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Standard Solar, partners unveil 7.5-MW New Mexico community solar farm  Renewables Now
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Researchers at the German institute built a photovoltaic water electrolysis system based on micro-concentrator photovoltaics coupled to proton exchange membrane electrolysis. Outdoor testing demonstrated a record solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 31.3%, achieved by a four-junction CPV system driving two PEM cells in series under real operating conditions.
The prototype system has a total aperture area for the collection of sunlight of 64 cm2
Image: Fraunhofer ISE, communications engineering, CC BY 4.0
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) in Germany have developed a photovoltaic water electrolysis system that utilizes its own micro concentrator photovoltaics (micro-CPV) technology.
The scientists explained that prior approaches using dual- and triple-junction III-V concentrator cells reached up to 19.8% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (SHT) outdoors and around 30% indoors, but required careful matching of voltage, current, and system configuration. Their new work demonstrated a four-junction concentrator system driving PEM cells outdoors, achieving a record 31.3% STH efficiency.
“We are still at low technology readiness level (TRL) and therefore it is hard to say how quickly we can get to a low levelized cost of hydrogen which is competitive. We first need partners to develop the system fully,” Frank Dimroth told pv magazine. “With Clearsun Energy, we try to create a startup to commercialize concentrating photovoltaics and this solar hydrogen module could be a future generation product for the company.”
The TRL measures the maturity of technology components for a system and is based on a scale from one to nine, with nine representing mature technologies for full commercial application. “I would say our system is a proof of concept which is TRL3,” Dimroth added. “Currently we have no funding to build a pilot system but of course this would be the next step.”
In the paper “Photovoltaic water electrolysis reaching 31.3% solar-to-H₂ conversion efficiency under outdoor operating conditions,” published in communications engineering, the Fraunhofe ISE researchers explained the electrolysis sytem is driven by the propietary HyCon system, which consists of Fresnel lens arrays focusing light onto four parallel-connected 4-junction CPV cells with a size of 7 mm² each, which are in turn electrically and thermally linked to the anode and cathode of two proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer cells connected in series.
An aluminum frame holds a Fresnel lens array at an 80 mm focal distance from the CPV solar cells, with screw adjustment for fine-tuning alignment. The solar cells are mounted on copper (Cu) substrates fixed to a large copper baseplate, which also supports the overall thermal and structural integration. A series-connected PEM electrolysis stack is attached to the rear of the baseplate, electrically and thermally linked to the CPV system via titanium (Ti) screws and the Cu interface.
Image: Fraunhofer ISE, communications engineering, CC BY 4.0
The CPV solar cells are built by wafer-bonding of two dual-junction structures, namely gallium indium phosphide (GaInP)/gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium indium arsenide phosphide (GaInAsP)/gallium indium arsenide (GaInAs). “This 4 J solar cell technology has demonstrated world record solar-to-electricity (STE) conversion efficiencies of up to 47.6% under the concentrated reference AM1.5 direct spectrum,” the scientists emphasized.
The PEM electrolyzer consists of two machined chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (PVC-C) plates that guide deionized water to the reaction chamber containing the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which uses a 175 μm perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane with a 1.13 cm² active area, coated with iridium at the anode and platinum at the cathode as catalysts. A titanium screw presses a titanium mesh onto the MEA to act as a porous transport layer and flow field for water distribution and product removal.
The whole system was designed to operate the electrolysis stage at elevated temperatures, ideally through thermal coupling with the CPV array.
In its current version, however, only limited passive heat transfer was achieved, so additional inlet water heating was required to sustain stable operation and maintain efficiency. “Hence, active heating will be avoided through an enhanced thermal coupling between the CPV and electrolysis cells in a future design,” the academics emphasized.
The conducted field testing of the CPV/PEM electrolysis system using a dual-axis solar tracker over 13 summer days in Freiburg, Germany, and found the system can achieve hydrogen production with a solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 31.3%. “This is 5% higher than the best photovoltaic/electrolysis systems reported in literature which range between 20 and 30%,” the team said.
This peak performance corresponded to operating conditions where the CPV array and PEM electrolysis stack reached efficiencies of 34.7% and 91.1%, respectively. At this operating point, the system operated at a current density of 368 mA/cm² and a cell voltage of 3.25 V. “No degradation was observed during the 107 hours of operation in which our system went through 13 dynamic cycles,” the researchers concluded, noting that increasing the capacity factor of the HyCon technology to 35% could enable a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) below $3/kg.
 
 
 
 
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EESL Invites EOI For Solar Project DPR And Feasibility Study Agencies Across India  SolarQuarter
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Photovoltaic-thermal or PV-T hybrid solar systems increase electricity production by cooling the PV panel and using the removed thermal energy to heat water. They use the same footprint as a standard PV system.
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Fuse Energy, UK energy supplier has acquired the fully consented 20 MW Cwm Ifor Solar Farm near Caerphilly, South Wales. Savills Earth Capital Advisory advised Caerphilly County Borough Council on the transaction. The project is expected to connect to the grid in December 2026. Cwm Ifor Solar Farm could generate enough electricity to power around 6,000 homes annually. Fuse Energy said the acquisition expands its renewable energy pipeline, which currently totals 1 GW across solar and wind projects. The company plans to develop the project using its in-house engineering, procurement, and construction capabilities. Fuse Energy stated that the project supports its strategy to combine generation, infrastructure, and energy supply operations in the UK.

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Sunrun operates America’s largest home solar, battery storage, and energy services platform, serving hundreds of thousands of households with clean energy solutions and grid-connected systems.
Sunrun has established itself as the nation’s leading residential solar and battery storage provider since its founding in 2007. The company designs, installs, and maintains solar panel systems and battery storage units for homeowners across the United States, offering both purchase and lease financing models to reduce upfront capital barriers.
Updated: 05/14/2026
By Marcus Chen, Senior Product Analyst – covering renewable energy systems and global markets.
Sunrun home solar systems consist of rooftop photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight into electricity for residential use. The company pairs these systems with battery storage units that capture excess energy generated during peak sunlight hours, allowing homeowners to use stored power during evening hours or grid outages. Installation includes electrical integration with the home’s existing panel and connection to the utility grid, enabling net metering where applicable.
The systems are designed for long-term operation, typically with 25-year warranties on panels and 10-15 year warranties on battery components. Sunrun handles system design, permitting, installation, monitoring, and maintenance throughout the contract period. Homeowners can choose between purchasing systems outright, financing through Sunrun’s proprietary programs, or entering lease agreements where Sunrun retains ownership and manages all service obligations.
Residential solar adoption has accelerated across the United States due to declining panel costs, federal tax incentives, and rising electricity rates. The federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) currently allows homeowners to claim 30 percent of system costs as an income tax credit, significantly reducing net investment. Sunrun’s financing and lease models address the primary barrier to adoption: the high upfront capital requirement that prevents many households from accessing renewable energy.
Battery storage integration extends the value proposition beyond daytime generation. Homeowners can reduce peak-hour electricity purchases, protect against grid outages, and participate in demand-response programs that compensate them for grid services. This combination of solar generation and storage creates a more resilient and economically efficient household energy system, particularly in regions with time-of-use electricity pricing or frequent grid disruptions.
For the broader energy industry, distributed residential solar and storage represent a structural shift in electricity supply architecture. As adoption scales, utilities and grid operators must adapt to manage variable renewable generation and storage resources connected at the distribution edge. Sunrun’s scale and operational data contribute to industry understanding of residential energy behavior and grid integration challenges.
The United States residential solar market has grown substantially over the past decade, driven by policy support, technology cost reductions, and consumer demand for energy independence and sustainability. Sunrun operates in a competitive landscape that includes national installers, regional providers, and direct-to-consumer manufacturers. The company differentiates through its vertically integrated model, which combines sales, installation, financing, and long-term service operations under one organization.
International markets have developed comparable residential solar and storage models. Sweden-based Elvy, for example, launched a subscription model in 2023 offering solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps with zero upfront costs, retaining hardware ownership similar to Sunrun’s lease structure. This convergence on subscription and service-based models reflects global recognition that removing capital barriers accelerates residential renewable adoption.
Regulatory frameworks significantly influence residential solar deployment. States with robust net metering policies, renewable portfolio standards, and property tax exemptions for solar systems see higher adoption rates. Wyoming, for instance, offers limited statewide incentives but allows net metering credits and federal ITC eligibility. Sunrun’s geographic footprint and service model must adapt to varying state-level policies, interconnection standards, and utility rate structures.
Reactions and Commentary on Sunrun Home Solar Systems
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Sunrun operates a nationwide network of installation teams, customer service centers, and monitoring facilities. The company employs lead installers, solar appointment setters, demand planners, and direct sales consultants across multiple regions. This operational infrastructure enables rapid deployment of systems while maintaining quality control and customer support standards.
The company’s business model generates recurring revenue through lease payments and service contracts, creating predictable cash flows and long-term customer relationships. System monitoring allows Sunrun to identify performance issues proactively and dispatch maintenance teams when needed. This service-centric approach differentiates Sunrun from one-time installation providers and supports customer retention and satisfaction metrics.
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More coverage and developments around Sunrun Home Solar and Battery Storage Systems are available in the overview.
More on Sunrun Solar Systems
Sunrun Inc. is a publicly traded company headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates as the primary vehicle for residential solar and battery storage services across the United States. The company was founded in 2007 and has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to become the nation’s largest residential solar provider.
Sunrun Inc. trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker RUN with ISIN US86771W1053. The company’s stock performance reflects broader trends in renewable energy adoption, interest rates, and residential construction activity. Investors should consult official company filings and financial disclosures for current operational metrics and forward guidance.
Disclaimer: This article is not investment advice. Stocks are volatile financial instruments.

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Through this million asset purchase, Inox Clean acquires 3 GW of operational TOPCon solar module manufacturing capacity in the United States, aligning with the “Make in America, For America” initiative.
Boviet Solar’s factory in Greenville, North Carolina, United States
Image: Boviet Solar
From pv magazine India
Inox Clean Energy Ltd (Inox Clean), the integrated renewable energy platform of the Inoxgfl Group, has announced the acquisition of the North Carolina assets of Boviet Solar through its wholly owned subsidiary, Inox Solar Americas, LLC.
The acquisition adds 3 GW of operational TOPCon solar module manufacturing capacity to Inox Clean’s portfolio, along with a binding agreement to acquire another 3 GW of TOPCon cell manufacturing capacity expected to be commissioned by December 2026. The transaction marks one of the largest acquisitions of U.S. renewable energy assets by an Indian company.
The asset purchase establishes Inox Clean among the largest Indian integrated renewable energy manufacturing platforms in the United States and represents a strategic entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets.
“The acquisition also unlocks significant economic benefits under the U.S. government’s domestic manufacturing incentives. Products manufactured at the facility will qualify for Section 45X incentives, supporting profitability while reducing exposure to tariffs and policy-related risks through a localized manufacturing footprint,” Inox Clean said.
“This acquisition provides a ready and scalable platform in a high-margin, policy-supported market,” the company added. “With cell shortages and Section 45X incentives creating favorable market conditions, we are well-positioned to build an integrated U.S. manufacturing ecosystem. The transaction has been executed at an enterprise value of approximately $750 million for the module and cell manufacturing assets. The deal meets all criteria under our valuation framework, reinforcing our disciplined approach to growth.”
Over the past nine months, Inox Clean has completed nine acquisitions across the independent power producer (IPP) and solar cell and module manufacturing sectors in India and international markets, including Vibrant Energy, SkyPower, SunSource Energy, and Wind World India, expanding its clean energy portfolio.
Inox Clean is targeting 11 GW of integrated solar manufacturing capacity and 10 GW of operational IPP capacity by FY2028 across India and key international markets, including the United States and Africa.
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Francisco Pizarro, the largest photovoltaic plant in Europe  Iberdrola
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Through this asset purchase, Inox Clean gains an operational capacity of 3 GW of TOPCon solar module manufacturing in the United States, positioning it in line with the “Make in America, For America” initiative.
Image: Boviet Solar

Inox Clean Energy Ltd (Inox Clean), the integrated renewable energy platform of the INOXGFL Group, today announced the acquisition of the North Carolina assets of Boviet Solar through its wholly owned subsidiary, Inox Solar Americas, LLC.
Through this acquisition, Inox Clean gains an operational capacity of 3 GW of TOPCon solar module manufacturing, along with a binding agreement to acquire 3 GW of TOPCon cell manufacturing capacity, which is expected to be commissioned by December 2026. This marks one of the largest acquisitions of U.S. renewable energy assets by an Indian group.
This asset purchase establishes Inox Clean as one of the largest Indian integrated renewable energy manufacturing platforms in the United States and marks a pivotal entry into the world’s most dynamic and rapidly evolving solar market.
“This asset purchase also unlocks significant economic advantages under the U.S. government’s domestic manufacturing push. The products sold will be eligible for incentives under Section 45X, enhancing profitability while also mitigating tariff- and policy-related uncertainties through a localized manufacturing footprint,” stated INOX Clean.
Boviet Solar has established relationships with leading customers, including large multinational energy companies, further strengthening Inox Clean’s foothold in the U.S. market.
“With the United States witnessing strong and accelerating demand for power—driven by structural shifts such as AI adoption, data center expansion, electrification, and industrial growth—this is an opportune moment for Inox Clean to ‘Make in America, For America’,” said Devansh Jain, Executive Director, INOXGFL Group. “Our entry through Boviet Solar positions us to participate in this opportunity at scale, backed by an integrated platform aligned with evolving market and policy dynamics.”
Akhil Jindal, Group CFO, INOXGFL Group, added, “This asset purchase provides us with a ready, scalable platform in a high-margin and policy-supported market. With cell shortages and 45X incentives creating strong value tailwinds, we are well-positioned to build an integrated U.S. manufacturing ecosystem. The transaction has been executed at an enterprise value of USD ~750 million for both module and cell manufacturing. The deal fulfils all criteria wrt valuation framework, reinforcing our disciplined approach to growth.”
Inox Clean, in the last nine months, has made nine marquee acquisitions across IPP and solar cell and module manufacturing in India and globally, including Macquarie-owned Vibrant Energy, Sky Power, SunSource Energy, and Wind World India, thereby consolidating its position as a diversified and fast-scaling clean energy platform.
Inox Clean is targeting 11 GW of integrated solar manufacturing capacity and 10 GW of operating IPP capacity by FY2028 across India and key global markets, including the U.S. and Africa. With this acquisition, the company expects EBITDA to scale to approximately INR 5,000 crore by FY2027 and INR 12,000 crore by FY2028.
 
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The company said it plans to use the funding to finance “tax-driven investments,” including “hybrid tax equity, accelerating the deployment of clean energy.”
Finance technology company Crux announced Thursday that it has closed a deal to receive a $500 million debt financing facility from Nuveen Energy Infrastructure Credit and plans to use the funding to finance “tax-driven investments,” including “hybrid tax equity, accelerating the deployment of clean energy.”
“Crux anticipates continuing to commit capital alongside institutional partners, servicing a growing clean energy tax equity market that reached approximately $36.6 billion in 2025,” the company said in a release.
Despite the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s curtailment of many Inflation Reduction Act tax credits in July, Crux said the clean energy tax equity market saw a 23% year-over-year increase from 2024.
One of Crux’s primary offerings is a platform that connects tax credit buyers and sellers, who started to transact after the Inflation Reduction Act made many clean energy tax credits transferable. In September, the company launched a tax and preferred equity offering, which it said expanded its ability to facilitate “increasingly diverse forms of capital to clean energy developers and manufacturers.”
Since that launch, Crux said it has executed over $1 billion in signed term sheets, “with more than $9 billion in indications of interest issued, reflecting strong demand for these structures.” One of the deals in question is a $340 million tax equity investment to support a 413-MW utility scale solar project in Texas.
“Crux deals are typically structured as hybrid partnership flips to monetize tax credits,” the company said, and “hybrid tax equity structures now account for more than 75% of all tax equity investments,” according to their market data.
Electricity demand “is surging, driven by AI, electrification, and population growth,” said Crux CEO Alfred Johnson in a LinkedIn post. “We believe the need for domestically produced clean energy has never been more urgent, and this partnership positions Crux to deploy capital at the speed and volume this moment demands.” He called the deal a “major milestone” for the company.
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The utility will supply a 1.4-GW Oracle data center under construction now, and it has submitted contracts to regulators for a 1-GW Google project also in the works.
CEO Robert Blue said the 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which began producing some electricity in March, should be fully operational by 2027 and generate approximately $5 billion in fuel savings over 10 years. The utility’s fuel and other energy-related costs jumped 67% in Q1.
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The utility will supply a 1.4-GW Oracle data center under construction now, and it has submitted contracts to regulators for a 1-GW Google project also in the works.
CEO Robert Blue said the 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which began producing some electricity in March, should be fully operational by 2027 and generate approximately $5 billion in fuel savings over 10 years. The utility’s fuel and other energy-related costs jumped 67% in Q1.
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The commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is bottlenecked by inefficient trial-and-error approaches reliant on human expertise in both materials discovery and device fabrication^1,2,3. Here we introduce an autonomous closed-loop framework that integrates machine learning (ML)-driven materials discovery with an automated manufacturing platform. The system uses active learning and quantum modelling to rapidly identify high-performance molecules and the platform uses Bayesian optimization and symbolic regression in a feedback loop to continuously refine the fabrication process. This integrated approach enabled the discovery of a passivation molecule, 5-(aminomethyl)nicotinonitrile hydroiodide (5ANI), which yielded 0.05-cm² solar cells with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 27.22% (certified maximum power point tracking (MPPT) efficiency of 27.18%) and 21.4-cm² mini-modules with a PCE of 23.49%. Moreover, the devices exhibited long-term operational stability, retaining 98.7% of their initial efficiency after 1,200 h of continuous operation under the ISOS-L-1I protocol. Crucially, the automated platform achieved an efficiency reproducibility nearly five times that of manual fabrication. This work establishes an automated closed-loop system that synergizes ML-powered discovery with the high-fidelity data from automated manufacturing, setting a benchmark for autonomous discovery and manufacturing in photovoltaics and materials.
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All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files. The datasets used in this study are also publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/ShuaihuaLu/PVK_Passivation_ML) and have been permanently archived in Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18803626)⁴⁶.
The custom code used to reproduce the plots shown in the ML section of the manuscript is publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/ShuaihuaLu/PVK_Passivation_ML). The exact version of the code used to generate the results in this paper has been deposited in Zenodo and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18803626 (ref. ⁴⁶).
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52322318), Research Grants Council of Hong Kong grants (RFS2526-1S02, R1001-24F, C1055-23G, CRS_CityU104/24, 11308125, N_CityU102/23, 11306521, 11300124, C4005-22Y), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/147/22FP, MHP/079/23), the Science Technology and Innovation Committee of Shenzhen Municipality (JCYJ20220818101018038) and National Key Research and Development Program of China (no. 2023YFB3809700). R.M. acknowledges a studentship part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of its Co-operative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE Awards). S.D.S. acknowledges the Royal Society and Tata Group (grant nos. UF150033, URFR221026). M.S. acknowledges financial support from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) through the Vice-Chancellor Early Career Professorship Scheme, the Research Grants Council (RGC) under the NSCF/RGC Joint Research Scheme (N_CUHK414/24) and the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) through the ITF Seed Fund (ITS/239/23). The work described in this paper was conducted in part by D.G. and S.L., Jockey Club Global STEM Postdoctoral Fellowship supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
Xianglang Sun  (孙祥浪)
Present address: Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Key Laboratory for Material Chemistry of Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
These authors contributed equally: Danpeng Gao, Shuaihua Lu, Chunlei Zhang, Ning Wang, Zexin Yu, Xianglang Sun
Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Danpeng Gao  (高丹鹏), Chunlei Zhang  (张春雷), Ning Wang  (王宁), Zexin Yu  (余泽鑫), Xianglang Sun  (孙祥浪), Francesco Vanin, Liangchen Qian  (钱良辰), Bo Li  (李博) & Zonglong Zhu  (朱宗龙)
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Shuaihua Lu  (陆帅华), Nan Li  (李楠) & Xiao Cheng Zeng  (曾晓成)
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Rebecca Martin & Samuel D. Stranks
Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
Francesco Vanin, Nicholas Long & Nicola Gasparini
Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) of Erlangen–Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
Larry Lüer & Christoph Joseph Brabec
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
Bo Li  (李博)
Electronic Engineering Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong
Martin Stolterfoht
Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Junhui Hou  (侯军辉)
Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Jun Yin  (殷骏)
Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Yen-Hung Lin  (林彥宏)
Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Haipeng Lu  (吕海鹏)
Helmholtz-Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Erlangen, Germany
Christoph Joseph Brabec
Energy Campus Nürnberg (EnCN), Nürnberg, Germany
Christoph Joseph Brabec
Institute of Energy Materials and Devices: Photovoltaics (IMD-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Christoph Joseph Brabec
Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Zonglong Zhu  (朱宗龙)
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D.G., S.L., C.Z., N.W., Z.Y. and X.S. contributed equally to this work. Z.Z. conceived the ideas and supervised the research. D.G., S.L., C.Z., N.W. and Z.Y. designed the project and experiment. D.G. fabricated the devices and conducted characterizations. S.L., supervised by X.C.Z., conducted the DFT calculations and constructed the ML algorithm. N.W., C.Z. and D.G. built the automated fabrication platform. X.S. synthesized the molecule. C.Z., F.V., R.M. and L.Q. conducted device characterizations. N. Long, L.L., B.L., M.S., J.H., Y.-H.L., J.Y., H.L., N. Li, N.G., X.C.Z. and S.D.S. analysed the data. C.J.B. engaged in project discussions and offered constructive feedback. D.G., S.L., B.L., C.Z., N.W., Z.Y., X.C.Z. and Z.Z. drafted and finalized the paper. All of the authors contributed to the manuscript revision.
Correspondence to Samuel D. Stranks, Xiao Cheng Zeng  (曾晓成) or Zonglong Zhu  (朱宗龙).
S.D.S. is a co-founder of Swift Solar, Inc. R.M. has a studentship part-funded by Swift Solar, Inc. The other authors declare no competing interests.
Nature thanks Jesper Jacobsson and Kai Wang for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available.
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The file includes: Supplementary Notes 1–8, Supplementary Figs. 1–66, Supplementary Tables 1–16 and Supplementary References.
Source Data for Supplementary Figs. 4–23.
Demonstration of the automated manufacturing platform for PSC processing. This video demonstrates the end-to-end, continuous manufacturing process of PSCs on an automated platform, encompassing thin-film fabrication, electrode thermal evaporation and device performance testing. The specific steps are labelled in the top-left corner of the video as follows: (1) Perovskite solution intake: automated positioning of pipette A and aspiration of the perovskite precursor solution. (2) Antisolvent intake: automated positioning of pipette B and aspiration of the antisolvent (CB). (3) Spin coating: robotic gripper handling the substrate and the subsequent automated dispensing of the perovskite solution. (4) Antisolvent dropping: precise, automated dispensing of the antisolvent during the spin-coating process. (5) Film annealing: robotic gripper transferring the fabricated thin film to a hotplate for thermal annealing. (6) Edge trimming: automated mechanical cutter performing the P2 scribing process on the device. (7) Thermal evaporation: automated transfer and loading of samples into the thermal evaporation chamber for electrode deposition. (8) Performance testing: automated picking and transferring of the devices to the testing station, followed by automated data acquisition.
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
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Gao, D., Lu, S., Zhang, C. et al. Autonomous closed-loop framework for reproducible perovskite solar cells. Nature (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10482-y
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Accepted: 01 April 2026
Published: 14 April 2026
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10482-y
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The El Quemado Solar Park, inaugurated in Las Heras (Mendoza), is established as the largest in the country and the first approved under the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI).
With 620 hectares in the middle of the Mendoza desert and more than 518,000 bifacial panels, the park takes advantage of one of the areas with the highest solar radiation in the country.
The installed capacity reaches 305 MW, divided into two stages:
The energy generated is equivalent to the consumption of more than 233,000 homes, enough to cover the residential demand of Mendoza, Las Heras, and Lavalle.
The El Quemado Solar Park incorporates bifacial solar panels, capable of generating energy on both sides:
Additionally, the panels rotate from East to West, following the daily solar arc, which maximizes energy efficiency.
The project included the construction of a GIS transformer station, a double-bar substation, and an outlet for three 220 kV/33 kV transformers, in addition to 180 km of fiber optics to integrate control and protection systems. The energy is injected into the Argentine Interconnection System (SADI) and is marketed through the Term Energy Market (MAT).
The project required 220 million dollars, becoming the “flagship” of the economic model promoted by the national government under the RIGI. The initiative was developed by EMESA (Mendocina Energy Company) and was acquired and built by YPF Luz.
Solar parks in Argentina are key for the energy transition and the diversification of the productive matrix:
El Quemado symbolizes the energy future of Argentina: a project that combines technological innovation, strategic investment, and environmental sustainability. Its inauguration marks a milestone in the transition to a cleaner and more diversified matrix, positioning the country as a regional leader in solar energy.

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Posted by Angela Denning, CoastAlaska | May 14, 2026
A 44-acre solar power farm in Wrangell is starting up. The local borough assembly approved the project at a meeting on May 12. The island town is partnering with a nonprofit that supplies it and two other Southeast communities with hydroelectricity.
Listen to the story:
Wrangell uses diesel-generated power every June for at least a week while the local hydropower system gets maintenance. This year, that short stint is expected to cost Wrangell about a quarter of a million dollars.
But a new solar farm could offset this cost in the future.
“This is huge for our economic development potential,” said Wrangell’s borough manager, Mason Villarma, speaking to the assembly.
The solar farm will start with a capacity of 1.5 megawatts, with plans to expand to 5 megawatts of battery power. That’s enough to keep Wrangell’s lights on during short outages.
“If there’s a bird strike on the lines, or a tree on the lines, or something like that, that fluctuation will just cause the whole grid to go down,” Villarma said.
Wrangell, like Petersburg and Ketchikan, runs mostly on hydroelectricity generated by two lakes. The system is operated by the public nonprofit Southeast Alaska Power Agency or SEAPA. The communities share a power grid of overland lines and submarine cables.
Villarma said solar energy will complement this hydropower system during periods of high demand, such as in the winter. He said it will also prepare Wrangell for economic development on the horizon, such as a new shipyard that’s expected to be the largest in the region.
“The diesel prices skyrocketed, given the war in Iran and geopolitical events, and as such, this project could fully run the town,” he said. “We wouldn’t have to burn any diesel.”
SEAPA will build and operate the solar farm, leasing the land from the City and Borough of Wrangell for $1 a year. In exchange, Wrangell will get priority for the generated power. The location is on previously logged land about six miles south of town on the upland side of Zimovia Highway.  The borough acquired the land from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority in March through a land swap.
The power agency has been seeking additional capacity in recent years as residential use has increased. Residents moved from diesel heating to electric heat pumps. There are also more electronics in most homes. The power agency also plans to expand its hydroelectric capacity in the next few years by adding a third turbine at Tyee Lake and a new substation near Ketchikan.
But they also wanted to pursue solar after studying other alternative energy options. They looked at wind, but in Southeast it’s either not blowing or blowing too strongly. Tidal technology is too new, and there are too many unknowns for permitting. And geothermal exploration was too costly.
SEAPA’s CEO, Robert Siedman, hosted a town hall in Wrangell this month about the solar farm.
“It’s built to support local renewable energy goals,” he said. “We want to stay renewable and stay off diesel.”
He said people often question solar power in Southeast – after all, it is a rainforest. But he said solar still works. It just works less, say, than a sunny state like Arizona. He said Wrangell’s farm will run at about 10-20% of capacity over the course of a year.
“Has anybody been out on their boat, and it’s been cloudy, and you come home with a sunburn?” he asked. “I think we all have. Solar works in the clouds. It works.”
It’s not clear exactly when the solar project will be complete.
The first phase is expected to cost $6 million. SEAPA hopes to use outside funding for most of it, including to save half through investment tax credits. That funding requires the project to be fast-tracked. Some of the construction must be completed by July 4 due to limitations in the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress. The bill killed the 30% federal tax credit for residential solar projects.
The borough’s land lease term is 25 years.
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The solar farm will be in Bunnythorpe. (File photo) Photo: Unsplash
Meridian Energy has won consent to build a large solar farm near Palmerston North.
The 120 megawatt solar farm in Bunnythorpe would be alongside an already consented battery energy storage system.
The solar farm would have about 250,000 solar panels, and Meridian said it could produce up to 225 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, enough to power around 30,000 average homes.
The project was still subject to a final investment decision by Meridian’s board, expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.
“Solar energy is playing an increasingly important role in New Zealand’s electricity generation, and we’re excited to bring this to Manawatū,” Meridian’s general manager of development, Guy Waipara said.
Bunnythorpe Energy Park was part of $3 billion in investment on the cards by Meridian through to 2030, with the company (and their rivals) pursuing an aggressive strategy to build new renewable generation.
Meridian said the Manawatū project would create more than 100 local construction jobs, and up to $50m of local spending throughout construction.
The site would span 280 hectares between Ashhurst and Stoney Creek Roads, adjacent to Transpower’s Bunnythorpe substation.
Meridian was expecting to make final investment decisions on its Mt Munro wind farm in northern Wairarapa in late 2026, and its Te Rere Hau wind farm near Palmerston North in early 2027.
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PowerHub isn’t the first company to try the scheme, but it says it’s offering full price transparency.
The government has announced a review into solar panel installation, which it describes as a “red tape nightmare”. Audio
Auckland-based Lightyears commissioned an 8ha solar farm on Tram Road at Swannanoa, near Rangiora, earlier this month.
It said it was more energy than the combined capacity of the company’s Te Uku and White Hill wind farms.
The company has returned to profitability after last year’s dry-year driven loss.
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Meridian Energy (ASX:MEZ) secured resource consent for the Bunnythorpe Solar Farm.
Situated on a 280-hectare site between Ashhurst and Stoney Creek Roads, the project is positioned adjacent to Transpower’s Bunnythorpe substation.
The development marks Meridian’s second integrated energy park, following the Ruakākā project in Whangārei, and represents a critical step in the company’s $3 billion investment strategy to enhance national energy capacity by 2030.
The facility will feature approximately 250,000 solar panels with a total capacity of 120MW.
Once operational, it is expected to generate roughly 225GWh of electricity annually—a volume sufficient to power an estimated 30,000 average homes.
Beyond generation, the site will host a Battery Energy Storage System, providing essential grid stability and ensuring a more reliable, affordable power supply for the region.
The construction phase is forecast to inject $50 million into the regional economy and create over 100 local jobs.
Guy Waipara, Meridian’s GM of Development, emphasised the company’s long-standing connection to the Manawatū community through its existing Te Apiti and Te Rere Hau wind farms.
While consent has been granted, the project awaits a final investment decision by the Meridian board in late 2027, trailing similar decisions for the Mt Munro and Te Rere Hau wind farm expansions.
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Ciudad Rodrigo Photovoltaic Plant  Iberdrola
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Europe Is Turning Off Solar Just as Gas Market Tightens  Bloomberg.com
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Villarino: the solar plant reinforcing Iberdrola’s commitment in Castilla y León  Iberdrola
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The state-owned miner has dissolved CIL Solar PV Ltd, ending its proposed entry into integrated solar panel manufacturing while continuing broader renewable energy expansion plans.
Coal India Ltd has dissolved its solar manufacturing subsidiary, formally ending plans to enter integrated solar photovoltaic manufacturing through a dedicated special-purpose vehicle.

The state-owned coal miner said in a regulatory filing that CIL Solar PV Ltd has been struck off the Register of Companies under Section 248(5) of the Companies Act, 2013, and now stands dissolved.

The development marks the closure of a proposed manufacturing initiative that was intended to diversify Coal India’s business beyond conventional coal mining operations.

According to the filing, the dissolution followed a public notice issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in April 2026.

The notice stated that the Registrar of Companies proposed to remove the name of CIL Solar PV Ltd under Section 248(2) of the Companies Act.

Coal India had established the subsidiary as a special-purpose vehicle to develop a planned 4 GW solar photovoltaic manufacturing facility in India.

The proposed project was expected to cover the complete solar manufacturing chain, including:

The facility was part of the company’s broader strategy to build a presence in renewable energy manufacturing.

Coal India had positioned the solar manufacturing venture as part of its long-term diversification roadmap as pressure grows globally on fossil fuel producers to reduce carbon intensity and expand clean energy investments.

The company has increasingly invested in renewable energy projects to support decarbonisation of its operations and reduce dependence on coal-linked growth.

While the manufacturing subsidiary has now been dissolved, Coal India continues to pursue renewable power capacity expansion across India.

The company has announced targets to install:

These projects form part of Coal India’s wider energy transition strategy.

The proposed 4 GW manufacturing facility was designed to create an integrated domestic solar production ecosystem at a time when India has been attempting to reduce dependence on imported solar equipment.

Integrated facilities covering ingots, wafers, cells and modules are considered strategically important because India still relies heavily on imports for upstream solar manufacturing components.

Coal India’s entry into the segment had reflected growing interest among large public sector enterprises in expanding into clean energy manufacturing and infrastructure.

However, the latest regulatory filing indicates the company has chosen not to proceed with the dedicated manufacturing vehicle.

Despite dissolving the solar manufacturing arm, Coal India has continued investing in renewable energy generation projects and related infrastructure.

The company remains one of several state-owned enterprises attempting to balance legacy fossil fuel operations with emerging clean energy opportunities.

Industry analysts have noted that large-scale integrated solar manufacturing projects require significant capital expenditure, technology partnerships and supply-chain scale, making execution complex even for large industrial groups.

Coal India has not announced any replacement structure or revised manufacturing strategy following the closure of CIL Solar PV Ltd.

The dissolution of the subsidiary nonetheless highlights the challenges traditional energy companies face as they attempt to diversify into renewable manufacturing while continuing to manage their core businesses.
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Otero, Europe’s second-largest photovoltaic plant  Iberdrola
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Credit: Getty Images
Learn more about how the photoelectric effect has shaped technologies such as burglar alarms, solar panels and the camera in your smartphone.
The engineer picked up a camera flash gun, aimed it at the tiny circuit board computer on the desk, and fired. For a fraction of a second, light flooded the room. Everyone blinked – and saw that the computer had crashed.

“We all had fun crashing it,” recalls Eben Upton, founder of Raspberry Pi. They had realised that a chip on the computer was susceptible to the photoelectric effect – when light triggers the release of electrons, and thus an electrical current. A kind of reverse “light switch”, if you like.
Upton and his colleagues had not anticipated this problem. It was discovered by a Raspberry Pi 2 user less than a week after the device went on sale in early 2015. In subsequent versions of the computer, the troublesome chip featured a black coating thick enough to soak up incoming light.
More than a century earlier, Albert Einstein had described the photoelectric effect in a ground-breaking paper – one of four seminal papers he published in 1905 while working as a clerk in the Swiss patent office. Later, in 1921, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for it.
The photoelectric effect has gone on to shape all kinds of technologies – from burglar alarms to solar panels and the camera in your smartphone.
To understand it better, consider the question that gripped Einstein back in 1905: what is light made of?
At the time, many scientists theorised that light existed purely as a wave, which some suggested travelled across the universe in an intangible “light-bearing ether”. But to Einstein, this idea seemed ridiculous – “like Father Christmas”, says Steve Gimbel at Gettysburg College in the US.
Scientists including Heinrich Hertz had already demonstrated versions of the photoelectric effect by using light to generate tiny sparks, or to electrically charge pieces of gold leaf, causing them to repel each other.
“There were certain weird, unexplained phenomena where light could create electricity and that just blew people’s minds – that seemed to make no sense,” says Gimbel.
The weirdest thing was that the intensity of light didn’t affect the energy of the electrons produced whereas the frequency, or colour, of the light did. This was mind-boggling. More light should mean more energy, right?
Well, Einstein realised that if light wasn’t just made up of waves but also discrete packets or particles (which later came to be known as photons) travelling in waves, then it could be that the energy of those individual particles would explain this.
“When a single photon hits an electron, it [the electron] gets excited,” explains Paul Davies, at the University of York. So long as that photon lands with enough energy, then the photoelectric effect occurs – and the electron is freed from the material.
Think of it like throwing tiny sticks of dynamite into an open barrel of cannonballs. The little explosions won’t be enough to knock out a cannonball, no matter how many times you fling one in. But if you use stronger dynamite, with more energy, that will make the cannonballs fly.
The energy value of a photon is directly related to the colour of visible light – photons in blue light travel on shorter waves and have more energy than those in red light, for instance. That’s why Hertz found that especially energetic ultraviolet light would produce stronger sparks during one of his experiments.
Gimbel stresses that Einstein didn’t come up with this theory out of nowhere. He drew not only on work by Hertz and others, but also on physicist Max Planck’s theory of “quanta” – the idea that radiation, including light, consists of discrete packets of energy, for which Planck also received a Nobel Prize in Physics, in 1918. But in 1905 this concept was still controversial.
“Einstein had this revolutionary mind where he was willing to consider other approaches,” says Gimbel. “He took seriously this idea that light could be quantised.”

Scientists have long debated whether this was the best choice but there is little doubt that harnessing the photoelectric effect has changed the way our world works, since so many technologies rely on it.
Motion sensors in burglar alarm systems, for example, emit a beam of infrared light. When this beam is interrupted by an intruder, the light received by the sensor changes, altering the electrical current – and that sets off the alarm.
Finish lines at races held in the Olympic Games have used photoelectric cells to detect exactly when runners cross. Such technology has allowed ships to sense fog, and automatically switch on foghorns. It has also enabled cars to turn on their windscreen wipers spontaneously when it rains.
Strictly speaking, the photoelectric effect refers to a phenomenon in which electrons escape a material – but Davies says this is closely related to the photovoltaic effect, where movement of electrons facilitates an electrical current flowing through adjacent materials.
That’s what solar cells in solar panels do when they turn sunlight into electricity, contributing clean, renewable energy to electricity grids and tackling climate change.
Another popular application of the photoelectric effect is in camera sensors, the light-sensitive part of a digital camera that captures images. Nearly all use CMOS technology, which was fine-tuned at Nasa in the 1990s for use in space, but came to be installed on billions of smartphones. “The CMOS image sensor was the perfect device, let’s say, for that. It turned out to be the killer application,” says engineer Eric Fossum, who worked on the project.
Silicon is the key material used in CMOS sensors and Fossum, now at Dartmouth College, notes that the photoelectric effect in silicon is triggered by many colours of light.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s green light, red light, or blue light – a photon will liberate exactly one electron. We’re kind of lucky that way.” This really helps when you want to capture a subject’s colour in full detail.
Now, Fossum and colleagues are working on image sensors sensitive to the smallest imaginable amount of light – a single photon. These devices, also known as photon-counters, are already used for laboratory experiments but they could also revolutionise digital imaging technologies, for example by improving image quality in medical CT scanners, and exposing patients to less radiation. The potential applications don’t stop there. “We’ll have the capability to practically see in the dark with this new technology,” says Fossum.
Another scientist working on devices that harness the photoelectric effect is Dimitra Georgiadou at the University of Southampton. She and her colleagues are developing technologies that can detect light and process information about it without having to send data to a central computer system for analysis. “This reduces significantly the amount of energy it needs,” says Georgiadou.
This might help researchers develop highly advanced bionic eyes and give sight to blind people by enabling the design of smaller, easier to implant, and more energy-efficient devices. It could also enable self-driving cars to make faster decisions about when to brake for safety reasons.
The light-sensing technology Georgiadou is focused on does not rely on silicon but rather organic, carbon-containing, materials – these can be tuned to respond only to specific colours of light, and also printed on flexible substrates.
Such technology could turn up in wearable, low-power light sensors able to track the heart rate and blood oxygen levels of premature babies, for example, by shining small amounts of light through their skin and into their veins.
Since Einstein wrote down his theory on the photoelectric effect in 1905, we’ve certainly come up with a lot of fun things to do with it. But there’s more. Understanding this incredible interaction of light and matter has revealed curious details about the way the universe works.
In the 1960s, some of the earliest moon landers took pictures of the lunar horizon and noticed something strange: a weird glow, almost like a gently fading sunset. Except that the moon doesn’t have an atmosphere like Earth’s, and it’s the scattering of light by particles in our atmosphere that creates sunrises and sunsets as the planet turns on its axis.
Where was this lunar glow coming from? It turned out that light from the sun was striking dust on the moon’s surface and, through the photoelectric effect, giving it a positive electrical charge.
These little dust particles thus repelled each other, periodically levitating above the lunar surface. As they did so, they caught the light of the recently set sun – and created that magical glow.
By Chris Baraniuk, BBC World Service. This content was created as a co-production between Nobel Prize Outreach and the BBC.
Published May 2026
To cite this section
MLA style: Why we should thank Einstein for our smartphone cameras. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2026. Fri. 15 May 2026. <https://www.nobelprize.org/stories/photoelectric-effect/&gt;
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Pakistan is in the middle of a solar power revolution. Over the past five years, the percentage of electricity generated from solar panels jumped from 2% to nearly 25%. Almost all of that growth has been driven by individuals buying their own solar panels, removing their homes or businesses from the centralized grid and generating electricity for themselves. For The Big Fix, The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Naveed Arshad, director of the Energy Institute at Lahore University of Management Sciences, about why — and how — Pakistan has embraced solar power.
In this AP file photo, a flood victim, Muhammad Ibrahim, and his family eat rice next to a solar panel used for electricity in Ismail Khan Khoso village in Sohbatpur, a district of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, Thursday, May 18, 2023. In rural areas of Baluchistan, only those who kept their solar panels out of the floodwaters have access to electricity to keep cool in the summer heat.
Solar power is booming in Pakistan. The country generates almost 25% of its electricity from solar power — five years ago, it was only 2%.
The surge is continuing to accelerate. 
The World is looking into the why and how of this surge continuing, as part of The Big Fix, a series on the most ambitious ways people are working to tackle the climate crisis. 
“Most of the deployment happened on people rooftops, in industrial warehouses, even people bought chunks of land to install solar panels,” said Naveed Arshad, director of the Energy Institute at Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Arshad told The World that the overhaul began when two simultaneous events occurred: First, Russia invaded Ukraine, sending energy prices soaring. Then, Pakistan’s currency was devalued, making electricity even more expensive.
To bring their bills down, many people turned to solar.
Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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Quality Assessment: Strong Fundamentals Underpin Upgrade
Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd’s quality rating has been bolstered by its exceptional financial performance in the fourth quarter of FY25-26. The company reported a remarkable 234.8% growth in net sales, signalling robust demand and operational efficiency. Profit before tax excluding other income (PBT LESS OI) surged by 81.7% to ₹478.91 crores, while profit after tax (PAT) rose 75.1% to ₹392.38 crores compared to the previous four-quarter average. These figures underscore the company’s ability to convert sales growth into substantial profitability.
Moreover, Emmvee remains net-debt free, enhancing its financial stability and reducing risk exposure. The operating profit to interest ratio reached an impressive 43.83 times, indicating strong coverage of interest obligations and operational resilience. The company’s average return on equity (ROE) stands at 29.3%, reflecting efficient capital utilisation despite the zero average ROE cited for the long term, which may be a data anomaly or indicative of recent turnaround. This combination of profitability, leverage management, and capital efficiency has significantly improved the quality grade, justifying the upgrade.
Valuation: Elevated but Justified by Growth Prospects
While Emmvee’s valuation appears expensive with a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 4.9, this premium is supported by the company’s strong earnings growth trajectory. Over the past year, profits have risen by 193%, a substantial increase that investors are pricing in. The stock’s current price of ₹259.05 is below its 52-week high of ₹299.45 but well above the 52-week low of ₹171.50, indicating a relatively strong market position.
However, the elevated valuation warrants caution, especially given the company’s small-cap status and the recent decline in institutional investor participation. Institutional holdings have decreased by 1.8% in the previous quarter, now constituting 14.74% of total shareholding. This reduction may reflect concerns about the stock’s premium or sector-specific risks, suggesting that while valuation is justified by growth, it remains a key risk factor for investors.
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Financial Trend: Exceptional Quarterly Growth Amidst Strong Long-Term Prospects
Emmvee’s financial trend has been a key driver of the rating upgrade. The company’s net sales growth of 234.8% in the latest quarter is a standout metric, complemented by an 81.7% increase in PBT LESS OI and a 75.1% rise in PAT. These figures represent a significant acceleration compared to the previous four-quarter averages, signalling a strong upward momentum in earnings quality and operational performance.
Long-term growth metrics also support the upgrade. Although the average return on equity over the long term is cited as 0%, the recent quarterly ROE of 29.3% and net-debt-free status indicate a positive shift in financial health. The company’s operating profit growth and interest coverage ratio further reinforce its capacity to sustain profitability and manage financial obligations effectively.
Comparatively, Emmvee’s stock return outperformed the Sensex over the one-month and year-to-date periods, delivering 8.78% and 34.71% respectively, against Sensex declines of -1.89% and -11.53%. This relative outperformance highlights the company’s strong market positioning and investor confidence in its growth story.
Technical Analysis: Shift to Sideways Trend Tempered by Mixed Indicators
The technical grade change was the primary catalyst for the overall upgrade in the Mojo Score from Buy to Strong Buy, despite a shift from a mildly bullish to a sideways trend. Key technical indicators present a mixed but cautiously optimistic picture. On a weekly basis, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) and Know Sure Thing (KST) indicators show no clear signals, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) also remains neutral on the weekly and monthly charts.
Bollinger Bands on the weekly timeframe remain mildly bullish, suggesting some upward price momentum, but the Dow Theory signals a mildly bearish trend weekly, indicating caution. Conversely, the On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator is bullish on both weekly and monthly scales, implying that buying volume supports the price levels.
Price action reflects this technical complexity: the stock closed at ₹259.05, down 1.24% from the previous close of ₹262.30, with intraday highs and lows of ₹264.70 and ₹254.25 respectively. The sideways technical trend suggests consolidation after recent gains, which may provide a stable base for future upward movement if fundamental momentum continues.
Get the full story on Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd! Our detailed research dives into fundamentals, sector comparison, technical analysis, and valuations for this Other Electrical Equipment small-cap. Make informed decisions!
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Market Context and Risks
Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd operates within the Other Electrical Equipment sector, a segment characterised by technological innovation and evolving demand dynamics. The company’s small-cap status and market capitalisation grade reflect its niche positioning, which can offer significant growth potential but also entails higher volatility and risk.
One notable risk is the declining participation of institutional investors, who have reduced their stake by 1.8% in the last quarter. Institutional investors typically possess superior analytical resources and market insight, so their reduced involvement may signal caution regarding valuation or sector outlook. Additionally, the stock’s premium valuation, with a P/B ratio of 4.9, could limit upside if growth expectations are not met.
Nevertheless, Emmvee’s strong quarterly results, net-debt-free balance sheet, and relative outperformance against the Sensex year-to-date provide a compelling case for investors willing to accept the inherent risks of a small-cap growth stock.
Conclusion: Upgrade Reflects Balanced Optimism
The upgrade of Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd’s investment rating to Strong Buy is a reflection of its outstanding recent financial performance, solid long-term fundamentals, and a nuanced technical picture. While valuation remains on the higher side and institutional interest has waned slightly, the company’s growth metrics and operational strength justify a positive outlook.
Investors should weigh the company’s impressive earnings growth and net-debt-free status against the sideways technical trend and premium valuation. For those seeking exposure to a small-cap player in the Other Electrical Equipment sector with strong fundamental momentum, Emmvee presents an attractive opportunity, albeit with the usual caveats associated with smaller, growth-oriented stocks.
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PPC Energy expands its portfolio of solutions for prosumers with storage systems and the new PPC Solar Upgrade packages  caleaeuropeana.ro
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The Grid is Learning How Your Solar System Actually Behaves  Energy Matters
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8 companies petition Washington to investigate import surge
Solar panels in the Chinese province of Gansu. Chinese-origin parts of a solar panel and cell are subject to 50% duties when shipped into the U.S. © Reuters
NEW YORK — Eight solar power product manufacturers operating in the U.S. petitioned the Commerce Department on Tuesday to investigate whether solar panels imported from Ethiopia evade American antidumping duties placed on Chinese components.

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RWE Clean Energy proposed the Hillclimber Solar & Storage project in Urbana Twp., which is a 116.5 megawatt solar farm paired with a 40 megawatt battery energy storage system. CONTRIBUTED
James Cropper gave testimony during the Ohio Power Siting Board’s May 13 public hearing regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
Joanne Massey gave testimony during the Ohio Power Siting Board’s May 13 public hearing regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
About 40 people provided testimony for the Ohio Power Siting Board during a public hearing May 13 regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
Staff Writer
About 40 people provided testimony for the Ohio Power Siting Board during a public hearing May 13 regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
About 40 people provided testimony for the Ohio Power Siting Board during a public hearing this week regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal to build a large solar array farm in Champaign County.
RWE Clean Energy has proposed the Hillclimber Solar & Storage project on 628 acres within an 846 acres project area in Urbana Twp., which is a 116.5 megawatt solar farm paired with a 40 megawatt battery energy storage system that will produce enough electricity to power 18,000 homes.
The proposed project would consist of photovoltaic modules, also known as solar panels, ground-mounted on a tracking rack system, associated facilities such as access roads, underground electric collection lines, inverters and transformers, a collector substation and a seven-foot-tall perimeter fence that would secure the facility with access through gated entrances, according to the OPSB.
Solar modules would be set back a minimum of 300 feet from non-participating residences, 150 feet from the edge of the roads, 120 feet from wetlands and streams, and 50 feet from open water ponds, among other setbacks.
RWE Clean Energy proposed the Hillclimber Solar & Storage project in Urbana Twp., which is a 116.5 megawatt solar farm paired with a 40 megawatt battery energy storage system. CONTRIBUTED
The project is said to provide $18 million in local tax revenue over the lifetime of the project to support public services, including $14 million to Urbana City Schools, in addition to non-tax payments RWE has proposed to neighbors or local services, according to Hackett Landefeld, development manager for the project.
The project is currently in open status with the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). Pending approvals, the company plans to start construction in the spring of 2028 and begin producing power in 2029.
Will Brailer and David Hicks, administrative law judges in the board’s legal department, conducted the hearing. About 40 community members spoke at the hearing, including those who are farm and land owners, union workers, families and students.
Residents who are against the project raised concerns such as losing farmland, water, wildlife and more.
James Cropper said land and water are two things they cannot make more of no matter how hard people try.
“Taking thousands of acres of farmland to companies … they’re going to be making money off our backs,” he said. “What this does, it takes money away from Champaign County and Urbana. It takes food off the table of the farmers who utilize that land and we can’t get that back.”
Andrea Grow, who has farmland within the project area, has two children getting ready to build on their property so they can pass down the family legacy.
“It breaks my heart to think that there is going to be fields and fields of glass panels surrounding my children and grandchildren when they go outside,” she said.
James Cropper gave testimony during the Ohio Power Siting Board’s May 13 public hearing regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
Joanne Massey got emotional when speaking about how the solar panels will affect her property, where her and her late husband have lived for 32 years.
“I use the word home instead of house because it’s not a house to me. It is a home. We love it because it’s a wonderful place to raise children, because of the tranquility, the beauty, the sights, the crops growing and wildlife wandering,” she said. “My husband passed in 2025 (and) the old cliché comes to mind now with what’s being planned. He would roll over in this grave to see all that destroyed because that’s what will happen.”
Landrey Stallcup, a young girl who lives within the project area, said when she thinks about places she loves, she thinks about open fields, sunsets, wildlife, quiet roads and being surround by nature — not industry.
“I understand that people want more energy and new development, but I believe that where these projects are placed matters. Huge industrial solar farms do not belong in the middle of the beautiful farmland in small rural communities like ours … Once this land is changed, it will never go back to the way it was before,” she said.
Joanne Massey gave testimony during the Ohio Power Siting Board’s May 13 public hearing regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
People who work for an energy nonprofit, property rights organization and members of local unions were all in support of the project, stating more energy is needed, land owners have property rights and would bring more job opportunities.
Shayna Fritz, director of the Ohio Conservative Energy Forum, said the project does fall within what should be the definition of public interest.
“Ohio families and businesses are feeling the pressure of rising energy costs. Electricity rates have climbed steadily and rate payers are struggling … What is within the public’s interest is clear. We need more generation on our grid and we need it now. Hillclimber Solar directly answers that call,” she said. “Approving Hillclimber is a decision that protects consumers today and for decades to come.”
About 40 people provided testimony for the Ohio Power Siting Board during a public hearing May 13 regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
Tony Zartman, who spoke on behalf of Property Rights Ohio, said this case is about whether a landowner has the right to decide how they use their land or if it can be taken away by others who don’t own it.
“If you own your land, you have the right to use it. You have the right to lease it and benefit from it. That includes farming it, that includes branding it, and yes, that includes entering into an agreement for energy development,” he said. “What we are seeing now is a growing effort to restrict these rights. Not through compensation, not through negotiation, but through denial.”
Caleb Kanippe, a representative of the Central Midwest Carpenters Union, said as a member of the farming family he understands peoples concerns, but as a member of a union he sees how it can help trained workers.
Landrey Stallcup, a young girl who lives within the project area, gave testimony during the Ohio Power Siting Board’s May 13 public hearing regarding Hillclimber Solar’s proposal in Champaign County. BROOKE SPURLOCK / STAFF
In January, Champaign County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Talebi filed objections to the project with the OPSB, on behalf of the Urbana Twp. Board of Trustees and Champaign County Commission, noting Hillclimber Solar, LLC’s “non-compliance with the restrictions imposed by the board of commissioners,” according to Talebi.
County commissioners passed a resolution in September 2025, with an effective date in October 2025, restricting where wind and solar facilities can be located, pursuant with Senate Bill 52 (SB 52). In November 2025, they passed a second resolution prohibiting the construction of this particular facility.
Urbana Twp. trustees also passed a resolution to enforce the SB 52 restriction passed by the county commissioners.
SB 52, which passed in the fall of 2021, allows a board of county commissioners to prohibit the construction of utility-scale wind or solar facilities altogether or in certain designated zones in unincorporated areas.
However, this project is grandfathered under SB 52, according to the OPSB, except for the ability to appoint ad hoc board members. Champaign County Commission appointed Julia Johnson and Urbana Twp. Board of Trustees appointed Matt Harrigan as ad hoc board members to represent them on the OPSB while that agency has oversight of the project.
Hillclimber Solar filed their pre-application letter to the OPSB in September 2025. RWE officials then held two public community meetings about the proposed solar facility in October and November 2025. They submitted their application for the project in February.
To be able to construct, operate and maintain a solar project, RWE has to apply for and obtain permission from the OPSB for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need.
The board reviewed the application to determine whether it’s complete and meets all requirements to be considered. They then conducted an investigation of the application and issued a report of its findings before holding this local public hearing in the area where the project will be built.
OPSB staff investigated the application for the proposed solar facility and recommended it be denied, according to the staff report. If the OPSB approves the certificate for the proposed facility, staff recommends 57 conditions for the board’s consideration.
Some of these include limit general construction activities from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or until dusk, install a perimeter fence type that is both wildlife permeable and aesthetically fitting for a rural location, minimize damage to functioning field tile drainage systems and agricultural soils, and prevent the establishment and propagation of noxious weeds.
An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 26, at the offices of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus. During this hearing, the applicant, OPSB staff and intervening parties will offer expert testimony and evidence regarding the proposed project.
After the hearings, the board will issue a decision on the application based on that criteria. If an applicant isn’t satisfied with the decision, they can submit a rehearing application, and if the board denies the rehearing application, the applicant can appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.
For more information on this project and case, visit the OPSB website at www.OPSB.ohio.gov and case number 25-0904-EL-BGN.
Staff Writer
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA) have signed a transaction advisory services agreement to develop the country’s first large-scale solar PV project.
The agreement, signed by SIEA CEO Delia Homelo and ADB country director Anthony Gill, will support the development of a grid-connected solar PV power plant in Honiara through private sector investment.
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ADB’s Office of Markets Development and Public-Private Partnership will act as the transaction advisor, conducting project preparation and tendering, and supporting SIEA in awarding the electricity supply contract.
Technical assessments will also evaluate the need for a battery energy storage system (BESS).
According to the SIEA, diesel currently accounts for 98% of total power generation in the Honiara grid, exposing it to fuel supply disruptions and international price volatility, which has been exacerbated by the current instability in the Middle East.
According to figures published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Solomon Islands had 8MW of cumulative solar capacity at the end of 2025, up from 6MW at the end of 2024.
“ADB helps bring in private investors for important projects such as this grid-connected solar PV project in Solomon Islands,” said Gill.
“This project will unlock investment through public-private partnerships and reduce risks so that businesses feel confident to invest, at the same time reducing the country’s reliance on imported diesel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The transaction advisory agreement forms part of the Solomon Islands government’s efforts to attract investment in renewable energy generation. The country is working toward 100% renewable energy by 2030 under its Renewable Energy Roadmap.
The latest agreement builds on ADB’s existing involvement in the Solomon Islands energy sector.
In September 2024, the Solomon Islands secured finance for new solar PV projects through a group of investment firms led by ADB, which provided a US$10 million concessional loan and a US$5 million grant for the Solomon Islands Renewable Energy Development Project.
That initiative, which also received US$10 million each from the Saudi Fund for Development and state-owned Solomon Power, plus US$7 million from the Solomon Islands government, is financing solar PV power plants in Guadalcanal and Malaita provinces, along with a utility-scale grid-connected energy storage system in Honiara.
Australia has also had an invested interest in supporting the Pacific region in turning to renewable energy. In November 2024, PV Tech reported that the country had agreed to allocate an AU$125 million (US$80 million) investment package to support the rollout of renewable energy technologies across the Pacific region.
The fund package comprised an AU$75 million investment through the REnew Pacific programme, as well as AU$50 million via the Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition (APPET) initiative.
Australia’s REnew Pacific scheme focuses on delivering off-grid and community-scale renewable energy in remote and rural parts of the Pacific. Due to its low installation costs and ability to deploy relatively quickly, solar PV is likely to play an integral role in the Pacific’s energy transition.

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STAUNTON, Va. (WHSV) – Over the past few weeks, concerns have been growing in Augusta County, as some speak out against a proposed solar project off Route 262.
Dimension Energy has proposed a new, nearly 24.6-acre solar project — located north of Parkersburg Turnpike and west of Route 262.
One woman, who lives in Staunton, said she has a barn on the proposed land that’s been in the family for decades, and she said she was afraid the new project would disrupt generations of open land.
“My family has owned this barn for over 48 years, and so the barn is the original old barn to the actual Harmon farm. So I have my livestock here … So I am right, located, right in the center of the whole development that will take place,” she said.
Jeanette Bentley said the rest of the original farm was torn down years ago by a developer, which built a shed and house in its place — she said she was surprised after receiving a notice from Dimension about the solar facility.
“For over 100 years this farm has been an active agricultural farm, be it fruit, hay, livestock, soybeans and corn … the developer, you know, has been around a couple of times. We’ve had a couple conversations about some issues here on the farm and concerning the driveway and stuff like that. So there was no mention of anything. So there was no mention of anything that there was any development plan, because we had directly asked him,” Bentley said.
She said there’s a lot to consider when creating a project like this, such as the environment and wildlife, but her biggest concern is the community.
“This is going to have a big impact… I mean, yeah, they’re starting out at 24 acres, but I think long term, it’s going to engulf the whole farm … it’s very imperative that we keep our farmland. This is our food chain we’re talking about. So, I’m really concerned that the community has to have a voice in this,” she said.
Augusta County responds to concerned community members
Julia Hensley, a planner with Augusta County’s Community Development Department, says they received an official application from Dimension for a small-scale solar project on May 4.
“The application is considered formally complete, and we will begin our series of processing that we do on solar applications,” she said.
However, she wants the community to be aware that nothing is set in stone. Because the application was just received, the county hasn’t started a formal notification, and the process is lengthy, as Hensley described below:
“The process for a solar application lives within the Community Development Department here in Augusta County. The planning office receives the application initially, because state code requires us to take that project to the planning commission for what is deemed a substantial accord determination,” Hensley said. “Regardless of the decision, the project then goes to the Board of Zoning Appeals, or this one will to determine final and ultimate land-use approval or denial of the special-use permit. When a project goes in front of the Board of Zoning Appeals, it is moved from the planning office, where we’ve helped determine substantial accord, to the zoning office, and all of that is under the umbrella of the Community Development Department.”
But, Hensley said she is aware of the community’s concerns, and she wants to let the community know the county plans to ensure land and wildlife are protected.
“We require the applicant to do any sort of environmental studies, and in this one, they have gone through a jurisdictional determination through the Army Corps of Engineers, and have determined that there are no wetlands on the property that will be impacted by the facility,” she said. “They also usually provide an endangered species analysis, whether or not there are endangered species present on the property.”
Balancing renewable energy goals while also preserving farmland is something that Hensley said has been an important topic of discussion for the county as well.
“That’s one of the concerns that we have at a staff level. The comprehensive plan focuses highly on preserving agriculture and supporting agriculture as a vital sector within the economy, and so, we take a lot of care when we’re evaluating a project as to the current land use of the property, the soil qualities, any farming practices that have gone on on the property,” Hensley said.
For those concerned about how this project will affect drainage, noise and visual impact, Hensley said the county has a heavy ordinance of requirements, and there are also a lot of state regulations that any applicant will have to abide by.
“So, from a stormwater or drainage perspective, they have to submit a stormwater and erosion and sediment control plan that is then reviewed by our engineering department and outside agencies such as the Department of Environmental Quality, and those have to ultimately be approved by the county and by those relevant agencies before the applicant can move forward in any sort of development,” she explained.
The tentative schedule for the planning commission isn’t until October, and then the Board of Zoning Appeals will consider it in December. Hensley said there’s plenty of time for community members’ voices to be heard before anything is approved or denied.
EnergyRight shares general tips that most may not know about solar projects
EnergyRight is a third-party nonprofit that works across the commonwealth, focusing on education and engagement, based in Richmond.
“… We go out in communities. We’ve connected in upwards of 80 counties in the state so far, and we work on just trying to educate the public on what clean energy technologies can mean,” he said.
Jack Wilson, director of communications at EnergyRight, said there are benefits associated with solar facilities that he believes people should consider.
“So, community solar projects are generally beneficial for a community in the surrounding region because, one, it uses less land than a typical solar project. It’s normally around 20 to 30 acres. By law, these projects have to be less than five megawatts, and it allows the community to subscribe to the program, which will allow them to not only get some energy from clean energy technologies, but also save money on their monthly bill,” he said.
Another benefit are jobs, he said. Solar projects can also create beneficial economic impacts locally.
“The thing about solar that is, in my personal opinion, a benefit, as opposed to other forms of development, is these projects are built and then generally require little maintenance, so not a whole lot of long-term full-time employment, but there will be a lot of opportunity for construction employment during that construction phase and temporary phases of the project,” he said.
Wilson said a lot of concerns people have are the environmental impacts; however, there are ways to know if a solar project is a “good” project versus a “bad” one.
“A good solar project looks like a project that is mitigating these risks to the best of their abilities, and looking at what impacts it will have on the environment, what impacts it will have on watershed, what impacts it will have on viewshed to keep that rural agricultural way of life, especially on farmland. I think that’s just the characteristics of a good project, is doing that due diligence and being able to kind of survey,” he said.
He said there are many rural communities across Virginia, and most localities and developers make it a priority to still insert vegetation within the area to help buffer the viewshed.
“And what that looks like is planting native plants across the, whether it be a roadway or a property line, to eventually block that solar facility from the view of the neighbors. So the idea, an ideal scenario for solar projects is to have the lowest impact possible in terms of development and be able to still bring economic impacts to a locality,” he said.
Wilson said this could also be an opportunity for families who live on the farm to keep their land for future generations.
“I think solar, especially solar of under five megawatts can be an opportunity for generational farmers to keep that farm in their family and not have to risk selling or going under, and be able to continue farming on maybe a slightly smaller portion of their own land, but on their own land nonetheless,” he said.
WHSV reached out to Dimension Energy about the project, they did not want to comment.
Copyright 2026 WHSV. All rights reserved.

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SpaceX appears to be building 1M SF factory in Bastrop County  The Business Journals
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SAV scientist helps turn solar cell defects into asset that could help transform power generation  The Slovak Spectator
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SEG Solar has announced plans to invest more than $200m in a new 4GW solar module manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, expanding its U.S. production footprint as demand grows for domestically manufactured clean energy technologies.
The new facility, spanning nearly 500,000 square feet, is expected to create up to 800 jobs and begin commercial operations in the third quarter of 2026. Once operational, the site will increase SEG Solar’s total annual U.S. solar module production capacity to approximately 6GW.
The company said the expansion forms part of its long-term localisation strategy and will position SEG among the largest fully U.S.-owned solar module manufacturers.
According to SEG, manufacturing modules domestically will improve product traceability, delivery speed and quality assurance for customers and project partners across North America.
Timothy Johnson, Vice President of Operations at SEG Solar, said the investment represents a major step forward for the business’ U.S. manufacturing ambitions.
“This new facility marks an important milestone for SEG.
“It will further strengthen our U.S. manufacturing capabilities while supporting ongoing technology innovation. The plant is designed with the flexibility to integrate next-generation technologies, including HJT, as the industry evolves.”
– Timothy Johnson, Vice President of Operations at SEG Solar.
The announcement comes amid continued efforts by solar manufacturers to localise supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas production, particularly as policy and trade requirements around domestic sourcing continue to tighten in the United States.
SEG Solar said the new Houston facility follows its previously announced plans to develop a separate 5GW ingot and wafer manufacturing site in Indonesia, with construction expected to begin in Q2 2026.
Once both projects are complete, the company expects to operate a vertically integrated supply chain covering ingots, wafers and solar cells, strengthening resilience and supply security for customers.
SEG also stated it has been validated by multiple independent third parties as a non-PFE manufacturer for FEOC compliance purposes and currently supplies modules using non-PFE solar cells.
The investment adds to a growing wave of advanced manufacturing expansion across the U.S. clean energy sector as companies seek to scale domestic production capacity and secure long-term supply chain stability.
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Eight US solar manufacturers have filed an anti-circumvention complaint with the US Department of Commerce, alleging that solar cells and modules assembled in Ethiopia using Chinese-origin components are evading existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Chinese solar products.
Image: Jean Rebiffé, Flickr.
The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade has asked the US Department of Commerce to open an anti-circumvention probe into solar imports from Ethiopia, alleging they bypass existing duties through the use of Chinese components.
The complaint, filed this week by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade (AASMT), a coalition of domestic manufacturers with a direct financial interest in US trade enforcement, calls on Commerce to initiate a nationwide anti-circumvention inquiry into Ethiopian solar products and issue a preliminary affirmative circumvention determination within 30 days.
The filing specifically names two companies – Toyo Solar Manufacturing, the Ethiopian subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toyo Co., and Origin Solar Manufacturing – alleging both are completing Chinese-origin wafers into solar cells in Ethiopia before assembling those cells into modules in Ethiopia or Vietnam for export to the United States. AASMT said trade data confirm that nearly 70% of finished solar modules from Ethiopia include components and processing already subject to existing tariffs.
US imports of Ethiopian solar products rose from zero in June 2025 to more than $300 million by the end of that year, according to AASMT. The coalition said the surge followed the imposition of Solar III antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in June 2025, and the initiation of Solar IV investigations into India, Indonesia, and Laos in August 2025. AASMT said Toyo claims its wafers come from Indonesia, but that shipping data show Indonesia sent almost nothing to Ethiopia.
“What we’re seeing in Ethiopia follows a familiar playbook,” said Tim Brightbill, partner and co-chair of the trade practice at Wiley Rein LLP, which represents the petitioners. “For over a decade, state-subsidized manufacturers have responded to US trade enforcement by relocating minimal finishing operations to the next available country, while continuing to source nearly all their inputs from the same foreign suppliers. American solar manufacturing is at an inflection point: With billions invested, thousands of jobs created, and real capacity coming online, we are not going to stand by and allow serial tariff evasion to undercut that progress.”
The eight companies that submitted the petition are DYCM Power, First Solar, Great Lakes Solex PR, Hanwha Q CELLS USA, Silfab Solar, Suniva, Swift Solar (trading as Solx), and Talon PV.
The original Solar I antidumping and countervailing duty orders were imposed on Chinese solar products in December 2012. Producers subsequently shifted operations to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, triggering affirmative circumvention findings in 2023 and new Solar III orders in June 2025.
Imports from those four countries fell from $12.2 billion in 2023 to $1.3 billion in 2025, according to AASMT. Solar IV investigations into India, Indonesia, and Laos followed in August 2025, with Commerce issuing preliminary countervailing duty determinations on Feb. 26, 2026, and preliminary dumping determinations on April 23, 2026.
Toyo did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. The Japanese company began production at a 2 GW solar cell plant in Hawassa, Ethiopia, in April 2025, with plans to expand capacity and supply the US market. More recently, the US Department of Commerce set preliminary antidumping duties on imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos under the Solar IV case, further tightening scrutiny of solar supply chains linked to Chinese production.
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Laura and Ken Heidrich talk to the Will County Board while displaying a map showing how Earthrise Energy’s proposed 6,100-acre solar complex will surround their Wilton Township property on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (Bob Okon)
Plans for a 6,100-acre solar energy complex moved ahead this week with support from construction unions and environmentalists, opposition from people who will have to live close to it and a division on the Will County Board that basically broke down along party lines.
The County Board Executive Committee on Thursday voted 6-5 to advance the plan from Earthrise, already delayed by a month, to the full County Board for a vote on May 21.
The committee vote broke down along party lines with one exception.
Republicans tried to stop or delay the project, and all but one Democratic member of the committee voted to move it ahead.
The 6-5 vote to send the plan to the full County Board included a no vote from board Democratic Leader Sherry Williams of Crest Hill.
The Will County Board Executive Committee meets on Thursday. May 14, 2026 (Bob Okon)
Any breaks in party ranks among the County Board, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, could determine the fate of the project next week.
Democrats, some saying their hands are tied by state law, all but eliminated the prospect of local say on solar projects and voted for the plan, with one saying she didn’t like it.
“I have concerns of my own, but the state says I can’t consider those concerns,” Member Kelly Hickey, D-Naperville, said at the Executive Committee meeting.
Contending that there was “some false hope being held out there” in the opposition to the project, Hickey said, “The way I understand this is it’s going to happen, and I’m so sorry about that.”
Hickey joined other Democrats in voting to push the Earthrise project forward.
Opposition was mounted by Republican board members, many of whom represent rural areas where the spread of solar farms has become a big issue.
Board Member Julie Berkowicz, R-Bolingbrook, who represents a largely suburban district, pointed to the example of one Wilton Township resident who said her property would be completely bordered by solar panels under the Earthrise plan.
“It’s such a horrible, horrible thing to happen to anyone,” Berkowicz said.
Rob Kalbouss, director of development for Earthrise Energy’s plan in Will County, (left) and other representatives from the company listen to discussion about their project at a meeting of the Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday. May 14, 2026 (Bob Okon)
Earthrise Energy wants to use 96 different parcels in Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships to create its Pride of the Prairie solar energy complex.
“This is a thousand acres around our home,” Laura Heidrich of Wilton Township told the committee while presenting a map showing how the proposed solar complex would surround her property.
For the second time, the Will County Board Planning and Zoning Commission voted on Tuesday to recommend rejecting the project.
The commission voted again after a Will County judge ruled that its first round of public hearings on the project, held March 30 and 31, illegally denied adjoining property owners their right to cross-examine Earthrise representatives on details of their plan.
The commission vote followed a hearing that lasted nearly three hours at the Renaissance Center in Joliet, while attorney Steven Becker, representing adjoining landowners, questioned Earthrise representatives.
Becker made a case contending that Earthrise did not properly account for wetlands on 96 parcels of land it wants to use, provided insufficient information about more than 1 million solar panels it would install, and posed a threat to groundwater with 300,000 galvanized steel posts that would be used in the project.
Arguing that the Earthrise application was incomplete, Becker told the commission, “That gives you a perfect reason to vote no.”
Attorney Steven Becker asks questions during a public hearing held by the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Earthrise Energy’s plan for a 6,100-acre solar complex at the Renaissance Center in Joliet on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Bob Okon)
The commission voted no by 4-1.
Earthrise representatives said Becker’s arguments against the application were off-base and issued a statement later saying they were confident the project would be approved by the Will County Board.
Becker said his clients will continue to fight the Earthrise project in court if the County Board approves it.
A screen above the Will County Board Planning and Zoning Commission Earthrise Energy representatives answering questions at a public hearing on Tuesday at the Renaissance Center in Joliet on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Bob Okon)
Bob Okon covers local government for The Herald-News

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Construction has commenced on New South Wales’ (NSW) first integrated green hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Australia.
The Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) project, located near Moree in northern NSW, will produce up to 4,500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia annually alongside more than 200 tonnes of green hydrogen, primarily to supply Sundown Pastoral Company’s Keytah Farm, a 65,000-acre cotton and cropping operation in the Gwydir Region.
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The AU$71.6 million (US$50 million) facility will be powered by an expanded solar installation at the Wathagar Cotton Gin site, approximately 33km southwest of Moree.
The project combines an existing 8.65MW solar PV plant with a new 27MW solar array and a 30MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to ensure a consistent power supply for the 15MW alkaline electrolysis system.
GEGHA is a joint venture between New Zealand-based Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company, with the NSW government committing AU$45.2 million through the Hydrogen Hubs Initiative and Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.
The project received state development approval in March 2026 and reached financial close in July 2025, with operations expected to begin in early 2027.
The project is designed to address supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by recent volatility in fuel and fertiliser prices. By producing ammonia locally using renewable energy, the facility will replace imported, fossil-fuel-based fertilisers and reduce reliance on diesel for irrigation pumping and heavy-vehicle refuelling across the region.
“Recent fuel and fertiliser supply pressures have highlighted how exposed regional industries remain to volatile international markets, reinforcing the need for greater local energy resilience,” said David Statham, owner of Sundown Pastoral Company.
“Australia is very vulnerable when it comes to imported fuel and fertiliser. Farmers live and breathe those pressures every day.”
The GEGHA project introduces a decentralised production model that contrasts with recent developments in Australia’s hydrogen sector, where several major players have stepped back from large-scale ambitions. 
For example, in October 2024, Origin Energy withdrew from the hydrogen race to focus on renewable energy and storage, while in 2025, oil and gas major bp exited a 26GW wind, solar and green hydrogen project in Western Australia.
Rather than relying on large, centralised facilities and long-distance transportation, the Moree installation will produce ammonia locally for immediate use by surrounding farming operations, reducing both emissions and logistics costs.
The facility incorporates up to 600 tonnes of ammonia storage capacity to buffer against seasonal fertiliser requirements and renewable energy variability.
NSW minister for climate change and energy Penny Sharpe described the project as demonstrating how clean energy investment can deliver benefits for regional communities, industry and farmers.
“The current fuel shock shows why projects like this are so important – they help make farming supply chains more reliable by reducing our need for imported fertilisers,” Sharpe said.
The GEGHA facility represents a practical application of solar PV and wind, forming the foundation of Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy.
The project is designed to be scalable and repeatable across regional NSW to increase domestic manufacturing and develop energy security through sovereign supply chains for key industries.

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As Pasadena Water and Power strives toward the agency’s plan to source 100% of of electricity from carbon-free sources by the end of 2030, officials are asking firms to conduct solar and energy storage system feasibility assessments of 21 sites.
The city’s renewable energy plan also calls for optimizing affordability, rate equity, stability and reliability, officials said Monday.
The purpose of the city’s formal Request for Information, or RFI is to collect input from firms with expertise in solar energy and battery energy storage. The information gathered will help city officials evaluate the technical and financial feasibility of deploying solar or combined solar and storage systems at locations such as the Pasadena Central Library, branch libraries, municipal parking lots and structures, the Rose Bowl Stadium and the Pasadena Convention Center.
The RFI initiative is part of a broader effort to expand locally sited clean energy resources, enhance energy resilience, optimize municipal assets and reduce long-term utility costs while equitably distributing the benefits of carbon-free energy throughout the Pasadena community. City departments have worked with with Pasadena Water and Power to develop the program, including Library and Information Services, Planning and Community Development, Public Works and Transportation.
“This RFI is an important step in identifying the most effective clean energy solutions for Pasadena and is the result of a true collaborative effort,” David Reyes, general manager of Pasadena Water and Power, said in a statement. “We’re excited to continue moving this process forward and to further Pasadena’s clean energy goals.”
Interim City Manager Matthew Hawkesworth said in a statement, “This effort reflects Pasadena’s commitment to our clean energy goals while advancing responsible planning and long-term sustainability. We look forward to gathering the information needed to guide thoughtful, transparent decision making that benefits our entire community.”
The city is seeking information to establish technical and financial feasibility, identify optimal system sizes and site configurations and evaluate potential solar or solar and storage installations. Respondents are also asked to provide input on conceptual system designs, implementation strategies, capital cost estimates and recommended approaches for prioritizing facilities for phased implementation.
Responses collected through this process will be used to develop a Request for Proposals for system design and installation, scheduled for release in the near future, officials said.
The city’s Request for Information is now available online.
For more information about solar power, including new residential and commercial customer rebates for solar systems and battery storage, visit PWPweb.com/Solar.

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True North, Avangrid’s largest solar photovoltaic project in Texas  Iberdrola
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by Ryan Smith
Ameren's new solar generation facility will be built next to the Callaway Energy Center on land that Ameren already owns. (KRCG)
The Missouri Public Service Commission approved an agreement with Ameren on Wednesday to build the reform project.

It is a 250-megawatt solar generation facility located in Callaway County.
Ameren's new solar generation facility will be built next to the Callaway Energy Center on land that Ameren already owns.
"So, they are looking at it as a way to bring baseload on, to meet growing consumer demand – that’s how they have expressed it to us,” explained Christopher Scott, Callaway County's Western District Commissioner.
Scott says this is not the first time solar farms have looked to expand in Callaway County.
"A solar project came up a few years ago in New Bloomfield that had some very loud opposition, and that project did not materialize, and it has not yet," Scott said.
Scott says this project is a little different.
He says Callaway County has a close relationship with Ameren, and unlike some other proposed solar farms, it would be on land Ameren already owns.
"Land that they have owned for years," Scott adds.
Other residents around Fulton told KRCG they feel the same.
"Yeah, I'm for them building more power plants. You kind of just see utility rates and electricity rates rising across the country, and especially in mid-Missouri. So, adding more supply should bring down prices and hopefully make things more affordable," said Ethan Schutzenhofer, a Callaway County resident.
Representatives with Ameren say the project is a win for the state of Missouri, Callaway County, and Ameren.
“We absolutely do not intend on showing up and really being a mark on the county. We want to be supportive, we want the project to look good, we want everyone's buy-in," said Scott Wibbenmeyer, Senior Director of Renewable Development for Ameren.
Wibbenmeyer says they've had several meetings with the public before the approval.
"Really try to do a layout that doesn't impact any neighboring homes. We picked a site location next to a nuclear plant, so there are not a lot of homes on the land we already own, so we are not really impacting any additional farmland," Wibbenmeyer adds.
Wibbenmeyer adds that work on the solar farm will begin as soon as this summer, with the hope of having it ready to serve customers in 2028.
2026 Sinclair, Inc.

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Renewable energy firm Inox Clean has acquired 3 GW module and 3 GW cell manufacturing capacity from Boviet Solar in the United States in a $750-million deal. In a statement, Inox Clean Energy said that while the solar module capacity is operational, the cell manufacturing capacity is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year
The company has acquired the assets of Boviet Solar Technology LLC (Boviet Solar) through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Inox Solar Americas LLC. Through this asset purchase, Inox Clean has gained an operational capacity of 3 GW of solar module manufacturing and a binding agreement to acquire 3 GW of cell manufacturing capacity.
The company said that the acquired Boviet Solar, headquartered in Greenville, North Carolina, is one of the largest solar module manufacturers in the United States.  
 INOXGFL Group said that the asset purchase also unlocks significant economic advantages under the US government’s domestic manufacturing push. The products sold will be eligible for incentives, enhancing profitability while also mitigating tariff- and policy-related uncertainties through a localised manufacturing footprint, the company added.
Devansh Jain, Executive Director, INOXGFL Group, said, “With the US witnessing accelerating demand for power, driven by structural shifts such as AI adoption, data centre expansion, electrification and industrial growth, this is an opportune moment for Inox Clean.”

 “Our entry in the US through Boviet Solar positions us to participate in this opportunity at scale, backed by an integrated platform aligned with evolving market and policy dynamics,” he added.
Inox Clean, the integrated renewable energy platform of the INOXGFL Group, operates across the renewable IPP (Independent Power Producer) business through its subsidiary, Inox Neo, and the solar manufacturing business through its subsidiary, Inox Solar Ltd.
The company is targeting 10 GW of installed renewable energy IPP capacity and 11 GW of integrated solar manufacturing capacity by FY28, with assets spread across India and multiple key global geographies, including the US and Africa.
Delhi’s new elevated corridor between Ashram Chowk and Sarai Khwaja will significantly reduce travel time from an hour to just 10-15 minutes, improving daily commuting and easing traffic at the Badarpur Border. The project aims to enhance connectivity within Delhi-NCR, resulting in less stress, faster travel, and improved traffic flow in the region.

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Meridian Energy Secures Consent For Bunnythorpe Solar Farm  TradingView
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Luzia Photovoltaic plant  Iberdrola
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The 8th annual Solar Risk Assessment from kWh Analytics identifies equipment-driven fires, regulator fines, and battery inaccuracies as the latest threats to renewable asset returns.
Image: Pixabay
From pv magazine USA
As the US renewable fleet enters a period of unprecedented demand, the industry is hitting a critical inflection point where operational nuance is as vital as hardware procurement. Data center electricity use is on track to quintuple by 2040, and global cooling demand is projected to triple by 2060, placing a massive burden on a grid that now counts on solar, wind, and storage. Meeting the demand ahead requires collaboration between asset owners, operators, financiers, insurers, brokers, and manufacturers to ensure infrastructure remains durable and reliable.
The 2026 Solar Risk Assessment consists of 19 articles written by global industry partners to provide an objective analysis of resilience and reliability. Data from the report reveals that while extreme weather remains a major driver of financial loss, the next frontier of risk is domestic, originating from within the plant itself.
Historically, the industry has focused on wildfire defensibility, but data from kWh Analytics shows that only 4% of photovoltaic fire loss events occur in high wildfire risk areas. In contrast, 84% of fire events are equipment-driven brushfires, meaning the source of ignition is the solar equipment.
Nextpower highlights a critical detection gap in current maintenance practices where 79% of identified high-risk photovoltaic connector and fuse issues exhibit no detectable thermal signature at the time of inspection.
While thermal drones are a standard tool for identifying module-level defects, they often fail to catch balance of system issues where no measurable heat is present before a failure. Because most high-risk connector failures begin without measurable heat, Nextpower argues that high-resolution visual inspection must complement thermography to reduce fire frequency.
Hardware risk also extends to manufacturing quality. Testing data from Kiwa PVEL and Kiwa PI Berlin shows that 30% of manufacturers exhibit junction box failures in reliability testing. These failures raise fire risk across entire portfolios and suggest that stakeholders should prioritize production oversight and pre-shipment inspections to verify manufacturing quality.
As solar power plants are increasingly installed in hurricane-prone locations, the structural integrity of single-axis trackers is under scrutiny. GameChange Solar reports that current IEC 62782 standards for tracker design underrepresent the cyclical loading experienced during a real-world hurricane by 8x.
Fatigue failure occurs when cracks form in a material due to repeated wind forces that are applied and then removed. Modeling by CPP Wind Engineering Consultants for GameChange Solar found that a site during Hurricane Ian likely experienced more than 8,000 cycles with pressures up to 1,400 Pa. The standard only requires 1,000 cycles at 1,000 Pa. Testing conducted by GameChange Solar showed that while common rail designs passed the standard test, they developed visible cracks when subjected to more realistic cyclical loading.
Beyond wind, lightning is becoming a more frequent threat to onshore renewables. Vaisala Xweather reports that 32% more US wind turbines were hit by four or more lightning strokes in 2025 compared to the previous year. This increase in lightning frequency necessitates more robust grounding and protection protocols for renewable assets.
Hail remains the most expensive type of insured loss for the solar industry. Research from kWh Analytics and GroundWork Renewables indicates that standard 2 mm glass modules are no longer sufficient for 52% of the contiguous United States to keep risk below an acceptable loss threshold.
In the highest-risk regions, which cover 13% of the United States, both hail-hardened modules and robust stow protocols are required. Robust stow is defined as the execution of a 70-degree or greater tilt position during a storm. However, software-based stow can fail if operational policies are inadequate.
GroundWork Renewables testing data confirms that hail-hardened constructions, typically using 2.5 mm or 3.2 mm glass, offer significantly lower failure probabilities and provide a stronger baseline of protection for utility-scale developments.
Operational intelligence provider Above Surveying analyzed data from more than 3,000 assets and found that thermal anomalies do not follow a linear degradation path.
Instead, the data shows that defect rates, which include cell cracks and busbar peeling, accelerate significantly after year seven. This trend introduces meaningful long-term financial risk for projects that assume a constant rate of degradation over a 30-year life.
Additional reliability challenges include:
As lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries dominate new storage deployments, the industry is struggling with state-of-charge inaccuracies.
ACCURE Battery Intelligence finds that these estimation errors can cost battery energy storage system operators more than $1 million per GWh annually in dynamic markets like ERCOT. Because LFP batteries have a flat voltage curve, it is difficult for standard management systems to provide a reliable view of available energy, leading operators to maintain conservative buffers that leave tradable energy unused.
Furthermore, PowerUp reports that 75% of utility-scale battery sites show early signals of HVAC-related thermal anomalies. These cooling failures can lead to thermal runaway if unmanaged, making early anomaly detection essential for both safety and asset availability.
The regulatory landscape is shifting rapidly, introducing new classes of risk. Crux reports that new prohibited foreign entity rules take effect in 2026, yet only 38% of developers feel fully prepared to meet these requirements.
The financial consequences for falling behind on compliance are severe. Vaisala notes that non-compliance with heightened Federal Energy Regulatory Commission cybersecurity and regulatory standards can trigger penalties of $1 million per day for renewable energy developers. Additionally, CAC highlights that tax insurance underwriters are tightening terms, with 75% of underwriters refusing to cover valuation step-ups above 25%, creating a constraint for project financing.
As the industry grows, the risks are becoming more localized, more technical, and more expensive. Success in the next phase of the energy transition will require moving beyond broad assumptions and toward a strategy rooted in granular, field-verified data.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
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FREMONT, Calif., May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Power looks different depending on how you live, move, and stay connected. For some, it’s a sun-soaked backyard with the speakers cranked and the grill going strong. For others, it’s a cross-country road trip with no set plan and no concern about the next charge. And for a growing number of Americans, it’s the ability to stay fully powered off the grid, on their own terms.
This Memorial Day, Jackery is helping make that kind of power more accessible than ever. From May 14 – 27, the brand is launching its most significant sale event of the season, with up to 54% off select products including the Solar Generator 3600 Plus, Jackery’s home backup solution built for the moments that demand serious power.

Power That Matches the Moment
The three-day weekend has long marked the unofficial start of summer in the U.S., and how people spend it continues to evolve. Backyard gatherings have become full-scale experiences. Road trips are stretching further. And the expectation to stay powered, connected, and comfortable, whether at home or miles from the nearest outlet, has never been stronger. When heatwaves push the grid to its limits, that expectation becomes essential.

The Solar Generator 3600 Plus is built for that reality. With 3600Wh of LiFePO4 capacity, seamless home circuit integration, 6,000 charge cycles, and over 16 years of durability, it delivers long-term backup power designed for modern life — keeping your refrigerator running, your medical devices powered, your home office online, and your family’s devices charged when the grid goes down. From a chest freezer full of groceries to a CPAP machine, a newborn’s nursery to a home workshop, it handles the load without compromise. With solar compatibility and ChargeShield 2.0 technology, it’s engineered to provide dependable protection for both homes and the moments that happen inside them.
It’s not just a backup solution, and it’s not a traditional generator. It’s a solar generator — a redefined approach to everyday energy.
Built for the Big Moments – and the Quiet Ones
Beyond the Solar Generator 3600 Plus, Jackery’s Memorial Day event spans its broader high-capacity lineup, designed for the experiences that define summer:
Whether it’s a family reunion in the backyard or a solo trek through the Southwest, Jackery’s ecosystem of portable power stations and solar panels is engineered to go the distance.

The Season’s Biggest Energy Event
Running May 14 – 27, Jackery’s Memorial Day sale features up to 54% off select products and bundles – marking one of the brand’s most significant seasonal events.
Featured offers include:
As summer approaches, the event offers a timely opportunity to rethink how homes, travel, and everyday life stay powered.
To discover more about the Jackery Memorial Day Sale running from May 14 – May 27, head to Jackery.com
ABOUT JACKERY

Founded in California in 2012, Jackery is a leader in innovative solar generators and renewable energy solutions. Offering a diverse range of products – from compact 100W units to essential home backup systems amounting to 60kWh – Jackery combines cutting-edge technology with a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Designed in the USA based on customer usability and the diverse energy needs of the United States, Jackery is dedicated to providing reliable, renewable energy solutions, prioritizing convenience, trust, energy independence, and environmentally responsible practices. With over 150,000 five-star reviews, Jackery has earned the trust of customers worldwide. To learn more, check out Jackery on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Rachel Stotts: Rachel.Stotts@jackery.com
ICR: Jackery@icrinc.com
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Low-cost solar PV enables to turn CO2 from an unwanted burden into a precious raw material and sequestered in materials with many applications. This effectively reframes carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration as a monetizable carbon dioxide removal option. Three recent studies on electricity-based carbon fiber, silicon carbide, and graphene aimed at enabling large-scale negative emissions by 2050.
Image: LUT University
Reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is achievable, whereby any amount of residual and unavoidable CO₂ emissions must be compensated by carbon sinks, either natural or artificial. Unlike carbon capture, and sequestration (CCS) where CO₂ is captured from fossil exhaust gas streams with subsequent sequestration, carbon capture, and utilization (CCU) is often identified as an effective approach to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into valuable products to generate an economical gain of the carbonaceous product rather than CO₂ disposal. However, not all CCU pathways contribute to net-negative emissions.
With this in mind, researchers at LUT University explored a broader perspective integrating CCU with carbon dioxide removal (CDR), forming carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS). In this approach, captured CO₂ is treated as a precious raw material, enabling the production of profitable materials in which CO₂, or rather carbon, is sequestered with high permanence. This not only converts CO₂ into value-added products with many applications but also opens new pathways for materials innovation, leading to broader industrial defossilization.
Solar PV-powered CCUS pathways
Low-cost solar PV electricity plays an important role in ensuring that all processes related to CCUS are sustainable, while enabling the production of profitable materials and substantial negative emissions. Recent studies have investigated this potential as an effective CDR option across three specific materials, namely carbon fiber, silicon carbide, and graphene, which are highly energy intensive and highly CO₂-emissive in their conventional production value chains. These materials also exhibit strong market growth, wide-ranging applications, and high resistance to degradation, fulfilling essential criteria for CCUS.
Accordingly, defossilizing their conventional production processes through low-cost renewable electricity, combined with a carbon source derived from atmospheric CO₂ captured via direct air capture (DAC) systems, reveals the potential for substantial negative emissions alongside favorable economic outcomes by the mid-century. In this context, electricity-based carbon fiber (e-CF) production using atmospheric CO₂ shows the emergence of a viable business case, with a projected production cost of €10.3 ($12.1)/kgCF by 2050. Although the cost of carbon sequestration remains relatively high at €2949 /tCO₂, the projected profit reached is €1461 /tCO₂ by 2050. The electricity requirement for carbon sequestration is estimated at 53.7 MWh_el/tCO₂, while production requires 186.8 MWh_el/tProduct by 2050.
Similarly, electricity-based silicon carbide (e-SiC) production using atmospheric CO₂ as the carbon source and low-cost solar PV electricity shows strong application potential. The cost of carbon sequestration is estimated at €303 /tCO₂ in 2050, while a monetizable carbon removal loop is enabled through a projected production cost of €0.7 /kgSiC with a profit of €259 /tCO₂ by 2050. The electricity requirement for carbon sequestration is 9.9 MWh_el/tCO₂, by 2050 while production requires 24.2 MWh_el/tProduct by 2050.
Electricity-based graphene (e-GR), often referred to as the wonder material of the 21^st century, is evaluated for its suitability as an effective CDR option and for defossilization in processing and synthesis stages. Two specific bottom-up production approaches are considered, as they enable the formation of highly stabilised product, which directly influence sequestration permanence and overall CDR effectiveness. The production of e-GR using low-cost solar PV electricity and atmospheric CO₂ captured via DAC is assessed in terms of cost, energy demand, and sequestration potential for two specific production pathways namely the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and electron beam plasma methane (EBPM) pyrolysis.
The results indicate that not all carbon utilization pathways perform equally. The CVD pathway produces high-quality e-GR but is economically and energetically unattractive as a CDR option, with a carbon sequestration cost of €24,402 /tCO₂, and a production cost of €89.5 /kgGraphene. In contrast, the EBPM pyrolysis pathway exhibits significantly lower energy demand, with electricity requirements of 13.1 MWh_el/tCO₂ for sequestration and 47.9 MWh_el/tProduct for production, showing a more viable pathway for CO₂ sequestration. The projected profit for the CVD method is €2643 /tCO₂ (€9693 /tProduct) by 2050, while EBPM pyrolysis yields €2351 /tCO₂ (€8621 /tProduct) by 2050.
Overall, all three e-material pathways demonstrate a competitive balance between cost, energy demand, and sequestration potential, with each material offering a wide range of applications.
Materials defossilization across nano, micro, and macro scales
An important insight from this research stream is that substantial negative emissions are achievable through CCUS pathways powered by low-cost renewable electricity enabled by solar PV, with atmospheric CO₂ serving as the carbon feedstock, transforming conventional production processes of valuable products into fully sustainable systems. The successful deployment of a monetizable and fully defossilized e-CF production value chain highlights the opportunity to further investigate the CDR potential of other materials whose fundamental structural units lie at the microscale.
The negative emission potential of e-CF along with its exceptional properties such as high tensile strength and modulus, positions e-CF-reinforced concrete as a potential substitute for construction steel. Each tonne of e-CF produced can store about 3.5 tCO₂, due to the high carbon content of the final product, enabling a total negative emission potential of at least 0.7 GtCO₂/a by 2050.
Similarly, e-SiC presents a promising pathway for the industrial defossilisation of materials whose fundamental structural units span the micro to macro scale. High combustion points and chemical inertness of e-SiC make it particularly attractive as an effective CCUS option. Given the compatibility of e-SiC grain size with construction sand, e-SiC may serve as a substitute for construction sand. If 50% of the global demand for construction sand were substituted with e-SiC, the total volume of sequestered CO₂ could reach 13.6 GtCO₂/a by 2050. When applied to meet the global demand for technical ceramics, the negative emission potential of e-SiC is estimated at 0.29 GtCO₂/a by 2050.
At the nanoscale, the response of nanomaterials to CO₂ sequestration and negative emissions is equally important. Graphene is a carbon nanomaterial, known for its exceptional physical properties. With a very high carbon content of nearly 99% in the final product, the total volume of sequestered CO₂ in graphene could reach up to 2.57 GtCO₂/a by 2050. The cumulative CDR deployment from e-CF, e-SiC, and e-GR is estimated at 843.5 GtCO₂ by the end of the century, reflecting progressive defossilization of energy-intensive and highly carbon-emissive industrial materials across nano, micro, and macro scales.
The role of e-GR as a CDR option is further reinforced by its emerging potential as an electrode material in lithium-ion batteries. Using graphene as an electrode additive in lithium-ion batteries increases the lithium-ion’s storage capacity, increasing the battery performance and extending battery lifetime compared to conventional batteries. This contributes to reducing pressures associated with mining, processing, and refining of critical raw materials, alleviating supply chain challenges for raw materials such as lithium. e-GR can play an important role as electrode material for sodium-ion batteries.
The broader defossilization of materials also includes the steelmaking and maybe restructuring of respective steel value chains. Similarly, the chemical industry can be defossilized, which may also go alongside chemicals value chain restructuring, more convergence of the chemical industry with the energy system, and it will include e-ammonia and e-methanol as major feedstocks for the chemical industry with main products such as e-plastics. The overall defossilization of energy-intensive industry will use as many direct electric solutions as possible, but also hydrogen-based solutions where required.
While the defossilization of the global chemical industry is still at an early stage, promising defossilization pathways could be encouraged for materials across nano, micro, and macro scales through the use of low-cost solar PV electricity and atmospheric CO₂ captured via DAC systems. These pathways enable substantial negative emissions by mid-century, highlighting a significant opportunity within the broader climate challenge. Material scientists and industry stakeholders may be encouraged to further explore CCUS pathways powered by renewable electricity and DAC systems. Solar PV-dominated energy-industry-CDR systems could contribute to climate change mitigation through material defossilization, and economically viable carbon dioxide removal.
Authors: Maheshika H.K. Premarathna, Dominik Keiner, and Christian Breyer
This article is part of a monthly column by LUT University.
Research at LUT University encompasses various analyses related to power, heat, transport, industry, desalination, and carbon dioxide removal options. Power-to-X research is a core topic at the university, integrated into the focus areas of Planetary Resources, Business and Society, Digital Revolution, and Energy Transition. Solar energy plays a key role in all research aspects.
 
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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Ahead of Solar Manufacturing USA 2026, Conference Chair Finlay Colville sits down with T1 Energy CEO Daniel Barcelo to discuss the company’s rapid multi-gigawatt module ramp-up and its strategic push to onshore the U.S. solar cell supply chain.
Daniel Barcelo, CEO at T1 Energy (left) at the company’s G1 module assembly facility in Wilmer, Texas with Dave Ogle, VP of Facilities and Wallaci Doarte, SVP Production and G1 General Manager.
Image: T1 Energy
As the United States pushes to secure its energy supply chain, domestic solar manufacturing is undergoing its most significant expansion to date. Front and center in this buildout is T1 Energy, an emerging cornerstone of the domestic solar ecosystem.
The company is rapidly scaling its manufacturing footprint—anchored by its fully operational 5.0 GW module facility in Wilmer, Texas, and an upcoming 2.1 GW TOPCon cell factory in Rockdale—to deliver high-domestic-content solar technology.
Leading up to the eagerly anticipated Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 event in Austin, Texas on 22-23 September 2026, event partner and Conference Chair, Finlay Colville will be speaking to the leading companies that will form a key role in U.S. PV manufacturing over the next 5-10 years.
Finlay caught up with T1 Energy’s CEO Daniel Barcelo to understand some of the recent developments and plans for T1 Energy, as one of the most important companies in the PV manufacturing ecosystem in the United States today.
To start with, could you give an update on the latest progress at the module facility in Wilmer?
G1 is fully operational. We saw maximum daily run rates above our 5.0GW nameplate capacity at the end of last year. We produced 2.79 GW of modules in 2025. We expect to manufacture between 3.1 and 4.2GW of modules this year, depending on demand and access to the right solar cells. All of this reflects the talent and dedication of our people and gives us strong confidence in our ability to build on this momentum in 2026 and beyond.
It was fascinating to see how quickly the facility ramped up. Often with new factories in locations where PV manufacturing generally has not been well established, it can take companies up to a year or longer to reach high utilization rates. It seems the Wilmer module facility was operating above 90% utilization by the end of 2025. Can you comment on what made this possible?
It’s the winning combination of our people and our product. In roughly one year, the T1 operations team took G1 from initial production to maximum daily run rates above nameplate capacity. And we saw record sales and delivery of merchant volumes to major new customers who are very interested in high-efficiency, low-cost modules built in the U.S.
The move upstream to cell manufacturing appears to be progressing well. What have been the biggest challenges to date in building a cell factory in the United States and how has the process differed from the existing module factory in Wilmer?
We believe the manufacturing of TOPCon cells is the key to our integrated supply chain strategy. And things have been going very well. We are taking a two-phased approach to the buildout where Phase 1 will be a 2.1-gigawatt fab. The biggest challenge we have faced was that it was a very rainy spring. Rockdale received more than three times the average rainfall in April. But the construction and operations team adjusted and we remain on track to begin cell production in the fourth quarter of 2026.
In addition to securing in-house supply of solar cells for T1 Energy’s module production needs, the other key issue for domestic U.S. module assembly relates to the materials needed, such as glass, frames and films. It seems this is something the U.S. sector as a whole needs to pull together to fully onshore. How do you see this evolving from T1 Energy’s perspective?
Building our own G2 solar cell fab is critical to delivering high domestic content modules. We also have a deal to use domestically sourced steel frames. There are other components that remain challenging, such as glass, PVA, and j-boxes. For these components, we are in discussions with potential suppliers and are working on contracts that could support the construction of new factories. Hopefully, other domestic manufacturers step up to join us.
To have a fully domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem, the United States will need to add significant capacity at the wafer stage, not to mention greater production of polysilicon compared to today. Do you think it is necessary for a company like T1 Energy to be fully integrated back to ingots and wafers for example, or would the emergence of some high-volume upstream specialists at the polysilicon and wafer stages allow for a partial integration strategy to be implemented in the coming years?
We’ve got great partnerships with American suppliers like Corning and Hemlock Semiconductor for our polysilicon and wafers. Our focus is to deliver high domestic content to our customers, from polysilicon through modules. With these long-term strategic partnerships, full integration under one roof is not necessary. Again, the most important thing is to keep the supply chain on American soil. Our guiding focus is manufacturing our electrons here at home, investing in American advanced manufacturing to power our nation’s energy independence and ignite our AI leadership.
And finally on a personal note. How are you enjoying playing such a prominent role in the solar industry in the United States? What have been the biggest surprises and how does the solar industry differ to other sectors you’ve been involved with in the past?
I was in the oil & gas space for nearly 20 years, so stepping into solar didn’t feel unfamiliar. I don’t think about solar energy or renewable energy. Energy is energy. Solar is an exceptional technology that is the lowest cost, easiest to scale, and fastest to deploy energy source out there and will boost energy independence and AI leadership. Solar isn’t at odds with other energy forms. The more domestic solar we manufacture here at home, the more oil and gas we have for export to our allies abroad. Solar isn’t winning because it’s clean; it’s winning because it’s essentially zero-marginal cost electricity generation and keeps the U.S. a major global exporter. Once you see that clearly, it’s hard to look away.
The Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 event in Austin, Texas on 22-23 September 2026 is the first ever U.S. conference focused exclusively on domestic PV manufacturing in the United States, including producers across the value-chain from polysilicon to modules, domestic materials supply-chains, and the production equipment and technology used in the factories.
The pv magazine USA team and event partner Finlay Colville intend to make Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 the most important meeting for the U.S. solar industry in 2026, with a powerhouse speaker lineup. To get involved in the event, please reach out to us at the contact links on the event website here.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
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Fujiyama Power Systems Limited, a rooftop solar solutions provider, announced on May 14, 2026, the commissioning of its 2,000 MW solar panel manufacturing line at its Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh facility, alongside its audited annual and limited-reviewed quarterly financial results for the period ended March 31, 2026.
Manufacturing expansion
The Ratlam facility is part of a larger greenfield manufacturing expansion project designed for a total planned capacity of 2,000 MW each for solar panels, batteries, and inverters. The solar panel line will initially operate at an annualized capacity of approximately 1,000 MW under a single-shift schedule, with gradual ramp-up planned in phases. Full capacity utilization is expected by the fourth quarter of FY27 through double-shift operations.
Following the commissioning, Fujiyama’s total solar panel manufacturing capacity has increased to 3,568 MW.
Commissioning timelines for the inverter and battery manufacturing lines at the same facility have experienced delays. The company stated that it incorporated recent advancements in lithium-ion battery technology to maintain product competitiveness, and certain geopolitical developments affected supply timelines. These issues have been largely addressed. The inverter line is now expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of FY27, with machinery already received. Machinery orders for the battery line have been placed, with commissioning expected in the second quarter of FY27.
The company is also setting up a 1,200 MW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility at Ratlam with an investment of approximately Rs 350 crore, to support expansion into the on-grid segment and participation in the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
Financial performance
For the fourth quarter of FY26, revenue from operations stood at Rs 9,008 million, an 87.5% rise from Rs 4,803 million in the same quarter last year. EBITDA grew 116.9% to Rs 1,715 million, with margin expanding to 19.0% from 16.5%. Profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter doubled to Rs 1,063 million, up 107.5% year-on-year, representing a margin of 11.8%.
For the full fiscal year 2026, revenue from operations reached Rs 26,545 million, a 72.3% increase over FY25’s Rs 15,407 million. EBITDA rose 97.3% to Rs 4,903 million, with margin improving to 18.5% from 16.1%. PAT for the year came in at Rs 3,041 million, up 94.5% compared to Rs 1,563 million in the previous year. Earnings per share (EPS) stood at Rs 10.24 for FY26.
The company added over 80 distributors, 450 dealers, and 30 exclusive Shoppes in Q4 FY26, bringing its total channel partner base to more than 8,900 as of March 31, 2026.
Recent developments
In January 2026, Fujiyama commissioned a 1 GW solar cell manufacturing plant at Dadri with an investment of Rs 300 crore, funded through internal accruals and debt. The entire capacity is intended for captive use to support its module manufacturing operations. The company has a total module manufacturing capacity of 1.6 GW, of which 1.2 GW is located at Dadri.
In February 2026, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) included Fujiyama in the fifth revised edition of the ALMM List-II for solar cells, enlisting its Gautam Buddha Nagar facility with an approved capacity of 437 MW per year, valid until February 2030. The approved products are bifacial mono-c-Si PERC cells (182.2 mm size, 10 busbars, PID-free) with an average efficiency of 23.41% and a wattage range of 7.46 W to 7.79 W.
Management commentary
Chairman and Joint Managing Director Pawan Kumar Garg said the company’s first full year as a listed entity marked an important step forward. He noted that demand for residential rooftop solar and power backup solutions remained supportive, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, supported by government policies and rising consumer preference.
On the Ratlam commissioning, Garg added that the project strengthens the company’s ability to serve the domestic rooftop solar market with improved operational efficiencies and greater control across the value chain. Going forward, the company will focus on expanding capacity, strengthening backward integration, improving operating efficiencies, and further expanding distribution reach.
Photo credit: Fujiyama Power Systems Limited
WattPower has signed a strategic agreement with Solarium Green Energy Limited to expand solar deployment in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The collaboration focuses on supporting the central government’s Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme by advancing decentralised solar electrification in rural areas. Under the agreement, Solarium has been named WattPower’s Value Added Partner….
Read More WattPower partners with Solarium to boost solar rollout in MP and Maharashtra
India’s largest nuclear power station has progressed in its expansion, with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) initiating the “Spillage to Open Reactor” process for Unit-3 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) on April 25, 2026. The activity involves flushing and conditioning of safety systems and main coolant pipelines using light water. It…
Read More Kudankulam Unit-3 enters reactor-stage commissioning with key system milestone
The Government of Odisha has approved a 2,400 MW coal-based ultra super critical thermal power project in Cuttack district. The project will be developed by Orissa Thermal Energy Limited (OTEL), a subsidiary of Adani Power Limited (APL). The Nilanchal Thermal Power Plant will be built in three phases of 800 MW each at Rahangol and…
Read More Odisha clears Adani’s 2,400 MW Nilanchal thermal power project
Oyster Renewable Energy Private Limited and Jindal Stainless Limited have announced the part commissioning of a 315.6 MW solar-wind hybrid renewable energy project in Agar-Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, with the Gujarat component yet to be completed. The project involves a total investment of over Rs 2,000 crore, including Rs 132 crore committed by Jindal Stainless. Of…
Read More Oyster Renewable, Jindal Stainless commission 315.6 MW hybrid project
UK-based asset manager Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has partnered with South Korean energy firm ST International (STI) to acquire a 50% stake in Revent Energy, with STI retaining the other half.  This collaboration aims to strengthen Revent Energy’s onshore wind development strategy in South Korea, targeting 500 MW of installed capacity by 2029 through project…
Read More ICG and ST International acquire stake in South Korea’s Revent Energy
JSW Energy’s unit, JSW Neo Energy, has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to supply 230 megawatts (MW) of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) from interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected projects across India. The PPA, secured under SECI’s FDRE Tranche IV scheme, is JSW’s first agreement…
Read More JSW Energy signs first FDRE power deal with SECI
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Scientific Reports volume 16, Article number: 15176 (2026) Cite this article
Hydrogen is one of the potential clean energy sources that might help to address two critical global issues: energy scarcity and environmental concerns. Using fossil fuels for hydrogen generation has drawbacks, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions throughout the process. As a result, finding clean, sustainable, and dependable hydrogen generation technology cheaply and with zero emissions has become critical. The purpose of this study is to analyze hydrogen generation from solar energy. Mainly focus on PEM electrolyzer as a source of hydrogen and solar energy as a source of power fed to electrolyzer, so it is necessary to ensure that PV operate at maximum power or close to it, so we used P&O MPPT technique with several controllers like fuzzy logic (FL), proportional integer (PI) and fraction order proportional integer (FOPI) controllers. To achieve optimal tuning for the final two controller parameters, differentiated creative search optimization algorithm (DCSO) is applied and compared to other algorithms such as PSO and GWO. When comparing the outcomes, it was revealed that PI-DCSO is the best, with 6987 W produced power, followed by FOPI-DCSO with 6767 W, and the FLC with 6296 W output power, as detailed in the result chapter, which also contains a comparison of PV production under varying conditions, and a comparison of PEM electrolyzer under different conditions.
The entire world is looking to renewable energy in the present day to substitute fossil fuels with green energy instead of conventional forms of energy. Given the limited supply of fossil fuels, rising fuel prices, and environmental issues brought on by the world’s energy use, hydrogen is one of the most promising energy sources for creating a carbon-free energy system^1,2. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) and Alkaline (AL) water electrolyzers are low-temperature electrochemical methods for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen³. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power represents one of the cheapest and most widely deployed sources of renewable electricity, with over 520 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide. Therefore, it is considered the prime energy vector to power green hydrogen production. One of the downsides of solar energy is the difficulty in moving it from one region to another, as it is dependent on location and, more importantly, weather. Unlike hydrogen electrolyzers, in this study, solar energy is employed to provide sustained power to feed the electrolyzers, allowing the entire system to be powered by clean energy. Stabilizing and guaranteeing a steady energy supply is feasible by employing solar energy to electrolyze hydrogen. Water electrolysis powered by sunlight can replace the electrical requirements of traditional electricity sources while also increasing the overall effectiveness of energy⁴. electrolysis utilizing solar power. Maximum Fig. 1. Simulink model for hydrogen production to generate all possible power they are capable of, such as MPPT⁵.AS solar energy is Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is a control system-based approach that allows PV modules critical for hydrogen production, it was utilized in Perturb and Observation (P&O) MPPT and controlled it in this study. Control (P&O MPPT) uses fractional order proportional integer controllers (FOPI) and proportional integer controllers (PI), with tuning their parameters using various algorithms such as “DCSO, PSO, GWO “, and comparing their results. The last control (P&O MPPT) employed a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and compared its output with the preceding results.
Schematic diagram of the hydrogen production process.
The literature describes hydrogen production processes, such as electrolysis, solar DC/DC Converter Varieties, and MPPT control strategies. The most common electrolyzers are AL and PEM electrolyzers^6,7. AL is an established technology with lower capital costs; however, it is less suited to handling dynamic operations due to its slower response time and narrower load range⁸. Cost forecast for low-temperature electrolysis using technology-driven bottom-up programming for PEM and alkaline water electrolysis systems⁹. A control approach for a three-phase, dual-stage grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system using predictive control. A forecast current A suggested control mechanism, VS-INC/PCC, is used in the first stage to quickly and correctly track the MPP¹⁰. A complete sliding mode control approach for a maximum power point tracking MPPT voltage-oriented loop. The goal is to improve performance when used independently¹¹. The current paper describes a unique multi-trial vector-based sine cosine algorithm (MTV-SCA) for determining unknown parameters in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The tremendous nonlinearity and complexity of the polarization properties of PEMFCs provide major obstacles to precisely predicting these parameters¹². The goal of this study is to extract the maximum power point. To do this, a sliding mode-based control mechanism for a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller was created. The proposed MPPT has been designed and verified on a PEMFC system with a boost controlled by the MPPT and supplying a resistive load¹³. A review of the electrolysis of water by PEMs was released, with a section on modeling PEM water electrolysis¹⁴. A thorough evaluation of lower-temperature electrolysis design concepts, encompassing alkaline and PEM technology solutions¹⁵. Furthermore, the classified models were examined according to the mathematical modeling or physical spheres utilized. In¹⁶, it was discovered that integrating the PV system’s duration and peak power generation with the voltage range of the PEM electrolyzers enhanced hydrogen generation by 12% for a solar-powered PV/PEM electrolyzer able to create sufficient hydrogen for a fuel cell vehicle. In¹⁷, the results of Modelling and experimentation with a PV-powered PEMEZ were compared. However, experimental research on green hydrogen electrolysis, particularly comparative assessments of AL and PEM systems, is still restricted, impeding progress in both single and hybrid system research and applications. A new way for creating a sliding mode (MPPT) controller for PV systems under rapidly changing atmospheric conditions. Moreover, the typical perturbation and observation, the Genetic method (GAO) is used to find the optimal sliding mode controller (SLMC) gains, which drives the variable step of the Pb&O method¹⁸. A new drone squadron optimization (DSO) technique that identifies the maximum global power point during PSCS challenges. The study compares particle swarm optimization (PSO), cuckoo search algorithm (CUSA), and grey wolf optimization (GWO) in different operating settings.to affirm the superiority of the proposed technique¹⁹. A system that uses a proportional-integral-derivative controller, a neural network-equipped grid, a charging station with a Dragon Fly Optimization Algorithm to create electricity, and a maximum power point tracking controller. To optimize power management at the charging station²⁰.A novel Hippopotamus Algorithm (HA) for MPPT in solar PV systems with DC microgrids. The performance of HAs is compared to three proven optimization algorithms: Grey Wolf Optimization, Cuckoo Search Algorithm, and Particle-Swarm Optimization, under various operating situations and partial shading conditions. Results show that the HA outperforms conventional approaches in terms of both power output and response time²¹.Clean energy-powered EV charging station using solar energy, standby battery systems, neural network-integrated grids, the enhanced Cuckoo Search Algorithm for Maximum Power Point Tracking, and the Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller²². In²³, a PV power system with high efficiency and compact architecture is described. Solar power conversion microgrids can employ a variety of DC-DC converters. Mismatches between operational load characteristics and PV module arrays provide substantial challenges in PV systems, resulting in Environmental factors, such as temperature fluctuation and sun irradiation, which can significantly reduce efficiency and prevent optimal power output²⁴. Fortunately, the MPPT algorithm can alleviate this issue by maintaining the PV array’s maximum power point²⁵. Developed a PV system with MPPT and a DC-DC boost converter with self-predictive incremental conductance. The authors’ MATLAB/Simulink simulations show that their technique outperforms the usual incremental conduct (I&C) methodology and produces low ripple output power²⁶. In²⁷, the FO-PID controller is an expansion of the PID controller with two extra tuning factors: integral value and differential value. Additionally, these parameters increase flexibility in satisfying controller design requirements. A variety of research shows that FO-PID controllers outperform conventional controllers in industrial operations, such as greenhouse and reactor temperature²⁸. The suggested fuzzy logic controller updates the control signal instead of employing static PI controller settings. Many optimization strategies have been created to help tune the PI controller settings²⁹. This work presents a fractional-order PI controller with meta-heuristic methods to optimize performance and fine-tune parameters and uses a proportional and integral (PI) controller using meta-heuristic approaches to maximize performance and refine parameters. The goal is to optimize the FO-PI controller using meta-heuristic techniques. (PSO, DIFO, GWO). Optimization challenges aim to determine an objective function’s maximum or minimum value. Therefore, it can be an effective tool for controller design. Table 1 highlights the literature on green hydrogen fueled by natural systems and P&O MPPT with different control techniques.
Employing the PV array as a direct DC power source to produce hydrogen, this study proposes a unique combination of photovoltaic (PV) systems and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. To maximize the generation of energy and hydrogen yield, the study is divided into two parts. The first section examines several control techniques and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for optimizing PV system output power in dynamic environmental situations. In the second stage, the PEM electrolyzer is tested under various temperature situations to identify the optimal working parameters for hydrogen generation. This two-phase strategy provides a comprehensive framework for increasing the efficiency of solar-powered hydrogen-generating devices.
In this study, a solar system with P&O MPPT and certain control systems, such as PI and FOPI, was investigated, and their parameters were regulated by different algorithms such as DCSO, PSO, and GWO. Additionally, a fuzzy logic controller was investigated.
Then, this type was utilized to power a PEM Electrolyzer. Each portion was examined independently, and comparisons were performed according to the instructions below.
Comparative performance analysis of a PV system with different settings under a range of temperatures from 5 °C to 100 °C and irradiation conditions from 1000 W/m² to 500 W/m².
Illustrate A comparative analysis of the variety of DC/DC converters (Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost) utilized in PV solar systems connected to a DC load (electrolyzer). Using the P&O approach, an MPPT controller regulates the converter’s duty ratio. To verify the viability of the suggested model.
The focus of this study is on modeling and simulation of photovoltaic systems supplying a PEM electrolyzer for hydrogen production. The results are compared with those of various PV cases regarding the amount of hydrogen generated and the efficiency of the electrolyzer. Next, examine how altering the electrolyzer’s temperature between 25 °C and 65 °C affects the electrolyzer’s efficiency and the quantity of hydrogen it produces.
The system under examination is made up of four primary components. The first component is a photovoltaic array that generates direct current power. The following section is a DC/DC converter, which regulates the quantity of DC energy that passes to the electrolyzer. The third part is an electrolyzer, which serves to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen, and with its help, this work aims to measure the amount of hydrogen generated. The final part is MPPT techniques, which are used to track and modify the operating conditions of the solar energy system to ensure that it operates at or near the maximum power point, as shown in Fig. 2.
Proposed system for manufacturing hydrogen using a PV system.
A photovoltaic system is made up of a single panel or a set of panels that are coupled together to generate a specific amount of power. The panels listed above are made up of solar cells. This model’s design took temperature and solar radiation into account. The maximum output power of the cell is anticipated via scaling to a reference measurement, followed by an interpolation method on the (V-I) curves that describe the photovoltaic cell’s performance at all operational points³³. Offer the most common model of the solar cell addressed in this research, using simple calculations based on the manufacturer’s specification data. Figure 3 depicts an analogous circuit that models cell performance dependent on solar radiation and temperature, with four components (current source, diode, parallel resistor (:{varvec{R}}_{varvec{s}varvec{h}}), and a series resistor (:{varvec{R}}_{varvec{s}}))³⁴. Since the voltage and current produced by the photovoltaic cell are proportional to solar radiation, and adopting the diode model, they decline to zero in darkness. The diode expresses this behavior, and the net current created by the cell may be estimated using Eq. (1) as shown below.
Where ((:{varvec{I}}_{varvec{l}})) is the cell light-generated current caused by the photo effect, (:left({varvec{I}}_{varvec{s}varvec{h}}right)) is the shunt leakage current, and (:left({varvec{I}}_{varvec{D}}right)) Is the diode current defined by Eq. (2)
In this equation (:left({varvec{V}}_{varvec{p}varvec{v}}right)) is the PV cell output Voltage, ((:{:varvec{I}}_{0})) is the diode saturation current, (q) is the electron charge, (K) is the Boltzmann constant (1.3806*10–23 J/K), ((:{:varvec{T}}_{varvec{p}varvec{v}})) Is the PV cell temperature in Kelvin, and ((:{:varvec{A}}_{varvec{p}varvec{v}}):)Is the ideality coefficient of the PV cells and the shunt leakage.
The current through the shunt resistor is determined by Eq. (3)
Shows the equivalent circuit of a single PV cell.
The PV system represented in this study is constructed of 12 PV modules of Sun Earth Solar Trina solar TSM-350DEG 14.14(II) type and was linked as follows: 2 modules per string, 10 strings connected in parallel. Table 2 displays statistics from the used PV arrays, which are derived from³⁵. As explained in the next section, the PEMEZ uses a DC/DC converter attached to its output.
Water is the most abundant source of hydrogen, which may be created using a method known as water electrolysis. This involves running DC current through two electrodes submerged in water to break the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen. William Nicholson and Sir Anthony Carlisle devised this method around 1800. Electrolysis is the most promising method for generating hydrogen from renewable sources. It can generate hydrogen with no emissions. Using only water in the process results in 99.9995% pure hydrogen and oxygen. An electrolyzer (EZ) is a device that performs electrochemical processes using a stack of cells. The most widely utilized commercial electrolyzer technology is alkaline and polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. It may also have been referred to as Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers (PEMEZ) according to the description of chemical reactions that occur across the membrane³⁰. PEMEZ was chosen for this investigation because of its special characteristics, such as the use of a solid polymer membrane (hence the name). A perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer, commonly referred to as Nafion, serves as the electrolyte for this membrane. The PEMEZ has pressures between the atmosphere and 30 bar. It operates at a temperature below 85 °C and has an efficiency of 65 to 80%³¹. PEMEZ uses water as an electrolyte and two polarized electrodes composed of platinum conductors, which are chemically inactive (see Fig. 4). The chemically inactive electrodes prevent undesired interactions with hydrogen or oxygen ions³². When current flows over a membrane, positive charge carriers, such as hydrogen ions, pull negatively charged cathodes, while positively charged oxygen ions pull anodes.
Equations (4) and (5) illustrate the processes at the anode and cathode of a PEMEZ.
The reaction occurring at the anode:
The reaction occurring at the cathode:
They may be combined into one equation representing the whole reaction, as shown in Eq. (6).
Schematic of the PEM electrolyzer.
The energy in Eq. (6) refers to the electric energy given to the EZ for the electrolysis process, which will be detailed in the following section.
The enthalpy from creation (∆H=285.84 kJ/mol) in Eq. (6) can be divided into thermal energy (∆S kJ/mol.K) multiplied by operational absolute temperature (T) and helpful work (∆G kJ/mol), which can be represented as electrical energy. However, ∆G is limited by the second term. So, the total energy is computed using Eq. (7).
The change in enthalpy can be caused by a change in either the first term (∆G) or the second term (T*S), or both simultaneously. However, the change in the PEMEZ is only caused by an electrical change (∆G). So ∆H = ∆G. The voltage required for the electrolyzer cell may be estimated using Eqs. (8) and (9). These are referred to as reversible, standard, or ideal voltage, and the Nernst equation, accordingly³³.
Where (F) is the Faraday constant, and its value is 96,487 C/mol, V_i is the ideal voltage, its value is 1.233 V under nominal working conditions (20 °C, 1 atm pressure). To overcome losses such as activation, ohmic, and concentration, the voltage applied to the electrolyzer must be higher than the ideal voltage to initiate the electrochemical reaction and achieve the desired hydrogen production. Commercial PEMEZ devices exhibit a linear polarization curve (voltage and current) with a constant slope. The EZ characteristic can be expressed as a linear relationship between input voltage and current. This relationship is analogous to electrical resistance performance. This principle may be explored and applied to the model. The electrical response is approximated using a DC voltage source and a series of linked electrical resistances. The PEMEZ zero-current voltage is provided by a DC voltage source and varies with input current due to series resistance. The voltage source and resistance values must be calculated using the PEMEZ polarization curve. These numbers describe the model parameters that need to be updated to align with PEMEZ’s features. Additionally, this model considers the impact of temperature and stack pressure variations. The model has been constructed to provide a polarization curve that resembles commercial PEMEZ device performance under various operating situations without requiring any changes to the model parameters³⁴. The voltage response of this model (VEZ) is computed based on two^34,35. As indicated in Eq. (10). The first term expresses the zero-current voltage, whereas the second term is dependent on input current, and both terms are affected by operational temperature and pressure.
This simple PEMEZ model has been created using the basis of the reversible potential (:{e}_{rev}), incorporating the ideal voltage, V_i, the internal resistance of the device R_i, in addition to terms indicating the voltage loss within the polymer electrolyte membrane. As shown in Fig. 4, which illustrates the physics of the suggested model of the PEMEZ expressed in current ((:{I}_{EZ})) changes according to the altered input voltage (:{V}_{EZ})³⁶ (Fig. 5).
The equivalent circuit model for a single cell PEM electrolyzer.
The PEMEZ membrane’s reversible potential varies moderately with operational temperature and pressure (P and T). Equations (11) and (12) can be used to calculate reverse voltage and internal resistance.
Where(::{varvec{e}}_{varvec{r}varvec{e}varvec{v}^circ:}) is The reverse voltage at reference temperature (T°), membrane pressure (p°), and the optimal gas constant (R) are all stated in J/mol.°K, R_i°, (:{K}_{EZ}:)and dRt denote the internal resistance (ohm), curve fitting parameters (V/A), and resistance coefficient of temperature (ohm/°K), respectively. The settings were reviewed and altered to imitate the commercial device’s properties, as described in³⁷. To get the total voltage applied across the stack dynamic model, multiply the PEMEZ voltage in Eq. (10) by the number of series cells ((:{N}_{cellsEZ})) in the PEMEZ stack. The quantity of hydrogen gas generated by the PEMEZ in ( mol/s) may be calculated from Eq. (13) using the cell current, which relies on the pressure and the temperature of the cell. This amount is also proportional to the number of series cells (:{N}_{cellsEZ}) of the PEMEZ stack.
The electrochemical energy per second (:{P}_{H2}) generated by chemical reactions within the PEMEZ, which corresponds to the quantity of hydrogen generation (:{V}_{H2}) It is represented by the usable power generated in the form of hydrogen gas. Equation (14). Where the ideal voltage( (:{V}_{i})) can be determined as described in Eq. (11).
Turning the PI controller parameters ((:{varvec{K}}_{varvec{p}}),(:{varvec{K}}_{varvec{i}}) ) to accomplish the objective function in Eq. (15).
Where fitness is a goal function, and ITSE is the integral time square error, Eq. (16) provides a mathematical expression for the ITSE performance index.
where e is the total error between the actual output voltage of the PV cell and the reference voltage from the P&O MPPT. In this work, we use the differential creative search algorithm as the main optimizer to accomplish the objective function and compare its behavior with other optimizers like PSO and GWO to provide a fair comparison, which will be clearly stated in the results section.
The proportional and integral controller generates an outcome signal, u (t), that is proportionate to each the input signals, V_i (t), and its integral, V_i (t), as shown in Eq. (17) and Fig. 6.
The MPPT yields a reference voltage ((:{V}_{ref})). When comparing Vref to the PV voltage (Vpv), an error signal is generated and sent to the PI control. Proper selection of proportional gain (K_p) and integral gain (K_i) gives the desired response. When the converter receives electricity from the PV panel and the PI controller begins, it adjusts the duty cycle, which affects the entered value perceived by the controller. Controller tuning involves adjusting parameters to fulfill performance specifications.
Block diagram of adaptive P&O technique.
The proposed adaptive approach calculates the error between two subsequent array power signals based on observed voltage and current data. Adaptive perturb. Initially, the inaccuracy is significant during hill climbing but reduces as the maximum power operating point approaches steady state. This mistake can be considered as an error signal in a closed-loop system, requiring minimization at steady state. To attain these aims, handle the error signal using a typical PI controller, which is the basis of the suggested approach. This PI controller serves as an adaptive perturb value generator for the reference array voltage.
Differentiated teaching, which promotes individualized learning and fosters deep understanding and skill development while promoting student variety, is the source of this differentiated knowledge acquisition³⁸. The DCS optimizer maintains a steady population size and treats each individual as a team member. Responsibilities are assigned based on individual performance, aligning with the concepts of differentiated knowledge development. Top performers use divergent thinking to explore, whereas the remainder of the team uses convergent thinking for exploitation, aligning with the creative realism approach. The methodology provides each team member with an individual skill acquisition rate.
Based on a given rating, which aligns with the differentiated rate. This systematic approach to knowledge acquisition aligns with the DE cycle’s integration stage and serves a comparable function in our paradigm. The retrospective evaluation assesses each iteration’s outcomes as shown in Fig. 7. DCS assigns distinct roles to team members based on their performance level: top performers create new ideas, moderate High achievers develop ideas into solutions, whereas low performers focus on improving variety among teams. The differential knowledge-acquisition technique improves performance by assessing Unique skill levels and modifying the acquisition rate accordingly. The RA process picks enhanced Individuals over eras and monitors the best performers. The RA process also generates data to track performance. A strategy based on data guides planned actions and increases worker efficiency³⁸.
The DCS optimization model.
The DCS method begins by randomly initiating one individual to compute fitness and acquire the best value for each parameter across all team members. The optimization phases for the DCS method are detailed below.
involves defining the algorithm’s parameters, such as the number of populations (N_P), the upper and lower boundaries (L_B, U_B), the maximum number of iterations (NFEmax), and the number of variables (D).
Set the lower and upper bounds restrictions (L₁, L₂, L₃, L₄, L₅, L₆, L₇, L₈) and upper bounds restrictions (U₁, U₂, U₃, U₄, U₅, U₆, U₇, U₈).
Define PI control variables ((:{K}_{p}^{v}), (:{K}_{i}^{v},:{K}_{p}^{q}), (:{K}_{i}^{q}), (:{K}_{p}^{d},:{K}_{i}^{d},) (:{K}_{p}^{Q}and:{K}_{i}^{Q})). and create individuals as zeros in the vector based on the total size of the population (N_P) and the variety of variables.
(D) as below:
Set up the individual size. In this stage, the individual population is created with an array containing D*NP, then computed as follows.
i = 1, 2, …….,NP, j = 1,2,…….D.
The population vectors’ initialization value is the following:
the portion in the j-th location (dimension) of the trial individual (:{V}_{i,t}) is updated as follows.
This instance is approached successfully by choosing X_r1 and X_r2, which fit.
ω and λt parameters.
The Formula for creating a new member is the following.
Evaluate fitness: The new vector is enhanced based on the aforementioned rule and assessed using the fitness function. Updated as follows:
end
end.
The stopping condition is when the number of iterations approaches approaching the highest level allowable; the optimization stops. Alternatively, go to Steps 3, 4, and 5. The suggested optimization approach is shown in the pseudocode, which demonstrates how. Figure 7 depicts the DCS method, which finds the optimal space solution for the best solution. The DCS algorithm is used to search for the optimum values of the PI controller parameters to reduce the error between V_actual, the PV output voltage, and V_ref from the P&O MPPT technique. In this study, we compare this case with other algorithms like PSO and GWO used for tuning PI controller parameters, as shown in the results section.
Differentiated creative search (DCS)–based PI controller.
A collection of input data was collected and structured to precisely simulate and assess the PV system’s performance. These data contain all the key parameters that characterize system components, ambient conditions, and site-specific features. The primary input values for the analysis are presented in the (Table 2).
A PV system constructed in MATLAB/SIMULINK version: R2023a, running on AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS, 64-bit operating system, 8 GB RAM laptop. with varying irradiance and temperature levels, and control MPP via P&O MPPT technique with different Controllers. Used to power the PEM electrolyzer, which produces hydrogen. This section is structured into three main parts as follows:
In the findings section, I evaluated the solar energy system and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer under various operating circumstances. This dual method enabled me to assess each system’s capabilities, efficacy, and limitations in the face of technological and environmental changes. The primary situations I focused on are outlined below:
PV production under varying conditions.
PEM electrolyzer result under variable conditions.
PI controller behavior with three optimizers (DCSO-PSO-GWO).
FOPI controller behavior with three optimizers (DCSO-PSO-GWO).
Comparison of the Fuzzy logic controller with the previous two controllers.
Every scenario provided useful information regarding the behavior of these technologies, both individually and in combination, especially under real-world conditions. In the following parts, I will go over each situation in great depth, focusing on the approach, findings, and observations.
In this section, we examine the PV system’s voltage and power outputs under 1000 W/m2 radiation and a temperature of 25 °C, as illustrated in Fig. 8(a) and (b).
(a) PV output Voltage under 1000 W/m2 and 25 C, (b) PV output Power under 1000 W/m2 and 25 C.
These curves provide a baseline for performance comparisons, emphasizing the system’s responsiveness in steady-state environmental conditions.
In this part, we look at the PV system’s voltage and power outputs at different irradiance levels [1000 W/m2, 800 W/m2, 650 W/m2, 500 W/m2] and a temperature of 25 °C, as shown in Fig. 9(a, b).
(a) PV output Voltage under variable irradiance and 25 °C, (b) PV output Power under variable irradiance and 25 °C.
It was observed from Fig. 9(a, b) that reduced radiation levels resulted in lower PV output power and voltage, which in turn caused a decline in the overall efficiency of the solar system.
In this section, we analyze the PV system’s voltage and power outputs at a fixed irradiation of 1000 W/m2 and a varied temperature of [5 °C, 25 °C, 55 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C] as shown in Fig. 10(a), (b).
(a) PV output Voltage under constant irradiance and variable temperature (°C), (b) PV output Power under constant irradiance and variable temperature (°C).
From Fig. 10(a, b), it was observed that as the temperature increased, both the PV output power and voltage decreased, leading to a reduction in the solar system’s efficiency.
In this part, we examine the voltage and power outputs of the PV system at a variable irradiation of [1000 W/m2, 800 W/m2, 650 W/m2, 500 W/m2] and a variable temperature of [5 °C, 25 °C, 55 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C], as shown in Fig. 11(a, b).
(a) PV output Voltage under variable irradiance(W/m2) and temperature (°C), (b) PV output Power under variable irradiance(W/m2) and temperature (°C).
Figure 11(a, b) shows that when the two prior examples are combined, changing both the radiation and the temperature, the PV output power and output voltage fall, resulting in a decrease in the solar system’s efficiency.
In this part, we analyzed the electrolyzer behavior under fixed pressure 1 atm and fixed temperature 25 °C and discovered that the quantity of hydrogen flow rate is equivalent to 22.32 L/min, and the electrolyzer efficiency is 67.45%, as shown in the following figures.
Polarization curve of PEM electrolyzer.
PEM electrolyzer input power versus current.
PEM electrolyzer hydrogen output flow rate versus current.
PEM electrolyzer hydrogen output flow rate versus input power.
PEM electrolyzer efficiency versus input power.
Figures 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 clearly show a linear relationship between voltage and PEMEZ stack current under constant conditions. The slope of this curve can alter when the primary operational factors (pressure and temperature) are changed, as demonstrated in the next three sections. Figure 13 depicts the semi-linear relationship between the electrical power supplied to the PEMEZ and the current going across its membrane. Figures 14 and 15 show the semi-linear relationship between hydrogen generation rate and PEMEZ input power. Figure 16 depicts the fluctuation of the PEMEZ stack efficiency with the input power, as efficiency decreases with increasing power due to rising losses against the higher passing current across the membrane (Fig. 17).
In this part, we will analyze the behavior of PEMEZ fed from a solar system with a buck converter under variable temperature [35, 55, 65 °C] and a constant pressure equal to 1 atm, as shown in Fig. 12.
Polarization curve of PEMEZ (V-I) under variable temperature and constant pressure.
The amount of hydrogen created in each of the four preceding cases was analyzed and compared, as indicated in the (Table 3).
This portion illustrates how an increase in temperature generates a decrease in the slope of the polarization curve and shows that when the temperature increases, the amount of hydrogen flow rate increases.
In this section, the solar system’s findings and how the P&O MPPT technique was regulated using the FLC and PI, FOPI controllers were investigated. As indicated below, various algorithms were utilized to optimize PI and FOPI parameters.
In this part, the three methods were tested to ensure optimal tuning for the PI controller parameter. To provide a fair comparison of these algorithms, as shown in Tables 4 and 5, we ran all of them with the same population size, number of iterations, and boundary conditions. DCSO branch marking results when combined with other techniques.
Duty cycle performance using PI controller tuned by DCSO.
The convergence curve for PI tuning parameters using DCSO.
Power output of the PV cell with DCSO.
Convergence curve for PI tuning parameters using PSO.
Power output of PV cell with PSO.
The convergence curve for PI tuning parameters using GWO.
Power output of the PV cell with GWO.
From a close look at previous,, Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24; Table 5, it is clear that the best obtained results were for DCSO, PSO, and GWO respectively based on the fitness scale, where the best fitness was configured as the minimum value of the summation of square error between the actual output voltage from PV and reference voltage from P&O MPPT, Despite this, the optimal fitness values were near, and there was variability in terms of the time spent on the process of optimization.
This section evaluated the three methods to ensure optimal tuning of the FOPI controller parameters. To facilitate a fair comparison of these algorithms, as presented in Table 5, all procedures were executed with the same population size, number of iterations, and boundary conditions.
The convergence curve for FOPI tuning parameters using DCSO.
Power output of the PV system with DCSO.
The convergence curve for FOPI tuning parameters using PSO.
Power output of the PV system with PSO.
The convergence curve for FOPI tuning parameters using GWO.
Power output of the PV system with GWO.
It’s clear from the previous Figs. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30; Table 6 that the DCSO method produced results that were comparable when combined with other techniques. A closer examination of the table reveals that the best results, based on the fitness scale, were achieved by DCSO, PSO, and GWO, respectively. The fitness was defined as the minimum value of the summation of squared errors between the actual output voltage from the PV system and the reference voltage from the P&O MPPT. Although the optimal fitness values were similar, there were differences in the time required for the optimization process.
Power output of the PV system with FLC.
Table 7 The result of the fuzzy logic controller in comparison with other PI and FOPI controllers.
Figure 31 depicts the time-domain response of PV output power when the FLC is utilized. The major goal of this image is to show how the controller achieves its final working value. As illustrated, the FLC successfully drives the system to a power output of 6296 W. Although the response is smooth and free of huge, unexpected leaps, it takes longer to achieve the final value than DCSO-tuned controllers. This figure provides visible confirmation of the FLC’s ability in maintaining a continuous power supply to the PEM electrolyzer, despite its reduced efficiency in extracting the maximum possible power.
A comparison was made between the Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC), the PI controller optimized using several algorithms (GWO, PSO, and DCSO), and the Fractional-Order PI (FOPI) controller utilizing the same optimization suite. As shown in Fig. 31, the FLC’s tracking capabilities was significantly limited, as it failed to accurately achieve or hold the Maximum Power Point (MPP) in the evaluated conditions. This performance disparity is related to the FLC’s fixed membership functions, which may not adjust quickly to fast irradiance changes. In contrast, the optimized PI and FOPI controllers displayed improved tracking accuracy, effectively attaining the MPP with low error, which validates the use of metaheuristic algorithms for controller tuning in PV systems. MPPT control is a technique for tracking the maximum power point under the impact of radiation 1000 W/m2 and temperature 25°C while feeding a PEM electrolyzer. Based on the results in Table 7, a thorough comparison of the three controllers indicates unique performance trade-offs. The PI-DCSO controller obtained the greatest peak power extraction of 6987 W, successfully maximizing the PV system’s capacity. This supremacy in power tracking is due to differential creative search Optimization (DCSO), which precisely optimized the Kp and K_i gains to match the operating point with the MPP. However, in terms of temporal reaction, the FOPI-DCSO had the quickest settling time (0.144 s), which was much faster than the normal PI-DCSO (0.432 s).The fractional-order operators (λ and µ) give more degrees of freedom, allowing the controller to efficiently suppress transients, resulting in this improvement. On the other hand, the FLC delivered a balanced performance but struggled to match the DCSO-tuned controllers’ steady-state accuracy, resulting in the lowest power output (6296 W). The high accuracy reported here, particularly with the PI-DCSO, outperforms the findings in Ref.⁴, confirming that combining advanced metaheuristic optimization with robust modeling significantly reduces the ‘chattering’ effect and improves the overall efficiency of the PV-PEM hydrogen production system. In further work, we propose to examine the performance of P&O MPPT with adaptive FLC and a hybrid fuzzy _PI controller. The current results indicate higher accuracy due to the utilization of advanced modeling approaches in comparison to the results presented in the Ref.⁴.
This section compares the three types of DC-DC converters: buck, boost, and buck-boost converters, have component values as shown in Table 8, in terms of studying their effect on PV output power and PV efficiency, as well as their effect on electrolyzer efficiency and the amount of produced hydrogen. Every converter topology’s steady-state analysis determines the design of the reactive components (L and C). The main design parameters are the inductor current ripple (∆I_L) and the output voltage ripple (∆V_out)³⁹.
Determine the best proportional-integral (K_p, K_i) gains for minimizing the system error. By reducing the selected fitness function (Integral Absolute Error – IAE), the improved PI controller may dynamically modify the duty cycle (D) to guarantee a rapid and steady response, maintaining the output voltage at the intended setpoint despite variations in solar irradiation.
PV output Power under 1000 W/m² and 25 °C using different converters.
Different converter output voltages under 1000 W/m² and 25 °C.
PEM electrolyzer hydrogen flow rate versus input power with different converters.
PEM electrolyzer polarization curve under different converters.
The comparative study shown in Figs. 32, 33, 34 and 35, as well as Table 9, demonstrates a key trade-off between hydrogen generation rate and PEM electrolyzer efficiency. While the Boost converter produced the maximum hydrogen flow rate (109.9 L/min), it did so at a considerable loss of electrolyzer efficiency (38.6%), most likely because to the high voltage stress, which increases internal ohmic losses. In contrast, the Buck converter provided the best performance for this integrated system, maintaining the maximum electrolyzer efficiency of 70.48% and a PV system efficiency of 34.97%. This suggests that the Buck topology offers a better impedance match between the PV source and the PEM stack. As a result, the Buck converter is recommended as the best interface for sustainable hydrogen generation, establishing a balance between energy harvesting and the lifespan of the electrolysis unit.
The examination of Table 9 reveals that the PEM electrolyzer is the primary component limiting overall system performance. The PV array and DCSO-controller have good energy harvesting efficiency (~ 35% and 99.8% tracking, respectively), however the electrolyzer’s efficiency reduces to 38.6% with faulty voltage matching (Boost scenario). This demonstrates that the interface matching between the converter and the electrolyzer is the main barrier for hydrogen generation efficiency.
This study optimized green hydrogen production using a PV-powered PEM electrolyzer by comparing MPPT control strategies. The PI-DCSO controller achieved the highest PV output power (6987 W) and fastest settling time (0.432 s), outperforming FOPI-DCSO (6767 W) and FLC (6296 W). The PEM electrolyzer produced 22.32 L/min of hydrogen at 67.45% efficiency under standard conditions (1 atm, 25 °C), with performance improving at higher temperatures (208.2 L/min at 65 °C) but declining at elevated pressures (63.07 L/min at 30 atm). The buck converter proved most efficient (34.97%) for PV-to-electrolyzer power transfer. These results demonstrate that metaheuristic-optimized PI control maximizes renewable hydrogen production, offering a viable path toward sustainable energy solutions. The findings highlight the critical role of controller selection and operating conditions in system performance. While PI-DCSO delivered optimal power tracking, temperature and pressure significantly influenced hydrogen yield, with trade-offs between efficiency and production rates. The thermal behavior of the PEM electrolyzer conforms with electrochemical theory. However, the inclusion of a sophisticated DCSO-based control guarantees that the system performs at its optimal electrical efficiency, increasing hydrogen production per watt generated.Actionable ideas for scaling up green hydrogen technology to address energy and environmental concerns. As part of future work, the scope of this research will be expanded to include a comparison examination of the proposed DCSO and other fairly recent metaheuristic techniques (2023–2025) to further analyze efficiency and settling times. Furthermore, a practical execution utilizing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) or an experimental prototype will be performed to assess the practicality and real-world applicability of the presented scenarios. This step will evaluate the simulation findings while identifying any operational or technical issues that may arise during actual deployment, such as the requirement for hybrid controllers or adaptive tuning in highly dynamic situations.additionally to provide a more multi-dimensional assessment of the proposed control strategies, future research will focus on expanding the performance evaluation framework. This will involve the integration of additional error performance indices, such as integral square error (ISE) and mean square error (MSE), alongside a comprehensive statistical analysis. Such an expansion will offer deeper insights into the transient and steady-state precision of the DCSO-tuned controllers across a wider range of dynamic operating conditions.
Upon reasonable request, the corresponding author will provide the research data generated and analyzed during this study, including simulation models applied using MATLAB/SIMULINK version: R2023a, as well as the resulting figures and comparison tables related to solar and hydrogen energy systems, for verification or reuse in future studies.
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Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB).
Electrical Power and Machines Engineering Department, Higher Institute of Engineering, EL-Shorouk Academy, Cairo, Egypt
Ahmed I. Omar
Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Alaa Abdelhamid Mohamed, Mohammed Hamouda Ali & Mohammed Mehanna
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Employing the PV array as a direct DC power source to produce hydrogen, this study proposes a unique combination of photovoltaic (PV) systems and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. To maximize the generation of energy and hydrogen yield, the study is divided into two parts. The first section examines several control techniques and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for optimizing PV system output power in dynamic environmental situations. In the second stage, the PEM electrolyzer is tested under various temperature situations to identify the optimal working parameters for hydrogen generation. This two-phase strategy provides a comprehensive framework for increasing the efficiency of solar-powered hydrogen-generating devices.
Correspondence to Alaa Abdelhamid Mohamed.
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Mohamed, A.A., Ali, M.H., Omar, A.I. et al. Optimizing green hydrogen production: a comparative analysis of MPPT control strategies for PV-powered PEM electrolyzers using differentiated creative search optimization algorithm. Sci Rep 16, 15176 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46999-5
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Received: 17 November 2025
Accepted: 28 March 2026
Published: 14 May 2026
Version of record: 14 May 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46999-5
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