grid for upgrades to substations and infrastructure.
The project involves two proposed solar arrays — one in the field in view of Route 3 and one behind the tree line. Much of the grassy field is classified as wetlands and cannot hold solar panels. Most of the panels in the field would be in the north end of the field, behind the barns and structures there. The panels would extend into the field, up to around where the bus garage starts across the road.
The locations of the solar arrays proposed at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage.
The solar panels would rotate throughout the day to follow the sun.
The property is owned by the Trudeau family under Trudeau’s Green Valley LLC.
Leary said the project is currently going through the Adirondack Park Agency permitting process. He said though there would be tree cutting to create the smaller array back in the trees, these trees are not old growth.
“My father logged the hell out of that,” Mark Trudeau said. “There ain’t much there.”
The power inverters for solar arrays average a noise level of 60 decibels at three feet away — around the noise level of a normal conversation. Most of this equipment will be in the back of the property. Leary said the noise level from the inverters drops around six decibels every three feet. A six-decibel drop is around a 35% reduction in perceived volume.
He also said they could use fencing and landscaping as buffers.
Leary said they would try to minimize the visual impact, but the panels will be visible from the road. He showed renderings of potential coniferous trees planted around the panels, and said they could possibly use a green privacy fence in the years before the trees take root and really start growing.
A rendering of what the proposed solar array at Trudeau Field on state Route 3 in Bloomingdale, across from the Saranac River and the school district’s bus garage would look like after 15 years of tree growth.
A fence would be installed around the arrays, to keep deer and other large animals out but allow smaller animals to pass through.
He also said they would maintain the property with sheep grazing and pollinator plants.
The Federal Aviation Administration also has design requirements for solar projects. The site is around 5.5 miles from the Adirondack Regional Airport, as the plane flies. Leary said solar panels absorb light instead of reflecting it and modern ones come with anti-reflective glass, putting off less glare than most building materials and natural environments.
Leary said that no harmful or toxic chemicals would leach from the panels, even if they are broken. He said the solar company would be obliged to train fire departments in handling fires or other emergencies at the solar arrays.
The solar panels have a 25-year output warranty and Leary said more than 85% of the material in panels can be recycled.
The project would have a decommissioning bond to cover the cost of returning the land to its current state after the contract ends. The bond would name the town as the beneficiary and escalate with inflation.
More documents about the proposed project can be found at townofstarmandny.gov/community-solar-project-trudeau-field.
To reach Aaron Marbone, email him at acerbone@adirondackdailyenterprise.com
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Westbridge Sells Red Willow Solar-Plus-Storage Project For C$26.7 Million  Finimize
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California county’s new 92-megawatt battery will push midday solar into evening peaks  Yahoo
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“I also can’t help but think things will get a lot cheaper in a couple of years.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Growing your home battery backup system can cost far more than many homeowners expect.
An online discussion among homeowners with backup systems showed that expanding a system in California or Texas can cost well into five figures.
One homeowner weighing an expansion after their system was commissioned said an additional battery had been quoted at about $15,000. 
“Seeing as I can get another battery for ~$8k delivered, $7k to add another battery to an existing system seems steep,” the original poster wrote in Reddit’s r/FranklinWH community.
The OP added, “I also can’t help but think things will get a lot cheaper in a couple of years.”
Users pointed to similarly high totals. 
A commenter from Texas said their quote was $13,000 and attributed much of the cost to added electrical work, while another user reported: “We got a third one installed after a year. NorCal; $16k.” A poster in Puerto Rico said a local installer there had quoted $9-10,000 for an installed Power 2.
When thinking about a battery backup system, the hardware itself is only one part of the total cost. Once a system is already installed, adding more capacity can require rewiring, upgraded disconnect equipment, and permitting changes.
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn’t that worth an email or two?
Still, battery storage is an increasingly popular option to keep critical appliances and devices running when the grid goes down.
It can also help households save money on energy by storing solar production or low-cost electricity for use during more expensive periods. For some homeowners, adding enough storage is also a practical step toward going off-grid, or at least reducing reliance on a utility.
The economics can look different depending on when a homeowner decides to expand. A battery that appears affordable on paper can be far more expensive once installation and system-upgrade costs are added.
Homeowners who are comparing setups may want to explore EnergySage to get information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with the electrification brand Qmerit to guarantee you get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
For shoppers who do not need a whole-home system, Pila offers plug-and-play batteries that are priced at a fraction of what whole-home backup systems cost. They can keep single appliances, such as your fridge or router, on during outages.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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California plug-in ‘Balcony Solar’ bill heads to governor’s desk, expanding solar access for renters  cbs8.com
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Energies Media
For American farmers, the financial math has been brutal for years: rising fuel costs, soaring fertilizer prices, and real estate developers circling fields that families have worked for generations. Selling land to a solar company often felt like just another version of the same bittersweet loss—trading traditional crops for industrial infrastructure and fertile ground for lease payments.
Yet at a small farm in Virginia, kale, broccoli, and garlic are thriving directly in the shade of elevated solar panels. It looks like a modest experiment in shared land use, but it represents a fundamental shift in how agriculture and clean energy can coexist.
The financial pressure on American farmers has been building for years. Fuel costs, fertilizer prices, and tariff uncertainty have steadily eroded profit margins that were already razor-thin. Developers and data center builders are moving into rural counties, offering cash for land worked for generations—creating offers genuinely hard to refuse.
The real problem is permanence. Once prime farmland is paved over or built upon, it rarely comes back. It is not resting or lying fallow; it is removed from agricultural production for good.
Agrivoltaics offers a different path. Instead of forcing an all-or-nothing choice between farming and solar, landowners can do both on the same footprint, generating reliable energy income while continuing to grow food.
Agrivoltaics is formally defined as the intentional co-location of agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land. Solar panels go up overhead while active farming continues underneath.
Across the United States, most agrivoltaic projects have been limited to sheep grazing. Sheep keep vegetation from shading panels, cut site maintenance costs, and gently condition soil—a relatively simple arrangement. Growing edible crops alongside solar arrays is something else entirely.
Balancing sunlight, spacing, and land use between panels and food requires careful architectural planning. That complexity is what makes the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows so significant. As Virginia’s first crop-based agrivoltaic system, kale, lettuce, beets, broccoli, and garlic grow directly alongside solar panels.
Passed with strong bipartisan support, legislation known as SB 340/HB 508 officially defines agrivoltaics in Virginia state code for the first time. This statutory framework gives farmers, developers, and regulators clear standards for dual-use projects.
Specific requirements are built into the bill. Projects must complement an existing farm business, and agricultural productivity must be prioritized over the 25-to-30-year life of the solar array. Systems must also remain flexible so farmers can adapt as markets shift.
Signing the bill into law, Governor Abigail Spanberger emphasized its protective purpose: “By establishing clear, enforceable definitions of agrivoltaics in code, we are protecting farmers and keeping land in active production.”
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) played a central role in shaping the legislation. Working alongside the Virginia Farm Bureau, PEC helped develop the official definition to ensure dual-use projects follow strict agricultural best management practices.
The law is part of a broader package of 12 energy bills signed with PEC support during the legislative session. The expanded code also covers on-farm energy storage and virtual power plants—a decentralized model where farmers store solar energy and earn revenue by collaborating with local utilities, adding income without leaving the land.
The Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows is a working demonstration of what the legislation scales, with solar panels, battery storage, and food crops operating together.
So far in 2026, the farm has recorded a zero electricity bill. Its solar-plus-storage system keeps operations running independently during grid outages. When multiple farms store energy collectively, they function as a decentralized virtual power plant.
With a clear legal framework now in place, farmers across the state have a practical path to co-locate crops and solar without sacrificing farmland.
Which reveals the ultimate significance of this project: what started as a quiet experiment in shared land use on a small Virginia farm has just helped rewrite state law.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.

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Plug-in solar panels are now legal in Great Britain, but anyone browsing the first systems to go on sale may have spotted what, on the surface, looks like a contradiction with the government's new rules for compliance.
The new rules limit plug-in solar to 800W, yet Argos is already selling UKSOL kits labelled 890W, 1,030W and even 1,260W. So how can they be allowed under the new rules?
The answer is that those larger numbers describe the combined generating capacity of the solar panels, while the legal limit applies to the amount of power the system can feed into your home.
Under the government's new plug-in solar specification, a compliant system can have a maximum apparent AC power output of 800VA – generally presented to consumers as an 800W limit. The plug-in panels have a microinverter built into the system that ensures it can't supply more than this amount to your household circuit.
Read more: First look at plug-in solar panels
Solar panels generate direct current (DC) electricity, which passes through the system's microinverter and is converted into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is used by the appliances in your home.
The plug-in solar panels and the inverter therefore have their own separate power ratings.
Take, for example, the £989 UKSOL Pro Max kit currently listed by Argos. It includes two 630W solar panels, giving it a total nominal panel capacity of 1,260W, but those panels feed into an 800W microinverter. No matter how much electricity the panels are capable of producing, the inverter still limits the AC output supplied to the house.
That means a system can legitimately contain more than 800W of solar panel capacity without exceeding the plug-in solar limit.
Read more: Plug-in vs installed solar panels
Your next question is probably: What's the point, then, of getting panels with more than 800W capacity? It's a good question. It might sound wasteful, but solar panels rarely produce their headline output on a continuous basis.
A panel's wattage is measured under standard laboratory test conditions. But in the real world, output varies according to factors such as the time of day, season, cloud cover, temperature, shading and the direction and angle of the panels.
Using a system that's more than 800W of panel capacity can therefore help an 800W microinverter get closer to its maximum output for more of the day.
Argos, for example, says the oversized 1,260W panel capacity in its UKSOL kit is intended to maximise generation during poorer weather. On a cloudy morning, the panels might collectively produce considerably less than their theoretical maximum, meaning all of that electricity can still pass through the inverter.
When conditions are good enough for the panels to generate more power than the inverter can handle, the inverter simply caps its AC output at its maximum. This is sometimes known as "clipping".
Read more: Are plug-in solar panels worth buying?
The important figure for shoppers is therefore not necessarily the number printed on the solar panels.
Britain's new rules allow a compliant plug-in solar product with a maximum apparent power output of 800VA. The government specification defines a plug-in solar product as a complete system including at least one solar panel, a grid-following microinverter, a manufacturer-supplied lead and UK plug, and a mounting system.
So seeing a 1,030W or 1,260W plug-in solar kit doesn't mean a manufacturer or retailer has found a loophole in the new 800W rules. It simply means the panels have been oversized relative to the inverter. What reaches your household electrical circuit is still capped at 800W.
The structure could alter visual connections between some of Washington’s iconic landmarks
Penalties for travel to blacklisted countries have recently risen, while aid workers and activists say they have also been caught up in the law
The executive action comes as trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa collapse, prompting 50 percent US tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods
Donald Trump is reportedly considering selling off land in Yosemite National Park to a developer.
Trump, who was nearly half an hour late to the Texas ceremony, also wound up in the awkward position of presenting the first medal to a Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, amid a raging tariff war with the US’s northern neighbors
SpaceX has pulled off its biggest salvage operation yet, recovering its most recently launched Starship from the Indian Ocean
Barron Trump ‘doesn’t go out,’ a source familiar with his movements reportedly said
Hugh Grosvenor owns more than 1,500 listed buildings across London and three rural estates
From morning showers to evening bath time, family homes can put heating and hot water systems under pressure
The plan comes shortly after the country music icon’s death and follows an online petition signed by more than 155,000 fans
Official death toll approaches 600, with many of the missing Americans having been on a pilgrimage to a sacred site
Army helicopters ferry survivors from inaccessible areas to a camp at a barracks in Bidur
The bodies of victims swept away in Nepal’s devastating flash floods have washed up over a hundred miles from the disaster zone.
The NI Secretary said both he and the Prime Minister are committed to the Good Friday Agreement.
A senior civil servant at the Cabinet Office shared a social media post wishing Benjamin Netanyahu had died instead of Dolly Parton.
High court quashes latest restriction on Orange Order march, reigniting political row over Garvaghy Road
The boy, 14, pleaded guilty to recording information useful to persons engaged in terrorism, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon
Westminster town hall has written to the Government demanding that TfL carry out a full environmental impact assessment ahead of the scheme going ahead
Danny Kruger said anyone wanting to cast a ballot in British polls would ‘need to do it in person’ unless they are ‘literally unable to get there’.
The charge relates to the attack on ambulances in Golders Green, north London, in the early hours of March 23.

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A new solar array next to the Fairfield Wastewater Treatment Plant on Groh land is expected to provide about 65% of the electricity to power the plant. Officials have said the city could save $2.5 million during the 30 years it is expected to be active.
Melink Solar provided city leaders a solar panel signed by all involved in the project during a ribbon cutting ceremony. City manager Scott Timmer said he may display the panel in a conference room where council-manager briefings are held in city hall.
Ninety sheep have been brought in to Fairfield’s solar farm to graze, which will keep grass and weeds low as well as fertilizing the land.
A new solar array next to the Fairfield Wastewater Treatment Plant on Groh land is expected to provide about 65% of the electricity to power the plant. Officials have said the city could save $2.5 million during the 30 years it is expected to be active.
In its first three weeks of operation Fairfield’s 5-acre, 1.5 megawatt solar farm has saved the city more than $20,000 in utility costs at the wastewater treatment plant, the highest single user of electricity in the city.
And while electricity produced by the 3,000 panels in the array won’t reduce citizen’s electric bills, it will help stabilize water and sewer rates for residents, said vice-mayor Tim Meyers.
“This is a very historic ribbon cutting. Our stance on sustainability is making the city more efficient, more effective for one reason to continue the great quality of life we have here in Fairfield,’’ Meyers said of the Groh Lane solar farm just east of the wastewater treatment plant.
“The byproduct is giving back to the environment, lower carbon costs, lower carbon emissions.”
It is the city’s first major project to come to fruition since the Fairfield Sustains plan was adopted by city council two years ago.
Melink Solar provided city leaders a solar panel signed by all involved in the project during a ribbon cutting ceremony. City manager Scott Timmer said he may display the panel in a conference room where council-manager briefings are held in city hall.
The solar farm is expected to generate two million kilowatt hours of electricity each year, removing $200,000 to $250,000 in electric costs from the city’s budget, said Adam Sackenheim, Fairfield’s assistant city manager who oversaw the project.
It is equivalent of providing electricity to 250 homes in Fairfield for 30 years, Sackenheim said of the $3 million project.
Designed and constructed by Melink Solar, the solar field is expected to pay for itself in 10 years and last 30 or more years when federal tax rebate incentives of about $1.1 million are factored in, Sackenheim said.
It will reduce the release of 36,626 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the system.
Residents can view real-time data of how much electricity is being generated and other environmental information on a live solar dashboard on its website: www.fairfield-city.org/1344/solar-array
The newest addition to the solar farm came this week when 90 sheep were brought in to graze. They will be rotated in different areas of the acreage.
Ninety sheep have been brought in to Fairfield’s solar farm to graze, which will keep grass and weeds low as well as fertilizing the land.
At first the idea was considered a joke – that is until the benefits were pointed out.
“This eliminates the need for a landscaper,’’ Sackenheim said. “There are benefits to the land – they eat the vegetation, fertilize the ground.”
A low, electric fence surrounding the panels keeps the sheep safe by deterring coyotes and other predators.
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Plug-in solar panels are now legal across Great Britain, following a regulation change that the UK government said could save families up to GBP 110 ($150) per year.
From Aug. 27, consumers in Great Britain will be able to buy and install plug-in solar kits with capacity up to 800 W – a power output that cover up to 20% of an average home’s electricity use, according to the UK government. Households can install one array up to 800 W themselves, with no requirement to use a certified installer. The regulation change does not apply to households in Northern Ireland.
While plug-in solar is already widely used in European markets such as Germany, British regulations had until now hindered deployment in the United Kingdom. Amendments to UK plug and socket regulations and electricity safety regulations have opened up the plug-in solar market, although plug-in battery storage devices are not covered by the changes.
Information and guidance for consumers interested in plug-in solar has already been released by the UK’s Energy Saving Trust. The UK government has also removed the need to apply for planning permission for plug-in solar in England. Scotland and Wales set their own planning rules.
Despite the removed regulatory barriers, Josiah Mortimer of Byline Times revealed in a post on Bluesky that there are currently only seven legally-compliant plug-in solar devices on the UK government’s official database. All seven of these come from just one company – UKSOL.
Large UK multiple retailers have voiced support for the plug-in solar, and are expected to stock compliant products in the near future. Some have been in consultation with the UK government since it committed to plug-in solar in March 2026. A spokesperson from Screwfix told pv magazine the trade tool and hardware retailer plans to offer plug-in solar to customers in the fall.
Commenting in a UK government press release, Graham Biggart, managing director of catalogue retailer Argos, said the company was “really pleased to now offer plug-in solar panels” for its customers. Amazon country manager John Boumphrey confirmed the online retailer will distribute plug-in solar products to UK consumers, with other major retailers such as Currys and Wickes also planning to list solar product lines.
Solar industry figures have welcomed the change. Chris Hewett, CEO of Solar Energy UK said making plug-in solar lawful would bring “cheap, clean power to households that have not been able to access these benefits before.”
While plug-in battery storage products are not covered by the rule change, Jason Howlett, chief executive officer, Energy Storage Association (ESA), told pv magazine the ESA is in discussions with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero about a full safety review of plug in batteries as part of an ongoing study that will evaluate different plug-in, self-installed battery products on sale around the world.
Howlett noted that while the association would “wholeheartedly support the safe introduction of ‘balcony’ plug-in devices,” more work is required, particularly on safety standards. UK battery storage regulations set a high bar for installers, strongly favoring outdoor installations and requiring checks of wiring and consumer units. Possible standards for plug-in batteries and their impact on household circuits are under investigation.
This article was amended on Aug. 27 to include findings from Josiah Mortimer of Byline Times relating to the number of compliant plug-in solar devices on the UK government’s official database.
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Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid

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LESLIE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (News 10) – For the first time, state regulators have signed off on a settlement clearing the way for a large-scale solar project, after a controversial state law stripped local townships of the power to block it outright.
Leslie Township Supervisor Dallas Henney calls it a stick without a much-needed carrot.
“They just said, we’re going to jam it down your throat whether you like it or not. So here we are,” Henney said.
Henney is referring to Public Act 233, a 2023 law that gives the state of Michigan the authority to approve large-scale renewable energy projects.
That authority usually belongs to local governments. The law is now clearing the way for an upcoming 90-megawatt solar farm in southern Ingham County, called Acceleration Solar.
“Everybody’s aware that going through the Michigan Public Service Commission, the project was going to happen whether the local unit wanted it or not,” Henney said.
Project details and settlement terms
The project will cover 870 acres of land in Leslie, Onondaga and Vevay townships.
Local rules in those townships were stricter than Michigan law allows, so instead of letting the state decide unilaterally, the townships negotiated a settlement directly with the developer, Ranger Power.
The settlement adds extra screening to block the panels from view and stricter noise limits and makes the state — not the townships — responsible for tearing down the project once it eventually goes offline.
Michigan Public Service Commission Chairman Dan Scripps said the settlement also secured “hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct payments” for the three townships, along with funding for township legal expenses, drain maintenance, and training for local fire personnel and first responders.
Ingham County itself chose not to join the settlement but separately negotiated its own direct-payment agreement with the developer, according to Scripps.
“I feel content with that. Not happy, just content,” Henney said.
The Michigan Public Service Commission voted unanimously to approve the settlement between the townships and the developer.
“This is, in my view, an example of getting this right. It is a law that is working as intended, changing the conversation around development, but also meaningful opportunities for local engagement in the process,” Scripps said.
A clash of interests
“This really represents a tension between the property owners, the township and the local zoning officials and their authority, and the state’s interest in a clean energy future,” said Erik Nordman, director of the MSU Institute of Public Utilities.
Nordman said Michigan’s renewable energy goals are driving these decisions. State law requires Michigan to reach 100% clean energy by 2040.
He also pointed to ongoing research aimed at easing tension between farming communities and solar development.
“Agriculture and renewable energy development are not mutually exclusive. Many of my colleagues here at Michigan State University are working on projects that they call agrivoltaics, integrating agriculture and photovoltaic solar panels,” Nordman said.
The fight over Public Act 233 is not over.
Seventy-nine Michigan townships and counties have filed with the Michigan Supreme Court, asking it to step in after the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a split ruling in May.
The townships argue regulators illegally narrowed the definition of a “compatible renewable energy ordinance,” the tool local governments can use to retain zoning authority over these projects.
Nordman said the courts have upheld PA 233 so far, despite both the legal challenge and a separate push in the legislature to repeal the law outright.
Until that fight is resolved, the Ingham County project stands as the first test case for how the law works in practice.
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Electricity generation from solar energy in Türkiye reached an all-time monthly high in July, rising to 5.37 billion kilowatt-hours, the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said.
According to the ministry, Türkiye’s total electricity generation in July stood at 34.6 billion kilowatt-hours.
Hydroelectric power plants had the highest share in electricity generation last month, accounting for 26.2% of the total.
Hydroelectric plants generated 9.07 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity during the period.
Solar power generation, which had reached a previous all-time monthly high in June with 4.99 billion kilowatt-hours, set a new record in July.
Electricity generation from solar stood at 5.37 billion kilowatt-hours in July, accounting for 15.5% of total electricity generation.
During the same period, 20.14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated from renewable sources, corresponding to 58.2% of Türkiye’s total electricity generation.
Electricity generation from domestic sources also reached an all-time monthly high in July, rising to 24.75 billion kilowatt-hours.
The share of domestic sources in total electricity generation was calculated at 71.5%.
Daily generation records were also observed in solar and wind energy in July.
On July 19, electricity generation from solar energy reached 189,680 megawatt-hours, marking an all-time daily high.
Wind power generated a total of 4.16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity throughout July.
Wind generation reached 265,512 megawatt-hours on July 30, setting a daily record.
Between Jan. 1 and July 31, Türkiye generated 66.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from hydroelectric sources, 25.6 billion kilowatt-hours from wind and 24.6 billion kilowatt-hours from solar.
All three sources reached their highest generation levels for the same period since 2000.
In the first seven months of the year, 156 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated from domestic sources, corresponding to 73.9% of total generation.
During the same period, 128.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated from renewable sources, giving renewables a 61% share in total generation.
These figures marked the highest levels in both volume and share for the same period since 2000.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Türkiye’s energy transformation was continuing with domestic and renewable resources.
“The great transformation in our energy architecture continues without slowing down with our domestic and renewable resources,” Bayraktar said in a post on NSosyal.
“In July, we achieved a historic double record in our electricity generation, raising our generation based on domestic sources to 24.75 billion kilowatt-hours and our solar energy generation to 5.37 billion kilowatt-hours, reaching the highest values of all time on a monthly basis,” he said.
“With this strong momentum we have achieved especially in solar and in our domestic resources, we continue to move forward with firm steps toward our goal of a Fully Independent Türkiye in Energy,” Bayraktar added.

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Ireland boosts solar capacity to over 3 GW, govt says  Renewables Now
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JinkoSolar reported revenue of CNY 24.73 billion ($3.68 billion) in the first half of 2026, down 22.3% year on year. Net loss attributable to shareholders widened 5.8% to CNY 3.08 billion from CNY 2.91 billion a year earlier, while operating cash flow turned positive at CNY 682 million. Module shipments reached 29.64 GW and energy storage system deliveries totaled 3.1 GWh. JinkoSolar said it is placing greater emphasis on profitability, cash flow and order quality amid weaker demand in some markets. It cut its full-year 2026 module shipment guidance to 60 GW to 70 GW and expects third-quarter shipments of 15 GW to 17 GW.
Canadian Solar posted first-half 2026 revenue of CNY 12.78 billion ($1.90 billion), down 39.3% year on year, while net profit attributable to shareholders fell 59.0% to CNY 300 million. Excluding non-recurring items, the company recorded a CNY 253 million loss. CSI Solar attributed the decline to its decision to reduce PV production and shipments and prioritize profitability amid continued pressure on module prices. Its utility-scale energy storage business provided a growing offset, with sales reaching 6.1 GWh, up 103.3% year on year. Overseas markets accounted for nearly 90% of module shipments, while energy storage accounted for 44% of total revenue. The company said its US business restructuring remained in a transition phase.
Trina Solar reported first-half 2026 revenue of CNY 31.99 billion ($4.76 billion), up 3.0% year on year, while net loss attributable to shareholders narrowed 90.8% to CNY 270 million from CNY 2.92 billion a year earlier. Its adjusted net loss stood at CNY 2.89 billion, as the headline result benefited from substantial investment and fair-value gains. Operating cash flow rose 175.1% to CNY 5.07 billion. Module shipments exceeded 25 GW, while energy storage shipments topped 5 GWh, up 188% year on year. Energy storage revenue reached CNY 2.47 billion, with the business turning profitable. Trina Solar said higher-value module orders, energy storage and distributed energy businesses supported improved operating performance. Cumulative energy storage system deliveries exceeded 25 GWh by the end of June.
JA recorded revenue of CNY 17.50 billion ($2.60 billion) in the first half of 2026, down 26.8% year on year. Net loss attributable to shareholders widened 3.2% to CNY 2.66 billion, while operating cash flow was positive at CNY 861 million. Cell and module shipments totaled 22.25 GW, including 19 MW for internal use, with overseas markets accounting for 68.46% of module shipments. Module revenue fell 31.0% to CNY 15.02 billion, with the segment posting a negative gross margin of 1.74%, an improvement of 4.24 percentage points from a year earlier. JA Solar attributed the continued losses to persistent supply-demand imbalances, low module prices, the removal of China’s export tax rebate and intensifying trade frictions.
Tongwei reported first-half 2026 revenue of CNY 34.36 billion ($5.11 billion), down 15.2% year on year, while net loss attributable to shareholders widened 3.3% to CNY 5.12 billion. Operating cash flow returned to positive territory at CNY 109 million, compared with an outflow of CNY 1.95 billion a year earlier. The company shipped 155,300 tons of high-purity polysilicon and sold 34.78 GW of solar cells, taking cumulative cell shipments above 400 GW. Module sales reached 13.07 GW, with overseas markets accounting for nearly 40% of shipments. Tongwei said its PV business remained under heavy pressure from persistent oversupply and low prices. The segment generated CNY 19.88 billion in revenue but remained loss-making during the period.
The Silicon Industry Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) said China’s wafer market paused this week following a sharp price rally late last week. As of Aug. 27, wafer prices were unchanged across all product categories. Trading remained thin as wafer producers resisted price cuts while downstream sentiment weakened, with cell prices falling 2.94% week on week and module prices remaining flat. The association said wafer operating rates were broadly unchanged and warned that prices could weaken without a recovery in demand. The polysilicon market also remained largely at a standstill this week, with the association’s regular price assessment still suspended. With wafer operating rates remaining low, CNMIA expects polysilicon inventories to increase in August and said restoring a reliable pricing mechanism will require further adjustment between buyers and sellers.
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Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid

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We’ve previously investigated how many solar panels it would require to replace the energy output of a coal plant, as well as how many would be needed to match the power provided by a nuclear reactor. To round out our series, let’s calculate how many solar panels you’d need to approach the wattage produced by a natural gas plant.
Assuming a 56% capacity factor for a hypothetical 1-gigawatt natural gas plant (right around the U.S. fleet average), it would produce around 4.9 million megawatt-hours of electricity per year, which even high wattage, high efficiency solar panels would struggle to match except in staggering volumes. A high wattage solar panel for residential or light commercial usage now averages around 550W and have been described as the “sweet spot” for solar installers. Real-world yearly production for solar projects is lower than their listed ratings because they generate only while the sun’s out and are subject to interference based on weather, the season, amount of shade, inverter losses, panel orientation, and available transmission capacity. These factors all combine to reduce solar capacity factor to an average of around 24%.
This means one 550-watt panel would generate approximately 1,157 kilowatt-hours annually. Dividing the gas plant’s estimated 4.9 billion kWh annual output by that figure yields a total of around 4.3 million solar panels. If the solar project was sited at a sunnier location, or if static panels were replaced with sun-tracking panels, you could significantly reduce that number.
The math is slightly tricky when trying to calculate a gas plant’s output because “natural gas power plant” is such a broad concept. Such a plant can range from a relatively modest, seldom-used peaker plant (a smaller plant only occasionally activated during periods of intense demand) to a large combined-cycle facility that runs the vast majority of the time. For our purposes, we targeted a larger plant, a 1-gigawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant; combined cycle indicates that the plant combines a gas-turbine cycle with a steam cycle.
To reach a similar level of power production under relatively average conditions would require millions of solar panels. There are a number of factors that would significantly alter the math. Solar irradiance, for instance, the instantaneous solar power received on a given surface per unit area, is broadly variable: it can fall off a cliff because of haze, cloud cover, fog, or smoke. There are also universal considerations like day length and season. Panels will naturally be more productive at the peak of summer than in the shorter daylight hours of midwinter, and day length can vary tremendously by location. 
Of course, because a solar project would also be limited by timing concerns and weather (cloudy days and storms significantly reducing capacity factor), any such project would also need to include significant auxiliary equipment and facilities for energy storage. That said, solar plants in many cases don’t just produce power, and have environmental advantages beyond the obvious advantages over natural gas plants, like shading above-ground irrigation systems.

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Global PV installations are on track to reach 638 GW in 2026, according to analysis from solar and storage technical advisory firm Intertek CEA.
The company’s PV Supply, Technology and Policy Report for Q2 2026 predicts a decline on last year’s installation figures before resuming growth to 2030.
It says this year’s downturn is driven entirely by China, which is facing market stagnation, while most other regions of the world are set to see either flat or accelerated growth. 
The report adds that structural oversupply is “severe and persistent” across the solar supply chain, with manufacturing capacity across all stages exceeding projected 2026 demand by wide margins.
Polysilicon capacity stands at approximately 2,034 GW against 638 GW of installations, according to figures from the report, while module capacity of around 1,908 GW leaves an excess of more than 1.2 TW.
Intertek CEA’s PV Price Forecasting Report for Q2 2026 adds that Chinese module prices are set to continuing rising in 2026 through to 2027, as suppliers “push for margin expansion and material cost passthrough.”
It also says US module prices wil remain elevated as the market “awaits clarity on the tariff structure likely to emerge from the polysilicon Section 232 investigation”, while Indian module pricing through 2026 and 2027 will stay exposed to Chinese input costs.
From 2028 onwards, Intertek CEA is expecting prices to decline, citing market maturity and low but stable margins.
The report adds that regionally-integrated production costs range from under $0.12/W to over $0.37/W, with US manufacturing subsidies narrowing the US-to-non-China cost gap to just $0.01 to $0.03/W.
Indian cell and module assembly, as well as module assembly in the southeast Asian market, is predicted to come within $0.01 to $0.03/W of Chinese prices “in time”, the report continues, but EU module assembly is forecast not to close its price gap with other markets.
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Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid

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Plug-in solar bill awaits governor’s signature in California  cbs8.com
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Global horizontal irradiance across Europe averaged 5% above the 2007–2025 norm in August 2026, extending the elevated solar resource recorded during June and July, according to analysis using the Solcast API. Nearly three quarters of the continent received above-average irradiance as persistent high pressure limited cloud formation and storm development. Much of southern England experienced Europe’s strongest positive anomalies, reaching more than 20% above average, before a change in weather patterns brought cooler and cloudier conditions to parts of western Europe during the second half of the month.
High pressure remained the main influence on Europe’s solar resource for much of August. Sinking air within the persistent system stabilised atmospheric conditions, limiting cloud formation and supporting extended periods of clear sky. Although August is typically Europe’s second-sunniest month, irradiance reached more than 20% above the seasonal norm in some regions. This marked a third consecutive month of elevated solar resource across much of western and central Europe, while London’s cumulative GHI reached a record high for this point in the year.
The unusually sunny conditions coincided with exceptional drought across parts of Europe. Southern England experienced 62 consecutive dry days through the middle of August, easily breaking the previous record of 51 days. According to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, critically low levels on the Rhine and Danube disrupted hydropower and nuclear generation, increasing reliance on other generation sources, including solar.
In Birmingham, the prolonged lack of rainfall provided few opportunities for natural module cleaning, allowing modelled soiling losses to accumulate before rain returned in mid-August.
The prolonged high-pressure pattern began to break down during the second half of August. As the system weakened and shifted eastward, a cold front arrived from the Atlantic and temperatures fell by more than 15 C across parts of western Europe after weeks of persistent heat and dry weather. Increasing cloud and rainfall reduced the earlier irradiance surplus as the front moved into France and Germany.
The late-month change had an uneven effect on Europe’s irradiance. Central and eastern regions retained more of their earlier surplus, while parts of southwestern Europe finished closer to or below their long-term average.
Porto’s daily irradiance profiles provide a closer view of the changing conditions in the southwest. Early-month profiles were generally more consistent, while several days around and after mid-month recorded pronounced daytime reductions.
Solcast produces these figures by tracking clouds and aerosols at 1-2km resolution globally, using satellite data and proprietary AI/ML algorithms. This data is used to drive irradiance models, enabling Solcast to calculate irradiance at high resolution, with typical bias of less than 2%, and also cloud-tracking forecasts. This data is used by more than 350 companies managing over 350 GW of solar assets globally.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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pv magazine: Mr. Brown, the Chinese government has successfully reduced excess capacity in the past, particularly in coal and steel from around 2015, as well as in sectors such as cement, glass, aluminum and shipbuilding. What lessons from those restructuring efforts can be applied to today’s PV manufacturing industry?
Alexander Brown: One lesson is that when the Chinese government sees a need to stimulate growth in a certain sector, it is very capable of doing so. We saw that with sectors related to construction in the 2010s, and we have seen it more recently with green technologies as China has focused increasingly on its decarbonization agenda.
But in many cases, this leads to overshooting and overinvestment. There is a recurring challenge for Chinese policymakers in finding the right balance when they seek to boost particular industries.
What is different in solar PV is the range of options available to the government when it subsequently tries to rein in excess capacity. The clearest difference between PV and sectors such as cement, glass, aluminum and shipbuilding is company ownership. Solar PV is dominated by private firms, whereas state-owned enterprises were and still are dominant in many of those other industries. That makes coordination somewhat easier when companies are state-owned.
There has been considerable difficulty coordinating companies in the PV industry. There is broad agreement that there is a problem. Companies acknowledge the need to prevent prices from falling further and to stop overinvestment, but individually they still have incentives to expand. Their actions therefore often do not follow their words.
Is technological innovation another reason why consolidation is more difficult in PV than in mature industries such as steel, cement or glass?
Yes. The rapid pace of technological development definitely plays a role. Equipment and technology can be updated every two to three years. That is very different from industries such as cement and glass, where the technologies are much more established.
Demand has also been increasing strongly. China’s production capacity currently far exceeds global demand, but global demand has grown substantially in recent years, as have China’s exports. Between 2019 and 2023, China’s top five producers of solar modules consistently generated healthy profit margins in the range of 8 to 12 percent on average. So even from the perspective of a normal market economy, there was some logic behind these very large increases in manufacturing capacity. Ultimately, however, they have resulted in a severe mismatch between supply and demand.
How important is geopolitics in sustaining or exacerbating China’s PV overcapacity? How are trade barriers and industrial policies in the United States, Europe, India and elsewhere affecting Chinese manufacturers’ investment decisions?
Geopolitics is an important factor in China’s solar sector. The crisis the industry faced in the early 2010s following changes to trade barriers in Europe and elsewhere demonstrated how dependent the sector was on exports. It is less dependent on exports today, but they remain important for China’s leading solar companies.
It is also clear that Chinese manufacturers are sensitive to regulatory changes overseas. We have seen a number of production facilities built in Southeast Asia in an attempt to secure access to foreign markets, particularly as the United States has introduced measures aimed at reducing its reliance on solar products coming directly from China.
However, I wouldn’t say these measures have been extremely damaging to the industry so far. China has continued to increase solar module exports in recent years, and there are questions about how effective US tariff barriers have been.
If more countries impose higher trade barriers, however, that could put considerable pressure on the sector. Growth in solar demand appears to be slowing in China and elsewhere. If exports become less available as an outlet for excess production, that will aggravate the situation.
So, geopolitics matters, but it is not the fundamental cause of the current problem?
That’s right. Geopolitics plays a role in how solar companies decide where to invest and how much capacity to build, but fundamentally the domestic market is more important for these firms.
Compared with the solar downturn of the early 2010s, I would say geopolitics is less important today. Back then, the Chinese government responded by significantly increasing domestic demand to support its domestic solar industry. I don’t think we’re going to see that sort of response this time.
The present oversupply cycle became increasingly visible in 2023 and acute by early 2024. More than two years later, excess capacity remains substantial and permanent capacity exits appear limited. Is the adjustment taking unusually long? How long can manufacturers sustain heavy financial losses?
It is not unusual for these adjustments to take quite a long time. If we look at consolidation in the steel sector, measures were taken to consolidate companies, but a lot of capacity remained in the system and was only slowly removed.
In solar, however, the process is definitely taking longer than hoped. That’s partly because of the difficulty of coordinating the main actors and because the market is so fragmented.
That is also related to the technology itself. Solar is somewhat more commoditized than products such as wind turbines or electric vehicles, making it easier for companies to enter the sector. Older technology can also remain in use, with slightly outdated products sold cheaply around the world. Those mechanisms allow capacity to remain in the system.
The profitability of China’s leading companies has declined dramatically in 2024 and 2025. We looked at the top five Chinese firms and found that their aggregate profit margin last year was minus 11%, which is extremely poor. Pressure on the industry to find a solution will therefore continue to grow. If it doesn’t happen this year, then probably by next year some kind of arrangement will have to be reached.
We’ve seen other sectors handle this more successfully. In wind, for example, leading players have come together to revise tendering practices so that tenders are not focused solely on obtaining the lowest price. Similar attempts to reach agreements in solar have failed so far, but the pressure to make such efforts succeed will increase.
During the previous PV consolidation phase, from roughly 2011 to 2014, numerous companies became insolvent. We have not seen comparable failures among today’s largest manufacturers. Why are the major players able to remain afloat despite prolonged losses?
I think it’s very unlikely that we’ll see the major players fail. To some extent, they have diversified businesses. Many are active in different parts of the solar supply chain, and they generate revenue not only from manufacturing products but also from activities such as project development.
Local governments also have a very strong interest in keeping these companies afloat. They can provide different forms of support, including tax incentives, loans and equity investments. These companies provide local tax revenue and jobs, and they remain extremely competitive in international markets. For those reasons, I think it is very unlikely that the major players will simply be allowed to go under.
Beijing has introduced a series of measures since 2024, including efficiency and energy-consumption requirements, tighter investment rules and measures related to pricing. Are these measures sufficient to accelerate consolidation?
It is interesting that since mid-2024 we have seen measure after measure introduced in an attempt to solve the problem, and clearly they haven’t worked so far.
But I think the cumulative effect of these measures will eventually have an impact. New rules around energy pricing, in particular, look likely to affect solar demand in China. It will take time, but if domestic demand slows significantly, companies will have to respond.
They have already started responding by cutting costs and laying off workers over the past couple of years. If the market is no longer growing, it will become very difficult for companies to continue investing in new capacity. At the same time, progressively higher standards will gradually remove some capacity from the market.
So, I expect it to be a relatively slow process, but I think these policies will be successful to a degree. It is largely a matter of time.
What additional measures could the Chinese government take if the current policies prove insufficient?
One possibility would be to revise tendering standards so that tenders take into account factors such as quality and longer-term considerations rather than simply the immediate lowest price. We’ve seen something similar in the wind sector. That would require agreement between manufacturers as well as energy project developers.
Beyond that, it may require more direct intervention by the central government. Local governments will not willingly let their companies fail. But the National Development and Reform Commission could essentially decide that the industry only needs a certain number of major players and that outdated manufacturers should be cleared from the market. It could then instruct local governments not to continue providing lifelines to those companies.
I think that would work. But it would require very clear instructions and direct central-government intervention, and that goes against the way China’s industrial policy has generally operated. China has been very successful in using competition between local governments to build up industries, which makes policymakers reluctant to move away from that tried-and-tested model.
Could significant overcapacity ultimately become a permanent structural feature of the solar manufacturing industry rather than something that disappears at the end of each cycle?
I think the fact that the technology is advancing so rapidly makes it difficult to avoid a certain amount of overcapacity. Companies are incentivized to upgrade their technology frequently. Unless older production capacity is forced out through progressively higher standards, that capacity can remain in the system.
And even if older technology is no longer used in China, products from those lines can potentially be exported. So I think bringing excess capacity down significantly will remain challenging. In rapidly developing technology industries like this, some degree of overcapacity is difficult to avoid.
Should we expect regular boom-and-bust cycles in PV manufacturing? Could the current downturn last seven or eight years, or is the timing fundamentally unpredictable?
The boom-and-bust cycle will be determined to a large degree by the emphasis governments place on the energy transition. Solar is a market that is projected to grow significantly over the coming decades. The question is when that growth accelerates and when it slows.
At the moment, we’re in a phase of slowing growth and a bust cycle. My expectation is that this will lead to some reduction in overcapacity over the next couple of years.
After that, we’ll have to see when the industry identifies renewed opportunities and begins making very significant investments again. That would create another boom cycle. Much will depend on policy decisions in the major markets and on whether governments choose to accelerate or slow demand for solar technology.
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Its edge increased month by month as the weather turned hotter and sunlight intensified.
Photo Credit: Nanjing University
A China-led research team may have moved one of solar power’s most promising next-generation materials much closer to everyday use.
On a working solar farm, a 1-megawatt perovskite installation generated more electricity than a silicon competitor, and its lead widened in warmer weather.
As the South China Morning Post reported, a China- and Canada-based team led by Nanjing University developed a highly stable coating for perovskite solar modules, a lightweight, ultra-thin material widely considered a leading alternative to silicon.
They published the breakthrough results in Nature.
The development was not just about efficiency but durability at a larger scale, SCMP noted. The team said its coating can repair tiny defects in perovskite that would otherwise waste electricity, helping the material stay stable enough for commercial use.
Commercial readiness depends on surviving harsh conditions as well as converting sunlight efficiently, per the outlet. 
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In this case, a perovskite module about the size of a dining table delivered 158.4 watts at 22% efficiency while enduring the heat, humidity, and temperature variation expected in real-world use, which the researchers said set a record for the technology at this scale.
The clearest test came at the solar farm itself, where the group placed a 1-megawatt perovskite system on the same site as a 3.5-megawatt silicon facility.
During March, April, and May, the perovskite setup generated more electricity than the silicon one when measured against the same installed capacity, SCMP reported.
Its edge increased month by month as the weather turned hotter and sunlight intensified. The separation was 3.4% in March, 3.8% in April, and 5.8% in May, according to the outlet.
“Our findings establish a new benchmark for manufacturable perovskite photovoltaics, where processability, durability, and efficiency are no longer mutually exclusive but are engineered from the outset,” the authors wrote in the study.
Perovskite has drawn significant attention in the solar industry because it can be made into a very thin film and manufactured at a lower cost than silicon.
That opens the door to lighter solar panels and more flexible applications, including on rooftops, building surfaces, and other places where heavy panels can be hard to install.
Panels that perform better in hot weather could be especially valuable during periods when air-conditioning demand pushes power bills higher.
Generating more electricity from sunlight can reduce reliance on polluting energy sources, but the biggest challenge for perovskite has long been stability.
While lab results have looked promising for years, scaling the technology into larger modules that can survive outdoor conditions has proved difficult. 
The researchers are moving perovskite from a promising lab material toward equipment capable of operating at utility scale, as SCMP detailed.
A large-module record alone does not answer commercial questions, so the solar-farm trial was important. Together, those results show the technology can handle the operating conditions that buyers, builders, and power companies watch closely.
Lighter, high-performing solar panels could expand access for homeowners and apartment dwellers whose barriers include weight, heat, or installation costs.
If those gains continue over longer testing periods, perovskite could become a practical way for homes, businesses, and utilities to produce more low-cost electricity exactly when hot, bright conditions drive power demand highest.
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An expansion may require a new inverter, utility approval, and an updated system design.
Photo Credit: iStock
A solar array that once matched a household’s needs can come up short after additions to the home.
One homeowner’s experience, shared on the r/SolarDIY subreddit, shows how electrifying more of everyday life can turn a formerly sufficient system into a candidate for expansion.
In the post, the homeowner explained that the household’s power needed an upgrade after they bought an electric vehicle in 2019 and installed central air in 2020.
The home’s 5.2-kilowatt, ground-mounted, grid-connected system, installed in 2015, had been enough to cover all electricity use.
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Summer demand was 55 kilowatt-hours per day, while the array supplied only 30-36 kWh. “For the first several years, it provided 100% of our daily electricity plus a bit extra in the summer months,” the homeowner wrote.
They wanted to know of any pitfalls they might encounter when adding capacity.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially for households expecting their electric use to grow over time. If you’re considering a new setup or an expansion, EnergySage can help you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
The original poster conceded any expansion would likely include replacing their aging 6,000-watt SunPower inverter. Commenters agreed, and the homeowner said they had enough land for a second set of roughly 20 panels. Their goal was to add 6-8 kW.
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“You can have two separate systems, too,” one user stated. “One to power the AC and EV and the other to do the rest.”
Other commenters pointed to revisiting conductor sizes and protection devices as well as looping in the power company.
Solar is often only the first step in electrifying a home. Once drivers begin charging an EV at home or families install AC for comfort and safety during hot weather, electricity demand can rise.
For many households, a solar system is not just a one-time purchase. It can be part of an evolving plan. Ground-mounted setups may offer flexibility.
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For homeowners in a similar position, the next step is usually to review energy use, future plans, and equipment limits before adding panels. An expansion may require a new inverter, utility approval, and an updated system design.
For shoppers, EnergySage’s free services can make that process easier to navigate. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on a solar purchase and installation. 
EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state as well as details on incentives. Together, these resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Batteries can also store excess solar production for later use, giving households more control over when and how they use the power they generate. Readers can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
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The photovoltaic solar panels gleam golden in the sunlight in Songxi, Fujian Province, southeast China, April 13, 2021. /CFP
Editor’s note: Liu Baocheng, a special commentator for CGTN, is the Dean of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics. The article reflects the authors’ opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.
The Science article “China’s Solar Expansion Policy Reduces Bird Diversity” makes an important contribution to the debate over renewable-energy development. Using a panel of 2,344 Chinese counties from 2014 to 2023, the authors report that stronger policies promoting photovoltaic (PV) expansion are associated with lower local bird diversity. A one-standard-deviation increase in policy intensity is estimated to reduce the bird biodiversity index by about 2.1%, with substantially stronger effects in wealthier and non-desert regions. The paper links much of this effect to land-use change: Cropland and grassland are converted into developed land, vegetation becomes more homogeneous, and bird diversity declines.
These findings deserve serious attention, not because they establish that solar power is environmentally undesirable, but because they expose a common blind spot in conventional environmental thinking. The energy transition is often discussed through a binary framework in which fossil fuels are classified as environmentally harmful while renewable energy is presumed to be environmentally benign. The paper shows why that distinction is too crude. Low-carbon technologies can still carry land, habitat, mineral, water and infrastructure costs, and those costs vary largely according to where and how a technology is deployed.
The paper is therefore most useful when read not as an indictment of solar energy, but as an argument for more intelligent environmental planning. Its evidence suggests that the key question is not simply whether China should continue expanding PV capacity, but how that expansion can be spatially organized so that decarbonization, energy security and economic development are achieved with the lowest avoidable ecological cost.
The paper’s most important contribution: beyond green labels
The paper’s discussion of “inferior greening” is especially illuminating. The authors find that PV expansion can increase leaf area while reducing vegetation diversity and bird diversity. That result is a useful warning against equating visible greenness with ecological quality. A landscape can become greener in a narrow physical sense while becoming poorer in habitat variety, species composition and ecological function. Environmental assessment therefore cannot rely on a single indicator such as vegetation coverage, canopy density or carbon absorption. More green is not necessarily better ecology.
This insight reaches beyond photovoltaic development. Afforestation, urban greening, ecological restoration and agricultural modernization can all produce situations in which one environmental indicator improves while another deteriorates. The paper thus encourages a more mature framework: Environmental policy should be judged by multiple outcomes rather than by the moral label attached to the technology or program.
The paper’s own findings point toward spatial optimization
The study’s heterogeneous results are as important as its average effect. The estimated decline in bird diversity is substantially stronger in non-desert regions, particularly in wealthier areas with more complex habitats. This finding changes the policy problem. The relevant choice is not simply PV development versus biodiversity protection. It is where PV should be built so that the same unit of clean electricity is produced at a lower ecological cost.
That distinction supports a clear planning principle for China: large-scale ground-mounted PV should be concentrated, as far as practicable, in deserts, Gobi areas, degraded land, mining subsidence zones and other low-conflict locations where land competition and habitat disturbance are comparatively limited. These regions often combine abundant solar resources, large contiguous areas and low population density, making them particularly suitable for utility-scale projects.
Such a strategy is particularly feasible in China because the country has developed an extensive ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission network under its broader West-to-East Power Transmission strategy, enabling large volumes of electricity generated in the resource-rich western and northern regions to be delivered over long distances to the major demand centers in the east. This infrastructure helps overcome one of the principal geographical constraints on concentrating utility-scale solar generation in remote desert and Gobi regions. In densely populated regions or areas with high ecological and agricultural value, rooftop PV, industrial sites, transport corridors and other already-developed spaces should play a larger role.
This is not an argument that deserts are ecologically empty. Drylands contain distinctive plants, insects, reptiles, mammals and birds, and some recover very slowly once disturbed. The correct principle is therefore not “build in deserts regardless of ecological conditions,” but prioritize deserts, Gobi areas and degraded land while excluding biodiversity hotspots, migration corridors, fragile habitats and other sites of high ecological value. Renewable-energy maps should incorporate not only solar irradiation, construction costs and transmission capacity, but also habitat value, water stress, migration routes and ecosystem vulnerability.
The Hami 50MW Molten Salt Tower Solar Thermal Power Plant in the Gobi Desert of Xinjiang, northwest China, October 10, 2024. /CFP
The missing counterfactual: ecological cost is only one side of the ledger
From a public-policy perspective, the paper’s most important limitation is more fundamental: It identifies an ecological cost without evaluating the corresponding social benefits of PV expansion. That is entirely legitimate for a study focused on biodiversity, but it is not sufficient for deciding whether a society should build more or less solar power.
Solar generation can displace coal and other fossil-fuel generation, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and conventional air pollution, diversify energy supplies, strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imported fuels. Climate mitigation is itself relevant to biodiversity because climate change threatens habitats and species on a far broader geographical scale. A local ecological cost therefore cannot be interpreted in isolation from the environmental and social damage avoided elsewhere.
The correct counterfactual is not a solar farm on one side and an untouched natural world on the other. The realistic comparison is among alternative ways of satisfying energy demand, each of which carries a footprint. Coal requires mining, transport and combustion; oil and gas require extraction and pipeline networks; hydropower alters rivers and inundates land; nuclear power requires mining, plants, cooling systems and waste management; wind power requires foundations and grid connections. The fact that one technology has an ecological cost tells us very little until we know the costs of the alternatives.
If a solar project produces a measurable local decline in bird diversity but displaces an energy source that causes greater climatic pollution and ecological damage over its life cycle, rejecting the solar project may increase rather than reduce total environmental harm. Conversely, if the same electricity can be produced on rooftops or degraded land at modest additional cost, then destroying a biologically rich habitat would be difficult to justify. The policy problem is therefore comparative, not absolute.
A rational assessment should place biodiversity effects alongside carbon reduction, avoided air pollution, energy security, land opportunity costs, transmission requirements, local economic benefits, ecological irreversibility and the availability of alternative sites. This is a utilitarian approach in the serious sense of the term: not “economic growth at any cost,” but an attempt to count all significant benefits and harms, including ecological values that markets often fail to price. Biodiversity deserves substantial weight in such decisions, but weight is not the same as an automatic veto.
What the paper should inspire in Chinese PV policy
Seen in this light, the paper will encourage China to shift from simple capacity expansion to cautious, spatially optimized expansion. As the scale of PV deployment increases, the geography and quality of new capacity become as important as the quantity.
A rational hierarchy would place large centralized projects first in deserts, Gobi areas, degraded land, former mining areas and other sites with relatively low ecological and agricultural opportunity costs, while subjecting biodiversity hotspots, wetlands, migration corridors, ecologically rich grasslands and prime agricultural land to much stricter thresholds. In regions where land is scarce or ecological value is high, distributed PV on rooftops, factories, parking structures, transport infrastructure and other built environments should receive greater priority.
Environmental assessment should also move upstream. Biodiversity should be considered before a site is effectively chosen, not merely evaluated after project design is already advanced. The objective is to identify conflicts early, compare alternative locations, redesign projects where necessary and monitor ecological effects throughout construction and operation. Such an approach turns biodiversity evidence from a reason for paralysis into a tool for better planning.
The appropriate objective is therefore neither to maximize solar capacity regardless of ecology nor to maximize biodiversity preservation regardless of energy and human needs. It is to maximize the combined social value of clean energy, climate mitigation, energy security, economic development and ecological conservation. The paper’s heterogeneous findings are valuable precisely because they help make that optimization more concrete.
Conclusion: development, nature and rational choice
Human civilization has never advanced without altering nature; the task of rational policy is not to eliminate all ecological disturbance, which is impossible, but to distinguish necessary and beneficial transformation from avoidable and excessive destruction.
The history of development makes this plain. The Aswan High Dam brought electricity, irrigation and flood control while transforming the ecology of the Nile. Highways connect cities and expand commerce while fragmenting habitats and disturbing wildlife migration. Reservoirs secure water supplies and generate electricity while inundating terrestrial ecosystems and obstructing fish movement. Modern agriculture feeds billions while representing one of the largest transformations of natural habitats in human history. Renewable energy belongs to the same world of unavoidable trade-offs.
The existence of an ecological consequence is therefore not, by itself, an argument against an activity. The decisive questions are whether the benefit is sufficiently important, whether the ecological cost is proportionate, whether less damaging alternatives exist, and whether the remaining damage can be avoided, reduced, restored or compensated. That is the standard by which solar projects should be judged as well.
The enduring contribution of “China’s Solar Expansion Policy Reduces Bird Diversity” is therefore not that it gives society a reason to retreat from solar power. It gives policymakers a reason to abandon simplistic environmentalism. Solar power is not ecologically innocent, but neither is the energy system it replaces. The appropriate response to evidence of biodiversity loss is better siting, stronger ecological safeguards and more comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.
A traditional Chinese expression – “to give up eating for fear of choking” – captures the danger of allowing the existence of risk to become an argument against necessary action. Choking is a genuine risk of eating; the rational response is to reduce that risk, not to stop eating. Likewise, evidence that PV development can damage biodiversity in particular places should make the energy transition smarter, not stop it.
The mature environmental question is not whether humanity should alter nature – it inevitably will – but whether we can choose the place, scale and form of that alteration so that necessary development produces the greatest overall benefit with the least avoidable ecological harm.
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on X to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)

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Solar development is accelerating in some parts of Canada, while others are taking a more cautious approach as provinces and territories chart their own energy policies.
Phil McKay, Senior Director of Member Programs at the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA), told pv magazine that while figures for new solar additions in 2026 are not yet available, he is hearing anecdotally from the association’s members that it has been “a good year”, with many talking about growing interest in storage-paired systems.
Canada’s solar market is highly fragmented across its ten provinces and three territories. This is largely down to the country’s electricity system, which the federal government’s website describes as multiple, relatively-segregated grids that are governed and planned independently and generally trade more with the US than one another. McKay described it as “13 different markets.”
These markets are prioritizing solar buildout to different degrees. In April, Québec launched a solar incentive program, with provincial utility Hydro-Québec offering a direct cash rebate of CAN 1,000 ($720)/kW covering up to 40% of eligible installation costs for residential and customer customers. 
According to details on its website, the support cuts the current payback period of 25-30 years down to 10-12 years. It forms part of wider plans to integrate 3 GW of solar in Québec by 2035. “Speaking with local companies there, they’ve been ran off their feet with inquiries [since the launch],” McKay said.
Another solar market leader is Ontario, which backed 12 solar projects with a combined capacity of 915 MW through its long-term energy procurement exercise in April. Such procurements are a key driver of Canada’s solar market, with previous CanREA analysis expecting them to be a large contributor to a forecasted 21 GW of solar by 2035.
The awarded projects in Ontario are granted 20-year agreements and are expected to begin commercial operation by the start of May 2030. McKay added that the approvals include agrivoltaics projects. “This is an open cost-competitive environment where agrivoltaics are competing with gas, which is so great to see,” he said.
Other regions of the country are starting to entertain a shift from net-metering to net-billing. British Columbia has replaced net metering with a fixed CAN 0.10/kWh export rate below retail, while New Brunswick is proposing a similar shift to below-retail compensation for surplus solar generation.
“Its all based on the same premise that solar isn’t as valuable as we’ve been making it out to be and solar customers are getting a free ride,” McKay explained. “There is huge pushback in the province, a lot of people are very upset about it.”
McKay spoke with pv magazine soon after the US placed 50% tariffs on many billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods going into the States last weekend. He said the uncertainty around US policy decisions impacts the entire sector.
“Everything [the US administration] does affects us, even content requirements on Chinese imports can create pathways for us. It’s hard to forecast where this goes because two weeks ago, we didn’t know we’d face these tariffs,” he said.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to the latest tariffs with a speech that McKay said reiterated commitments from the spring budget to double the electricity grid with sustainable energy. 
“That’s very policy-driven language for solar, wind, and storage markets,” McKay said. He added that the ‘build Canada strong’ narrative is helping to unify the country around energy infrastructure.
“We’re finally talking about cross-Canada transmission lines and nation-building projects,” he said. “That’s exciting because it’ll open up the solar market and help balance the grid.”
On the other end of the scale, McKay shared that Canada’s grassroots solar movement is also picking up. Discussions around plug-in solar are developing, with the Canadian Standards Association currently debating UL 3700, a bi-national safety framework for Canada and the US that covers interactive plug-in solar systems.
McKay explained that while the standards ecosystem is engaged, progress is expected to move slowly. In the meantime, community and environmental organisations are starting to show interest in such products. “They see these systems as energy freedom,” McKay said. “A way to give Canadians a choice over whether we burn fossil fuels or not.”
McKay added that some large authorities, such as Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority, are saying they will back UL 3700-compliant products, but he also confirmed that no such products are yet available.
“A few manufacturers are starting to design products to that standard,” McKay said. “It’s nascent, [now] waiting for the next steps before getting the standards, then we can unlock the whole country.”
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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
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Free-On-Board (FOB) China TOPCon mainstream PV module prices rose this week, as firmer upstream prices increased production costs and prompted module manufacturers to raise their offer indications.
According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released on Aug. 25, the Chinese Module Marker (CMM), the OPIS benchmark assessment for TOPCon modules below 645W from China, rose 2.86% week on week to $0.108/W FOB China.
The OPIS FOB China TOPCon module forward curve showed sharper price increases for earlier loading periods. Prices for Q1 2027 and Q2 2027 loading rose 1.90% and 0.95% week on week to $0.107/W and $0.106/W, respectively. Meanwhile, Q3 2027 loading prices were adjusted 0.95% lower to $0.105/W.
One module buyer attributed the recent price increases largely to the U.S. Section 232 tariffs, which have lifted prices across the supply chain. Set to take effect on Dec. 4, the measures will establish minimum import prices of $100/kg for ingots and wafers, $0.22/W for cells and $0.38/W for modules, alongside a 15% tariff on covered polysilicon derivatives.
However, the source said module pricing for overseas utility-scale projects remains largely flat, including for 2027 delivery, with the recent increases lacking long-term fundamental support and driven more by short-term market sentiment and tariff expectations.
A top-10 module manufacturer told OPIS that despite higher guidance and offer prices from major producers, transacted prices for mainstream modules have yet to follow. Some producers have raised offers for overseas projects, but negotiated deal levels continue to fall short of those indications.
The producer added that there is industry consensus that module prices cannot be sustained at recent highs, with asking prices elevated but actual deals concluding lower due to weak demand and buyers’ understanding of the underlying cost drivers.
Another tier-1 module producer said the recent firmness in upstream prices was linked to short-term U.S.-related demand. Higher input prices have pushed module production costs higher, prompting the manufacturer to pause cell purchases while monitoring market developments.
FOB China TOPCon M10 cell prices rose 16.16% week on week to $0.0532/W, while 210R cell prices increased 17.00% to $0.0523/W, according to the same report. Prices for both cell formats have risen about 34% since Aug. 4.
While persistently elevated cell prices could provide some near-term support for module prices, the producer said upstream prices appeared to be nearing their peaks, limiting the scope for further significant increases.
Another downstream producer echoed a similar view, noting that the upstream price movements of recent weeks have been significant but are likely to be short-lived. The company has temporarily suspended offers for medium-to-long-term orders due to the heightened cost uncertainty.
According to a market analyst, the outlook will also hinge on whether Chinese module manufacturers absorb the higher costs or pass them on to buyers. With module prices remaining broadly flat, manufacturers may be forced to continue selling below production costs, while passing higher costs through to end-users could undermine project economics for solar developers, adding further pressure to already weak demand.
OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data, and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/NGL, coal, metals, and chemicals, as well as renewable fuels and environmental commodities. It acquired pricing data assets from Singapore Solar Exchange in 2022 and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly Report.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Ethan Ellis, Community Journalist
Published: August 28, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Ethan Ellis, Community Journalist
FRANKLIN CO., Va. – A Franklin County Circuit Court judge has approved the controversial Constitution Solar Project in Franklin County’s Henry community, allowing the more than 35-acre solar development to move forward despite opposition from a majority of the county’s Board of Supervisors.
The board voted against the project in December, with five supervisors opposing it and Union Hall District Supervisor Dan Quinn casting the lone vote in favor.
Blue Ridge District Supervisor Tim Tatum, who represents the area where the project would be located, said his primary concern is what will happen to the property when the solar project reaches the end of its useful life.
“What happens 20 years from now, or 25 years from now, or whenever that company goes under? Who’s going to clean the mess up?” Tatum said.
Tatum said the board’s decision was intended, in part, to send a message about those concerns.
“We voted it down more or less to make a statement,” Tatum said. “I know they put up a bond to cover cleanup, but is it set to progress with inflation? What they put aside now might not be enough to cover it 20 years from now.”
Quinn said the board’s decision came down to whether the project complied with Franklin County’s comprehensive plan.
“Our one narrow decision point was: Did this project conform with the comprehensive plan?” Quinn said.
Quinn said it did.
“And none of the other supervisors had any rationale for citing a reason that it did not conform with the comprehensive plan,” he said.
Because the project was going in an unzoned area of the county, the only other hurdle it faced was that comprehensive plan Quinn mentioned. The plan sets aside 1,500 acres of county land for solar use, meaning there was no legal reason county leaders could say no.
Copyright 2026 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
Ethan Ellis officially joined the WSLS 10 News team in May 2025.
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World’s First Solar-Powered Ambulance Could Bring Healthcare to Remote Africa  GreekReporter.com
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Reel agrees multi-buyer PPA for Danish solar park  Renewables Now
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KITCHENER, ON, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Canadian Solar Inc. (“Canadian Solar” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CSIQ) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.
Second Quarter Highlights

During the quarter, shipments within our Manufacturing segment were in line with expectations, with slight operational outperformance in battery energy storage, as we continue to navigate global macroeconomic uncertainties with agility. We delivered 3.1 GW of solar modules, with nearly half shipped to our North American home base. In addition, we achieved 3.7 GWh of energy storage shipments to internal and external projects under execution, serving utility-scale projects across North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America. As we double down on our U.S. manufacturing strategy, we continue to rebalance our global project development business and optimize capital allocation across our core growth engines.”
Xinbo Zhu, Senior VP and CFO, added, “For the quarter, we achieved total revenue of $1.2 billion with a gross margin of 13.9%. The sequential decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by the absence of a tariff refund recognized in the prior period, alongside normalized energy storage margins. Net loss attributable to shareholders was $77 million, or $1.40 per share, and we ended the period with a cash position of $1.9 billion.
Recurrent Energy's quarterly performance was light, primarily due to the deferral of planned project sales to the second half. Electricity revenue increased sequentially following the COD of a major utility-scale solar project in Spain. Within our global pipeline, we are focusing on quality, prioritizing value realization from mature, high-margin opportunities; pruning less attractive projects; and managing operating expenses to protect profitability.”
Second Quarter 2026 Results
Total solar module shipments recognized as revenue in Q2 2026 were 3.1 GW, up 25% quarter-over-quarter (“qoq”) and down 60% year-over-year (“yoy”).
Total battery energy storage shipments recognized as revenue in Q2 2026 were 3.7 GWh, up 82% qoq and up 73% yoy. Of the total, 471 MWh were shipped to internal projects under execution, with associated revenue to be recognized in subsequent quarters.
Net revenues were $1.2 billion in Q2 2026, up 12% sequentially and down 29% yoy. The sequential increase reflects higher sales of solar modules and battery energy storage solutions, partially offset by lower project sales. The yoy decrease reflects a decline in solar module and project sales.
Gross profit was $168 million, compared to $271 million in Q1 2026 and $505 million in Q2 2025. Gross margin was 13.9%, compared to 25.1% and 29.8% in Q1 2026 and Q2 2025, respectively. The sequential and yoy decrease in gross margin was primarily due to the absence of IEEPA tariff refund benefits recognized in the previous quarter and the absence of the release of unrealized profit upon sales-type leasing of a U.S. project in Q2 2025.
Operating expenses were $240 million, compared to $198 million in Q1 2026 and down from $378 million in Q2 2025. The sequential increase reflects higher ramp-up costs and logistics costs. The yoy decrease is mainly due to decrease in impairment charges related to certain solar and storage assets, as well as manufacturing assets. Operating expenses represented 19.8% of revenue, compared to 18.4% in Q1 2026 and 22.3% in Q2 2025.
Net loss attributable to Canadian Solar in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) in Q2 2026 was $77 million, or a net loss of $1.40 per share, compared to a net loss of $32 million, or a net loss of $0.71 per share, in Q1 2026, and a net income of $7 million, or a net loss of $0.08 per share, in Q2 2025. Net income or loss per diluted share includes the dilutive effect of convertible bonds, as applicable, and paid-in-kind dividends on the Recurrent Energy redeemable preferred shares.
Net cash flow used in operating activities in Q2 2026 was $181 million, driven by changes in working capital, compared to net cash flow used in operating activities of $209 million in Q1 2026 and net cash flow provided by operating activities of $189 million in Q2 2025.
Total debt, including financing liabilities, was $7.1 billion as of June 30, 2026, including $4.1 billion, $2.5 billion, and $0.4 billion related to Recurrent Energy, Manufacturing, and convertible notes, respectively. Total debt increased from $6.8 billion as of March 31, 2026, mainly due to new non-recourse debt drawdown for construction of solar and battery energy storage projects under Recurrent Energy in the U.S. Total non-recourse debt under Recurrent Energy as of June 30, 2026, was $2.6 billion.
Business Segments
Canadian Solar's business is organized into two segments:

Solar Modules and Solar System Kits
The Company shipped 3.1 GW of solar modules and solar system kits to more than 70 countries and regions in Q2 2026.
Consistent with the Company's transition from volume-driven growth to high-value creation, the Company will focus its capacity disclosure on strategic markets rather than aggregate global manufacturing capacity.
In the U.S., the Company operates a 5 GWp solar module factory in Mesquite, Texas, which is currently being expanded to a nameplate capacity of 10 GWp, with completion expected in the second half of 2026.
The Company is also continuing to advance its flagship, state-of-the-art heterojunction technology (“HJT”) solar cell factory in Jeffersonville, Indiana. In response to strong customer demand, the Company is in the process of increasing its production capacity beyond 6 GWp, with additional production lines being installed and commissioned through 2026.

As of June 30, 2026, e-STORAGE contracted backlog, including contracted long-term service agreements, stood at $3.5 billion. These signed orders represent binding customer commitments and provide significant earnings visibility over a multi-year period.
Recurrent Energy
As of June 30, 2026, the Company had a total global solar project development pipeline of approximately 22 GWp and a battery energy storage project development pipeline of 84 GWh.
The business model consists of three key drivers:

As of June 30, 2026, the Company's total solar project development pipeline was 21.7 GWp, including 1.7 GWp under construction, 2.2 GWp of backlog, and 17.7 GWp of projects in advanced and early-stage development. The pipeline includes projects that may be retained for long-term ownership and operation or sold to third parties, depending on market conditions and capital allocation priorities. The pipeline stages are defined as follows:

The following table presents the Company's total solar project development pipeline.

Construction

Development

Development

(“EMEA”)

to third parties.

Project Development Pipeline – Battery Energy Storage
As of June 30, 2026, the Company's total battery energy storage project development pipeline was 84.1 GWh, including 600 MWh under construction, 4.4 GWh in backlog, and 79.1 GWh of projects in advanced and early-stage development. The pipeline includes projects that may be retained for long-term ownership and operation or sold to third parties.
The table below sets forth the Company's total battery energy storage project development pipeline.

Construction

Development

Development

sold to third parties.

Business Outlook
The Company's business outlook is based on management's current views and estimates, taking into account factors such as existing market conditions, order book, production capacity, input material prices, foreign exchange fluctuations, the anticipated timing of project sales, and the global economic environment. This outlook is subject to uncertainty with respect to, among other things, customer demand, project construction and sale schedules, product sales prices and costs, supply chain constraints, and geopolitical conflicts. Management's views and estimates are subject to change without notice.
In Q3 2026, the Company expects total revenue to be in the range of $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion. Gross margin is expected to be between 13.5% and 15.5%. Total module shipments recognized as revenue are expected to be in the range of 3.5 GW to 3.8 GW. Total battery energy storage shipments in Q3 2026 are expected to be in the range of 3.4 GWh to 3.8 GWh.
The Company is reiterating its guidance of 6.5 GW to 7.0 GW of solar modules and 4.5 GWh to 5.5 GWh of battery energy storage solutions for the U.S. market in 2026.
Colin Parkin, CEO of Canadian Solar, commented, “We expect margins in the third quarter to remain stable, as we continue to scale our integrated U.S. solar manufacturing strategy, though ramp-up costs associated with our solar cell facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana, will weigh on profitability for the remainder of the year. We anticipate the cadence of U.S. solar and storage shipments to accelerate in the second half, with each quarter of 2026 delivering larger volumes than the last. Meanwhile, at Recurrent, we expect to close the delayed project sales from the second quarter, driving a sequentially stronger third quarter.”
Recent Developments
Canadian Solar
On August 18, 2026, Canadian Solar announced the successful resolution of the remaining U.S. patent litigation brought by Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd. (“Maxeon”). Maxeon's patent infringement lawsuit in the Federal District Court was dismissed with prejudice, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated the relevant portion of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision in Canadian Solar's favor.
On July 30, 2026, Canadian Solar announced that its U.S.-manufactured TOPCon and HJT Low Carbon HP modules achieved FM Approvals recognition under the FM 4478 and FM 4480 identified component standards, making them the first FM Approvals PV modules listed as identified components for severe hail zones.
On July 14, 2026, Canadian Solar announced that it was named a Tier 1 supplier for both battery energy storage systems and PV modules on S&P Global Energy's Tier 1 Cleantech Companies list. S&P Global Energy's selection criteria span market presence and cumulative equipment shipments; annual market share; scale; global manufacturing diversification; financial performance via key financial indicators, sustainability factors, and more.
On June 24, 2026, Canadian Solar announced that its Baotou ingot facility and Suqian solar cell manufacturing facilities earned Silver Level Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) Supply Chain Traceability Certification, becoming the first manufacturer to receive Silver status for both ingot and cell production.
On June 22, 2026, Canadian Solar announced the launch of its new TOPCon 3.0 high-power-density module delivering up to 670 Wp power output and 24.8% conversion efficiency of 24.8% for utility-scale and C&I applications, with mass global shipments scheduled to begin in August 2026.
On June 1, 2026, Canadian Solar announced the publication of its 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report. The sustainability disclosures are aligned with global standards established by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), with reference to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) set by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
Manufacturing: CS PowerTech and CSI Solar
On August 13, 2026, Canadian Solar announced its energy storage solutions business, e-STORAGE, successfully completed Large-Scale Fire Testing (LSFT) for its KuBank 3.0 C&I energy storage system under the latest UL 9540A:2026 standard. The test was independently verified by TÜV Rheinland and Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG), and the system has entered mass production for worldwide availability.
On July 24, 2026, Canadian Solar announced that its subsidiary CS PowerTech Inc., the largest silicon PV manufacturer in the U.S., officially launched the first phase of its flagship PV cell manufacturing plant in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The facility is the first plant in the U.S. designed to produce advanced HJT bifacial N-type solar cells. Combined with the Texas module facility, it creates a fully localized supply chain with an expected total annual cell capacity of over 6 GWp.
On June 25, 2026, Canadian Solar announced e-STORAGE signed a supply contract with an electric utility in Florida to supply a 95 MW / 426 MWh DC battery energy storage system (BESS). Featuring its proprietary SolBank 3.0 battery blocks which are fully produced at Canadian Solar's manufacturing facilities, the installation is planned for the second half of 2027, with commercial operations targeted for early 2028.
On June 24, 2026, Canadian Solar announced e-STORAGE will supply a 75 MW / 381 MWh DC BESS to Apex Clean Energy in Branch County, Michigan, co-located with Apex's operating Coldwater Solar facility. Under the agreement, e-STORAGE will deliver an integrated solution combining SolBank 3.0 battery blocks, Power Conversion Systems, and its proprietary EQ‑S Energy Management System, with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2027 and commercial operation targeted for mid-2027.
On June 23, 2026, Canadian Solar announced e-STORAGE will deliver an 8 MW / 40 MWh BESS, co-located at an existing combined-cycle gas power plant in Rizziconi, Calabria, to Axpo. This partnership marks e-STORAGE's first battery storage project in Italy.
Recurrent Energy
On August 13, 2026, Canadian Solar announced that its subsidiary, Recurrent Energy, successfully closed $695 million in project financing and tax equity for its 330 MW Cobalt Solar facility located in Riverside County, California. The debt financing package, totaling approximately $484 million, was led by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) and Nord/LB, while a parallel $211 million tax equity investment was secured from Wells Fargo. Currently under construction with Blattner Energy serving as the EPC provider, the project is expected to reach commercial operation by the end of 2027.
On August 12, 2026, Canadian Solar announced Recurrent Energy reached commercial operation ahead of schedule for its 150 MWac Carwarp Energy Park near Mildura, Victoria, Australia. Backed by a long-term PPA with Microsoft, the asset incorporates approximately 243,000 high-efficiency Canadian Solar TOPCon modules and holds planning and grid approvals to incorporate a hybrid 120 MW BESS.
On July 6, 2026, Canadian Solar announced an executive leadership transition at Recurrent Energy. Mr. Dylan Marx was appointed Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Mr. Ismael Guerrero, who will remain as a non-executive advisor through December 31, 2026.
Conference Call Information
The Company will hold a conference call on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's second quarter 2026 results and business outlook. The dial-in phone number for the live audio call is +1-877-704-4453 (toll-free from the U.S.) or +1-201-389-0920 from international locations. The conference ID is 13762069. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available via the webcast link on the investor relations section of Canadian Solar's website.
A replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the call until 11:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, September 10, 2026, and can be accessed by dialing +1-844-512-2921 (toll-free from the U.S.) or +1-412-317-6671 from international locations. The replay pin number is 13762069. A webcast replay will also be available via the webcast link on the investor relations section of Canadian Solar's website.
About Canadian Solar Inc.
Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, the Company is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules; provider of solar energy and battery energy storage solutions; and developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects. Over the past 25 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered nearly 180 GW of premium-quality solar photovoltaic modules to customers across the world. Through its energy storage solutions business e-STORAGE, Canadian Solar has shipped over 23 GWh of battery energy storage solutions to global markets and had a contracted backlog of $3.5 billion as of June 30, 2026. Since entering the project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built, and connected approximately 12.4 GWp of solar power projects and 6.4 GWh of battery energy storage projects globally. Its geographically diversified project development pipeline includes approximately 22 GWp of solar and 84 GWh of battery energy storage capacity in various stages of development. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com.
Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release, including those regarding the Company's expected future shipment volumes, revenues, gross margins, and project sales are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “future”, “ongoing”, “continue”, “intend”, “plan”, “potential”, “prospect”, “guidance”, “believe”, “estimate”, “is/are likely to” or similar expressions, the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, our expectations regarding global electricity demand and the markets for solar power and battery energy storage; our growth strategies, future business performance, and financial condition; our ability to sustain our project development and balance long-term asset ownership with selective project sales; our ability to monetize project portfolios, manage supply chain fluctuations, and respond to economic factors such as inflation and interest rates; our outlook on government incentives, and policy support schemes, trade measures, regulatory developments, and geopolitical risks; our expectations for project timelines, costs, offtake and returns; competitive dynamics in solar and storage markets; our ability to execute supply chain, manufacturing, and operational initiatives; access to capital, debt obligations, and covenant compliance; relationships with key suppliers and customers; technological advancement and product quality; and risks related to intellectual property, litigation, and compliance with environmental and sustainability regulations. Other risks are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its latest annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 10, 2026. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Relations Contact:

Investor Relations
Canadian Solar Inc.
[email protected]

 
The following tables provide unaudited select financial data for the Company's Manufacturing and Recurrent Energy businesses.
 

(In Thousands of U.S. Dollars)

Energy

and
unallocated
items

     equity in losses of affiliates

     included in cost of revenues and
     operating expenses

     current

     borrowings

(In Thousands of U.S. Dollars)

Energy

and
unallocated
items

source

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Bringing solar modules into the United States will cease to be financially sensible under the newly imposed Section 232 tariffs on polysilicon-based goods, as stated by Intertek CEA. This evaluation was presented during a webinar held on August 27, 2026, by the quality assurance and supply chain services firm.
Christian Roselund, who oversees policy research at Intertek CEA, indicated that he anticipates U.S. module producers will take the lead in the market come 2027, driven by the elevated costs of imported solar PV modules resulting from Section 232. The tariff framework sets minimum import prices (MIP) for polysilicon, silicon ingots and wafers, solar cells, and modules, along with an additional 15% tariff. The MIP stands at US$0.38 per watt for modules and US$0.22 per watt for cells.
Even with the projected dominance of U.S. module manufacturers starting in 2027, Roselund noted that their profit margins are likely to be squeezed by the higher expenses associated with importing cells. At present, the U.S. faces a gap of roughly 50GW between its solar cell and module production capacities, with about 11GW of cells available to support over 60GW of PV module capacity. Consequently, most module-only manufacturers will keep depending on imports, which will erode their margins and push module prices upward.
A comparable scenario is expected for cell-only producers such as ES Foundry or Suniva, as they will need to cover the cost of imported silicon wafers at the MIP of US$100 per kilogram. These cell makers will then increase their prices when selling to module factories, thereby transferring expenses along the supply chain.
The notable exception lies with vertically integrated firms, which are positioned to gain the most from the Section 232 duties. Such companies are scarce in the current U.S. solar market. Hanwha Qcells manufactures both solar PV cells and modules, as do T1 Energy, Toyo Solar, and several others, yet the data reveal that cell and especially wafer production trails module assembly considerably.
These companies, whether they have U.S.-based cell production or captive cell facilities overseas, benefit from the lower MIPs at earlier stages of the supply chain. There are greater advantages to importing wafers at roughly US$0.12 per watt or cells at US$0.22 per watt, while completing the remaining manufacturing steps within the U.S.
Intertek CEA currently reports that imported modules in the U.S. are priced around US$0.46 per watt, while U.S. modules using foreign cells range from US$0.38 to US$0.44 per watt. Modules with U.S.-made cells are priced at US$0.45 to US$0.50 per watt, reflecting the scarcity of domestic cells, and fully domestic supply chains, which are confined to output from Corning and Hemlock, sit near US$0.50 per watt due to their protection from future tariffs.
Joseph C. Johnson, associate director for market intelligence at Intertek CEA, characterized these prices as a modest market overreaction to the introduction of new costs. They may therefore adjust downward over time, but the overarching direction is evident: U.S. module prices are climbing, which favors a limited set of well-established players.
The webinar also touched on the potential for more competitive tactics among manufacturers as the industry adjusts to the new circumstances, with some entities discovering methods to offer modules at lower prices. This trend is particularly relevant heading into the 2030s, when CEA projects that U.S. module manufacturing capacity will far outstrip annual demand. Solar installations are anticipated to stay relatively steady through 2030, whereas module capacity could surpass 115GW, and even cell capacity might exceed deployment levels based on existing credible expansion plans.
Ultimately, the considerable uncertainty surrounding the Section 232 policy and other elements of the U.S. solar market discourages investment in new upstream manufacturing, according to Roselund. He emphasized that this policy is not fixed, as the Secretary of Commerce retains the authority to modify the MIPs over time in response to market conditions, potentially leading to unpredictable fluctuations.
Additionally, the U.S. is confronting new restrictions on power equipment such as inverters and transformers, along with various other tariffs that compound the Section 232 duties, and the expiration of tax credits designed to promote solar adoption. Establishing new cell or wafer facilities can entail investments of up to US$165 million per GW and several years of construction before becoming operational. Roselund observed that by the time such facilities come online, the 45X Advanced Manufacturing tax credit would be nearing its expiration, thereby eliminating a key incentive for domestic content and cell production in the U.S.
The Section 232 update is poised to substantially affect the U.S. solar supply chain, a topic slated for deeper examination at the PV CellTech USA conference scheduled for October 13-14, 2026. The event will cover the policy and investment environment for U.S. solar manufacturing across the supply chain, featuring speakers like Mike Carr, executive director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition.
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China Built a Solar Panel Empire—and May Have Seriously Messed Up Its Birds  AOL.com
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“If the law gives us a path to say ‘no’, I think we all should know about it.”
Photo Credit: iStock
In Virginia, two Hampton Roads cities, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, are putting the brakes on the fast-growing data center industry amid concerns over land use, noise, water demand, and rising energy costs.
Chesapeake voted to stop allowing data centers by-right use in certain areas, while Virginia Beach approved a 12-month pause on permits for new facilities as it works on rules for the industry.
Local governments in southeast Virginia are taking a new approach to large digital infrastructure projects as they decide how much room they want to make for them, according to Virginia Business.
In Virginia Beach, the moratorium temporarily halts permits for data centers as a primary use until either a final ordinance is adopted or the 12-month window expires. In Chesapeake, developers can no longer move ahead automatically in certain zones and must instead win City Council approval one project at a time.
A basic problem has complicated Virginia Beach’s effort to write regulations: City officials have said there’s no standard industry definition for what qualifies as a data center. 
Zoning administrator Hannah Sabo told the Planning Commission, “One of the kinds of roadblocks or issues we’re running into is there’s no industry standard definition for a data center.”
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Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson said the city wants oversight before those facilities can move into industrially zoned areas.
“In places that are zoned industrial, they could go in there by-right, and you know we don’t want that to happen to be able to just go in by-right without us having any say-so on it,” Wilson said, per Virginia Business.
As land for new projects becomes harder to find elsewhere in Virginia, data center development has spread beyond Loudoun County’s “data center alley,” the world’s largest concentration of data centers.
Those facilities can place major demands on electric infrastructure, and in Virginia, the effects are especially visible on the PJM grid, where capacity costs tied to growing power demand are already showing up on household utility bills.
In Chesapeake, opposition has centered on concerns over noise, shrinking rural land, electricity use, and environmental impacts, as Virginia Business reported. 
“Look, it’s not red or blue,” resident David Williams said at a council meeting. “It’s just people.”
Officials said potential data center sites also sat close to residential areas. As Virginia Business reported, more than 27,000 residentially zoned parcels were within 500 feet of land where a data center could have been developed.
Chesapeake’s action did more than end by-right development. As Virginia Business reported, it also confined data centers to industrial districts and has prevented them from connecting to groundwater. The city also asked Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones to weigh in on whether state law leaves any route to ban data centers entirely.
Across Virginia, other localities are also weighing stricter data center rules. After successfully pushing to remove the Fentress Airfield Overlay district from the ordinance, councilwoman Amanda Newins said the city needs more time to understand the industry’s full impact.
“I personally believe that we have to put your quality of life above the interests of an industry that is going to place an enormous demand on our water, electricity, our land, our infrastructure, while fundamentally changing the character of the communities around it,” she said.
During the moratorium, Virginia Beach plans to keep gathering input from industry representatives and other stakeholders while it studies setbacks, buffers, noise, and other standards.
Newins said residents deserve a definitive legal answer before city leaders say a ban cannot be done: “If the law gives us a path to say ‘no’, I think we all should know about it.”
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A researcher at Turkey’s Selçuk University has conducted a comparative analysis of multiple machine learning algorithms for predicting plane-of-array (PoA) irradiance on bifacial PV panels. The researcher used identical input conditions to predict PoA irradiance on both the front and rear sides of the panels.
“This study presented a comprehensive machine learning–based framework for predicting front-side and rear-side PoA irradiance in a bifacial photovoltaic system using routinely measured meteorological, surface-related, and temporal input variables,” researcher Ayşegül Toprak said in the paper. “This study demonstrates that accurate and interpretable prediction of both front and rear PoA irradiance can be achieved using a compact set of easily measurable inputs.”
The study used synchronized field measurements collected between Nov. 17, 2023, and May 29, 2024, from a vertical bifacial PV testbed operated by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. The testbed consisted of a vertically mounted bifacial PV array positioned close to the ground, along with meteorological sensors, ground-reflected irradiance measurements and six IMT reference cells.
The input dataset included global horizontal irradiance (GHI), diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI), ambient temperature, wind speed, testbed albedo and a binary reflector variable, as well as hour_sin and hour_cos, which represent the daily solar cycle. Before model training, the researcher removed physically implausible zero values, sensor faults and records containing missing or inconsistent measurements.
Toprak then evaluated six regression algorithms: linear regression, k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector regression (SVR) with a radial basis function kernel, random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and a feedforward multilayer perceptron (MLP). Each model was run separately for front and rear PoA irradiance using the same input variables and identical five-fold cross-validation partitions in MATLAB. Predictive accuracy was assessed using root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and the Pearson correlation coefficient (r).
The results showed that nonlinear models clearly outperformed linear regression in predicting both front- and rear-side irradiance. Random forest achieved the best performance for front PoA irradiance, with an RMSE of 0.188, an MAE of 0.061 and a correlation coefficient of 0.982. It was followed closely by MLP, XGBoost and SVR, all of which recorded correlation coefficients above 0.97.
Rear PoA irradiance proved more difficult to predict. Random forest again performed best, with an RMSE of 0.236, an MAE of 0.080 and an r value of 0.973, while MLP recorded the same RMSE but a slightly higher MAE of 0.086. Linear regression ranked last for both targets, with RMSE values of 0.682 for front PoA irradiance and 0.593 for rear PoA irradiance.
“The results indicate that front-side irradiance is primarily governed by global irradiance and diurnal solar geometry, whereas rear-side irradiance is strongly influenced by surface-related factors such as ground albedo and the presence of reflective ground cover, confirming the conditional and interaction-driven nature of rear-side irradiance formation in bifacial systems,” Toprak concluded.
The study, “Front and rear plane-of-array irradiance in bifacial photovoltaic systems: A machine learning-based prediction approach,” was published in Energy Reports.
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Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
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5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
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ROCK SPRINGS — The Rock Springs Police Department shared a Facebook post stating that the city does not use Flock cameras in response to recent vandalism of solar panels powering streetlights.
While the RSPD did not outright say the trend of destroying Flock cameras and the recent damage to solar panels were connected, the timing was close enough that the department felt the need to address it. Phylicia Lukacik, RSPD public information officer, referenced social media posts claiming that Flock cameras are being installed in and around Rock Springs. Lukacik told SweetwaterNOW that the city does not have any Flock cameras or automatic license plate readers. 
“We’ve seen how quickly something posted online can turn into something people accept as fact. One person makes an assumption, someone else shares it, and before long the information has traveled far beyond the original post,” the RSPD’s statement read. “By the time we’re dealing with damaged equipment, the rumor may have taken on a life of its own.”
The RSPD said not every camera, solar panel, or piece of equipment around town is a Flock camera, and much of it is simply part of the city’s infrastructure. The police department encourages residents to ask them questions about the equipment seen around Rock Springs, saying it would much rather clear something up than “have someone make an assumption based on a social media post and act on it.”
The RSPD asks residents not to remove, damage or tamper with city equipment. The solar panels and other components are there for a reason, and repairing them costs money and can affect services that the community relies on, the RSPD said. 
“We understand that cameras, privacy and surveillance are topics people have questions about. Those are legitimate conversations to have. But they need to start with accurate information,” the RSPD said. “Again, the City of Rock Springs does NOT use Flock cameras.”
The RSPD urges residents who witness someone tampering with or damaging city equipment to report it to law enforcement rather than handling it themselves. 
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Complex site topography can have a crucial bearing on a PV system’s energy yield. In a market characterised by tight margins and careful risk management, precision in terrain-aware modelling is an essential ingredient of smart engineering, writes Solargis CEO Marcel Suri.
In photovoltaics, terrain is not a cosmetic detail; it’s an important input into energy yield. The reality is that many utility-scale PV projects are not built on perfectly flat plots of land. On the contrary: they often sit on sloped, hilly or otherwise irregular grounds, with lots of variables that need to be taken into account.
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Complex topography affects the fundamentals behind PV performance in two ways. Optically, it changes shading behaviour and view factors. Electrically, it affects operating points and losses that depend on irradiance variability, temperature and angle of incidence. If the geometry used in the simulation does not match the geometry used in the design, the uncertainty introduced is not random, it is systematic. Wrong geometry in, wrong yield out.
This is why PV layouts should reflect real terrain: not only to reduce construction risk, but also to avoid inaccuracies in yield estimates. In practice, however, the connection between design and simulation is often weaker than it appears.
When you import a detailed terrain model and design a PV layout in 3D, you expect that when you hit “simulate”, the design will reflect the terrain. But many solutions on the market simplify the terrain, smoothing out slopes and removing local variations until the whole power plant is treated as if it were built on flat ground. The terrain is simply lost in the process.
So how can PV designers and developers avoid this and simulate energy yield using terrain that actually reflects reality?
The first challenge is obtaining and importing terrain data into the PV design tool. The first prerequisite, of course, is using software that supports terrain adapted design.
The industry still uses a wide range of terrain sources. Many tools rely on global DEM (Digital Elevation Model) layers with 30-90-metre resolution, but this data is often several years to decades old – adequate for early screening, but it can be misleading in mountainous terrain, in valleys, on terraced land, or on sites shaped by earthworks, roads and drainage.
For detailed design, you typically need to import your own terrain. The most robust format in practice is often GeoTIFF, because it carries georeferencing information in the file header. When you load multiple tiles, they can align correctly without manual stitching.
This leads to a key point that is easy to overlook. “Terrain” is not always terrain. Remote sensing products such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) may include tree canopies, buildings or temporary structures. Sometimes that is exactly what you want, because it can capture near shading without manually modelling every obstacle.
Sometimes it is a problem, because artefacts can behave like solid barriers in a 3D mesh. Power lines, for example, can be reconstructed as a wall rather than cables in the air, which then produces unrealistic shading and false collisions. Terrain data needs scrutiny before it becomes design truth.
Even when you have good terrain, you face a different constraint: computation. A detailed LiDAR or drone scan produces a so-called ‘point cloud’ that can be many gigabytes large. It is often unrealistic to manipulate these raw datasets interactively in a browser-based environment, and you do not want to waste rendering capacity on parts of the scene that have no relevance to PV geometry.
A useful approach is to convert elevation data into an optimised triangular mesh that preserves the important ridgelines and breaks in slope, while reducing triangles in areas where the surface is nearly flat.
For example, algorithms such as Mapbox’s “Delatin” illustrate this principle well: you accept controlled, quantified loss in geometric fidelity in exchange for a mesh that can be rendered and edited smoothly. The goal is maximum relevance where design decisions are sensitive to slope, curvature and local shading.
Once the terrain is usable, the central question becomes: does the PV layout actually conform to it, and does the simulator honour that same conforming geometry?
On undulating ground, table placement changes continuously. Row-to-row clearance, pile heights and tracker rotations interact with slope and local curvature. In tracker systems, the situation is especially unforgiving because a table that clears the terrain at one rotation angle may intersect it at another. If you only check geometry at a neutral position, you can miss collisions that occur during morning or afternoon tracking, or during stow events.
A terrain-adapted layout therefore needs two qualities. It must place structures on the terrain with realistic constraints, and it must preserve the detailed geometry into the simulation step, where shading and irradiance distribution are computed. If the simulator replaces that with a flattened approximation, you lose the entire point of terrain aware design.
On complex terrain, collisions are not rare edge cases. They are a predictable consequence of steep slopes, short clearances, and non-uniform table heights. Collisions can occur between adjacent tables in a deep valley, between tables and the terrain when legs are too short and between tables and equipment such as inverters placed beneath structures.
Smart collision detection is about preventing late-stage redesign and reducing the risk that constructability problems will arise after procurement decisions are made. Robust software solutions detect collisions immediately as the designer edits the layout, because waiting until a final design review is often too late and too expensive.
Most engineers are familiar with slope limits. At some point, a surface is simply too steep for economically reasonable construction and maintenance. But slope magnitude alone does not describe terrain suitability.
In the northern hemisphere, a given slope angle can have very different implications depending on whether it faces south or north. The same grade can ither support favourable module orientation or create persistent shading and access problems.
That is why terrain azimuth, the directional orientation of slopes, deserves to be treated as a first-order design variable rather than an afterthought. In practice, the best terrain-aware decisions come from combining slope magnitude, slope direction and local shading context into a single constraint view, rather than relying on a single “maximum slope” number.
Terrain also changes the effective tilt and exposure of PV surfaces, which can influence soiling dynamics and snow behaviour. In mountainous regions, especially, differences in surface tilt and local wind patterns can affect how quickly modules shed snow, how rainfall cleans surfaces and how long soiling persists.
This does not mean a model can “solve” snow and soiling perfectly. It means that if you ignore terrain in the geometry, you can end up applying loss assumptions that are inconsistent with how the plant will actually behave. For banks and investors, these inconsistencies show up later as performance surprises. For engineers, they show up as overdesign margins and uncomfortable uncertainty.
If you work on projects in complex topography, there is a straightforward question worth asking any simulation provider: how does your engine represent undulating terrain in the actual yield calculation?
Does it use the same 3D geometry you designed, or does it use a flattened layout?
Terrain-adapted PV design is not about making a 3D image of a solar power plant that looks impressive. It is about ensuring that the geometry you model is the geometry you simulate, and that the physics of the site is preserved all the way into bankable energy yield assumptions.
When simulation is done at the cell level on a realistic terrain model, the loss breakdown becomes more honest: you can see which energy losses are driven by topography, weather conditions, and which by design choices such as row spacing, tilt, or tracker geometry.
In a market where margins are tighter and risks are scrutinised harder than ever, precision in terrain-aware modelling is no longer a nice to have. It’s part of a smart engineering practice.
Marcel Suri is an entrepreneur and cofounder of the solar data and software company Solargis. He is an expert in solar resource, photovoltaics and geoscience. Holding a PhD in geography and geoinformatics, Marcel has made significant contributions to solar energy through science and peer-reviewed research. Driven by a passion for innovation, he is dedicated to improving the efficiency of digital tools and data resources and analytics that mitigate weather-related risks and elevate industry standards.

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Many energy-saving programs go underused because people do not know where to begin.
Photo Credit: York County Community Foundation
A new $400,000 grant in York County, Pennsylvania, could do far more than fund a new community position. It could also give residents a clearer path to the energy-saving programs, partnerships, and long-term planning that often help climate and cost-cutting efforts succeed.
The funding will support a full-time sustainability coordinator tasked with connecting organizations and helping shape a countywide resilience plan — a role that could be especially valuable for households trying to navigate rebates, efficiency upgrades, and local resources.
RegenAll is set to add two York County roles with support from the York County Community Foundation: a full-time sustainability coordinator and a part-time program manager.
As abc27 reported, the work is meant to “advance a community-driven vision to strengthen sustainability, resilience and cross-sector collaboration.”
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Foundation officials said the award emerged from a multi-year community engagement effort linked to the sustainable energy fund the organization created in 1993. According to the foundation, that fund has helped more than 130 nonprofits avoid over $15 million in “direct and avoidable energy costs.”
Many energy-saving programs go underused because people do not know where to begin. A county-level point person can help connect families with workshops, partnerships, and practical guidance that lowers utility bills while strengthening the local economy.
Going solar is also one of the best ways to save money on home energy over time. If you’re considering it, you can use EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
The York County expansion builds on work RegenAll began after launching in Lancaster County in 2021. The nonprofit describes its mission as “identifying and implementing local climate solutions through collaboration, education and community engagement.”
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After gaining traction in Lancaster County, including work at the Sunnyside Peninsula, it received a 2025 grant to grow its York County presence through workshops and events, according to the York County Community Foundation.
One of the coordinator’s central responsibilities will be creating a countywide Community Resilience Plan, the foundation said, with five focus areas: “Energy independence, food security, carbon neutrality, ecological regeneration, and thriving communities.”
The foundation said the project is expected to reach roughly 1,500 residents during the grant’s three-year span. It also said the coordinator will lead public-facing events and engagement opportunities, such as carbon neutral coffee meetups, green drinks, workshops, and partnership activities.
Better local coordination can help residents find programs for efficiency improvements, learn about cleaner technologies, and take advantage of incentives that might otherwise be easy to miss.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
For homeowners, free tools can also make those choices easier. EnergySage‘s no-cost marketplace is designed to let shoppers compare options more confidently before making a major home-energy investment.
Readers can also check EnergySage’s solar map, which shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with details on local solar panel incentives. Together, those resources can help people get the best price for rooftop solar panels.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is also one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. You can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
As RegenAll executive director Alessandra DeJesus Restrepo said, per abc27, “Creating this full-time Sustainability Coordinator position enables RegenAll to turn community-driven goals into lasting, impactful action across the county.”
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“We didn’t go up, and that was good.”
Photo Credit: Amherst-Pelham Regional School District
Amherst, Massachusetts, cut its greenhouse gas pollution by nearly 13% below 2016 levels in fiscal year 2025, marking progress even as the town fell short of its first major climate benchmark.
As the Daily Hampshire Gazette reported, that first goal called for a 25% cut by 2025, meaning the town has achieved roughly half of the reduction it had planned for 2025.
A new greenhouse gas inventory shows Amherst’s total community emissions are 12.9% lower than they were in 2016. Emissions from municipal operations declined more sharply, coming in 17% below that baseline.
The town’s reduction timetable comes from its Climate Action, Adaptation and Resilience Plan, which the Town Council approved in November 2019. That plan set goals of 25% below 2016 emissions by 2025, 50% below by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2050.
Officials still described the new numbers as evidence that Amherst is moving in the right direction. 
“We didn’t go up, and that was good,” Amherst sustainability director Stephanie Ciccarello said.
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She also noted the town is doing better than many comparable Massachusetts communities.
That view was also shared by James Ordway, the University of New Hampshire master’s student who prepared the report.
“Thirteen percent is lower than what we hoped for, but at least it’s going down, and not everyone’s going down,” he said.
Town government represents less than 2% of Amherst’s total emissions, but municipal emissions still dropped from 4,947 U.S. tons (4,488 metric tons) of carbon dioxide equivalent in fiscal year 2016 to 4,114 U.S. tons (3,732 metric tons) by fiscal year 2025.
Because the municipal share is so small, most community emissions come from households, vehicles, and major institutions such as the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. UMass alone produces about as much pollution as all other community emissions combined, making its decisions especially significant for Amherst’s totals.
Stationary energy use in town buildings makes up the biggest portion of municipal emissions. Ordway said those accounts represent 75% of the municipal ledger, and the report also flagged a 70% rise in pumping station emissions without identifying a cause.
The inventory also pointed to ways for local programs to reduce both pollution and utility bills,  including building upgrades, electrification, and home efficiency measures.
Several projects already in progress could improve Amherst’s results in future inventories. Wildwood and Fort River, two of the town’s biggest-polluting school buildings, are being replaced by Amethyst Brook, a new net-zero elementary school, and the renovated and expanded Jones Library is expected to open in 2027 with lower energy use.
The transportation side of municipal operations also showed gains, with emissions down 22.3%. Fire Department emissions increased because of higher call volume and changes in dispatch policy, while the use of hybrid vehicles also affected the totals.
Institutions outside town government will be central to Amherst’s next phase as well. UMass and Amherst College are both working on geothermal projects, but local committee members remain concerned that UMass is not moving away from its central heating plant for existing buildings.
Amherst’s interim climate milestone is expected in 2028, but local officials said the current report already offers a useful reality check.
“Overall, the municipality is doing pretty well, I think,” Ordway said.
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The MV Yampu, a diesel-electric self-loading 11, 000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) Limestone Carrier has begun operations transporting limestone from construction materials company Adbri’s quarry on South Australia’s (SA’s) Yorke Peninsula to Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) subsidiary CSL Australia’s Birkenhead cement manufacturing plant in Adelaide.
An Andorra-based marine energy company AYK Energy 6.7 MWh Aries+S battery system installed on Yampu will recharge at Adbri’s facility, allowing battery operation for the ship approximately 40% of the time.
MV Yampu was built in China for CSL Australia under a contract held by Finland’s technology group Wärtsilä, and forms part of the vessel’s hybrid diesel-electric power system.
Approximately half of the ship’s energy demand comes from shore power and onboard storage, with the system’s design allowing for an upgrade to 100% electric operations in the future.
CSL Chief Executive Officer Louis Martel said MV Yampu represents a significant step forward in the company’s decarbonization journey and demonstrates how practical innovation can deliver real environmental benefits while meeting the demands of commercial operations.
“Every improvement in cargo handling, every enhancement to onboard systems, and every operational innovation has been implemented with one goal in mind: helping our crews perform their work safely, efficiently and sustainably,” Martel said.
“Ultimately, this vessel showcases how smart design can improve performance,” he added. “The Yampu strengthens our supply chain, supports local jobs and demonstrates that reducing emissions and maintaining a strong Australian manufacturing sector can go hand in hand.”
The name Yampu was chosen through an Adbri-wide employee process and comes from the Narungga and Kaurna languages of SA, where it refers to dolphins.
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Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
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The study measured middle class relative to what people in a given place typically earn.
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Rising bills for basics such as food and housing have made “middle class” feel harder to pin down for many families.
An income analysis has suggested that the minimum household income to qualify for that status in New York starts at $57,213.
As lohud reported, SmartAsset relied on 2024 one-year American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau to estimate middle-class earnings in every state and the 100 largest U.S. cities. The company used Pew Research Center’s formula, which defines middle class as households earning between two-thirds and twice a place’s median household income.
Applying that method to New York produced a middle-class band of $57,213 to $171,640, based on a statewide median household income of $85,820.
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SmartAsset’s state comparison placed New York 15th by the median income associated with middle-class status, behind Massachusetts at $104,828 and New Jersey at $104,294.
The numbers shift sharply depending on where people live. In Buffalo, which ranked 98th among the nation’s 100 largest cities, middle-class households earn from $34,807 to $104,422, with a median of $52,211. In New York City, the reported range was $54,152 to $162,456, with a median of $81,228.
For homeowners looking to make their earnings go further, easing monthly bills could help. For example, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. You can check out EnergySage for free solar panel installation estimates and to compare quotes.
The study measured middle class relative to what people in a given place typically earn, not necessarily what any one family needs to feel financially secure. That helps to explain why New York City’s threshold can still look lower than the statewide cutoff even though the city’s cost of living is famously high.
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What that label covers in daily life can include paying for a home, building an emergency cushion, putting money toward retirement, helping support children, and still having room for an occasional vacation.
A salary that stretches much further in Buffalo may feel far tighter in the five boroughs or nearby suburbs, especially once rent or mortgage payments, child care, transportation, and utility bills are taken into account.
Energy spending is one area where some homeowners may be able to lower costs, especially if they plan to stay in the same home for years.
EnergySage’s free services can help make that process easier. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
EnergySage’s solar map also shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with details on solar panel incentives in each state. Together, these resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels.
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 learn more can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For many families, it is another reminder that where they live plays a major role in how far their income can actually go.
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China Built a Solar Panel Empire—and May Have Seriously Messed Up Its Birds  Popular Mechanics
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Posted By: Mining.com Staff August 28, 2026
Zinc climbed to its highest level since June 2022 on the London Metal Exchange (LME) as warehouse stockpiles drained to multi-year lows and mine supply cuts tightened the physical market.
LME zinc for cash settlement closed at $4,107 a tonne ($1.86 a lb.) on Thursday, the highest in more than four years and up 55% from a trough of about $2,650 in mid-2025.
Stock in LME warehouses dropped from about 264,000 tonnes in December 2024 to roughly 95,000 tonnes, a 64% drawdown that has left available metal at its lowest since April 2023, Fastmarkets reported. 
However, China is finally beginning to ramp up zinc exports, according to market participants talking to Fastmarkets this week. The catalyst is tied to how imported zinc was about $720 per tonne more expensive than domestic metal in China this week, the widest disadvantage for imports since 2022.
“China has remained a net importer of refined zinc units this year, albeit at significantly weaker levels, as a combination of strong refined zinc output in China and weak domestic demand caused a build-up of inventories in China at the detriment of LME inventories,” BMO Capital Markets reported in a note on Friday. 
“There are now signs that the arbitrage is strong enough to stimulate exports, with one trader interviewed by Fastmarkets suggesting that refined zinc exports could reach around 20,000 tonnes in August,” BMO said. “We expect this to weigh on LME zinc prices, which have climbed to a 4-year high of nearly $3,900 per tonne in recent months.” 
The simultaneous decline in inventory and rise in price shows physical tightness, as the cash settlement price rises while warehouse stock declines because buyers have less to draw on.
The tightness is mostly concentrated in Western warehouses. Shanghai Futures Exchange zinc inventory has risen over the same period that LME stock has drained, Reuters reported. 
HSBC’s Global Commodity Team forecasts a 2.1% year-on-year decline in 2026 to 12.5 million tonnes, due to lower production levels in Latin America. 
JP Morgan expects zinc prices to stay elevated through 2026 as global supply tightens and demand rises, Investing.com reported.
Major zinc producers exposed to the LME price include Teck Resources (TSX: TECK; NYSE: TECK) with a 47% increase, Glencore (LSE: GLEN) with a 46% increase and Nexa Resources (TSX: NEXA) with a 60% increase in shares since January 2026. 
 
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“It has been going up, never went down.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Florida officials have said home insurance premiums are finally starting to ease across much of the state, offering a small sign of relief after years of punishing increases for homeowners.
But for many residents in Palm Beach County and nearby communities, the changes are still too modest to make a meaningful difference in day-to-day finances.
State data from the first half of 2026 showed average property insurance premiums declined in 51 of Florida’s 67 counties, according to WFLX.
Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee were among the counties where premiums fell.
The July 2026 Property Insurance Stability Report compared average premiums from January 2026 with those from July 2026.
Indian River posted one of the larger local changes, dropping 2.7% from $4,453 to $4,334.
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Palm Beach declined 1.4%, from $6,412 to $6,323; Martin fell 1.6%, from $5,993 to $5,899; St. Lucie slipped 0.9%, from $3,522 to $3,491; and Okeechobee decreased 0.6%, from $3,754 to $3,730.
The report pointed to less litigation after state reforms as one reason some insurers have reduced rates.
Even so, the declines are small, and annual premiums in many of those counties still total several thousand dollars.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss said county commissioners are still hearing regularly from residents who are struggling with high insurance bills.
“One of the big ticket items of living here is the cost of homeowners insurance,” Weiss said.
Weiss also offered his own example of how far some homeowners go to cut costs. He said he dropped wind coverage on his West Palm Beach home and saved tens of thousands of dollars. Losing that protection can leave a homeowner exposed if a major storm hits.
When insurance becomes unaffordable, some homeowners may underinsure their properties, making recovery after disasters more difficult and adding another layer of financial uncertainty to communities already facing growing extreme weather risks.
That helps explain why the new numbers may not feel like a relief. A 0.6% or 1.4% drop may be a welcome change, but it does not erase years of rising premiums or suddenly make coverage affordable for every household.
For residents who have watched insurance costs keep climbing, the state’s figures may not match lived experience. 
“It has been going up, never went down,” Palm Beach County resident Barry Garcia told WFLX.
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The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Some new plug-in solar kits are rated at 890W, 1,030W or even 1,260W despite Britain’s 800W limit – here’s why they can still comply with the rules
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Plug-in solar panels are now legal in Great Britain, but anyone browsing the first systems to go on sale may have spotted what, on the surface, looks like a contradiction with the government’s new rules for compliance.
The new rules limit plug-in solar to 800W, yet Argos is already selling UKSOL kits labelled 890W, 1,030W and even 1,260W. So how can they be allowed under the new rules?
The answer is that those larger numbers describe the combined generating capacity of the solar panels, while the legal limit applies to the amount of power the system can feed into your home.
Under the government’s new plug-in solar specification, a compliant system can have a maximum apparent AC power output of 800VA – generally presented to consumers as an 800W limit. The plug-in panels have a microinverter built into the system that ensures it can’t supply more than this amount to your household circuit.
Read more: First look at plug-in solar panels
Solar panels generate direct current (DC) electricity, which passes through the system’s microinverter and is converted into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is used by the appliances in your home.
The plug-in solar panels and the inverter therefore have their own separate power ratings.
Take, for example, the £989 UKSOL Pro Max kit currently listed by Argos. It includes two 630W solar panels, giving it a total nominal panel capacity of 1,260W, but those panels feed into an 800W microinverter. No matter how much electricity the panels are capable of producing, the inverter still limits the AC output supplied to the house.
That means a system can legitimately contain more than 800W of solar panel capacity without exceeding the plug-in solar limit.
Read more: Plug-in vs installed solar panels
Your next question is probably: What’s the point, then, of getting panels with more than 800W capacity? It’s a good question. It might sound wasteful, but solar panels rarely produce their headline output on a continuous basis.
A panel’s wattage is measured under standard laboratory test conditions. But in the real world, output varies according to factors such as the time of day, season, cloud cover, temperature, shading and the direction and angle of the panels.
Using a system that’s more than 800W of panel capacity can therefore help an 800W microinverter get closer to its maximum output for more of the day.
Argos, for example, says the oversized 1,260W panel capacity in its UKSOL kit is intended to maximise generation during poorer weather. On a cloudy morning, the panels might collectively produce considerably less than their theoretical maximum, meaning all of that electricity can still pass through the inverter.
When conditions are good enough for the panels to generate more power than the inverter can handle, the inverter simply caps its AC output at its maximum. This is sometimes known as “clipping”.
Read more: Are plug-in solar panels worth buying?
The important figure for shoppers is therefore not necessarily the number printed on the solar panels.
Britain’s new rules allow a compliant plug-in solar product with a maximum apparent power output of 800VA. The government specification defines a plug-in solar product as a complete system including at least one solar panel, a grid-following microinverter, a manufacturer-supplied lead and UK plug, and a mounting system.
So seeing a 1,030W or 1,260W plug-in solar kit doesn’t mean a manufacturer or retailer has found a loophole in the new 800W rules. It simply means the panels have been oversized relative to the inverter. What reaches your household electrical circuit is still capped at 800W.
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LANSING — Michigan has given the go-ahead for a nearly $100 million solar farm in southern Ingham County, the first project to move forward under a 2023 state renewable energy law that shifted approval for such projects from local governments to the Michigan Public Service Commission.
The MPSC agreed to let Chicago-based Ranger Power construct its 90-megawatt Acceleration Solar Project on 870 acres spanning Leslie, Vevay and Onondaga townships in southwest Ingham County. It also OK’d a settlement agreement between the developer, local governments and the state agency, MPSC officials said in its Thursday, Aug. 27, release.
The project will be developed mainly east of College Road and south of Barnes Road in Vevay Township, and also includes parcels in Vevay and Onondaga townships.
The settlement agreement between MPSC, Ranger Power and the three townships establishes requirements for project construction, noise control, vegetative screening, lighting limitations, prompt complaint resolution, financial assurance for decommissioning, limitations on tree clearing, and more.
The agreement also sets limitations on the project’s footprint, which will include 618 fenced acres, and lays out rules for decommissioning including removal of underground infrastructure and restoration of the land for future agriculture use.
It also includes additional funding for township legal expenses, drain maintenance, and local fire personnel and first-responder training. The company agreed to execute a collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations for the project construction and maintenance work to be performed.
“The MPSC and the townships will monitor construction and operation of the project to ensure compliance, with required reports submitted to the Commission and townships,” the commission said in its release. “That includes annual reports on energy production, complaints, maintenance, and financial assurance through the life of the project.”
Ryan Wardin, spokesman for Ranger Power, said construction should begin in the first quarter of 2027 and operations should begin in mid-2028.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement that Michigan is leading the way on the future of clean energy.
“This project will bring tens of millions in investment and more than a hundred good-paying jobs to Michigan communities,” she said. “It’s the very first project sited under the historic clean energy bill package I signed in 2023, which is helping us improve the grid, lower electricity bills, and build, baby, build more solar panels and wind turbines across Michigan.
“Let’s work together to grow our economy, protect our air, land, and water, secure our energy independence, and build a bright future for Michigan.”
Supervisors John Lazet of Vevay Township and Phil Hutchison of Onondaga Township could not be reached for comment.
Dallas Henney, Leslie Township’s supervisor, has been critical of the solar project and said earlier this year the legislation “pretty much took it out of our hands.” So he and the the other supervisors did what they could, Henney told the State Journal on Friday, Aug. 28, to get the best deal for their constituents.
“The process was tedious, which most government processes are,” he said. “Obviously, it was going to happen. It is what it is.”
Ranger Power’s release included a statement from Lazet.
“Following the filing of an application with the MPSC, the Township is grateful that Ranger Power was willing to sit down and listen to the quality of life concerns we had,” Lazet said. “We found Ranger Power to be thorough, detailed, competent, and open to township input. The result being an agreement that we feel is in the best interest ofboth the township and the Project.”
Ranger officials said Acceleration Solar is expected to bring up to $136 million in investment to thecounty and create approximately 150 jobs during construction. There will be a handful of long-term, full-time operations and maintenance positions.
The company said the project will generate substantial tax revenue, with an estimated $8 million going to InghamCounty, $5.1 million to the Ingham Intermediate School District, $4.6 million to local schools, and $7.3 million incombined revenue for township millages.
“Today’s decision demonstrates what can be accomplished when communities, project developers, and state leaders work together toward a shared goal,” said Paul Harris, Ranger Power’s co-founder and president. “We are grateful to the community members and leaders of Vevay, Leslie, and Onondaga townships for their thoughtful engagement throughout this process. Acceleration Solar will deliver significant investment and employment opportunities whilesupporting Michigan’s long-term energy goals to provide the cheapest power available.”
Ranger Power promised in the release to maintain close coordination with the three townships, Ingham County, residents and state officials as Acceleration Solar progresses. This continued engagement is to include regular construction updates, pre-construction coordination and resident input on preferred visual screening.
DESRI, Ranger Power’s New York City-based partner on projects across the upper Midwest, will assume project responsibility at the start of construction and continue community engagement throughout Acceleration Solar’sbuildout and operations.
Ranger Power’s Acceleration Solar application was the first filed with the MPSC after legislators approved Public Act 233. The MSPC’s website shows the agency has granted a certificate for Acceleration Solar and it continues to review six complete applications.
Walker Road Solar Farm LLC has voluntarily withdrawn its application to use about 1,600 acres for a solar farm in Bingham Township, near St. Johns.
MPSC records show Walker Road Solar Farm LLC voluntarily withdrew its application.
In January, local residents crowded the Bingham Township hall to protest and raise concerns about the project that a company official said would produce 150 megawatts of clean energy, which is enough to power about 28,000 homes.
The township board did not have a vote in the matter.
Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044. Follow her on Twitter @susanvela.

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Energies Media
The Yellow Sea is generating solar power on floating platforms, and seaweed is keeping it steady.
The intermittency and land limitations of traditional photovoltaic installations remain global challenges.
To address this and boost grid stabilization, developers are exploring different deployment methods.
Offshore infrastructure is rapidly becoming more popular, but harsh marine conditions create structural challenges.
Will the latest findings based on the Yellow Sea study help raise floating integrity more naturally?
In the worldwide race to shift toward renewable energy sources, solar power remains in the lead.
The technology is the largest source of installed green capacity globally.
It has pushed the world’s total renewable capacity past 5.1 terawatts.
In one year, over 500 gigawatts were added, driving approximately three-quarters of new clean energy expansion.
Thanks to highly cost-effective production costs and versatility, solar power can be scaled rapidly.
For many nations, photovoltaics have become fundamental in advancing decarbonization.
However, despite its growth milestones, the source still faces a major obstacle.
Traditionally, solar energy faces intermittency, making power generation dependent on daylight and weather conditions.
If this challenge is not addressed, the variable electricity supply fails to stabilize modern electrical grids.
As a result, the addition of massive battery energy storage systems (BESS) has become vital for utility-scale solar facilities.
But even this combination creates challenges for developers.
Beyond requiring millions in financing for large-scale solar developments, these projects also need vast land footprints.
In densely populated nations such as China, this spatial demand can spark immense conflicts.
In these regions, valuable land is often reserved for housing, agriculture, and conservation.
This leaves little to no room for major energy facilities.
On average, these plants require between five and ten acres of land per megawatt.
When giant battery systems are brought into the equation, the land footprint becomes much larger.
Standard 4-hour systems require up to 9 acres of land, making massive solar-battery plants more costly to expand.
While these combinations are key to meeting rising data center demands, developers are exploring other approaches.
The industry has turned to offshore infrastructure, as floating solar power immediately overcomes land limitations.
But as one problem is solved, another one rises.
Harsh marine conditions can compromise structural integrity, but installations on the Yellow Sea found a biological solution.
China is rapidly expanding its floating solar capacity.
Off the coast of Shandong Province, the Yellow Sea is home to the hybrid installation called Yellow Sea No.1.
The 300 megawatt facility consists of wave-resistant floating solar platforms combined with wind turbines.
The Yellow Sea is known for its extreme seasonal weather, monsoons, and harsh conditions.
This marine environment tests the limits of the floating infrastructure.
However, recent research revealed a surprising notion.
Underneath the panels, seaweed flourished along with other marine life.
This natural growth beneath the platforms created a beneficial dampening effect.
The more the seaweed grew, the bigger the drag it generated.
This drag significantly reduced the impact of wave motion, keeping the structures remarkably steady in the water.
Consequently, the seaweed served as a biological solution to the extreme physical stresses experienced in open marine environments.
Presently, the Yellow Sea No.1 project continues to generate clean energy.
The study’s findings demonstrate the value in exploiting natural marine growth as structural reinforcements.
Key suggestions include intentionally cultivating compatible seaweed species beneath floating platforms.
This will help future projects save engineering costs while boosting structural resilience.
Ultimately, it can help accelerate sustainable offshore capacity growth worldwide, but it is vital to monitor potential risks of biofouling.
You can review the study using the APA CITE: Zhang, P., Qi, X., Cheng, Z., Zhao, Y., Li, J., Zhang, L., … & Ding, H. (2025). Field trial research of a semisubmersible floating photovoltaic platform. Solar Energy, 301, 113982.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.

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How can plug-in solar kits be 1,260W when the limit is 800W?  AOL.com
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