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Nature Photonics (2026) Cite this article
Thermal instability under temperature fluctuations remains a critical challenge for the practical deployment of perovskite solar cells. Here we report a wide-temperature-range fluid-phase grain boundary (WTR-FGB) strategy enabled by incorporating a molecular complex that remains fluid between −40 °C and 85 °C. When introduced into polycrystalline perovskite films, this molecular complex is found to preferentially localize at grain boundaries, forming a dynamically adaptive and mechanically compliant intergranular network. This WTR-FGB configuration appears to accommodate thermally induced lattice mismatch, mitigate strain accumulation and suppress defect evolution during thermal cycling. Correspondingly, perovskite films exhibit enhanced structural integrity, improved photoluminescence stability and reduced morphological degradation under repeated temperature variations. These material-level changes are associated with improved device performance, enabling n–i–p perovskite solar cells with a certified power conversion efficiency of 26.52%. Thermal cycling durability is also improved, with p–i–n devices retaining over 92% of initial power conversion efficiencies after 200 cycles in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Commission 61215 standard. This work suggests that mechanically adaptive WTR-FGB engineering may offer an effective pathway towards improving the efficiency and thermal robustness of perovskite photovoltaic devices under operational temperature fluctuations.
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The main data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplementary Information. Additional data are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.
Best research-cell efficiencies chart. NLR https://www.nlr.gov/media/docs/libraries/pv/cell-pv-eff.pdf (2026).
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Download references
We thank J. Yue and Y. Wei from Bruker (Beijing) Scientific Technology for their assistance with temperature-dependent AFM and nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis measurements, respectively. We acknowledge the Shenzhen HUASUAN Technology for assistance with theoretical calculations and simulations. We also acknowledge L. Ge from NT-MDT SI Beijing office for his help on the AFM-LFM measurement, and H. Liu from Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences for his help on calculations. We gratefully acknowledge the BL 03HB beamline of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) and the User Experiment Assist System of SSRF for experimental help of GIWAXS. We also thank the 1W1A-Diffuse X-ray Scattering Beamline of Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (https://cstr.cn/31109.02.BSRF.1W1A) for providing technical support and assistance in GIWAXS data collection.
This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant nos. 52203208 (L.Z.), 52325310 (R.Z.), U24A6003 (R.Z.), 52272179 (L.Z.), 52373260 (W. Hu) and 52303217 (J.W.), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST under grant no. YESS20240571 (L.Z.), Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Project at Southwest United Graduate School under grant no. 202302AO370013 (R.Z.) and the R&D Fruit Fund under grant no. 20210001 (R.Z.). This work was also sponsored by Beijing Nova Program under contract no. 20230484480 (L.Z.) and Hundred Talents Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under grant no. E2XBRD1 (P.T.).
These authors contributed equally: Lichen Zhao, Hongyu Xu, Yanran Wang, Qiuyang Li, Wei Hu.
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
Lichen Zhao, Hongyu Xu, Wei Hu, Bo Yang, Yuanwei Chen & Huai Yang
State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Frontiers Science Center for Nano-optoelectronics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Peking University, Beijing, China
Lichen Zhao, Hongyu Xu, Yanran Wang, Qiuyang Li, Hao-Hsin Chen, Weizheng Huang, Qihuang Gong & Rui Zhu
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Shanghai, China
Yifan Zheng
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
Zichen Wang & Huai Yang
Key Laboratory for Advanced Optoelectronic Integrated Chips of Jiangsu Province, Peking University Yangtze Delta Institute of Optoelectronics, Nantong, China
Jiang Wu, Chunsheng Li, Qihuang Gong & Rui Zhu
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Wen-Yi Yu & Jing-Jong Shyue
Experimental Center for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
Tinglu Song
2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
Yiping Zhao & Pengyi Tang
Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing, China
Yu Chen
Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
Xingyu Gao
Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
Qihuang Gong & Rui Zhu
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L.Z., W. Hu, Yuanwei Chen and R.Z. conceived of the idea of the work. R.Z., L.Z. and Yuanwei Chen directed and supervised the project. L.Z., H.X., W. Hu, Y.W. and H.Y. designed the experiments. W. Hu, Yuanwei Chen and H.Y. synthesized, provided and characterized the screened molecules (POM, DSC and NMR measurements). H.X. and L.Z. conducted the viscosity measurement. H.X. and Y.W. fabricated all perovskite films and devices for characterizations, fabricated the n–i–p PSCs with assistance from B.Y. and performed the SEM measurements. Y.W. conducted the EDS analysis. Q.L. and Y.W. fabricated and tested the p–i–n PSCs. Q.L., H.X. and L.Z. contributed to the certification of PSCs. Z.W. carried out part of the theoretical calculations. Y.W., H.X., W. Huang, B.Y. and H.-H.C. performed the in situ GIWAXS measurements with support from Yu Chen and X.G., and H.X. and Y.W. analysed the results. J.W. and C.L. fabricated and tested the p–i–n minimodules. H.X., L.Z. and T.S. contributed to the ToF-SIMS measurement, and Q.L. analysed the corresponding data. W.-Y.Y. and J.-J.S. conducted the in situ XPS measurements and analysed the results together with Y.W. and L.Z. Y. Zhao and P.T. performed the HRTEM, STEM and EELS measurements and analysed the data. H.X. carried out the PL, PLQY, FTIR and thermal cycling measurements (−40 °C to 85 °C) of PSCs. Y. Zheng performed the extreme thermal stress tests (−120 °C to 120 °C) of PSCs. Y.W. performed the SCLC, in situ temperature-dependent AFM and nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis measurement and analysed data with L.Z. B.Y. and Y.W. conducted the contact angle measurements. L.Z. and Y.W. analysed the calculation and simulation results. Q.G. gave suggestions on the optoelectronic characterizations. L.Z. and H.X. wrote the first draft of the paper. L.Z., W. Hu, Yuanwei Chen, H.Y., Q.G. and R.Z. revised the paper. All authors reviewed and commented on the paper.
Correspondence to Lichen Zhao, Wei Hu, Yuanwei Chen, Huai Yang or Rui Zhu.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Photonics thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Notes 1–6, Figs. 1–48 and Tables 1–6.
Time-dependent evolution of F5, F7, F9 and their mixtures (F57, F59, F79 and F579) in vessels during inversion, illustrating their flow behaviour at room temperature.
Time-resolved AIMD simulation of a bare perovskite surface without F579 adsorption at −40 °C over a 10-ps trajectory.
Time-resolved AIMD simulation of a perovskite surface with F579 adsorption at −40 °C over a 10-ps trajectory.
Time-resolved AIMD simulation of a bare perovskite surface without F579 adsorption at 85 °C over a 10-ps trajectory.
Time-resolved AIMD simulation of a perovskite surface with F579 adsorption at 85 °C over a 10-ps trajectory.
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
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Zhao, L., Xu, H., Wang, Y. et al. Wide-temperature-range fluid-phase grain boundaries for temperature-robust perovskite solar cells. Nat. Photon. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-026-01943-x
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Received: 12 October 2025
Accepted: 15 May 2026
Published: 15 June 2026
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-026-01943-x
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China’s top coal-producing region plans to build the country’s largest base for turning coal into oil, gas and chemicals to help reduce reliance on imports, highlighting how the Iran war has sharpened China’s focus on energy security.
Inner Mongolia is also China’s top producer of renewable energy, making it a microcosm of the country's complicated energy transition, with a reliance on foreign oil sitting alongside a relative abundance of coal.
At the same time, the process of converting coal into petroleum products is a significant and growing source of carbon emissions, challenging China's climate goals.
"We are scaling up and strengthening the domestic production capacity of coal-to-oil, coal-to-gas and coal-to-chemical projects in order to increase the domestic self-sufficiency of oil and gas," Huang Zhiqiang, the number two official in the region, said at a press conference on Thursday without providing further details.
A growing industry found almost nowhere else, production is still small compared to the vast amount of oil and gas China imports. China’s production volume of gas, liquids and chemicals from coal in 2024 was enough to replace only about 6 percent of the gas and crude oil China imported that year.
However, production is growing and in May, China's environment ministry signed off on a 22.1 billion yuan (US$3.3 billion), 800,000 metric-tons-per-year coal-to-olefin demonstration project in Ordos, Inner Mongolia. Olefin is a basic building block for plastics and chemicals.
Profits for the coal-to-petrochemicals industry have surged since the Iran war as the use of cheap domestic coal puts it at an advantage over petrochemical competitors who rely on more expensive oil as a feedstock.
Huang did not directly respond to questions on how policymakers would address the carbon cost of the process, but said Inner Mongolia is balancing utilisation of its massive coal reserves with growing development of renewable energy, which has risen to 53 percent of the region's installed capacity.
Government documents show plans to promote green hydrogen in coal-to-chemicals projects, a move that clean energy advocates warn should not be used to justify further expansion of the sector.
Inner Mongolia produces around 1.25 billion to 1.28 billion tons of coal every year, Huang said, more than a quarter of China’s total. Two-thirds of that is produced in Ordos, where the government is building the coal-to-petrochemicals base.
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Following a May incident in Gütersloh, Germany, where a firefighter was injured by electric shock during a blaze at a site with photovoltaic roof tiles, another fire broke out at a home fitted with solar tiles on June 9 in Kleve.
The fire affected a single-family home and required about 65 firefighters, who worked for nearly five hours to extinguish the fire. Initial reports of a balcony fire escalated after crews arrived and found the roof structure involved.
According to Kleve fire department spokesperson Florian Pose, the roof included integrated photovoltaic tiles and a green roof system, which complicated firefighting by making hotspots harder to detect and prolonging operations.
The fire remained confined to the roof, and the interior was not affected. All occupants evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported. The cause is still under investigation.
During the operation, firefighters partially dismantled the roof to reach hidden hotspots and fully extinguish the fire. The intervention lasted until about 7:00 p.m., after which the fire was out and the road was reopened.
One key challenge with integrated photovoltaic roofs is that the modules continue generating voltage when exposed to sunlight. “When the sun is shining, these modules are always energized,” said fire department spokesperson Florian Pose.
Unlike standard rooftop systems where panels are mounted above the roof, solar tiles are built into the structure itself. This makes access more difficult and complicates ventilation and firefighting tactics.
The Kleve fire came just weeks after a similar incident in Gütersloh, where a firefighter suffered an electric shock while dismantling photovoltaic roof tiles during a roof fire. The firefighter was treated in hospital and did not suffer serious injuries.
The Gütersloh case highlighted broader risks linked to building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), including persistent electrical generation during daylight, hard-to-access conductors, and the need to remove structural roof elements during firefighting.
While European fire services have developed protocols for photovoltaic systems, the growing use of integrated solar solutions is introducing new operational challenges.
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EarthTalk Q&A
Marium Zahra June 14, 2026
—Pat Billings, Butte, MT
Agriculture requires large amounts of resources, especially water and energy. Almost a third of global greenhouse gases are linked to agriculture. As world population grows, the demand for food and agricultural production only increases. That’s where agrivoltaics come in, utilizing land for both solar installation and agricultural production, fostering a symbiotic bond between agriculture and energy.
Agriovoltaics allows for more efficient land use while also protecting agricultural yields. Solar panels protect plants from intense weather conditions and prevent them from exceeding their light saturation point, while plants help keep solar panels cool. The protection of plants also protects economies that rely on agriculture. At the same time, solar energy can power essential agricultural needs like equipment. The excess energy produced in agrivoltaics is stored in battery banks or transmitted to the grid for other users.
Agrivoltaics represents the epitome of sustainable agriculture and climate resilience because of its ability to address various concerns. It also provides a renewable energy system that directly limits greenhouse gases by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, thus mitigating the carbon footprint involved in agriculture. Agrivoltaics also promotes water conservation by ensuring that plants are not oversaturated with sunlight.
Chad Higgins, an environmental engineer at Oregon State University, told Reuters in 2023 that agrivoltaics nullifies the choice between energy and farm production. “The solar versus ag debate is a non-starter…They’re [solar panels] like any other electronic device, they become more efficient as they become cooler, so it can be a truly symbiotic relationship.”
Challenges still exist, especially cost. The high start-up expenses and the difficulty in having farmworkers adapt to new systems are obstacles that reinforce the importance of realism. Still, the many advantages of agrivoltaics are a reason for optimism. According to Colorado State University, utilizing agrivoltaics for land systems can potentially increase farm productivity from 35 to 73 percent. Through prioritizing sustainability and energy efficiency, agrivoltaics embody a win-win situation.
Agrivoltaics is only becoming more popular. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, solar energy could jump from providing 4 percent of the U.S. electrical supply to 40 percent by 2035. Moreover, policy across the United States from Colorado to New York is working to increase awareness, research, and usage of agrivoltaics systems, amplifying it as the future of sustainable agriculture.
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Solar Power World
By Aaron Gomolak, CEO, Ampt | June 15, 2026
Since its passage, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has introduced new constraints for companies seeking clean energy tax credits, requiring projects to meet both domestic content thresholds and foreign entity of concern (FEOC) sourcing restrictions. Together, these provisions have compressed eligibility timelines, created new cost considerations related to higher-priced non-FEOC equipment and generated procurement, supply chain and system design issues.
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FEOC restrictions are primarily directed at modules and components sourced from Chinese manufacturers, which have historically supplied the majority of utility-scale PV equipment in the U.S. market.
With the July 4 beginning-of-construction and safe harbor deadline approaching, developers and EPCs are racing to find approaches that remain compliant with the new law while still capturing as much of the FEOC cost advantage as possible and meeting project timelines. One strategy gaining traction is blended module procurement, combining FEOC and non-FEOC modules within the same project.
Done correctly, this approach improves supply flexibility, reduces cost pressure and preserves a pathway to achieving FEOC-compliance, domestic content and full investment tax credit (ITC) eligibility. Done incorrectly, it can eliminate tens of millions of dollars in credit value.
The OBBBA introduced two distinct compliance considerations for projects looking to secure §48E ITC and §45Y PTC. Both are important and must be properly addressed to receive full credit value, but they carry different consequences when missed.
The FEOC material assistance restriction disqualifies a project from claiming tax credits entirely if prohibited foreign entity (PFE)-sourced manufactured product costs exceed a statutory threshold. The compliance calculation, known as the material assistance cost ratio (MACR), requires that non-PFE sourced costs represent at least 40% of total manufactured product costs in 2026, rising annually to 45% in 2027, and 50% in 2028. For energy storage, the threshold jumps from 55% in 2026 to 60% in 2027, and then 65% in 2028.
The domestic content bonus adds 10 percentage points to the base credit rate for projects sourcing enough manufactured products from U.S. suppliers. The current 2026 threshold is 50% U.S.-origin cost, which is set to rise to 55% in 2027. Failing to meet this threshold forfeits the adder but not the base credit.
Most developers have remained focused on project-level FEOC and domestic content calculations. However, the regulatory text points to something stricter.
The final IRS regulations under §45Y and §48E define a unit of qualified facility as all solar panels connected to a common inverter. The MACR statute cross-references the same definition. This means that in a utility-scale project with dozens or hundreds of central inverters, each inverter block is its own compliance unit, not the project as a whole.
The OBBBA’s material assistance provisions apply to each “qualified facility” as defined under §48E, which adopts this same unit definition. IRS Notice 2026-15, which is the primary FEOC compliance guidance issued under the OBBBA, confirms that a separate MACR calculation is required for each qualified facility, meaning per-inverter-block compliance is the operative standard. Per-inverter-block compliance should also mean project-level compliance, so designing for the former is key. Designing for project-level compliance and being inaccurate exposes every non-compliant inverter block to credit disqualification. This creates an asymmetry that strongly favors treating the inverter block as the compliance unit immediately.
Practically, this creates a problem for blended procurement strategies. Without a solution that enables FEOC and non-FEOC modules to be mixed on the same inverter block, the only two viable architectures are:
Mixing FEOC and non-FEOC modules from different manufacturers on the same inverter is not straightforward in a conventional central inverter system. Two technical problems arise:
First, string mismatch occurs because modules from different manufacturers have different electrical characteristics, including current output, temperature coefficients and degradation profiles. In a central inverter system, mismatched strings in parallel force the inverter’s single MPPT to find a compromise operating point, reducing energy yield across all strings.
Second, reverse current damage can occur when a higher-current string drives current backward through a lower-current string in a parallel-connected configuration, potentially damaging bypass diodes and cells. This risk grows as the two module populations age at different rates over the asset life. It may also put module warranties at risk.
Addressing these issues is necessary to preserve system performance, reliability and long-term project economics while navigating FEOC and domestic content requirements.
Ampt string optimizers are DC/DC converters deployed between the module strings and the combiner box. Each optimizer performs independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) on its input strings, conditioning each string’s output before it combines with others on the DC bus. This eliminates the direct parallel electrical connection between dissimilar strings, removing mismatch losses and reverse current risk.
The result is that FEOC and non-FEOC modules can be placed on the same central inverter block without electrical performance penalty, regardless of differences in manufacturer specifications or long-term degradation profiles. Every inverter block can be designed to satisfy both the per-inverter MACR threshold and the domestic content bonus threshold simultaneously.
Optimizers can be deployed across all strings to enable blending of FEOC and non-FEOC modules on each inverter block, achieving per-inverter FEOC compliance and full eligibility for ITC and the domestic content bonus. Full deployment also captures additional system-level benefits, including reduced electrical balance-of-system cost, inverter and transformer capex savings, improved lifetime energy yield and O&M savings from granular string-level monitoring data that also supports compliance documentation efforts. A partial deployment, for example only on the strings carrying non-FEOC modules, can also achieve the blending capability needed for per-inverter compliance.
Ampt has modeled the economic impact of these design decisions across four scenarios for a representative 130-MW_DC utility-scale project. The scenarios progress from a 0% FEOC baseline through full optimizer deployment with 70% FEOC module procurement.
Based on a 130-MW_DC/100-MW_AC project, 2026 construction start, $1.10/W installed cost, 30% base ITC, 93.5¢ transfer price, $0.08/W FEOC module price advantage. Scenario B result reflects ITC on non-FEOC blocks only with domestic content bonus lost due to per-inverter test failure on FEOC-dedicated blocks.
The four scenarios together frame a range of economic outcomes. Scenario A — all non-FEOC modules, no optimizer — achieves full ITC and domestic content bonus eligibility but forfeits the procurement cost advantage that FEOC modules offer. At scale, that forgone savings represents millions of dollars in higher module costs relative to a blended procurement strategy. Scenario B captures the FEOC module cost advantage by having FEOC and non-FEOC modules on separate inverter blocks but ends up with only ITC qualification on the non-FEOC inverter blocks and loses the domestic content bonus altogether, producing the worst outcome of the four. Scenarios C and D use string optimizers to blend modules on each inverter block enabling full ITC and domestic content bonus eligibility while also capturing FEOC module procurement savings. In the case of the full deployment of optimizers in scenario D, there are additional system-level cost savings and energy production benefits. Both optimizer scenarios generate materially higher total value than the others.
A full technical paper detailing the compliance framework, the engineering basis for the blending solution and the complete four-scenario value analysis is available by contacting Ampt or downloading online. Developers with specific project configurations are welcome to reach out to Ampt for a project-specific compliance and value analysis.
As the July 2026 safe harbor and construction deadline approaches, utility-scale developers can no longer treat FEOC compliance, domestic content strategy and system design as separate workstreams. The regulatory framework links all three, and the financial consequences of misalignment can be worth tens of millions of dollars. Yet, proactive design strategies that enable cost-effective blending of FEOC and non-FEOC modules, without compromising performance, reliability or compliance, are the practical path to preserving full tax credit eligibility and maximizing project value.
Aaron Gomolak is CEO of Ampt, a manufacturer of DC power management products for utility-scale solar and energy storage systems. Ampt has direct experience with deploying blended module PV system designs at scale.
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Researchers from the East China University of Science and Technology have investigated degradation mechanisms in low-silver electrodes used in heterojunction (HJT) solar cells, with the aim of developing design guidelines for manufacturing cost-competitive and high-efficiency photovoltaic modules.
“Our study systematically investigates the thermal aging behavior of silver (Ag)-coated copper (CU) electrodes in heter solar cells, revealing significant increases in contact resistance due to interdiffusion between the Ag and Cu layers,” corresponding author Xiaojun Ye told pv magazine. “It clarifies the underlying degradation mechanisms and provides important guidance for the design of cost-effective and reliable metallization strategies for HJT solar modules.”
The research was based on the premise that the thermal aging behavior of silver-coated copper electrodes is still not fully understood, particularly for thin Ag shells used in commercial pastes. With this in mind, the scientists investigated, in particular, degradation under accelerated aging, linking microstructural evolution and interdiffusion to electrical performance and long-term reliability.
For their experiments, they used a silver-coated copper paste composed of core–shell particles, submicron silver powder, and an epoxy resin matrix, with particles sized 2–4 μm and an around 70 nm Ag shell. It was screen-printed onto n-type monocrystalline silicon wafers, followed by drying at 150 C and curing at 195 C.
The electrical performance of silver-coated copper electrodes was assessed through the transmission line method (TLM), which is a standard technique used to measure electrical properties of semiconductor contacts. In a typical TLM measurement, a set of metal contacts is fabricated on the surface of a sample with varying distances between them. By measuring the total resistance between different contact pairs and analyzing how this resistance changes with spacing, it becomes possible to separate and quantify key parameters such as contact resistivity and sheet resistance.
This approach is especially valuable in solar cell research because it provides a direct way to assess how contact quality changes under different processing conditions or thermal aging, helping researchers understand degradation mechanisms at the interface. It is primarily used to determine line resistance (Rline) – the electrical resistance along a printed or deposited metal line – and contact resistivity (ρc) – how easily current flows across the metal–semiconductor interface
The analysis showed that both Rline and ρc increase with aging time, with a strong dependence on temperature. Moreover, contact resistivity was found to be significantly more sensitive to temperature than Rline, indicating that interfacial degradation is the dominant factor in electrical failure.
Through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), focused ion deam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), and X-ray Diffraction(XRD) the researchers confirmed that degradation is driven primarily by Ag–Cu interdiffusion and defect formation.
Overall, the research team concluded that the electrical behavior is governed by two competing processes: on one hand, sintering improves particle-to-particle contact and temporarily enhances electrical connectivity; on the other hand, interdiffusion between Ag and Cu, along with defect formation, progressively damages the internal structure.
As aging progresses, the second process overtakes the first, with the originally continuous conductive network breaking apart into isolated and poorly connected pathways, thus forcing electrons to travel through a more tortuous, discontinuous structure. This transition from a well-connected network to a fragmented transport regime is what ultimately drives severe long-term electrical degradation.
“Theoretical analysis indicates that, under practical operating conditions, interfacial diffusion and void evolution are the primary factors governing long-term reliability. Therefore, enhancing interfacial stability is critical for improving device durability,” the academics emphasized.
The research work was presented in the paper “Thermal aging-induced interdiffusion and reliability degradation in low-silver electrodes for SHJ solar cells,” published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. “Our findings offer critical insights for balancing silver reduction with long-term module reliability in HJT technology.”
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Business report also includes data centers and Vinegar Hill.
Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Data centers are not the only controversial projects in county governments around here. The Sangamon County Board has turned down a proposed solar farm.

Michelle Ownbey, executive editor of the Springfield Business Journal, told the WTAX Morning Newswatch. “This is going to be very interesting from a legal standpoint. The Sangamon County Board’s own attorney told them that, were they to reject this solar project, the developer would have a very strong case in court, but the board basically said, watch this, and did it anyway.”
As for data centers, Ownbey said, “Logan County just enacted a twelve-month moratorium, kicking the can down the road, but the developer for a proposed project there has not said whether they plan to stick around or file legal challenges.”
A data center is planned about two miles west of Taylorville. Ownbey said, “It is anticipated to be ten times more expensive to build than the Cyrus One project here in Sangamon County. Critics are already alleging that the board and the developer have not been forthcoming about private discussions and the potential impact of the project. And the developer is claiming it will create 500 jobs paying six figures a year. I don’t know, that sounds like it might be in the ‘too good to be true’ category.”
A representative of that Christian County development emailed Capitol City Now to take issue with Ownbey’s remarks. Said Jennifer Handshaw of iMiller Public Relations:

 

There is also news about the Conn Hospitality Group‘s unwinding of some of its properties. It had placed Vinegar Hill Mall and the adjacent DeWitt-Wickliffe-Smith mansion up for auction. Neither sold. Since then, the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation has purchased the mansion, which the Conns had been using as a headquarters. 
Morning news anchor, WTAX
Illinois has had the most tornadoes this year so far.
Business report also includes data centers and Vinegar Hill.
The city’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, now in its 32nd year, features activities throughout the week leading up to June 19, the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
A new best seller calls her a true woman behind the man.
On Wednesday, June 10th, a tornado hit the Animal Protective League and left 155 dogs and […]

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Despite being the smallest state by land area in the U.S., Rhode Island packs a punch in utility-scale solar development. A new study out of the University of Rhode Island revealed that the state’s 119 ground-mounted solar projects sized 1 MW and larger are heavily clustered into tight, overlapping corridors.
The study found that solar deployment is not distributed evenly. Instead, projects are packing tightly within specific zones inside Kent and Providence counties.
While early developers likely flocked to these areas due to favorable local zoning or open terrain, that geographic consolidation creates a massive headache for the next wave of projects: 
The University of Rhode Island’s study found that the median distance between a solar farm and its nearest neighbor is just 1,531 meters.
When solar projects aggregate in distinct geographic pockets, the localized community impact multiplies. Instead of a single town dealing with an isolated project, entire multi-town regions are watching large tracts of land transition to solar infrastructure. The study warns that this hyper-concentration of projects gives local opposition groups ammunition, leading to stricter local ordinances, moratoriums, and complex permitting hurdles.
Because these clusters routinely cross over municipal borders, the study notes that traditional town-by-town zoning reviews are ill-equipped to process the regional requirements of utility-scale solar expansion.
The report suggests early market opportunities of “low-hanging fruit” in established solar hotspots is hitting a wall. To dodge localized grid saturation and fierce permitting pushback, developers must look past individual municipal zoning maps.
Winning in compact markets will require shifting toward sophisticated regional planning, targeting unclustered territories, and anticipating where the next regional development corridors will form before the local grid locks up. Find the full spatial analysis here.
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Arkansas Solar Tax Breaks Spark Lawsuits and Taxpayer Revolt  Arkansas Business
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Principality Stadium Installs Over 3,000 Solar Panels in UK’s Largest Stadium Rooftop Solar Project  SolarQuarter
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From pv magazine India
HVR Solar, a Delhi-based solar module manufacturer and EPC services provider, plans to set up a 1.2 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility in the Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh.
The company has signed memorandums of understanding with several technology and equipment partners for the project, including Shenzhen Han’s Photovoltaic Equipment Co., Ltd., Gentech Technology (Huzhou) Co. Ltd., and IndyGreen Technologies.
Shenzhen Han’s Photovoltaic Equipment Co., Ltd. is a China-based supplier specialized equipment used in solar cell and module production lines, including automation systems and precision manufacturing tools widely deployed in high-throughput PV factories. Gentech Technology (Huzhou) Co. Ltd. is a Chinese industrial technology firm focused on photovoltaic production equipment and manufacturing automation solutions, typically supporting scaling of cell and module assembly lines for global solar manufacturers.
IndyGreen Technologies is an India-based clean energy technology and engineering company involved in EPC services and renewable energy project development, often working with solar manufacturers and developers on plant setup, integration, and project execution support.
HVR Solar said the Amroha facility is expected to generate more than 500 local jobs and contribute to the company’s next phase of expansion in high-efficiency solar cell manufacturing.
The announcement comes alongside HVR Solar’s broader capacity-building roadmap, including plans to commission a 1.2 GW solar module manufacturing facility in Sonipat, Haryana, in June 2026. Located on a 6.5-acre site near Murthal, the plant will produce TOPCon and heterojunction (HJT) solar modules.

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How Lucknow became India’s no 1 solar panel capital. Surat left behind  ThePrint
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A research team from China has proposed a novel interfacial buffering strategy for pseudo-planar heterojunction (PPHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs), aiming to improve device stability and fabrication reliability. PPHJ architectures, which combine features of both planar and bulk heterojunction designs, are widely used in high-performance OSCs because they enable efficient charge separation while maintaining relatively well-defined donor–acceptor interfaces.
PPHJ cells are typically fabricated via layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition, in which donor and acceptor materials are sequentially deposited. This creates a favorable vertical phase separation that promotes charge transport and exciton dissociation. However, during acceptor deposition, the solvent can swell or partially dissolve the underlying donor layer, causing excessive intermixing, degraded morphology, increased recombination, and reduced device performance. The proposed interfacial buffering strategy introduces a protective layer that minimizes direct solvent–donor interaction, preserving film integrity and enabling more controlled and reproducible interface formation.
“Here, a simple approach for incorporating a highly crystalline polymer as a buffer layer between the donor and acceptor layers is proposed,” the researchers said.
The group incorporated a highly crystalline polymer called D18 as a buffer layer between the donor and acceptor layers in three different cell designs: PM6/L8-BO, PM6:D18/L8-BO, and PM6/D18/L8-BO.
To create the PM6/D18/L8-BO architecture, they first spin-coated a PM6 donor layer onto a 2PACz-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate. Next, a thin D18 layer was deposited on top of the PM6, forming a crystalline solvent-resistant barrier. The L8-BO acceptor layer was then spin-coated onto the D18 layer, followed by post-treatment and thermal annealing. Finally, a electron-transport layer made of a n-type interfacial layer material knonw as PDINN and a silver electrode were deposited, resulting in a device structure of ITO/2PACz/PM6/D18/L8-BO/PDINN/Ag.
The PM6/L8-BO and PM6:D18/L8-BO devices were fabricated as reference cells. The PM6/L8-BO structure represented a conventional LBL device without protection against solvent erosion, whereas PM6:D18/L8-BO was used to assess the effect of directly blending D18 into the donor layer. These active layers were incorporated into the same device architecture, resulting in ITO/2PACz/PM6/L8-BO/PDINN/Ag and ITO/2PACz/PM6:D18/L8-BO/PDINN/Ag devices, respectively.
The PM6/D18/L8-BO-based device was found to achieve a superior power conversion efficiency of 19.80%, surpassing both the conventional PM6/L8-BO device (18.53%) and the PM6:D18/L8-BO architecture (19.21%), where D18 was directly blended into the donor phase. According to the team, the optimized morphology enhances exciton generation and separation while simultaneously reducing interfacial trap states and suppressing non-radiative energy losses. It also facilitates faster hole transfer kinetics and extends carrier lifetimes, indicating improved charge transport and reduced recombination.
Building on these results, the researchers further incorporated a non-fullerene small-molecule acceptor (NFA) known as BTP-eC9 into the PM6/D18/L8-BO active layer by pre-blending it with the L8-BO acceptor prior to deposition. This additional modification led to a further increase in device performance, reaching an efficiency of 20.21%, which the authors highlight as one of the highest reported efficiencies for pseudo-planar heterojunction (PPHJ) organic solar cells.
“Overall, this work highlights a simple yet effective approach to simultaneously regulate the active layer morphology and enhance the device performance, offering practical insights for the scalable fabrication of high-performance PPHJ OSCs with precisely controlled vertical phase separation (VPS) morphology,” the academics concluded.
The cell design was described in “Erosion-immune Layer-by-layer Deposition Enabled by Interfacial Buffering toward 20.21%-Efficient Pseudo-Planar Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells,” published in the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science. Researchers from China’s Jiangxi Normal University, Zhejiang University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Changzhou University, and Gannan Normal University have contributed to the research.

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According to the latest IndexBox report on the global Roof Flashing Kits for Solar Modules market, the market enters 2026 with broader demand fundamentals, more disciplined procurement behavior, and a more regionally diversified supply architecture.
The World Roof Flashing Kits for Solar Modules market is entering a sustained growth phase, with projections indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the range of 8–13% from 2026 to 2035. This expansion is fundamentally tied to the accelerating global deployment of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, which is expected to more than double over the forecast period. Roof flashing kits, which provide a critical weatherproof seal around roof penetrations for solar module mounts, are an essential, non-discretionary component of any rooftop installation. As building codes worldwide tighten requirements for fire safety, wind uplift resistance, and moisture barriers, the specification and adoption of high-quality, certified flashing kits are becoming mandatory rather than optional. The market is currently valued at approximately USD 1.2 billion in 2025, with residential and small commercial installations accounting for roughly 60–65% of total unit demand. Replacement and retrofit demand, while currently representing 10–18% of volumes, is growing faster than new installations as early solar arrays from the 2010s begin to age and require maintenance. Material costs, particularly for aluminum extrusions and stainless steel, remain a key variable influencing pricing and margins. The market is also witnessing a shift toward integrated, pre-assembled kits that reduce on-roof installation time by an estimated 20–30%, driving procurement toward bundled solutions. Regionalization of supply chains is accelerating, with manufacturers establishing local production facilities in North America, Europe, and India to mitigate trade tariff exposure and shorten lead times. Digital design tools, including solar-specific CAD plugins and automated bill-of-material generators, are bec
The baseline scenario for the World Roof Flashing Kits for Solar Modules market through 2035 is one of robust, sustained growth, underpinned by structural demand drivers that are largely independent of short-term economic cycles. The primary engine remains the global expansion of rooftop solar PV capacity, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10–15% over the forecast period, driven by falling solar panel costs, government incentives, and corporate renewable energy targets. As of 2025, the market is estimated at USD 1.2 billion, with volumes expected to reach approximately USD 3.0–4.5 billion by 2035 in nominal terms, assuming a mid-range CAGR of 10.5%. The market index (2025=100) is projected to reach 270 by 2035, reflecting a near-tripling of demand. The residential segment will continue to dominate, accounting for 55–65% of kit volumes, but the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment is expected to grow faster as large warehouse and factory rooftops are increasingly utilized for solar generation. Replacement and retrofit demand will become a significant growth vector, particularly after 2030, as the first wave of residential solar installations from the 2010s reaches 15–20 years of age and requires flashing replacement due to seal degradation. Material costs, especially for aluminum, will remain a key variable; however, the trend toward integrated, pre-assembled kits is expected to improve margins for manufacturers by reducing SKU complexity and enabling higher value-add pricing. Regional dynamics will shift, with Asia-Pacific maintaining the largest share (40–45%) due to massive rooftop solar programs in China, India, and Southeast Asia, while North America and Europe will see above-average growth rates driven by regulatory mandates and retrofit demand. Trade flow
The residential segment is the largest consumer of roof flashing kits, accounting for approximately 58% of global demand. This segment is driven by the rapid expansion of residential rooftop solar installations, particularly in markets like the United States, Germany, Australia, and China. Homeowners increasingly prioritize roof integrity and leak prevention, making certified flashing kits a standard requirement. The trend toward integrated, pre-assembled kits is especially strong here, as installers seek to reduce on-roof labor time. By 2035, the residential segment will see sustained growth, with replacement demand becoming a significant factor as systems installed in the 2010s require flashing replacement. Key demand-side indicators include residential solar installation rates, new home construction with solar-ready roofs, and homeowner insurance requirements for roof penetrations. The shift toward higher-value, multi-layer flashing kits with fire-stop and wind-uplift ratings is expected to increase average selling prices. Current trend: Dominant and growing steadily, driven by falling solar panel costs and homeowner incentives.
Major trends: Integration of flashing kits with pre-assembled mounting rails and sealant systems to reduce installation time, Growing demand for color-matched and low-profile flashing to improve aesthetic integration with roof tiles, Increasing specification of fire-stop and wind-uplift rated kits to meet evolving building codes, and Rise of digital design tools enabling precise kit selection based on roof pitch, tile type, and local codes.
Representative participants: Quick Mount PV, EcoFasten Solar, IronRidge, Pegasus Solar, SunModo, and TileRoof Solar.
The commercial and industrial segment accounts for 25% of roof flashing kit demand and is the fastest-growing end-use sector. This growth is fueled by the increasing deployment of solar panels on large commercial rooftops, including warehouses, distribution centers, factories, and retail buildings. C&I installations typically involve larger arrays and require flashing kits that can withstand higher wind loads and provide long-term durability. The segment is characterized by procurement through specialized solar mounting system distributors and EPC contractors. By 2035, the C&I segment will benefit from corporate renewable energy targets and government mandates for solar on new commercial buildings. Demand-side indicators include commercial building construction starts, corporate solar procurement contracts, and the availability of tax incentives for commercial solar. The trend toward integrated, pre-assembled flashing solutions is strong here, as they reduce installation time and labor costs on large-scale projects. Current trend: Fastest-growing segment, driven by large warehouse and factory rooftop solar projects.
Major trends: Adoption of pre-assembled, integrated flashing kits to reduce on-roof labor time for large arrays, Increasing demand for high-wind-uplift rated flashing kits for warehouse and industrial rooftops, Growing use of digital design and BIM tools for precise flashing kit specification in commercial projects, and Shift toward stainless steel and corrosion-resistant materials for long-term durability in harsh environments.
Representative participants: K2 Systems, Schletter Group, Mounting Systems GmbH, Renusol, IronRidge, and S-5!.
This segment, representing 8% of demand, covers roof flashing kits used in utility-scale solar installations that incorporate roof-like structures, such as solar carports, canopies, and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. While most utility-scale solar is ground-mounted and does not require roof flashing, the growing adoption of solar carports in commercial parking lots and BIPV in new building construction creates a specific demand for flashing kits that seal penetrations in these structures. The segment is driven by the expansion of solar carport installations at commercial facilities, airports, and stadiums. By 2035, this segment will grow in line with the broader adoption of solar canopies, particularly in regions with high land costs. Demand-side indicators include commercial parking lot solar installations and BIPV building projects. The trend toward integrated, pre-assembled flashing solutions is less pronounced here, as installations are often custom-engineered. Current trend: Niche but stable, driven by solar canopies and building-integrated PV structures.
Major trends: Growth of solar carport installations at commercial and institutional facilities, Increasing adoption of BIPV systems in new building construction, requiring specialized flashing solutions, Custom engineering of flashing kits for non-standard roof-like structures, and Demand for high-durability, corrosion-resistant flashing for exposed outdoor environments.
Representative participants: S-5!, Schletter Group, K2 Systems, Mounting Systems GmbH, and IronRidge.
The replacement and retrofit segment, while currently accounting for only 7% of total demand, is the fastest-growing sub-segment, with a projected CAGR of 15-20% through 2035. This growth is driven by the aging of the first wave of residential and commercial solar installations from the 2010s, which are now reaching 10-15 years of age. Roof flashing kits in these older installations often suffer from seal degradation, corrosion, or incompatibility with newer mounting systems. Replacement demand is also fueled by roof replacement projects, where solar arrays must be removed and reinstalled with new flashing. By 2035, this segment could account for 15-20% of total demand as the installed base of rooftop solar continues to age. Key demand-side indicators include the age distribution of existing solar installations, roof replacement rates, and the availability of retrofit-compatible flashing kits. The trend toward universal, adjustable flashing boots that can fit multiple rail types is particularly important for this segment. Current trend: Fastest-growing sub-segment, driven by aging installations from the 2010s.
Major trends: Development of universal, adjustable flashing boots compatible with multiple solar rail types for retrofit applications, Growing demand for replacement flashing kits with improved sealant technology and longer warranties, Integration of flashing kits with roof replacement services, offering bundled solutions to homeowners, and Rise of specialized retrofit contractors focusing on solar array maintenance and flashing replacement.
Representative participants: Quick Mount PV, EcoFasten Solar, IronRidge, SunModo, and Pegasus Solar.
The new construction segment, representing 2% of demand, is an emerging growth area driven by building codes and regulations that require new residential and commercial buildings to be solar-ready. These codes mandate that roofs be designed and constructed to accommodate future solar panel installations, including the installation of roof flashing kits for future mounting points. While the current share is small, this segment is expected to grow rapidly as more jurisdictions adopt solar-ready building codes, particularly in California, the European Union, and parts of Asia. By 2035, this segment could account for 5-8% of total demand as solar-ready requirements become more widespread. Key demand-side indicators include new housing starts in regions with solar-ready mandates and the adoption of building codes by local governments. The trend toward pre-installed flashing kits as part of the roofing system is emerging, with some builders integrating flashing into new roof installations to reduce future installation costs. Current trend: Emerging segment, driven by building codes requiring solar-ready roofs on new homes.
Major trends: Adoption of solar-ready building codes in California, EU, and other regions, driving pre-installation of flashing kits, Integration of flashing kits into new roofing systems by roofing contractors during initial roof installation, Development of low-profile, aesthetically pleasing flashing kits for new construction to maintain roof appearance, and Collaboration between solar mounting manufacturers and roofing material suppliers for integrated solutions.
Representative participants: Quick Mount PV, EcoFasten Solar, IronRidge, Pegasus Solar, and TileRoof Solar.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
Asia-Pacific holds the largest market share at 42%, driven by China’s massive residential solar program, India’s rooftop solar targets, and growing adoption in Southeast Asia. The region benefits from low manufacturing costs and expanding local production capacity. Growth is supported by government incentives and falling solar panel prices. By 2035, the region’s share is expected to remain dominant, with India and Southeast Asia showing the fastest growth rates. Direction: Dominant and growing rapidly, driven by massive rooftop solar programs in China, India, and Southeast Asia.
North America accounts for 28% of global demand, with the United States as the largest single market. Growth is fueled by the Inflation Reduction Act incentives, California’s solar-ready building codes, and increasing residential solar adoption. The trend toward integrated, pre-assembled kits is strong. By 2035, the region will see above-average growth, particularly in the replacement and retrofit segment. Direction: Strong growth driven by residential solar expansion and building code mandates in California and other states.
Europe holds a 20% share, driven by the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive and national solar programs in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Building codes requiring fire-stop and wind-uplift rated flashing are becoming standard. The replacement market is growing as early solar arrays age. By 2035, Europe will see moderate but stable growth, with a focus on high-quality, certified products. Direction: Steady growth supported by EU renewable energy targets and tightening building waterproofing standards.
Latin America accounts for 6% of demand, with Brazil and Chile leading rooftop solar adoption. Growth is supported by falling solar costs and net metering policies, but is constrained by economic volatility and less stringent building codes. By 2035, the region will see gradual growth, with potential for acceleration if regulatory frameworks improve. Direction: Emerging market with growth potential, led by Brazil and Chile’s solar expansion.
The Middle East & Africa region holds a 4% share, with growth driven by solar adoption in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. The market is small but expanding as rooftop solar becomes more common in commercial and residential sectors. By 2035, the region will see moderate growth, supported by government renewable energy targets and falling solar costs. Direction: Small but growing market, driven by solar adoption in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
In the baseline scenario, IndexBox estimates a 10.5% compound annual growth rate for the global roof flashing kits for solar modules market over 2026-2035, bringing the market index to roughly 270 by 2035 (2025=100).
Note: indexed curves are used to compare medium-term scenario trajectories when full absolute volumes are not publicly disclosed.
For full methodological details and benchmark tables, see the latest IndexBox Roof Flashing Kits for Solar Modules market report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Roof Flashing Kits for Solar Modules market in the world, 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 the market for roof flashing kits specifically designed for solar module installations. These kits provide a weatherproof seal around roof penetrations, ensuring structural integrity and preventing leaks in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The analysis encompasses various kit configurations, materials, and compatibility with different roof types and solar mounting systems.
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 classification coverage includes products categorized under roof flashing kits for solar modules, segmented by product type (kits, components, integrated systems, consumables), application (industrial automation, electronics, semiconductor, OEM integration), and value chain stage (upstream inputs, manufacturing, distribution, after-sales support). This framework enables detailed analysis of market dynamics across different user segments and supply chain levels.
Coverage includes global totals, major demand markets, production and sourcing hubs, leading exporters and importers, and country profiles for the top national markets.
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
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Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
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Offers integrated flashing solutions for solar mounting
Provides solar flashing kits under GAF Energy
Produces flashing kits for solar roof attachments
Integrated flashing in Solar Roof system
Specialist in roof flashing for solar modules
Known for watertight flashing solutions
Offers flashing kits for composition and tile roofs
Provides integrated flashing for various roof types
European-origin, strong in residential flashing kits
Offers flashing solutions for pitched roofs
Provides roof hooks and flashing for solar modules
Known for ClickFit EVO flashing system
Offers roof flashing kits for solar installations
Specialist in non-penetrating flashing for standing seam
Focus on low-profile flashing for tile roofs
Offers integrated flashing for composition shingle
Supplies flashing components for solar roof attachments
Produces flashing boots for solar conduit penetrations
Supplies flashing materials via subsidiary
Offers roof flashing anchors for solar
Provides flashing brackets for solar mounting
Specialist in flat roof flashing for solar
Offers solar flashing kits through subsidiary
Provides integrated flashing for solar on flat roofs
Supplies flashing accessories for solar attachments
Offers flashing kits for solar on commercial roofs
Provides solar flashing solutions for flat roofs
Offers flashing for solar thermal and PV
Supplies slate flashing kits for solar modules
Pioneer in integrated flashing, now part of Tesla
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The Ann Arbor City Council will vote tonight to spend nearly $1 million for the purchase and storage of solar panels for the Sustainable Energy Utility.
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SEU Executive Director Shoshannah Lenski says it’s a major milestone for the utility.
Lenski says that will help secure $3 million in tax credits, which will be critical in keeping solar rates affordable. She says they are preparing to serve hundreds of residents in the coming years.
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Nature Sustainability (2026) Cite this article
Harnessing rooftop photovoltaic (RPV) generation to power electric vehicles (EVs) can substantially accelerate the renewable energy transition and carbon mitigation. Yet, the mismatch between electricity generation and charging demand, exacerbated by rapid EV adoption, introduces large uncertainties in charging capacity, economic feasibility and decarbonization potential. Here we assess the spatiotemporal scalability of PV-powered EV charging across 40 global cities, analysing 3.38 billion charging records from 22,000 charging piles. Under three charging strategies, influential factors affecting daily charging capacity (generation-to-demand ratio) across all urban microgrids of varying sizes consistently followed an exponential scaling law. By 2050, RPV generation is projected to double in each city (1.6–434.7 TWh yr⁻¹), supported by rooftop area expansions aligned with the shared socioeconomic pathways and charging demand will rise 4–1,759-fold (1.5–10,451.7 GWh yr⁻¹), driven by increased EV adoption under International Energy Agency scenarios. Under these evolving conditions, the annual charging capacity of each city declines but remains sufficient to meet 2050 charging demands. Across all cities, total revenue is projected at US$3,173.2 (±99.5) billion with accumulative carbon mitigation of 11.9(±0.4) Gt from 2025 to 2050. These results suggest that RPV-powered EV charging can remain economically viable and sufficient to meet growing demand across diverse urban settings through 2050.
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The historical EV charging data and simulated RPV potential of the 40 cities are available via GitHub at https://github.com/IntelligentSystemsLab/SolarCityEV/tree/main/data. Source data are provided with this paper.
The code used to manipulate the data and generate the results is available via GitHub at https://github.com/IntelligentSystemsLab/SolarCityEV/tree/main/code.
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Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to R.Z. This work was supported by Jiangsu Provincial Double Initiative Project (grant no. 164080H00265 (R.Z.)), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 62576366 (L.Y.), 42325107 (M.C.) and 625B2185 (Z.G.)), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (grant no. 2026A1515011721 (Z.G.)) and the RISE Project of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (grant no. P0051003 (J.Y.)).
School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
Linlin You & Zihan Guo
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Transportation Systems, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Linlin You & Zihan Guo
State Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
Rui Zhu, Min Chen & Guonian Lü
Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment (Ministry of Education of PRC), Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
Rui Zhu, Min Chen & Guonian Lü
Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Rui Zhu & Zheng Qin
Senseable City Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Paolo Santi & Carlo Ratti
Istituto di Informatica e Telematica del CNR, Pisa, Italy
Paolo Santi
ABC Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Carlo Ratti
Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
A. T. D. Perera
Shanghai Innovation Institute, Shanghai, China
Zihan Guo
Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Ziyi Huang
Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Shixiang Xing
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Jinyue Yan
International Centre of Urban Energy Nexus, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Jinyue Yan
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R.Z. proposed the research idea and led the project. L.Y., R.Z., P.S., C.R. and A.T.D.P. designed the research. Z.G., R.Z., Z.H., L.Y. and S.X. performed the research. R.Z. and L.Y. wrote the first version of the paper. M.C., G.L., Z.Q. and J.Y. provided scientific and technical guidance. L.Y. provided source data. L.Y., R.Z., P.S., C.R., A.T.D.P., Z.G., Z.H., S.X., M.C., G.L., Z.Q. and J.Y. were involved in data production and provided feedback on the paper.
Correspondence to Rui Zhu.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Sustainability thanks Muhammad Irfantheir, Martin Raubalfor and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The top-down stage predicts the daily EV charging demand by applying a federated meta-learning framework and estimates the RPV electricity generation to explore the spatial patterns of daily solar EV charging capacity. The bottom-up stage uses an integrated scenario framework to estimate the projected annual EV charging capacity and derive the economic feasibility, enabling the assessment of carbon mitigation potential by 2050.
Several cities experienced dramatic increases in EVCDs, such as AMS, BER, CPH, DUB, etc. This is because the installation of new charging stations immediately followed by intensive charging demands, revealed from the geospatial analysis investigating the locations of charging stations over time. Large variations of the real EVCD imply great challenges in accurately forecasting daily EVCD at each station.
Source data
The prediction and observation values were normalised between 0 and 1 for easy comparison. The linear regression fits are shown with 95% confidence intervals (light red bands). EVS and R² are close to 1 and the biases are notably small, demonstrating outstanding performance in daily EVCD forecasting for the investigated cities.
Source data
a, The microgrids are modelled by a set of hexagons with the edge length r equalling 2 km. The maps show noticeably heterogeneous distributions of EV charging stations across cities, in terms of the number of charging stations, their density, and location. b, Annual mean charging capacities (a dimensionless quantity) vary from hundreds to a few thousand under the MES strategy. c, Annual mean charging capacities are around hundreds of thousands under the woESS strategy. There were three microgrids in Shenzhen (SZH) that did not produce rooftop PVEG as rooftops were unavailable in these regions.
a, Regression under the AES strategy. b, Regression under the MES strategy. φ^* and (rm{cc}_{m}^{* }) represent the mean ln(φ) and the mean ln(cc_m) across all 40 cities, respectively, at a given resolution of microgrids. Statistical significance was assessed by using two-sided Pearson correlation across the eight resolution-level aggregated data points (n = 8, df = 6). No adjustment for multiple comparisons was made. Pearson correlation coefficients (R) and p-values are shown in the plots. For AES, a strong negative correlation between φ^* and (rm{cc}_{m}^{* }) was observed (95% confidence interval, in [ − 0.993, − 0.795]; t(6) = − 8.54). For MES, a similarly strong negative correlation was observed (95% confidence interval in [ − 0.997, − 0.904]; t(6) = − 12.95).
Source data
The scatter plots show strong positive correlations between ln(φ) and ln(cc_m), with Pearson correlation coefficient (R) ranging between 0.53 and 0.64 (p < 0.0005) when r varies from 2 km and 16 km. Statistical significance was assessed for each plot using two-sided Pearson correlation across 40 cities (n = 40, df = 38). No adjustment for multiple comparisons was made. The 95% confidence interval and t statistics are [0.270, 0.723] and 3.86 for r = 2 km, [0.279, 0.728] and 3.93 for r = 4 km, [0.32, 0.764] and 4.48 for r = 6 km, [0.432, 0.804] and 5.31 for r = 8 km, [0.303, 0.742] and 4.13 for r = 10 km, [0.372, 0.774] and 4.73 for r = 12 km, [0.362, 0.769] and 4.66 for r = 14 km, and [0.410, 0.796] and 5.15 for r = 16 km.
Source data
The bar plot shows that the charging demands under the APS are larger than under the STEPS. Surprisingly, 6 cities are expected to grow more than 100 times, followed by 5 cities between 50 and 100 times, 15 cities between 25 and 50 times, and the remaining 14 cities smaller than 25 times.
Source data
a–e, The bar plots show the differences in annual Eg across five SSPs and present large differences across cities under the same scenario, with the smallest demand around 1.10-1.31 TWh yr⁻¹ in RVK and the largest demand around 323.13-447.72 TWh yr⁻¹ in LOA in 2050.
Source data
a,b, cc_a under the SSP2. c,d, cc_a under the SSP3. e,f, cc_a under the SSP4. g,h, cc_a under the SSP5. Overall, cc_a is the largest under the SSP5, followed by SSP2, SSP4, and SSP3, which indicates the most substantial urbanisation and consequently, the largest rooftop area expansion and PVEG. cc_a is smaller under the APS than STEPS since APS suggests a larger penetration of EVs and thus, a larger EVCD.
Source data
a,b,c, LOA, SZH, MEL, SPO, and DBA under the SSP5 obtain the largest carbon mitigation from RPVs, followed by SSP1, SSP2, SSP4, and SSP3. d,e,f, SZH, MEL, SYD, MIL, and LDN under the APS (Gasoline) achieve the largest carbon mitigation from EVs, followed by APS (Diesel), STEPS (Gasoline), and STEPS (Diesel). g,h,i, SZH, MSL, SYD, TLV, BER under the APS make the largest carbon emission from ESSs, compared to the STEPS.
Source data
Supplementary discussion, Tables 1–9, Figs. 1–19 and references.
Statistical source data for Figs. 1–5 and Extended Data Figs. 2, 3 and 5–10.
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You, L., Zhu, R., Santi, P. et al. Rooftop photovoltaic-powered electric vehicle charging for accelerated decarbonization. Nat Sustain (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01854-3
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HVR Solar Signs Global Technology MoUs to Develop 1.2 GW TOPCon Solar Cell Manufacturing Facility in Uttar Pradesh  SolarQuarter
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Tesla Solar user says closed tickets and ‘budget concerns’ meant no fix for install issue  The Cool Down
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Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance in Silicon/PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Solar Cells via Hydrogen Pretreatment of PEDOT:PSS  ACS Publications
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The CPUC voted to advance a community solar program that solar industry members are calling “unworkable.” The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) says “virtually ensures” that no new community solar projects will be developed in the state under current structure. 
Rather than creating a viable path for new, independent projects, the commission chose to implement portions of its community solar program using an existing, utility-controlled pricing structure. According to solar industry advocates and the advocacy group Californians for Local, Affordable Solar and Storage (CLASS), the regulatory decision essentially hands the keys back to the state’s investor-owned utility monopolies, the same utilities that have spent years working to ensure community solar never gets built. 
The CPUC’s decision relies on the existing Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT) pricing structure to determine grid export compensation rates, rejecting the solar industry-backed Net Value Billing Tariff model. SEIA and other industry advocates argue the rate structure makes building community solar a losing proposition for any business, ensuring projects won’t be built. 
In most U.S. community solar programs, subscribers, including homeowners and businesses, pay a discounted monthly fee for a share of a remote solar farm’s energy and receive larger credits on their standard utility bill for the electricity that share produces, typically resulting in a net savings of 5% to 20%. However, in California’s approved program, the rate paid by utilities to solar developers is too low, which stifles the creation of projects and ultimately leaves subscribers with nothing to sign up for 
Commission officials, including CPUC President John Reynolds, stated the move ensures the program grows responsibly by balancing affordability, equity, and grid reliability so non-participating customers do not pay more than the avoided wholesale cost of the generated electricity. However, clean energy groups argue the baseline wholesale metrics are far too low, destroying the predictable market economics needed to secure private capital and make new project construction viable for developers. 
The approved framework also relies on one-time federal funding, specifically the $250 million federal Solar for All grant money awarded to California. Advocates state that by packaging this federal money into an utility-led model rather than a scalable market-based program, the CPUC is effectively forfeiting the funding’s potential and dooming future deployment. 
“Today’s vote is a doubling down on failure,” said Derek Chernow, Executive Director of CLASS. “In the midst of an affordability crisis and rising utility rates, the CPUC has once again handed the keys to the utilities and called it a program. California ratepayers are drowning in electricity bills. The Legislature passed AB 2316 four years ago with clear direction to deliver a workable community solar and storage program. Instead, the CPUC produced a program that got zero projects built, forfeited $250 million in federal Solar for All funding, and is now being voted through again in essentially the same packaging.” 
The regulatory gridlock leaves California ratepayers completely cut off from bill relief during a period of record-high energy prices. While families, renters, and small businesses across the Central Valley continue to face soaring electricity costs, more than 20 other states have successfully deployed market-based community solar programs that actively save consumers money. 
With the CPUC maintaining its focus on utility-backed positions to avoid cost-shifting to non-participating customers, solar advocates argue the regulatory route through the commission is officially a dead end. 
Clean energy advocates are redirecting their efforts to the state legislature, pushing for the immediate passage of AB 1813 in the Senate to bypass the CPUC’s framework entirely and establish a functional, financeable community solar program by law.
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According to the SEIA/Wood Mackenzie US Solar Market Insight Q2 2026 report, the United States solar industry installed 7.8 gigawatts direct current (GWdc) of capacity in the first quarter of 2026. This represents a 27% decline compared to the first quarter of 2025 and a 42% decline compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, following typical industry seasonality. 
Even with this decline, solar by itself accounted for 60% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the grid during the quarter. When combined with battery storage, the two technologies accounted for 91% of all new domestic capacity additions in the first quarter. 
 On a state level, installation rankings for the first quarter of 2026 were led by Texas in the first position with 1,591 MWdc, followed by Florida with 1,044 MWdc, Ohio with 617 MWdc, Indiana in fourth, and California in fifth.
Utility-scale 
The utility-scale segment remained the largest market driver by deploying 5.9 GWdc in the first quarter of 2026. While this reflects a 34% drop year-over-year and a 45% reduction quarter-over-quarter, underlying contracting activity expanded significantly. Developers signed 6.3 GWdc of utility capacity agreements during the quarter, marking a 15% increase year-over-year. The surge in contracting was driven primarily by projects in Texas, with offtake agreements led by data and technology companies.  
Looking ahead, a total utility-scale pipeline of 216 GWdc supports a strong buildout through 2030, though near-term capacity additions face constraints from permitting headwinds.  
Specifically, a memorandum from the Department of the Interior regarding solar and wind development is estimated to be affecting roughly 30% of the early-stage utility solar project pipeline, said the report. Over the longer term, Wood Mackenzie forecasts that the utility-scale segment will add 211 GWdc between 2026 and 2031. 
Residential 
The distributed generation segments recorded divergent trends in the first quarter. The residential segment installed 1,179 MWdc of capacity, achieving a 6% increase year-over-year, though dropping 15% from the final quarter of 2025. Residential volumes were temporarily buoyed by an overflow of installations that had been initiated at the end of 2025 so customer-owned projects could qualify for the expiring Section 25D tax credit.  
California, Florida, and Illinois led the residential rankings, with Florida and Illinois posting their strongest quarters since the end of 2024.  
However, following the bankruptcy of the second largest national installer, updated permitting data, and tighter tax equity availability, the residential market is projected to experience a 21% contraction over the full year of 2026. The market is expected to return to growth in 2027, expanding at an average annual rate of 6% through 2031, supported by prepaid offerings and third-party ownership (TPO) projects utilizing safe harbor strategies. 
Commercial and industrial 
The commercial solar segment secured its second-highest first quarter on record by installing 523 MWdc. This represents a minor 4% decline year-over-year and a 25% drop quarter-over-quarter.  
California dominated this space by adding 201 MWdc, making up 38% of the national total as legacy NEM 2.0 projects continued to come online before an April 2026 installation deadline. Illinois and Pennsylvania followed in commercial performance, contributing 49 MWdc and 40 MWdc respectively.  
The commercial market is projected to contract later in 2026 due to California’s tariff transition and interconnection delays in legacy markets like New York and Massachusetts , before rebounding between 2028 and 2030 as developers rush to build out safe-harbored projects.  
Community 
The community solar segment installed 247 MWdc in the first quarter, representing a 4% year-over-year decline and a 67% plunge quarter-over-quarter.  
New York drove the bulk of this decline, dropping 46% year-over-year to 61 MWdc. Despite this, an 8.2 GWdc project pipeline and improved queue efficiencies in Illinois and New York are projected to drive a 1% national community solar expansion in 2026 to reach roughly 1.7 GWdc. 
Manufacturing 
From a supply chain and manufacturing standpoint, no new module manufacturing capacity was added in the United States during the first quarter of 2026. While domestic module production has grown historically to cover about 70% of 2025 installation volumes, manufacturers face severe domestic cell shortages.  
The United States possesses only 3 GW of operating cell capacity, forcing module producers to rely heavily on imported cells. Import reliance is further complicated by trade actions, including high preliminary anti-dumping and countervailing tariff rates announced by the Department of Commerce for cells and modules imported from India, Indonesia, and Laos. These three nations, combined with Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, supplied 78% of all US cell imports in 2025.  
Additionally, the industry is grappling with regulatory uncertainty surrounding Prohibited Foreign Entity provisions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Full guidance is delayed, which has forced many manufacturers with ties to China to reorganize under American ownership. Fortunately for developers, a recent quantification shows that a vast majority of the utility-scale pipeline completed safe harboring by the end of 2025, protecting it from these foreign entity requirements. 
Pricing 
National solar system pricing fell across nearly all segments year-over-year in the first quarter, with the exception of commercial solar. Residential system costs fell 7% year-over-year to an average of $3.21 per watt direct current ($/Wdc), down from $3.44/Wdc in the first quarter of 2025. Utility-scale fixed-tilt systems dropped 3% to $0.90/Wdc, down from $0.92/Wdc, while utility single-axis tracking systems fell 3% to $0.99/Wdc, down from $1.02/Wdc.  
Price drops were largely driven by solar module prices decreasing across all segments, including a drop of more than 20% for distributed projects, bringing average module prices down to $0.34/Wdc from $0.43/Wdc the previous year.  
The report found price relief stems primarily from the repeal of International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs, which previously placed 20% to 50% duties on certain regions.  
Conversely, commercial solar system pricing bucked this trend by increasing 4% year-over-year to $1.67/Wdc, up from $1.60/Wdc. Cost escalation was caused by a 60% year-over-year surge in equipment costs for both electrical and structural balance-of-system components, driven higher by Section 232 metal tariffs that have impacted imported and domestic equipment prices, said the report. 
Looking ahead 
Looking forward, the five-year outlook for the United States solar industry has been revised upward by 1.4%. 
While this long-term trend indicates that the cumulative U.S. solar fleet will double over the next five years, it also reflects a stagnation in annual additions. Annual capacity additions are forecast to remain essentially flat, hovering at an average of 43 GW per year through 2031.
The flat trajectory stands in contrast to the previous doubling of the domestic solar fleet, which took only three years to accomplish. Market analysts conclude that despite intensifying power demand across the country, structural constraints like permitting bottlenecks, lengthy equipment lead times, grid interconnection queues, and the ongoing transition into a post-tax-credit environment continue to function as major headwinds limiting further annual expansion.
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Punjab approves additional surcharge of ₹1.13/kWh for open access consumers
June 15, 2026
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India’s large-scale solar project pipeline crossed a significant milestone, exceeding 200 GW for the first time, according to data from the Mercom India Renewable Energy Project Tracker. The milestone underscores the scale of project development underway across the country and reinforces the view that India’s target of 280 GW of installed solar capacity by 2030 is increasingly within reach.
The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission approved an additional surcharge of ₹1.13 (~$0.013)/kWh for full open access consumers, including green energy open access consumers, availing power beyond their contract demand. The surcharge will apply from April 1, 2026, to September 30, 2026, to consumers within Punjab State Power Corporation’s (PSPCL) supply area procuring power through open access from sources other than PSPCL.
The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission approved the tariffs discovered through competitive bidding for procuring nearly 275 MW of rooftop solar power from about 250,000 Kutir Jyoti consumers across Bihar. The projects will be implemented by South Bihar Power Distribution Company and North Bihar Power Distribution Company under the Utility-Led Aggregation-cum-Renewable Energy Service Company model.
Rooftop solar is gaining traction among commercial and industrial consumers as businesses look to use existing factory space to cut electricity costs and reduce dependence on grid power. Germany-based KHS Machinery, an industrial equipment manufacturer, is expected to save ₹7.7 million (~$80,726.8) annually after installing a 750.2 kW rooftop solar project at its facility in Nandej, Gujarat.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India invited quotations from scheduled commercial banks for non-fund-based credit facilities aggregating up to ₹8 billion (~$83.98 million). The invitation seeks letters of credit, bank guarantees, and standby letters of credit.
NTPC invited bids for two years of operation and maintenance (O&M) of its 20 MW solar project at the Jhanor Gandhar Gas Power Plant in the Bharuch district of Gujarat. The project is connected to the grid through a 220 kV system. The estimated cost of the contract is ₹27.85 million (~$299,700), including 18% goods and services tax.
The Department of Power, Nagaland, invited bids to install 1.65 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems at village council halls under the Chief Minister’s Community Solar Partnership Initiative. The Initiative is a part of the Nagaland Solar Mission. The last date to submit bids is June 24, 2026. Bids will be opened the following day.
Military Engineer Services invited bids for the comprehensive O&M of 4 MW and 2 MW solar projects at the Army area in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The last date to submit bids is July 11, 2026. Bids will be opened on July 13.
Hitachi Energy India announced plans to invest ₹20 billion (~$209.91 million) to establish a new large power transformer factory in Karjan, Vadodara, Gujarat. The facility will add manufacturing capacity for large power transformers used in transmission networks and other high-voltage power applications.
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Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) is addressing this issue through EcoLoop, a circular economy initiative that repurposes decommissioned materials from its projects into functional infrastructure for host communities.
As part of the program's pilot implementation, CREC partnered with sustainability-focused art and design collective KamayManos PH to transform 20 retired solar panels into 14 durable community tables. 
The tables will be donated to Pasong Bangkal Elementary School in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, located within the host community of Citicore Solar Bulacan, CREC said in a statement.
The initiative reflects CREC's broader sustainability strategy, which extends beyond clean energy generation to include responsible material management and community development.
Beyond energy
EcoLoop builds on the company's earlier EcoShed projects, which converted retired solar panels and excess construction materials into community facilities such as waiting sheds, covered walkways, and community outposts.
Through EcoShed, CREC completed 13 structures that continue to serve residents in its host communities.
According to CREC president and CEO Oliver Tan, EcoLoop expands the company's sustainability efforts by finding new ways to create value from materials that would otherwise be discarded.
“EcoLoop expands the foundations of our sustainability initiatives by really thinking beyond the box. As we continue to scale renewable energy, we also discover what more we can do with our waste materials, addressing community needs in tune with Citicore’s core values of Environmental Stewardship and Innovation,” Tan said.
The company said both EcoShed and EcoLoop demonstrate how renewable energy materials can continue serving communities long after their original purpose has ended.
Creative reuse
To implement the project, CREC partnered with KamayManos Art and Design Co., a group known for sustainability-focused public installations and material innovation.
KamayManos has gained recognition for transforming hard-to-recycle waste into functional structures. Among its notable projects is the San Juan Eco Bridge Retrofit Project, which utilized upcycled sachet plastics to create a durable and visually appealing public structure.
For KamayManos founder Gio Orbos, the collaboration presented a unique challenge because the group had not previously worked with retired solar panels.
“Every process is tailor-made specific to the product we're trying to reuse. But that means we have an opportunity to make bespoke solutions specific to the needs of the community in ways that mass production cannot address,” Orbos said.
Circular future
Industry observers note that while solar power plays an important role in reducing carbon emissions, the management of aging and decommissioned equipment is becoming an increasingly important issue worldwide.
Through EcoLoop, CREC seeks to demonstrate how circular economy principles can be applied to renewable energy projects by combining creative reuse, environmental stewardship, and community engagement.
Beyond their practical function, the tables donated to Pasong Bangkal Elementary School are intended to serve as tangible examples of how environmental challenges can be transformed into opportunities for education and community development.
CREC said EcoLoop marks the beginning of a broader effort to integrate circularity across its operations and expand similar initiatives nationwide, guided by its sustainability pillars of education, empowerment, and environmental stewardship. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma

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The 7.5MW alkaline electrolyser will reportedly enable renewable H2 to be produced at a cost ‘comparable to that of grey hydrogen’
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June 10th, 2026
AIKO Energy has announced a series of developments at SNEC 2026 that strengthen its position in the Australian solar market, including multiple distribution MOUs with local partners, recognition as Top Brand PV 2026 Australia by EUPD Research, and arrival to Australia of healthy stocks of 500W – the first solar module in under 2m² at 25% efficiency.
Multiple Distribution MOUs Signed at SNEC 2026
At SNEC 2026 in Shanghai, the world’s largest photovoltaic trade exhibition, AIKO signed multiple memoranda of understanding with Australian distribution partners for its third and fourth generation Neostar 54 cell module series. The agreements are designed to widen access to high efficiency ABC modules across residential and commercial segments, while supporting availability through major states and territories nationwide.
The new generations extend AIKO’s proprietary n-type ABC architecture with further advances in copper electroplating metallisation. By eliminating silver dependency, AIKO is addressing one of the industry’s most persistent supply and cost pressures, while keeping high performance solar more financially accessible for Australian households and businesses. AIKO is the first manufacturer in the world to achieve this at commercial scale, having shipped silver-free ABC modules in gigawatts globally.
On the same occasion, AIKO received the Top Brand PV 2026 Australia designation from EUPD Research, demonstrating its growing strength and recognition in the Australian solar market.
Two years after entering the Australian market, AIKO has established a presence that many solar brands take far longer to build. The company was voted number one Installer Choice on SolarQuotes in its first year on market and now accounts for close to 20% of active monthly solar proposals nationally*, reflecting strong traction with installers and growing recognition among Australian homeowners.
World’s First 500W 25% Efficiency Module Under 2m², Now Available in Australia
First introduced at All Energy Conference last year, the highest power class of AIKO’s third generation Infinite series has now officially arrived in Australia. The Neostar 3P54 delivers 500W at positive power tolerance and 25% module efficiency in a compact 1762 x 1134 mm footprint, making it the world’s first module to achieve this milestone.
This breakthrough is driven by innovations in cell architecture, including Zero Gap and Invisi-Ribbon technology, which maximise active light absorption and bring 93.5% of the module surface into power generation. The result is a significant leap beyond conventional front contact technologies like PERC and TOPCon, setting a new benchmark for residential solar performance.
The significance goes beyond a specification. As Australia’s solar rebate scheme reduces with rising installed capacity, the value of a solar system increasingly comes down to how much energy a fixed roof area can generate over its lifetime. For homeowners, a panel delivering 500W where others deliver 460W to 470W means more usable energy, lower bills, and stronger returns. For installers, it enables higher system capacity per roof, creating a clear point of differentiation in a competitive market and allowing them to win by quality without reducing price.
Triple-Certified for Extreme Australian Conditions
AIKO’s 54-cell Neostar series has this month added cyclone approval to its existing hail and coastal salt mist credentials, completing a triple certification across Australia’s most demanding climate conditions.
Cyclone testing was conducted by Albright Consulting Engineers in Darwin under Australian static wind load methodology, with both the full black and black frame variants independently assessed and each receiving its own verified result confirming structural integrity across wind regions C and D.
On hail, AIKO holds TÜV Rheinland certification to 40 mm, well above the 25 mm IEC industry standard and among the most stringent hail ratings available for a residential solar module. For coastal installations, the ABC Gen 3 modules carry IEC 61701 Salt Mist certification at Severity Level 6, the highest standard, with selected models also achieving Method 8, the most demanding protocol within that standard.
“We test our products to beyond Australian standards because this market expects more than a generic lab result,” said Thomas Bywater, Head of Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, AIKO Energy. “By testing under Australian conditions and engineering methods, we want to prove that AIKO is ready for the type of roofs, weather conditions, and performance expectations that matter here, and that we are willing to go above and beyond to give installers and homeowners the confidence to choose us.”
Gen 3 500W modules are now available in Australia through AIKO authorised distributors. Pricing and additional information are available at https://s.zoom.us/m/bPFbnL5dh
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Many artificial photosynthesis systems rely on a technique known as Maximum Power Point Tracking.
A team of researchers at the Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a more practical approach to artificial photosynthesis by creating a device that can regulate itself without relying on a battery-powered control system. By removing the need for this additional component, the design reduces both the cost and complexity of producing solar fuels.
Like the natural process used by plants, artificial photosynthesis harnesses sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into energy-rich compounds. In this system, the end product is formic acid, a chemical that can be stored and later used as a clean fuel or industrial feedstock.
The key element is the electrolyzer, which converts the electricity generated by solar cells into chemical energy, making it possible to capture and store solar power in the form of formic acid for future use.
Maintaining efficient solar fuel production becomes challenging when sunlight intensity changes throughout the day. To address this, many artificial photosynthesis systems rely on a technique known as Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), which continuously adjusts voltage and current to ensure solar cells operate at their highest possible efficiency. 
However, conventional MPPT setups usually require batteries or extra electronic control hardware to smooth out fluctuations in energy flow. These additional components add both cost and engineering complexity, making large-scale deployment of artificial photosynthesis systems more difficult.
To deal with this challenge, a research team at Osaka Metropolitan University developed a simpler artificial photosynthesis system by building the control function directly into the electrolyzer. Led by Associate Professor Yasuo Matsubara and Professor Yutaka Amao, and working with Iida Group Holdings Co., Ltd, the researchers integrated a special solid electrolyte into the device.
Instead of depending on batteries and additional electronic controls to keep the solar cells running efficiently, the new electrolyzer can adjust itself automatically. It uses the properties of the solid electrolyte to regulate its electrical behavior, allowing it to perform the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) function without extra hardware.
According to Professor Amao, the system automatically responds to changes in sunlight without the need for external controls. As solar intensity rises, the electrolyzer warms up, which lowers its electrical resistance and allows electricity to flow more easily. This built-in response enables the device to adjust its own electrical behavior and maintain efficient operation.
Amao added that the built-in self-regulating mechanism helps maintain more consistent fuel production throughout the day while reducing the need for batteries and other expensive external hardware. By automatically adjusting to changing conditions, the system also simplifies the overall design.
To demonstrate the concept, the researchers tested a prototype equipped with the new technology under real outdoor sunlight. The device was able to continuously convert water and carbon dioxide into formic acid, maintaining stable performance even as sunlight intensity changed.
The researchers further noted that the technology has already demonstrated its practical potential in a real-world setting. According to the team, the system generated enough formic acid to power a miniature diorama displayed at the pavilion, illustrating how an efficient artificial photosynthesis system could one day produce and store clean energy for use in household applications.
Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.
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Australia photovoltaic cell market is at the centre of the nation's clean energy transformation, as record-breaking rooftop solar adoption, unprecedented government investment in domestic manufacturing and rapid technological advances converge to reshape the solar value chain. Photovoltaic cells — the semiconductor devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity — are deployed across residential rooftops, utility-scale solar farms, commercial buildings and off-grid systems to power Australia's transition to a renewable-first energy grid. According to IMARC Group, the market size reached

USD 2,018.27 Million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 3,346.43 Million by 2034, exhibiting a steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.78% during 2026–2034. As the federal government commits AUD 1 billion to rebuild domestic solar manufacturing under the Solar Sunshot Program and as the industry transitions decisively from PERC to higher-efficiency TOPCon cells, photovoltaic cells have moved from imported commodities to strategic national assets for energy sovereignty.

What's Driving Market Growth?
Australia's Unmatched Rooftop Solar Boom. Australia leads the world in per-capita rooftop solar installations. In 2024, approximately one in three Australian households had solar panels installed — a penetration rate unmatched in any other country. Rooftop solar contributed 11.2 per cent to Australia's electricity supply in 2023, with 20 GW of total capacity from rooftop photovoltaic systems nationwide. New South Wales set a record with 970 MW of new rooftop solar installations, while Queensland became the first state to exceed one million rooftop solar installations. The residential sector leads the market with a 46.3 per cent share in the broader solar panel market, driven by the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme rebates and state-level feed-in tariffs. Australians view solar as a pathway to long‑term savings, energy independence and reduced grid dependence, with over 100,000 monthly searches and a 9.90 per cent market expansion projection confirming that PV cells have become essential household investments.

Utility‑Scale Projects and Grid Transformation. Beyond residential rooftops, the utility-scale solar segment is expanding rapidly. The federal government's Capacity Investment Scheme targets an additional 32 GW of renewable capacity worth AUD 52 billion and 9 GW of clean dispatchable capacity worth AUD 15 billion by 2030. In July 2024, Green Gold Energy received approval to build a 108 MW solar farm with 91.7 MWh of battery storage in South Australia, attracting over AUD 185 million in investment. The federal government's 82 per cent renewable energy target by 2030 requires approximately 60 GW of new solar and wind capacity, creating a mandated, policy‑guaranteed demand pipeline for PV cells through the forecast period regardless of energy price cycles.

The AUD 1 Billion Solar Sunshot Program and Domestic Manufacturing Renaissance. Australia is actively rebuilding its solar manufacturing capacity after decades of offshoring. In March 2024, the government launched the Solar Sunshot Program with an AUD 1 billion budget, implemented by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to support innovative manufacturing projects across the entire PV value chain — from polysilicon to module assembly. Round 1A dedicated up to AUD 500 million to module manufacturing. Round 2, with an additional AUD 150 million available from September 2025, extends support to critical segments including framing, solar glass, junction boxes and deployment technologies. Key milestones include: Tindo Solar, Australia's only solar panel manufacturer, receiving AUD 34.5 million to scale production from 20 MW to 180 MW annually, creating at least 50 new jobs and laying the groundwork for a potential 1 GW gigafactory producing enough panels to power nearly 200,000 homes annually; 5B receiving AUD 46 million to expand manufacturing of its Maverick solar deployment system; feasibility studies for a 100,000-tonne-per-year low‑emissions polysilicon plant near Townsville, a 2 GW ingot pulling and wafering facility, and polysilicon production at AGL's Hunter Energy Hub.

The PERC-to-TOPCon Technology Transition. The photovoltaic industry is undergoing a decisive technological shift that will reshape the Australian market. PERC technology, developed by UNSW researchers and now accounting for a significant share of global solar production, is being replaced by more advanced designs: TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact), heterojunction (SHJ) and back-contact cells. TOPCon is currently leading the industry due to lower manufacturing costs and easier processing compared to SHJ, with Jinko Solar achieving 26.7 per cent large‑area TOPCon cells. Jinko has focused on the TOPCon cell architecture due to its robust nature and 2-3× reduction in capital expenditure costs. The introduction of the LECO process to enhance metal contact quality and reduced p+ diffusion strength has enabled very high performance. ANU researchers are collaborating with Jinko on rigorous loss analysis to identify barriers to higher efficiency, mapping a clear pathway to 27 per cent+ performance. In laboratory testing, TOPCon cells achieve conversion efficiencies of about 27 per cent compared to up to 25 per cent for PERC cells.

AI‑Powered Installation and Operational Efficiency. Artificial intelligence is transforming Australia's photovoltaic sector through automated installation systems and optimisation technologies. AI-powered robots are accelerating solar farm construction, with systems capable of installing panels 15 times faster than manual methods while reducing installation costs by approximately 30 per cent. Additionally, AI applications in maximum power point tracking, solar irradiance forecasting and fault detection are enhancing operational efficiency and system reliability across utility-scale and distributed solar installations.

Energy Storage Integration. As solar power adoption grows, energy storage systems like batteries are becoming essential to address solar energy's intermittency. Batteries store excess electricity produced during daylight hours, allowing it to be used during non‑sunlight hours or high‑demand periods. This integration ensures a more consistent and reliable power supply, reducing grid dependency. The federal government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program, effective from 1 July 2025, provides a discount of around 30 per cent on the upfront cost of installing eligible small‑scale batteries. NSW has increased its Virtual Power Plant incentive to up to AUD 1,500, depending on battery size.

Market Segmentation & Key Insights
By Cell Technology, the market includes monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, thin-film cells and bifacial PV cells. Monocrystalline cells — known for higher efficiency and space utilisation — lead adoption in both residential and commercial applications. Monocrystalline silicon commanded a 41.6 per cent share in the broader solar panel market in 2025, reflecting the market's transition toward high‑efficiency N-type cell technologies that maximise output on limited Australian residential rooftop footprints. Bifacial cells are gaining interest due to enhanced energy capture from reflected light.

By Application, the PV cell market serves residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, industrial solar systems, utility-scale solar plants and off-grid installations. Residential and commercial segments are significant contributors, while utility‑scale projects drive volume demand due to large‑scale capacity requirements.

By Distribution Channel, PV cells and components reach customers through solar module manufacturers, solar distributors, OEM suppliers, solar installers, energy marketplaces, direct procurement channels and online renewable energy platforms. Solar installers play a crucial role by bundling PV cells with complete system solutions.

By Region, Australia Capital Territory & New South Wales lead with 33.8 per cent market share, driven by Sydney's large population base and the Hunter Valley's industrial solar expansion. Victoria and Queensland also represent substantial markets, with Queensland becoming the first state to exceed one million rooftop solar installations.
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What the Opportunities Are?
Local PV Cell Manufacturing and Supply Chain Development. There is growing opportunity for local manufacturing, assembly and value-added PV cell production in Australia. The Solar Sunshot program is actively seeking partners to rebuild domestic solar manufacturing capability across the entire value chain — from polysilicon to module assembly — providing unprecedented policy certainty and funding for early movers. ARENA CEO Darren Miller stated, “Australia has the opportunity to build high-quality products across the solar PV supply chain… we have the skills, partnerships and raw materials to establish a strong base that can be built on over the next decade.”

TOPCon and Next‑Generation Cell Production. The Australian photovoltaic industry has a unique opportunity to leapfrog directly to advanced cell architectures. Tindo Solar's partnership with UNSW focuses on improving TOPCon cell durability and performance, including accelerated stress testing, contaminant sensitivity analysis and microscale degradation modelling. Companies that establish TOPCon or heterojunction production capacity early will capture first‑mover advantage as the industry transitions away from PERC.

Perovskite Tandem Cell Research and Commercialisation. Australian researchers are at the forefront of next‑generation tandem solar cells designed to surpass the efficiency limits of traditional single‑junction silicon cells. ANU researchers are advancing low-cost, scalable and stable perovskite/silicon tandem structures, while UNSW's Martin Green — considered the "father of modern photovoltaics" — is researching tandem solar cells that could achieve efficiencies of over 40 per cent. These next‑generation technologies represent the medium‑to‑long‑term frontier for Australian PV manufacturing and research.

Agrivoltaics and Dual‑Land‑Use Systems. Tindo Solar and UNSW are collaborating on agrivoltaics, developing unique products for the Australian market suitable for installation on a variety of crops. The goal is to move Australia from current sheep grazing under solar arrays to a true partnership between farming and electricity generation, maximising land use for dual benefit. This represents a high‑growth niche market for PV cells designed specifically for agricultural environments.

Bifacial and Building‑Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). Bifacial cells — which capture reflected light from both sides — are gaining interest for large‑scale ground‑mounted and building‑integrated applications. Building‑integrated photovoltaics (roof‑mounted, ground‑mounted, floating photovoltaic systems) represent an emerging segment where cell aesthetics and dual‑side light capture can command premium pricing.

Advanced Loss Analysis and Cell Characterisation Services. As the industry pushes toward 27 per cent+ efficiencies, there is strong demand for the advanced simulation tools, optical characterisation, recombination analysis and resistive loss quantification that Australian research institutions have pioneered. Commercialisation of these analysis services as consulting offerings for international PV manufacturers could create a high‑value services export industry.

Recent News and Developments in Australia Photovoltaic Cell Market
August 2025: Tindo Solar, Australia's only solar panel manufacturer, received AUD 34.5 million in Solar Sunshot funding to scale production from 20 MW to 180 MW annually, creating at least 50 new jobs and laying groundwork for a potential 1 GW Australian solar gigafactory. The expansion will activate an Australian solar PV supply chain capable of replacing imported components.

September 2025: ARENA launched the second funding round of the Solar Sunshot program with an additional AUD 150 million available to extend support to framing, solar glass, junction boxes and deployment technologies, building on Round 1's AUD 500 million commitment to module manufacturing.

June 2025: ANU researchers presented a plenary at the 53rd IEEE PV Specialists Conference detailing collaborative loss analysis on Jinko Solar's record 26.7 per cent TOPCon cells, mapping a clear pathway to 27 per cent+ performance. Jinko has achieved these results using TOPCon due to its robust nature and 2‑3× reduction in capital expenditure costs compared to SHJ.

July 2025: Tindo Solar partnered with UNSW researchers on two R&D projects focused on improving TOPCon cell durability and performance, including accelerated stress testing and contaminant sensitivity analysis. The collaboration is funded through the AUD 277 million Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) program.

October 2025: UNSW's Martin Green — father of modern photovoltaics — was awarded the Faraday Medal by the British Institution of Engineering and Technology. Under his leadership, UNSW developed PERC and TOPCon technologies, which now underpin over 90 per cent of all solar cells produced worldwide. His team is currently researching tandem cells that could achieve efficiencies of over 40 per cent.

July 2024: Green Gold Energy received approval to build a 108 MW solar farm with 91.7 MWh of battery storage in South Australia, attracting over AUD 185 million in investment, demonstrating the ongoing viability of utility‑scale PV deployment in Australia.

2025: The broader Australia solar panel market reached 9.93 GW in 2025 and is projected to reach 46.61 GW by 2034 at a 16.13 per cent CAGR, with monocrystalline silicon panels commanding a 41.6 per cent technology share. Residential installations at 46.3 per cent reflect Australia's extraordinary household solar adoption rate.

Why Should You Know About Australia Photovoltaic Cell Market?
You should know about this market because it captures how domestic manufacturing ambition, technological leadership and policy certainty intersect to rebuild a strategic industry from the ground up. Photovoltaic cells are no longer just imported components for rooftop arrays — they are the focus of a AUD 1 billion government program, the subject of world‑leading research partnerships between Australian universities and global cell manufacturers, and the foundation of Australia's ambition to become a renewable energy superpower with domestic supply chain resilience.

For investors, the photovoltaic cell market offers exposure to a high‑growth advanced manufacturing category anchored in Australia's record‑breaking rooftop solar penetration (one in three households), the mandated 82 per cent renewable energy target requiring 60 GW of new capacity by 2030, and the structural shift from PERC to TOPCon cell technology that will drive equipment refresh cycles across the industry. The projected CAGR of 5.78 per cent for the PV cell market reflects steady baseline demand, while higher‑growth sub‑segments — including domestic cell manufacturing (Tindo's 180 MW expansion), advanced TOPCon and heterojunction cell production, perovskite tandem R&D, and agrivoltaic specialty cells — offer differentiated upside.

For energy developers, technology investors, manufacturers and policy strategists, understanding segmentation across cell technologies, the emerging role of AI in installation and operations, and the accelerating integration of energy storage with PV helps shape intelligent investment decisions, technology roadmaps and sovereign capability strategies that deliver measurable energy independence, emissions reduction and economic resilience outcomes.

In essence, the Australia photovoltaic cell market captures how sunlight, silicon and sovereign policy converge — making it a compelling area for investors, manufacturers and technology partners seeking smarter approaches to energy generation, domestic manufacturing and sustainable growth in one of the world's most solar‑rich and solar‑adopting nations.
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Another day, another reason why fossil fuels are toast. Persistent innovation in the global solar industry has already sent the conversion efficiency of solar cells through the roof over the past 25 years, and there’s plenty more where that came from. Last week two more world efficiency records were set, one for solar modules made with triple III-V germanium cells, and the other for modules made with tandem perovskite-silicon cells.
For those of you new to the topic, solar modules are the intermediate step between solar cells and solar panels.  Typically, solar modules are comprised of 60-72 connected cells, though some use much less. Regardless of the number of cells, those connections can have a significant impact on the conversion efficiency of the finished module, with a ripple effect into the efficiency of the finished solar panel.
CleanTechnica took note of the new germanium solar record over the weekend, consisting of a 34.2% conversion efficiency reported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany, for a module measuring 833 square centimeters made up of triple III-V germanium cells.
To recap briefly, the Fraunhofer team used a new technique to connect its solar cells directly to each other, bypassing conventional module fabrication methods that deploy solder-coated copper ribbons. “By eliminating cell interconnects, no active cell area is shaded,” the researchers explain.
“The resulting exceptionally high area utilization was a key factor in achieving the record efficiency,” they emphasize.
Considering the topsy-turvy state of federal energy policy, it would not be a surprise to see US research institutions and private sector innovators lose funding for next-generation solar equipment like the new Fraunhofer module. Nevertheless, some projects continue to trickle through the pipeline, and the Department of Defense is one reason why.
In a curious turn of events, the Trump administration has continued to support a germanium supply chain project initially funded by the Biden administration. Back in April of 2024, the DoD awarded $14.4 million from the Defense Production Act Investment Program to 5N+ Semiconductors. The firm was tasked with increasing the production of germanium substrates, for use in the solar cells deployed on military and commercial satellites.
In January of this year, the Department of Defense — which now calls itself the Department of War — upped the ante with a Defense Production Act award of $18.1 million to the same company, focused on increasing “optics and solar germanium crystal supply chains” in the US.
“Increasing domestic germanium production is one of the highest industrial base priorities for the DoW,” explained Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy Mike Cadenazzi in a press statement.
“Makers of defense applications use germanium in infrared optics, night vision systems, surveillance windows, individual thermal weapon sights, and other electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) equipment. Germanium is also essential for solar cells that power military and civilian satellites,” the Defense Department added.
Interesting! If you have any thoughts about that, drop a note in the discussion thread. Turning now to the tandem perovskite-silicon module, the world record in that category goes — at least for now — to the leading Chinese firm Trinasolar. It’s the latest in a string of notable achievements for the company, which claims a total of world 41 records set or broken in the solar industry.
On June 9, Trinasolar announced a conversion efficiency of 29.2%, verified independently by the certification institute TÜV SÜD for its tandem perovskite-silicon solar module. The company also notes that the new module has a power output of 907 watts, a significant increase over its next-best effort of 808 watts last year.
More to the point, Trinasolar also emphasized that the record-breaking module is sized for, and compliant with, industrial applications. Although that doesn’t necessarily mean the labwork is market-ready next week, it does indicate that commercial development is in the works.
The Trinasolar news is also significant because it represents the steady march of perovskite technology into widespread use. Perovskite is a relatively inexpensive synthetic optical material with the potential to launch a new generation of lower-costing, higher-performing solar cells.
With higher performance, solar developers can squeeze the same amount of clean kilowatts from less space, resulting in costs savings far beyond the factory walls. Land acquisition, site preparation, labor, and operating/repair expenses are among the factors that also shrink. All else being equal, end-of-life disposal, recycling, and recovery costs are also reduced.
Though fragile in the raw, perovskites can be combined with other materials to support the durability factor. In a tandem perovskite-silicon setup, silicon adds the sturdiness while perovskites lend a conversion efficiency boost. The result is a more efficient, less costly product overall.
Despite the sharp U-turn in federal energy policy, US innovators in the perovskite solar cell field have hardly been asleep at the wheel. A case in point is California-based Tandem PV.
The startup is among the firms applying a thin layer of perovskite onto silicon solar cells to enhance performance and cut overall costs. In March, the startup celebrated its place on TIME’s America’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2026, its third consecutive such recognition.
Tandem PV has also been a regular visitor to the pages of CleanTechnica over the years, most recently in January when former Energy Secretary (and newly tapped Tandem PV board member) Jennifer Granholm remarked that the company was on track to hit the 30% conversion efficiency mark for its perovskite-silicon solar panels.
At present, the panels are at 29.7% efficiency, which Tandem states is 30% more powerful than typical silicon solar panels.
“Solar has reached an inflection point where the market is demanding not just lower-cost clean energy, but bigger leaps in performance, resilience, and domestic capability,” Tandem CEO Scott Wharton explained in a press statement.
Wharton wasn’t just talking out of his hat. In April, Tandem launched a demonstration factory in Fremont, California that places it one giant step closer to volume production for commercial markets.
“The 65,000-square-foot Fremont site is producing tandem solar panels using state-of-the-art equipment. The line has approximately 40 MW of annual nameplate capacity, and the panels are roughly 60 times larger than Tandem PV’s R&D-scale devices,” the company reported.
“The line is designed to demonstrate that perovskite-silicon tandem panels can be manufactured reliably in the United States at scale with high power density, durability, and lower costs,” Tandem emphasizes.
Next steps for the company include validating a performance of 25 years or more, in accord with warranty requirements for utility-scale solar among other industry standards.
Hold on to your hats. The Fremont factory is already turning out modules that will be sent to customers for validation trials later this year, towards the goal of closing the first sales before year’s end. If all goes according to plan, full volume production will begin in 2028.
Photo: Despite the sharp U-turn in US energy policy, global innovators like China’s Trinasolar are continuing to set new records for solar conversion efficiency (screenshot, courtesy of Trinasolar).
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Tina has been covering advanced energy technology, military sustainability, emerging materials, biofuels, ESG and related policy and political matters for CleanTechnica since 2009. Follow her @tinamcasey on LinkedIn, Mastodon or Bluesky.
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Valenciaport installs 8.6 kWp IT3 vertical solar panels on breakwater wall  Yahoo Tech
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Middle schoolers learning all about solar energy  Republican Eagle: Red Wing, MN
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Saatvik Green Energy Limited, one of India’s leading solar PV module manufacturers, has earned a place among the Top 25 Global Solar PV Module Manufacturers in the latest 2026 assessment published by Wood Mackenzie, a globally respected energy research and analytics firm. The recognition highlights the company’s growing influence in the global solar industry and underscores its commitment to manufacturing excellence, technological advancement, and sustainable growth.
Among India’s Leading Solar Manufacturers
In addition to its global ranking, Saatvik Green Energy has secured a position among the top four solar PV module manufacturers in India. This achievement places the company alongside some of the country’s largest renewable energy manufacturers and reinforces its role in India’s rapidly expanding clean energy ecosystem. The ranking reflects Saatvik’s continued efforts to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities while contributing to India’s emergence as a global hub for solar equipment production.
Wood Mackenzie Evaluation Highlights Manufacturing Strength
Wood Mackenzie’s assessment evaluates solar module manufacturers across a comprehensive set of parameters. These include manufacturing scale, technological capabilities, supply chain integration, financial stability, product quality, environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, and overall market competitiveness. By securing a position among the world’s top manufacturers, Saatvik has demonstrated its ability to compete effectively in an increasingly dynamic and competitive global solar market.
Capacity Expansion Fuels Growth Ambitions
The recognition comes as Saatvik accelerates its expansion plans through investments in manufacturing capacity, technology upgrades, and broader solar value chain integration. Currently, the company operates approximately 4.8 GW of solar PV module manufacturing capacity and is actively pursuing strategic investments aimed at strengthening its presence in both domestic and international markets. The initiatives are expected to enhance production capabilities, improve operational efficiency, and support the growing demand for high-quality solar modules worldwide.
Focus on Quality, Innovation and Supply Chain Resilience
Prashant Mathur, Chief Executive Officer of Saatvik Green Energy Limited, described the ranking as a significant milestone for the company. “Being recognised among the Top 25 global solar PV module manufacturers and among the leading manufacturers in India is a significant achievement for Saatvik. The ranking reflects our continued focus on manufacturing excellence, quality, innovation, and building a resilient solar supply chain. As India strengthens its position as a global renewable energy manufacturing hub, we remain committed to supporting the country’s clean energy ambitions through world-class products and sustainable growth,” he said.
India Emerges as a Global Solar Manufacturing Hub
India has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar manufacturing markets, driven by supportive government policies, rising domestic demand, and increasing international interest in diversified supply chains. As the global energy transition gathers momentum, manufacturers with strong production capabilities, advanced technologies, quality-focused operations, and long-term investment strategies are expected to play a pivotal role in meeting growing demand for solar energy solutions. As reported by pv-magazine-india.com, with its expanding manufacturing footprint and focus on innovation, Saatvik Green Energy is well-positioned to contribute to both India’s renewable energy goals and the evolving global solar industry.

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The global solar photovoltaic market size surpassed USD 196.94 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 216.04 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 484.85 billion by 2035, registering a CAGR of 9.43% during the forecast period.
Solar photovoltaic technology continues to play a critical role in the global energy transition by converting sunlight directly into electricity through photovoltaic cells. Increasing environmental concerns, ambitious carbon reduction targets, and favorable policy frameworks are encouraging large-scale adoption of solar energy across residential, commercial, and utility applications worldwide.
A key factor accelerating market growth is the increasing support from governments through tax credits, subsidies, renewable energy mandates, and financial incentives designed to promote clean energy deployment. Additionally, declining solar installation costs and improved access to financing are making solar projects more economically viable for consumers and businesses alike.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force within the solar photovoltaic industry. AI-powered forecasting systems enable operators to predict weather conditions and solar generation output with greater accuracy, improving energy management and grid reliability. Advanced AI-enabled platforms also streamline data analysis, reporting, and operational decision-making through natural language processing and intelligent automation.
The market is further benefiting from significant technological advancements in photovoltaic materials and manufacturing processes. Innovations in high-efficiency solar cells, thin-film technologies, and flexible photovoltaic solutions are expanding the range of solar applications while improving overall energy conversion performance.
Industry analysts note that global solar PV investments reached record levels in recent years, with capacity expansion investments surpassing USD 480 billion in 2023. Solar PV attracted more investment than all other power generation technologies combined, highlighting the sector’s growing importance in the global energy landscape.
By technology, monocrystalline silicon dominated the market in 2025 due to its widespread use across residential, commercial, and utility-scale installations. Meanwhile, thin-film solar technology is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period as efficiency improvements continue to strengthen its commercial appeal.
Based on installation type, ground-mounted systems held the largest market share in 2025, supported by extensive utility-scale solar developments worldwide. However, rooftop solar installations are projected to experience the fastest growth, driven by rising consumer awareness and growing demand for decentralized renewable energy generation.
In terms of grid type, on-grid systems accounted for the largest share of the market in 2025. Off-grid systems are anticipated to grow rapidly, particularly across remote and underserved regions where access to conventional electricity infrastructure remains limited.
Among applications, the utility segment maintained market leadership in 2025 due to increasing investments in large-scale solar power plants. The residential segment is forecast to expand at the fastest pace as homeowners increasingly adopt renewable energy solutions to reduce electricity costs and environmental impact.
Asia Pacific emerged as the dominant regional market, accounting for 38% of global revenue in 2025. The region’s leadership is supported by extensive solar farm development, strong policy support, and significant manufacturing capacity expansion. China continues to play a central role in the global solar supply chain, contributing the majority of newly established production facilities across polysilicon, wafer, and solar cell manufacturing.
The Asia Pacific solar photovoltaic market was valued at USD 74.84 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach approximately USD 181.58 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 9.27%.
North America is projected to witness notable growth throughout the forecast period, supported by federal clean energy initiatives, increasing corporate sustainability commitments, and ongoing investments in renewable energy infrastructure. Europe is also expected to record strong growth as governments continue to strengthen renewable energy targets and accelerate solar deployment.
The solar photovoltaic market presents significant opportunities for investors, project developers, technology providers, and manufacturers. Rising global demand for clean energy, favorable regulatory frameworks, and rapid advancements in solar technologies are creating new avenues for growth across the value chain.
Emerging opportunities include AI-driven energy optimization solutions, battery-integrated solar projects, building-integrated photovoltaics, flexible solar panels, and large-scale utility deployments. As nations intensify efforts to achieve energy security and decarbonization goals, the solar sector is expected to remain one of the most attractive renewable energy investment segments over the next decade.
Leading companies operating in the global solar photovoltaic market include Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd., Canadian Solar Inc., Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd., Nextera Energy Sources LLC, BrightSource Energy Inc., SunPower Corporation, Vivaan Solar, Waaree Group, Trina Solar, and Jinko Solar.
In 2025, Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd. generated approximately ₹5,337 crore (around USD 0.62 billion) from its solar manufacturing operations. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio that includes solar PV modules and cells, utility-scale EPC services, residential and commercial rooftop solar solutions, solar pumps, microgrid systems, and operation and maintenance services.
Canadian Solar Inc. reported an estimated 2025 revenue of approximately USD 5.60 billion. The company specializes in high-efficiency photovoltaic modules, utility-scale solar project development, battery energy storage systems through its e-STORAGE platform, EPC services, and residential and commercial solar solutions.
Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd. is estimated to have generated USD 0.9–1.0 billion in revenue during 2025. Its offerings include monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar modules, distributed generation solutions, utility-scale PV products, and customized solar products designed for global markets.
NextEra Energy Sources LLC recorded an estimated 2025 revenue of approximately USD 7.4 billion from its renewable energy operations. The company primarily focuses on utility-scale solar power generation projects, solar-plus-storage facilities, renewable energy asset ownership, and long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) solutions.
BrightSource Energy Inc. generated an estimated revenue of less than USD 100 million in 2025. The company is known for its concentrated solar power (CSP) technology and provides solar thermal tower systems, engineering expertise, consulting services, and hybrid renewable energy solutions.
SunPower Corporation is estimated to have recorded approximately USD 1.0 billion in revenue in 2025. Its offerings include premium residential solar systems, high-efficiency solar panels integrated with microinverters, home battery storage solutions, energy monitoring software, and solar financing and leasing programs.
Vivaan Solar generated an estimated USD 35–45 million in revenue during 2025. The company provides solar EPC services, rooftop solar installations, ground-mounted solar projects, operation and maintenance services, and customized commercial and industrial solar solutions.
Waaree Group reported an estimated FY2025 revenue of approximately ₹14,400 crore (around USD 1.7 billion). The company offers solar PV modules, EPC services, rooftop and utility-scale solar projects, solar water pumps, independent power producer (IPP) solutions, and energy storage systems.
Trina Solar generated approximately USD 10.1 billion in revenue in 2025. The company provides its Vertex series solar modules, advanced N-type TOPCon and HJT technologies, utility-scale tracking systems, energy storage products, and integrated smart energy solutions.
Jinko Solar recorded an estimated 2025 revenue of approximately USD 9.5 billion. The company’s offerings include Tiger Neo solar modules based on N-type TOPCon technology, distributed generation and utility-scale PV solutions, energy storage products, and integrated solar energy solutions for residential, commercial, and utility applications.
Recent industry developments underscore the market’s momentum. The European Commission launched a major photovoltaic innovation partnership in March 2025 to strengthen Europe’s solar manufacturing ecosystem. The United Arab Emirates introduced the world’s first large-scale continuous gigascale solar and battery storage project in January 2025, while Trina Solar expanded its energy storage footprint through a strategic partnership supporting Africa’s largest solar energy project in Egypt.
As renewable energy adoption accelerates globally, the solar photovoltaic market is positioned for sustained growth, driven by technological innovation, supportive government policies, and increasing investment in clean energy infrastructure.
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First WATT Renewable and MTN Nigeria Partner to Deploy 34 MWp Solar PV and 40 MWh Battery Storage Across Critical Facilities  SolarQuarter
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HVR Solar Signs Global MoUs for 1.2 GW TOPCon Solar Cell Facility in Uttar Pradesh Photograph: (Archive)
HVR Solar has signed a series of global memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to establish a proposed 1.2 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh, marking the company’s entry into solar cell manufacturing and expanding its presence across the solar value chain.
The agreements were signed during the SNEC PV Power Expo 2026 in Shanghai, where the company partnered with international technology providers and solution partners to support equipment supply, utility systems and production line integration for the proposed manufacturing facility.
The upcoming facility is planned in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, and is expected to strengthen HVR Solar’s domestic manufacturing footprint as India accelerates efforts to build a self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem. The project will focus on manufacturing TOPCon solar cells, a technology that currently dominates new solar manufacturing investments globally due to its higher efficiency levels compared with conventional cell technologies.
As part of the initiative, HVR Solar has partnered with Indygreen Technologies, which will act as a technology facilitator for the project. The collaboration is expected to support the development and implementation of the proposed cell manufacturing line.
The company said strategic agreements signed with global technology partners would help facilitate equipment sourcing, utility infrastructure development and integration of production systems for the facility.
The proposed project comes at a time when Indian solar manufacturers are increasingly moving toward backward integration amid the implementation of domestic content requirements and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework for solar cells. Several module manufacturers have announced plans to enter solar cell production in an effort to secure supply chains and improve competitiveness.
According to HVR Solar, the proposed TOPCon solar cell manufacturing unit is expected to support India’s renewable energy supply chain, reduce dependence on imported solar cells and create more than 500 local jobs once operational.
The latest investment represents a significant expansion of HVR Solar’s manufacturing ambitions as the company seeks to strengthen its position in India’s rapidly growing solar manufacturing sector and capitalize on increasing demand for domestically produced solar components.
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State-owned utility Western Power has commenced construction of 18 new community battery energy storage systems with a combined 6.6 MW of storage capacity in Perth and Bunbury in Western Australia’s (WA) southwest. 
The project, funded in part under the federal government’s $200 million Community Batteries for Household Solar program, will deliver 13 new low-voltage batteries at locations across Perth and five medium-voltage batteries at sites in Bunbury.
WA Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the battery locations were chosen to help manage the network in areas with high rooftop solar uptake.
“Western Australia has the highest uptake of rooftop solar in the country,” she said. “Now, we’re building the battery storage to make better use of it.”
“Community batteries like these sit on our network and act as a shared storage in neighbourhoods … [they] store excess rooftop solar during the day and release it back into the local grid when demand is higher, particularly during the evening peak.”
By absorbing excess solar power energy and managing how it’s released, Sanderson said the batteries will reduce strain on local infrastructure, helping to bring down systemwide costs and improve local energy reliability.
About 130 households will be connected into each of the Perth batteries, with about 3,600 households connected across the five larger Bunbury batteries.
The batteries being installed in Bunbury are expected to be operational by the end of this year, while those in the Perth metropolitan area are to be up and running by May 2027.
Federal Assistant Energy Minister Josh Wilson said the new community batteries will bolster the grid capacity already supported by more than 45,000 batteries installed in homes across WA, five community batteries already installed across Perth, and the state’s utility scale battery projects, including in Kwinana and Collie.
“These 18 community batteries will contribute to cutting network costs while enabling more renewable generation,” he said.
The federal government has provided about $9.3 million of the project’s $25 million total cost. The Community Batteries for Household Solar program aims to install 400 batteries nationwide to provide shared storage for households across Australia.
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SUZHOU, China, June 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque met with Mr. Mr. Yudong Bao, CEO, YUDE SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD, to discuss the company's interest to participate in the Renewable Sector in the Philippines particularly in distributed photovoltaic (PV) development for residential and commercial & industrial (C&I) applications. The meeting was held on May 20 in Suzhou, China and organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Shanghai led by Vice Consul Commercial Jose Ma. S. Dinsay.

Yude Solar has recently completed its company registration in the Philippines and in the process of Structuring partnerships with experienced local companies in the solar industry. The company plans to collaborate with local EPC firms, financial institutions, and industry partners to establish a comprehensive distributed solar ecosystem in the country.
YUDE SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. a subsidiary of a Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed smart energy technology company GoodWe Corporation, was established in May 2021 and has rapidly emerged as one of China's leading rooftop solar developers. Headquartered in China and backed by GoodWe's global smart energy ecosystem, Yude specializes in distributed photovoltaic (PV) solutions for both residential and commercial & industrial (C&I) applications. Since its establishment, the company has developed and commissioned more than 3 GW of rooftop solar projects across China, positioning itself among the country's top five rooftop solar developers.
Originally focused on residential solar systems, Yude Solar has installed and commissioned more than 90,000 residential systems nationwide and currently operates in over 20 provinces across China. The company has been recognized as one of China's most influential household solar brands for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2025 and has obtained the CQC Household Photovoltaic System 2A Certification.
Leveraging the technological and manufacturing strengths of GoodWe, Yude Solar provides integrated smart energy solutions covering solar generation, energy storage, intelligent load management, and grid integration. Its C&I business focuses on Smart Energy Integration solutions combining "Load + Grid + Generation + Storage," enabling businesses to optimize energy efficiency, reduce electricity costs, and improve energy resilience.
Yude is currently expanding beyond traditional rooftop solar into a broader clean energy portfolio, including Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Green Energy Certificates (GEC), and other renewable energy initiatives aligned with China's carbon neutrality objectives and the global energy transition.
Yude Solar made a commitment to work with Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, her team and other relevant government officials, to become a transformative force in the Philippines energy landscape by delivering affordable, reliable, and clean solar power solutions to homes and businesses across the country. Yude Solar can help empower Filipino families and enterprises through smart solar and battery storage systems that reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and lower monthly electricity bills. By combining advanced technology, flexible financing with zero upfront investment models, and strong local partnerships, Yude Solar can accelerate the Philippines' transition toward energy independence, sustainability, and long-term economic resilience—bringing not only power to communities, but also hope, opportunity, and a cleaner future for generations to come.
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BERC Approves 275 MW Rooftop Solar Project For 2.5 Lakh Kutir Jyoti Consumers In Bihar  SolarQuarter
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Audacious arson attack damages Pattani solar farm; Authorities launch manhunt for suspects  Khaosod English
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MNRE Eases ALMM Cell Compliance for Rooftop Solar Projects Delayed by DISCOMs Photograph: (Archive)
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has provided a one-time relief mechanism for rooftop solar projects that were physically completed before June 1, 2026 but could not be commissioned due to delays by distribution companies (DISCOMs), allowing such projects to seek exemption from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II requirement for solar cells.
In an Office Memorandum issued on June 15, the ministry said it had received multiple representations from stakeholders regarding rooftop solar projects where modules had already been installed before the June 1 deadline, but commissioning under the net-metering framework could not be completed because of reasons attributable to the concerned DISCOMs.
Under the clarification, developers and consumers can apply for exemption from ALMM List-II through the National Portal for Rooftop Solar, provided 100% of the solar PV modules required for the project had been installed before June 1, 2026. Applicants will be required to furnish supporting evidence, including geo-tagged site photographs, invoices, installation reports and self-certification documents.
Pending a final decision on such applications, the concerned DISCOM may verify the submitted documents and allow commissioning of the rooftop solar project using modules containing solar cells not covered under ALMM List-II, MNRE said.
The ministry, however, clarified that the relaxation would remain available only for one month from the date of issuance of the memorandum and is intended solely to address a transitional situation arising from the implementation of the solar cell sourcing mandate. Projects availing the exemption must be commissioned within the stipulated period, failing which no further claims will be entertained under the dispensation.
MNRE further stated that DISCOMs will be responsible for verifying eligibility, maintaining records of such cases and certifying the reasons for delay in commissioning. The utilities will also be required to document compliance with the eligibility conditions prescribed by the ministry.
The clarification comes weeks after MNRE made ALMM List-II applicable to solar cells from June 1, 2026, requiring projects covered under the framework to use domestically approved solar cells. The ministry emphasized that the latest relaxation should not be construed as an extension of the implementation deadline and that all other provisions of its earlier order dated May 25, 2026 remain unchanged.
The move is expected to provide relief to rooftop solar consumers and developers whose projects were ready for commissioning before the ALMM cell mandate took effect but remained stranded due to procedural delays at the utility level.
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Indian PV manufacturer Bluebird Solar has launched a new range of G12R n-type TOPCon bifacial PV modules targeting utility-scale, commercial and industrial (C&I), and rooftop solar applications.
The new module series offers power outputs of up to 630 W and module efficiencies of up to 23.32%.
The modules are based on n-type TOPCon cell technology and G12R rectangular wafers, enabling integration of a higher number of cells within a compact design to increase power density and optimize space utilization, the manufacturer said.
The bifacial glass-to-glass module features 132 half-cut cells with 16 busbar technology and is backed by a 12-year product warranty and 30-year power output warranty.
“Our new G12R module has been engineered to meet the evolving needs of modern solar projects by delivering higher energy yield, lower degradation, and better project economics,” said Akshay Mittal, director, Bluebird Solar.
“As the industry moves rapidly toward high-efficiency n-type solutions, our focus remains on providing advanced modules that offer superior performance, reliability, and long-term value for our customers,” added Rohit Tikku, CEO, Bluebird Solar.
Bluebird Solar currently operates a fully automated 2.5 GW PV module manufacturing facility in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, producing high-efficiency mono PERC and n-type TOPCon solar modules for residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale applications.
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Spanish energy company Naturgy has brought two solar power projects in Australia into operation, with output from both facilities contracted to Telstra under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). The projects, developed through Naturgy’s international generation subsidiary Global Power Generation (GPG), comprise the 260 MW Glenellen solar farm in New South Wales and the 96 MW Bundaberg solar plant in Queensland. Together they add 356 MW of installed solar capacity and increase Naturgy’s operational ge
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PUBLISHED : 15 Jun 2026 at 13:26
WRITER: Online Reporters
PATTANI – Arsonists destroyed much of the stockpile of solar panels at a solar farm operated by Gunkul Solar Power Generation Co in Yaring district of this southern border province early Monday morning.
The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) said the attackers entered through the rear of the solar farm in Ban Tha Phong, tambon Taloh Kapore, at 3.45am. They set fire to the solar panel storage area. There were no casualties.
The area was later cordoned off while a bomb disposal team searched the site. They reported it was clean and investigators could begin their collection of evidence.
Isoc said the arsonists not only damaged property but also development opportunities for local people.
It was the second attack on a power generation facility in Pattani in a week. On June 9, intruders set and detonated bombs at the biomass power plant of Pattani Green Co in Nong Chik district. There were no casualties.
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Our combined knowledge, your competitive advantage
Electricity generation has always been to some extent a matter of combining the geography of resources with that of users. For example, coal-fired power stations were most often sited at the ‘mine mouth’, to minimise the transport of coal and instead transmit energy efficiently along high-voltage power lines. That also applies with the advent of large-scale renewables; getting the best out of wind and solar depends on siting plants where there is wind or solar resource.
Nuclear was to some extent an exception to this rule, as the energy in nuclear fuel is so large that the energy cost to transport it fades into insignificance, but that meant secondary resources, such as cooling water availability, came to the fore. Similarly, when a site meets renewables’ energy need – solar irradiation or high winds – it has a secondary resource need to meet: large areas of land. Again, nuclear’s huge energy resource means that it requires just a small footprint for power stations that export energy at very large scale. But in a twist of fate, many nuclear activities have been allocated extremely large land areas – whether that is for the more land-hungry activities associated with the fuel chain, for exclusion areas or simply as administrative areas around a power plant. These areas are generally off limits for the general public and excluded from other activities such as farming. But increasingly, they are proving attractive areas for installing renewable energy generation and in particular solar PV. The relatively simple installation and management of PV panels – and the speed at which the cost of buying and installing panels has fallen – has given rise to a ‘solar everywhere’ mindset and nuclear sites are no exception.
Solar offers nuclear the potential to increase income, reduce site costs or even help fulfil safety requirements.
Cleanup to Clean Energy
The US has seen an initiative that would produce solar energy at gigawatt-scale from US Federally owned nuclear sites.
The initiative is known as ‘Cleanup to Clean Energy’ and it was announced in July 2023 as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s attempt to leveraging federal properties to support utility-scale clean energy projects. It follows Executive Order 14057, signed by President Biden in December 2021, which calls on federal agencies to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030 and directs them to authorise use of their real property assets, including land for the development of new clean electricity generation and storage through leases, grants, permits, or other mechanisms.
The sites in question belong to the US government via the Department of Energy (DOE). Three of the DOE’s bodies, the Office of Environmental Management (OEM), Office of Nuclear Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration have joined together to identify about 35,000 acres (14,000 Ha) of land for potential development at five sites: Idaho National Laboratory (890 square miles, 2300 km²); Hanford in Washington; Savannah River in South Carolina (310 square miles, 800 km²); Nevada’s National Security Site; and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.
This could be just the first tranche: the DOE says once it has signed agreements on using the areas identified, a process expected to be complete this year, it will “continue to engage and partner with industry, tribal nations, communities, stakeholders, regulators and others to implement a process for further development of clean energy projects on DOE land”.
Four sets of leases have already been progressed by DOE:
At Idaho National Laboratory it will enter into lease negotiations with two developers. NorthRenew Energy Partners proposes PV on 2,000 acres (800 Ha) for a 300 MW solar farm, along with battery storage. Spitfire proposes to install a 100 MW solar farm on approximately 500 acres (200 Ha), again together with battery storage.
At Hanford, DOE will enter into negotiations with Hecate Energy, for a solar project capable of delivering up 1000 MW within an 8,000-acre (3200 Ha) area of the site.
At Savannah River, DOE has selected two potential projects. Stellar Renewable Power will enter lease negotiations for a 75 MW solar farm and battery on at least 500 acres (200 Ha) and Ameresco, Inc will be in negotiations for a 75 MW solar farm and battery on a further 500 acres (200 Ha).
At the Nevada National Security Site, Estuary Power LLC and NV Energy have been selected to begin negotiations over 2,400 acres (1000 Ha) for a solar farm of at least 200 MW.
Meanwhile at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant a request for proposals has been extended and bidders will be named later this year.
Announcing bidders for the Hanford project, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said: “With today’s announcement, DOE is transforming thousands of acres of land at our Hanford site into a thriving centre of carbon-free solar power generation, leading by example in cleaning up our environment and delivering new economic opportunities to local communities.”
Europe doubles land use
Legacy US nuclear sites have many thousands of acres available for alternative uses. That’s not the case at Europe’s compact nuclear power plants, but increasingly the ‘solar everywhere’ mindset has developers asking what areas can do ‘double duty’.
Rooftop PV has been increasingly commonplace over the last decade, but the advent of electric vehicles has made it an option for the ‘solar car park’.
The nuclear industry in the Czech Republic picked up this idea at an early stage. It was back in 2021 that power engineers completed construction of the country’s largest solar car park roof, at the Dukovany nuclear station. The CEZ group, which owns the plant, created 322 new parking spots covered by 2,600 photovoltaic panels. “Photovoltaics on the site of the Dukovany power plant is a very innovative concept. We believe that there will soon be many more such examples,” Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček said when it opened. “The new rooftop power plant at the parking lot in Dukovany is also a symbol of the future of the Czech energy sector – nuclear and solar zero-emission sources will be generating electricity here side by side,” said Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of ČEZ. The solar car park includes three new public charging stations for EVs, adding to six existing at the site, with six more planned.
Dukovany’s array totals just 831 kW, but ‘solar everywhere’ assumes that large numbers of low power installations over large areas will provide bulk power (a contrast with nuclear’s small number of high-power installations, each with a small footprint). A law passed in France illustrates this: it requires any car park with 80 spaces or more to install solar PV covering at least half the site within five years from July 2023. Sites with more than 400 spaces have just three years to comply and France believes it could result in installations totalling 11 GW – significant in capacity terms, although of course it is only able to collect that much energy at peak periods on sunny days.
PV a positive for nuclear
These examples of solar installations focus on electricity production and scale, using the nuclear site footprint but operating separately. But in a recent paper published in Nuclear Analysis the authors (M. Chabook and S. Tashakor from Iran’s Islamic Azad University) investigate whether onsite PV and a battery could be used to increase safety at a nuclear plant.
In their paper, titled “Design of emergency solar energy system adjacent the nuclear power plant to prevent nuclear accidents and increase safety”, they said: “The main goal of this research is to use solar systems for providing emergency power to nuclear plants in case the power grid is down and other emergency systems such as diesel generators and batteries are not working”.
They modelled a relatively small-scale installation at the Tehran research reactor, a 5 MW pool-type light water research reactor that has been operating at the Tehran Nuclear Research Center since 1967. Emergency power at the Tehran research reactor for pumps, motors, light and all electrical equipment and labs is provided by a 450 kW diesel generator on the north side of the reactor building. This unit is backed up by a separate 62.5 kVA/50 kW diesel generator.
The authors say PV and a battery could back up the 50 kW generator (in case it failed or fuel was unavailable) and supply electricity to water pumps until the reactor’s other power systems are recovered. Iran is an ideal location for such an installation. It has high solar irradiation, with typically 300 sunny days per year. In many areas in Iran PV receives 5.4–5.5 kWh/m², far above the level (3.5 kWh/ m²) where international standards typically consider irradiation is sufficient to allow for economic use of solar PV. The study used standard software (PVsyst) designed for analysis and simulation of photovoltaic installations, which can simulate the performance of solar in each country, city and zone. They used a second standard software tool (RETScreen Clean Energy Management Software) developed by the Government of Canada that allows for assessment and optimisation of the technical and financial viability of renewable energy, energy efficiency and cogeneration projects.
The research team considered the option of installing a 100 kW grid-connected PV system, which would require an area of 627 m² of area, linked to a 400 kWh battery. The battery system can provide the necessary emergency power of 50 kW for eight hours. The model solar plant is intended to back up the 50 kW generator, which supplies electricity to the nuclear plant’s water pumps in case of emergency but the authors decided to model a larger array so that it also had more opportunity to export power to the grid (it also used novel inverters that allow for connection both to the grid and to battery packs). “As the first priority, the plant charges the battery pack and discharges excess energy to the power grid,” the authors explained, adding: “The system is capable of both charging battery bank and transferring excess energy to the grid, simultaneously.”
The paper concludes that the 100 kW solar power plant, connected to the grid, leads to improved back up capabilities at the Tehran research reactor. The system as designed could also generate revenue by selling surplus electricity to the electricity grid as when backup power is not required any excess generated energy is transferred to the power grid, with an associated income for the operator.
In an economic evaluation, the authors said 16,500 million Rials (US$390,000) was required for construction of the plant and annual maintenance cost would be 210 million Rials (US$5000). Economic evaluations suggested that the project could pay off its capital investment after 4.5 years, as long as exported power was able to access Iran’s solar feed-in tariff.
These types of exploration of the opportunities of other forms of generation on nuclear sites hints at potential new revenue lines for nuclear operators elsewhere.
Such revenue lines may be public-facing: EV chargers like those linked to PV – as well as nuclear – at Dukovany offer carbon-free power direct to EV drivers. But operators may also offer more specialist services to the power industry: together with the energy (and inertia) traditionally provided by nuclear, products like flexibility and fast frequency response are increasingly valued in the modern electricity market.
Alongside the bulk of a nuclear station, arrays of batteries may become increasingly common – and PV may be everywhere.
This article first appeared in Nuclear Engineering International magazine.
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Cyprus curtailed about 162 GWh of solar energy in the first five months of 2026, equivalent to more than 65% of the country’s potential solar power generation during the period.
CyprusGrid, an energy analytics platform focused on Cyprus’ electricity sector, told pv magazine that the affected plants are predominantly photovoltaic systems, alongside 12.5 MW of biogas capacity and 24 MW of wind power, which are also connected to the distribution network.
According to CyprusGrid, curtailment has risen sharply from around 12% in 2022 to 47% in 2025.
Curtailment patterns over the past five years have remained broadly consistent, with volumes typically surging in spring and autumn when electricity demand is lower, and easing during other months. However, between June and August 2025, when demand is usually higher, curtailed volumes more than quadrupled compared with the same period in 2024. If this trend continues into 2026, Cyprus could end the year with record curtailments exceeding 60%.
Andreas Procopiou, founder of CyprusGrid, said that a key driver behind Cyprus’ record curtailments is the continued operation of must-run conventional units, which occupy a significant share of grid capacity that could otherwise be used by renewables. In addition, wholesale electricity prices have remained depressed, largely due to the same renewable oversupply that is driving curtailment in the first place.
Cyprus does not compensate investors for curtailed generation. “As a result, there is a serious revenue squeeze that is testing the viability of projects built on very different market assumptions,” Procopiou said. “PV owners are exploring every option available to them to deal with this situation. Some are attempting to renegotiate PPAs, but with market liquidity at historic lows, counterparties have little incentive to offer improved terms. The more structural solution—adding battery storage to existing PV plants to shift curtailed energy into hours when the grid can actually absorb it—is being held back by an administrative bottleneck that should not exist.”
In the years prior to 2025, curtailment in Cyprus mainly affected large-scale solar plants monitored through the transmission system operator’s SCADA systems. In cases of significant imbalances between generation and demand, system operators could deploy alternative control methods such as ripple control, although this was rare.
Starting in 2025, however, Cyprus began curtailing large volumes of solar generation from residential PV systems. Last year, curtailed residential and small-scale PV generation reached 30,180 MWh, up from just 1,565 MWh the year before, according to CyprusGrid.
Between January and May 2026, Procopiou said the grid curtailed a record 46,687 MWh of residential and small-scale solar generation.
The rise in residential curtailment comes as Cyprus’ solar PV market is increasingly driven by the residential segment. Amid severe curtailment levels, large-scale PV development has slowed, while the market is now dominated by self-consumption systems and prosumer installations.
“Residential PV still makes financial sense in Cyprus through self-consumption, though ripple control is a real headwind today, cutting off production entirely during curtailment events. Despite an expected slowdown, the fundamentals remain intact as behind-the-meter storage becomes the norm,” concluded Procopiou.
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