Solar Now

Independent testing laboratory RETC has released its 2026 PV Module Quality Index report, a document that contains the results of the company’s module reliability and performance testing, as well as in-depth discussions of factors in the modern solar industry that have led to the outcomes evident in the test results.
Major findings include a persistent problem of ultraviolet light-induced degradation (UVID) in solar modules, an increase in failures during tests for reliability under damp heat and thermal cycling conditions, and a significant reduction in the number of manufacturers whose modules qualify for high achievement in hail durability testing.
Each test is conducted on multiple modules in the same model line. Each model is known as a “bill of materials,” or BOM. In total, 11% of the BOMs tested for damp heat exhibited a failure condition (greater than 5% power loss), compared to just 6% the year before, while 8% failed UVID testing.
While 5% of BOMs exhibited failures in the thermal cycling test sequence (up from 2% in 2025), 92% met the threshold for high achievement. This could indicate that a component chosen by a single manufacturer is to blame for the failure.
Only 25% of BOMs were recognized as high achievers in hail durability testing, down from 70% the year before. Because this testing is optional, RETC did not define a failure condition, but noted that while most PV module designs can meet baseline ballistic impact standards recent catastrophic losses due to hailstorms suggest that s more robust standard is necessary.
Recognizing high achievers
In total, RETC recognized 19 solar module manufacturers for high achievement in at least one test, and 13 manufacturers as Overall Highest Achievers, signifying they met standards in a certain number of tests for both reliability and performance.
Manufacturers recognized as Overall Highest Achievers in the 2026 report are Imperial Star Solar, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Longi Solar, Qcells, Runergy, SolarSpace, Thornova Solar, Trina Solar, VSUN Solar, TW Solar, Waaree and Yingli Solar.
For 2026, RETC recognized 19 solar module manufacturers for high achievement in at least one test, and 13 manufacturers as Overall Highest Achievers, signifying they met standards in a certain number of tests for reliability and performance.
Manufacturers recognized as Overall Highest Achievers in the 2026 report are Imperial Star Solar, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Longi Solar, Qcells, Runergy, SolarSpace, Thornova Solar, Trina Solar, VSUN Solar, TW Solar, Waaree and Yingli Solar.
How RETC tests modules
RETC gleans much of the data it uses to evaluate manufacturers through its Thresher Test, a series of eight test sequences, with six sequences dedicated to module reliability and two for performance testing.
Thresher test sequences in the reliability discipline include:
Thresher test sequences in the performance discipline include: 
In addition to the Thresher test sequences, RETC evaluates solar modules based on their performance on its hail durability test (HDT), as well as tests it conducts to certify products for meeting California Energy Commission (CEC) standards. 
In total, each of the disciplines has seven tests in which products can be recognized for high achievement.
Levels of achievement
RETC recognizes manufacturers for their products’ scores on the testing regimen at the following four levels: Overall Highest Achiever, Reliability High Achiever, Performance High Achiever and Test Category High Achiever.
Overall Highest Achiever status is awarded if the manufacturer’s products earn high achiever recognition in both of the disciplines, and have their test samples witnessed and bills of materials verified by an independent third party. 
Reliability High Achievers are manufacturers whose products exceed standards on at least 3 of the 7 tests in the reliability discipline (glass-on-backsheet models must exceed standards on the BUDT test and 3 additional tests). All of the above-listed companies qualified for this recognition in this year’s report.
Performance High Achievers are manufacturers whose products exceed standards on at least 3 of the 7 tests in the performance discipline. As before, all of the above companies qualified. Alps Solar was also recognized.
Test Category High Achiever status is awarded to manufacturers whose products exceed the high achiever standards on any single test. For 2026, the list includes Adani Solar, Auxin Solar, Illuminate Solar, Mission Solar, and Silfab Solar.
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UK-registered independent power producer ContourGlobal has established a solid presence in Chile.
The company’s northern solar-storage portfolio is now fully operational.
Officials recently cut the ribbon on the Victor Jara plant in Iquique (231MW solar PV plus 1.3GWh storage), which has a 15-year nighttime-only power-purchase agreement with trader Copec EMOAC.
Victor Jara joins the Quillagua asset (221 MW solar PV and 1.2 GWh storage) in Antofagasta.
James Lee Stancampiano, the firm’s general manager for South America, told BNamericas that the central zone of Chile, private and regulated auctions and wind energy were blinking on its opportunity radar. 
BNamericas: ContourGlobal recently officially launched its Víctor Jara plant, which comprises a solar park and a long-duration energy storage system with a 6.5-hour injection capacity. For ContourGlobal, is long-duration storage the way forward?
Stancampiano: This project configuration was based on the specific requirements of our offtaker. [Such a decision] depends on requirements. 
So, basically, we will see in the future; it’s not something that we can decide on right now. 
What this project proved was that this [duration configuration] is technically possible.
BNamericas: Can you provide us with a little color on your plans in Chile?
Stancampiano: We’re looking mostly at the center of the country and in the south for our upcoming investments. We’re seeing a lot of requirements for final big consumption. We are looking to diversify our presence because we’re mainly based in the north. 
BNamericas: Could you tell us who future offtakers may be? Demand is a big theme in Chile at the moment.
Stancampiano: There are around 35TWh of new [power purchase agreements] PPAs [expected] in the coming years. These are mainly discos [distribution company contracts] and for sure mining companies. 
There are a lot of mining companies looking for energy for their expansion. They have contracts that are going to expire in the coming years, and they want to continue to contract renewable energy. 
So, there are a few interesting opportunities that we are looking at.
BNamericas: So, you’re potentially interested in the regulated PPAs?
Stancampiano: We will look at that. As I said, there are mining companies, traders, generators. We’re always open to explore opportunities with different kinds of offtakers. So not just disco.
BNamericas: What about the data center segment? And are we talking about short, medium or long-term opportunities here?
Stancampiano: For sure it’s on our radar, but so far, Chile is not competitive if we look at other countries such as the US or Brazil. We expect that in the upcoming years, maybe three, five years, we can see a big data center consumption. But it’s not for tomorrow. We’re always monitoring this.
BNamericas: Any final words?
Stancampiano: Chile is one of our most important countries where we would like to invest in. So specifically in this period, we see it as a very attractive market.
As ContourGlobal, we will continue to invest in solar plus BESS. And we’re evaluating some wind investments. 
(The original version of this content was written in English)
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Group aims to stabilize revenue by operating new facility in vast western region
The desert on the outskirts of Zhongwei, left, will be home to a new data center. (Source photos by Nikkei and Reuters)
SHANGHAI/TOKYO — The Jinko group, the world's largest solar panel maker, will enter the data center business, supplying power directly from its plants to meet the growing demand from the spread of artificial intelligence.

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New York
A bill awaiting Governor Hochul's signature would allow New Yorkers to plug small solar panels into standard outlets, bringing apartment-friendly renewable energy one step closer to reality.
New York apartment dwellers may soon have a new addition competing for precious window and balcony space: solar panels.
A bill headed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk would legalize so-called “balcony solar” systems across New York, letting residents hang small plug-in solar panels from windows, balconies and other approved spaces and connect them directly to a standard electrical outlet.
The legislation, known as the Solar Up Now New York Act (or the SUNNY Act), was approved by the state Legislature last week and could open the door for millions of renters and apartment residents to generate a little of their own electricity without needing a rooftop, backyard or complicated installation process.
The concept is already common in parts of Europe, particularly Germany, where plug-in solar panels have become a popular way for apartment residents to reduce electricity costs. Under the New York proposal, residents would be allowed to use systems generating up to 1,200 watts of power, as long as the equipment meets safety standards and complies with local fire codes.
“I know New York City’s itching to do it, as well as several of the other cities in the state,” Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, who sponsored the legislation, told Gothamist. “And it’s going to allow people to create just a small amount of green renewable energy themselves that they can use in their own house.”
The measure would also eliminate one of the biggest hurdles facing small-scale solar users by allowing systems to be connected without prior approval from a utility company. Residents would still need to notify their utility provider within 30 days of installation.
Notably, even utility companies appear relatively comfortable with the proposal. In a memo circulated to lawmakers, Con Edison said the legislation strikes an “appropriate balance” between expanding clean-energy access and maintaining grid reliability, noting that the small systems pose minimal risk to the electric grid.
Advocates have framed the bill as much a practical affordability measure as an environmental one. “The SUNNY Act will open the door for millions more New Yorkers to have access to cheap, clean solar power,” State Senator Liz Krueger said in a statement. “This is a small but important step to help New Yorkers fight climate change, save money, and claim real energy independence.”
The bill wouldn’t guarantee every New Yorker can install a panel, however. Landlords, co-op boards and homeowner associations could still impose their own restrictions on balcony or window-mounted systems.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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Solar cell panels installed on the roof of Dongkuk Steel's Pohang plant A sharp rebound in solar material prices this year is lifting hopes of a long-awaited earnings recovery for South Korean manufacturers, as Beijing moves to curb years of destructive oversupply by its domestic champions.Poly
An aerial view of the Alamo 1 solar project near San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas, operated by OCI Energy (Courtesy of OCI Holdings) China’s decision to scrap export subsidies for key energy products is expected to offer tailwinds for South Korean solar energy and battery makers, as the
Rendered image of the OCI Holdings-invested wafer plant in Vietnam (Screenshot captured from OCI Holdings' website) South Korean solar cell company OCI Holdings Co. is deepening its advance into the US clean energy market with a $78 million investment in a wafer manufacturing plant in Vietnam,
Hanwha Q Cells Co., the solar panel manufacturing unit of South Korea's Hanwha Solutions Corp., is expected to commercialize tandem modules by 2027, after recently securing international certification, in a move to outpace Chinese rivals in next-generation solar technology. Qcells North Americ
Hanwha Solutions, the parent of Hanwha Q cells, started mass production of solar panels in the US state of Georgia in 2024 (Courtesy of Hanwha Q Cells) LG and Hanwha groups will join forces to develop and sell solar energy devices as a package to challenge Tesla Inc., the leader in the solar en

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Solar panels are so passé—Riviera thinks so anyway.
The Australian yacht builder has teamed up with solar specialist Praxis to develop a new type of “solar skin” for models ranging from 39 to 78 feet. Sunreef has been incorporating a similar sort of integrated photovoltaic technology into its catamarans for about five years, but Riviera is rolling it out to motor yachts.
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“The pioneering efforts of our brilliant design team and the credentialed Praxis team have created an ingenious solution to reducing our yachts’ reliance on generated or shore power,” Riviera owner and chairman Rodney Longhurst said in a statement. “This is a significant breakthrough in many ways and with so many benefits from sustainability to enhancing the boating experience of Riviera yacht owners the world over.”
Unlike traditional rigid solar panels that are mounted atop aluminum frames, the new ultra-thin nano-composite solar skin is bonded directly into the yacht’s hardtop during the moulding stage of construction. All visible layers are optically transparent, with the 2 mm skin following the curvature of the roof and superstructure. The result is approximately 120 percent more power from only around 90 percent of the surface area compared to conventional marine solar installations.
The first Riviera to feature the skin is a 6800 Sports Yacht Platinum Edition. The 73-footer, which was recently delivered to its new owner in South Australia, can reportedly generate 3 kW at peak performance. Other models, like the 58 Sports, can produce close to 10 kWh per day.
The technology means the yacht can power the navigation equipment, refrigeration, lighting, and digital control systems, a.k.a. the hotel load, without using a generator, thereby extending time at anchor. Some of the larger models can last up to three days off grid without running a genset, according to Riviera. That, of course, means fuel costs are significantly reduced, too.
The skin is fully waterproof, virtually unbreakable, and available in matte, gloss, or non-skid finishes, Riviera says. It has a far more seamless appearance than classic solar panels, so as not to detract from the exterior.
“Solar integration had to meet the same structural and aesthetic standards as the yacht itself,” adds Dan Henderson, Riviera’s design and engineering director. “It was essential that this innovation enhance, rather than interrupt, the Riviera design language.”
The solar skin is now included as an option for new Riviera motor yachts, with bespoke designs currently being finalized across the range. Retrofit solutions are also available for existing vessels via the Riviera aftermarket service.
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From pv magazine Global
When a major earthquake cuts power to a city, what happens to the evacuation centre that was relying on a diesel generator? In many documented cases, the answer is: the fuel runs out within 24 to 72 hours, the resupply trucks cannot get through damaged roads, and the generator fails. It is something so well understood in Japan — a country that accounts for 18.5% of global earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher — that it has become the starting point for a new class of energy resilience research.
A new technical report from IEA PVPS Task 17, VIPV as Energy Sources in Disaster Zones, takes that failure mode seriously and asks if solar-equipped electric vehicles — what the authors call Solar Electric Vehicles (SEVs) or Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV) — could fill the gap. The answer, backed by Monte Carlo simulations, social behaviour modelling, and a real-world commercial case study from Miyazaki, Japan, is a strong yes.
Why conventional solutions fall short
The report’s framing is grounded in hard lessons from Japan’s disaster history. The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake left approximately 1.9 million fixed telephone lines and 29,000 mobile base stations out of operation, with power outages persisting for weeks. Moreover, fuel distribution for diesel generators, which form the backbone of most emergency power plans, remained compromised for two to three weeks across affected areas.
The structural problem with diesel generators is not just their severe fuel dependency, but also the maintenance regime they demand. Gasoline oxidizes and loses volatility within three to six months in storage, clogging carburetors and failing to start precisely the moment they are most needed. Engine oil oxidizes, starter batteries self-discharge, and humid environments accelerate corrosion. The report documents that without a rigorous maintenance and fuel-cycling regime, a significant portion of standby generators in Japan have failed to start during actual disasters.
Stationary PV systems, meanwhile, face a different but equally serious vulnerability: if the building hosting them is damaged or destroyed, the panels go with it. Grid-connected battery storage is useless when the grid is down. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can supply power through V2L or V2H interfaces, but once discharged they become inert — there is no way to replenish them in an isolated community with no functioning charging infrastructure.
This is where VIPV comes in. A solar electric vehicle generates electricity continuously from sunlight, regardless of whether any grid or fuel supply chain is intact. It can be driven to wherever power is needed. It can be repositioned to avoid shading. And when its battery is partially depleted, the sun recharges it.
What the numbers show
The core of the report is a Monte Carlo simulation model developed to assess how many Solar Electric Vehicles (SEVs) a community would need to sustain critical emergency facilities for seven days following a major earthquake in a notional “PV City” with a 5 km radius.
The simulations incorporate not just technical variables like shading probability and seasonal irradiance, but social ones, such as how many vehicle owners will actually check their state of charge and voluntarily drive to an evacuation centre to donate surplus energy. The authors model two scenarios: a simple voluntary contribution model, and a more realistic “selfish power hoarding” model where individuals prioritise their own needs first.
Under the voluntary model, approximately 1,000 SEVs within a 5 km radius — around 13 per km² — is sufficient to sustain all critical temporary facilities for a seven-day isolation period. Even under the selfish hoarding model, simulations show that 450 or more SEVs within the same radius can power evacuation centers for seven days. In a city like Miyazaki, which the report uses as its reference city, this corresponds to just 1% SEV penetration in the vehicle fleet. That is a level reachable within the current decade under plausible EV adoption trajectories.
Two operational insights emerge from the modelling that have direct implications for policy. First, when SEV density is low, maximising contribution per vehicle matters most, so owners should be encouraged to donate larger fractions of their surplus. When density is high, distributing smaller contributions across more vehicles produces greater systemic stability than concentrating on a few large donors.
Second, and crucially: social incentive design is not optional. A system that relies on voluntary contribution will only function if the incentive structure is well-designed. The report is clear that “take what you can” approaches, without meaningful rewards for donors, will fail.
The commercial reality
The report’s second pillar is a case study of a commercial VIPV product developed by IM Efficiency, a Dutch renewable energy startup. Their SolaronTop system converts standard trucks and trailers into mobile solar power units by integrating high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon panels across both the roof and sides of the vehicle, paired with lithium-ion storage, MPPT controllers, and standardised AC and DC output interfaces.
Performance data from a full 12-month monitoring period in Miyazaki’s climate (January to December 2024) shows the system generating 13,967 kWh annually, or an average of 38.3 kWh per day. Peak summer generation exceeded 45 kWh/day, while even in the worst winter month (December) the system produced 31 kWh/day. A notable finding is that the vertically-mounted side panels provided remarkably consistent generation of 18 to 23 kWh per day across all seasons, acting as a stable baseload while the roof panels varied more strongly with season.
The practical implications for emergency power are clear. The report maps typical daily energy requirements for disaster response applications in Japan: charging 2,000 smartphones requires 13 to 14 kWh/day; maintaining a temporary 4G/5G base station serving a 1 to 2 km radius requires 25 to 35 kWh/day; LED lighting for an evacuation centre uses 8 to 12 kWh/day; medical refrigeration and oxygen concentrators require another 8 to 12 kWh/day. A single SolaronTop truck running at typical spring or autumn output can cover most of these needs simultaneously. And two trucks can cover them comfortably, with margin to spare.
The report also provides a direct comparison against diesel generators across six criteria: deployment time, fuel dependency, operational cost, mobility, environmental impact, and maintenance requirements. On all six metrics, the VIPV system outperforms diesel, sometimes dramatically. Diesel scores 1 out of 10 on fuel dependency; SolaronTop scores 10. On environmental impact, diesel scores 1 (local air pollution, 65 to 85 dBA noise, approximately 65 to 80 kg of CO₂ per day of operation); SolaronTop scores 10, with zero operational emissions and near-silent running. Deployment time for diesel involves a 2 to 4 hour cycle of transport, setup, fuelling, and testing; SolaronTop requires 30 to 60 minutes to drive to the site, park, and connect.
Limitations in a crisis
The report is candid about what VIPV cannot do. Vehicles submerged by flooding, buried by landslides, or structurally damaged by building collapse are not available to provide emergency power. The contribution of SEVs to resilience is, in the authors’ own framing, “scenario-dependent.” They are particularly valuable in the scenario that is most common in Japan’s earthquake history: prolonged power outages where road access is partially or fully restored before grid power returns, allowing surviving vehicles to move and operate as mobile power sources during the critical early recovery phase.
The report is also careful to position VIPV as a complementary technology within a diversified resilience portfolio, not a wholesale replacement for diesel generators, stationary PV-battery systems, or portable solar kits. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses. VIPV’s unique combination of mobility, continuous generation, and zero fuel dependency gives it a specific niche, one that is more valuable than previously recognised.
What this means for policy and industry
The implications extend well beyond Japan. Any country with high earthquake, typhoon, or flood risk, isolated communities dependent on road-delivered fuel, or ambitious EV adoption targets has a reason to take this work seriously. The report suggests that governments developing EV incentive programmes should factor in disaster resilience value explicitly — both in the financial case for VIPV over standard BEVs, and in designing the emergency response frameworks that would activate SEV energy-sharing during crises.
For the automotive and energy industries, the message is equally direct. Commercial VIPV systems already meet the technical standards for real-world disaster deployment. The gap between research and implementation, the report concludes, is closing. The question is whether the policy, incentive, and community policies needed to make voluntary energy sharing work in practice can keep pace.
Author: Ignacio Landivar
This article is part of a monthly column by the IEA PVPS programme. It was contributed by IEA PVPS Task 17. The main goal of this working group is to accelerate and structure the deployment of PV in the transport sector.
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April 01 – August 31, 2026
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The global transition to renewable energy is currently defined by a sharp material tension: the surging demand for high-efficiency solar cells is clashing with the rising cost and geological scarcity of silver. As the industry’s primary conductive material, silver consumption represents a significant portion of the total non-silicon cost of a solar module. To scale toward terawatt-level deployment, the industry must pivot. We are no longer just looking for incremental savings; we are witnessing a fundamental shift toward “low silver” and “no silver” metallization frameworks.
Leading this transformation is Solamet®, an industry pioneer built upon 200+ years of innovation DNA and 40+ years of frontline metallization practice. Since transitioning from the DuPont legacy to an independent company in July 2021, Solamet has leveraged its dual technology centres in Shanghai and Taiwan to accelerate a roadmap toward cost leadership. The strategic objective is clear: maintain—and even enhance—cell efficiency while drastically reducing the silver laydown through advanced metallurgy and process engineering.
1. The Efficiency-Cost Equilibrium: Ag-Ni and LECO Integration for TOPCon and TBC
For manufacturers balancing current high-volume production with cost-reduction mandates, using nickel to partly replace silver offers a critical “middle ground”, such as the PV3NN (Front-side) and PV6NN (Rear-side) silver-nickel (Ag-Ni) finger pastes for n-TOPCON.  In the high temperature fire-through metallization pastes, nickel acts as fillers to reduce the silver content in the pastes while ensuring high cell efficiency.  These “multi-gradient” solutions provide various silver content options (5-15% nickel content) to allow manufacturers to customize their silver reduction based on specific line reliability requirements.
2. Redefining TOPCon Economics with PV6NS and PV43T
As n-TOPCon technology cements its position as the market’s dominant architecture, the pressure to optimize its silver-intensive metallization is immense. Solamet’s solution is a sophisticated “product package” strategy that decouples the functions of the contact layer and the conductor layer.
This approach utilizes the PV6NS Rear-side seed layer silver paste in synergy with the PV43T Ag-coated Cu conductor paste. In this stacked configuration, the PV6NS acts as a high-performance “seed” specifically engineered to establish low-resistance electrical contact with the cell. Once ohmic contact is secured, the PV43T conductor layer—which replaces a substantial portion of the bulk silver with silver-coated copper—handles the current transport.
By utilizing this multi-layered strategy, manufacturers can slash silver consumption with minimized reliability risks associated with traditional copper transitions. This dual-layer innovation directly supports the PV industry’s core mission of “high-efficiency solar cells with low cost.”
3. The Copper Revolution: PV46 Series for BC and TOPCon
While silver-coated copper provides an immediate bridge, the long-term strategic “Holy Grail” is the move to pure copper metallization. Copper offers a clear path to material sustainability and price stability, insulating manufacturers from the volatility of precious metal markets.
Solamet’s PV46 Series is the vanguard of this transition, specifically tailored for the industry’s most advanced cell architectures:

The most well-known issue for copper paste is oxidation, which typically requires processing under nitrogen or reducing atmosphere, drastically increasing complexity, cost and safety concerns in adopting copper paste in current cell manufacturing processes.  Solamet’s innovative PV46B and PV46D copper paste, with proprietary anti-oxidation design, is compatible with air curing or sintering process, significantly lowering the copper paste adoption barrier by utilizing existing thermal processing equipment, ensuring future generations of high efficiency solar cell technology remain economically viable at scale.
The history of solar cell metallization has been a journey of constant refinement, from the first commercial fire-through paste in 1999 to the current 2025–2027 roadmap. Solamet’s trajectory is now focused on ultra-low silver content, pure copper integration and specialized solutions for TOPCon, xBC and Perovskite Tandem cells.
By successfully taking low silver and silver-free approaches from laboratories to gigawatt-scale production lines, Solamet is steadily uncoupling solar power from its reliance on precious metals. As low-silver hybrids and copper alternatives are going to achieve strict parity with standard pastes in both field reliability and energy yield, the industry will arrive at an inevitable turning point. The question is no longer whether the solar industry can survive without silver, but how quickly forward-thinking manufacturers will transition into this inevitable, post-silver era.

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New York
A bill awaiting Governor Hochul's signature would allow New Yorkers to plug small solar panels into standard outlets, bringing apartment-friendly renewable energy one step closer to reality.
New York apartment dwellers may soon have a new addition competing for precious window and balcony space: solar panels.
A bill headed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk would legalize so-called “balcony solar” systems across New York, letting residents hang small plug-in solar panels from windows, balconies and other approved spaces and connect them directly to a standard electrical outlet.
The legislation, known as the Solar Up Now New York Act (or the SUNNY Act), was approved by the state Legislature last week and could open the door for millions of renters and apartment residents to generate a little of their own electricity without needing a rooftop, backyard or complicated installation process.
The concept is already common in parts of Europe, particularly Germany, where plug-in solar panels have become a popular way for apartment residents to reduce electricity costs. Under the New York proposal, residents would be allowed to use systems generating up to 1,200 watts of power, as long as the equipment meets safety standards and complies with local fire codes.
“I know New York City’s itching to do it, as well as several of the other cities in the state,” Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, who sponsored the legislation, told Gothamist. “And it’s going to allow people to create just a small amount of green renewable energy themselves that they can use in their own house.”
The measure would also eliminate one of the biggest hurdles facing small-scale solar users by allowing systems to be connected without prior approval from a utility company. Residents would still need to notify their utility provider within 30 days of installation.
Notably, even utility companies appear relatively comfortable with the proposal. In a memo circulated to lawmakers, Con Edison said the legislation strikes an “appropriate balance” between expanding clean-energy access and maintaining grid reliability, noting that the small systems pose minimal risk to the electric grid.
Advocates have framed the bill as much a practical affordability measure as an environmental one. “The SUNNY Act will open the door for millions more New Yorkers to have access to cheap, clean solar power,” State Senator Liz Krueger said in a statement. “This is a small but important step to help New Yorkers fight climate change, save money, and claim real energy independence.”
The bill wouldn’t guarantee every New Yorker can install a panel, however. Landlords, co-op boards and homeowner associations could still impose their own restrictions on balcony or window-mounted systems.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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A new report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP) shows that U.S. developers brought a total of 6.4 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage capacity online in Q1 2026 — bringing total domestic clean power capacity to over 370 GW.
According to the Q1 2026 Clean Power Quarterly Market Report, capacity additions in the first three months of 2026 represented 3.625 GW of utility-scale solar, 2.382 GW of energy storage and 415 MW of wind. The additions meant the capacity of utility-scale solar has now exceeded that of wind as the largest source of clean power generation capacity in the country.
The state of Texas now accounts for over one quarter of all installed clean energy capacity at 96.4 GW, placing it on the verge of becoming the first state to install 100 GW. California comes in second, with nearly 46.4 GW, with Oklahoma in third place at just over 15 GW.
Despite clean energy reaching ever higher heights, the report revealed that capacity additions were down by 17% compared to the nearly 7.7 GW energized in the Q1 of 2025. That decrease can be explained by the 6.4 GW of clean power capacity originally expected to be operational by the end of Q1, which is now delayed.
The ACP report tracks a total of 59.5 GW of projects that are now delayed due to lengthy permitting processes, backlogged interconnection queues and fluctuating equipment prices.
The changing face of the clean power pipeline
At the end of Q1 2026, the report’s authors listed a pipeline of over 195 GW of capacity in development around the country. According to the report, that figure was 6% higher than in Q1 of 2025, and driven largely by increases in the planned capacity of solar, which rose by 13% year-over-year, and battery storage, which rose by 8%.
Unlike the pipelines for solar and battery storage projects, land-based wind power remained stagnant at 28 GW of planned capacity, and offshore wind decreased to 10 GW, a decrease of 33.3% compared to Q1 2025.The report says a significant portion of that planned capacity should be energized late in 2026 as a number of large projects reach their expected commercial operation dates (CODs). These include the 3.5 GW SunZia project in New Mexico, which combines wind power generation and a 550-mile high voltage direct current transmission line.
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DTI defends solar panel certification  Inquirer.net
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Solar Energy
The expansion of solar energy in Brazil has completely transformed the urban and rural landscape of the country in recent years. Today, finding photovoltaic panels on the roofs of homes, businesses, farms, and large plants is already part of Brazilian routine. The sector experienced a true energy gold rush, driven by regulatory incentives, reduction in technological costs, and a growing search for savings on electricity bills.
However, behind this historic advance, a silent problem began to worry authorities, specialists, and operators of the national electric system: the growth of so-called “solar thefts.”
According to information released by Canal Solar in an article published by Marina Meyer Falcão, with collaboration from Enio Fonseca, the increase in clandestine expansions in photovoltaic systems started to represent a technical, financial, and regulatory risk for the National Interconnected System (SIN). The situation led the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) to open, in 2026, a public consultation to tighten rules and increase sector oversight.
Solar energy covered rooftops and deserts, but now it’s preparing a mountain of old glass: up to 78 million tons of photovoltaic panels could become waste by 2050 as the world races to recycle the shiny skin of the energy transition.
Company launches floating solar platform at sea to test bifacial panels and generate renewable energy in coastal waters
Solar energy should lead the planet by 2035, but artificial intelligence keeps fossil fuels alive.
Solar panels at sea can generate up to 12% more energy than land-based plants, study finds: Researchers from Taiwan discovered that offshore solar panels take advantage of the natural cooling of water to increase electrical efficiency, reduce heat losses, and expand renewable energy production in regions with limited available land space.
The case marks a new phase of Brazilian solar energy, in which accelerated growth begins to encounter structural challenges that require regulatory maturation and greater operational control.
The growth of photovoltaic generation in Brazil impresses even international market specialists. The country reached the mark of 60 GW of installed capacity, consolidating itself as the second-largest source of the national electric matrix and representing about 24.5% of all Brazilian energy capacity.
Furthermore, Brazil already has more than 4 million solar photovoltaic systems installed in homes, companies, rural properties, and large plants.
Between 2021 and 2023, the leap was considered vertiginous. During this period, solar generation went from occupying a modest share in the electric sector to accounting for significant portions of the instantaneous energy consumed in the country.
The numbers reveal the speed of this transformation:
Another relevant data point shows that almost 58% of the energy produced in 2024 came from distributed micro and mini-generation (MMGD), a model where consumers also become energy producers.
The annual expansion of solar energy reached approximately 70%, drastically altering the operational profile of the National Interconnected System.
However, while the sector celebrated historical growth records, distortions began to emerge that now concern the government, distributors, and regulatory bodies.
The so-called “solar cat” occurs when owners clandestinely expand their photovoltaic systems without authorization from the responsible distributor or without approval from the granting authority.
In practice, many consumers install more solar panels or replace inverters with more powerful equipment without officially reporting the increase in generation capacity.
Although some of these irregularities occur due to technical ignorance or inadequate guidance from installation companies, experts warn that many cases involve deliberate expansions aimed at maximizing financial gains.
The problem has ceased to be just an isolated contractual infraction and has become a systemic threat.
This is because the National Electric System Operator (ONS) depends on operational predictability to maintain the balance between energy generation and consumption in real-time. When thousands of systems operate above the approved capacity, the operator loses visibility over the actual load of the electrical grid.
In practice, the system starts operating “in the dark.”
Furthermore, the uncontrolled oversupply of energy at certain times has been exacerbating phenomena already known in the international electric sector.
The disorderly advance of solar energy has brought to Brazil a phenomenon known worldwide as the “Duck Curve.”
The name refers to the graphic shape of energy demand throughout the day. During the period of highest solar incidence, especially around noon, there is an explosion in photovoltaic generation. This drastically reduces the need for other energy sources.
On the other hand, in the early evening, when residential consumption increases and the sun disappears, solar production plummets abruptly.
This imbalance forces the electric system to quickly activate thermal and hydroelectric plants to compensate for the sudden loss of generation.
The problem becomes even more severe when clandestine expansions make it difficult to monitor the actual load.
Besides the operational impact, there is also a huge financial cost.
According to estimates mentioned in the original article, the tariff incentives granted to micro and mini distributed generation have generated an estimated impact of R$ 16 billion, a value currently redistributed through the Energy Development Account (CDE).
In practice, consumers who do not have the financial means to install solar panels end up indirectly bearing part of these costs in their electricity bills.
Experts point out that the scenario creates a socially unequal cross-subsidy model, increasing the pressure for regulatory changes.
In light of the increase in irregularities, ANEEL decided to significantly expand control over the sector.
As published by Canal Solar, the agency opened Public Consultation No. 009/2026, based on Technical Note No. 148/2025-STD and reported by director Gentil Nogueira de Sá Júnior.
The deadline for submitting contributions was set until June 6, 2026.
The proposal establishes profound changes in the oversight of distributed generation and is based on four main pillars.
The first strengthens the role of distributors as effective operators of distribution systems (DSOs), expanding their technological oversight capacity of the network.
The second point authorizes harsher penalties for clandestine expansions, including immediate suspension of supply and energy injection.
Furthermore, ANEEL intends to allow distributors to deny new connection requests in regions where the technical stability of the network is already compromised.
Another relevant aspect involves the revision of mechanisms for compensating energy surpluses, aiming to discourage over-offers during low-demand periods.
The measure represents one of the largest regulatory changes ever discussed in the Brazilian distributed generation sector.
Although regulatory tightening is under discussion, the practice is already considered irregular by current Brazilian legislation.
The sector is mainly governed by Law No. 14,300/2022, known as the Legal Framework for Distributed Generation.
The legislation defined transition rules for charging the use of electrical infrastructure, especially related to the so-called “Fio B,” responsible for distribution costs.
Additionally, ANEEL Normative Resolution No. 1,000/2021 establishes that any alteration with an increase in power injected into the network requires prior authorization from the distributor.
Article 8 of the resolution makes it clear that expansions without approval constitute a contractual breach and tariff fraud.
In this context, experts state that the sustainable growth of solar energy will increasingly depend on regulatory compliance, technological traceability, and smart oversight.
The impacts of photovoltaic expansion vary significantly between Brazilian regions.
In the Southeast, especially in São Paulo and Minas Gerais, there are major urban bottlenecks and the highest volume of fraud in residential and commercial systems.
The Northeast has the best solar irradiation indices in the country and hosts large centralized generation parks. The excess production in the region creates increasing pressure on the transmission lines responsible for connecting the Northeast to the rest of the SIN.
In the South, the problem mainly affects systems linked to agribusiness and rural cooperatives, where voltage fluctuations can compromise more sensitive networks.
Meanwhile, the Midwest has become a priority focus for oversight due to the rapid growth of mini-plants linked to the agricultural and industrial sectors.
In the North Region, despite the smaller national participation, solar energy plays a strategic role in replacing isolated diesel-powered systems in areas of the Amazon.
Solar energy has established itself as one of the main structural transformations of the Brazilian electric sector in recent decades.
Besides partially democratizing access to energy generation, the technology has driven billion-dollar investments, job creation, and carbon emission reduction.
However, experts warn that the continuity of this growth will directly depend on the institutional capacity to balance technological innovation with systemic security.
The rise of so-called “solar thefts” has highlighted the limits of a model that grew faster than the State’s own regulatory capacity.
ANEEL, by reinforcing oversight, monitoring, and accountability, seeks precisely to prevent the sector from entering operational and financial collapse.
In this sense, the maturation of distributed generation will require greater regulatory predictability, strengthening of the energy compliance culture, and intensive use of regulatory intelligence.
After all, in a strategic sector like electricity, preserving the stability of the network and the public interest will continue to be an absolute priority.
According to energy market experts, Brazil still has enormous photovoltaic growth potential. However, the future of the national energy transition will increasingly depend on the ability to ensure balance between expansion, legal security, tariff justice, and operational reliability.
Original source: Canal Solar.
Reference: Article published by Marina Meyer Falcão, with collaboration from Enio Fonseca, about the regulatory impacts of the so-called “solar theft” in Brazil in 2026.
I am Felipe Alves, with experience producing content on national security, geopolitics, technology, and strategic topics that directly impact the contemporary landscape. Throughout my career, I aim to provide clear, reliable, and up-to-date analyses, aimed at specialists, enthusiasts, and professionals in the field of security and geopolitics. My commitment is to contribute to an accessible and informed understanding of the challenges and transformations in the global strategic field. For editorial suggestions, questions, or institutional contact: fa06279@gmail.com
© 2026 Click Petróleo e Gás – All rights reserved

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Commissioner Against Solar Farm Location  WCBC Radio
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(NAFB.com) – A provision in the House-passed farm bill is drawing criticism from farmers and renewable energy advocates who say it could limit opportunities for solar development on productive agricultural land. The measure would restrict certain federal incentives tied to solar projects located on prime farmland, a move supporters say is necessary to preserve land for food production. Critics argue the provision could reduce an important source of income for farmers facing low commodity prices and rising production costs. According to reporting by The Guardian and congressional summaries of the legislation, the debate highlights growing tensions between renewable energy expansion and farmland preservation. Farm groups note that lease payments from solar developers have become a valuable source of revenue for some producers. The issue is expected to receive additional scrutiny as the Senate develops its version of the farm bill. Lawmakers on both sides say they support renewable energy but disagree on how to balance energy development with long-term agricultural production.

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Avangrid Finishes Construction of New Oregon Solar Project, Connects to the Grid  Business Wire
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India’s solar ambitions face a factory-floor test: Rollout of new rules sparks industry concerns over domestic cell shortage, stranded investments  Down To Earth
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Our midweek Green Deals are being led by the latest Bluetti RV Season Sale that benefits from two of our bonus exclusive savings for even better deals, with offers like the 3,014Wh Elite 300 Portable Power Station getting a 350W solar panel and a FREE 128Wh Elite 10 Mini station for $1,567, among many others starting from $284. Right behind it, we spotted up to $700 discounts on the three Worx Landroid Vision Cloud Robot Lawn Mowers starting from a new $850 low, as well as Anker’s eufy E30 Wireless Outdoor Solar Security Camera at its $100 low, the Gotrax XR Elite Max Electric Scooter hitting a new $303 low – plus, deals on a multi-battery Greenworks bundle and an EGO electric hedge trimmer kit. We also have all the hangover deals collected down at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s exclusive Anker SOLIX S2000 Power Station launch deals, the new low hitting EGO’s comprehensive Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower bundle, and more.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
Bluetti currently has an RV Adventure Sale running and we have two continuing exclusive bonus savings codes giving our readers even better prices on power stations. One notable bundle in the lineup is Bluetti’s latest Elite 300 Portable Power Station with a 350W solar panel down at $1,566.55 shipped, after using the code 9TO5TOYS5OFF at checkout – plus, with your purchase, you get a FREE Elite 10 Mini 128Wh power station ($119 value), too. This bundle used to carry a $3,148 MSRP, but in May the brand gave permanent price cuts across its entire lineup to better match market rates, dropping it to $1,649, while Amazon saw it go as high as $1,999 in 2026. The price here is only beaten by former discounts to $1,499, though you’re getting far more value with this deal, thanks to the included Elite 10 Mini unit. Our deal gives you an $82 markdown off its new going rate, $432 off the highest Amazon pricing tracked, and $1,581 off the original MSRP. Head below to learn more and browse the full lineup of deals.
As I stated, we have two active exclusive discount codes that you can use during this sale for the best prices possible. First, there’s our sitewide 5% bonus savings code 9TO5TOYS5OFF that can be used on any units, while the Elite 400 station and its bundles benefit from a larger 6% bonus savings using the code 9TO5TOYS6OFF at checkout.
The Bluetti Elite 300 power station is the brand’s latest release that first hit the market in March, and also happens to be the smallest 3kWh model from any major brand currently. It packs a 3,014Wh LiFePO4 battery inside a 14.41-inch by 12.01-inch by 11.71-inch casing, but does not offer any expansion functionality like some other stations. Still, most folks will get what they need from just one of these units, as it provides up to 2,400W of steady power (surging as high as 4,800W) through its 11 output ports (4x ACs, 2x USB-Cs, 2x USB-As, 1x TT-30R for RVs, 1x XT90, and a DC car port).
There are five primary means to recharge the station itself: AC outlet charging, pass-through charging via a gas generator, connecting up to 1,200W of solar input, using one of the brand’s alternator chargers, or you can utilize both AC and solar charging at the same time. What’s more, don’t forget you’re also getting a FREE 128Wh Elite 10 Mini power station that makes a great support for personal items, which you can learn more about in our in-depth Tested review here.
***Note: None of the prices in the lineup below have had the two bonus savings codes adjusted to reflect the extra discounts, so be sure to use the two above codes where applicable to get the best deals. On another note, unlike our usual coverage, where a regular price is often provided, units that have been permanently given price cuts may have a “No additional price cut” reflected to show that the rate shown is the newest MSRP and not receiving further savings.
You can find add-on accessory deals on this sale’s main landing page here, while other power station sales from alternate brands can be found collected into our dedicated hub here.
Amazon is currently offering discounts across all three of Worx’s new Landroid Vision Cloud Robot Lawn Mowers, with things starting at the 1/4-acre model that has fallen to $849.99 shipped. Down from a full price of $1,199, we’ve only seen a few discounts since the series hit the market in March, taking costs down to $1,000 and $900. Today’s deal gives you an even bigger 29% markdown that slashes $349 off the tag for a new all-time low. You’ll also find the 1/2 acre model down at $1,099.99 shipped, while the 1-acre model is down at $1,949.99 shipped. You can also browse the other Worx tool deals in the brand’s official Amazon storefront here.
These Worx Landroid Vision Cloud robot mowers come as much-needed step-ups from the bargain-bin early-generation robots, with the three models designed to tackle anywhere from 1/4 to 1 full acre of land on each full charge. And yes, these come smart enough to know when to return to their station for recharging upon the battery falling to low power levels. They all come boasting RTK cloud accuracy without the need for boundary wires or even a local antenna – plus, no extra cloud fees either.
There’s also AI-supported obstacle avoidance, navigation, and auto mapping with these newer robots, all able to “understand any lawn shape and boundary types, automatically mapping your yard with smooth paths, closer edge-following, and fuller coverage from day one.” They allow for you to digitally break your property into an unlimited number of zones within the companion app, which gets with bolstered Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection options, thanks to the RadioLink addition.
You can find even more robots for mowing, indoor and outdoor cleaning, and more by heading over and browsing through our smart home deals hub, while tools from various brands can be found over in our dedicated tools hub.
Through its official eufyHome Amazon storefront, Anker is offering the SoloCam E30 Wireless Outdoor Solar Security Camera at $99.98 shipped, while multi-cam bundles can be found on the same page, and this rate is matching the price we’re seeing direct from the brand’s website. Normally this model goes for $150 at full price, but it has spent 2026 with regular discounting to $100 via normal deals, Lightning deals, and Prime-exclusive offers, only occasionally climbing back up to its full price. It’s giving folks a prolonged opportunity to pick one up with a $50 markdown at the all-time lowest price we have tracked. You can also find a cheaper option in the popular SoloCam S220 solar camera down at $70 from $100, or check out the other security deals in the official Amazon storefront here.
Much like the popular SoloCam S220, Anker’s eufy SoloCam E30 model comes as a solar panel-equipped (removable) security solution that the brand brags only needs two hours of sun a day to remain charged and running. It provides 2K video clarity via the companion app, complete with night vision for coverage any time of the day/night. It even comes boasting AI motion detection and smart tracking for people, vehicles, and important events. Adding a HomeBase S280 or HomeBase S380 unlocks enhanced group controls with more advanced AI functionality and storage options. As it comes with the lead deal, you won’t have to pay any monthly or subscription fees, with footage stored on any microSD card up to 128GB in size.
For more intelligent security tech deals like this, be sure to regularly check in and browse through our smart home hub here, like the Baseus X1 Pro Dual-Tracking Solar Camera with or without a 32GB card at lows starting from $144.
Amazon is currently offering a budget-friendly commuter deal on the Gotrax XR Elite Max Electric Scooter for $303 shipped. Down from a $420 full price, in 2026 we saw the price on this model get four previous deals to $320, before it first dropped to $304. Now, you’re getting a larger-than-ever $117 markdown here that lands things at a new all-time low price.
While it may not be as high-end of a ride as the popular Segway G2 Max or G3 Max e-scooters (currently starting from $700 with discounts), the Gotrax XR Elite Max e-scooter is a solid choice for folks on a budget, especially while it’s down at this new all-time low. The 350W front wheel motor is powered by a 36V 8Ah battery that provides up to 18 miles of travel on each charge at up to 20 MPH top speeds, giving you plenty of range for trips around your neighborhood, town, college campus, and the like. Mechanical features include disc brakes alongside EABS (regenerative brakes), 10-inch pneumatic tires, an LED headlight, an LED screen for settings, and more.
As I mentioned, you can currently find Amazon continuing Segway’s May Summer Sale discounts on its 43-mile and 50-mile traveling G2 Max and G3 Max e-scooter starting from $700, with more deals like this collected into our EV hub here. For e-bikes, you’ll want to head over to our separately dedicated hub here.
Amazon is currently offering the Greenworks 24V 4.0Ah Battery 2-Pack with dual-port rapid charger for $104.99 shipped. It’s dropping down from a $160 full price tag here, which we’ve previously seen go as low as $112 in 2026, with today’s deal only beaten out by a drop to the $96 low back in September. You’re getting a 34% markdown here that cuts $55 off the tag for the second-best price we have tracked and the best rate in eight months. You can also find more Greenworks tools and gear discounted in the official Amazon storefront here.
While this multi-battery bundle is labeled as a starter kit, it’s a great pick up for both new and veteran Greenworks users alike, as the 24V tool platform is one of the most popular from the brand’s lineup. This package gives you two batteries to cover any 24V or 48V (24V x 2) tools, while the dual-port rapid charger provides speedier recharging for them or any other batteries you already own. They come as 24,000mAh capacity models that can even double as power banks via the built-in USB port. The whole kit is rounded out by a three-year warranty.
You’ll find even more tool deals from Greenworks, EGO Power+, Worx, and other brands by heading over and browsing our dedicated tool hub here.
Over at Amazon, you can currently find the EGO POWER+ 56V 24-inch Cordless Electric Hedge Trimmer with 2.5Ah battery discounted to $199 shipped. It’s dropped down from the $239 full price here, which we previously saw last for a long span through March and April, before rising back up during May. Now, the $40 markdown is returning today to give you a chance to pick it up at the best price we have tracked since October’s Prime Day event. You’ll find even more EGO tools and accessory deals in the official Amazon storefront here.
Father’s Day is on the horizon, and as such EGO has been ramping up its tool discounts in anticipation, and this 24-inch EGO cordless electric hedge trimmer makes a solid addition to tool arsenals. The included 2.5Ah battery can keep the motor running for up to 75 minutes on each full charge, giving you plenty of juice to tackle hedges, bushes, and other needs around the yard. The trimmer itself even comes with electric brakes for the blades, not to mention those blades being fully serviceable for easier maintenance, sharpening, and replacement.
You can find even more equipment from EGO, Greenworks, Worx, and other brands over in our dedicated tools hub here.
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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ECOSOLAR ENERGY CORP. is set to start construction of its biggest solar farm in Capiz in central Philippines after securing environmental clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a statement on Tuesday, EcoSolar said it obtained an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau Region 6 for the 98.2-megawatt-direct current Panitan Solar Power project.
The project is targeted for completion by the end of 2028.
An ECC certifies that a project has complied with environmental requirements under the country’s environmental impact assessment system.
Once remaining pre-development activities are completed, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines will proceed with upgrades to the 138-kilovolt Panitan substation, where the solar facility will connect.
“As important, this investment by the Yuchengco Group of Companies will add much needed power to the Visayas grid which has been plagued by constant red and yellow alerts recently,” said Yrel V. Ventura, PetroGreen Energy Corp. assistant vice-president for environment and community relations.
EcoSolar is a unit of PetroGreen Energy, a joint venture between PetroEnergy Resources Corp. and Japan’s Kyuden International Corp.
The company also secured an ECC in November 2025 for a standalone 20-megawatt battery energy storage system in Panitan, Capiz. The storage facility is scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter of 2026.
PetroGreen operates four utility-scale solar projects in Tarlac, Bohol and Nueva Ecija, while four more projects are in development.
Shares of PetroEnergy Resources rose 3.87% to P3.76 each on the Philippine Stock Exchange. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

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Damp heat testing of solar PV modules yielded 11% “red flag results”, results that “raise concerns about a product’s ability to deliver reliable long-term performance”.
This is a key takeaway from this year’s PV Module Index (PVMI) Report, published by US-based technical advisory firm the Renewable Energy Test Centre (RETC). The damp heat testing results are the clearest indication of a trend towards declining module performance, following a stronger performance in the 2025 edition of the report. The number of modules reporting red flag results fell from 14% in 2024 to just 3% last year, but now significant failure rates have increased again.
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Alongside the damp heat test failures, 8% of modules tested returned a red flag result in ultraviolent-induced degradation (UVID), the second-highest percentage among the types of tests. The PVMI report year-on-year increases in red flag results for damp heat, potential-induced degradation, static and dynamic mechanical load and thermal cycling testing categories; the results from these testing types, plus some selected others, are shown in the graph below.
It is worth noting that two of the above categories—conversion efficiency and hail durability testing—are unable to provide red flag results; RETC said it has “not applied red-flag criteria” for the former category, and that red flag criteria are not applied to hail testing because this is an optional testing sequence within the thresher test programme.
However, this should not be interpreted as these categories having strong testing performances. Conversion efficiency only returned 50% of high achievers, while hail testing yielded just 27% high achievers, the lowest among technology types.
Indeed, RETC noted that, since 2025, the percentage of high achievers in the hail testing category collapsed from 70%, suggesting that a significant number of module manufacturers struggle to build hail-resistant modules. This reflects growing concern about the ability of solar projects to effectively endure hail damage, with kWh Analytics, Kiwa PVEL and RETC’s parent company VDE Americas all highlighting the dangers of hail to solar project performance this year.
The report notes that, across all testing types, “underperformance appears to be increasing over time”. The RETC team analysed close to 44,000 system-months of data based on module testing, and assigned each module a numerical value between 0.6 and 1.2 to reflect quality of module performance. Between 2020 and 2024 the median score of modules tested, across all testing types, fell from 1.02 to 0.986; similarly, the average score of modules on a P90 basis fell from 0.96 to 0.85 over this period.
“At VDE, we are seeing an increase in certain types of field failures, including issues associated with junction boxes and PV connectors,” said Beth Copanas, senior director of technical advisory at VDE Americas. Copanas argued that “design optimisation efforts”, which aim to reduce the cost of manufacturing solar panels amid the ongoing price crisis affecting many Chinese manufacturers, could contribute to the decline in module performance.
“While these observations can have multiple contributing factors, they raise concerns that ongoing cost and design optimisation efforts may be affecting long-term durability. We are also seeing changes in module construction—such as reduced material thicknesses and tighter component tolerances— that may be contributing to increased sensitivity to field conditions.”
The report also concludes that market conditions are exacerbating some of the technical failures demonstrated by module testing. Cherif Kedir, CEO and president of RETC, argued that the “proliferation” of UVID can be traced to the popularity of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology in the industry.
As China-based companies seek to relocate their TOPCon manufacturing capacity to parts of the world not covered by legislation that impedes the import of products to the US, most notably the Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) guidance and the ongoing antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations, these “highly refined manufacturing processes” move outside of China, where there is considerable expertise in these processes.
“There are steps in the manufacturing process that dictate a cell’s ability to withstand some of these light-induced degradation modes,” said Kedir. “Manufacturers need to tightly control these steps. But if you take a highly refined manufacturing process out of China and move it to Africa, Eastern Europe, or the US, plant operators need to substantially revise the process definition.
“Without adequate batch testing, PV modules from a new factory could have a very different reliability profile, even though companies are nominally using the same manufacturing equipment and an identical BOM [bill of materials].”
However, the report is not without positives. Backsheet ultraviolet durability testing returned 100% of tests in the high achievement category, while light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation returned a high achiever percentage of 66%, the two highest figures for testing types that returned no red flags.
RETC also awarded a total of 13 companies its “overall highest achiever” status—Imperial Star, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, LONGi, Qcells, Runergy, Solarspace, Thornova, TrinaSolar, TW Solar, VSUN, Waaree and Yingli Solar—up from 12 the previous year. Nine of these companies—JA Solar, Jinko Solar, LONGi Solar, Runergy, Solarspace, Trina Solar, VSUN Solar, Waaree and Yingli Solar—have also received this award for at least three consecutive years, suggesting some companies have been able to build robust modules over a longer period.

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Avangrid, a subsidiary of Spanish power firm Iberdrola, has completed construction of its 166MWdc (120MWac) Tower Solar project in Oregon and connected the facility to the regional transmission grid. 
With commercial operations expected to begin later this summer, the project, located in Morrow County west of Boardman, comprises more than 250,000 solar modules assembled in the US by SEG Solar at its manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. 
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Jim Wood, CEO of SEG Solar said: “This project aligns with our mission to strengthen the domestic energy supply chain. By providing fully compliant, traceable, and reliable solar solutions, we are meeting energy demands while driving American manufacturing and creating local jobs.”” 
Under a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in 2024, once commissioned, the solar plant will supply electricity to utility Portland General Electric (PGE) under its Green Future Impact (GFI) programme and help support operations of data centre operator QTS in the region. 
The programme enables large commercial, industrial and municipal customers to procure electricity from newly developed renewable energy projects while covering any incremental costs associated with the clean energy supply. 
Meanwhile the renewable energy certificates (RECs) were earmarked for data centre operator QTS, which is developing a facility for Meta in the region as part of the tech company’s commitment to sourcing 100% renewable energy for its operations.    
“As demand for electricity continues to grow across the United States and in the Pacific Northwest, projects like Tower Solar are essential to delivering new generation at scale,” Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda said.  
“Furthermore, this project demonstrates how investment in America’s electrical infrastructure contributes to our domestic economy, supports union workers, and delivers reliable electricity to support the region’s growth.”   
Tower Solar is being developed on approximately 900 acres of industrially zoned land owned by the Port of Morrow and created approximately 200 construction jobs locally. 
The completion of Tower Solar adds to Avangrid’s renewable energy portfolio, which totals more than 11GW of installed generation capacity across nearly 100 projects in 25 US states. 
In February 2026, Avangrid brought two solar PV projects in Oregon into commercial operation. The adjacent Daybreak Solar (189MW) and Bakeoven Solar (80MW) plants, located in Wasco County, have a combined capacity of 269MW and feature approximately 650,000 installed solar modules. 
The company also partnered with a local sheep rancher to graze around 3,000 sheep across the sites, using solar grazing to manage vegetation while maintaining agricultural use of the land. 

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East St. Louis solar project could cut utility bills by 40%  FOX 2
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Global South Utilities (GSU), an Abu Dhabi-headquartered resources investment firm, has initiated construction of a 12 MWp solar photovoltaic facility paired with a 70 MWh battery energy storage system in Berbera. This effort falls under Phase II of the Green Berbera Initiative.
The undertaking follows the activation of GSU’s 5 MWp solar installation in the city during February 2026. The initial phase involved 11.2 km of 33 kV transmission lines and set the stage for decreasing dependence on imported diesel power in this key port location.
Phase II substantially enlarges renewable energy capacity and adds utility-scale battery storage aimed at enhancing grid stability and ensuring electricity availability during evening peak times and when solar generation is lower. When operational, the facility is anticipated to produce roughly 24,000 MWh of green electricity each year, sufficient to meet the needs of about 67,000 households annually.
The initiative is also expected to prevent around 16,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year, comparable to removing more than 3,800 gasoline-powered vehicles from roads for twelve months by replacing diesel-based electricity. Over a typical project lifespan, total avoided emissions would surpass 330,000 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to taking over 76,000 gasoline cars out of service for a year.
Combined output from both phases is forecast to provide power for nearly 95,000 households each year, greatly broadening renewable energy availability throughout Berbera. After Phase II becomes operational, Berbera is set to become one of the earliest cities in the Horn of Africa to accomplish a full-scale shift away from fossil-fuel-based electricity generation.
Ali Alshimmari, CEO and Managing Director of GSU and Vice Chairman of Berbera Electricity Company, remarked that Phase II signifies a sustained commitment to Berbera’s infrastructure and economic robustness. He emphasized that dependable and affordably priced power is crucial for urban development, port functionality, and industrial growth. Alshimmari further pointed out that merging large-scale solar with battery storage bolsters Berbera’s status as a vital regional port economy and provides a tangible example of renewable-led progress in the Horn of Africa.
In February 2026, Alshimmari unveiled the Green Berbera Vision, a systematic plan to convert Berbera’s power system from diesel reliance to a renewable-based utility utilizing solar PV and battery storage. GSU owns a 45% share in Berbera Electricity Company, the sole electricity provider for the city. BEC presently manages a 20.38 MW portfolio along with 2 MWh of battery storage, with renewable capacity projected to double by 2027 as part of the wider Green Berbera Vision.
A central element of the project is delivering 100% renewable electricity to the Berbera Economic Zone, a strategically significant trade and logistics hub in the region. The presence of dependable, competitively priced clean energy is expected to enhance the BEZ’s appeal to global investors, industrial firms, and sustainability-oriented enterprises aiming for low-carbon operations in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
In addition to environmental advantages, the project is anticipated to produce considerable economic and social benefits through local hiring, knowledge transfer, and enduring workforce development. Construction and startup activities will involve local engineers, technicians, construction laborers, and service suppliers, while long-term operations will foster new employment in renewable energy production, battery management, and grid oversight.
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Millvale groups celebrate activation of new solar energy system on North Avenue  TribLIVE.com
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At last month’s Renewables Procurement & Revenue summit, hosted by PV Tech publisher Solar Media in London, PV Tech Premium heard that, in general, the UK renewable energy investment landscape is “quite good”.
This was the opinion of Anastasios Christakis, COO at Queequeg Renewables, who spoke to PV Tech Premium during the event, following his appearance at a panel discussion on solar-plus-storage financing on the second day of the conference. His optimism echoed that of Bob Psaradellis, CEO of Island Green Power, who called the UK’s auction programme in particular the “gold standard” for solar investment opportunities at an earlier Solar Media event this year, reflecting a longstanding opinion in the industry that the UK is something of a leader in the European renewable energy space.
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Indeed, the last twelve months have seen a number of successes for the UK renewable energy sector. Last July, the UK’s largest solar project, Cleve Hill, entered commercial operation, demonstrating the efficacy of both constructing large-scale solar-plus-storage projects, and working through the nationally significant infrastructure programme (NSIP) in the UK.
In the year since, a mammoth 800MW solar PV project has been approved in Lincolnshire and the distributed solar sector will benefit from the introduction of new legislation regarding low carbon housing, set to come into force in 2028. While European renewables face a wave of long-term political uncertainty, the UK’s supportive policy framework continues to attract investors and developers to its energy transition.
“The landscape, in general, is quite good in terms of how it can evolve and how it can develop,” Christakis told PV Tech Premium during the event. “Of course, we’ll need policy support for that, and also legislative support.”
A lot of his optimism comes from the efficacy of the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, which was a frequent topic of conversation during the summit. The programme allows developers to secure an offtake agreement where the length is measured in decades and the counterparty risk is minimised by working with a national government, and developers throughout the event discussed the attractiveness of the programme.
“We see the CfD scheme as very attractive, from the generator’s perspective, for different reasons,” agreed Francisco del Rio, head of power sales Europe at NTR plc, who also spoke to PV Tech Premium during the event. “One of them is [that the contracts are] long-term, up to 20 years, which provides stable cash inflows and predictability and stability in terms of price.
“That opens the door for financing and raising debt, as well, and with low margins on interest rates. Additionally, indexation is also attractive because it’s a hedge on the opex, which is normally linked to inflation long-term.”
The sheer scale of the scheme is something to behold; its most recent round, allocation round 7a, saw CfDs awarded to a record 155 individual solar PV projects with 4.9GW of capacity, at a price 10% lower than was awarded in the last round.
“[It’s] a good scheme and it has helped to create bankability for the projects that we have,” said Christakis. “Obviously it has its limitations, but in general terms we see that it is working [and] has been working, and helpfully can take the learnings from the previous rounds and apply them to the next rounds, to make it even better.”
Other experts at the summit suggested that the CfD scheme is of the greatest benefit in the long-term, as fundamentally changing the UK’s energy mix from one reliant on fossil fuels to one reliant on clean energy will simply take time, and processes like the CfD scheme have enabled that transition to be financially viable for developers and investors.
“There’s a short-term and a long-term,” said Matt Parry, head of power and energy demand at REA, who spoke during the first panel of the summit. “[The UK government] is doing quite a good job in the long-term, so encouraging investment in renewables and building out battery storage and long-duration energy storage (LDES).”
However, Parry argued that the financial mechanisms affecting UK energy prices, in particular, are “very complicated”, and that for all the optimism about the UK’s long-term energy future, it is likely that the country’s already-high power prices will rise.
This complicated economic background, where the UK is caught between the old fossil fuel energy system and the more distributed, renewables-led mix of the future, means that renewable energy can sometimes not take into account the range of factors that affect a project’s valuation and, ultimately, its bottom line.
In response, Christakis said that project financing needs to become more complex, so that projects are able to compete for both CfD contracts and private offtake agreements, sometimes simultaneously.
“We reached the point where a lot of these projects purely rely on the auctions and the tariffs we get, but we can see a mix where we can guarantee a partial supply to the grid in order to qualify for the auction and get the tariffs, and the other part is merchant, so it’s more like a hybrid model that investors are looking at,” explained Christakis.
“You try to have a private PPA with a private offtaker, like a big utility, [but] the market is not as advanced in this regard, compared to other markets in Europe, but there is a good track record in order to grow even bigger.”
“The longer tenors of the CfDs makes corporate PPAs more challenging, so I think it’s sometimes difficult to find the angle to structure a PPA with a corporate,” added del Rio, suggesting that the popularity and the prevalence of the CfD scheme means that signing deals outside of its parameters can prove difficult.
“They normally want to have shorter tenors than the CfDs, but there are compatible ways to have different commercial schemes in place for different assets, when we’re talking about investors or generators that have a wide portfolio of assets.”
Speakers at the event also suggested that the CfD scheme has a fundamental weakness, in that its continued function is reliant on the sustained support of a government that wants to advance the energy transition. A number of speakers referred to the recent strong performance of the Reform UK party in polls, which is openly more hostile to renewables than the current Labour government, suggesting that this supportive legislative framework could be undone in the event of a new government.
Indeed, del Rio went on to say that some of the political uncertainty that is affecting the UK is something that governments “all across Europe” are having to contend with at present.
“In terms of uncertainty, all across Europe, the governments have implemented some action items, specifically for vulnerable consumers,” he told PV Tech Premium. “That’s something that we see all across Europe recently that has been exacerbated by the recent conflict in the Middle East, so that’s something that all the governments have different actions but in the same direction.”
“Sometimes we might have been surprised because the UK, historically, didn’t have this kind of political or regulatory uncertainty,” he continued, suggesting that this scale of uncertainty is a new kind of risk for actors in the UK. The UK, therefore, compares unfavourably to countries like Ireland, which BNRG’s David Maguire told PV Tech Premium ahead of the event was a notably “stable” political landscape that facilitated long-term dealmaking.
“Given the geopolitical uncertainty, I think this is something that’s new for the vast majority of countries across Europe,” del Rio added.
Christakis said, however, that this widespread uncertainty means the UK has plenty of opportunities to learn about how to navigate this kind of environment from its European neighbours.
“There are some good things that the UK market can adopt from other countries,” he told PV Tech Premium. “I was thinking [how] in Italy they’ve done a very good job of integrating agrivoltaics, and because the solar industry has suffered quite a lot here in the UK with a bit of resistance from those who own the land and communities—rightly or not, based on the way the industry presents itself—and by implementing rules about agrivoltaics, you accentuate the benefits of solar, because [now] this can create biodiversity.
“With regards to the routes to market, which is the auction system, the UK has the CfD system [and] compared to Italy, a market I know very well, the Italian market is more flexible. In Italy, the authority is waiting for the market to tell what they would like to have, so they can secure more capacity into a system, whereas in the UK they put a ceiling on capacity.”
He added that the UK could do with better embedding small-scale solar generation, such as agrivoltaics, “into our business case” to ensure that the sector is not entirely reliant on a single kind of project size, such as utility-scale solar.
“The other thing is that we don’t need to underestimate the power of the smaller producers—those below 1MW,” he added. “The energy communities framework has worked very well in many European countries, so probably you can implement it here, because there are a lot of small developers that are going to make a difference by creating these projects, plus embracing the communities close to these projects.”
However, del Rio concluded by saying that, while the UK could benefit from a more diversified offtake space, in the manner of other European countries, the CfD scheme remains a “really attractive” programme that is the driving force behind UK solar.
“The governmental schemes—the CfD scheme in the UK or the RESS scheme in Ireland—are really attractive from the generators’ perspective in terms of certainty and price stability in the long run,” he said.

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NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) has issued separate tenders for a 300 MW solar PV project in Rajasthan and up to 2 GW/12 GWh of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected pumped hydro energy storage capacity under a long-term service model.
The solar EPC tender covers the development of a 300 MW grid-connected PV project near Nokhra, Rajasthan. The selected contractor will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project, including the supply of solar modules. The scope also includes comprehensive operation and maintenance services for three years after commissioning.
In a separate tender, NTPC REL has invited bids for the development of 2 GW/12 GWh of ISTS-connected pumped hydro energy storage projects located anywhere in India.
The state-owned company plans to use the storage capacity to support its round-the-clock (RTC) renewable energy commitments by integrating pumped hydro storage with its solar and wind power projects.
Under the tender terms, developers must offer a minimum capacity of 500 MW at a single location, although bidders may quote higher capacities up to the aggregate requirement of 2 GW. Each project must provide a minimum storage duration of six hours.
The capacity will be procured through a global competitive bidding process followed by a reverse auction. NTPC REL will sign energy storage service agreements with the selected developers on an annual fixed-charge basis for a period of 25 years.
Electricity generated from NTPC and NTPC REL renewable energy projects will be used to charge the storage facilities. The company will dispatch the stored energy on demand during peak and off-peak periods to meet its RTC renewable power supply obligations.
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India’s solar manufacturing sector entered a new regulatory era on June 1, 2026, when the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ALMM List-II mandate took effect, requiring every solar module installed in government-backed, net-metered, and open-access projects to contain cells made by a domestically approved manufacturer. For Pahal Solar, a Surat-based solar energy company that spent the past eight months building exactly that capability, the timing was deliberate — the Gujarat manufacturer secured its ALMM List-I module approval in February 2026, signed a 500 MW encapsulant supply agreement with RenewSys in December 2025, and broke ground on a 2 GW TOPCon solar cell plant in October 2025 to integrate the full production chain before the law changed.
The company, which featured as the designated AI-powered module partner at Goa’s inaugural Solar & Storage Expo just days before the mandate went live, now enters the post-June 1 market in a position few smaller Indian module makers can match: building the cells its modules require, rather than competing for the small open-market supply that analysts say covers less than 2 percent of standalone manufacturers’ collective needs.
The ALMM List-II policy was designed to deepen India’s solar value chain beyond module assembly. Until now, India had built 193 gigawatts of approved module manufacturing capacity while domestic solar cell production stood at just 31 GW — roughly one-sixth the volume. The mismatch is sharpest in TOPCon, the cell architecture that now accounts for nearly 89 percent of India’s approved module output. Of India’s approximately 172 GW of approved TOPCon module capacity, only around 10 GW of domestically approved TOPCon cell manufacturing existed as of the policy’s effective date, according to analysis published by Down to Earth on June 3.
That gap creates an acute supply problem for the roughly 138 standalone module assemblers — companies that laminate and frame cells into panels but do not manufacture the cells themselves — who collectively hold about 134 GW of module capacity. After integrated manufacturers use approximately 28,579 MW of cell output for their own captive production, only about 2,558 MW is available on the open market, meeting less than 1.9 percent of standalone manufacturers’ requirements.
Binit Das, programme manager for renewable energy at the Centre for Science and Environment, noted that many cell manufacturers use their own production internally, leaving limited supplies available to standalone assemblers. “The concern around ALMM List-II is that the requirement to use domestically manufactured solar cells is coming into effect at a time when domestic cell manufacturing capacity is still much lower than module manufacturing capacity,” Das told Down to Earth.
Rounak Muthiyan, founder of EPC firm Kalpa Power, added a further complication: new cell lines require a minimum of six months of stabilization before they can reliably deliver the performance consistency that generation-guarantee contracts demand. “For developers, independent power producers, or EPC companies that need to provide generation guarantees, it is an extremely sensitive matter,” Muthiyan said.
The 2 GW cell plant Pahal Solar is building in Surat will produce TOPCon cells — a next-generation architecture that generates measurably more electricity from the same surface area than the previous industry standard, PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell), while degrading more slowly over a panel’s 25-year lifespan.
TOPCon stands for Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact. The technology, developed at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute in 2013, adds an ultra-thin silicon dioxide layer — approximately 1 to 2 nanometers thick — to the rear surface of an n-type silicon wafer, along with a phosphorus-doped polycrystalline silicon film deposited on top of it via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). This layered structure enables a quantum-mechanical effect called tunneling: electrons generated by incoming photons pass through the oxide barrier to reach the external circuit, while the barrier simultaneously blocks the reverse flow that causes recombination losses. The result is a higher open-circuit voltage and better fill factor than PERC cells can achieve. In mass production, TOPCon cells routinely reach 24 to 25.2 percent conversion efficiency; leading manufacturers have demonstrated 26 percent in pilot lines. PERC cells, by contrast, typically achieve 21 to 22 percent. N-type TOPCon panels also degrade more slowly — at 0.27 to 0.4 percent per year versus roughly 0.5 percent for standard p-type PERC — meaning they generate more cumulative electricity over their warranted life.
The manufacturing cost of a TOPCon cell line is substantially higher than a standard module assembly facility. Establishing 1 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity requires investment of approximately ₹250 crore to ₹400 crore — five to eight times the ₹50 crore to ₹80 crore required for 1 GW of module assembly. Cell lines also require a gestation period of 18 to 24 months before reaching stable production yields. That capital barrier is precisely why most of India’s 138 standalone module makers did not build cell capacity, and why integrated players are now structurally better positioned under the new policy.
Pahal Solar’s existing facilities in Olpad, Surat, already deploy AI-integrated quality control using electroluminescence (EL) imaging — a technique in which a weak electrical current passes through completed panels, causing defective cells to emit characteristic luminescent signatures that a trained deep-learning model identifies in under 30 seconds per panel. The approach detects micro-cracks, broken contact fingers, and shunting defects invisible to human inspectors at production-line speeds, and is being extended to the new cell plant to maintain output consistency from the first stages of cell fabrication through final module assembly.
The regulatory timing coincided with a public moment for Pahal Solar in its home market. The company served as the official AI-powered module partner at the Solar & Storage Expo Goa 2026, held on May 28 at Novotel Goa Panjim — the first dedicated renewable energy expo in the state, drawing government ministers, developers, EPC contractors, and investors from across India.
Nitin Barvaliya, Pahal Solar’s Vice President, was among the speakers at the event, which opened with a ceremonial lamp-lighting inauguration led by Shri Ramkrishna Alias Sudin Dhavalikar, Goa’s Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, and featured a special address from Shri Sanjeev Joglekar, Member Secretary of the Goa Energy Development Agency. Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy, attended as Chief Guest.
The expo’s Goa Energy Excellence Awards 2026, felicitated by MLA Shri Rodolfo Fernandes, recognized regional solar excellence. Kunde Solar Solutions received the Solar EPC Company of the Year — Residential award, accepted by partner Sahil Kerkar. Solstar Ultima LLP took the Best Rooftop Solar Installer — Residential prize, accepted by Dinesh Naik, Partner and Business Development Head. The awards highlighted Goa’s growing local solar installation ecosystem at the precise moment when national policy is reshaping who can supply the modules those installers use.
For homeowners and businesses commissioning rooftop solar after June 1, 2026, the ALMM List-II mandate introduces a new compliance layer. Net-metering projects commissioned on or after June 1 must use modules whose cells are sourced from an ALMM List-II approved manufacturer. For residential projects under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana scheme — which offers direct subsidies of up to ₹78,000 per household — modules must be both ALMM List-I approved and made with ALMM List-II certified cells to qualify.
DCR-compliant modules now carry a cost premium of roughly ₹8 to ₹10 per watt over non-DCR modules, according to industry data. For a typical 3 kW residential rooftop system, that translates to an additional upfront cost of approximately ₹24,000 to ₹30,000 before subsidy offsets are applied.
Ganesh Moorthi, Chief Technology Officer at Luminous Power Technologies, acknowledged the near-term supply constraint for rooftop solar but described the broader trajectory positively. “The implementation of the Domestic Content Requirement mandate from June 1 marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s solar manufacturing ecosystem and advancing the vision of a self-reliant renewable energy sector,” Moorthi said, adding that continued government support could accelerate capacity expansion and enable a smoother transition.
Ishver Dholakiya, founder and managing director of Goldi Solar, put the policy’s intent even more directly: “ALMM List-II is more than a compliance measure; it is India’s clearest signal yet that the next phase of the solar transition will be built on domestic capability, not import dependence.”
The government has signaled that the current policy is not the endpoint. In March 2026, MNRE announced ALMM List-III — an extension of the approved-list framework to cover solar ingots and wafers, the upstream input material for cell manufacturing. List-III is scheduled to take effect from June 1, 2028, pushing the Atmanirbhar Bharat domestic manufacturing strategy one level further up the photovoltaic value chain. For solar energy companies like Pahal Solar, whose new Surat complex includes both the 2 GW TOPCon cell plant and a 2 GW aluminum frame production unit expected to commission by late 2026, the 2028 deadline sets the next milestone for whether to extend vertical integration to the wafer stage.
India’s Q1 2026 solar additions jumped 143 percent year-over-year to 15.3 GW — a record driven in part by developers accelerating project execution ahead of the June 1 deadline. As of April 30, 2026, ALMM List-II total enrolled cell capacity stood at 30.3 GW per the 7th revision of the list. India’s peak power demand hit 270.8 GW on May 21, 2026 — a national record — with solar accounting for nearly one-fifth of electricity supply. The country experienced power shortages on 13 of the last 15 nights in April, underscoring both the scale of the buildout and the grid management challenge that accompanies it.
For a solar energy company in the market to supply that buildout under the new rules, vertical integration into domestic cell manufacturing is no longer optional infrastructure — it is the compliance structure itself.
What is India’s ALMM List-II solar cell mandate?
India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers List-II, which took effect June 1, 2026, requires all solar modules used in government-backed, net-metered, and open-access renewable energy projects to be manufactured using solar cells made by an MNRE-approved domestic manufacturer. The policy is designed to build a self-reliant Indian solar supply chain and reduce dependence on imported cells, particularly from China.
What are TOPCon solar panels and how do they differ from PERC?
TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) panels use a 1 to 2 nanometer silicon dioxide tunnel oxide layer on the cell’s rear surface, deposited via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, to reduce electron recombination losses and increase conversion efficiency to 24 to 25 percent — roughly 2 to 3 percentage points higher than standard PERC cells. TOPCon cells also degrade more slowly over a 25-year lifespan, making them less expensive on a levelized cost-per-kilowatt-hour basis even when the upfront price per watt is higher.
Which solar energy companies in India benefit from the ALMM cell mandate?
Vertically integrated manufacturers that produce both solar cells and modules — including companies like Pahal Solar that are building domestic cell capacity in Gujarat — are positioned to supply compliant modules without depending on the open market. Standalone module assemblers that do not manufacture cells face a significantly constrained open-market cell supply, with industry estimates suggesting less than 2 percent of their collective module capacity is serviceable with domestically available cells.
How does the ALMM mandate affect rooftop solar buyers in India?
Homeowners and businesses commissioning rooftop systems after June 1, 2026 must use ALMM List-II compliant modules to qualify for net-metering connections and government subsidies, including the PM Surya Ghar scheme’s subsidy of up to ₹78,000. DCR-compliant modules carry a current cost premium of roughly ₹8 to ₹10 per watt over non-compliant alternatives, adding approximately ₹24,000 to ₹30,000 to a standard 3 kW residential installation before subsidy offsets.
ⓒ 2026 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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For Bronx small businesses and landlords, complying with the city’s climate law, Local Law 97, is a huge challenge. But one Riverdale resident tenant and owner found a solution right on her own rooftop. 
Emily Weisberg owns eight small commercial buildings in the Bronx, which have been in her family for generations, and also runs the Moss Cafe in Riverdale while leasing the space. She said she took over property management with the advantage of several long-term commercial tenants but little experience with everything required of a landlord. 
“Managing real estate is my job, even if it isn’t my primary job,” she told the Bronx Times. 
Local Law 97 took effect in 2019 with the ambitious goal of reducing emissions from buildings over 25,000 square feet by 40% by 2030, leading to net zero by 2050. But some of the city’s own LL97 websites are lengthy pages of links, forms, calculators, rules and exceptions, and though the city offers assistance programs, the process is daunting for most. 
The law has sent many landlords scrambling to retrofit their aging buildings, purchase carbon offsets or other fixes that can be costly. Owners also face an annual May 1 deadline to file reports outlining their compliance. Though the city recently announced that 92% of Bronx building owners filed the necessary reports showing their 2024 compliance, among a citywide average of 93%, some are still receiving fines for not doing so. 
Since its inception, LL97 has sparked debate and even protests throughout the city, with some opponents calling it a punitive “unfunded mandate.” 
In Weisberg’s case, she knew one of her buildings needed a new roof in order to comply with the law, but she also worried about the costs and about disrupting the longtime tenants. Minus a multimillion-dollar investment, she said she didn’t think the building could really become more energy-efficient.
Already facing high property taxes and operating costs, “It all just felt very overwhelming,” she said. 

The power of community solar  

Through the small landlord grapevine, Weisberg heard about Bronx-based Fieldston Power, a company that has worked to greenify old buildings in neighborhoods like West Farms, Kingsbridge, Harlem and Washington Heights. 
Adam Zucker, Bronx native and co-founder of Fieldston Power, said in a statement to the Bronx Times that Weisberg’s predicament is common. 
“Many Bronx building owners are facing the same challenge: aging infrastructure, rising operating costs and increasing pressure to comply with Local Law 97. Historically, making major energy upgrades required significant upfront capital, which made these projects difficult for many owners to pursue,” he said. 
Zucker’s company finances, builds, owns and operates solar infrastructure atop other owners’ roofs — often making major repairs first, he said. 
“For building owners, it’s a practical way to improve infrastructure, reduce emissions exposure, lower operating costs, and make progress toward Local Law 97 compliance. More broadly, it’s an example of how private investment can help modernize New York City’s aging housing stock while creating benefits for both property owners and residents.”
At first, Weisberg said she was hesitant, wondering, “What’s the catch?” But Fieldston Power did cover the entire cost of replacing the roof membrane and installing solar panels and now, the company essentially rents the roof from her to operate the community solar grid. 
Weisberg then started subscribing at a discount to the power generated atop her building — which also flows to the space she rents for the Moss Cafe. She estimated savings of around 20% compared to last year and said community solar creates “a cool circular economic loop that I think is really special.”
Weisberg said that while the process seemed complicated on Fieldston’s end, it was “frictionless” and cost-free for her. “It was such a relief. I didn’t have to be the expert.” 
Overall, Weisberg said she fully supports the goals of LL97. “I think it’s important for us to take responsibility for greening the city, and I think it’s a great initiative,” she said. However, “It’s a massive job, and there’s no funding for it at all.”
She said the costs of compliance — and the requirements to prove it — are probably challenging even for massive companies. But Weisberg said she heard of other small landlords who just sold their properties rather than figure it out. “It falls entirely on the landlord to do it,” she said. 
From the outside, Weisberg said she may seem like a smooth success story. However, “Just like going to the gas station or grocery store is harder and harder, it’s also harder to run a business,” she said.
“It’s not like asset owners have barrels of cash incoming all the time. The expenses are so high for everything to stay operational, there has to be funding for these things.” 
Weisberg said she remains cautiously optimistic about the future of her business and rental properties in the Bronx. She’s focused on keeping her non-corporate commercial tenants — no need for “scary” private equity investors — and reducing emissions right in her neighborhood. 
As an owner, “There will always be new policies and more to learn,” she said. But given her unique experience, “I really do understand both sides in older buildings in the Bronx.” 
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
Emily Swanson is a reporter at the Bronx Times and 2023 graduate of the CUNY Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Originally from Minneapolis, MN, she now lives in the South Bronx neighborhood of Port Morris. She enjoys cooking, photography and rooting for the Knicks, Timberwolves, Liberty and Yankees.
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Schneps Media does not endorse the views shared by readers in our comment sections.
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After more than 30 years without electricity, a remote community in the mountainous Eastern Free State is now enjoying power in their homes for the first time from off-grid renewable energy.
The Santiago community is situated in an environmentally sensitive area near Verkykerskop, about 65 km from Harrismith. Due to the difficult terrain and the potential environmental impact of constructing a powerline to serve the villages in the area, household electrification had long remained out of reach. 
On Saturday, May 30, the lights were switched on at some homes for the first time after the installation of a hybrid off-grid photovoltaic (solar) system.
Each house is now fitted with a carport-style photovoltaic system, an inverter, battery and a 20 Amp meter. Although the supply is off grid rather than through conventional powerlines, customers will still purchase prepaid electricity through Eskom’s standard vending system. 
“Projects like this reflect Eskom’s commitment to powering growth sustainably and ensuring that no community is left behind,” said Zetu Nciza, Eskom CentralEast Cluster’s acting Senior Manager: Asset Creation.
“Through innovative solutions such as off-grid solar systems, we can extend access to electricity in a responsible and sustainable way, improving quality of life, supporting socio-economic development and helping to build a better future for all,” Nciza added.
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Photovoltaic (PV) panels of the agri-PV complementary power station generate green energy under the sun in Xianju county of East China’s Zhejiang Province on June 3, 2026. By introducing PV power generation projects, the county has promoted local economic development. Photo: VCG
Neatly arranged photovoltaic (PV) panels complement green hills, trees, farmland and village houses, painting a vivid picture of …
China-Europe freight trains are being assembled and preparing to depart from Jinhuadong Railway Station in Jinhua, East China’s …
A worker processes a new type of power transmission equipment while an industrial robot works on the production …

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Niranjan Kaggere is a Senior Assistant Editor with over 20 years of experience and adept at writing, reporting on wide range of issues that affect society. Passionate about reporting on environment, wildlife, energy, history & state secretariat, his news reports deliver in-depth, engaging content to diverse audiences. In free time, Niranjan sets out to forest, farms exploring the natural world.Read More

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NTPC Renewable Energy has issued an EPC tender for a 300 MW grid-connected solar PV project near Devikot in Rajasthan. Bid submission ends on June 26, 2026.
June 03, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey

Future of Renewable Infra Will Be Built on Resilient Structures, Not Cheapest Ones: Vedant Goel

AI, Digitalisation Will Drive Next Phase of India’s Energy Transition: Schneider’s Udai Singh

Iron-Air Batteries Can Power India’s Renewable Ambitions: Stuti Kakkar, Meine Electric

India’s EV Future Depends on Highway Charging Corridors: Kartikey Hariyani, ChargeZone

GoodWe India’s Aniket Sawant on Crossing 6 GW Shipments and the Future of Energy Storage

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Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions (CleanMax) has secured a hybrid renewable energy project to decarbonize Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd’s (GACL) manufacturing operations in Gujarat. The project will comprise 75.90 MW of wind capacity and 84.34 MWp of solar capacity, from which hybrid renewable energy will be supplied to GACL’s Dahej and Vadodara units under the group captive structure.
All the power generated from the said facilities will be utilized by GACL, supporting the company’s transition toward cleaner and more sustainable industrial operations.
The project is being implemented across four of CleanMax’s renewable energy sites in Gujarat: Kalikanagar, Aji Dahisarda, Rajula and Ghuntu. “Together, this project is expected to generate 36.9 crore units of clean power annually, helping to offset CO₂ emissions by 2,64,204 tons per year—equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting nearly 15.27 million trees annually,” according to CleanMax.
The project is being executed in two phases” Phase 1 comprises 16.50 MW of wind capacity and 21.701 MWp of solar capacity, while Phase 2 comprises 59.40 MW of wind capacity and 62.64 MWp of solar capacity. Both the phases will be commissioned in accordance with the contractual timelines as agreed between CleanMax and GACL.
Clean Max Enviro Energy is India’s largest pureplay commercial & industrial (C&I) renewable energy company with more than 15 years of operations. Its contracted renewable energy portfolio reached 5.7 GW in FY 2025-26, with 74% of new contracted capacity driven by existing customers.
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The new pv magazine Global May issue is now available!
Mountains to climb
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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
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Five rejoinders: What Ramachandra Guha gets wrong about Rahul Gandhi
Why India is not able to fully use the solar power it generates
In this speculative memoir, an academic writes about chronic pain and liminal spaces she exists in
Ramachandra Guha: How the Gandhi family has helped Modi consolidate power
The Muslim maestro at the heart of a Hindu temple tradition
Why Delhi University’s four-year undergraduate programme has left students in panic
Fraternity and caste society: The prospects and risks of a Madras High Court order
Before the 21st century’s climate grief, there was Bibhutibhusan Bandyopadhyay’s 1939 novel Aranyak’
Rush Hour: Delhi fire leaves 21 dead, Indian killed in attack on Kuwait airport and more
Hindusthan Records: How the shepherd boy playing a flute brought music into Indian homes
Pro-Palestine NGO urges India to arrest Israeli reservist in Himachal for alleged crimes in Gaza
Iran war: Indian killed in attack on Kuwait airport

Five rejoinders: What Ramachandra Guha gets wrong about Rahul Gandhi
Why India is not able to fully use the solar power it generates
In this speculative memoir, an academic writes about chronic pain and liminal spaces she exists in
Ramachandra Guha: How the Gandhi family has helped Modi consolidate power
The Muslim maestro at the heart of a Hindu temple tradition
Why Delhi University’s four-year undergraduate programme has left students in panic
Fraternity and caste society: The prospects and risks of a Madras High Court order
Before the 21st century’s climate grief, there was Bibhutibhusan Bandyopadhyay’s 1939 novel Aranyak’
Rush Hour: Delhi fire leaves 21 dead, Indian killed in attack on Kuwait airport and more
Hindusthan Records: How the shepherd boy playing a flute brought music into Indian homes
At 3.30 in the afternoon on May 21, India registered its highest-ever power demand, of more than 270 GW.
It was a day when most of north, west and central India was seeing heatwaves, during which power demand typically spikes as millions of people use cooling devices simultaneously. While coal-based thermal power met almost 63% of the demand during the peak, solar power was the next biggest contributor, and supplied 28% of all power that was consumed.
Data from that day suggests its contribution could have been higher. Across the day, India generated around 10 gigawatt-hours less solar energy than it had capacity to, according to the daily report by Grid India, which operates the country’s power system. The data traces this unused capacity specifically to facilities in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
A key problem in this regard is insufficient transmission capacity – transmission lines are needed to evacuate power from generation plants. Typically, solar power capacity goes untapped because “the solar plant might not have enough capacity to evacuate the power to the nearest node”, explained Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts, a Delhi-based think-tank that works on environment and climate.
While India has added significant solar capacity in recent years, it has not built adequate transmission infrastructure required to move power from generation plants to the demand hotspots. When there is “more supply in the grid than can be evacuated, operators are asked to limit the generation to maintain grid stability”, Dahiya said.
Tracking the power demand and supply through that day reveals another problem in the generation of power from solar energy.
As the day wore on, the demand dipped slightly, then rose again after 7 pm, reaching 250 GW by 11 pm. During this second peak, however, there was no solar power to feed the demand – in fact, by 7.30 pm, after sunset, the contribution of solar power to the electricity grid fell to zero and coal-based thermal power took over entirely.
This need not have been the case. In many countries, solar power is available round the clock since it is stored in battery energy storage systems.
But India faces the twin limitations of inadequate transmission infrastructure and a lack of battery energy storage systems – as a result, the country’s solar power capacity is not being fully used.
In the first quarter of this year, a massive 78 GWh of renewable energy, of which most, 72 GWh, was solar, was curtailed.
The trend continued as summer arrived. On April 2, for instance, around 5.09 GWh of solar power capacity was not used in Gujarat “in view of system requirement and grid security and stability”. Similarly, on May 12, 2.16 GWh went unutilised in Rajasthan for the same reason.
With millions of Indians facing power cuts during heat waves this summer, experts say it is important to speedily build the systems needed to fully utilise the country’s solar generation capacity, particularly since India has ambitious targets to add more capacity in the coming years. India’s current installed solar capacity is 150 GW. It plans to take this to 300 GW by 2030.
While a solar plant can be built within six months to a year, adding a transmission line can take up to 30 months, said Dahiya. The gap could lead to more power capacity being wasted. “This can be reduced by battery storage, not only to meet the slower pace of transmission lines, but also to meet the night-time peaks,” he said.
India’s transmission infrastructure is falling short of targets. In 2024-’25, 42% of the planned lines of inter-state transmission systems, or ISTS, were not built on time.
According to a report by global energy think-tank Ember, one in four inter-state transmission systems stand delayed by a year or more.
“With ISTS projects, getting right of way is a challenge, especially when such transmission lines pass through several states and need negotiations with multiple actors,” said Duttatreya Das, Energy Analyst-Asia at Ember. A key challenge is “fragmented land ownership”, according to the report.
Experts also point to a lack of adequate planning. “Since renewable projects come at a much faster pace, project developers have not done that kind of planning in advance about how this renewable energy capacity would be evacuated,” said Vibhuti Garg, South Asia director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
The Ember report highlights that solar projects “enter a pipeline” without “general network access” – or permission to use the transmission network.
Earlier, such permission was granted by the Central Transmission Utility, after a solar project had signed contracts to sell power to specific buyers. Since 2022, this process has been made easier and projects can now seek and gain network access even before they have locked in buyers.
But as the Ember report points out, many solar projects fail to seek network access in a timely manner, and are able to evacuate power only when the network has spare capacity.
Das explained that when renewable energy plants come up without adequate infrastructure of transmission lines, the developers worry about the money they stand to lose on account of wasted capacity. “It becomes like a chicken-and-egg problem,” he said. “If the current bottlenecks continue developers will shy away from aggressively deploying solar capacity.”
Experts say that transmission bottlenecks are more difficult to solve than low storage capacity. Therefore, they say, India could focus primarily on creating battery energy storage systems, or BESS, which can supply power at night when no solar energy is generated.
A report by the Bengaluru think-tank Climate Risk Horizons that focused on Rajasthan noted that if an 8-hour battery storage system with a capacity of around 2 GW was installed along with solar panels that generated around 7 GW, together the system could supply up to 18 hours of renewable energy per day. Such systems could help “manage peak demand, reduce reliance on thermal power for balancing, and enhance overall grid reliability”, the report said.
Moreover, it could also make renewable energy available at a much cheaper cost. “The costs of renewable energy will definitely be at par or lesser than the lowest-costing coal,” said Ember’s Das.
However, India has been slow to create battery energy storage systems. Between 2022 and May 2025, India auctioned around 13 gigawatt-hours of BESS capacity. As of August 2025, only about 219 megawatt-hours of capacity were “reported to be operational”, a study by the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found.
Garg observed that a key reason for this shortfall could be that the prices at which companies bid to set up battery capacity “were not commercially viable”. The report by her institute noted that players were bidding at lower prices which may become unviable later during implementation, and “can jeopardise the successful commissioning of projects.”
Garg added, “While competition is good, auctions might not be the best for BESS. There is a need to revisit the process.”
Further, BESS projects have also seen delays in the signing of power purchase agreements with distribution utilities. Like power generation plants, battery energy storage systems also sell power to distribution utilities, which are typically state-owned firms that sell power to consumers. But the utilities “expect further price reductions in a rapidly evolving competitive market”, an IEEFA report suggested.
Recognising the importance of battery storage systems, the government has been pushing for solar projects to incorporate them at the inception stage itself.
In February 2025, the ministry of power issued an advisory to states to “incorporate a minimum of 2-hour co-located energy storage systems equivalent to 10% of the installed solar project capacity in future solar tenders”.
But this will need a strong policy push, experts observed. “A majority of transmission lines are built by the government but batteries are not. It is market driven,” said Dahiya. In contrast to advisories, he added, “At this point there is no strict regulation of exactly how much capacity should be. There needs to be stricter push for battery storage in all upcoming solar.”
Garg, however, cautioned that there is a need to look beyond lithium-ion batteries, for which India is dependent on imports from China, to other battery technologies, such as sodium-ion batteries, which have longer life spans and lower exposure to supply chain risks. “The supply chains of these face risk with global disruptions,” she said.
There are other pathways to solving the problem of unused solar capacity, she pointed out. For instance, she explained, renewable energy projects that are not linked to transmission lines can be incentivised, such as solar water pumps that can generate solar energy and supply water to specific areas. “This can reduce the pressure on the grids,” Garg said.
Dahiya also suggested that policy initiatives could help shift the night-time demand for power in commercial and residential sectors to the morning, when solar power is available. “For instance, people mostly charge their EVs at night,” he said. “It is also cheaper to do so.” By introducing cheaper tariffs in the morning, people can be “nudged to charge their EVs in the morning hours when there is solar available”, he added.

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Some 269,000 solar installations were completed across the UK in 2025, a 37% increase on the previous year, in what was the strongest year to date for solar deployment in the country, according to the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Some 95% of these were rooftop solar systems – or around 255,000 installations – which means that a new rooftop solar array was installed every two minutes throughout the year.
This momentum has continued into 2026. April saw some 23,000 solar installations, while nine of the 10 best-performing months to date all occurred in the past year.
More than half of the installations for the month were on the roofs of homes, indicating how ‘households are increasingly choosing to generate their own power’, the government said in a statement.
The government linked the acceleration in demand to growing concerns around energy security following the conflict in the Middle East, as well as falling installation costs. Recent data indicates that the cost of acquiring and installing solar photovoltaic systems has decreased by up to 9%.
“As we face a second fossil fuel crisis in five years, Britain is taking back control of their energy by generating more clean power than ever before,” commented energy secretary Ed Miliband. “Record-breaking solar growth means greater energy security, [and] lower exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets which we can’t control.
“This is what our clean power mission looks like: backing homegrown energy, giving people more control over their bills, and building a stronger, more resilient energy system for the future.”
According to the government, households adopting rooftop solar could save up to £480 per month on energy bills, while plans are underway for the rollout of low-cost ‘plug-in’ solar panels in stores later this year.
Larger scale initiatives, meanwhile, include the granting of approval for the Springwell Solar Farm, described by the government as the ‘largest power-producing solar farm in UK history’. Read more here.

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AIIMS Nagpur Signs MoU with MAHAPREIT for 4 MW Solar Power Project  SolarQuarter
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8 Emerging Technologies Generating Clean Energy from the Built Environment  parametric-architecture.com
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Across solar portfolios, actual performance frequently falls short of modeled expectations. The gap between expected and realized production is a long-standing issue, and addressing it has only grown more important as project economics change. This is not simply an equipment problem, it’s an operations one: Too many systems are not fully understood or actively managed once they are in service. 
What makes this challenge particularly difficult to address is that it rarely presents itself in obvious ways. It is not typically a major outage or a clear system failure that drives losses. More often, it is a collection of small, persistent inefficiencies that go unnoticed or unresolved: Slight phase imbalances that never quite trigger concern, inverters that intermittently derate and recover before anyone takes a closer look, or tracker behavior that appears acceptable at a glance but is consistently under-optimized. Individually, these conditions can seem immaterial, but across a portfolio they add up quickly: A 2023 report by kWh Analytics found underperformance costs the solar industry $2.5 billion a year. 
Data drives smarter solar decisions
Portfolio owners do not lack data on their solar assets. In fact, most systems today are producing more data than ever before, but that data is often fragmented, lacks context, or is presented in a way that does not translate into action. Many solar monitoring platforms were not built with long-term operations in mind, and while they function well as visualization tools, they often fall short when it comes to diagnosing issues or guiding response. This creates a familiar tension where operators are either overwhelmed with alerts that are difficult to prioritize or lack the visibility needed to identify more subtle performance issues, forcing a reliance on manual analysis and experience that does not scale across growing portfolios.
At the same time, the market itself has evolved. Solar assets are now supported by a broader group of stakeholders than ever before, including independent power producers, asset managers, O&M providers, and third-party service teams, all interacting with the same systems with different objectives and levels of technical depth. The handoff from EPC to long-term operations remains one of the more challenging transitions, where design assumptions are not always validated against real-world conditions. As a result, performance is not just under-optimized, it is often interpreted differently depending on who is looking at it.
This is where monitoring needs to play a more central role. It can no longer be a tool used only by performance engineers or analysts. Instead, the data must be accessible and understandable across all stakeholders while still maintaining the technical depth required to diagnose issues properly. In many ways, these systems tell a story about how an asset is behaving, and the challenge is ensuring that everyone involved is reading the same version of that story.
That shared understanding becomes especially important when work arises that is not always planned or budgeted. In many cases, the technical team can clearly identify an issue and understand its long-term impact, but that urgency does not always translate to asset managers or capital decision makers. Without the proper context, these issues can appear minor or deferrable, and approval is delayed until performance degradation becomes more visible or more costly. When the data provides clear context and communicates the operational and financial impact, it becomes much easier to align stakeholders and move from identification to action, whereas without that, alignment delays are inevitable as teams work to reconcile differing interpretations of system performance.
Equally important is the level of detail that is captured and surfaced. Portfolio averages and high-level KPIs can mask localized issues that persist over time, and without visibility into component-level behavior and the ability to compare performance across systems and timeframes, many of these inefficiencies remain hidden in plain sight. Context also plays a critical role, as a fault or alert on its own rarely provides enough information to act and only becomes meaningful when it can be tied back to electrical behavior, historical trends, and system design. 
Managing energy value in-house 
As an energy professional of many years, I’ve seen firsthand the immense cost that portfolio owners bear as a consequence of underanalyzed performance data. A recent commercial client of ours at NextWave was experiencing what they thought was underperformance, but which turned out to be a simple data management issue. 
The company had begun the process of hiring an outside asset management firm to find a solution before realizing that they could get value they needed from their energy systems by implementing better data management. In a less costly move, they adopted a monitoring system with a more intuitive portfolio dashboard, and trained their in-house team to manage their assets, no contractors required. 
This example, among many in the solar energy industry, represents a portion of the billions of dollars in lost value that can be recovered by implementing smarter data capture, analysis, and decision making. 
Alignment turns performance insights into action
Identifying an issue is only part of the equation, and the speed at which it is addressed ultimately determines its impact. Monitoring should therefore be viewed as an active part of the operational workflow that drives prioritization, coordination, and resolution rather than as a passive layer of reporting.
As the industry continues to mature, the next gains in performance are unlikely to come from hardware alone. They will come from improving how systems are observed, interpreted, and managed over time. For asset owners and operators, this requires a shift in perspective, including a closer look at whether current tools are truly surfacing lost value or simply confirming that systems are online, and whether all stakeholders are working from a shared and reliable understanding of performance.
Many of the most meaningful opportunities for improvement are already visible within the data being collected, but they are not being surfaced or acted on consistently. The gap between expected and actual performance is present across portfolios today. Closing that gap will depend on the industry’s ability to see these issues clearly, align around them, and respond before small inefficiencies become permanent losses.
Nader Yarpezeshkan is the founder and CEO of NextWave Energy Monitoring, an industry-built monitoring platform for commercial, industrial, and utility-scale solar assets that combines intuitive PVPulse software with U.S.-manufactured grid-edge hardware and onsite engineering services. A veteran of the solar industry, he has worked across the full project lifecycle, from origination and development through long-term asset operations and performance management. Nader also serves as co-founder and president of Phoenix Renewable Services, an engineering-driven operations & maintenance provider specializing in preventive and corrective maintenance, inverter refurbishment, and repowering services for solar and energy storage systems throughout the United States.
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PRO-8 inaugurates 48-kW solar system, targets P150K monthly savings  Philippine News Agency
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India overtakes US to become second-largest solar growth market in 2025  Business Standard
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A planned photovoltaic gigafactory in France, developed by the start-up HoloSolis, is set to receive a portion of a EUR100 million (US$116 million) investment from the water technology company Ecolab. This information was reported by PV Tech on June 3, 2026.
Ecolab is allocating the funds to two industrial projects that the French government has designated as strategically important. The other recipient of the investment is GravitHy, a company working on a green iron production facility in southern France.
HoloSolis is advancing its plans to construct a 5GW solar cell and module manufacturing plant in northeastern France. The company aims to start production in 2028 and, at full capacity, expects to produce up to ten million modules annually. HoloSolis has already secured investment from multiple public and private sources. Last year, it announced a licensing agreement with Trinasolar to manufacture modules in Europe using the Chinese PV manufacturer’s TOPCon cell technology.
Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO of Ecolab, commented that Europe requires a strong, competitive, and decarbonized industry. He stated that by investing in GravitHy and HoloSolis, the company is supporting players who are reshaping Europe’s industrial model. Beck described the company’s mission as demonstrating that economic performance and sustainability are not conflicting objectives but rather the twin foundations of a resilient, future-ready industry.
This new investment represents a positive development for Europe’s PV manufacturing sector, which has faced challenges in recent years as it lost ground to China and, more recently, to emerging manufacturing centers such as India. Despite various policy efforts to bolster European PV manufacturing, difficulties persist. Late last month, Carbon, another French start-up, announced it was abandoning plans for a vertically integrated PV manufacturing facility, citing a lack of clear policy at both the EU and Member State levels regarding the establishment of a strictly European photovoltaic market.
This report provides a comprehensive view of the solar cells and light-emitting diodes industry in France, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the solar cells and light-emitting diodes landscape in France.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for France. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
This report provides a consistent view of market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for France. The profile highlights demand structure and trade position, enabling benchmarking against regional and global peers.
The analysis is built on a multi-source framework that combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, and expert validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to ensure consistency across time series.
All data are normalized to a common product definition and mapped to a consistent set of codes. This ensures that comparisons across time are aligned and actionable.
The forecast horizon extends to 2035 and is based on a structured model that links solar cells and light-emitting diodes demand and supply to macroeconomic indicators, trade patterns, and sector-specific drivers. The model captures both cyclical and structural factors and reflects known policy and technology shifts in France.
Each projection is built from national historical patterns and the broader regional context, allowing the report to show where growth is concentrated and where risks are elevated.
Prices are analyzed in detail, including export and import unit values, regional spreads, and changes in trade costs. The report highlights how seasonality, freight rates, exchange rates, and supply disruptions influence pricing and margins.
Key producers, exporters, and distributors are profiled with a focus on their operational scale, geographic footprint, product mix, and market positioning. This helps identify competitive pressure points, partnership opportunities, and routes to differentiation.
This report is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, investors, and advisors who need a clear, data-driven picture of solar cells and light-emitting diodes dynamics in France.
The market size aggregates consumption and trade data, presented in both value and volume terms.
The projections combine historical trends with macroeconomic indicators, trade dynamics, and sector-specific drivers.
Yes, it includes export and import unit values, regional spreads, and a pricing outlook to 2035.
The report benchmarks market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for France.
Yes, it highlights demand hotspots, trade routes, pricing trends, and competitive context.
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Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is moving to adopt solar power as part of its efforts to improve energy efficiency after breaking ground for a P12-million on-grid rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system for the Executive and Legislative buildings on Wednesday, June 3.
The project, which city officials said is targeted for completion by August, is expected to offset around 30 percent of the electricity consumption of the two buildings.
READ: DTI eyes mandatory certification for solar panels, batteries
READ: Renewable energy: A naturally brighter solution

Mayor Nestor Archival led the groundbreaking ceremony together with officials from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of General Services (DGS), and the city’s Energy Conservation Office.
Archival said the two buildings currently incur around P1.5 million in monthly electricity costs.
Based on the contractor’s estimates and the project’s terms of reference, the solar PV system is expected to reduce power consumption by at least 30 percent, although actual output may vary depending on weather conditions.
The mayor said the projected reduction could translate to savings of around P400,000 to P500,000 a month.
Annual savings could reach around P4.8 million to P6 million.
The city government initially allocated P15 million for the project, but the contract was eventually awarded for around P12 million covering both buildings.
READ: Use of renewable energy in Cebu’s supply chain pushed amid oil price hikes

Officials said the solar facilities are expected to be operational by August.
Archival explained that the project utilizes an on-grid system, meaning the solar panels are connected to the existing power distribution network.
Under the setup, electricity generated by the solar panels supplements power supplied by the utility provider. If solar generation decreases due to cloudy weather or other factors, the remaining power requirement is automatically sourced from the grid.
He said the system does not prioritize specific facilities or equipment, such as elevators or air-conditioning units, but instead contributes to the buildings’ total electricity demand.
However, Archival noted that because the project does not include battery storage, the solar panels cannot provide electricity during power outages.
“Kung mag-brownout unya wala ta’y battery, wa’y gamit ang solar. Mapawong gihapon,” he said.
(If there is a power outage and there are no batteries, the solar system cannot operate and power will still go out.)
According to Archival, Cebu City currently has around 17 to 18 major government buildings.
He said the city aims to install solar systems in at least half of these facilities within the next three years.
The mayor said savings generated from the initial project will help fund additional solar installations in the future.
Department of General Services head Atty. June Maratas said the project forms part of the implementation of City Ordinance No. 2772, which Archival authored while serving as a city councilor.
The ordinance provides for the upgrading of city government buildings to solar power systems.
READ: Eastern Visayas police headquarters shifts to solar power

Maratas said the city had already energized a 300-kilowatt solar panel system at the South Road Properties (SRP) Complex last year, making the Executive and Legislative Building project the second major solar installation undertaken by the city government.
He added that another solar power project is expected to be installed before the end of the year at the ABC Building and Bagsakan Complex in the SRP.
Department of Energy-Central Visayas Regional Director Renante Sevilla said the agency is encouraging local government units across Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas to undertake similar renewable energy projects.
Sevilla said cities with high electricity demand stand to benefit from adopting solar power systems.
“We really encourage them. Kung naa ilahang rooftop, then, we encourage them to put up also, same with what Mayor Nestor also did diri sa Cebu City,” he said.
READ: Green groups urge gov’t to fast-track energy transition

(We really encourage them if they have available rooftops, then we encourage them to put up also, same with what Mayor Nestor did here in Cebu City.)
He noted that Mandaue City has already started implementing similar initiatives and encouraged other local governments with available rooftop spaces to consider installing solar facilities.
According to Sevilla, Cebu City’s electricity requirements make it one of the local government units that could significantly benefit from shifting to renewable energy.
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India Extends Countervailing Duty On Malaysian Solar Glass For Five More Years  SolarQuarter
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Google, AirTrunk and European Energy Australia have announced that the 25 MW Mulwala Solar Farm in New South Wales is nearing completion and is preparing to begin supplying electricity to Australia’s National Electricity Market. The project forms part of a corporate power purchase agreement announced by the three companies in 2023. According to the companies, the solar farm will add new generation capacity to the grid as demand for digital infrastructure, including cloud and AI-related services, continues t
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PetroGreen Energy secures ECC for 98-MW solar park  Inquirer.net
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Solar Power World
By Kelly Pickerel | June 3, 2026
RETC, part of the VDE Group, has released its 2026 PV Module Index (PVMI) Report, which features 19 solar panel manufacturers earning recognition across multiple testing disciplines and award categories. Thirteen manufacturers achieved Overall Highest Achiever status.
The report provides independent, comparative data on solar PV modules across reliability, performance and quality metrics.
“Certifications require products to meet a minimum baseline standard; however, they do not necessarily address how assets will perform throughout their projected lifetime in the field, specifically in recent years, under increasingly extreme conditions,” said Cherif Kedir, CEO of RETC. “In 2026, solar is now both critical infrastructure and a commoditized product, which makes quality differentiation paramount for long-term reliability, consistency and performance. Stakeholders require more confidence that the products being deployed today will continue performing reliably over decades, especially as new manufacturing scales rapidly and new materials and supply chains hastily enter the market.”
Based on testing conducted between Q2 of 2025 and Q1 of 2026, the 2026 PVMI evaluates PV modules using RETC’s extended real-world testing protocols designed to identify potential long-term reliability and performance risks that may not appear in standard certification testing. The report highlights several emerging trends shaping solar procurement, manufacturing and risk evaluation decisions across the industry.
Visual inspection. Credit: Augustin Rajkumar/RETC, VDE Group
“What we are seeing is an industry moving from a deployment story to a performance and risk management story,” Kedir said. “The PVMI gives developers, financiers and asset owners a clearer view of which modules perform under extended stress conditions designed to reflect the realities they will face in the field.”
The 2026 Photovoltaic Module Index Report highlights several reliability and performance trends emerging from RETC’s extended laboratory testing, including:
Another independent testing lab, Kiwa PVEL, also highlighted troubling reliability markers in its latest solar panel report.

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.

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NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) is tendering for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to develop 3,300MWh of battery storage capacity at the 30GW Khavda hybrid renewable energy park in Gujarat, India.
The renewable energy subsidiary of state-owned power producer NTPC published its Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) last week (29 May), with documents going on sale on 5 June and the bid submission window closing 25 June.
Posted on the parent company’s tendering portal, the tender will award EPC package contracts through a competitive bidding process.
The battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities will be deployed at NTPC REL Khavda Solar Plant, located within the huge complex in Gujarat’s Kutch district that spans 72,400 hectares. Strategically situated in an area of western India rich in solar and wind potential, the park is connected to India’s Interstate Transmission System (ISTS).  
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Four separate blocks of BESS will be installed: three of 300MW rated AC discharge capacity at the point of injection at ISTS substations, with 900MWh capacity each and another of 200MW/600MWh. Each will connect at the 33kV level to a designated 300MW solar PV plant at the complex.
The EPC package includes a full scope of work spanning design to supply, installation and commissioning of BESS assets on a turnkey basis, as well as integration with the solar PV assets and the grid.
NGEL requires BESS assets to have a 25-year operational lifetime from the date of commissioning, accounting for capacity degradation and offering a minimum 10,000 cycles of operation.
Operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts with 15-year terms will be included in the scope of bidding, while the minimum monthly round-trip efficiency (RTE) must be at least 80%, including auxiliary consumption, and 98% annual availability must be maintained, according to NGEL documents.
The issuing of NGEL’s tender follows the recent announcement from Adani Green Energy, the Adani Group subsidiary that is overseeing the hybrid park’s overall development, that it has to date already commissioned 3.37GWh of cumulative BESS capacity at the Khavda park.
As reported by our colleagues at PV Tech, NGEL announced in March that it has now deployed more than 2.2GW of solar PV generation capacity at the Khavda project, at which several developers are building solar, wind and BESS facilities on contiguous land. The announcement took NGEL’s total installed renewable energy capacity across India to more than 10GW.   
According to a blog post from Blackridge Research & Consulting, Khavda, planned to comprise 26GW of solar and 4GW of wind, is estimated to cost around US$18.7 billion and is planned for completion in 2030.  

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