The Sopris Sun Your community connector The Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) were urged to sign a pledge to protect elections on Monday. Heather Exby, former dean and vice-president of Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus, explained that “pro-democracy groups” have said that Garfield County is an area of concern for the midterms, stating that a small group of Garfield County residents came together to offer the pledge throughout the county. “I never thought I’d be here talking about election integrity, but it is an issue that we see weekly, daily out there,” said former state Rep. Gregg Rippy, who is also a member of the group. “The freedom to vote and have our votes counted is the foundation of our democracy.” Before he read the short pledge, he pointed out that there is no problem with election integrity in Garfield County. “But if we have people watching this and thinking, ‘My vote doesn’t count’ and they don’t show up because they believe that their vote is not going to be counted, there’s [a problem],” he said. “So that’s why I’m on board with this election pledge.” Commissioner Perry Will said that the Garfield County Clerk’s office just went through an audit without issue. “This is just our attempt to recognize that,” Rippy responded. “We really want people to feel comfortable that their vote is counted and important.” The GarCo citizens group pledge encourages people to register to vote and go to the polls in November. Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky gave a shout out to past county clerks Mildred Alsdorf and Jean Alberico, thanking Alberico for choosing Clear Ballot voting machines in 2018 instead of Dominion, which was at the heart of false election fraud allegations in 2020. County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon told the BOCC that ballots go in the mail Oct. 6; early voting centers open Oct. 19. “The ballot is two pages and four sides so we highly encourage people to return them to the ballot drop boxes,” Harmon explained, adding that it will cost two stamps to return by mail. All election information is available at the Garfield County website. The BOCC then approved the consent agenda and heard from local nonprofits High Country Volunteers and Literacy Outreach, which has been in operation for 40 years. The Glenwood Springs Salvation Army has started a winter coat drive and is getting ready for the annual Red Kettle fundraising campaign. Kings and Priests Ministry, home of Jesus Saves homeless day shelter, Discovery Cafe and sober living houses in Rifle for men also provided an update. Becca Schild of Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers was given a letter of support for a $43,000 Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant. County public assistance benefits for August totaled over $1.088 million. The BOCC approved a letter of support for a request from the Sopris Mountain Collective, a resident-owned cooperative at Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park, to enter into a special limited partnership (SLP) with the county housing authority. The SLP would qualify the mobile home park for a property tax exemption. The letter also requests that the resulting savings be passed to residents. The BOCC chose not to contribute financially to the residents’ efforts to purchase the mobile home park. Commissioner Mike Samson said this would be a way to help. The BOCC renewed a five-year lease for communication towers at Anvil Points and Harvey Gap, approved fee waivers for upcoming events at the county fairgrounds and gave the nod to a major impact review for a solar farm near Parachute. Commissioners discussed comments on the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project. The DEIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and proposes three action alternatives or management options, and one no-action option. “The three action alternatives vary in their scope and their intensity,” said County Manager Fred Jarman, who helped prepare the comment packet. The BOCC has been involved in the project as a cooperating agency for seven years. Jarman presented the 146-page comment packet, including county involvement history and concerns plus letters from locals and media coverage. Major concerns include how the land was purchased, state and federal government involvement and development impacts on the land, wildlife and rural lifestyle. The county is against the creation of a state park at Sweetwater Lake but urged the USFS to choose Alternative 3 — the least invasive and impactful action option. The entire comment packet is available at tinyurl.com/commentpacket2026
September 24, 2026 Desk Report: The power sector has faced the greatest strain due to adverse global conditions. Prime Minister Tareq Rahman’s government has not remained idle in addressing this challenge; they have already undertaken various initiatives. As part of this effort, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has taken a unique and groundbreaking step. They have launched a project to promote eco-friendly green energy—specifically, renewable electricity. A massive action plan has been adopted to generate 300 megawatts of electricity by installing solar panels on the rooftops of 6,544 institutions across the country under the Local Government Division. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shahe Alam, is the driving force behind this timely and visionary program. State Minister Mir Shahe Alam outlined the details of this flagship project at a crowded press conference held at the Secretariat on Wednesday. He stated that his ministry is committed to strengthening the country’s energy security and generating eco-friendly electricity by utilizing the unused rooftops of government buildings. An initial government allocation of Tk 370 crore has already been released to ensure the project’s rapid and smooth implementation. This visionary initiative by State Minister Mir Shahe Alam encompasses key local government offices ranging from the grassroots level to divisional cities. These include: Zila Parishad, Municipality, and Union Parishad buildings; Field-level offices of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED); WASA offices in various regions; Buildings of the Department of Public Health Engineering; Commercial centers, hat-bazars (local markets), and growth centers across the country. At the press conference, the State Minister said, “Our primary goal is to ensure the optimal use of government infrastructure. By installing modern solar panels on the vacant rooftops of these institutions, we will be able to add approximately 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid and for the institutions’ own consumption. Letters containing administrative directives have already been sent to each institution regarding the discharge of their respective responsibilities.” Minister of State Mir Shahe Alam’s remarks also revealed a clear deadline for the initiative, aimed at environmental protection and the reduction of power shortages. Demonstrating a mindset focused on rapid execution, he announced that the goal is to successfully implement the entire program by January 27 of next year. According to analysts, this swift and well-planned initiative by Minister Mir Shahe Alam will serve as a model for reducing the country’s reliance on conventional power, easing the strain on the national grid, and establishing a sustainable energy model within the public sector. This new frontier in grassroots-level power supply is expected to significantly enhance the administrative efficiency of the local administration. Desk Report: The long-awaited foot-over bridge connecting Aftabnagar and Banasree, constructed over the Rampura Canal under the funding… Desk Report: Md. Nurul Karim Bhuiyan, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gazipur, has set a unique example in… Diplomatic Desk: A grand reception was organized by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka at the capital’s Hotel Sheraton… Editor: Engr. Md. Sajibul-al-Rajib Corporate Office: 210/1 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka 1215 Phone: 01901327200 Email: infobusinessinbangladesh@gmail.com
As the United States builds a more resilient solar supply chain, the industry’s attention and data collection has primarily focused on factory capacity: how many gigawatts have been announced, how quickly facilities can begin production and where new manufacturing operations are located. There is an often overlooked aspect of this process, however: What material enters the factory before the cells are produced? The answer can reveal whether a facility is performing the core processes, specifically P/N Junction, required to manufacture a solar cell or completing a limited number of steps on a product that has already undergone its most important transformation overseas. This distinction is at the center of the growing discussion surrounding “gray wafers” and “blue wafers.” While the terms may sound highly esoteric, the issue has significant implications for domestic manufacturing policy, tax-credit eligibility, trade compliance and the credibility of the U.S. solar supply chain. When does a wafer become a cell? A gray wafer is an unprocessed silicon wafer, meaning it cannot generate electricity on its own. Turning it into a functioning solar cell requires a series of highly controlled manufacturing processes that alter its surface, electrical properties and performance. Although specific production sequences vary by cell architecture, these processes typically include texturing and cleaning the wafer, junction formation, edge isolation, passivation, anti-reflective coating application, metallization and testing. Among these steps, formation of the photovoltaic junction is particularly significant. The starting crystalline-silicon wafer may be either p-type or n-type. During cell manufacturing, a layer of the opposite conductivity type is introduced to form the junction necessary for photovoltaic operation. Depending on the cell architecture, this may be achieved through high-temperature dopant diffusion or through deposition of doped semiconductor layers. The junction creates the electric field that allows the device to separate charge carriers and convert sunlight into electricity. It is one of the defining technical transformations in solar cell manufacturing. A blue wafer has its P/N junction already formed by the time it reaches the factory, and it has typically received the anti-reflective coating that gives it its blue appearance. While metallization and other finishing processes may still be required, the wafer already has the fundamental semiconductor structure that enables photovoltaic conversion. This is why describing both materials simply as “wafers” can obscure an important difference. A gray wafer is a raw input to solar-cell manufacturing. A blue wafer is much closer to a partially completed solar cell. Why process location matters The current debate is about identifying where substantive manufacturing occurred. A facility that imports gray wafers and performs the critical cell-making processes domestically is carrying out a different scope of manufacturing than a facility that imports blue wafers and completes only the remaining downstream steps. Both operations may require equipment, workers and quality controls. However, they do not necessarily represent the same level of technical transformation, manufacturing value or domestic capability. Policymakers have started evaluating whether federal incentives are supporting the development of an enduring U.S. solar manufacturing base. Incentives designed to encourage domestic solar cell production are most effective when they support the processes, equipment, engineering expertise and workforce required to transform a gray wafer into a functioning cell. If nearly completed cells can enter the country as wafers and receive the same treatment as cells manufactured domestically from their initial stage, the market may reward finishing operations the same way it rewards more comprehensive manufacturing. Over time, that could weaken the incentive to invest in the full range of capabilities the United States offers. Different rules may produce different answers One reason the issue is complex is that “domestic” can mean different things under different regulatory frameworks. Tax incentives, customs classifications, domestic content requirements, and antidumping and countervailing duty rules are governed by different statutes and administrative standards. A product’s treatment under one framework does not automatically determine its treatment under another. For example, domestic content calculations examine where specific manufactured products and components are produced and how their costs are accounted for. Customs and trade authorities may apply separate standards when determining a product’s country of origin or whether duties apply. In solar trade proceedings, the location where the P/N junction is formed has historically been an important factor in determining a solar cell’s origin. That reflects the technical significance of junction formation in creating a device capable of photovoltaic conversion. The industry should therefore be careful not to rely on a single broad claim, such as “U.S.-made,” as a substitute for a process-specific compliance analysis. The relevant question is which manufacturing steps occurred in each country and how those steps are treated under the particular rule being applied. Why this matters beyond the manufacturer Questions about wafer processing can create risk throughout the solar value chain. Module manufacturers rely on cell suppliers’ representations to determine product origin and calculate domestic content levels. Developers may use that information to model project economics and support eligibility for federal incentives. Tax-credit investors, lenders and insurers may evaluate the same documentation as part of project diligence. If the underlying manufacturing process has been inaccurately described, the consequences may extend beyond the original supplier. Domestic content calculations could be challenged, expected incentives could be reduced and contracts could become the subject of disputes over pricing, indemnification or responsibility for inaccurate representations. This does not mean every product involving imported blue wafers is necessarily noncompliant. The treatment will depend on the applicable law, the specific production process and the facts surrounding the transaction. It does mean that buyers and other stakeholders should understand precisely what they are purchasing and avoid treating all U.S.-finished cells as technically or legally equivalent. Documentation must follow the manufacturing process As the market matures, traceability will become as important as production capacity. A credible chain of documentation should identify the material entering the U.S. facility, where the P/N junction was formed, and which manufacturing processes were performed domestically. It should also connect those records to the finished cells and modules being supplied. Useful diligence questions include: These questions should become part of routine procurement rather than an exceptional audit exercise. Clear documentation protects responsible manufacturers while giving customers greater confidence in their sourcing and incentive calculations. The industry needs process-based definitions The blue wafer debate highlights a broader challenge for U.S. clean energy policy: Manufacturing cannot be measured solely by a factory’s address or the location of its final production step. Effective policy must recognize where meaningful technical transformations occur. For solar cells, that requires examining the manufacturing sequence and determining where a silicon wafer acquires the characteristics that make it a photovoltaic device. Clear, consistently applied definitions would benefit the entire market. Manufacturers would have greater certainty when making capital investments. Buyers would be better able to compare suppliers. Developers and investors could make more defensible incentive claims. Policymakers could more accurately evaluate whether public support is producing the domestic capabilities it was intended to create. The U.S. has an opportunity to build a solar manufacturing base grounded in technical depth, operational transparency and long-term credibility. Achieving that goal requires the industry to look beyond where a product is finished and ask a more fundamental question: Where did the wafer actually become a solar cell? The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
0 Powered by : A parcel of about 54.2 acres at Falta Industrial Park now belongs to Websol Energy System, an India-based solar cell and module manufacturer. The West Bengal government allotted the land for a greenfield manufacturing facility. Plans there call for 4 GW of solar cells and 4 GW of solar modules. Construction is to run in two phases of 2 GW each. Its existing plant sits nearby in the Falta Special Economic Zone. That plant runs 1.2 GW of cells and 550 MW of modules today. Staying close gives the company skilled manpower and suppliers it already knows. As per the release, Websol is one of 14 ALMM-approved cell makers in India and the only one based in the east. SOLARbytes brings you the latest news in solar world in bite size; essentially a gist of important solar news in few sentences. Subscribe to our Newsletter!
Websol Energy System Ltd has been allotted a 54.20-acre land parcel at Falta Industrial Park in West Bengal by the state government for its planned greenfield solar manufacturing facility. The proposed facility will have 4 GW each of solar cell and module manufacturing capacity, to be developed in two phases of 2 GW each. The land allotment follows Websol’s plans to expand its manufacturing operations in West Bengal, where the company already operates a facility at the Falta Special Economic Zone. Websol said its existing presence in West Bengal provide access to a readily available base of skilled manpower, established supplier relationships, and deep familiarity with the local ecosystem—factors expected to support faster execution than a facility built in an entirely new location. The proposed facility will also create a larger integrated manufacturing base for Websol in eastern India. “When Websol entered solar manufacturing in the mid-1990s, the industry in India was still at a very early stage. Today, solar is becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s energy infrastructure, and the need for strong domestic manufacturing has never been clearer,” said Sohan Lal Agarwal, Chairman & Managing Director, Websol Energy System Ltd. “For us, this land allotment represents the next phase of a journey that began more than three decades ago in West Bengal. It allows us to build at a significantly larger scale while remaining close to an ecosystem, workforce and operating base we know well. As India expands its solar capacity, we believe manufacturing must grow alongside it, across regions and closer to demand. This project is Websol’s contribution to building that deeper domestic manufacturing base.” Sanjana Khaitan, Executive Director, Websol Energy System Ltd, said the company’s focus now is execution — moving from land allotment to construction, commissioning and utilisation. Founded in 1990, Websol Energy System produces high-efficiency solar cells and modules. The company supplies solar cells primarily within India, supporting module manufacturers in complying with Domestic Content Requirement norms, while its modules are marketed both in India and internationally. Its manufacturing facility, located at the Falta Special Economic Zone in West Bengal, operates with a current solar cell capacity of 1,200 MW and module capacity of 550 MW. The facility is designed to process wafers up to 210 mm, offering higher energy output and optimized land use for rooftop installations. Websol’s integrated production model, manufacturing both cells and modules in house, enhances supply chain control and flexibility to address market dynamics. Websol is one of only 14 ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers)-approved solar cell manufacturers in India, and the only such manufacturer based in eastern India. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
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By Canary Media Canary Media
Denise Abdul-Rahman, founder and CEO of nonprofit Black Sun Light Sustainability, can list in detail the harms that the Trump administration’s shutdown of the $7 billion Solar for All program has caused the Indiana communities she serves. About 1,000 low-income households have been denied access to low-cost solar that would have cut their electric bills by at least 20%, she said. About 200 jobs installing solar and batteries at homes, community centers, and city buildings, representing roughly $9 million a year in wages, haven’t been created. And residents of Gary, Indiana, have been denied solar-and-battery-equipped resiliency centers that could have helped them recover from a nearly two-week-long grid outage in August. That’s why Abdul-Rahman joined a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to kill the program. Last week, a Trump-appointed federal judge with the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island upheld that challenge, ruling that the EPA acted illegally and must let the money flow. “We just want the Trump Administration to comply with the law,” Abdul-Rahman said. “We would like them to resume what has started. We’re committed to this because we truly believe it will save lives and change lives.” Black Sun Light is one of many organizations and companies that have had to cancel work and absorb costs after the EPA terminated the $7 billion in Solar for All program in August 2025. The sweeping initiative was created by the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver more than $350 million in annual electric bill savings to more than 900,000 low-income and disadvantaged households over five years. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s decision to withhold the money has disrupted work by groups like Abdul-Rahman’s and other lawsuit plaintiffs to supply low-cost solar to low-income residents in Southern states, energy-burdened Native American communities, and state and local governments. Zeldin claimed that the megabill passed by Republicans in Congress in July 2025 allowed the EPA to cancel Solar for All. But in last week’s order, U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy rebuffed that claim. “Congress’s clear intent was that EPA continue to administer the already obligated SFA grants,” she wrote. The agency’s termination of the program is “contrary to law and in excess of its statutory authority.” The order upheld demands from plaintiffs to vacate the EPA’s termination of the program and reinstate funding. The EPA is “reviewing the decision and considering options for appeal,” agency spokesperson Carolyn Holran told Canary Media in a Friday email. Last week’s court order comes shortly after another federal court ruled that the EPA acted illegally in canceling $20 billion in funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, another Biden-era program. That initiative was meant to inject large-scale federal funding into financing for climate and clean-energy projects. The EPA is seeking a stay of that decision. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. This signup form requires necessary cookies. Allow marketing cookies to load the newsletter signup form. Nick Torrey, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represented plaintiffs in the Solar for All lawsuit, said that last week’s order “means this $7 billion needs to flow out to communities that are struggling with skyrocketing electricity bills.” “This is a very clear smackdown of an obviously illegal decision to cut off a very important program,” he said. “We want to ensure it gets up and running as quickly as possible.” The groups represented in this lawsuit aren’t direct Solar for All grant recipients, Torrey emphasized. A U.S. Supreme Court decision last year has forced those grantees to pursue efforts to recover funding through the Court of Federal Claims, which handles contractual disputes with the federal government. Instead, the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case, including Black Sun Light, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, the Rhode Island Center for Justice, Solar United Neighbors, and Sunpath Solar, argue that they have been harmed by being unable to continue work and pay costs undertaken on the good faith that their grant-winning partners would have access to federal funding to reimburse them, Torrey explained. McElroy highlighted this distinction in her order, noting that the plaintiffs in this case “lack any contractual relationship” with the EPA. Instead, she wrote, “[t]he sources of the rights upon which they base their claims are the APA [the federal Administrative Procedure Act] and the Constitution.” Sunpath Solar has had to absorb burdensome costs since the EPA cut off funds the company was counting on receiving, its CEO Seth Gunning said. Sunpath has 25 employees and has installed about 500 solar systems since 2023. When the Georgia-based coalition his company is a part of was awarded a $156 million Solar for All grant, “we scaled our operations in preparation to do that same work for 10,000 households,” he said. “That meant moving our operations to a new facility, bringing on more capacity, more employees, more trucks.” All his would-be clients have suffered too, Gunning said, by being denied the low-cost solar and battery installations they were promised. “Thousands of households paying $300 to $400 a month in utility bills don’t have the resources to install these systems,” he said. “There could be thousands of households saving hundreds of dollars a month, at a time when energy costs are inflating.” Abdul-Rahman highlighted similar damage done in Gary, where a third of residents live below the federal poverty line, and aging housing stock and rising utility rates are squeezing household energy budgets. “We are in an electricity affordability crisis in Indiana,” she said. Utility Northern Indiana Public Service Co., which serves Gary, is raising rates to cover rising costs to maintain aging grids and serve booming data center load, she said. New solar systems and batteries “could be an opportunity to strengthen our grid and make energy affordable for more people.”
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. This signup form requires necessary cookies. Allow marketing cookies to load the newsletter signup form. Jeff St. John is chief reporter and policy specialist at Canary Media. He covers innovative grid technologies, rooftop solar and batteries, clean hydrogen, EV charging, and more. Offshore wind Virtual power plants Nuclear Electric vehicles U.S. regions This video requires marketing cookies. Update your cookie preferences to watch the video.
The United States passed a special solar manufacturing landmark during the second quarter of 2026; cumulative domestic production of solar PV modules reached 100 GWp-dc. While this production landmark seemed like a distant dream just a few years ago, it now serves as a sharp wake-up call to the U.S. solar industry, with domestic solar manufacturing officially shifting from optional to essential status. The announcement here is also in stark contrast to years of hype surrounding factories that were never built, meaningless capacity metrics being added up, and a fixation on imported data. And it is a reminder that the U.S. solar sector should stop referring to misleading third-party capacity graphs or PR-driven ‘map pins’ – and start tracking actual production numbers to see the real market. The 100 GW number represents modules physically produced at factories in the United States, with the analysis covering more than five decades and linked directly to bottom-up company and site-level data across hundreds of factories through to today. This research project was done in the months leading up to the inaugural Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 conference in Austin, Texas on 22-23 September 2026, forming much of the background content for the event itself, including my opening talk at the start of the first day. Since the early 1970’s, U.S. solar PV manufacturing has gone through repeated cycles of investment, expansion, retrenchment and reinvention. Many factories were announced but never built. Others were built but operated at very low utilization rates, changed ownership or closed before producing any meaningful volume. The 100 GW module-production crossing therefore provides a useful point to look backwards before attention turns to the next phase of the domestic U.S. solar manufacturing build-out – tracking production metrics for ingots, wafer and cells with a similar level of scrutiny from the factory-floor level. Figure 1: Cumulative U.S. solar PV module production reached 100 GW during Q2 2026, with more than 70% added since the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act late in 2022. Looking back on my two-decades-plus as a solar PV market analyst, this is an article I never imagined I would write. Still less did I expect that by 2026, I would be diving deep into the factory-floor metrics of more than fifty companies across the United States—uncovering site-specific output in a furious nationwide rush to onshore an entire solar ecosystem. Twenty years ago, during my early days at Solarbuzz, the landscape looked entirely different.Back then, my research was consumed by the entire thin-film phenomenon. I often spent my days mapping the nuances of fifteen-plus process-flow variants of CIGS panel manufacturing, an era when the U.S. was the undisputed driver of that technology.For years, U.S. solar manufacturing felt like a fascinating playground for technological learning – but not a force of global commercial significance. My U.S. solar journey began with factory visits to the likes of Frederick and Fremont. In the intervening decades, the geographical center of manufacturing ownership radically shifted, taking me on an endless loop of flights across India, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia to track the industry’s massive wave of global commoditization. Now, the story seems to have come full-circle, and I find myself right back where I started: returning my research focus to U.S. soil, hunting down capital expenditures, process flow variants, and true production volumes at the company level. To be the one tracking this data, at this exact moment in history, makes the announcement of this landmark milestone all the more personal and rewarding. The origins of U.S. PV manufacturing go back to the earliest commercial years of the solar industry in the 1970’s. Until 1985, the United States had produced and shipped about 100 MW of PV modules, accounting for almost all global sales over that period. At the peak, companies like Arco Solar and Solarex had annual production volumes in the mid-megawatt range – tiny numbers by today’s standards, but global solar production leadership status at the time. During the 1990’s, Japan became the first country to build PV manufacturing plants at scale and with a supporting government/industry infrastructure that included companies with deep electronics and manufacturing experience. Linked directly to the first subsidized domestic solar end-market, this allowed Japanese PV module production to grow quickly, ultimately exceeding annual domestic U.S. production volumes by the end of the decade. To capitalize on the growing U.S. market, these leading Japanese solar manufacturers began establishing localized module assembly plants directly within the United States. This overseas manufacturing strategy allowed them to minimize the logistical costs of shipping modules while navigating evolving local content preferences. This move ignited a broader trend, drawing a wave of foreign-owned companies eager to invest in and supply the expanding U.S. solar infrastructure. Sharp established module manufacturing in Memphis, Tennessee, while Kyocera later assembled modules in San Diego. Sanyo invested upstream in ingot and wafer production in Salem, Oregon. However, U.S.-specific production volumes were modest compared with the manufacturing scale being created then across Asia as a whole. This same theme was repeated with other international entrants. Chinese company Suntech opened a module factory in Arizona, while China Sunergy later established production in Sacramento. Korean companies eventually became visible in the United States, with LG Electronics manufacturing modules in Huntsville, Alabama and Qcells (then branding/trading globally as Hanwha Q CELLS) beginning production in Dalton, Georgia. Some of these operations lasted, but most were short-lived and of minimal long-term significance. The most dramatic U.S. manufacturing cycle (before the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act at the end of 2022) came between roughly 2007 and 2012. SolarWorld expanded its U.S. c-Si operations in Oregon, Evergreen Solar built out string ribbon production in Massachusetts, and a large group of thin-film companies attracted substantial amounts of capital. Unisolar, Solyndra, Global Solar, MiaSole, Stion, Abound Solar and others collectively made the United States unusually thin-film-heavy during this period. The investment footprint was large, but significant production volumes failed to materialize. Indeed, this period forms one of the most useful lessons from our 100 GW story. Capacity announcements and factory spending in the United States can dominate headlines for years without translating into sustained output. First Solar is the major exception. Its CdTe manufacturing base in Ohio provided continuity through periods when much of the rest of U.S. module manufacturing was contracting, while recent factory builds in Alabama and Louisiana have taken domestic production volumes to significantly higher levels. Adding up First Solar’s domestic production volumes from each of its factories in the United States, through to the end of Q2 2026, shows that approximately 39% of all solar modules ever manufactured in the United States have come from this one company. This is an astonishing statistic—and all the more commendable given that First Solar single-handedly forged a viable thin-film alternative to the mountainous silicon-based capacity being amassed in China during this period. Figure 2: By the end of Q2 2026, First Solar had accounted for almost 40% of all solar module production volumes accumulated since the U.S. entry into solar module manufacturing in the early 1970’s. South Korean Hanwha Solutions/Chemical’s U.S. manufacturing operations, Qcells/Q_CELLS, is the second major solar module manufacturing entity by production volumes. For crystalline-silicon (c-Si) modules, the modern U.S. recovery began before the Inflation Reduction Act. U.S. c-Si production remained small and volatile through much of the 2010’s. The Section 201 safeguard period then encouraged a new group of module factories, including Qcells in Georgia and JinkoSolar in Florida, alongside LG Electronics, Silfab and Heliene. The much larger paradigm shift arrived with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 and its Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit. The lucrative 7 cents-per-watt module credit provided an immediate economic windfall for domestic assembly, while First Solar’s vertically integrated thin-film operations stood uniquely positioned to sweep up the additional, highly lucrative upstream credits available From 2023 onward, the ranks of meaningful U.S. c-Si producers expanded rapidly. Qcells aggressively scaled its Georgia platform; T1 Energy successfully ramped its newly acquired 5 GW facility (originally built by Trina Solar) in Wilmer, Texas; and Canadian Solar established a major multi-gigawatt footprint in Mesquite. A wave of further capacity from SEG Solar, Waaree, Illuminate, Imperial Star, JinkoSolar, Silfab, and Heliene rapidly injected volume into the market, even as First Solar pushed domestic output to historic levels with its new builds in Alabama and Louisiana It took the U.S. solar industry roughly half a century to achieve its first cumulative 100 GW of module production, yet global output is now measured in hundreds of gigawatts every single year. While this disparity emphasizes how far the dominance of global manufacturing hasbshifted away from the United States, it also highlights why the domestic expansion since 2023 is fundamentally different from the smaller, volatile cycles that preceded it. Going forward, the true test of this expansion lies entirely in factory execution: what these new facilities will actually produce, at what utilization rates, and using which technologies and supply chains. Crucially, the ultimate question is whether the wave of capital currently being deployed into domestic cells, wafers, ingots, and upstream materials can successfully coalesce into a durable, self-sustaining manufacturing ecosystem. Given that U.S. capacity figures have lacked any real correlation to actual manufactured products since the early 2000’s, the sector must urgently move past misleading, headline-driven ‘capacity-mismatch’ metrics across the c-Si value chain. True domestic progress can only be measured by focusing on verified production metrics within an integrated ecosystem. I will return to these critical questions in much greater detail on September 22, when I deliver the opening address at Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 in Austin, Texas. For now, the 100 GW milestone deserves to stand on its own. It is a landmark forged over decades of U.S. solar manufacturing history – stretching from the early days of Arco Solar and Solarex, through the thin-film boom, the Section 201 restart, and the current post-IRA surge. While the next 100 GW of domestic module production is likely to materialize within just three years, long-term success will be determined by the health of the entire ecosystem, not simply module production alone. If the silicon-based ecosystem fails to integrate as an effective, functional unit, it will simply open the door for the next major landmark in U.S. solar history: the day First Solar reaches the 100 GW milestone entirely on its own, driven purely by its independent, domestic production volumes. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment Wow, reaching 100 GW in solar module production is a massive milestone for the U.S.! This truly highlights the strides we’re making in renewable energy. I wonder how this achievement will impact global supply chains and technology advancements in solar efficiency. Are there specific innovations you’re seeing that might emerge from this growth? wordle today The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Home » Projects » Islington Rooftop Solar Energy Scheme London Borough of Islington 2023-2024 Economics, Energy consulting The strategy focused on helping the borough identify the most effective ways to support local businesses in cutting costs by installing rooftop solar panels, with funding provided wholly or partially by the council. The project was delivered as a feasibility study, providing Islington Council with an evidence base, delivery options and strategic recommendations to support future decision-making around borough-wide solar deployment. While the scheme did not progress to implementation at that stage, the work has helped inform the council’s ongoing approach to solar rollout. The project methodology included a screening assessment to identify suitable commercial building roof spaces, stakeholder engagement activities, a techno-economic model used to assess the viability of different scheme design options including calculation of socio-economic benefits and carbon reduction impacts. The outcome was the prioritised list of viable deployment scenarios and sites that the local authority could then use to approach owners. The screening and prioritisation process would need to consider scheme size, yield, potential off-take arrangement and scheme financial return (balancing value both to local businesses and the local authority). Initial challenges such as mapping approach, setting criteria and KPIs for selection, and performing a thorough techno-economic evaluation were addressed. Both technical and commercial aspects were overseen, ensuring the project aligned with the client’s goals and supported a just transition for the community. These efforts established a robust evidence base and delivery model that could support future solar deployment initiatives for the council and local businesses. Two stakeholder engagement exercises were undertaken. The first, was a business survey to map existing energy supply characteristics and gauge interest in the scheme, and a second was a workshop designed to capture local businesses’ opinions and requirements for participation. Site analysis was conducted along with PV array sizing, energy balance assessments, and the development of a techno-economic model to evaluate feasibility. Additionally, socio-economic and carbon impacts were assessed to support the business case. To enable the mapping of the properties within the borough, a Geographical Information System (GIS) was used. The GIS software captured all commercial properties that had been selected based on agreed criteria. The tool kit was then used to calculate the potential array sizes for each of the buildings. The potential array size was calculated using the available rooftop area and this was coupled with the LiDAR data to calculate the solar irradiance levels. Energy use in buildings and PV generation are both transient as they can vary depending on factors such as time of day, weather, location, building type and working practices. In our study we highlighted how the energy balance of the system works and includes aspects such as annual consumption, annual generation, alongside energy imports and exports. We also developed the considerations that form the business case for the Islington solar scheme split into considerations around ownership, procurement, energy sales, carbon accounting and socio-economic impacts. Our experts developed a techno-economic model, using the annual yield of the systems coupled with their capital expenditure costs, operation and replacement costs over the system’s lifespan. The modelling then calculated the cash flow for the project considering investment interest payable over the loan term and establishing the payback period for the project. A version of the TEM was delivered to the client to allow the local authority to also undertake its own assessment and adjust parameters. We created a tool to analyse 1,198 non-council rooftops for ~25MWp solar potential in Islington, to support the development of an effective business plan that highlights savings and revenue opportunities for the local authority, while benefiting the community and building climate resilience and adaptation. The stakeholder engagement provided valuable insight into the community’s perspectives. The business community responded positively to the proposals. Further analysis would need to determine how much of a discount on the energy bill would be required to attract building owners to participate in the scheme. The levels of discount provided by the council to local building owners will need to balance commercial viability and consumer attractiveness for the scheme. Although the project was delivered as a feasibility study rather than progressing immediately to implementation, it provided the council with a robust evidence base, a detailed understanding of borough-wide solar potential, and clear strategic recommendations that continue to inform future renewable energy initiatives and solar rollout planning.
by AnnGardner Eubank KILMARNOCK—The Kilmarnock Town Council on Monday, September 21, unanimously adopted a resolution to enter a purchase agreement with Dimension Energy for the sale of 48.4 acres behind Technology Park Drive for a solar plant facility. According to zoning administrator Marshall Sebra, the property had been owned by the town and marketed for sale for some 20 years with no real interest from potential buyers until now. Sebra added that the negotiated price is $1,211,750. According to Sebra, the land is zoned industrial and the buyers must adhere to….
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ZEELAND, Mich. — RWE Americas has refiled its application with the Michigan Public Service Commission for the Silver Maple Solar Farm, a $300 million, 200-megawatt project proposed across 1,900 acres of agricultural-zoned land in Zeeland and Jamestown townships. WATCH: Silver Maple Solar Farm application refiled with Michigan regulators amid dueling lawsuits The company withdrew its initial application before refiling with the MPSC. The refiling came after two public meetings hosted by RWE Americas, following a change in a recent court case. Ottawa County has also been added to the application as an affected local government, in addition to Zeeland and Jamestown townships. RWE Americas spokesperson John Lamontagne stated the refiling. The refiling triggered a state law requirement that Zeeland Township receive $50,000 in intervenor funds, intended to assist with the township’s legal costs. The refiling also comes as RWE faces two active lawsuits connected to the project. PRIOR COVERAGE: RWE faces pushback at Silver Maple Solar Farm public meeting held in Zeeland Township RWE sued multiple members of the Smallegan family in Zeeland Township, claiming they violated a lease agreement and continued to block access to property that makes up roughly 30 percent of the land the solar farm would occupy. The Smallegan family’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the case, which RWE opposed. A judge denied the motion, and a bench trial is set for Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. Zeeland Township also filed a lawsuit against RWE Americas, arguing that a state law removing local oversight of energy developments is unconstitutional. RWE subsequently filed a notice of removal from Ottawa County Circuit Court, transferring the case to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Zeeland Township has since filed to return the case to local courts. PRIOR COVERAGE: Zeeland Township approves new data center and energy facility moratorium to protect local planning Zeeland Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma addressed the legal fight in a statement on social media. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Follow FOX 17:Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube
A water treatment plant in South Australia (SA) has employed a containerised off-grid power system installed by SA renewable energy systems company MyEnergy Engineering, in an area with no grid connection that ensures energy needs are met, and essential water movement and filtration processes run continuously. The system includes 99.6 kW of Jinko Solar panels, three Victron Quattro 48/15000 inverter/chargers, and a 96 kWh Pylontech battery. Key components include six Victron SmartSolar MPPT RS450/200-TR, two Fronius Symo 20.03, a Victron Cerbo GX and Clenergy ground mounting system. The system was tailor-made within a 20-foot insulated and airconditioned shipping container on site at MyEnergy headquarters in Adelaide, then transported to the water treatment plant location in Callington, approximately 55 kilometres southeast of Adelaide. “The system reflects a proven approach to supplying power in locations where no suitable dwelling or infrastructure exists to house equipment,” a MyEnergy spokesperson said. “By integrating core components, including battery storage and control systems, into a secure, transportable container, we deliver a complete, ready-to-deploy solution that reduces installation time, protects equipment and simplifies long-term maintenance.” The project was recognised at the 2025 Master Electricians Australia Industry Excellence Awards, receiving ‘Highly Commended’ for Clean Energy Project of the Year – Commercial Project Under $1 million (USD 700,000). This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment The new ESS News magazine is here! Download your free digital copy today. The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today! Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy. pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand. Monday, October 26, 2026 10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026 14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
A research team in India has compared the performance of bifacial and monofacial solar PV modules under varying albedo and climatic conditions across the country and has found that ground albedo has a strong and systematic influence. The researchers simulated the systems across five representative Indian climate zones: hot-dry, warm-humid, composite, temperate, and cold. “Our study goes beyond conventional energy-yield comparisons by establishing the relationship between surface albedo and bifacial gain and by integrating technical, environmental, and economic indicators,” corresponding author Mobi Mathew told pv magazine. “This provides a more comprehensive understanding of how climate and surface reflectivity jointly influence the performance and deployment potential of bifacial PV systems across India.” Mathew said his team plans to extend the work in two directions. “The first will focus on developing empirical correlations between surface albedo and key bifacial PV performance metrics across diverse Indian climatic conditions, using a stronger empirical basis to understand the relationship between surface reflectivity and bifacial performance,” he said. “The second will extend the assessment towards an integrated energy, exergy, economic, and environmental evaluation of bifacial and monofacial PV systems under different albedo and climatic conditions.” In the current study, the team used PVsyst to simulate 6 kW grid-connected monofacial and bifacial PV systems in five Indian cities: Jodhpur (hot and dry), Thiruvananthapuram (warm and humid), New Delhi (composite), Bengaluru (temperate), and Leh (cold). The systems used 400 W modules and the same 3 kW inverter configuration. Both systems faced south, with a mounting height of 1.5 m and row spacing of 5 m. They also used the same electrical loss assumptions: 2% module mismatch and approximately 1.5% DC wiring losses. The researchers optimized the tilt angle for each location, ranging from 11 degrees in Thiruvananthapuram to 34 degrees in Leh. For the bifacial systems, they modeled five ground surfaces: concrete (albedo of 0.30), pavement tiles (0.33), galvanized steel (0.35), aluminum (0.85), and white paint (0.90). They simulated annual system performance using long-term synthetic weather data and assessed environmental and economic outcomes over 25 years. Across all modeled sites and surfaces, bifacial gain ranged from 8.36% to 27.10%. Raising albedo from 0.30 to 0.90 reduced calculated lifecycle greenhouse gas intensity by approximately 10% to 14%, depending on location. The optimized bifacial configurations also had carbon payback times about 13% to 21% shorter than comparable monofacial systems, with the shortest, at 0.99 years, recorded in Leh. Under favorable high-albedo conditions, the researchers calculated a 4% to 7% reduction in the levelized cost of electricity. “One of the most interesting findings was the strong and systematic influence of ground albedo on bifacial PV performance,” Mathew said. “We found that bifacial gain increases approximately linearly with increasing ground albedo, with every 0.10 increase in albedo producing about 2.6 percentage points of additional bifacial gain. High-reflectance surfaces such as white paint and aluminum increased annual generation by approximately 13% to 16% compared with concrete.” Mathew added that the results showed the highest annual generation for the high-albedo bifacial configuration in Leh, reaching about 14.3 MWh per year. “These findings demonstrate that the surface surrounding a bifacial PV installation can become an important and controllable design parameter, alongside module selection and climatic conditions,” he said. The results appear in “Performance comparison of bifacial and monofacial solar PV modules under varying albedo and climatic conditions across India,” published in Next Energy. Researchers from India’s Nehru College of Engineering & Research Center, HICCER – Hariterde International Council of Circular Economy Research, SR University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, and Saintgits College of Engineering participated in the study.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment The new ESS News magazine is here! Download your free digital copy today. The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today! Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy. pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand. Monday, October 26, 2026 10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026 14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
Next2Sun is seeking fresh capital to expand its vertical bifacial Agri-PV technology The company says demand for its dual-use solar solutions is rising, but financing conditions remain difficult Delayed agri-PV subsidy approvals and cautious investor and bank sentiment have strained its finances, stated the management German vertical agrivoltaics specialist Next2Sun GmbH is seeking additional capital to “ensure its continued existence” as it faces financial pressure despite a “strong” project pipeline and viable technology for the market, stated the management. Next2Sun said delayed subsidy approvals for agri-PV and a cautious financing environment where in investors and banks are reluctant to finance renewable energy projects, have strained its finances. It further cites a widening gap between strong demand for its vertical bifacial solar technology and limited access to growth financing. The company said its technology is in “higher demand than ever”, but challenging capital market conditions have created significant pressure on its ability to continue scaling operations. Next2Sun develops vertical solar PV systems on agricultural land, installing bifacial solar modules in a north-south orientation. It claims this technology generates above-average electricity in morning and evening hours when feed-in from conventional ground-mounted systems is lower, while land remains available for agricultural use. “We have the product the market needs today. Our projects are economically viable, grid-friendly, and technically proven. We have the expertise and the project infrastructure to implement them successfully. What we need now is financing,” said Heiko Hildebrandt, CEO of Next2Sun. In August 2026, the German company launched a share offering of up to €5 million to finance its growth (see Europe Solar PV News Snippets). However, it has only been able to reach ‘a fraction’ of the targeted volume. According to the management, institutional financing is not available in the current market environment, hence it is now targeting private investors who can support with a minimum subscription amount of €600. It will accept the funds only if the financing volume reaches a level that ensures viable business development, it adds. The subscription period ends on September 25, 2026. Hildebrandt warned that capital shortages could undermine companies with proven renewable energy solutions, despite strong market demand. “If we cannot raise sufficient capital in the coming days, the Next2Sun chapter will come to an end,” stated the company. Next2Sun’s investment appeal comes amid a series of recent insolvency developments in Germany’s solar sector, including cases involving ENERPARC and BSH GmbH & Co. KG (seeSolar Installer BSH GmbH & Co. KG Files For Insolvency). TaiyangNews 2024
News Sheep under solar panels: how one northern Minnesota farm fits into the green energy push By Mark DorenkampFiled Under: Livestock, Minnesota, News, Renewable Energy A livestock producer in northern Minnesota plans to incorporate solar grazing into the operation. Ellie Trout is a fourth-generation farmer on her family’s diversified cow-calf and sheep farm in Itasca County and says the goal is to promote green energy while keeping agricultural land in production. “Running sheep underneath solar panels. As our state pushes for green energy and solar farms are popping up everywhere, especially my area. So with the hopes of combining agriculture and energy.” She tells Brownfield many farms in her area have been sold or leased to solar projects. “So the infrastructure started on that this summer and is supposed to be done this winter, so hopefully within the next year or two as these solar farms continue to pop up we can continue to try to work with them on grazing.” Solar grazing is the practice of using sheep and occasionally other livestock to manage vegetation underneath and around utility-scale solar panels. Your email address will not be published.
Solar Power World By Kelly Pickerel | To prevent stockpiling polysilicon and its derivatives ahead of Sec. 232 tariff initiation, the Dept. of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a temporary final rule explaining how it will monitor imports. In August, the Trump administration announced tariffs and minimum import prices on polysilicon and its derivatives under Sec. 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, deeming the imports a threat to national security. Starting Dec. 4, 2026, polysilicon derivatives (wafers, cells, finished solar panels) will have a 15% tariff, and minimum import prices are set on polysilicon and each following step in the solar panel manufacturing process. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation authorizing the Dept. of Commerce, through BIS and in coordination with Customs and Border Control (CBP), to restrict imports and prevent stockpiling of polysilicon products before Dec. 4. Commerce has been monitoring imports to identify importers of record (IOR) that may be stockpiling and importing polysilicon products in volumes greater than their historic averages. The department is comparing post-Aug. 6 imports with the IOR’s prior weekly averages and use of affiliates. BIS has set weekly import limits for new IORs without historical import records: Absent Commerce approval, new IORs that exceed these import quantities will be prohibited by CBP from importing any further polysilicon products into the United States prior to Dec. 4. There have been mixed feelings on the Sec. 232 polysilicon tariffs, but a vocal group of domestic manufacturers has welcomed the policy effort, including Qcells. “Flooding the U.S. market with large volumes of imported products is a strategy that companies abroad have long used to undermine American manufacturers. We have repeatedly seen import volumes surge ahead of the implementation of significant U.S. trade or industrial policies, as companies seek to exploit loopholes and gain an unfair advantage before new measures take effect,” said Andy Park, Global CEO at Hanwha Qcells. “The administration is clearly aware of this pattern of imports, which is why it is taking strong and decisive action to hold importers accountable and prevent the circumvention of U.S. trade policy. These actions send an important message that attempts to exploit loopholes and circumvent the intent of U.S. policy will not be tolerated.” Solar Power World has collected import data for the year that shows from which countries the United States is importing solar cells and panels. It does not show company names or IORs.
The Solar Energy Manufacturers For America (SEMA) Coalition, which is led by Corning, Hemlock, Wacker, Qcells and First Solar, released a statement: “The SEMA Coalition applauds Commerce and CBP’s efforts to deter the stockpiling of solar products ahead of the December effective date for its Section 232 action on polysilicon. There has been evidence of stockpiling since the proclamation was issued. Today’s action signals that Commerce intends to strictly police these practices by evaluating imports against historical levels over the past year and preventing ‘fly-by-night importers’ from establishing operations solely to stockpile products.” Kelly Pickerel has more than 15 years of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World. Email Kelly.
A US federal court has ordered the restoration of the $7 billion Solar for All program. US District Judge Mary S. McElroy ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not have the authority to terminate funding already awarded under the initiative. The program, created under the Biden administration, provides grants to states, tribal governments and other organizations to expand residential solar access in low-income and disadvantaged communities. A Biden-era program, the EPA had moved to it in 2025 under Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). It was expected to support over 4 GW of distributed solar deployment in 5 years. The EPA had selected 60 winners and committed the funds, before terminating it. The agency was later sued by over 20 US states (see US States Sue EPA Over Ending $7 Billion Solar For All). The EPA however, can appeal against the District Judge ruling. Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, has commissioned 101 MW DC/74.9 MW AC Kingstree West Solar Park in the US. Located in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, the project is Ingka Investments’ first utility-scale solar park developed entirely in-house, from land ownership through construction and operation. The project comprises 178,000 solar modules and is expected to generate about 186 GWh of electricity annually. Ingka Investments said it fully funded the project, while Williamsburg County is expected to receive about $7.6 million in additional property tax revenue over the project’s lifetime. With Kingstree West entering operation, Ingka Investments now operates 27 solar parks across nine countries and six renewable energy assets in the US. Chipmaker NVIDIA is set to invest an additional $1.5 billion in SB Energy, a SoftBank-backed US power and data center infrastructure company. According to SB Energy’s amended filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding its initial public offering (IPO), NVIDIA plans to purchase Class N common stock through a private placement at the IPO price. This is in addition to its previous commitment to invest $1.5 billion in private placement. The investment would bring NVIDIA’s total commitment to SB Energy to $3 billion (see North America Solar PV News Snippets). Apex Clean Energy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta for its 144 MW Starling Solar project in Gonzales County, Texas. Under the agreement, Meta will receive the environmental attributes associated with the project’s electricity, including renewable energy credits. Starling Solar is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027 and will add new generation to the ERCOT grid. The project represents the seventh transaction between Apex and Meta, taking their combined portfolio to about 1.2 GW across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas and Iowa. EQT-backed US distributed energy developer Madison Energy Infrastructure has launched a Community Infrastructure initiative to develop an additional 1 GW of distributed energy capacity across the country by 2028. Under this initiative, the company plans to mobilize up to $2 billion in capital to meet electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and data center development. Madison expects its operating portfolio to exceed 1 GW later this year, while the new initiative targets another 1 GW by 2028. Skyline Clean Energy Fund (SCEF), a Canadian private renewable infrastructure fund managed by Skyline, has acquired a portfolio of 3,291 solar assets totaling 76 MW DC in Ontario, Canada. SCEF says this transaction increases its installed solar capacity by 83%. The acquired portfolio includes commercial, industrial and residential rooftop and ground-mounted projects operating under long-term fixed-price Feed-in Tariff and microFIT contracts with the province. SCEF’s renewable energy portfolio now comprises 3,375 solar assets and two biogas facilities, totaling 171.68 MW DC. TaiyangNews 2024
Solar Power World By Kelly Pickerel | Onyx Solar has supplied over 32,000 sq. ft of photovoltaic glass for the roof of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the museum founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson that opens to the public today in Los Angeles. The system has a peak power of 279 kW. Courtesy Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Photo by Hufton Crow Designed by MAD Architects under Ma Yansong, with Stantec as executive architect and Alfa-Tech as the MEP engineer, the building covers 300,000 sq. ft across a 13-acre landscaped campus. Its curved volume, with no flat facades and no right angles, rises above the ground and combines a green roof on one slope with the solar roof on the other. “Projects like the Lucas Museum demonstrate that solar energy does not need to be added to architecture — it can become part of the architecture itself,” said Diego Cuevas, VP of Onyx Solar North America. “For Onyx Solar, participating in a project of this significance is a remarkable opportunity to show what building-integrated photovoltaics can achieve.” Courtesy Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Photo by Hufton Crow Spanish BIPV company Onyx Solar designed the solar system for the curved rooftop. The PV Glass panels are made of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells with a black rear finish to meet the desired aesthetic finish. Multiple tapered panels were also engineered and fabricated to follow the shape of the rooftop arrays. The PV glass panels were integrated by electrical contractor Baker Electric, using IronRidge XR1000 profiles and clamps. Onyx Solar is no stranger to the U.S. market. The company’s solar glass is also installed at the former headquarters of Bell Labs in New Jersey, which is featured as the office space in the Apple TV+ series Severance. Kelly Pickerel has more than 15 years of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World. Email Kelly.
The US clean energy sector has gone from creating 100,000 new jobs a year to shedding nearly 40,000 in 2025, according to a report by E2. New analysis from the US business group reveals that the country’s clean energy workforce fell by 36,949 last year as the impact of policy reversals by the Trump administration began to bite. Get Premium Subscription E2 emphasised that its figures reveal not just a slowdown in the recent jobs boom in US clean energy subsectors such as solar, but a reversal of the trend seen in recent years of growing numbers. Last year’s drop in clean energy jobs was the first since the Covid pandemic in 2020, since when the clean energy workforce has increased significantly year-on-year. Although the clean energy workforce is still 16% higher than 2020 levels, E2 said the sector’s run of adding 100,000 jobs “appears to be over”. “America’s clean energy jobs boom didn’t just slow in 2025—it went into reverse. After four consecutive years of strong growth, the industry lost nearly 37,000 jobs—its first decline since the pandemic,” said Michael Timberlake, director of research for E2. E2 said its analysis of Department of Energy data reflected the impacts of last year’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, which sought to roll back some of the tax incentives for clean energy deployment and manufacturing brought in under Joe Biden’s presidency. E2 said the figures also echoed wider job losses in the US energy sector, whose total workforce fell by 86,000. The organisation said clean vehicles recorded the largest percentage decline -2.4%, followed by renewable generation (-2.0%) and energy efficiency (0.9%). Energy storage and grid modernisation fared better, with jobs growing by 3%. The losses were felt across 35 US states, but California recorded the largest drop in clean energy jobs of -3.7%. Florida saw an increase of 2.1%. “These numbers paint a clear picture of what is happening after a year of project cancellations and federal policy attacks. When federal leaders play politics, American workers and our economy pay the price,” said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2. E2’s full 11th annual Clean Jobs America will be published next month, providing detailed analysis of the workforce trends in each clean energy subsector.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed AU$25 million (US$16.7 million) to Equans Solar & Storage for a three-year programme testing construction and operations technologies across the company’s Australian solar and storage project pipeline. The Lightspeed project will trial up to 10 technologies across five categories, including civil works, mechanical works, electrical works, operations and maintenance and digital coordination, to reduce the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility-scale solar. Get Premium Subscription The first technology to be deployed is the Nextpower Ranger, an autonomous inspection robot making its first appearance at an Australian solar farm as part of the trial. ARENA CEO Darren Miller said innovation needed to extend beyond the module itself as Australia’s renewable energy build-out scales up. “As Australia builds the renewable energy systems needed to support net zero, innovation will play a critical role in reducing costs and improving productivity across the sector,” Miller said. “By supporting the trial of multiple innovation projects under a single funding portfolio, we can test technologies more quickly in real-world environments and at a greater scale,” he said. Benoit Froidurot, innovation and development director at Equans Solar & Storage, said the project positioned the company at the front of a shift toward automation in project delivery. “Lightspeed Solar project proposed by Equans Solar & Storage and supported by ARENA is a tremendous opportunity to pioneer in emerging technologies for site construction and operations, as well as scaling up the use of automated machines and systems,” Froidurot said. The Lightspeed funding lands against a backdrop of stalled cost reduction in Australia’s utility-scale solar sector. An ARENA white paper published in July 2026 found the country’s weighted-average installed cost for utility-scale solar had stalled at AU$1.52 per watt, with balance-of-system costs, covering labour, civil works, grid connection and project delivery, now the dominant component of total project costs and largely resistant to reduction even as module prices continue to fall. That paper directly named Nextpower among the companies testing advanced piling and tracking technologies under ARENA’s broader push to shift attention from cell-level gains toward how projects are actually built. Lightspeed follows a model that ARENA has already tested at scale through Fortescue’s Pilbara Solar Innovation Hub, which trials multiple construction innovations together across Fortescue’s Pilbara sites and has produced a first milestone report alongside a dedicated report on Built Robotics’ autonomous piling technology trialled at the 190MW Cloudbreak solar PV power plant. ARENA said Equans’ project will build on that portfolio-style approach, creating further opportunities to test, validate, and share lessons from emerging technologies across the design, build, and operation of large-scale solar projects. The funding also sits within a broader set of ARENA programmes that target the same underlying problem from different angles. ARENA committed up to AU$105.6 million to 20 research and development projects in August 2026, aimed at reducing the cost of large-scale solar, split between cell and module technology and balance-of-system and operations costs, describing it as the agency’s largest single investment in solar PV research and development to date. The following month, ARENA launched Launchpad, an AU$30 million programme aimed at early-stage clean energy startups, offering smaller, faster grants to companies working on construction and deployment innovations that ARENA’s larger, research-oriented funding rounds are not well suited to reach. Both programmes are oriented around ARENA’s “30-30-30” vision, targeting 30% module efficiency, an installed solar cost of 30 cents per watt, and a LCOE below AU$20 per megawatt-hour, all by 2030. ARENA general manager for solar, Dan Sturrock, has said Australia needs utility-scale solar generation costs to roughly halve, to around AU$25-30/MWh on an LCOE basis, to unlock the 10GW of annual capacity additions the agency judges necessary, compared with the 2-3GW currently reaching financial close each year.
NevadaToday Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Solar panels were supposed to last 25 to 30 years. Some are not lasting that long. That is where Corrado De Gasperis began on Sept. 16, when students, faculty and community members gathered at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Joe Crowley Student Union for the first Energy Solutions Forum of the fall. The series was founded by biochemist and philanthropist Mick Hitchcock. Those in attendance included Hitchcock, Mridul Gautam, senior vice president for research and innovation, and Christopher Jeffrey, director of the Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology. The Energy Solutions Forum has brought more than 25 speakers to campus from universities, national laboratories, nonprofits, government agencies and industry. “It’s a great way for students and faculty in the University community to connect with outside community members and local industry members,” said Christopher Barile, a chemistry professor in the College of Science who coordinates the Energy Solutions Forum series. De Gasperis is CEO of Comstock Inc., a Nevada company whose roots are in hard-rock silver and gold mining on the Comstock Lode. But about seven years ago, he said, the company changed direction. Today, it recovers aluminum, silver, copper, lead and glass from old solar panels and converts waste wood into low-carbon fuels.
“In one case, we’re creating a mine that never stops producing,” De Gasperis said. “In another case, we’re creating an oil well that never stops producing.” More than a billion solar panels have been deployed in the United States and roughly eight billion worldwide, according to De Gasperis. “Mostly the assumption was they would last 25 to 30 years,” he said. “It was a far-off problem that no one was really paying any attention to.” Instead, De Gasperis said some panels are reaching the end of their usefulness after just 15 to 17 years. He estimates three to four million panels are already coming out of service annually in the United States, a number he expects to rise significantly as existing solar installations age. Handling millions of panels a year on a single production line, De Gasperis said, means finishing one every seven seconds. Much of a panel can be recovered, but separating those materials is difficult. By weight, a typical crystalline-silicon panel is roughly three-quarters glass and about 8% aluminum, with copper, silicon and traces of silver making up most of the rest. Plastic, adhesives and other materials must be removed from that glass and metal efficiently enough to make recycling economical, and fast enough to operate at scale. Handling millions of panels a year on a single production line, De Gasperis said, means finishing one every seven seconds. “Today we can feed a panel every six and a half seconds,” he said. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme, international projections suggest U.S. panel waste could roughly double depending on whether panels last their full expected lifetime or fail early. The idea reaches beyond solar panels. De Gasperis said the Nevada Division of Minerals has approached Comstock about whether its technology could recover metals from old mine tailings around the state. The region’s advantages are also why Barile sees the University as the right home for the series. “The University of Nevada, Reno has been at the center of this lithium economy that we’re seeing,” he said, pointing to the region’s geothermal energy, its mining reserves and companies at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. University Executive Vice President and Provost and former Dean of the College of Science Jeff Thompson agrees. “Nevada is uniquely positioned to help lead these conversations,” Thompson said. “By connecting students with innovators and industry leaders, we are helping prepare the next generation of problem-solvers who will shape the future of energy and sustainability.” For De Gasperis, we must be looking beyond whether a technology carries a green label. “I think we have the ingredients, the raw materials to step up and become a leader, but it’s not automatic,” he said. “What’s the life cycle carbon impact, and what’s the true sustainability of the solution? If we hold ourselves to that standard, we will lead.” That complexity is part of the reason Barile wants students in the room.
“There’s no magic bullet,” Barile said. Solar and wind may reduce dependence on fossil fuels, he explained, but they raise questions about energy storage and other challenges that cross science, engineering, economics and social issues.
“We really need people from all sorts of different skill sets to help come together, and people who are willing and able to work with many different types of people,” he said. “Those are the people who will be the most valuable in solving this problem.” For students at the event interested in helping solve those problems, De Gasperis offered a challenge. “The difference between an operator and a leader is (that) an operator is a reliable, trustworthy executor,” he said. “A leader drives change.” “So the opportunity is to see a problem, to surface a blockage, a constraint, an obstacle, and shatter it.” Coming this fall: The Energy Solutions Forum continues Oct. 7 with Sabbie Miller of University of California, Davis on decarbonizing industrial manufacturing and Nov. 18 with Taylor Wilson, Applied Nuclear Physicist and Founder, Prometheus Industries and Talos Materials, on the future of nuclear energy technologies. The series is free and open to the public, and registration is open now via Eventbrite. Experiences of the pack: Vania Carter-Strauss, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC The University of Nevada, Reno honors Sept. 11 with a week of commemorative events 25 years after the tragedy Moving science out of silos: A conversation with biochemist and philanthropist Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D. Smoke and fire preparedness Subscribe to the Nevada Weekly newsletter
Low-income Hoosiers may be getting back $117 million in grant funding for solar panels cancelled by the federal government. Rhode Island District Court Judge Mary McElroy ruled last week the EPA’s August 2025 termination of the $7 billion Biden-era Solar for All program was illegal and funds must be restored. A coalition of Indiana nonprofits and the cities of Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, and Columbus had been planning solar projects for income-qualified individuals for over a year before funding was cut. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had characterized the program as fraudulent and wasteful, writing in a social media post, “the bottom line is this: EPA no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive.” Alison Becker is the program director for the Indiana Community Action Association’s Solar team, which led Indiana’s Solar for All program. She said the grant’s cancellation was unprecedented. “It is highly unusual for a grant to be funded and then have it taken away, unless there’s some type of malfeasance, which there obviously was not here because it was done for programs throughout the country,” Becker said. The coalition’s plans for the federal grant included community solar projects to benefit renters and homeowners unable to install panels, resilience hubs and libraries in southern Indiana, and a second phase of projects in additional cities, including Bloomington, Muncie, and South Bend. Becker said a recent example of potential benefits of the Solar for All program is the two-week loss of power in Gary. “If you have solar plus battery storage on a home, that home can continue to be solar powered even in the event of a long-term outage,” Becker said. “That would have provided opportunities for people to have neighbors where they could store their medicine, charge their phones, cool off, all of those types of things.” Becker describes the coalition as “cautiously optimistic” about the future of low-income and community solar in the state. “People are super excited for a win, excited about having the potential again, but recognizing that there could still be a long legal road ahead,” Becker said. The EPA said Friday it is reviewing the decision and considering options for appeal. WFIU/WTIU News is an independent newsroom rooted in public service. “Act Independently” is one of the basic creeds of journalism ethics, and we claim it proudly. The WFIU/WTIU News facilities are located on the campus of Indiana University, which does hold our broadcast license and contribute funding to our organization. However, our journalists and senior news leaders have full authority over journalistic decisions — what we decide to cover and how we tell our stories. We observe a clear boundary: Indiana University and RTVS administrators focus on running a strong and secure organization; WFIU/WTIU journalists focus on bringing you independent news you can trust.
On September 21, the Jiaxing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau of Zhejiang Province issued a public notice regarding its intention to approve the environmental impact assessment documents for the high-efficiency new-structure cell and module technological transformation project of Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. According to the notice, Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhejiang Jinko") plans to invest 179.2 million yuan to implement the high-efficiency new-structure cell and module technological transformation project within its existing factory buildings. The project will phase out outdated equipment such as texturing machines and tabbing and stringing machines, introduce advanced equipment for wet processing and patterning, and deploy digital and intelligent systems including MES, SAP, and AI, thereby achieving a comprehensive technological upgrade. The factory undergoing this technological transformation by Zhejiang Jinko is located in Haining City, with existing capacity of 6 GW of crystalline silicon cells and 6 GW of cell modules. After the implementation of the above technological transformation project, the existing capacity of 6 GW/a of cells and 6 GW/a of modules will be fully phased out, while the R&D activities for solar cells will be retained. The entire plant will then achieve an annual production capacity of 2.7 GW/a of high-efficiency new-structure cells and 4 GW/a of modules. Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations. Notice: By accessing this site you agree that you will not copy or reproduce any part of its contents (including, but not limited to, single prices, graphs or news content) in any form or for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of the publisher.
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -A debate over more solar panels on Richmond-owned buildings is heating up. The Office of Sustainability wants to enter a deal that would place the company, Secure Solar’s panels on nearly 40 city buildings. Some councilmembers are skeptical around contract costs and the timeline. Councilmembers Sarah Abubaker and Kenya Gibson fear the deal is risky, bringing up questions around the hefty fee to exit the contract in the first five years. The two also questioned the repair costs for panels, and want to ensure the buildings they are going on, are secure enough to handle the weight. Abubaker says her concerns are around the risk put on the city, and are no way indicative in her belief in green energy. “This is a 25-year contract. I want that to set with everybody because this is not something the city endeavors every day. And many of us will be old, gone, our children will be here, and so 25 years is a significant commitment. And to me, this is the same as entering into a marriage and we have to ask the question,” she said. Abubaker says the fee for terminating the contract would be $28 million. Secure Solar’s CEO Anthony Smith explained it is high in the first five years of the contract, because of the tax rules around the credits being used for the panels. He says the city does not have to pay if it does not produce any electricity. The Government Operations committee ultimately decided to move the deal forward to the full council, but gave no recommendation. “We’re at a crux moment where there’s a lot of concern and I would just hope that the council members place a lot of trust, word trust again, that the administration has done all the homework” Secure Solar CEO Anthony Smith said. “And yes, they have questions, but at the end of the day, you heard the CAO step up each time and say, yes, we have addressed those risk concerns.” Councilmembers asked for a full risk assessment. The deal will be put up to a vote on Monday, September 28. Copyright 2026 WWBT. All rights reserved.
An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Funding Opportunities On August 31, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Integrated Energy Systems Office (IESO) announced the Space Photovoltaics Research and Development Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) opportunity which will award up to $12 million for research and development (R&D) projects that support growing demand through lowering the cost of and expanding domestic manufacturing capabilities for solar panels in space applications. The PIA opportunity is designed to accelerate United States leadership in next-generation space-based PV and support growing demand through lowering the cost of and expanding domestic manufacturing capabilities for solar panels in space applications. University and industry research laboratories developing advanced space-applicable photovoltaic (PV) technologies or specializing in PV characterization and stress testing, as well as industry teams advancing near-commercial pilot-scale space PV solutions with testing partnerships and the capability to fly PV prototypes or panels in space, are encouraged to apply. Expected individual awards are up to $1,500,000 for Topic 1 and up to $2,000,000 for Topic 2. Topic Area 1: Projects will focus on the advancement of state-of-the-art, low-cost fabrication methods and the improvement of performance and durability in lab-scale PV cells. Topic Area 2: Projects will focus on advancing innovative manufacturing processes capable of scaling to high-volume production and demonstrating third party-validated performance of module prototypes in space or near-space environments. IESO and TechWerx will host an informational webinar on September 15, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the funding opportunity and the areas of focus. Register for the webinar. The Space PV R&D initiative is managed by TECHWERX in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by DOE’s Office of Technology Commercialization. This agreement enables TECHWERX to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of energy solutions. Learn more about the Integrated Energy Systems Office and sign up for the IESO newsletter to stay current on the latest IESO news and funding opportunities. Committed to Restoring America’s Energy Dominance. Follow Us
Select Page Posted by Louise Wilson | Sep 24, 2026 | Cameras, Lifestyle, Networking & Smart Home, Reviews | 0 The EZVIZ HB8 Lite 3K+ is a battery powered outdoor security camera that comes with a 5W solar panel. I received two cameras and two solar panels, which gave me the perfect opportunity to test one camera connected to solar and the other using its internal battery alone. We already have our Rottweiler, who considers herself the household security department. Unfortunately, her commitment to the role is sometimes interrupted by a very important nap. The cameras provide some useful backup when our four legged security guard is off duty. I have now had the cameras installed for approximately two to three weeks. Getting them onto the house was the easy part. Getting every setting exactly how I wanted it took more patience, plenty of walking past the cameras and, on at least one occasion, waving at one from very close range. Now that they are set up properly, however, they are working well and producing impressively clear footage during the day and at night. Everything arrived safely packaged. My kit arrived with two HB8 Lite cameras, 2 5w Solar Panels, power cables (USB C), screw kits and quick start guides. I had what I needed to install the cameras, including the mounting hardware and drilling templates. The memory cards are normally sold seperately. The drilling template for the camera was excellent. It removed the guesswork from marking the screw holes and made positioning the camera considerably easier. Unfortunately, there was no equivalent drilling template for the solar panel. Its mounting holes had to be measured and marked manually. It was not difficult, but after enjoying the convenience of the camera template, I felt slightly abandoned when I reached the solar panel. One feature I particularly liked was the long cord connecting the camera and solar panel. This allowed me to position them separately, with the camera placed where it provides the best view and the panel positioned where it receives the most sunlight. That flexibility is genuinely useful because the best camera angle is not necessarily the sunniest position. I ceiling mounted one camera and wall mounted the other. The solar panel was also wall mounted. The different mounting arrangements were straightforward and I really only needed a drill, a screwdriver, a ladder and apparently someone nearby to question my technique. I am by no means a ‘handy woman’ and I managed install just fine.
My biggest piece of advice is to read the instructions before beginning. My second piece of advice to EZVIZ is to please put those instructions in a proper booklet. A quick start guide is included, but the more detailed information is digital. I did not enjoy trying to read a manual on a small screen while standing outside, working through the app and attempting to adjust a camera. Maybe I am showing my age, but sometimes a printed manual simply works better. It would have saved me time and probably prevented some of the initial mucking around. Positioning is probably the biggest part of the installation. Physically attaching the cameras is easy, but choosing the right height, angle and direction is what determines how well they detect and follow someone. This is where reading the detailed guide really matters, as it explains the recommended mounting height and why people should move across the camera’s field of view rather than walk directly towards it. Had I read that first, I may have spent less time adjusting the cameras afterwards. Clearly, I need to get better at practising what I preach. The cameras connect to a 2.4 GHz WiFi network. The initial connection was achievable, but getting the cameras to behave exactly as expected was not quite as simple. There are settings for the operating mode, Always On Video, recording intervals, wake up sensitivity, human detection, vehicle detection, detection areas, tracking, warning sounds and notifications. That is a lot to work through when you are learning as you go. The app is an important part of the experience because it is where you view the cameras, move them around, watch recordings, change detection zones, choose recording modes and manage notifications. There is plenty of control available, but the number of settings can also make the app feel busier than it needs to be. When a camera was not responding as expected, it was not always obvious whether I needed to change the detection type, sensitivity, recording interval, notification schedule or a setting on my phone. I spent quite a bit of time moving between menus and testing different combinations. Initially, I had occasions where the camera detected me, sounded its warning and started tracking, but the event recording did not appear in the app straight away. It eventually arrived, so the recording had worked, but there was a noticeable delay. I also had events where no push notification reached my phone even though notifications were enabled in the EZVIZ app. I eventually checked the settings on my android phone and found that battery management had placed the app in ‘optimised mode’. After changing it to ‘unrestricted’, my notifications began arriving properly. At approximately 4.30 am one morning, the app notified me that one camera was offline. The warning itself was helpful, but tapping it only opened the notification information rather than taking me to somewhere useful to troubleshoot or reconnect the camera. If an app is going to wake me at 4.30 am to tell me something is wrong, it could at least point me towards fixing it. Thankfully, the camera reconnected by itself before I needed to intervene and it has not become an ongoing issue. The app now does what I need it to do and I am receiving my notifications. The livestream is easy to access, which is useful for keeping up with every movement made by the neighbours. I may need to remind myself that it is a security camera, not the latest reality television series. I would not call it effortless, though. There is a capable system underneath it, but I think the menus and explanations could do a better job of guiding an ordinary user through the relationship between recording, detection and notifications. The App offers various views, you can even watch both cameras from the one screen The camera also has two way talk, but honestly, I never worked out how to use it. I am putting that down to my refusal to keep reading an online manual on a tiny screen. It remains on my list of things to work out because it would be useful for speaking to delivery drivers, unexpected visitors or anyone brave enough to ignore both the detection sounds, spotlight and the Rottweiler at the window. I am still not completely satisfied with the positioning of my cameras. That’s a me thing, not an EZIVIZ fault. EZVIZ recommends installing the camera so that people move across the detection area rather than walking directly towards it. The recommended installation height is also approximately three metres. Those conditions are not always practical around a real home. One camera overlooks a side laneway where people naturally walk along the path towards the house. I mounted it at an angle rather than pointing it directly down the path, but movement is still mainly towards the camera. I find this has impacted on some detection. Reaching the recommended height is also difficult on a low set home. I installed the cameras at the greatest practical height available, but I may still need to adjust their angles and detection areas to ensure full detection is occurring. The cameras provide plenty of mounting flexibility, but getting the best detection performance may require some tailoring to suit your house rather than simply attaching them to the most convenient wall. Human detection was my biggest concern during the initial testing, however there is also vehicle detection all magically powered by AI. This is where AI is genuinely useful because it helps the camera distinguish between people, vehicles and everyday movement, rather than alerting me every time a leaf moves or a bird flies past. The cameras responded during setup, but after installation there were occasions when someone could walk past without producing a warning sound, event recording or phone notification. At one point I had to walk very close to a camera and wave before it reacted. Our trusty four legged friend would certainly have noticed someone walking that close, but unlike the cameras she cannot send a notification to my phone or provide video evidence afterwards. She may, however, leave an intruder with a lasting reminder that they chose the wrong house. I confirmed that Human Shape Detection was enabled, increased the wake up sensitivity to 90, configured the detection area, enabled the warning sound and checked that notifications were scheduled for all times. Changing the video recording interval from Auto to four seconds produced a noticeable improvement. During the next normal approach, the camera detected me, sounded its warning and began following me. The auto zoom tracking can pan to follow a person and zoom in for a closer view. It worked during my testing, although it sometimes stopped before I had moved through the entire area. That may be caused by my camera angle, the detection zone or the way I am approaching it. I am still working that one out.
AOV stands for Always On Video. It allows the camera to create time lapse style footage between events and then switch to normal speed recording when it identifies relevant movement. The idea is to provide a more complete view of what happened rather than only showing the moments after a conventional battery camera wakes up. This was one of the settings that made a real difference to my detection experience. Reducing the AOV interval helped the camera respond more reliably, but it also demonstrated how much the recording mode can affect battery use. The comparison between my two cameras has been one of the most interesting parts of the review. During my early testing, as part of part of my trial and error approach while trying to improve the camera’s detection, I changed the camera without solar from Standard mode to the more demanding AOV configuration. It had approximately 60 per cent battery remaining when I did this and was completely flat within a few hours. That sounds terrible until you add the important context. The camera was running AOV without its solar panel connected, and I had selected a frequent recording interval while testing it. This clearly drains the battery more than using the device on Standard mode. Once the battery was depleted, taking the camera down was simple. I detached it from its fixed mounting station and charged it using the supplied USB C cable. I then returned it to Standard mode. Five days after charging, it is still sitting at 82 per cent, which I consider a good result. The camera connected to its solar panel has been the standout. It has remained at 100 per cent for approximately two to three weeks, even though it is operating in AOV mode. So far, the panel appears to be comfortably replacing the power the camera uses. Battery performance will naturally depend on the number of events, recording settings, WiFi strength, available sunlight and how often the live view is opened. Based on my testing, though, the solar panel has been excellent and has removed the need to keep taking that camera down for charging. Clearly, my next job is to stop testing the limits of the second battery and connect its solar panel too. The visual clarity is excellent during both the day and night. The camera records at up to 6MP, or 3200 by 1800, which EZVIZ describes as 3K+. The extra detail is noticeable. Faces, movement and the surrounding area are clear, which is exactly what I want from a security camera. Night performance has been one of its strongest features. The built in spotlights illuminate the area and allow the camera to record bright colour footage. At times, the resulting video looks almost as though it was recorded during the day. The camera also provides infrared black and white night vision when the spotlights are not required, with EZVIZ specifying a night vision distance of up to 15 metres.
The camera physically pans through 350 degrees and tilts through 80 degrees, allowing it to cover a broad area and reducing blind spots. I can control its viewing direction through the app, while its tracking function can move the camera automatically when human movement is detected. The active defence function combines a siren with a light strobe. I like that the light coming on provides an additional visible deterrent not only improving the recording. It announces that the area is being monitored. The audible warning makes it very clear that movement has been detected and can be heard from inside the house, even on ‘Soft’ mode, so we are also alerted in real time if home. Between the spotlight, the siren and a furry face appearing at the window, an unexpected visitor should receive a fairly clear message. The camera supports a microSD card of up to 512GB for local storage and also offers optional EZVIZ cloud storage. I added a memory card for each camera, so I was able to record locally without relying on a cloud subscription. Cloud storage comes at an additional cost. I like having the choice because local storage keeps ongoing costs down, while cloud storage may appeal to someone who wants recordings retained away from the camera itself. Both the camera and solar panel carry an IP65 weather resistance rating, meaning they are designed for outdoor use and protection against dust and water jets. Mine have been installed outside for a few weeks and have operated normally. I have not deliberately subjected them to extreme weather because I cannot control the weather and, more importantly, I am not inclined to wish for a storm purely to make this review more exciting. Now that the EZVIZ HB8 Lite 3K+ cameras are installed, configured and sending notifications correctly, I am happy with their overall performance. The physical installation was simple, the camera drilling template was excellent and the long solar cable gave me the flexibility to place the camera and panel where each worked best. The 3K+ footage is very clear, night vision is excellent and the bright spotlight provides both colour footage and a visible deterrent. The solar panel has been the standout feature. Maintaining a 100 per cent battery level for approximately two to three weeks while the camera operates in AOV mode is an impressive result. The experience was not completely effortless. Camera positioning matters, the app contains a lot of settings and reliable detection initially required experimentation. The delayed recordings, missed notifications and temporary offline event were frustrating at the time, although the notifications are now working and the camera recovered from the offline event by itself. A proper printed manual would have made the learning process easier and probably encouraged me to explore more of the available features. Even so, now that the cameras are working as intended, they provide clear and useful coverage without requiring power cables to be run around the house. Our furry friend remains our head of security, of course, but the EZVIZ cameras make excellent assistants. They do not become distracted by treats, afternoon naps or the occasional bird that clearly poses no threat whatsoever. The HB8 Lite 3K+ starts at A$299.95 for a single unit, and the dual pack as reviewed is valued at A$559.95. Thank you to EZVIZ for giving me the opportunity to test the HB8 Lite 3K+ cameras and solar panels. You can find out more about the HB8 Lite + here along with many other complimentary security options.
Speakers during the inaugural session on day 1 of the TaiyangNews STC.I 2026 said India could emerge as one of the world’s top solar manufacturing hubs as capacity expands across modules, cells and upstream components Technology shifts and electrification are expected to increase global electricity demand Industry representatives from organizations including NSEFI and TERI said India should reduce dependence on imports for wafers and polysilicon while expanding exports beyond the US Experts highlighted the need for stronger policy support, increased R&D, and development of solar recycling to manage future waste and create new economic opportunities India’s solar PV market had grown exponentially over the last few years, driven mostly by the government support via policy framework as well as protectionist measures. What more does it need now to expand further, is something experts discussed over the 2-day TaiyangNews Solar Technology Conference India 2026 (STC.I 2026). The 2-day event brought together industry leaders, policymakers and technology providers in New Delhi on February 5–6 to discuss the future of solar manufacturing and innovation. With so many insightful sessions and talks spread over the 2 days, we bring you the coverage in several parts to be published over the next few days. Here we cover the inaugural session on day 1 of the conference Solar Manufacturing in India – Reflecting on the Strategy to Solar Autonomy. TaiyangNews Managing Director Michael Schmela officially opened the event with the launch of the TaiyangNews Market Survey Report on Solar Module Production Equipment 2026, available for free download here. Schmela set the tone of the conference when he said, “The buzzword is Electrostate. Even though some countries prefer to be powered by fossil fuels, the future is being electric because it means you are clean, independent and resilient. Solar, for being efficient and low-cost, is obviously the key to quickly get on to the electrification highway.” Keynote speaker Peter Fath, Founder and CEO of RCT Solutions GmbH, echoed Schmela’s thoughts that the future of solar PV is strong as global electrification, robotics, and AI will increase electricity demand. Solar energy, being quick to deploy, efficient, and cost-effective, is well positioned to meet this demand. Fath praised Indian solar manufacturers for their resilience and described India as a global powerhouse and a key hope for the solar industry. He sees India as emerging to take place among the top 3 solar manufacturing hubs globally. It could even become the 2nd largest since Southeast Asia, which was previously ranked 2nd as a region, is declining due to tariffs and the lack of a strong domestic market. He projected that India could become the world’s 2nd-largest solar PV manufacturing hub, with annual module capacity expected to grow from 80 GW in 2025 to 160 GW by 2030. By then, cell capacity could reach 120 GW, while wafer and polysilicon capacities may each expand to 100 GW. While TOPCon remains the current mainstream technology, Fath advised Indian manufacturers to prepare for next-generation technologies such as back contact (BC) cells. He also encouraged companies with sufficient resources to invest in small laboratories to explore perovskite tandem technologies and develop their own intellectual property. Fath stressed that India should expand domestic production of components like glass and cables to strengthen its role in the global clean energy value chain, especially amid improving trade conditions between India, the EU, and the US. At the same time, he highlighted the importance of reducing the carbon footprint of manufacturing as a key future challenge for the industry. Building on Fath’s points, National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) CEO Subrahmanyam Pulipaka stressed that even though India is taking a strategic approach to protection in the solar sector, it must now focus on long-term energy security and independence. Pulipaka explained that while India has expanded exponentially in the module space with progress in cell production, the country continues to remain highly dependent on China for wafers (with around 2 GW domestic capacity) and has no polysilicon production of its own so far. This he described as a critical vulnerability and an unsustainable path for energy security. Pulipaka said India should view its module overcapacity as an opportunity to expand into upstream manufacturing and global markets. He added that India is no longer a developing country in the solar industry and should position itself to compete strongly in the global market. He welcomed the government’s budget proposal for special incentives to support machinery manufacturing in India. Pulipaka pointed out that European technology is currently being used by Chinese companies to produce solar PV machinery. Now India should collaborate with European partners for technology development and R&D. Referring to the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement touted as the “Mother of All Deals,” Pulipaka urged India to leverage it to manufacture solar PV production equipment domestically. Picking up on Pulipaka’s thread of module overcapacity, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Director of Electricity & Renewables Alekhya Datta and Associate Researcher Aniket Tiwari emphasized that India must use its nearly 144 GW module production capacity to expand its export presence, beyond the US. They agreed that strengthening vertical integration is a no-brainer for the country to lower its reliance on imports for upstream components. They noted that policy measures such as PLI, ALMM, and BCD have supported scale-up the purpose for which these were designed, but the next step is to build a complete ecosystem to ensure long-term competitiveness. For thisvertical integration to take place in a sustainable fashion, government policy support is a must. Mahesh Murthy, Group CTO of Waaree Group Murthy said manufacturers currently receive only 3 years of benefits under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, but full 5-year entitlement will work better in their interest. He also noted that demand for Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) modules remains limited and called for new DCR-specific projects over the next 12 months, along with faster execution of pending CPSU tenders to boost demand for Make in India products. Stronger enforcement and compliance monitoring under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) is a must along with measures to discourage import-heavy EPC-led procurement practices, including steps to manage module imports from FTA countries, he stressed. These measures will also create more demand for Make in India modules. Murthy also called for advancing the implementation of ALMM List-III for solar wafer compliance from June 2028 to June 2027 to strengthen domestic manufacturing standards. “I think increased investments in R&D, but also industry, academia, engagements need to be focused on outcomes, which are commercial outcomes, not just technical learnings and some minor improvement. We need to be looking at being future ready in terms of technology. So that’s the key,” stressed Murthy. Speaking of technology, recycling is one such domain that offers an economic opportunity like no other. It can deal with waste challenges while also attracting investment and creating jobs, provided these are supported by the right policies, according to Ajinkya Kale the Programme Associate from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). Kale shared that India could generate 11 million tonnes of cumulative solar waste by 2047 with most likely to come from high-deployment states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. By 2047, recycling could meet up to 38% of raw material demand for India’s solar sector, representing a market opportunity of about INR 3,700 crore, and avoid 37 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Currently, recycling is financially unviable due to high operating expenses, especially waste procurement costs, which account for almost 56% to 68% of total costs. If manufacturers supply waste modules free of cost, mechanical recycling could generate about INR 17,000 per tonne and chemical recycling about INR 15,000 per tonne compared to a loss of around INR 10,000 per tonne and INR 12,000 per tonne, respectively. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificate trading under India’s e-waste rules could help turn recycling profitable. Clear EPR targets for solar waste and expansion of eligible materials could improve project economics, said Kale. Globally, companies such as First Solar have integrated recycling into their business models. Kale recommended that for India, stronger regulatory clarity, technology development and proactive industry participation will be essential to build a competitive and resilient solar recycling ecosystem. Day 1 of the event also had a policy panel and an executive panel with speakers from leading companies and industry experts joined in to discuss the challenges and opportunities for India’s solar PV industrial growth. There was an interesting session on Market Overview—Supply, Demand and Price Dynamics on day 2. Here are the 10 key takeaways from this session (seeIndia’s Defining Moment: Soaring Demand Meets Surging Supply). TaiyangNews will be back with this year’s 1st Virtual Conference on Smarter Solar for Homes & Businesses on March 25, 2026. Registrations are open here. TaiyangNews 2024
EWEC says it is actively scaling Abu Dhabi’s solar capacity to more than 35 GW of solar capacity by 2035 It will also target up to 15 GW of battery storage to support the expanding solar fleet The planned power and water system changes are expected to cut emissions by more than 45% by 2035 Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), solar electricity and water supplier in Abu Dhabi, plans to expand its cumulative solar capacity to more than 35 GW by 2035, alongside up to 15 GW of battery storage. As Abu Dhabi prepares to meet rising electricity demand, EWEC has raised its solar target to 14 GW by 2030 and more than 35 GW by 2035, compared with its earlier targets of 10 GW and 18 GW, respectively. The company said the strategy supports the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategy. The planned expansion, it explains, will support a more than 45% reduction in carbon emissions from power and water production targeted by 2035. “EWEC’s strategic planning ensures that our water and energy infrastructure expands substantially to power economic growth, even as total carbon emissions significantly decline,” said Mohamed Almarzooqi, Chief Assets Officer of EWEC. EWEC said gas generation will continue to provide flexibility for variable renewable power in the near term, although its contribution is expected to decline as solar and storage capacity expands. “We are actively procuring the utility-scale solar photovoltaic, battery storage and reverse osmosis desalination capacity required to deliver this outcome, structurally reducing the reliance of the system on gas-fired generation,” added Almarzooqi. Among EWEC’s planned solar and storage projects is a 5.2 GW solar PV and 19 GWh battery storage project, described as the world’s first gigascale renewable energy project designed to deliver power around the clock (see UAE To Host World’s ‘1st’ Facility To Provide RE 24×7, At Scale). Earlier this year in May 2026, EWEC partnered Masdar to deploy over 30 GW of solar PV and over 8 GW of battery storage capacity in the UAE (see Masdar & EWEC Partner For 30 GW Solar & 8 GW Battery Storage). TaiyangNews 2024
Researchers from Adelaide University said facing rooftop solar panels east and west instead of north will allow Australian households to maximise their energy self-sufficiency and reduce the use of non-renewable energy sources imported from the grid. Changing the direction panels are facing so that on-site renewable energy generation better matches the load can also reduce unwanted solar exports in the middle of the day, helping improve grid stability. Solar panels are usually mounted facing the equator to maximise annual energy yield but researchers Kirrilie Rowe and Peter Pudney said the power generated by these systems generally do not match traditional residential loads. “A typical residential load profile has a peak in the morning and a larger peak in the late afternoon or evening, whereas power generated by PV panels facing the equator peaks in the middle of the day,” they said, adding that “by orienting panels in different directions it is possible to minimise the shortfall between load and generation.” The researchers analysed data from more than 70 separate dwellings and a 42-apartment building across three years. The properties are all located in South Australia which has become one of the world’s most advanced renewable energy power systems. Solar and wind supply more than 70% of the state’s annual generation and more than 54% of homes have rooftop solar installations. The widespread adoption of PV and subsequent solar generation has reduced midday demand, but high usage persists in the morning and afternoon, creating pronounced peaks at these times. In addition, high solar generation and exports in the middle of the day can push distribution network voltage over acceptable limits with South Australia’s distribution network service provider taking steps to limit residential PV exports to the wider grid. The researchers said changing the direction panels are facing is one solution to counter this characteristic ‘duck curve’ profile. “We have shown that below around 1.4 kW for separate dwellings and 1 kW for apartments, panels facing north maximise annual self-sufficiency,” they said. “Beyond this size, optimal panel orientation is increasingly more east and west to maximise self-sufficiency.” With most new rooftop solar installations in Australia now exceeding 10 kW, the researchers said the orientation of the panels should be considered. “The initial panel placement to minimise shortfall is mostly north, because there is enough load in the middle of the day to use the generated power,” they said. “However, as PV size is increased, greater self-sufficiency is obtained by removing panels from the north and adding them to the northwest and northeast, and then east and west or east and northwest.” “Optimal orientations for PV power above 1.4 kW per dwelling are never north.” The study findings were presented in the article “Orienting PV panels to maximise self-sufficiency in residential communities,” published in ScienceDirect. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Comments Please login to comment The new ESS News magazine is here! Download your free digital copy today. The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now! Available in print and digital – get your copy today! Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy. pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand. Monday, October 26, 2026 10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026 14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
The global solar photovoltaic (PV) market size was calculated at USD 216.04 billion in 2026 and is predicted to reach around USD 484.85 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 9.43% from 2026 to 2035. The solar photovoltaic (PV) market is driven by government incentives and policies, such as tax credits, subsidies, and renewable energy mandates. AI-powered forecasting, energy management platforms, and smart grid integration are improving solar generation efficiency and accelerating adoption worldwide. The global solar photovoltaic (PV) market size was estimated at USD 196.94 billion in 2025 and is projected to increase from USD 216.04 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 484.85 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 9.43% from 2026 to 2035. The expansion of gigawatt-scale manufacturing andrapid shift toward renewable energy are driving the market. Government incentives and technological advancements are also contributing to market growth.
The solar photovoltaic (PV) market is experiencing significant growth driven by the growing need for clean and renewable energy around the world, the falling cost of solar modules, and government initiatives that support the production of sustainable power. Market expansion is being accelerated in both developed and emerging economies by growing investments in distributed rooftop installations, utility-scale solar projects, and energy transition programs. The performance and uptake of photovoltaic systems are being further improved by technological developments in smart grid infrastructure, energy storage integration, and high-efficiency solar cells. Furthermore, governments, companies, and consumers are being encouraged to invest in solar energy solutions due to growing concerns about carbon emissions, energy security, and climate change. As a result, solar PV is one of the renewable energy industry’s fastest-growing segments. The demand for eco-friendly energy is encouraging clean energy developers to promote the market. By enablingpredictive maintenance, optimizing solar panel performance, and enhancing energy forecasting, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the solar photovoltaic industry. AI-powered systems improve the efficiency of solar power generation and grid integration, maximizing energy output the lower operating costs. By identifying possible equipment failures before they happen, sophisticated machine learning algorithms can reduce maintenance costs and downtime. Additionally, AI helps utilities and solar operators enhance grid stability and overall system reliability by evaluating weather patterns and electricity demand. The rapid transformation in the market is driven by the integrated AI features and other tech-influenced approaches. Demand for Green Energy The growing need for clean and renewable energy sources to lower carbon emissions and fight climate change is the main factor propelling the growth of the solar photovoltaic (PV) market. Solar PV systems are being widely adopted in residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications due to favorable government policies, tax incentives, renewable energy targets, and falling solar panel costs. Further propelling market expansion are rising investments in energy security programs and sustainable energy infrastructure. Unfavorable Weather and High Cost The intermittent nature of solar power generation, which depends on weather and sunlight availability, presents challenges for the solar photovoltaic (PV) market. Adoption may also be hampered by high initial installation costs for large-scale projects and energy storage systems, especially in developing nations. Additionally, in some regions, grid integration issues and land availability restrictions for utility-scale solar projects may impede market growth. Tech Expansion/Integration The integration of solar photovoltaic systems with smart grids, artificial intelligence-based energy management solutions, and cutting-edge energy storage technologies presents significant opportunities. New growth opportunities for the market are being created by the increasing use of electric vehicles, the growing need for decentralized energy systems, and the growing investments in green hydrogen production. Solar PV deployment is anticipated to present significant opportunities in emerging economies with growing electricity demand and supportive renewable energy policies. The Monocrystalline Silicon Segment Dominate the Market in 2025 The monocrystalline silicon segment dominated the solar photovoltaic (PV) market with a major share in 2025 due to its high efficiency, superior purity, better electron mobility, and strong temperature tolerance compared with other PV technologies. The technology’s space efficiency, improved power output, and compatibility with advanced solar solutions such as bifacial panels have supported its widespread adoption across utility, commercial, and residential applications. This form of solar panel is more prevalent in solar rooftop systems and is frequently utilized for large-scale installations, whether they are residential, commercial, or industrial. The thin film segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the projection period. This is mainly due to its lightweight design, flexibility, and favorable temperature performance. Increasing adoption in applications such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), portable solar systems, and vehicle-integrated solar solutions is driving demand for thin film technologies. Why Did the Ground-Mounted Segment Held the Largest Share in 2025? The ground-mounted segment held the largest market share in 2025 because of its suitability for large-scale solar farms and utility projects requiring high electricity generation capacity. These systems enable optimized solar tracking, better airflow, flexible tilt adjustments, and higher energy yields, making them preferred for large renewable energy installations. The rooftop segment is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period, rising adoption among residential, commercial, and industrial users seeking energy independence and lower electricity costs. Integration with battery storage systems and reduced transmission losses are further increasing the attractiveness of rooftop solar installations. The On-grid Segment Held the Largest Share of the Market in 2025 The on-grid segment dominated the solar photovoltaic (PV) market by holding the largest share in 2025. This is mainly due to its affordability, simple installation process, and ability to supply electricity directly to existing utility networks. Increasing deployment across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, supported by net metering policies and grid-connected renewable energy initiatives, strengthened its market position. The off-grid segment is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the coming years, owing to increasing demand for decentralized energy solutions in remote areas, rural electrification projects, and industrial locations without reliable grid access. Growing adoption in telecom towers, mining sites, agriculture, and remote infrastructure is accelerating demand for standalone solar systems with battery storage. What Made Utility the Dominant Segment in the Market in 2025? The utility segment dominated the solar photovoltaic (PV) market with a major share in 2025, driven by the large-scale solar farm development, rising clean energy targets, and increasing investments in renewable power generation. Utility-scale PV projects benefit from power purchase agreements (PPAs), advanced grid management systems, and intelligent inverters that improve electricity reliability and grid stability. The residential segment is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR in the upcoming period due to increasing homeowner interest in reducing electricity costs and adopting sustainable energy solutions. The integration of rooftop solar panels with battery storage systems, smart energy management, and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is expected to accelerate residential solar adoption. The Asia Pacific solar photovoltaic (PV) market was exhibited at USD 74.84 billion in 2025 and is projected to be worth around USD 181.58 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 9.27% from 2026 to 2035
What Made Asia Pacific the Dominant Region in the Market in 2025? Asia Pacific dominated the solar photovoltaic (PV) market by holding the largest share in 2025 due to rapid renewable energy expansion, large-scale solar farm development, supportive government policies, and strong manufacturing capabilities. The region benefits from the presence of major solar manufacturers such as JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. and LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., which are accelerating innovation in technologies such as n-type TOPCon and heterojunction solar cells. Increasing investments in energy storage, smart grid integration, AI-based monitoring, agrivoltaics, and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are further strengthening regional market growth. India Market Trends India is becoming a major contributor to the Asia Pacific market due to strong government renewable energy targets, growing solar park development, and increasing investments in domestic solar manufacturing. Expansion of rooftop solar, utility-scale projects, and initiatives supporting energy independence are accelerating solar adoption. The country’s growing focus on solar manufacturing capacity, storage integration, and decentralized energy systems is expected to support long-term market growth.
NevadaToday Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Corrado De Gasperis speaking at the Energy Solutions Forum (photo by Yasmin Barbosa) Solar panels were supposed to last 25 to 30 years. Some are not lasting that long. That is where Corrado De Gasperis began on Sept. 16, when students, faculty and community members gathered at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Joe Crowley Student Union for the first Energy Solutions Forum of the fall. The series was founded by biochemist and philanthropist Mick Hitchcock. Those in attendance included Hitchcock, Mridul Gautam, senior vice president for research and innovation, and Christopher Jeffrey, director of the Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology. The Energy Solutions Forum has brought more than 25 speakers to campus from universities, national laboratories, nonprofits, government agencies and industry. “It’s a great way for students and faculty in the University community to connect with outside community members and local industry members,” said Christopher Barile, a chemistry professor in the College of Science who coordinates the Energy Solutions Forum series. De Gasperis is CEO of Comstock Inc., a Nevada company whose roots are in hard-rock silver and gold mining on the Comstock Lode. But about seven years ago, he said, the company changed direction. Today, it recovers aluminum, silver, copper, lead and glass from old solar panels and converts waste wood into low-carbon fuels.
“In one case, we’re creating a mine that never stops producing,” De Gasperis said. “In another case, we’re creating an oil well that never stops producing.” More than a billion solar panels have been deployed in the United States and roughly eight billion worldwide, according to De Gasperis. “Mostly the assumption was they would last 25 to 30 years,” he said. “It was a far-off problem that no one was really paying any attention to.” Instead, De Gasperis said some panels are reaching the end of their usefulness after just 15 to 17 years. He estimates three to four million panels are already coming out of service annually in the United States, a number he expects to rise significantly as existing solar installations age. Handling millions of panels a year on a single production line, De Gasperis said, means finishing one every seven seconds. Much of a panel can be recovered, but separating those materials is difficult. By weight, a typical crystalline-silicon panel is roughly three-quarters glass and about 8% aluminum, with copper, silicon and traces of silver making up most of the rest. Plastic, adhesives and other materials must be removed from that glass and metal efficiently enough to make recycling economical, and fast enough to operate at scale. Handling millions of panels a year on a single production line, De Gasperis said, means finishing one every seven seconds. “Today we can feed a panel every six and a half seconds,” he said. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme, international projections suggest U.S. panel waste could roughly double depending on whether panels last their full expected lifetime or fail early. The idea reaches beyond solar panels. De Gasperis said the Nevada Division of Minerals has approached Comstock about whether its technology could recover metals from old mine tailings around the state. The region’s advantages are also why Barile sees the University as the right home for the series. “The University of Nevada, Reno has been at the center of this lithium economy that we’re seeing,” he said, pointing to the region’s geothermal energy, its mining reserves and companies at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. University Executive Vice President and Provost and former Dean of the College of Science Jeff Thompson agrees. “Nevada is uniquely positioned to help lead these conversations,” Thompson said. “By connecting students with innovators and industry leaders, we are helping prepare the next generation of problem-solvers who will shape the future of energy and sustainability.” For De Gasperis, we must be looking beyond whether a technology carries a green label. “I think we have the ingredients, the raw materials to step up and become a leader, but it’s not automatic,” he said. “What’s the life cycle carbon impact, and what’s the true sustainability of the solution? If we hold ourselves to that standard, we will lead.” That complexity is part of the reason Barile wants students in the room.
“There’s no magic bullet,” Barile said. Solar and wind may reduce dependence on fossil fuels, he explained, but they raise questions about energy storage and other challenges that cross science, engineering, economics and social issues.
“We really need people from all sorts of different skill sets to help come together, and people who are willing and able to work with many different types of people,” he said. “Those are the people who will be the most valuable in solving this problem.” For students at the event interested in helping solve those problems, De Gasperis offered a challenge. “The difference between an operator and a leader is (that) an operator is a reliable, trustworthy executor,” he said. “A leader drives change.” “So the opportunity is to see a problem, to surface a blockage, a constraint, an obstacle, and shatter it.” Coming this fall: The Energy Solutions Forum continues Oct. 7 with Sabbie Miller of University of California, Davis on decarbonizing industrial manufacturing and Nov. 18 with Taylor Wilson, Applied Nuclear Physicist and Founder, Prometheus Industries and Talos Materials, on the future of nuclear energy technologies. The series is free and open to the public, and registration is open now via Eventbrite. Experiences of the pack: Vania Carter-Strauss, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC The University of Nevada, Reno honors Sept. 11 with a week of commemorative events 25 years after the tragedy Moving science out of silos: A conversation with biochemist and philanthropist Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D. Smoke and fire preparedness Subscribe to the Nevada Weekly newsletter
Perovskite PV manufacturer, GCL Perovskite, has completed an end-to-end production run on its GW-scale perovskite module manufacturing line, covering the entire process from raw-material intake to the production of large-area modules. The company said commercial module deliveries are gradually increasing as its focus shifts to production stabilization and yield ramp-up. Current priorities include improving equipment stability during continuous operation, overall line yield, and material utilization while reducing unit manufacturing costs. GCL Perovskite added that its 2 m² single-junction perovskite module has received third-party certification of IEC 61215, while its perovskite-crystalline silicon tandem module has received both IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certifications. In another development last year, GCL Perovskite led space PV module standard drafting (see China Solar PV News Snippets) In a technology upgrade, JinkoSolar plans to invest RMB1.792 billion in its Yuanhua base in Haining, Zhejiang province. The project will retire older equipment including texturing machines and tabber-stringers, and introduce advanced wet-processing and patterning equipment, and deploy digital systems including MES, SAP and AI-based tools. According to publicly disclosed environmental impact assessment materials, the project will retire the site’s existing 6 GW crystalline silicon cells and 6 GW modules, while retaining the cell R&D functions. Following the upgrade, the facility plans to have an annual production capacity of 2.7 GW of high-efficiency “new-structure” cells and 4 GW modules. The publicly disclosed EIA materials do not explicitly identify the technology that will be used for the new cells. Battery manufacturer, CBAK Energy, has disclosed internal test results for its 32140 NH-7Ah full-tab sodium-ion cell and outlined a conditional long-term plan for 12 GWh of annual sodium-ion battery production capacity. The planned lines will be designed to support both sodium-ion and lithium-ion cell production. The company said its NFPP cell reached 90% charge within 15 minutes, while capacity retention remained above 95% during continuous discharge at 15C. At -40°C, the cell retained 87.68% of its discharge capacity relative to its 25°C baseline. Based on internal cycle-life testing and trend analysis, CBAK Energy projects at least 10,000 life cycles under specified protocols. Customer testing of samples is underway in residential and portable energy storage systems, and two and three electric wheelers, while additional evaluations cover backup power and other applications. EVE Energy has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Railway Beijing Engineering Group Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Railway Group, with the two companies agreeing on at least 5 GWh of energy storage project over the next three years. The partnership will focus on new energy projects, energy storage applications and coordination in infrastructure development, supported by a dedicated working mechanism. China Railway Beijing Engineering Group is active in infrastructure, power, solar and EPC projects, while EVE Energy supplies energy storage cells and integrated storage systems. The companies plan to combine their engineering and storage equipment capabilities to advance related projects. Energy China has launched its 2026 centralized procurement for PV modules, with an estimated volume of 15 GWp across 6 packages, covering EPC and self-invested projects. This year’s procurement is 2 GW smaller than its 17 GW procurement of 2025 with 8 packages. Covering TOPCon, HJT and BC module technologies, the bids are due by October 9, 2026. Here are more details: For the two TOPCon packages, bidders must have at least 2.5 GWp of cumulative sales over the previous three years from individual contracts of 10 MWp or more. Package 4 additionally requires at least four individual TOPCon contracts of 100 MWp or more. The HJT packages require at least 150 MWp of cumulative sales over the same period, while the BC packages require at least 1.5 GWp of cumulative module sales across all technology types. TaiyangNews 2024
Solar PV drove renewable energy capacity additions in India with a record 44.6 GW, representing 87.2% YoY growth, says MNRE Distributed solar surged, with 16.31 GW added last fiscal, led by the PMSGMBY scheme Wind installations rose 45.6% to 6.05 GW, supporting overall clean capacity growth India added a record 55.3 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity in FY 2026 (April 2025 to March 2026), driven by a record 44.6 GW of solar PV capacity expansion. Annual solar capacity additions expanded by 87.2% over the previous year’s 23.83 GW and exceeded the targeted 24 GW. Wind installations increased by 45.6% with 6.05 GW. Open access commercial and industrial (C&I) projects, including those for captive consumption, also pushed annual installations to a record high. The waiver of the inter-state transmission system (ISTS) deadline on June 30, 2025, was another responsible factor, adds JMK Research & Analytics. The market intelligence firm adds that ground-mounted PV additions during the last fiscal year improved by 106% to around 34.8 GW, thanks to the completion of projects tendered under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) 50 GW annual bidding trajectory, which started in 2023 (see India Releases Bidding Trajectory For RE). Distributed generation continues to expand under supportive policy frameworks. Close to 8.7 GW of rooftop solar capacity contributed to the annual total, along with 7.6 GW under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) scheme. In comparison, 3.66 GW was installed under PM KUSUM in FY 2024-25. The scheme has now been extended till March 31, 2027. A total of 16.31 GW of distributed solar installations recorded last fiscal is the largest annual addition in this segment to date. Rooftop solar accounted for almost 36% of the total installed capacity during the reporting year, says the ministry. MNRE data shows that India’s cumulative installed solar PV capacity at the end of March 2026 reached 150.26 GW – the leading contributor to non-fossil-fuel generation of 283.46 GW (including 274.68 GW of renewable energy). By 2030, the target is to expand the latter to 500 GW. Having achieved 50% of its non-fossil-fuel-based power capacity target for 2030 5 years ahead of schedule, India has now raised the target to 60% by 2035 under its Nationally Determined Contribution (see India Raises Non-Fossil Power Capacity Target To 60% By 2035). Yet, coal continues to be the primary source of electricity generation in the country, with a 67.7% share up to March 2026, followed by solar at 9.4%. Coal will continue to lead the generation mix even in FY 2035-36 (see CEA: Solar Set To Become India’s Largest Power Source By 2035-36). Going forward, JMK Research projects the country will add around 53 GW to 55 GW of solar and wind capacity in FY 2027. India’s cumulative solar PV module manufacturing capacity also expanded from 2.3 GW in 2014 to about 172 GW as of March 31, 2026, according to the ministry, with 8 out of the 12 Production Linked Incentive (PLI) winners having launched production in the value chain. Of this, 98 GW was added during the reporting year, compared to 74 GW in the previous year. India’s solar module imports decreased by 3 times from $2.15 billion in FY 2025 to $758 million by January 2026. The country is also boosting battery energy storage system (BESS) additions, as the ministry extended the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exemption for lithium-ion cell manufacturing to March 31, 2028. It aims to reduce India’s reliance on imported battery packs, primarily from China. The government is also backing an Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee project to develop sodium-ion battery technology as a cost-effective alternative to lithium-based storage systems. TaiyangNews 2024
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