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The savings were overtaken by higher transmission and distribution costs.
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Throughout the past five years, increases in solar power and battery storage in Texas and California have coincided with steep declines in wholesale electricity prices.
Monthly utility bills didn’t fall with those market prices, though, because the cost of getting electricity to homes continued to climb.
As Solar Power World reported, a study by the Solar Energy Industries Association found average summer wholesale electricity prices in 2026 were far below 2021 levels, down 42% in Texas and 51% in California. The analysis used inflation-adjusted 2026 dollars and compared June-to-August prices across Texas’s ERCOT grid and California’s CAISO market.
In the Lone Star State, average summer power prices fell from $54.97 per megawatt-hour to $31.77 even as demand climbed 30%. In the Golden State, prices dropped from $77.54/MWh to $38.32 while electricity demand rose 2.5%.
The trade group also reported major growth in both states over that span, with solar generation up 421% in Texas and 90% in California and battery storage expanding by over 26 times in Texas and nearly seven times in California.
Even when delivery costs push household bills higher, going solar can still be one of the best ways to save money at home. Solar leases can deliver hundreds of dollars in monthly savings with no upfront costs, and EasyHome lets readers check savings from vetted local installers for free.
Compared with the same summer period in 2021, the trade group estimated solar and storage produced $3.6 billion in savings for Texas and about $2.5 billion for California from June through August.
Residential customers did benefit on the generation side, according to the trade group, with generation costs down 4% in Texas and 10% in California over the five-year stretch. But those savings were overtaken by higher transmission and distribution costs, which helps explain why overall household electricity bills rose.
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The findings indicate that added solar and battery capacity can reduce bulk power prices for both the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and California Independent System Operator, even while grid upgrades and delivery infrastructure continue to put separate cost pressure on households.
In both states, more solar and storage went hand in hand with lower wholesale electricity prices.
When utility delivery fees rise faster than generation costs fall, behind-the-meter power becomes more important. Producing some of your own electricity can help protect your budget from charges that are otherwise largely outside your control.
That’s where EasyHome can help. Its free explorer tool lets you compare nearby solar options, and it also helps you explore backup battery storage. Pairing solar with a battery can maximize savings and keep your home powered when the grid goes down.
EnergySage is another avenue, letting you compare competitive bids from local installers without sharing your contact information unless you choose to work with one.
“As the midterm elections approach, delivering affordable, reliable power is a priority that transcends party lines, and Texas and California are proof that the growth of solar and storage is driving down prices,” SEIA CEO Tim Pawlenty said.
Solar and storage trends are playing out in the country’s most populous states and elsewhere.
• In Texas, batteries and solar help ERCOT keep prices low during brutal summer demand.
• In California, rooftop solar turns into relief for low-income homes as power bills climb.
• For homeowners nationwide, solar rebates lower energy costs as electricity prices keep climbing.
• Across the U.S., rooftop solar helps households as utility-driven power costs rise.
• American households are hurting from massive rate hikes, and solar offers some protection.
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Jakson Solar plans to invest up to ₹5,000 crore to build 3 gigawatts (GW) each of solar cell and solar ingot-wafer manufacturing capacity, expanding beyond module production as India works to deepen its domestic renewable-energy supply chain.
Managing Director Ivan Saha said the company aims to commission its 3 GW solar cell manufacturing capacity by December 2027. The planned ingot and wafer facilities are targeted for completion by the third quarter of financial year 2028, according to the company executive, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy India Expo.
The proposed facilities will primarily serve the merchant market, Saha said. Jakson Solar has already secured equipment procurement tie-ups for the manufacturing expansion, indicating that the company has begun preparing for the next stages of capacity creation.
The investment would extend Jakson Solar’s existing presence in the photovoltaic manufacturing chain. The company currently operates a 1.2 GW solar module-making plant, but the new plan would add upstream production of cells, ingots and wafers. These components are important stages in the manufacture of solar modules and are central to efforts to reduce reliance on imported inputs.
Saha said developing a domestic manufacturing ecosystem across the solar chain was necessary to avoid potential supply shocks. The proposed expansion comes as India is seeking to build greater control over the equipment and materials needed for its solar-energy programme.
India has already mandated the use of domestically manufactured solar modules and cells in specified parts of the renewable-energy market. The government has also laid out a framework to extend local-content requirements to solar ingots and wafers from June 1, 2028. The policy direction is intended to deepen domestic manufacturing and reduce import dependence on China.
The timing of Jakson Solar’s proposed upstream capacity broadly aligns with that policy transition. The company expects its solar cell capacity to be operational several months before the planned local-content framework for ingots and wafers takes effect, while its ingot-wafer facilities are targeted for commissioning in the third quarter of financial year 2028.
The expansion also comes against the backdrop of India’s longer-term clean-energy commitments. The country is counting on solar power to help achieve its target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070, increasing the importance of manufacturing capacity alongside the development of solar-generation projects.
The company has not disclosed in the supplied announcement the locations of the proposed facilities, the investment split between the three manufacturing segments, or the number of jobs expected to be created. Its stated next milestones are the commissioning of 3 GW of cell capacity by December 2027 and the planned completion of 3 GW of ingot-wafer capacity in the third quarter of financial year 2028.
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Support for a new UK-backed renewable energy initiative designed to help humanitarian agencies replace expensive diesel generators with solar and battery power and free up valuable resources for frontline services is being announced by the international ZE-Gen initiative ahead of the 2026 Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Kigali, Rwanda (27-29 October).
The ‘Zero’ project, backed by the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund via seed-funding from the Transforming Energy Access platform through the ZE-Gen initiative, is piloting a renewable energy utility model with UN agencies in Chad that that is cutting energy costs by at least 25 percent, reducing emissions and creating a blueprint for wider adoption across humanitarian operations.
Diesel generators remain widely used across humanitarian operations, including offices, water and sanitation facilities, accommodation and camp infrastructure. Humanitarian agencies are estimated to spend more than $100 million each year on generator fuel, leaving them exposed to volatile prices, fragile supply chains, high maintenance costs and avoidable emissions.
The pilot in Chad is testing an energy-as-a-service model in which humanitarian agencies pay an agreed tariff for only the electricity they use, rather than financing, procuring and maintaining the actual renewable energy systems themselves. The first system is operating at a UN agency’s country office in N’Djamena and is projected to reduce generator runtime by 73-85 percent. A second site is currently under development. Together, the first two sites are expected to save around $1 million over ten years.
The ZE-Gen project is delivered by the Access to Energy Institute (A2EI), with support from the Global Platform for Action. Zero combines solar and battery systems with smart metering and digital monitoring to improve energy planning, performance and investment readiness. A2EI finances, builds and operates the systems through trusted local partners, while GPA supports engagement and partnerships with humanitarian and UN agencies.
The project aims to prove that humanitarian organisations can gain access to more reliable and affordable renewable electricity without taking on the upfront cost, specialist procurement or long-term maintenance responsibilities that can hold back renewable energy projects in humanitarian settings.
It will also generate open evidence that can help humanitarian agencies, investors and funders understand the economics and performance of renewable energy in difficult operating environments, developing an investable project pipeline and the potential to deploy additional systems by early 2027. Potential countries identified in the project material include Chad, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Nigeria.
“Humanitarian agencies need reliable power to deliver water, healthcare, protection and other essential support, but many remain dependent on expensive diesel generators – costing millions of dollars in polluting fuel” said Lily Beadle, ZE-Gen Programme Director at the Carbon Trust. “At the Carbon Trust, we work with partners to identify and scale practical solutions to complex energy challenges. ZERO is a strong example of that approach, testing a model that could help humanitarian agencies access cleaner, more affordable power without taking on major upfront costs. ZE-Gen has backed the first phase of ZERO with funding from Ayrton Fund via Transforming Energy Access because the model has the potential to move beyond individual solar installations and create a route to wider, commercially sustainable change. Every pound spent on generator fuel is money that cannot be used elsewhere in the humanitarian response. We are now looking for funders and investment partners that can help ZE-Gen take ZERO to more humanitarian sites and support other high-potential solutions that can replace fossil fuel generators at scale.”
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A Lake County zoning board approved a 49-acre solar farm with 13,000 panels in unincorporated Mundelein on land bordering Hawthorn Woods and Long Grove after officials from both villages and residents spoke against it.
The Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals approved a conditional use permit for the commercial solar energy system on October 7 following a public hearing at Knights Banquets in Lake Zurich.
The meeting agenda called for the board to go into closed session to deliberate after hearing the evidence.
The vote count was not immediately available because the minutes of the meeting have not been finalized.
Mundelein Real Estate Investments LLC owns the property, about 49 acres made up of four parcels in the 20500 and 20600 blocks of West Indian Creek Road in unincorporated Mundelein, according to county records.
Lake County Solar 3 LLC, which has held an option to buy the property since June 2024, is the co-applicant and New Leaf Energy, a Lowell, Massachusetts, company, is representing both in the application filed August 11.
The application describes a community solar facility of around five megawatts with 13,075 First Solar panels mounted on trackers that tilt to follow the sun across 35 fenced acres of the property.
The application does not include battery storage.
The property is farmland zoned for estate homes, with Long Grove to the north across the railroad tracks and Hawthorn Woods to the south across Indian Creek Road, according to a county staff report.
Hawthorn Woods’ long-range plan calls for single-family homes on the land and the county’s plan calls for homes on 1- to 3-acre lots, the report said.
Lake County Assistant Planning and Zoning Manager Frank Olson recommended approval in the report, finding the project met county requirements for fencing, height, setbacks and a plan to remove the equipment when it is no longer used.
The system would be surrounded by an eight-foot fence and the panels would not exceed 20 feet in height, Olson said.
“Further, per the statute, conditional use permit applications shall be approved if found to be in compliance with the statutory standards,” Olson said in the report.
Olson said state law bars counties from adopting zoning rules that keep commercial solar facilities out of any district that allows agriculture and the county’s code allows agriculture in every zoning district, which means a solar facility is allowed on the estate-zoned land.
The zoning board’s decision on commercial solar permits is final and does not go to the Lake County Board and its review of those permits “does not involve discretionary judgment,” according to the county’s website.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources concluded that adverse effects on protected resources near the site are unlikely and recommended pollinator-friendly ground cover, a six-inch gap under the fence for wildlife and clearing trees only between November 1 and March 31, Olson said.
The property has wetlands in parts of its north and southwest sides but no floodplain, the report said.
The project still needs a county site development permit and building permits. Any effects on wetlands would be reviewed by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission, the report said.
New Leaf Energy estimated it would cost $488,254 to remove the system, according to a cost estimate in the application.
The owner must guarantee 10% of that cost by the first anniversary of the system’s operation, 50% by the sixth and the full amount by the 11th under an agreement with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Lake County Board member Jessica Vealitzek, whose district includes the property, said earlier this month that state law limits what the county can do with projects like this one.
“The statute that governs commercial solar in unincorporated areas essentially prevents counties from saying no if the project checks all the boxes in the statute,” Vealitzek said.
“The ZBA does have discretion with landscaping and buffering; this is an area residents can influence,” Vealitzek said.
“There is no credible evidence that passive solar fields create negative health consequences for humans or wildlife; claims otherwise are unfounded,” Vealitzek said.
A resident who attended the hearing said that Hawthorn Woods officials spoke against the project for about an hour and Long Grove officials for about a half-hour and that about 25 residents objected.
Concerns raised at the hearing included the project’s closeness to homes, possible contamination of private wells, stormwater runoff and flooding along Indian Creek, noise from the inverters, the landscaping plan and who would pay to remove the equipment, the resident said.
Another attendee said that no one other than the solar company spoke in favor of the project.
Long Grove Village President Bill Jacob said at a recent village board meeting that the vote was unanimous.
Jacob, who lives in a subdivision on the other side of the railroad tracks from the property, said the land had always been planned for homes in Hawthorn Woods’ comprehensive plan under a boundary agreement between the two villages.
Jacob said the village’s attorney would bring back options the village might pursue to lessen the project’s impact and that he did not know whether the village could stop it.
Long Grove opposed a developer’s plan, first brought to the village at the end of 2024, to install a solar system on up to 30 acres of a 90-acre parcel on Gilmer Road across from the Kildeer Countryside school campus, Jacob previously said.
Jacob said the developer filed a lawsuit to disconnect that property from Long Grove “with the assumption that the county would approve the project” and later voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit.
Jacob called the episode “a stark warning of how seemingly well-intended state and county green energy mandates can easily collide with our village’s intentional, generational zoning plans designed to protect our pastoral community.”
An application to build a solar farm on around 38 acres in the 25400 block of North Fairfield Road near Hawthorn Woods also drew opposition from the village and residents in 2024.
Then-state Sen. Dan McConchie said in April 2024 that the application had been withdrawn.
The Hawthorn Woods Village Board approved an agreement on July 27 with Lake County Solar 3 LLC setting requirements for the company’s use of village roads, according to meeting minutes.
Residents in community Facebook groups and on Nextdoor have objected since the hearing to the project’s closeness to homes and its possible effects on property values, wells, stormwater and wildlife, as well as the loss of farmland.
Others said the solar farm would be a quiet neighbor and would keep a data center or other development off the land.
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Insolation Energy Ltd (INA Solar), through its subsidiary Insolation Green Energy, has entered into a five-year strategic partnership with US-based Caelux Corp. to commercialise 3 GW of advanced solar modules integrating Caelux’s energy-producing glass technology with INA Solar’s n-type TOPCon platform. The collaboration aims to develop high-efficiency hybrid-tandem solar modules, with commercial production targeting module efficiencies of up to 29% by 2028.
The technology combines TOPCon solar cells with a Perovskite-based power-generating glass layer designed to boost energy generation, increase energy density and reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
INA Solar and Caelux will work together on technology validation, manufacturing readiness and applicable regulatory approvals, including ALMM requirements
Manish Gupta, Chairman, Insolation Energy Ltd, said this collaboration marks an important milestone for INA Solar. “By combining advanced Perovskite technology with our TOPCon manufacturing capabilities, we aim to accelerate the development of high-efficiency solar modules and contribute to India’s renewable energy ambitions,” said Gupta.
Vikas Jain, managing director of Insolation Energy Ltd, added, “The partnership strengthens our focus on building an integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem. We remain committed to innovation, advanced technology and delivering high-performance solar solutions.”
Scott Graybeal, CEO, Caelux Corp., said the partnership with INA Solar is an important step towards bringing next-generation solar technology into commercial production at scale in India. With this agreement, Caelux’s global contracted volume with module manufacturers exceeds 25 GW.
Vish Iyer, Managing Director, India & West Asia, Caelux, said, “Integrating Energy Producing Glass with TOPCon technology represents a significant step towards the Indian market benefiting from ultra-high power density solar modules.”
INA Solar currently operates three solar module manufacturing facilities in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with a combined annual capacity of 5.5 GW. The company is also developing a 4.5 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility and an 18,000 MTA aluminium frame manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh. Its product portfolio includes TOPCon and Mono PERC modules ranging from 500 Wp to 635 Wp, along with EPC services. The company also has an Independent Power Producer (IPP) portfolio of approximately 400 MW.
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Insolation Energy Limited is listed on the NSE and BSE. The company has a presence across more than 250 districts, serves over 40,000 customers and works with a network of 1,000+ channel partners.
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African governments are developing policies to manage waste from solar panels, batteries and other clean tech equipment as installations surge, with officials warning the energy transition could create a new environmental problem unless it is accompanied by investment in recycling and reuse.
Many African households and businesses are increasingly turning away from unreliable grid power or deciding not to wait for access, and are installing more solar panels and battery storage. Data from energy think-tank Ember, published in August, projects that the continent will install a record 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in 2026 – equal to around 100,000 solar panels every day. This would mark the third consecutive year of record growth, following increases of 51% in 2025 and 25% in 2024.
While generally a welcome sign of progress towards a cleaner energy mix, this trend could also create a headache for African officials. Anselm Marungu, Namibia’s deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism, believes rules should be put in place to ensure that valuable materials can be recovered from discarded solar panels, batteries and inverters at the end of their useful life.
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African governments are developing policies to manage waste from solar panels, batteries and other clean tech equipment as installations surge, with officials warning the energy transition could create a new environmental problem unless it is accompanied by investment in recycling and reuse.
Many African households and businesses are increasingly turning away from unreliable grid power or deciding not to wait for access, and are installing more solar panels and battery storage. Data from energy think-tank Ember, published in August, projects that the continent will install a record 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in 2026 – equal to around 100,000 solar panels every day. This would mark the third consecutive year of record growth, following increases of 51% in 2025 and 25% in 2024.
While generally a welcome sign of progress towards a cleaner energy mix, this trend could also create a headache for African officials. Anselm Marungu, Namibia’s deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism, believes rules should be put in place to ensure that valuable materials can be recovered from discarded solar panels, batteries and inverters at the end of their useful life.
Some of the materials and minerals the world needs for manufacturing clean energy technologies – including glass, aluminium, copper, cobalt, lithium and nickel – can be obtained by recycling solar panels, inverters and batteries.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that recycling could reduce growth in new mining needs by 40% for copper and cobalt and by 25% for lithium and nickel by 2050, thereby reducing the social and environmental impacts associated with conventional extraction.
Speaking at a pan-African policy conference on circular value chains this month, Marungu said the success of these technologies depends not just on how quickly they are installed, but also on whether the materials are sourced responsibly, the equipment maintained and its components recovered to create economic opportunities across their entire life-cycle.
He called for sound policies, sustainable investment and circular business models that can become the foundation of new industries, green jobs and stronger African value chains. Solar panels, batteries, inverters and tubes “must not become tomorrow’s environmental burden”, he added.
When not properly disposed of or handled during recycling, discarded solar panels and batteries can release hazardous substances into the environment, contaminating soil and water and exposing waste workers and nearby communities to toxic materials which can cause lung cancer and damage vital organs.
Innocent Barikor, director-general of Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the rapid uptake of off-grid renewable energy has made it necessary to strengthen waste management rules and develop a framework for reusing materials from equipment.
UN sets steep emission cuts to reverse 1.5C overshoot by end of century
Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest importer of solar technologies, bringing about 400 billion naira ($295 million) worth of equipment into the country in 2025. This has led to the drafting of a national policy on waste management for off-grid renewable energy equipment, which has been validated by relevant government institutions, regulators and development partners, and is now awaiting cabinet approval.
According to Barikor, once approved, the policy will require producers, distributors and importers of renewable energy technologies in Nigeria to “to take responsibility for these products from the beginning to their end of life”. Commonly known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the policy is expected to support the development of a recycling value chain by requiring companies to take back and properly manage products once they become waste, Barikor said.
“We believe a policy will enable us to be able to manage what will become a very rowdy outcome of this particular [renewable energy] space,” he said.
Last week, energy ministers of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) adopted a regional framework on the deployment of battery energy storage systems and similar technologies, with requirements for the safe management, dismantling, reuse, recycling and disposal of batteries.
Some other African countries have previously strengthened rules on e-waste involving renewable technologies.
In 2024, Kenya introduced the Sustainable Waste Management (Extended Producer Responsibility) Regulations, requiring producers and importers of listed products, including electrical and electronic equipment and batteries, to put in place a system for dealing with them even after consumers stop using them. Companies are required to arrange for or finance the collection of discarded products, as well as their recycling and safe disposal.
Can giant batteries unlock Africa’s green industrial future?
Namibia, meanwhile, is preparing investment opportunities for waste buy-back centres and innovation hubs, said Marungu, with pilot projects already incentivising recycling in the country. The southern African country’s Sixth National Development Plan, launched last year, includes plans for modern recycling infrastructure aimed at reducing landfill waste, attracting private investment and creating green jobs.
The country wants to move from a linear to a circular society through the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle and regenerate to minimise waste and reduce environmental impacts, according to the plan.
Policies alone, however, cannot guarantee success, the conference heard. Diana Dalton, deputy high commissioner and development director at the British High Commission in Nairobi, said collaboration is needed. The African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) offers a platform to strengthen regional value chains and promote a more integrated approach to recycling renewable energy equipment, she said.
Loss and damage fund agrees $20m for Nepal but rich nations warn it should not set precedent
Regional coordination could help harmonise standards, align regulatory approaches, strengthen markets and enable cross-border trade, creating the scale needed to attract investment and develop regional recycling value chains, she added.
Dalton said this would require investment in infrastructure and skills, as well as collaboration between governments, industry, academia and development partners. She also called for stronger systems to collect, repair, refurbish and recycle renewable energy equipment, alongside support for local manufacturing and innovation.
Namibia’s Marungu said regional cooperation will enable the recycling of large volumes of materials and improve commercial viability, adding that African countries should share experiences, harmonise standards so that equipment and materials can move across borders, and pursue shared treatment and recovery solutions.
The continent needs a plan to tackle renewable energy waste before large volumes of obsolete equipment accumulate, he said, urging development partners and financial institutions such as the African Development Bank to de-risk investments that can support a circular materials value chain.
Nigeria’s Barikor said international support could help African countries develop data systems and a regional registry to track producers’ responsibilities for managing waste. He added that countries could also align their Extended Producer Responsibility rules through the African Continental Free Trade Area, helping ensure that global manufacturers face similar requirements across African markets.
“Africa needs to have common standards,” he emphasised.
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Shakti Pumps (India) Ltd showcased its 620 Wp Shakti On Roof solar PV module at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2026, highlighting its expansion beyond solar-powered pumping systems into solar module manufacturing, rooftop solar installations and upstream PV production.
The company operates an in-house solar module manufacturing facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. Its module portfolio uses 16-busbar TOPCon technology in a G12R bifacial, dual-glass configuration. Available in 132- and 144-half-cut-cell formats, the modules offer power outputs ranging from 600 Wp to 630 Wp.
The modules carry a 10-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty. Applications for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification and inclusion in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) have been submitted.
At REI Expo 2026, Shakti Pumps presented a portfolio spanning solar pumps, solar pump controllers, PV modules, solar inverters and module mounting structures. The integrated offering targets diverse applications, from agricultural irrigation and rooftop installations to clean power generation and export of surplus electricity to the grid.
A key component of the showcase at REI Expo was Shakti Pumps’ range of indigenously manufactured solar inverters, designed to meet applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) requirements. The products also qualify under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) Class-I local supplier framework, supporting the Make in India initiative.
Equipped with AI-powered technology, the inverters are designed to deliver up to 10% higher energy generation, helping customers improve system performance and maximise the value of their solar installations—according to the company.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Shakti Energy Solutions Ltd, operating under the brand Shakti On Roof, the Group is expanding beyond solar irrigation into rooftop solar solutions. This strategic expansion leverages its engineering and execution expertise to serve residential, commercial and other solar energy applications.
Shakti Pumps is also developing an integrated greenfield manufacturing facility spread across 113 acres, with planned annual capacities of 2.2 GWp for solar cells and 2 GWp for solar modules. Cell manufacturing is currently in progress. The project marks a significant step in the Group’s evolution towards a more comprehensive renewable energy business spanning pumps, rooftop solar, photovoltaic modules and solar cells.
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“Out here, outages can last days at a time.”
Photo Credit: LinkedIn
In San Diego County, a new solar-and-battery installation on the Mesa Grande Reservation lets three tribal buildings stay open during blackouts.
On a rural reservation where outages can last for days, the project also helps keep core services running when the power goes out.
According to Solar Power World, the reservation’s first public clean-energy project is complete. The Mesa Grande Band of Diegueño Mission Indians and the Solar Electric Light Fund installed solar-plus-storage systems at the Tekamuk, Hallyeyaaw, and Golden Eagle administration buildings.
Annual production is projected at about 60 megawatt-hours, which the tribe expects will lower electricity costs by at least $16,780 each year. The systems were built around the buildings’ existing demand and include room for future growth.
With battery storage, the three administration buildings can keep operating during the frequent outages that affect the local grid.
Adding battery storage is one of the best ways to keep a home powered during an outage. It can also help lower energy costs and give homeowners more independence from the grid.
Homeowners who want to compare home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates, can explore EnergySage. EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
Mesa Grande says the three buildings support Tribal government work, housing assistance, educational and cultural programs, and food and emergency-response help for residents.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Although electric service reached the reservation in the 1950s, some households still aren’t connected to the grid and instead rely on small generators.
The installation continues a clean-energy effort the tribe has built for more than two decades, including home solar projects, renewable-power planning, and solar-related workforce training.
The project also fits into the tribe’s effort to strengthen energy sovereignty in a place where dependable power affects essential day-to-day services.
For the three facilities, Mesa Grande and the nonprofit paired battery backup with solar systems sized for current electricity use, while also allowing for continued operation when grid power fails.
The build also brought four Tribal members with earlier solar-installation training onto the project team.
Pila is another company offering strong battery backup options. Its plug-and-play batteries cost a fraction of a whole-home backup system.
Curtis La Chusa, chairman of the Mesa Grande Tribal Council, said, “Out here, outages can last days at a time. This naturally disrupts the services we can provide to our people.”
Here are a few more stories about how solar and battery systems are helping tribes and homeowners keep the power on when the grid goes down.
• In Arizona, the Hopi Tribe saw plans to access electricity jeopardized by a funding cut.
• In California, one homeowner found that solar kept his lights on after a neighborhood blackout.
• In Colorado, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe plans a major solar farm for long-term revenue.
• After a hurricane, one homeowner said solar panels kept lights on when neighbors lost power.
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Emmvee, an Indian photovoltaic manufacturer, introduced a TOPCon solar module built around a four-cut cell design at the Renewable Energy India Expo 2026, according to pv magazine. The company said the module delivers 640-650 W, which it reports as 25-30 W more power than conventional half-cut modules of the same dimensions.
In the quarter-cut design, each solar cell is divided into four sections rather than the two used in conventional half-cut modules. Each section carries one quarter of the module current, which reduces resistive losses in the cell interconnections. The module also employs cell overlap, described as negative cell placement, to improve space utilisation and raise power output without enlarging module dimensions, according to Emmvee.
The module is designed with a lower temperature coefficient, meaning it loses less power as its temperature rises and can sustain higher output in hot conditions. The design is also expected to reduce heat generated inside the module during operation. Emmvee cites improved performance under shading as another benefit: the smaller cell sections limit the area affected by shading and hotspots, allowing the module to maintain approximately 85% performance compared with 75% for conventional modules.
Over the longer term, the new module is engineered to retain its power-generating capacity better. Half-cut modules typically degrade at 1% in the first year and 0.4% annually from the second year onwards, while the quad-cut module has a degradation rate of 0.35% over the corresponding period. Emmvee said the product is designed to retain the same general electrical specification class as its existing half-cut product.
Emmvee also showcased a 2,000 V DC solar module aimed at reducing balance-of-system costs. The higher-voltage module allows more modules to be connected in each string, cutting the number of strings, cables, trenches and electrical components required across a project. That lowers installation time, labour requirements and balance-of-system costs. By carrying the same power at lower current, it also reduces energy losses on DC cables, helping more of the electricity generated reach the grid.
The company said the module requires fewer inverters and combiner boxes, simplifying plant design and maintenance, and that it helps lower the levelized cost of electricity by 1.8%.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
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
How the Report Was Built
Major integrated solar manufacturer
India's largest solar module manufacturer
Part of Adani Group, integrated manufacturing
Leading manufacturer, part of Tata Group
Major PV module and cell producer
Historical leader in solar manufacturing
Makes solar cells, modules, encapsulants
Module and cell manufacturer
Solar PV module manufacturer
Solar panel manufacturer and distributor
Manufactures solar modules and inverters
Solar panel manufacturer
Solar panel manufacturer
Solar panel manufacturer
Solar cell and module manufacturer
Major LED lighting products manufacturer
Leading electrical goods co, major LED player
Major manufacturer of LED lights and fixtures
Major player in LED lighting segment
LED lighting manufacturer
Manufactures LED displays and lighting
Indian subsidiary, major LED mfg in India
Manufactures LED lights and fixtures
Major Indian electrical brand, produces LEDs
LED lighting products manufacturer
Manufactures LED bulbs and lighting
Major player in consumer LED lighting
Leading LED lighting solutions provider
Manufactures LED lights under Finolex brand
Wires & cables major, also manufactures LEDs
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This week on Projects Weekly, Siemens is showing off the new solar, storage, and energy management microgrid at its Wendell, North Carolina headquarters. Slightly to the south, Cobb EMC has cut the ribbon on its SolarShare community solar farm in Georgia, and Duke Energy Florida has energized its latest project near the eastern reaches of Tallahassee. In the Midwest, Ameren Illinois is getting into the community solar game with its Solar Energy Center project in Peoria. Also in the Land of Lincoln, TurningPoint Energy and Generate Capital have energized a community solar site in Kendall County, near Chicagoland. In New York, Flatiron Energy has won two contracts from NYSERDA for the Big Apple’s battery storage efforts. Finally, NeoVolta and Lion Power have inked a $10 million supply deal revolving around Lion’s autonomous power management systems. Keep reading for all the details!
Cobb Electrical Membership Corporation (Cobb EMC) has cut the ribbon on SolarShare, its newest community solar project in Georgia, the company announced earlier this month.
The 1 MW facility is located adjacent to Interstate 75 in western Georgia’s Cobb County, and is one of just a few interstate solar projects in the U.S. As just the second project of its kind in Georgia, Cobb EMC developed the project in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Transportation.
“This project demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can create practical energy solutions for our members,” says Tim Jarrell, EVP of power supply and emerging technologies at Cobb EMC. “SolarShare gives members an affordable way to support local solar generation while helping us build a more diverse energy future for the communities we serve.”
Bright spot: SolarShare will expand access to solar energy and potential bill savings for eligible Cobb EMC members, especially those who may not be able to install residential solar themselves. Through the program, members will be able to subscribe to solar blocks from the shared facility, activating financial benefits through the energy produced by that block.
The new facility will also generate electricity directly in Cherokee County, feeding it into Cobb EMC’s electrical system. Officials say enrollment in SolarShare is now open, and that members may purchase up to five solar blocks, each representing three panels at the facility.
Electrification and automation firm Siemens has unveiled its “state of the art” microgrid project at its Wendell, North Carolina headquarters, officials announced Oct. 23.
The new project combines onsite renewable generation, energy storage, and “intelligent energy management,” according to representatives. The 1.25 MW microgrid is paired with a 3.9 MWh battery system, and integrates with other campus-wide energy saving initiatives to allow the Wendell site to achieve fully carbon-neutral operations.
“The microgrid that we’ve integrated here at our Wendell campus is one of the more advanced microgrids installed in the market today,” says Brian Dula, Siemens USA’s president of electrification and automation. “It’s a true showcase of Siemens’ end-to-end portfolio of products, from generation to consumption and demonstrates not only how we’re making our own operations more efficient but also displays what we can do for our customers.”
Bright spot: The project is part of a wider commitment by Siemens, to achieve a full net-zero carbon footprint by 2030, representatives say. Additionally, the company’s new project “significantly improves” on operational resilience, shielding the North Carolinian firm from grid outages that have become more and more commonplace in recent years.
“Given the strong growth we’re experiencing across the regions we serve, protecting customer reliability in a cost-effective manner is a core focus of Duke Energy’s grid modernization efforts,” says Venu Ghanta, Duke Energy’s VP of North Carolina regulatory affairs and policy. “We’ve had a tremendous partnership for decades with Siemens, and we appreciate their focus on delivering solutions that improve grid resiliency.”
The company’s headquarters also recently opened an interactive Customer Experience Center, complete with workforce training classroom, a conference center, and expanded manufacturing lines.
Ameren Illinois has energized its 2.5 MW Solar Energy Center project, located in northwest Peoria, Illinois, complete with an array of 5,000 solar panels across its 37-acre site.
The site features a 1.5 MW / 4 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) asset, courtesy of Peoria’s own ELM MicroGrid. Ameren officials say the project is part of the company’s work with the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The law permitted Ameren to both construct and operate solar generation assets in “select equity-eligible communities” like Peoria.
“At a time when electricity prices are rising nationwide due to increased demand and supply constraints, projects like this one can help reduce local energy costs by bringing much needed power to the grid,” says Patrick Smith, chairman and president of Ameren Illinois. “We’re pleased to demonstrate to state policy makers and our customers that Ameren Illinois can build it better, stronger, and faster.”
Bright spot: Along with facilities in East St. Louis, Illinois, the Peoria project is the third generation facility developed by Ameren Illinois in the past 28 years, the company says.
The project’s completion strengthens Ameren’s commitment to powering both the regional economy and electrical grid of Illinois, officials say. The company has invested about $112.4 million for improved reliability in Peoria over the past seven years, including investments in transmission infrastructure and new electrical substations.
“By integrating battery storage with solar generation, the Peoria Solar Energy Center is better managing energy production which supports grid stability and maximizes the benefits of renewable resources,” said Aron Bowman, president of ELM MicroGrid. “This project is especially meaningful to our team because we had the opportunity to work with Azimuth Energy and Ameren Illinois to bring this technology home to Peoria, where ELM’s story began.”
Duke Energy Florida has completed construction on its Bailey Mill Solar Center in northern Florida’s Jefferson County, the company says.
Jefferson County has become notable for the complete lack of traffic lights within its borders, but the county’s energy landscape is getting a modern-era facelift. The 74.9 MW project contains 163,000 solar panels and, at peak, production, will generate enough solar energy to power about 15,000 homes on the rural outskirts of Tallahassee.
“The launch of Bailey Mill is another step toward lowering long-term energy costs for our customers,” says Melissa Seixas, state president of Duke Energy Florida. “Every solar site we bring online reduces the amount of fuel we need to purchase, and those savings go directly to our customers’ bills. We’re grateful to the Jefferson County community for partnering with us to make this project possible.”
Bright spot: Duke Energy officials expect the Bailey Mill project to save customers $250 million in fuel costs over its lifetime. The company says the solar array will displace 1.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, 15,000 barrels of fuel oil and 12,000 tons of coal on an annual basis at peak output.
Duke Energy Florida currently owns, operates, and maintains a portfolio of more than 25 solar sites across the Sunshine State, including five that have reached completion since 2025. In total, the projects generate about 1.85 GW of energy.
Energy technology firm NeoVolta and South Carolina-based power management system company Lion Power have inked a Master Supply Agreement for NeoVolta’s battery systems.
The $10 million agreement establishes a binding minimum purchase commitment for delivery throughout 2027, the companies say. NeoVolta Power has already received orders valued at more than $4 million, complete with multiple MWh of battery capacity orders set to ship before the end of 2026.
The battery packs will support Lion Power’s PowerBase autonomous power management (APM) system. NeoVolta Power president Steve Bond says his firm is “excited” to have Lion Power as a partner, as it aims to broaden the horizons of its commercial and industrial customer base.
“PowerBase is a strong technical fit for our battery management and manufacturing capabilities, and this agreement reflects the confidence Lion Power has placed in our quality and our ability to deliver at scale,” Bond says. “We look forward to supporting their growth as we begin shipments this quarter.”
Bright spot: The initial battery shipments will mark NeoVolta Power’s first deliveries in the commercial and industrial sector, officials say. The APM products will further assist energy facility operators in cutting peak demand, as well as lower overall energy costs and simplify modern power infrastructure.
“We’re beginning to see momentum as purchase orders start to come in, which speaks to the strength of demand for our products and the confidence our customers have in NeoVolta,” says NeoVolta CEO Ardes Johnson. “Diversification is an important part of our strategy — our C&I business spans a wide and varied set of end markets, and this partnership with Lion Power is a good example of the kind of complementary opportunity that diversity allows us to pursue, without pulling focus from our core utility-scale and C&I business.”
TurningPoint Energy and energy investment firm Generate Capital have cut the ribbon on a new 3.5 MWac community solar project in Sandwich, Illinois, officials announced Oct. 21.
The new project is one of the first community solar farms in Kendall County, which sits on the outskirts of the Chicagoland area. Developed through Illinois’ Adjustable Block Program, now known as Illinois Shines, the project is part of an eight-site portfolio TPE is developing in conjunction with Generate Capital.
“Community solar is a great example of how sustainable infrastructure can deliver immediate, tangible benefits to the communities it serves,” says Peggy Flannery, managing director of investments at Generate Capital. “Together with TurningPoint Energy, we’re bringing reliable, locally generated power to Illinois communities while helping residents and small businesses lower their energy costs.”
Bright spot: In addition to normal solar energy benefits, the Kendall County site incorporates agrivoltaic benefits and land management practices for pollinators. These practices, along with the fleet of sheep the firm will bring in for grazing, will promote biodiversity and soil health throughout the life of the solar project.
The project is currently delivering utility bill savings to 90 local subscribers including both residential customers and small businesses. In total, the eight-project, 34.5 MWac portfolio will deliver nearly $70 million in projected bill savings over its operating lifetime.
“This project demonstrates how thoughtfully developed energy infrastructure can create meaningful benefits for communities beyond electricity generation,” says TPE president Salar Naini. “Together with Generate, we’re delivering a project that combines community solar with responsible land stewardship, creating long-term value for subscribers, host communities, and Illinois’ broader clean energy transition.”
Flatiron Energy has announced that New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded contracts to two Flatiron battery sites in New York City.
Flatiron’s Blue Spruce Storage and Palladium Storage are among eight bulk energy storage projects selected as part of New York’s inaugural Bulk Energy Storage solicitation. The eight-project collective will add an expected 950 MW of new energy storage capacity to New York’s electrical grid once fully operational, with the two Flatiron projects deliberately sited to help out the Big Apple.
“I congratulate Flatiron Energy and applaud the role Blue Spruce Storage and Palladium Storage will play in providing capacity to New York City’s electricity network during peak periods,” says NYSERDA president and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “These energy storage projects are critical to improving the reliability of New York’s grid, reducing costs for ratepayers, and deploying clean energy to meet the State’s growing power needs.”
The contracts will support the state of New York’s efforts to expand energy storage in response to a straining grid. The Empire State is working to employ 6 GW of energy storage by 2030, and NYSERDA estimates this inaugural solicitation will boost interest in that deployment, generating more than $1.6 billion in private investments and 500-plus jobs.
Bright spot: Flatiron expects both projects to be operational before that 2030 storage deadline, aiding New York in its energy transition. Additionally, the extra battery storage will help residents to save on electrical costs during periods of high demand, including summer heat waves.
“We are extremely proud to have two projects selected in New York’s first bulk energy storage solicitation,” says Flatiron CCO Juliana Mandell. “These awards mark an important milestone for Flatiron and reflect our commitment to developing energy storage infrastructure that strengthens the electric grid and benefits local communities. We look forward to developing these projects alongside NYSERDA and our local partners.”
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Ricoh, Choshu Industry part of government's push to remain competitive in next-gen tech
Flexible film-type perovskite cells can easily be installed on existing buildings, including on windows. (Photo by Kohei Yamada)
TOKYO — Japan plans to provide about 100 billion yen ($636 million) over four years to support mass production of next-generation flexible perovskite solar cells, Nikkei has learned, bolstering the commercialization of a technology in which the country has strengths.
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For six months, a group of students at The University of Texas at Arlington spent their weekends in a shop in Mineral Wells, cutting and welding metal to build a race car designed to run on sunlight. In July, they loaded the car onto a trailer, drove 18-and-a-half hours to Minnesota and raced it in their first national competition.
The Blaze Raycers, UTA’s first solar car team, designed and built the race car in about 10 months and competed in the Formula Sun Grand Prix in Brainerd, Minnesota. Of the 56 teams that registered, 28 had built cars that qualified to make it onto the track. UTA was one of them.
Over three days of racing, the car finished with the eighth-fastest time in the field and boasted the fastest lap of any team from Texas, reaching a top speed of 55 mph.
Building from the ground up
Many new solar car teams take over an older car developed at another university. The Blaze Raycers chose to design their own. They started in summer 2025.
Sponsor Mark Rose allowed the team use his shop in Mineral Wells, located nearly 70 miles west of UTA. The students drove there every weekend to build most of the car’s chassis. Isaiah Rubio, a mechanical engineering senior and the team’s mechanical lead at the time, welded the whole chassis. He has since become the chief engineer.
“It was a really fantastic experience, getting to do some real engineering with real budgets, real design constraints,” Rubio said.
The students also made about half of the car’s solar panels. Anthony Mena, a resource and energy engineering senior and the team’s solar lead, said each custom panel weighed less than half a pound. In contrast, the four panels they had to purchase weighed about 10 pounds each. For next year’s race, the team plans to build the car’s entire solar array.
A week and a half in Minnesota
The team spent some 10 days at the competition. Before racing, the car was put through about six days of inspections, called scrutineering. Engineers and judges checked that it was safe to race and met all of the competition’s guidelines.
Related: UTA debuts its fastest formula SAE car yet
Jesse Ramos, a junior majoring in resource and energy engineering and the team’s operations lead, said the days started early. Team members got to the work site at sunrise to prepare the car before heading to inspection stations.
“Minnesota is a lot warmer than you’d expect during the summer,” Ramos said. “It got pretty toasty up there.”
Ramos said he organized the team during races, making sure every member was in the right place at the right time.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends to do this with,” he said.
Lessons beyond the classroom
Team members said the project taught them skills that can’t be replicated in the classroom, such as working with vendors and sponsors, planning logistics and solving problems under pressure. For example, students shipped material for the car’s body from a South Carolina vendor to UTA, then transported it to a shop in Houston to be cut. Ramos and Jason Esquivel, a junior majoring in resource and energy engineering, built most of the car’s body.
“It was a lot of learning because we’d never done anything like that with materials I’d never worked with,” Esquivel said. “It took a while to get a handle on the material, but we got it to look as good as possible.”
Katelyn Bellows, also a resource and energy engineering student who works on the team’s media and solar array, said the team often had to think quick on its feet.
“We would have our car mess up mid-run and have to fix it on the spot,” Bellows said. “Coming up with solutions immediately and working together, to me, is more important than just knowing math.”
Chris Boyer, the team’s faculty advisor, said the experience makes students attractive to employers. All of the team’s senior members landed internships.
“It’s a lot better to have these experiences in the university than it is in the workplace,” Dr. Boyer said.
Boyer now serves as an industry advisor to UTA’s Electrical Engineering Department. He said student vehicle programs like the solar car, robotics, Formula SAE and drone teams depend on industry support because mentoring takes a lot of faculty time.
“A lot of us on the industry side really want to see these types of programs continue,” he said. “We want to see a lot more of these.”
Next season
For next season, the team plans to keep the car’s mechanical design, rebuild the body and electrical system, cut weight and do more testing. Its goal is a top-five finish at the 2027 Formula Sun Grand Prix.
Long term, the team hopes to build a program as well-known as UTA’s Formula SAE team and compete in an international solar car race in Australia.
To keep that momentum going, older students are mentoring new leaders.
“If you don’t start teaching the younger generations, the team will never progress,” Bourgeois said.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 190 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
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Soaring generator fuel costs and cheap Chinese imports drove Nigeria to add more solar capacity in early 2026 than in all of 2024 and 2025 combined
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Solar panels, batteries and inverters are appearing on Nigerian wedding registries alongside microwaves and bed linen, a detail that says more about economics than environmentalism.
Nigeria’s grid has long struggled to deliver reliable power. The removal of petrol subsidies in May 2023 sent generator fuel costs into territory many households could not sustain.
Chinese manufacturers arrived with panels, batteries and inverters at prices that made solar a genuine consumer choice. By the end of 2025, Bloomberg reported that small-scale solar capacity had surpassed electricity delivered by the national grid, and Nigeria had added as much solar capacity so far in 2026 as in 2024 and 2025 combined.
The numbers behind Nigeria’s solar shift are punishing for generator owners and increasingly favorable for anyone who can afford to switch.
A solar system capable of serving a three-person household costs about $4,500, roughly seven times the price of a new petrol generator. That gap narrows quickly once fuel enters the equation.
BloombergNEF estimates such a system can pay for itself in as little as 16 months, because generator fuel alone can run to $200 per month under its modeled assumptions.
One Lagos resident cited in Bloomberg’s reporting was spending the equivalent of 70,000 naira every week on fuel before subsidy removal pushed those costs beyond reach. He was paying too much to borrow money to install a 3-kilowatt Felicity Solar system and kept his generator running only for water pumping.
Felicity Solar entered Nigeria after struggling in China’s saturated domestic market. The company reported 250% sales growth in 2023 and average annual growth of 200% afterward, according to its Nigerian managing director.
Lande Abudu, an Abuja-based energy consultant, describes the practical appeal: solar lets households “build with solar and scale up,” adding panels, batteries or appliances as finances allow.
Alaba International Market in Lagos tells the story in retail square footage.
More than 200 solar shops now operate there, and solar products occupy the market’s most visible corridors alongside televisions and refrigerators. Nnamdi Nkemka, owner of CNN Global Solar, puts it plainly: “Most people selling electrical items are migrating to solar.”
Generator brands are also entering the sector, expanding product lines to include solar equipment. A basic system works simply enough: panels generate electricity, batteries store it, and an inverter converts that stored power into a form household appliances can use.
Hybrid inverters extend that flexibility further. They let households draw from solar, batteries, the public grid or a generator as availability shifts, a practice sometimes called fuel stacking.
Counterfeit products are a real hazard in this expanding market. Copycat brands mimicking established names such as Deye and Felicity Solar have appeared alongside genuine products, and buyers without technical knowledge often cannot tell them apart.
At the national level, Nigeria’s National Electrification Project has reached more than 7.5 million Nigerians through World Bank-financed solar-home systems, mini-grids and related components, with roughly 94 megawatts of installed capacity. Its successor, the DARES program targets approximately 465 megawatts and clean electricity access for more than 17 million people.
The immediate pressure on electricity distributors remains limited for now. A company executive at Eko Electricity Distribution Company told Bloomberg that residential customers account for only about 20% of its supply.
Financing barriers still block many households from joining the shift. Consumer solar loans in Nigeria reportedly carry interest rates of 27% to 36%, a range that remains out of reach for anyone without cash savings or a reliable income.
A solar system on a wedding registry is not a quirky consumer trend. It signals that reliable electricity has become a foundational household expectation in Nigeria. Wider access to affordable credit could extend that expectation far beyond the households currently able to act on it.
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Construction automation company Xpanner announced the commercial launch of the X1 Piling R6, a fully automated pile driving machine engineered to accelerate civil installation timelines on utility-scale solar and battery energy storage system construction sites.
The system pairs Xpanner’s field-proven automation hardware and software stack with an Everstar R6 crawler base machine to automate pile positioning, travel, alignment, hammering, and depth control in a single execution cycle.
Conventional pile driving typically requires a two-person crew operating alongside separate surveying, marking, and site preparation teams. The X1 folds those manual steps into an automated workflow executed via remote control. Operators upload a pile schedule and coordinate file, guide the machine to the start of a row, and initiate operation with a single command.
High-precision dual-antenna GNSS receivers with Real-Time Kinematic support deliver centimeter-level positioning and orientation accuracy. Controlled by an onboard industrial controller operating on a real-time operating system, the system automatically navigates the crawler to each target location, aligns the mast, and drives piles to specified elevation and plumb tolerances without requiring personnel near the mast.
The underlying stack builds on Xpanner’s PD10 platform, which has been deployed across more than 67 U.S. job sites by major engineering, procurement, and construction contractors. Integrated on the Everstar R6 carrier, the X1 achieves a 45% faster cycle time compared to the previous generation, according to the company.
Powered by a 130 horsepower engine operating at a maximum hydraulic pressure of 2,900 psi and a flow rate of 31.7 gallons per minute, the crawler features a high-frequency hydraulic hammer delivering up to 929 foot-pounds of impact energy. The hammer utilizes a 3.35-inch borer pole with three energy settings to adjust for varying soil resistance and geotechnical conditions.
To eliminate unnecessary machine movement on site, the carrier features fine-positioning capabilities. The guide rail slides 11.8 inches (300 mm) fore and aft, 19.7 inches (500 mm) laterally, and offers 180 degrees of upper-body rotation. The mast adjusts 10 degrees forward and backward, with a side tilt range from 7 degrees left to 64 degrees right, allowing operators to achieve target placement from a single setup position.
The system accommodates pile lengths up to 7.0 m with a maximum driving depth of 4.8 m. Because the hammer lowers near ground level and the guide rail plants vertically into the dirt during operation, the unit can drive piles flush to grade without adapters, handling standard tracker piles, short motor piles, and lower-profile BESS foundation piles on the same carrier chassis. Optional mast configurations support down-the-hole drilling, auger drilling with diameters ranging from 2.6 to 13.8 inches (66 to 350 mm), and ground screwing.
With an operating weight of 14,330 lb (6,500 kg), the carrier has compact transport dimensions of 3.7 m in length, 2.15 m in width, and 2.7 m in height. It is powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) engine and delivers a hammer impact energy of 929 ft·lb (1,260 J). The machine achieves a travel speed exceeding 1.6 mph (2.5 km/h) and can negotiate gradients of up to 20 degrees. Its tank capacities include 43.6 gallons of diesel fuel and 38.6 gallons of hydraulic oil.
“Solar and BESS builders are racing to bring new power online for the grid and for AI data centers, and they can’t find enough skilled crews to keep up,” said Henri Lee, co-founder and CEO of Xpanner. “X1 lets one operator drive every pile plumb with a single touch, keeps people away from the mast, and logs each pile as it goes in.”
On-site machine interaction relies on a 10.1-inch, sunlight-readable touch display built to handle extreme job site conditions, weather, and heavy vibration. The system is designed to operate reliably across extreme temperatures ranging from -40°F to 185°F.
The hardware connects to Xpanner Connect, a web-based project management dashboard that logs spatial coordinates, driving depth, and plumb status for each driven pile in real time. The live site map eliminates manual end-of-day reporting, offering remote fleet visibility into machine state, cycle metrics, and site progress.
The X1 Piling R6 is commercially available starting October 26, 2026, through an Automation-as-a-Service subscription model that bundles the crawler chassis, automation hardware, cloud software, site validation, and direct on-site support.
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A staff member transports photovoltaic glass products in the workshop of Zhaotong Kibing Photovoltaic Technology Co,. Ltd. in Zhaotong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on Oct. 19, 2026. Leveraging its advantages in rich resources of silicon ore and the development of green electricity, Zhaotong City has attracted leading enterprises to develop the photovoltaic glass manufacturing industry, bringing about employment for surrounding residents. Currently, the city has basically formed an industrial chain from silicon mining and washing to the manufacturing of photovoltaic glass and photovoltaic modules. (Photo: Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 19, 2026 shows a photovoltaic glass manufacturing line in the workshop of Zhaotong Kibing Photovoltaic Technology Co,. Ltd. in Zhaotong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Leveraging its advantages in rich resources of silicon ore and the development of green electricity, Zhaotong City has attracted leading enterprises to develop the photovoltaic glass manufacturing industry, bringing about employment for surrounding residents. Currently, the city has basically formed an industrial chain from silicon mining and washing to the manufacturing of photovoltaic glass and photovoltaic modules. (Photo: Xinhua)
A drone photo taken on Oct. 19, 2026 shows a view in the workshop of Zhaotong Kibing Photovoltaic Technology Co,. Ltd. in Zhaotong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Leveraging its advantages in rich resources of silicon ore and the development of green electricity, Zhaotong City has attracted leading enterprises to develop the photovoltaic glass manufacturing industry, bringing about employment for surrounding residents. Currently, the city has basically formed an industrial chain from silicon mining and washing to the manufacturing of photovoltaic glass and photovoltaic modules. (Photo: Xinhua)
A drone photo taken on Oct. 19, 2026 shows the photovoltaic glass products in the workshop of Zhaotong Kibing Photovoltaic Technology Co,. Ltd. in Zhaotong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Leveraging its advantages in rich resources of silicon ore and the development of green electricity, Zhaotong City has attracted leading enterprises to develop the photovoltaic glass manufacturing industry, bringing about employment for surrounding residents. Currently, the city has basically formed an industrial chain from silicon mining and washing to the manufacturing of photovoltaic glass and photovoltaic modules. (Photo: Xinhua)
LONGi, Sungrow, and DJ Solar Corp bring solar technology roadshow to Cebu SunStar Publishing Inc.
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Bethesda’s Neighborhood Sun acquires New York community solar company The Baltimore Banner
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Researchers at Razi University in Iran have investigated how the geometry of copper cooling tubes affects the electrical and thermal performance of photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors. They aimed to determine whether wavy tubes could improve heat extraction and boost overall system efficiency compared with conventional straight tubes. To this end, they experimentally assessed three tube configurations at different water flow rates.
“This study presents an experimental investigation into the performance of a water-cooled PVT system integrated with wavy copper channels, aiming to quantify the impact of channel geometry and flow rate on thermal and electrical efficiencies,” the researchers said. “Notably, unlike many small-scale studies, this research is conducted on a commercially representative PV module.”
The researchers built a water-cooled PVT collector using a 180 W PV module measuring 68 cm × 148 cm, with an aluminum absorber plate attached to its rear side. They fabricated three copper-tube cooling assemblies: one with straight tubes and two with mechanically bent wavy tubes featuring pitches of 200 mm and 300 mm, respectively, and a wave height of 50 mm. They used silicone thermal paste to improve thermal contact between the tubes and the absorber plate, while copper strips and thermally conductive adhesive secured the assemblies.
The team conducted outdoor tests in Kermanshah, western Iran, in May 2025, under an average ambient temperature of 27 C and solar irradiance of 1,038 W/m2. Each configuration was tested at water flow rates ranging from 200 mL/min to 800 mL/min, with the inlet water temperature maintained at 20 C. The researchers also tested an uncooled PV module for comparison. Each test lasted approximately 30 minutes, until operating conditions stabilized.
“The implementation of the liquid cooling effectively reduced the panel temperature,” the academics said. “In the optimal configuration tested of W-200 tube at 800mL⋅min 1, the absorber plate temperature was reduced to approximately 49 C, compared to 64 C in the uncooled system, a reduction of ∼15 C. Similarly, the uncooled panel surface temperature, which reached a maximum of nearly 67 C, was significantly mitigated.”
The researchers also found that the W-200 configuration, featuring a 200 mm pitch, achieved the highest electrical efficiency of 13.65% at a water flow rate of 800 mL/min, compared with 12.63% for the uncooled module. This represented an improvement of 1.02 percentage points.
The W-200 configuration also recorded the highest pressure drop, reaching approximately 1,200 Pa at a flow rate of 400 mL/min, compared with around 750 Pa for the straight-tube configuration at the same flow rate.
“The W-200 tube exhibited the most effective heat extraction among the tested cases, achieving a maximum thermal efficiency of approximately 24% at 800 mL · min-1, compared to just 18%for the straight tube,” the scientists said. “Consequently, the optimal W-200 configuration delivered a maximum overall efficiency exceeding 37%, substantially outperforming the straight tube with ∼31%.”
The researchers presented their findings in “Experimental analysis of thermal performance of a photovoltaic – thermal hybrid solar collector (PVT) with wavy channel,” published in Energy Nexus.
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SOLAR-MOVE is positioning itself as a meaningful contribution to a more energy autonomous, less grid dependent electric mobility future
SOLAR-MOVE, launched under the EU Horizon Europe programme, aims to integrate PV directly into vehicles and charging infrastructure, reducing the impact of e-mobility on power systems and mainly on distribution grids.
With a budget of €8.2 million, a 42-month duration (November 2025 to April 2029), and a consortium of 35 partners from 16 countries, the project brings together universities, businesses, R&D centres, vehicle manufacturers, regulatory bodies and grid operators.
The SOLAR-MOVE project rests on two core concepts. The first, vehicle-integrated PV, embeds solar cells directly into a vehicle's body, roof, sides or trailer surfaces, turning the vehicle itself into a power source capable of generating part of its own energy, whether parked or in motion.
The main aim is to extend the range of these vehicles as well as use the solar energy for their auxiliary services when they are parked.
The second, electric vehicle compliant parking lot integrated PV, refers to charging stations built with integrated PV panels and storage systems, from solar carports over parking spaces to opportunity charging solutions for buses or highway stops.
SOLAR-MOVE will test these solutions across ten demonstrators: five vehicle integrated PV prototypes (heavy-duty trailer vehicles, garbage trucks, buses, last-mile delivery vans and motorhomes) and five parking lot integrated PV configurations, spanning contexts as varied as private sites, highways, municipal bus depots and commercial areas.
The project's targets include an extra 5–10 km/day of range from onboard solar generation, a 20–50% reduction in grid dependence, and a positive net present value for the solutions developed.
On the technology side, the project is pursuing high-efficiency TOPCon and SHJ solar cells, "Tetris puzzle" zero-gap modules, and V2G/V2L functionality to keep every demonstrator flexible and adapted for the different applications.
The challenges, however, go beyond engineering: integrating PV into irregular, curved vehicle surfaces, ensuring module durability against vibration and humidity, achieving accurate generation forecasts in shaded urban environments, and the absence of mature regulatory frameworks for vehicle and parking lot integrated PV are all identified as central obstacles to commercial viability.
SOLAR-MOVE also pays close attention to engaging different stakeholder target groups, including policy makers and regulators, system operators, aggregators and virtual power plants (VPP), charge point operators and technology providers, automotive OEMs, end users and fleet operators.
This recognises that scaling up electric mobility depends as much on regulatory clarity, sustainable business models, and user trust as on technological progress.
By validating PV integration in both vehicles and charging infrastructure at the same time, SOLAR-MOVE positions itself as a meaningful contribution to a more energy-autonomous, less grid-dependent electric mobility future, paving the way for technically mature and commercially viable solutions in the years ahead.
Several solutions will be developed in the project, and a specific strategy and business plan will be developed with the main aim of arriving to the market and create real value for the companies and end users as well.
About the author
Hugo Morais is a senior researcher at INESC-ID and an Associate Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. With a background in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, his research primarily focuses on advancing smart grid technologies and tools. he has contributed to over 40 academic and industrial research projects
1 November 2026 – 30 April 2029
The MISSION project is developing three pioneering technologies to accelerate the transition to SF6-free power systems and eliminate potent greenhouse gases
How the BEGONIA project is helping build a more connected, flexible and human-centred energy system.
Power-to-heat solutions can turn buildings from passive energy users into active partners of the electricity system, writes Stefano Barberis
Two European Commission expert groups have presented recommendations to simplify data exchange for flexibility and smart and bi-directional EV charging.
A landmark 3GW electricity interconnection project linking Egypt and Greece is set to strengthen Europe's energy security, writes Ioannis Karydas
A key objective of MOST-H2 is to assess the technical feasibility of hydrogen storage systems based on metal-organic frameworks for heavy duty mobility.
Take a closer look at this EU-funded project, meet with the people behind it and explore the development of this and 100+ other EU Projects. Meet them at the EU Projects Zone, at Enlit Europe in Vienna, 10–12 November 2026.
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TCL SunPower, part of Chinese PV producer TCL Zhonghuan, has launched the SunPower Origin line of solar panels aimed at residential rooftop installations. According to Karin Alberto-Burkhardt, the company’s Director of Product Management, the module format brings notable benefits on rooftops that are irregularly shaped or include obstructions like chimneys, and its dimensions let installers place more modules than is possible with standard panels.
The panels rely on the manufacturer’s eighth-generation back-contact cell technology and come in an all-black design. Five variants are offered, spanning 485 W to 505 W in power output and 23.8% to 24.7% in efficiency.
The SPR-BE54-HD505 tops the range at 505 W with a maximum efficiency of 24.7%. It has an open-circuit voltage of 40.88 V, a short-circuit current of 15.58 A, a maximum power voltage of 34.08 V and a maximum power current of 14.82 A. At the lower end, the SPR-BE54-HD485 produces 485 W at 23.8% efficiency, with an open-circuit voltage of 40.45 V and a short-circuit current of 15.18 A.
Every module in the lineup measures 1,800 mm x 1,134 mm x 30 mm and weighs 26.0 kg. Construction includes 2 mm + 2 mm semi-tempered glass, a black anodized aluminum frame and an IP68-rated junction box with three bypass diodes. Maximum system voltage is 1,500 V, and the operating temperature range runs from -40 C to 70 C.
Power temperature coefficient is -0.26%/C, voltage temperature coefficient is -0.22%/C and current temperature coefficient is 0.05%/C. The maximum series fuse rating stands at 30 A.
The manufacturer says the back-contact cells are patterned through lithography instead of laser processing, a choice it claims lowers the risk of microcracks. TCL SunPower Global also states that the modules are built to perform better under partial shading. Per the company, the electrical architecture of the 54-cell panel delivers shading behavior comparable to more than 16,000 bypass diodes, which helps curb localized heating and keep power generation going in unshaded areas.
TUV Rheinland has granted the technology a Class A+ shading-resistance certification, according to the manufacturer. The modules carry IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certification and hold a Class C fire rating under IEC 61730-2 and UL 790. Testing has also covered ammonia, dust and sand, and salt mist exposure.
A 40-year warranty from the manufacturer covers the product, power output and service. It guarantees at least 99% of nominal output after the first year, with maximum annual degradation of 0.25% thereafter. On those terms, the guaranteed output after 40 years comes to roughly 89.25% of the initial rated power.
TCL SunPower Global said an internal analysis conducted in June 2026 found a warranty return rate of 0.005% across its historical installed base of more than 15 GW of back-contact modules.
Besides the residential series, the company has launched a commercial SunPower Origin version built with 66 back-contact cells. This bifacial module measures 2,192 mm x 1,134 mm, reaches up to 615 W and offers bifaciality of up to 80%, according to the manufacturer. Alberto-Burkhardt said the company aims for bifaciality levels of up to 85%, adding that greater power density and the module format let installers fit more panels on commercial rooftops, advantages she called important when roof geometry and available space constrain system design.
Orders for the new panels can be placed through TCL SunPower Partners across Europe, with first deliveries anticipated before the end of 2026.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
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Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
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Supply Footprint, Trade and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
Where Growth and Supply Concentrate
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
Detailed View of the Most Important National Markets
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China’s mainstream TOPCon module export prices held steady for a second week, despite efforts by major polysilicon producers to set minimum price floors on module and polysilicon products.
According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released on Oct. 20, the Chinese Module Marker (CMM), the OPIS benchmark assessment for TOPCon modules below 645 W from China, was unchanged at $0.107/W Free-On-Board (FOB) China.
Forward prices were also stable, with Q1 2027 loading assessed at $0.106/W and Q2 through Q4 2027 at $0.105/W.
Under the pricing framework discussed by China’s eight major polysilicon manufacturers at an Oct. 11 meeting in Hangzhou, minimum selling prices of CNY 0.79 ($0.118) /W for TOPCon modules and CNY 0.86/W for back-contact modules were proposed, equivalent to $0.118/W and $0.129/W FOB, alongside a minimum polysilicon selling price of CNY 43/kg, inclusive of tax.
Market participants, however, remained skeptical that the proposed measures would provide price support amid persistent oversupply and weak downstream demand.
Several trade sources questioned whether the pricing discipline could be sustained, as industry self-discipline agreements do not constitute legally enforceable price controls and their effectiveness depends on manufacturers’ willingness to comply.
A source at a Chinese top-tier integrated manufacturer similarly described the proposed fixed module pricing mechanism as difficult to implement, suggesting that efforts by these major polysilicon producers to dictate downstream module prices could be “one-sided wishful thinking”.
In Oct. 2024, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIY) released an estimated photovoltaic modules production cost of CNY 0.68/W in an attempt to address below-cost bidding in large-scale procurement tenders. However, industry sources noted that the price guideline was non-binding, allowing manufacturers to continue submitting bids below the suggested floor.
Weak installation demand and pressure to clear inventories ahead of year-end could further undermine efforts to stabilize prices, sources said. A tier-1 vertically integrated manufacturer said module shipments were subdued in the third quarter, with producers likely to cut prices in the fourth quarter to stimulate sales volumes, defend market share and support revenue. The manufacturer expected prices to remain stable or edge lower through the rest of the year.
Another downstream manufacturer said the short-term price outlook would also depend on whether manufacturers could secure higher selling prices on existing inventories, adding that many producers were highly motivated to clear stocks in the final quarter of the year.
The outlook for high-efficiency modules, however, was less certain, with demand potentially strengthening in 2027 as China introduces tighter efficiency requirements and increases the adoption of higher-efficiency technologies in its domestic market.
The mandatory national standard taking effect on Jan. 1, 2027 sets minimum efficiencies of 23.2%, 23.2% and 23.5% for n-type TOPCon, HJT and BC modules, respectively. On Oct. 16, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) proposed higher thresholds of 23.4%, 23.4% and 23.7% under its draft 2026 Standard Conditions for the PV manufacturing industry.
Separately, China has proposed export controls on 12 photovoltaic technologies including polysilicon, silicon wafer and cell manufacturing technologies as well as the technology management of core equipment.
According to the proposal, certain technologies such as perovskite tandem cells would be categorized as prohibited exports, while TOPCon, back-contact and heterojunction technologies would be subject to export restrictions where specified thresholds are met.
One market analyst expected limited impact on China’s solar product exports, as the new export controls primarily target manufacturing technologies rather than finished products.
The analyst said the measures could reinforce China’s technological leadership by restricting the transfer of proprietary know-how, particularly as overseas markets increasingly push to localize solar manufacturing. This could also benefit Chinese vertically integrated solar manufacturers by preserving their technological advantage, the source said.
However, tighter controls could complicate overseas manufacturing capacity expansions, joint ventures, technology licensing and equipment shipments involving restricted production know-how. Additional registration and licensing requirements could extend project lead times and introduce uncertainty, the analyst added.
OPIS is a specialist business within Dow Jones Energy, a global energy intelligence business that brings together trusted price reporting, research and market intelligence across the energy value chain. OPIS publishes the OPIS Global Solar Markets Service, which includes pricing data for solar panels and components across Asia, Europe and the U.S., manufacturing capacity data, module forward curves, and a global solar policy tracker.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Shakti Pumps (India) Ltd showcased its 620 W Shakti On Roof solar PV module at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2026, highlighting its expansion beyond solar-powered pumping systems into solar module manufacturing, rooftop solar installations and upstream PV production.
The company operates an in-house solar module manufacturing facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. Its module portfolio uses 16-busbar TOPCon technology in a G12R bifacial, dual-glass configuration. Available in 132- and 144-half-cut-cell formats, the modules offer power outputs ranging from 600 W to 630 W.
The modules carry a 10-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty. Applications for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification and inclusion in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) have been submitted.
At REI Expo 2026, Shakti Pumps presented a portfolio spanning solar pumps, solar pump controllers, PV modules, solar inverters and module mounting structures. The integrated offering targets diverse applications, from agricultural irrigation and rooftop installations to clean power generation and export of surplus electricity to the grid.
A key component of the showcase at REI Expo was Shakti Pumps’ range of indigenously manufactured solar inverters, designed to meet applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) requirements. The products also qualify under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) Class-I local supplier framework, supporting the Make in India initiative.
Equipped with AI-powered technology, the inverters are designed to deliver up to 10% higher energy generation, helping customers improve system performance and maximise the value of their solar installations—according to the company.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Shakti Energy Solutions Ltd, operating under the brand Shakti On Roof, the Group is expanding beyond solar irrigation into rooftop solar solutions. This strategic expansion leverages its engineering and execution expertise to serve residential, commercial and other solar energy applications.
Shakti Pumps is also developing an integrated greenfield manufacturing facility spread across 45 hectares, with planned annual capacities of 2.2 GW for solar cells and 2 GW for solar modules. Cell manufacturing is currently in progress. The project marks a significant step in the Group’s evolution towards a more comprehensive renewable energy business spanning pumps, rooftop solar, photovoltaic modules and solar cells.
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5B, a company specialising in modular solar technology, has executed a purchase order with 1414 Degrees to deliver 70 MW of prefabricated Maverick solar units. These units are destined for the first phase of the Aurora Energy Precinct, a project under development in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf area. The Aurora site, spanning 16 km2 near Port Augusta, is designed to pair utility-scale solar generation with battery storage and planned grid links, delivering firmed renewable electricity both to the National Electricity Market and, behind the meter, to data centres and other large energy consumers.
The first 70 MW of solar PV capacity sits within Aurora’s Stage 1, which also includes an approved 140 MW / 280 MWh battery energy storage system. 1414 Degrees, headquartered in Adelaide and initially established as a long-duration thermal energy storage business, explained that 5B’s solution won selection because its compact footprint is expected to fit more solar capacity into each hectare, underpinning the project’s roughly 2 GW PV potential.
Kevin Moriarty, Executive Chairman of 1414 Degrees, stated that the Maverick configuration permits substantially greater solar capacity on the land available and enables expansion in stages together with storage, connection infrastructure and customer demand.
Each Maverick unit consists of a ground-mounted array of as many as 90 pre-wired PV panels attached to frames that open out in accordion fashion. The frames are delivered preassembled atop concrete blocks that take the place of conventional mounting structures, enabling swift installation at the site. According to 5B, the panels, cabling and connections are put together and tested at the factory before being shipped, which cuts down on assembly work on site.
The first 70 MW will occupy 42 hectares inside Aurora’s approved 200-hectare solar development area. 1414 Degrees said its analysis shows the Maverick configuration could fit over 300 MW of solar PV capacity within that area and supports the precinct-wide indicative potential of about 2 GW of solar PV capacity. 5B said the Maverick units destined for Aurora will be built at its production site in Adelaide and then transported to the precinct for installation.
Moriarty called the purchase order’s execution a significant milestone for Aurora and another step toward delivering its first 70 MW solar development. He noted that the company is now advancing power purchase agreements, infrastructure partnerships and financing for project delivery.
1414 Degrees, which took full ownership of Aurora earlier this year, said it has obtained Australian Energy Market Operator approval for connecting the 140 MW / 280 MWh battery system, and that commercial transmission access talks for the planned 275 kV connection are moving forward. The company is also advancing a proposed 33 kV connection route to support earlier data centre development and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
In July, 1414 Degrees signed a heads of agreement with an unnamed Australian data centre operator for the proposed build-out of up to 1 GW of AI data centre infrastructure at Aurora.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Solar Panels market in Australia, covering market size, growth trajectory, demand structure, supply capability, trade flows, pricing, competitive landscape, and forecast to 2035.
The study is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, investors, procurement teams, advisors, and strategy teams that need a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which are devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. It encompasses the global market for finished modules, including all major product technologies and form factors designed for a wide range of end-use applications.
The report combines the standard market-statistics backbone with strategic chapters that are useful for commercial planning, sourcing decisions, market entry, competitor monitoring, and portfolio prioritization.
The market is segmented into decision-relevant buckets so that demand drivers, pricing logic, supply constraints, and competitive positions can be compared across the same analytical frame.
The market data is classified and analyzed according to international trade codes, primarily under the Harmonized System (HS) headings for photovoltaic cells and electric generating sets. This ensures consistent tracking of trade flows for assembled solar modules and relevant apparatus across global markets.
Coverage focuses on Australia and includes demand, supply capability where present, trade flows, pricing, competition, and outlook.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
All indicators are mapped to a consistent product definition and reviewed against the segmentation framework used in the Table of Contents.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
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
How the Report Was Built
Australian operation of a major global solar module manufacturer
Supplies its solar modules through an established Australian business
Australian operation of a specialist monocrystalline module manufacturer
Combines module supply with project development activity in Australia
Australian presence of a global cell and module manufacturer
Supplies Qcells modules through its Australian business
Australian solar module manufacturer with production in Adelaide
Australian operation of a solar cell and module manufacturer
Supplies its thin-film module technology to Australian solar projects
Offers its Maxeon and SunPower-branded module products in Australia
Australian market operation of a solar cell and module manufacturer
Supplies solar modules through its Australian business
Australian solar distributor serving installer and trade channels
Australian wholesale distributor focused on the solar installation trade
Australian solar wholesaler supplying installer and trade customers
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Solar Energy Proposal Presented to Warren County Board Radio Monmouth, IL
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Insolation Energy Ltd. (INA Solar), through its subsidiary Insolation Green Energy, has signed a five-year strategic partnership agreement with US-based Caelux Corp. to commercialize 3 GW of solar modules integrating Caelux’s power-generating glass technology with INA Solar’s n-type TOPCon platform.
The companies plan to develop high-efficiency hybrid-tandem solar modules, targeting commercial production with module efficiencies of up to 29% by 2028.
Under the agreement, INA Solar and Caelux will collaborate on technology validation, manufacturing readiness and regulatory approvals, including compliance with India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) requirements.
“By combining advanced perovskite technology with our TOPCon manufacturing capabilities, we aim to accelerate the development of high-efficiency solar modules and contribute to India’s renewable energy ambitions,” said Manish Gupta, chairman of Insolation Energy.
Vikas Jain, managing director of Insolation Energy, said the partnership would strengthen the company’s efforts to build an integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem.
Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux, said the agreement represents a step toward commercializing next-generation solar technology at scale in India. With the latest agreement, Caelux’s total contracted volume with module manufacturers worldwide exceeds 25 GW.
“Integrating Energy Producing Glass with TOPCon technology represents a significant step towards the Indian market benefiting from ultra-high power density solar modules,” said Vish Iyer, Caelux’s managing director for India and West Asia.
INA Solar operates three solar module manufacturing facilities in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with a combined annual production capacity of 5.5 GW. The company is also developing a 4.5 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility and an aluminum frame manufacturing plant with an annual capacity of 18,000 metric tons in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
Its product portfolio includes TOPCon and monocrystalline PERC modules rated from 500 W to 635 W. The company also provides engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and has an independent power producer (IPP) portfolio of approximately 400 MW.
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Jaipur, Insolation Energy is listed on India’s National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company operates across more than 250 districts in India and reports more than 40,000 customers and a network of over 1,000 channel partners.
Caelux has also partnered with Indian solar manufacturer Grew Solar to develop 4 GW of perovskite-silicon tandem module production capacity. Under the five-year agreement announced in September 2026, Grew Solar will integrate Caelux’s perovskite-coated glass with its n-type TOPCon technology, including its large-format G12R module series.
The companies are targeting module efficiencies of at least 29%, with commercial production expected to begin in 2028. Caelux has also signed separate agreements with Rayzon Solar and Navitas Solar to develop a combined 10 GW of hybrid-tandem module capacity in India, with production similarly targeted for 2028.
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A coalition of 16 Norwegian companies have addressed a letter to the Norwegian parliament, known as the Storting, to support the country’s solar industry.
Led by Norway’s renewable industry and employer association, Fornybar Norge, the letter includes signatures from the country’s Building Materials Industry Association, Electrical and IT Association and Electricity Association, as well as its Nature Conservation Association and National Homeowners Association.
The letter explains Norway’s solar sector is far off the pace of deployment required to reach the Storting‘s goal of generating 8 TWh of solar power by 2030. It adds slow market growth has been compounded by “two tough years” of bankruptcies and layoffs in its domestic solar market.
“For every month without action, the industry loses the expertise needed to develop more clean power for climate action, construction and business development,” the letter reads. “Now a change of pace in solar investment is needed, combined with increased efforts for energy efficiency.”
It asks the Storting to focus on five measures for the solar industry as part of its ongoing budget negotiations for 2027.
These include introducing an auction-based support scheme for solar projects on commercial buildings and expanding sharing schemes so electricity generated from one rooftop PV array can be shared with neighbours, housing associations and nearby commercial buildings. Other measures include mandating solar panels on new buildings and major commercial buildings with a useable area of 500 sqm or more.
The letter also asks the government to ask Enova, a state-owned enterprise that funds the development and adoption of energy and climate technologies, to expand its support schemes to include residential solar systems with battery storage. It then calls for increased support for energy efifcency measures to both Enova and the Housing Bank, suggesting the money comes from either the state budget or Enova’s saved funds.
“Budget negotiations are often about what the parties disagree on. Solar power and energy efficiency, on the other hand, are areas where everyone can win, with measures that can yield gains in a short time,” the letter adds.
Bård Vegar Solhjell, leader of Fornybar Norge, commented that it is “rare” for 16 organisations across the trade union movement, business and the environmental movement to come together around the same demands.
“We agree that more solar power and energy efficiency are good for the power system, energy preparedness and consumers,” he said. “The Storting has also set ambitious goals, but is not following up with the necessary decisions. Now the politicians must use the budget negotiations to do so.”
Norway’s cumulative solar capacity surpassed 1 GW recently but the rate of deployment has been declining, with 2026 set to see the lowest annual figure since 2021. Growth has been particularly slow in the residential market, which analysts attribute in part to an optional fixed electricity price for households known as the Norgepris that has removed most of the financial incentive for rooftop solar.
Earlier this month, a group of Green Party politicians recommended legalising plug-in solar and batteries in Norway by the end of 2027. Meanwhile, the country’s Energy Regulatory Authority has proposed a simplified connection process for small renewable generation facilities it says is designed to make it easier for households, housing associations and other end customers to use PV systems.
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The Maine Office of Public Advocate is warning community solar companies against making “misleading” appeals to people that receive benefits from the state’s low-income assistance program for electricity.
Public Advocate Heather Sanborn said at least one company is offering 20% electric bill discounts to electric customers if they subscribe in a community solar program.
But after a change to the Low Income Assistance Program this year, those customers could receive up to 80% off their monthly bill based on income eligibility, Sanborn said. The way that community solar billing works, those people could lose out on the full benefits they might receive if they remained ordinary electric customers, Sanborn added.
“We want to make sure that if folks are target marketing to low-income customers, they are actually providing a better offer for those customers than what those customers would have received if they hadn’t signed up,” Sanborn said.
In a letter to about a dozen community solar companies, Sanborn said they should stop advertising to people enrolled in LIAP unless they could provide a discount at least equal to what the program provides.
The marketing may constitute an unfair trade practice prohibited under state utility rules and if companies fail to comply, the OPA may seek enforcement action at the Maine Public Utilities Commission, Sanborn said in the letter.
Italy continued to expand its solar and energy storage fleet in the third quarter of 2026, with 1.742 GW of new photovoltaic capacity connected, up 37% from the 1.269 GW installed in the same period of 2025 and 5% higher than in the previous quarter.
In the first nine months of the year, the country added 4.834 GW of new solar capacity through 147,632 new installations, according to calculations by ITALIA SOLARE based on Terna’s Gaudì data, updated to September 30.
By that date, Italy had 2,314,113 photovoltaic installations connected to the grid, with a total installed capacity of 48.347 GW.
The number of new connections also increased during the third quarter, rising from 38,660 in the second quarter to 58,459 between July and September, an increase of 34%.
Growth in the Italian solar market is increasingly being driven by larger projects and commercial and industrial installations.
Between January and September, the utility-scale segment, covering plants of at least 1 MW, added 2.241 GW through 473 new connections, accounting for 46% of all new photovoltaic capacity installed in Italy during the period.
The commercial and industrial segment, covering installations between 20 kW and 1 MW, added another 1.697 GW through 11,905 new projects, equivalent to 35% of newly connected capacity.
The residential market, comprising systems of up to 20 kW, added 897 MW through 135,254 new connections, representing 19% of the new capacity.
In the third quarter alone, utility-scale projects added 858 MW, compared with 457 MW in the same quarter of 2025. Of this volume, 394 MW came from projects between 1 MW and 10 MW, while another 464 MW came from installations above 10 MW.
The C&I segment reached 543 MW, up from 500 MW a year earlier, while residential additions increased from 312 MW to 341 MW.
Paolo Rocco Viscontini, president of ITALIA SOLARE, said the third-quarter figures confirm continued growth in the Italian solar market, with large-scale projects playing an increasingly important role and the commercial and industrial segment maintaining a positive trajectory.
The association nevertheless said the residential market remains an area to monitor after contracting in the first half of 2026 compared with the previous year.
At regional level, Sicily ranked first for newly connected photovoltaic capacity in the first nine months of 2026, with 686 MW, followed by Lombardy with 644 MW, Piedmont with 498 MW, Veneto with 463 MW, Emilia-Romagna with 443 MW and Lazio with 432 MW.
The composition of growth varied significantly by region. Of the 686 MW added in Sicily, 476 MW came from installations larger than 10 MW, reflecting the strong contribution of utility-scale projects.
In Lombardy, by contrast, the commercial and industrial segment accounted for a significant share of new capacity, with 405 MW, while large-scale installations were largely absent.
By number of new installations, Lombardy ranked first with 22,999 connections, followed by Veneto with 18,099, Emilia-Romagna with 13,405 and Sicily with 11,653.
The expansion of solar capacity is being accompanied by further growth in electrochemical energy storage.
As of September 30, Italy had 984,829 connected storage systems, with a total capacity of 19.983 GWh and a combined power rating of 8.338 GW.
Of this capacity, 12.552 GWh was associated with photovoltaic installations, while 7.368 GWh came from stand-alone storage systems. A further 57 MWh was linked to thermal power plants and 6 MWh to wind installations.
During the first nine months of 2026, Italy connected 98,197 new storage systems, adding 1.953 GWh of capacity and 907 MW of power.
Almost all new installations by unit count were batteries associated with photovoltaic systems: 98,186 units, representing 1.486 GWh of capacity and 773 MW of power.
By contrast, just 11 new stand-alone storage systems added a combined 467 MWh of capacity and 134 MW of power, highlighting the significantly larger average size of these projects.
During the third quarter, storage systems associated with photovoltaic installations added 480 MWh of new capacity, 252 MW of power and 31,039 new units.
Compared with the third quarter of 2025, newly connected storage capacity increased by 15%, from 417 MWh to 480 MWh, even as the number of installations declined from 32,697 to 31,039.
The figures also show a change in the size profile of newly installed batteries. Storage systems associated with photovoltaic installations of up to 6 kW added 242 MWh during the third quarter, compared with 129 MWh in the previous quarter.
By contrast, systems associated with photovoltaic installations between 6 kW and 20 kW fell from 229 MWh to 105 MWh, while storage linked to installations above 20 kW added a combined 133 MWh.
Across the first nine months of the year, storage systems associated with photovoltaic installations of up to 6 kW added 481 MWh, those linked to systems between 6 kW and 20 kW added 596 MWh, and those associated with installations above 20 kW added a total of 409 MWh.
Lombardy also recorded the highest amount of new storage capacity associated with photovoltaic systems between January and September, with 206 MWh, followed by Emilia-Romagna with 155 MWh, Veneto with 146 MWh and Sicily with 144 MWh.
The region also ranked first by number of new systems, with 14,672 installations, ahead of Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily.
On a cumulative basis, Lombardy now has 164,950 storage systems associated with photovoltaic installations, representing 2.095 GWh of capacity. It is followed by Veneto with 1.562 GWh and Emilia-Romagna with 1.154 GWh.
According to ITALIA SOLARE, the figures show that the Italian market is evolving both in terms of overall volumes and the composition of new installations. The association said the effective integration of storage and renewables will be one of the key elements shaping the future development of Italy’s power system, and called for a regulatory framework capable of properly recognising the value of flexibility.
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Watson Farley & Williams has advised lenders on the €222 million BRUC and Alter Enersun hybrid solar and battery storage financing.
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has advised BNP Paribas Asset Management, Santander, Banco Sabadell, and Banco Cooperativo Español, acting as lenders, on the €222 million financing of a portfolio of hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Spain owned by BRUC Alter Energías Renovables, S.A., a joint venture owned by BRUC and Alter Enersun.
The financing combines the financing of an operational 208 MW PV portfolio with the financing for the construction of 118 MW/472 MWh of co-located BESS capacity across four projects in Extremadura and Andalucía, Spain. This creates an integrated renewable generation and storage portfolio designed to optimise the management and distribution of renewable electricity.
The transaction forms part of BRUC and Alter Enersun’s strategy to further integrate renewable generation and energy storage, reinforcing the growing role of hybrid renewable projects in Spain’s energy transition. The addition of battery storage capacity enables the storage of the electricity generated by the PV plants and facilitate its dispatch according to system requirements, providing greater flexibility to renewable generation.
BRUC is a leading independent renewable energy platform in the Iberian market, with a diversified portfolio of renewable generation assets. Alter Enersun is a leading Iberian renewable energy company with PV installations across Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
The WFW Madrid Energy team that advised the lenders was led by Finance Partner, José María Anarte, supported by Senior Associate, Antón Ramil, and Associate, Sara Estradera.
José María commented: “This transaction highlights the growing convergence of renewable generation and energy storage in Spain’s energy market. The financing of a portfolio combining operating PV assets and large scale battery storage reflects the increasing sophistication of the country’s renewable energy sector and the evolution of financing structures required to support it. We are delighted to have advised the lenders on a landmark transaction at the forefront of this trend, an area in which WFW continues to play a leading role.”
The Autumn issue of 2026 is available now! The new issue begins with a regional report on Asia Pacific, looking at the region’s transition from building capacity to building systems. The issue also explores topics such as offshore wind foundations, solar maintenance, training the new workforce, inspection & maintenance, and more! With insights from experts such as Everllence, BW Ideol, EM&I, Watson Farley & Williams, and many more, make sure to check out this issue now.
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A worker installing solar panels at a factory in Nakhon Pathom province in Thailand.
PHOTO: PEERAPON BOONYAKIAT
Published Oct 26, 2026, 07:07 PM
Updated Oct 26, 2026, 07:07 PM
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BANGKOK – Thailand offered subsidies worth up to US$1.5 billion (S$1.92 billion) on Oct 26 to help households install solar panels, as it seeks to boost renewable energy and reduce dependence on costly imports.
The government offered almost 50,000 baht (S$1,900) towards installation costs for up to one million households, while also promising low-interest loans and tax benefits for those fitting panels to their homes or land.
“Today, we import a lot of our energy, we’re among the top buyers globally,” Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas told reporters.
But he said this “was not a sustainable solution”.
The solar panel subsidy is expected to be approved at a cabinet meeting on Oct 27, with applications to open soon after, Ekniti said.
It will be funded out of a 400-billion-baht emergency borrowing package announced earlier in 2026 to cushion the economic impacts of the Middle East war.
Around 60% of electricity production in Thailand comes from natural gas, with renewables making up almost 11%, according to government data from January to July 2026.
Much of the gas has historically come from offshore production or via pipeline from Myanmar, but declining production has forced Bangkok to step up liquid natural gas (LNG) imports.
Imported LNG made up 32% of its natural gas in the January-July period.
Qatar was a major supplier but its gas infrastructure has been hit by the US and Israeli war with Iran, as has energy production across the region.
Thailand aims to have 51% of domestic electricity generated from renewable sources by 2037. AFP
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PV and energy storage system (ESS) manufacturer JA announced that the hybrid back-contact (BC) cell used in its HyperGen modules achieved a conversion efficiency of 28.38%, tested by TÜV Rheinland. The company said the result sets a world record for BC cell efficiency, surpassing the 28.2% achieved in May 2026 by HyperGen HBC cells developed in cooperation with Gold Stone (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
JA ran an eight-week roadshow across Europe starting September 2, 2026, presenting its HyperGen modules, among other products (see JA Takes PV & Storage Solutions On A European Roadshow).
Inverter and ESS manufacturer Sungrow has signed an agreement with five other parties, including Sunwoda’s wholly owned subsidiary Xinneng Industrial Development, to establish a private equity fund focused on energy storage assets, with total subscribed capital of RMB 1 billion.
The Shenzhen New Energy Storage Industry Equity Fund will contribute RMB 449 million (44.9%), followed by Xinneng Industrial Development with RMB 225 million (22.5%), Sungrow as a limited partner with RMB 174 million (17.4%), and energy service provider Makesense Energy Technology with RMB 150 million (15%). The remaining two general partners, Renfa Xinneng and Yuanzhi Energy Storage, will each contribute RMB 1 million (0.1%).
The fund has an 8-year operating period, comprising a 5-year investment period and a 3-year exit period. Its investment scope includes energy storage power stations, standalone grid-side storage projects, green power direct-connection projects, and storage assets serving emerging applications such as computing-power centers and zero-carbon industrial parks.
Hubei Province has released its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for building a new energy system, targeting 85 GW of installed wind and solar capacity by 2030. The plan calls for total renewable power capacity to exceed 130 GW, accounting for 70% of the province’s total installed power capacity.
For energy storage, Hubei aims to have 9 GW of pumped-storage hydropower and 8 GW of new-type energy storage capacity in place by 2030. It also plans to add 2 GW of standalone grid-side storage capacity to support peak-demand supply.
The plan supports multiple storage technologies, including lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, hydrogen storage, flow batteries, and compressed-air energy storage. It also calls for flow battery manufacturing bases in Xiangyang and Yichang to develop vanadium-based and iron-based flow battery supply chains. Hubei will promote direct green power connections, coordination between computing power and energy systems, and building-integrated PV (BIPV), while developing PV and wind power equipment manufacturing and recycling industries.
Solar cell output from China’s large industrial enterprises totaled 73.59 GW in September, down 5.1% year-on-year (YoY) and slightly below the 74.2 GW recorded in August, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Large industrial enterprises (industrial enterprises above the designated size) are defined as those with annual primary business revenue of at least RMB 20 million.
Note that the 5.1% decline was much smaller than the 12.9% YoY decline reported in August (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Cumulative output in the first nine months (9M) of 2026 totaled 579.03 GW, down 13.5% from the same period in 2025.
By contrast, solar power generation by large industrial enterprises rose 12.9% YoY to 549.7 TWh in 9M 2026. Wind power generation rose 1.9% to 802.2 TWh.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued an implementation plan for dual controls on carbon emissions across the industrial and information technology sectors. By 2030, the plan targets reductions of more than 17% in CO₂ emissions per unit of value added and more than 10% in energy consumption per unit of value added at industrial enterprises above the designated size compared with 2025 levels.
The plan calls for a carbon-management framework covering local-government assessments, sector-level controls, corporate carbon management, project carbon evaluations and product carbon footprints. It also calls for stronger enforcement, diagnostic services, technology promotion and standards to improve emissions management in key industries.
MIIT plans to support the construction of about 500 national-level zero-carbon factories and zero-carbon computing facilities by 2030, while promoting electricity substitution and green-energy use. Industrial companies and parks will be encouraged to develop green microgrids integrating PV, wind power, high-efficiency heat pumps, new energy storage, hydrogen, waste-heat and pressure recovery, combustible waste, and smart energy-management systems.
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Researchers had to fix a major manufacturing flaw in flexible perovskite solar cells.
A joint research team led by Southeast University and Soochow University has found a way to stop the molecular fighting in flexible perovskite solar cells. To turn rigid solar tech into bendable panels that can roll over backpacks or car roofs, researchers had to fix a major manufacturing flaw in flexible perovskite solar cells.
Printing these flexible devices requires depositing two layers at once. A ultrathin foundational transport layer called a single-molecule film (self-assembled monolayer, SAM), and the light-harvesting perovskite crystals
When engineers tried to coat them together onto bendable substrates, the SAM molecules and perovskite components bound too strongly to each other instead of taking their proper positions. This chemical feud left behind uneven, defect-ridden layers that broke down under operational heat and humidity.
The joint research team solved this chemical roadblock by introducing a customized “decoupling” molecule. The discovery acts as an atomic referee. It prevents the two components from reacting prematurely and unlocks reliable, large-scale production.
“A 25-square-centimeter flexible device retained 92.5 percent of its initial PCE of 22 percent after 1044 hours of maximum power point tracking at 85°C (185°F) and 65 percent relative humidity,” the study paper noted.
Flexible substrates have uneven surface roughness and varying hydroxyl-group densities, making standard large-area printing techniques ineffective. Attempting a conventional co-deposition strategy improves surface wettability, yet strong intermolecular interactions between transport layer molecules and perovskite components disrupt both substrate anchoring and crystal formation. These chemical conflicts ultimately leave current flexible solar modules far behind their rigid counterparts in both efficiency and stability.
Researchers introduced a “decoupled co-deposition” strategy to improve large-area flexible perovskite solar modules.
The approach resolves the challenge of uniformly printing transport layers and perovskite films onto flexible substrates. It provides a practical chemical solution to boost both the conversion efficiency and operational stability of flexible solar devices.
To fix the chemical interference, the research team added a decoupling modulator molecule featuring ammonium ions, iodide ions, and two sulfonate groups to the precursor solution.
This additive forms strong chelating bonds with the perovskite framework. It blocks harmful interactions between transport layer molecules and perovskite components. With the interference removed, the transport molecules can quickly stick to the flexible base, while the new additive guides crystal growth and seals up flaws in the perovskite layer.
This strategy optimizes both the transport and perovskite layers together, driving efficiency and durability to record levels.
The results hit record numbers. Small-area flexible cells achieved a third-party certified efficiency of 26.86 percent. Scaling up yielded record module efficiencies across the board: 22.31 percent for 5×5 cm² panels, 20.63 percent for 10×10 cm² panels, and 20.15 percent for large 30×30 cm² sheets.
Durability held up under pressure too. The flexible modules survived thermal shock cycles from frigid lows to extreme heat and passed the rigorous IEC 63163 international stability standard.
“More important, this strategy facilitates the modules to pass the industry-standard IEC 63163 stability series certification, providing an important foundation for the industrial development of flexible perovskite photovoltaics,” the team stated.
This collaborative work delivers a new chemical strategy for fabricating high-performance flexible perovskite modules in China.
Future research will focus on refining decoupling molecules, integrating tandem cell designs, and scaling production for roll-to-roll manufacturing. These developments support the modernization of renewable energy systems and help drive national carbon-reduction goals.
The findings were published in the journal Science.
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
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Maintaining high crop productivity in rice fields hosting solar panels remains a major challenge for agrivoltaic projects, as demonstrated by a recent research project conducted by the University of Tokyo in Japan. The six-year experiment showed that grain yields reached 8.5 tons per hectare in the control plot, compared with 6.5 tons per hectare in the agrivoltaic field, representing a 23% reduction.
The results confirmed that rice yields in the agrivoltaic system were limited by reduced biomass and fewer panicles, both of which are critical to rice productivity. Grain quality also deteriorated under partial shading, particularly in terms of grain chalkiness and head rice yield.
With these challenges in mind, another research group from the University of Tokyo has proposed a multi-modeling approach that could help accurately predict rice yields in agrivoltaic systems.
“Our study is the first to build a multi-modeling framework that couples three models – solar radiation environment, rice growth and yield, and photovoltaic power generation. It predicts rice yield and electricity output simultaneously in rice agrivoltaic systems,” corresponding author Yoichiro Kato told pv magazine. “It integrated radiation, rice growth, and photovoltaic models to jointly predict rice yield and electricity generation under agrivoltaic panels, enabling probabilistic, climate-based design of panel configurations that meet yield targets while quantifying the impact on power output and revenue.”
The researchers used Rhinoceros, Grasshopper and Ladybug Tools to simulate solar radiation reaching rice crops beneath the panels. They used the ORYZA crop model to estimate rice yields under agrivoltaic and conventional cultivation conditions, while PVsyst simulated electricity generation. The models were calibrated and validated using field data collected between 2019 and 2022 at an experimental site in Chikusei, Japan.
The agrivoltaic installation covered 1,416 m2, with a ground coverage ratio of 27% and monthly adjustments to panel tilt angles. The researchers then used 30 years of meteorological data, from 1994 to 2023, to assess long-term crop yields and electricity production.
The research group simulated additional panel tilt angles ranging from 10 degrees to 70 degrees to determine how increased sunlight availability could affect rice growth. A key objective was to identify configurations capable of achieving at least 80% of conventional rice yields, in line with Japanese regulations.
The team also calculated the probability of meeting this threshold under different weather conditions. The researchers then assessed the economic implications of optimizing panel tilt angles, considering both rice sales and electricity revenue.
The researchers found that their computer simulations closely matched the results measured during field experiments. The models accurately reproduced sunlight levels, rice growth and electricity generation, suggesting that they could reliably predict the performance of agrivoltaic systems under different conditions.
Simulations based on 30 years of weather data, from 1994 to 2023, showed that rice yields under agrivoltaics averaged 82% of conventional cultivation levels, ranging from 66% to 94%. The probability of falling below Japan’s regulatory threshold of 80% was 26%. Average electricity generation between May and September reached 32,893 kWh, with a coefficient of variation of 7.1%.
The researchers also found that increasing panel tilt angles toward the vertical improved sunlight availability and rice yields, although it reduced electricity production. Increasing the tilt angle by 7 degrees raised the probability of achieving at least 80% of conventional rice yields to 80%, while reducing annual income by just 0.1%.
Adjustments of 30 degrees and 53 degrees increased this probability to 90% and 95%, respectively. These configurations improved rice yields by 4.2% and 10.3%, but reduced electricity generation by 3.2% and 9.4%, respectively. Consequently, annual income declined by 2.7% and 8%, respectively.
“The approach can be extended to other design variables, such as panel size and installation density, as well as to assessments of site suitability based on region, climate and cultivar characteristics,” Kato said.
The researchers presented their findings in “Balancing crop production and electricity generation in rice agrivoltaic systems: A multi-modeling approach,” published in Field Crops Research.
“These findings confirmed that the multi-modeling approach, which integrates irradiance, crop, and photovoltaic models, can assess grain yield and electricity generation in rice agrivoltaics, thereby reducing potential risks when exploring different agrivoltaics configurations within the food–energy nexus,” the researchers concluded.
In 2025, another research group from the University of Tokyo investigated whether agrivoltaic systems based on dual-axis trackers could improve rice productivity. The experiments showed that, over two growing seasons, rice yields under the panels were 75% and 85% lower than those in nearby benchmark paddies without solar modules. However, the researchers found that yields, while slightly lower in the first year, improved significantly in the second year after they fine-tuned the amount of sunlight reaching the crops.
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Riverhead News Review
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By Ana Borruto
Riverhead Councilman Bob Kern says a combined solar and BESS system project that has been in development for the last three years is days from completion at the capped Youngs Avenue landfill in Calverton.
Mr. Kern said the 7-megawatt solar array is expected to generate about 9,400 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power as many as 1,500 homes.
The array will be paired with a battery energy storage system, or BESS, capable of storing 13.68 megawatt-hours, according to his announcement Thursday.
“This is a big win for the community,” Mr. Kern said in a statement. “It serves as energy savings for local residents and also plays a role in supporting New York State’s ambitious clean energy initiative and climate smart goals.”
In a text to the Riverhead News-Review after the release, Mr. Kern said the hope is to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony within the next few weeks.
Once the system is switched on, the town expects a one-time payment of about $73,500, based on $10,500 per megawatt, Mr. Kern said. The annual lease payment is projected at about $154,000, or $22,000 per megawatt.
Mr. Kern also cited an estimated $38,000 annually in payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOT payments, with increases over time. Separately, he said the project would provide electricity-bill savings for the town and participating residents and businesses.
The councilman noted Riverhead Town will receive credits tied to 40% of the project’s solar output, while more than 120 local households and small businesses have signed up for the remaining 60%, receiving credits on their utility bills without needing to install solar panels directly.
What was once seen as a financial drain and an “unusable piece of real estate” is now being transformed into land that can generate economic benefits for Riverhead and its residents, he said.
The project aligns with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initiative for the state to achieve at least 10 gigawatts of distributed solar by 2030. Distributed solar generates electricity close to where it is consumed.
The battery system is designed to store excess solar energy and release it when demand is highest, helping stabilize the grid and local power supply, according to the company behind the project, Changing Visions of Energy North America, known as CVE. It is the company’s first combined solar-and-battery project in New York.
Other solar developments in the Calverton area include the Calverton Solar Energy Center, operated by LI Solar Generation, and AES’ Riverhead Solar Farm and Riverhead Solar 2 projects.
This solar farm at Youngs Avenue joins a few others in operation at the Calverton area, including the Calverton Solar Energy Center, Riverhead Solar Farm, Riverhead Solar 2, both known as AES, and LI Solar Generation.
The Youngs Avenue site has been capped and closed since 1993. Prior proposals to build a solar farm atop the former 76-acre landfill from other companies failed to come to fruition. The original charge to reuse the area for clean energy was led by former councilman George Gabrielsen in 2011.
At the time, Sag Harbor-based Long Island Green Energy proposed installing solar panels at the closed landfill, which prompted the town board to put out a request for proposals to see if other companies were interested.
CVE first pitched its plan for the capped landfill in 2022. That year, Riverhead adopted a moratorium on new commercial solar farms to give the town time to identify suitable locations while updating its comprehensive plan. The moratorium was extended and expired in October 2023.
The company secured the bid contract with Riverhead in November 2022, after it was one of three developers to submit a proposal to the town. In July 2023, the town entered a 25-year lease agreement with CVE. The contract includes the option for two five-year extensions. Construction began in May 2025.
Mr. Kern credited town engineer Ken Testa for his technical assistance with the request for proposals for the Youngs Avenue site. He also thanked the town’s planning department, fire marshal, Riverhead Fire Department, highway and water departments, and Councilman Ken Rothwell for their work moving the project forward.
The project is nearing completion as other East End communities continue weighing battery-storage regulations amid fire-safety and environmental concerns. Southold’s moratorium remains in place through April 2027 while the town develops local rules.
Mr. Rothwell said his focus was on ensuring the Youngs Avenue installation could be properly decommissioned at the end of its operating life. He said modern solar panels are largely recyclable and that bonding is in place to cover dismantling and recycling the installation.
“CVE made certain that they had all the necessary fire equipment in place prior to us turning on the site, electrifying it,” Mr. Rothwell said. “The fire department was very pleased to get additional equipment, and [they were] taking training classes as well, so they’ve done very well.”
He also cited the use of newer Tesla battery units as one reason for his confidence in the project’s safety.
“We wouldn’t put a project forward if there were any type of major environmental concerns,” Mr. Rothwell said. “I think the town board, working with Councilman Kern over the last few years, we’ve worked very hard to try to find a very different pathway to reduce property tax impacts…every time we cut our electric costs down out of town buildings, then that savings goes directly to the taxpayers.”
Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin also expressed support.
“I’m happy that Councilman Kern has been working on it, and is able to get it across the finish line, which hopefully will bring the relief promised to the Riverhead taxpayers,” Mr. Halpin said.
Ana Borruto
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Indian solar manufacturer Waaree has showcased a 520 W flexible, lightweight monocrystalline PERC solar module designed for applications where conventional glass-based panels are difficult to install.
The module has a power conversion efficiency of 19.69% and is approximately 70% lighter than conventional glass-based solar panels, according to the company.
It features M10 P-type monocrystalline PERC cells and an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) polymer frontsheet. The module can bend up to 30 degrees, making it suitable for curved rooftops, roofs with limited load-bearing capacity, mobile platforms, and irregular architectural surfaces.
The panel measures 2,242 mm × 1,178 mm × 3 mm and weighs 10.5 kg. Its thickness, including the junction box, is 20 mm.
The module has a temperature coefficient of −0.34%/C for maximum power output and an operating temperature range of −40 C to 85 C.
Waaree is an Indian solar manufacturer with operations spanning PV module manufacturing and other segments of the solar value chain. The company offers solar modules for residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale applications. Its lightweight, flexible module expands its portfolio to applications where panel weight, rigidity, or installation constraints can limit the use of conventional PV products.
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Europeans are transforming their driveways and patios into mini solar farms, bringing the continent closer to a “cheaper, more secure” energy system.
The war on Iran and subsequent stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that usually carries around one-fifth of global oil supplies, has sent oil and gas prices soaring.
Solar has stepped in to help cushion the fossil fuel price shock, saving the EU €40 billion in avoided gas imports since the conflict began – according to the latest analysis from Solar Power Europe. But electricity and gas bills across the continent remain high – which experts say has spurred households to “take control” of their own energy.
In Germany, renewable energy firm Enpal BV saw inquiries for solar panels rise by 30 per cent following the first weeks of the US-Israel war against Iran. Over in the UK, energy firm EON witnessed interest in solar spike by 23 per cent between 23 February and 1 March, before surging a further 63 per cent between 2 and 8 March.
And it isn’t just rooftops that are harnessing the power of sunlight, as more and more companies get creative with the ways in which solar panels can be integrated into the home.
PLATIO is one of a number of start-ups selling solar panels specifically designed for decking and patios after unveiling their first prototypes in 2016.
Now covering 13 countries across Europe, the firm aims to replace paving stones and asphalt in urban spaces, parks and homes with solar technology.
In 2018, PLATIO placed a nine-metre-square installation on the driveway of a family house in Kecsmét, Hungary. The 1.7 kWp system can theoretically generate enough electricity to power base loads such as a fridge and fridge-freezer, as well as LED lighting and small kitchen appliances like a blender or slow cooker.
In 2021, the company installed solar paving in the courtyard of a six-flat apartment building near Frankfurt, Germany. Due to the larger size, this 6.64 kWp system is more than enough to cover the annual electricity needs of a typical three bedroom home if it performs at maximum generation.
SolarPave, based in the UK, also specialises in transforming outdoor spaces with sustainable energy solutions. On its website, the company has three already finished projects in the Yorkshire region, including a residential solar driveway and a residential balcony floor.
Companies like PLATIO use a toughened, anti-slip glass to protect the solar panels – meaning you can walk across it or even park your car on it.
Cleaning the panels to remove any dirt will help maximise the amount of energy the panels can create, but PLATIO says the performance loss from dusty panels is as little as three per cent depending on the specific installation.
Of course, solar panels fixed horizontally on the floor opposed to angled on a rooftop will generate less electricity. This is because they miss the sun’s direct rays for most of the day, while accumulated dirt reduces their efficiency.
However, depending on their location, they may still be able to generate enough electricity to help lower your energy bills.
It is therefore difficult to say exactly how many years such a system would take to pay back.
“People are choosing solar because it puts them back in control,” Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, tells Euronews Earth.
“After years of volatile energy bills, households in Europe and across the world want to take energy into their own hands and solar is one of the most affordable ways to do that.”
While traditional rooftop solar panels may remain the back-bone of home-grown solar, not everybody has a suitable roof.
For example, heavily shaded roofs may generate little energy – increasing the payback time and making installation unfeasible. Roofs made from materials like thatch are also unsuitable for traditional solar panels.
“As prices have fallen and designs have become more versatile – driveways, patios, fences and car parks are becoming part of the picture,” Dunlop says.
“Every sunny surface we put to work brings Europe closer to an energy system that is cheaper, more secure and owned by the people it serves.”
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Jaipur-based Insolation Energy Limited (INA Solar), through its subsidiary Insolation Green Energy Private Limited, has entered into a five-year partnership with US-based Caelux Corporation.
Under the partnership, the companies plan to commercialise 3 GW of solar module manufacturing by integrating Caelux’s Energy Producing Glass technology with INA Solar’s N-type TOPCon manufacturing platform. The collaboration aims to develop high-efficiency Hybrid-Tandem™ solar modules, with commercial production targeting module efficiencies of up to 29% by 2028.
The technology combines TOPCon solar cells with a perovskite-based, power-generating glass layer designed to boost energy generation, increase power density and reduce the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE). The companies will collaborate on technology validation, manufacturing readiness and applicable regulatory approvals, including compliance with the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) requirements.
Commenting on the partnership, Manish Gupta, Chairman of Insolation Energy Limited, said, “This collaboration marks an important milestone for INA Solar. By combining advanced Perovskite technology with our TOPCon manufacturing capabilities, we aim to accelerate the development of high-efficiency solar modules and contribute to India’s renewable energy ambitions.”
Vikas Jain, Managing Director of Insolation Energy Limited, added, “The partnership strengthens our focus on building an integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem. We remain committed to innovation, advanced technology and delivering high-performance solar solutions.”
Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux Corporation, said, “Our partnership with INA Solar is an important step towards bringing next-generation solar technology into commercial production at scale in India. With this agreement, Caelux’s global contracted volume with module manufacturers exceeds 25 GW, validating Caelux’s technology and market approach.”
Vish Iyer, Managing Director, India and West Asia, at Caelux Corporation, said, “Integrating Energy Producing Glass with TOPCon technology represents a significant step towards the Indian market benefiting from ultra-high power density solar modules.”
INA Solar currently operates three solar module manufacturing facilities in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with a combined annual capacity of 5.5 GW. The company is also developing a 4.5 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility and an 18,000 MTA aluminium frame manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh.
Its product portfolio includes TOPCon and Mono PERC modules ranging from 500 Wp to 635 Wp, along with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services.
The company also has an independent power producer (IPP) portfolio of approximately 400 MW. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Insolation Energy Limited is listed on the NSE and BSE.
Headquartered in Baldwin Park, California, Caelux Corporation specialises in perovskite solar technology. Its proprietary Energy Producing Glass technology transforms the top glass layer of solar modules into an additional power-generating layer, increasing power density and improving solar project economics.
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An 18 MW solar farm at Sembawang Air Base has been completed by the Ministry of Defence, a Singapore-based government ministry. The farm, which was launched by Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on 30 January 2026, is the first at a base of the Singapore Armed Forces. By the end of 2026, its output is expected to be equivalent to powering 4,700 four-room Housing Board flats a year. The cost savings have been put at about SGD 1.9 million (~ $1.5 million) a year. Since the base is home to helicopter squadrons, the panels had to be mounted on structurally reinforced parts of the airfield. Their screw piles were drilled 20% deeper, and each of them was fitted with an extra plate for stability. With this farm, the ministry has met its 2021 goal of 50 MW of solar by 2025, and it now aims for about 68 MW by the end of 2027.
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Celloraa Energy names former Vikram Solar executive Anil Bhadauria as CEO
The Gujarat-based start-up is developing a 1.2 GW TOPCon solar cell facility, using German know-how
Celloraa plans to focus on solar cell manufacturing for now, while considering further backward integration
Celloraa Energy, the solar cell manufacturing startup from India’s Gujarat, has appointed Anil Bhadauria as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Bhadauria has held senior roles at brands such as Waaree Group and ACME Group in the solar PV space. Before joining Celloraa, Bhadauria served as EVP, Manufacturing-Group Operations, at Vikram Solar. Under his leadership, Celloraa Energy says the company will strengthen its manufacturing capabilities and operational readiness.
Incorporated in February 2026, Celloraa Energy is developing a 1.2 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility in India with plans to expand it to 2.4 GW. Germany’s centrotherm is supplying the PECVD equipment, and a contractual agreement has been signed for equipment supply with RENA Technologies (see Indian TOPCon Cell Manufacturing Backed By European Equipment).
It has also roped in Germany-based solar technology research and development firm ISC Konstanz as part of its technology partnerships.
Earlier this year, Celloraa raised INR 160 crore by selling a 50% stake to StarlinePS Enterprises, a precious stones company, to fund its manufacturing plans (see India Solar PV News Snippets).
At Renewable Energy India Expo (REI) 2026, Bhadauria spoke with TaiyangNews about the company’s strategy. Celloraa plans to stick to solar cell manufacturing for now rather than enter the crowded module manufacturing space. It may also consider further backward integration as part of its strategy, said Bhadauria (see Live Blog : October 22-24, 2026: Renewable Energy India Expo 2026).
TaiyangNews 2024
A new report shows that more renewable generation capacity – led predominantly by solar farms and hybrid solar-and-battery projects – reached financial close, and more large-scale battery energy storage was switched on across Australia in the first half of the year than across all of 2025.
The Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) Bi-annual investment report: Large-scale renewable generation and storage (January-June 2026) also shows that five generation projects totalling 1.4 GW of new capacity and worth more than $2.8 billion (USD 1.97 billion) were commissioned and started operations during the first half of this year.
The CEC said the rolling 12-month quarterly average for newly commissioned capacity has now reached 912 MW, up 56% compared to the same period 12 months ago, and the highest rolling average seen since Q1 2022. A further eight generation projects totalling about 1.9 GW began construction in H1 2026.
In addition to the new generation projects, nine battery energy storage projects worth $4.3 billion and representing 2.3 GW / 7.1 GWh of storage capacity were also switched on in the first six months of the year, surpassing the 2 GW / 5.1 GWh added during 2025.
The report also shows that more new generation capacity reached financial close across Australia in the first half of 2026 than in the whole of 2025 with 12 projects totalling 2.6 GW securing finance, compared with 2.3 GW across all of last year. Utility-scale solar drove the new commitments with 11 of the 12 projects solar or solar hybrids with one onshore wind project also reaching financial close.
A further 13 large-scale battery energy storage projects totalling 1.6 GW / 6.5 GWh also reached financial close in H1 2026, including a record 6.3 GWh in the June quarter.
CEC Chief Executive Officer Jackie Trad said the results show the resilience and growth of the clean energy industry in the face of difficult headwinds.
“Australian sun and wind cannot be cut off by conflict overseas,” she said. “Each new solar, wind and battery investment helps make Australia more energy independent and economically resilient, shielding Australians from global fossil fuel price shocks and supply disruptions.”
The CEC said there are now 141 renewable energy generation and battery energy storage projects worth around $32.5 billion are now funded or under construction across Australia. This includes 76 generation projects totalling 11.7 GW and 79 storage projects, either standalone or hybrid projects, equivalent to 12.6 GW / 35 GWh.
Solar accounts for 53% of generation capacity at financial close or under construction, and Queensland, New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia all share approximately 27% of solar capacity either at financial close or under construction,
Queensland holds the largest share of pipeline investment, accounting for $9.6 billion and 4.5 GW in projects that are currently at financial close or are under construction. NSW has the largest battery storage pipeline at 4.3 GW / 11.2 GWh.
“Queensland is leading the nation in clean energy investment, showing what can be achieved when world-class renewable energy resources are matched with investor confidence,” Trad said.
“But the story is bigger than any one state or territory; across Australia, investors are backing the technologies they know will power our economic future and strengthen our energy security.”
Trad did however warn that clean energy investment is not immune to tougher conditions and said confidence appears to be softening, particularly for onshore wind, with investors naming approvals and transmission as their biggest obstacles.
“With $32.5 billion worth of generation and storage projects now under construction or at financial close, maintaining this momentum will require predictable approvals, timely transmission and long-term revenue certainty to help more projects, including onshore wind, progress into operation,” she said.
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