Solar Now

India has moved from more than 90% import dependence to become the world’s second-largest solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing hub, with 233 GW of capacity as of June 2026. However, module manufacturing capacity has expanded faster than market demand, leaving factories operating at just 35–40% utilisation—well below the 50–65% generally considered necessary for sustainable operations. 
A new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research, ‘Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market’, finds that solar manufacturing expansion has been overwhelmingly concentrated at the module stage. Module capacity now stands at nearly 7x cell capacity and 116x ingot-wafer capacity, leaving upstream segments such as cells, wafers, and polysilicon underdeveloped and the supply chain dependent on imported inputs, predominantly from China.
“India has added module capacity faster than the market can absorb it,” says Prabhakar Sharma, Senior Consultant at JMK Research and lead author of the report. “With around 135GW more already planned or under construction and factories running at 35–40%, the pressure on utilisation, margins, and returns will only intensify. Standalone module manufacturers face a real risk of stranded assets.”
The report finds this imbalance is unlikely to ease by 2030. India’s solar deployment is expected to grow strongly, but not fast enough to absorb the capacity already committed. New demand from data centres, green hydrogen and ammonia, and exports offers the most credible upside, an incremental 17–22GW by 2030, with green hydrogen the single largest avenue given the dedicated renewable capacity it requires. Even so, this is unlikely to fully offset the planned scale of expansion.
Exports will therefore be pivotal, and here the picture is shifting fast. India’s export base is heavily exposed to a single market: the US absorbed around 97% of module export volume in financial year (FY) 2026. That channel has since been disrupted by combined US duties exceeding 200% on most Indian manufacturers, which have cut exports to the US by 44–47% from their FY2024 peak. The European Union, whose recent supply-chain and sourcing rules increasingly reward diversification, now offers the most structured medium-term alternative.
“India may have the opportunity to unlock new export markets, provided Indian solar PV manufacturers can effectively compete with Chinese manufacturers by investing in R&D and the manufacturing of polysilicon, ingots, wafers, and cells,” says Charith Konda, Lead Energy Specialist at IEEFA, and contributing author of the report along with Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, IEEFA. “But market access alone will not be enough. Sustained export growth depends on closing the cost and technology gap with China through scale, integration, and operational efficiency.”
On the supply side, the report expects the gap between capacity and demand to reshape the industry. Smaller, non-integrated manufacturers will come under greater pressure, while larger, vertically integrated players are positioned to gain. Domestic manufacturing is also likely to move upstream, from modules into cells, wafers, and eventually polysilicon, reducing reliance on imported inputs.
“The challenge is no longer building capacity; it is using it well and deepening the value chain. That means spreading incentives evenly across cells, wafers, and polysilicon rather than rewarding modules alone, strengthening industry-research collaboration, and giving exporters targeted, time-bound support,” says Chirag H. Tewani, Senior Research Associate, JMK Research, and report co-author. “India’s entry into the Pax Silica coalition is a real opportunity to diversify silicon inputs and cut its reliance on China,” says Pulkit Moudgil, Senior Research Associate, JMK Research, and co-author of the report.
Alongside these measures, the report calls for faster power transmission and right-of-way (RoW) clearances to sustain domestic deployment, and a framework to repower ageing solar assets. It concludes that today’s module overcapacity is best viewed as a transitional feature of a fast-expanding industry, one that can be resolved through demand absorption, consolidation, and disciplined upstream investment over the coming decade.
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By Kris Millgate
Published Sep 3, 2026 6:06 PM EDT
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A newly proposed data center that would be built on public land near Boulder City, Nevada, just hit a roadblock. On Sept. 1 a judge placed a hold on the project’s permit with the justification that the initial permit issued in 2023 was meant for a solar power plant. 
The stay, granted by administrative judge David Gunter, halts data center development by Townsite Solar 2, LLC. The company originally planned to build a solar power plant with battery storage on Bureau of Land Management ground about 5 miles southwest of Boulder City. That project was federally approved in 2023 after public meetings and an environmental assessment, which is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The judge stated that there was evidence the BLM “acted arbitrarily or capriciously when it determined that the data center project is ‘substantially the same’ as the solar plant project for purposes of its NEPA analysis.”
In 2025, Townsite returned to BLM with an amended project requesting use of the acreage for an AI data center instead. BLM approved the amended request in July citing similar use as reason enough for not requiring another environmental assessment. Those opposing the amendment say a data center is not similar to a solar farm.
“The two are vastly different,” said Nevada Rep. Dina Titus. “I’ve said since day one that this was not only improper, but illegal.”
While they function differently, there is a connection between solar and data. Solar farms can produce the power that AI data centers need to operate. Building the two next to each other cuts grid transmission out of the mix for energy transfers. Reducing transmission distance is a plus because the increasing amount of power required for data centers puts a strain on rural utility services. 
The proposed AI data center would require approximately 900,000 gallons of water during construction, according to the Nevada Current. The data center is also expected to consume more electricity annually than Boulder City itself consumes, according to an August report by Field & Stream.
“Rural communities are becoming the nexus of a national data center build-out that is moving fast and creating high pressure decisions regarding land use, fiscal policy, workforce development and resource management for local leaders and communities,” concluded researchers Anthony F. Pipa and Adam Aley in their 2026 Brookings Institution report for America’s Rural Future virtual symposium. 
Townsite was also in negotiations with Boulder City for an 88.5-acre city-owned parcel adjacent to the federal public land in question. But Boulder City’s planning commission voted unanimously against constructing the data center on city land, according to the Current.
The city estimated an initial minimum lease value of $1.47 million for the data center on city-owned land before the company pulled its request and pursued the public-land project through the federal government, which is now on hold. 
Read Next: The Real Reason the Forest Service Is Killing the Roadless Rule
“The judge ruled for transparency and public accountability in granting a stay based on BLM’s misuse of an environmental impact statement for a solar farm as justification for a data center,” Titus said.  
If built, Townsite would be the first data center built on public land managed by BLM on behalf of all Americans. It could also set a precedent for public land in other Western states. The BLM has until Sept. 21 to respond to the order issued by the Interior Board of Land Appeals.
Kris Millgate is a multimedia journalist based in eastern Idaho. She’s a fly fisher, a bird hunter and an avid seeker of awkward moments. Read and watch more of her work at tightlinemedia.com
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I assume it’s no coincidence the World Bank made announcements of new support for clean energy in both India and Pakistan on the same day. If you’re going to support one, you better support the other!
Anyway, the good news is that the World Bank is facilitating much more clean energy deployments in both major countries.
First of all, we’ve got the India story, which is perhaps a little more exciting since it concerns rooftop solar. (Also, India is … well, a bit bigger and more romanticized around the world, right?)
“The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved financing to accelerate India’s national program for solar rooftops to bring clean energy to millions of homes and create 1.7 million job opportunities across the renewable energy manufacturing, installation, and services value chain,” the World Bank wrote yesterday. 1.7 million jobs! … Or job opportunities. I’m not sure what that means, but if they actually mean jobs, that’s great.
They also mention India’s net zero commitment. Though, personally, I just find that embarrassing. Apparently, the country has committed to achieving net zero emissions … by 2070. (Yikes.) More notably, the country plans to have 60% of its electricity coming from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources by 2035.
“While large-scale solar has grown rapidly, residential solar adoption has been limited. To unlock this potential, the Government of India established the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana program to incentivize solar rooftop installation for 10 million rural and urban households nationwide, reduce household electricity costs, and encourage local manufacturing of solar rooftop equipment,” the World Bank adds. That’s the program the financial agency is supporting.
“The financing package for the program includes an $820 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a $60 million concessional loan from the Clean Technology Fund, and a $10 million grant from IBRD’s Livable Planet Fund. In addition, the World Bank will mobilize $4.2 billion in private financing in the form of commercial loans enabling them to install solar rooftops for households.”
I don’t know enough about the workings of the World Bank to know where this stands amongst its broader work, but this is clearly a significant boost to the rooftop solar industry in India. It should be greatly appreciated.
“The program will transform the residential solar market by removing financial barriers and building the capacity of distribution companies, banks, and vendors to deliver integrated service solutions,” notes Moez Cherif, Task Team Leader of the program. “Through collateral-free financing, households can install solar power and significantly reduce their monthly electricity bills.”
The World Bank also noted that it has supported solar power in India for several years. “The World Bank has been supporting India’s solar rooftop sector for over a decade, mobilizing more than $2 billion to catalyze market growth from 500 MW to over 27 GW of installed capacity,” said Paul Proccee, World Bank Acting Country Director for India. “This new financing will help India scale up residential solar, while creating job opportunities across the supply chain and installation ecosystem.”
In a little more complicated of a program, the World Bank is also supporting clean energy growth in Pakistan.
“The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved US$375.9 million in financing for Pakistan’s Grid Stability Enhancement Project, to strengthen its national power transmission network under the Boosting Energy Security through Transmission in Pakistan (BEST-PAK) Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA). The Project is the first phase of a 10-year program  to help Pakistan modernize its electricity transmission network, reduce power outages, and bring more clean energy to homes, businesses, and industries,” the World Bank wrote yesterday.
This will help integrate a lot more wind energy, and also boost grid stability and resilience. “The project will install advanced equipment to stabilize the transmission grid and improve the flow of electricity at key substations. This includes Static Synchronous Compensators, or STATCOMs, at three major 500 kV substations, as well as fixed reactors and capacitor banks across 26 grid substations. These upgrades will help bring 640 MW of currently curtailed wind energy onto the grid, enabling the full use of 1,840 MW of wind capacity in southern Pakistan by moving power to major demand centers. They will also support the integration of approximately 491 MW of planned private sector-led renewable energy projects. Together, these improvements will help Pakistan move toward its national commitment of achieving 60 percent renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030, in line with the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement. Over its lifetime, the project is expected to avoid approximately 832,500 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, or more than 20.8 million tons cumulatively over 25 years.”
60% renewable electricity by 2030! That beats India! (Come on, let’s make this a competition.)
“Pakistan’s energy challenges are deeply interconnected with its broader economic stability,” said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “By investing in advanced technologies for more resilient transmission infrastructure, this project will contribute to reducing electricity costs, bring more renewable energy onto the grid, and lay the groundwork for a power sector that works better for households, businesses and industries, as well as overall Pakistan’s economy.”
Indeed.
It’s nice to see the World Bank supporting clean energy like this. Much better than subsidizing more coal and fossil gas power plants!
Zach is tryin’ to help society help itself one word at a time. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its editor-in-chief and CEO. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about electric vehicles and renewable energy at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, and Curaçao.
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Door-to-door pitches, rushed installations, and contracts built on broad promises of savings can leave consumers holding the bag.
Photo Credit: iStock
Many homeowners choose rooftop solar in hopes of cutting electric bills and gaining more control over their energy use. In Central Florida, though, some residents now view those decisions as expensive examples of what can happen when hard-selling meets dubious business practices.
As WKMG ClickOrlando reported, a string of installer bankruptcies has left some customers with more headaches than savings.
When Freedom Forever filed for bankruptcy in April 2026, Susan Bradley and Norman Beyer, a Central Florida couple in their 70s and 80s, told the station their solar purchase had become the “biggest” financial mistake of their lives.
As WKMG detailed, the couple had already been discussing solar before a salesperson showed up at their door. Beyer said the company moved so quickly that, once the panels were mounted, they felt trapped. 
“I do believe that was the reason they got them up there so fast because once they had them on the roof, we were in with them and there was no way out,” he recalled to the station.
Freedom Forever is part of a broader residential solar shakeout that has also included SunPower, Titan Solar Power, Lumio Solar, Vision Solar, iSun Inc., and ADT Solar.
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Luke McCarr, owner of Aspire Solar, told WKMG that large solar firms can come apart fast when high overhead collides with changing market conditions. He said reduced incentives have added still more strain across the industry.
Some homeowners get stuck before they can even confirm that their systems are fully functional, properly permitted, or approved to send electricity back to the grid.
That risk can grow when the sales process moves too fast. Door-to-door pitches, rushed installations, and contracts built on broad promises of savings can leave consumers holding the bag while companies collect money early.
Experiences like this can also erode confidence in clean energy more broadly. Solar can still save money and cut pollution when a stable, reputable company sizes and installs a system correctly, but misleading claims and reckless business choices can make a useful technology feel fraudulent.
McCarr told WKMG his company now regularly hears from “orphan customers,” meaning homeowners whose installers disappeared. 
“They’re super upset,” he relayed to the outlet. “They’re very frustrated. And I’m the one who has to pick up the phone.”
Experts say homeowners whose installer has gone bankrupt should start by identifying the manufacturers of their panels and inverters. Those companies are often still operating and may be able to refer customers. McCarr, for his part, is filling in the gap in Florida, and cutting prices to lure unhappy customers.
“If your solar company went out of business, our first service call is now half price; it’s 150 bucks,” he explained to WKMG. “We can fix whatever problem within an hour.”
Outside of that, homeowners can also check whether permits were properly closed out and whether the utility completed net-metering or permission-to-operate approval. If that paperwork is missing, the rooftop system may not be generating the bill credits the homeowner expected.
For people still considering solar, several precautions can help reduce risk, like avoiding lease terms you do not fully understand, sizing a system using a full year of kilowatt-hour usage rather than rough bill estimates, and confirming that your roof has enough remaining life.
For homeowners hoping to avoid the kind of mess seen in Central Florida, the big questions are usually the same. It’s important to weigh how to pay for a system, what upkeep it may need, and which sales claims deserve a second look. Each article below highlights how rooftop solar can lower energy costs or pile on new ones, depending on the company behind the sale and the support that follows.
• Homeowners weighing rooftop solar still face buy-versus-lease financing choices that shape long-term costs.
• In Florida, one household said Vinny’s solar pitch turned an $800 bill into credits.
• Even stable systems can bring rooftop cleaning and repairs that add to ownership costs.
• Across homeowner forums, misinformation floating around continues to distort expectations about rooftop solar savings.
That’s why it pays to slow down and read the fine print before signing. The savings homeowners hope for often depend just as much on the contract and the company as on the panels themselves.
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Avaada unit powers up 3-GW solar cell production plant in India  renewablesnow.com
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Publicly-owned renewable energy company State Electricity Commission (SEC) Victoria has connected the 119 MW Horsham solar farm to the grid for the first time.
Part of the hybrid SEC Renewable Energy Park, the solar farm is located approximately 300 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, and consists of 212,296 solar panels installed in 2025.
Being developed by Swedish headquartered clean energy company OX2 Australia, which sold the project to the SEC in 2024, construction is being done in partnership with South Australian (SA)-headquartered engineering business PSD Energy.
SEC Victoria Assets Executive General Manager Lane Crockett said the energy park will support the state’s planned retirement of key coal assets, including Yallourn, which is scheduled to close in 2028.
The solar farm now proceeds to hot commissioning and hold point testing stages as it prepares for the arrival and installation of a 100 MW / 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in late 2026.
Switzerland-headquartered storage solutions company Energy Vault will supply the BESS, which will be built using the company’s proprietary X-VAULT integration platform and proprietary UL9540 certified B-VAULT product, and VaultOS energy management system to control, manage and optimise the hybrid BESS operations.
The grid-scale energy storage solution’s AC-coupled and DC-coupled configurations will also provide drop-in flexibility.
Once operational in 2027, the hybrid energy park will be capable of generating around 242,000 MWh of clean energy per year, equivalent to the annual energy demands of 51,000 homes.
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Modules built with less silver or none at all may be cheaper to produce.
Photo Credit: SPR
Solar power is widely seen as one of the cleanest energy sources available, but that upside depends on what happens once the panels wear out, according to Solar Power World.
Across the United States, recyclers are showing that old or damaged solar panels can provide a source of reusable materials and even a genuine business opportunity.
Commercial solar panel recycling is no longer a far-off concept. As Solar Power World reported, companies like We Recycle Solar and SolarCycle are already processing retired modules at scale.
For the silicon panels that dominate the market, the business case rests on selling recovered commodities like silver. Without strong demand for those materials, recycling becomes much harder to support economically.
Brett Henderson, CEO of SolarPanelRecycling.com, explained to Solar Power World, “At the end of the day, for recycling to work, someone has to be able to consume the products you’re generating and consume it at scale.”
A central problem is that the largest share of a typical panel is also one of its least valuable materials: glass. Because glass contributes relatively little on its own, recyclers depend on the higher-value metals in silicon modules to offset the economics.
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“When you take a silicon panel and break it down to all of its base commodities to be recirculated back into manufacturing industries, the bulk of any panel is glass. Glass isn’t a very valuable commodity. Silicon panels are economically viable to recycle [because] you’re getting to subsidize it by collecting aluminum, silver,” Henderson said.
That equation could change as panel makers look for ways to cut manufacturing costs. Modules built with less silver or none at all may be cheaper to produce, but they could also weaken one of the main value streams recyclers rely on.
In the U.S., recycling efforts are centered mostly on silicon modules, which remain the industry’s most common panel type.
Solar Power World noted that cadmium-telluride thin-film panels are a more difficult fit for outside recyclers. They generally lack aluminum frames, and because current demand for cadmium and tellurium is limited, outside recyclers have less incentive to handle them.
On the recycling line, the work starts with taking off the junction boxes and aluminum frames. After that, one of the toughest parts is removing the glass cleanly enough to reach the more valuable material layers underneath without contaminating them.
This issue is becoming more pressing even before the earliest major wave of American solar installations reaches retirement age. Many panels are still expected to last 25 years or more, but damaged units are already making their way into recycling facilities.
Better recycling systems, however, can help keep bulky solar equipment out of landfills and strengthen domestic supply chains tied to clean energy technologies.
According to Solar Power World, SolarPanelRecycling.com has completed a $12 million overhaul of its recycling facilities in North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas to improve glass separation without damaging silicon wafers and encapsulants.
OnePlanet, which operates near Jacksonville, Florida, said its system uses high-velocity airflow to separate 99.5% of a module’s glass at 99% purity. Cleaner separation can make downstream materials more valuable and easier for refiners to process.
André Pujadas, CEO of OnePlanet, said the company’s approach is designed to recover higher-purity silicon that can eventually return to industrial use.
“The whole business philosophy here would be to extract and recover minerals and reintroduce them into the supply chain for re-consumption, encouraging a circular economy,” Pujadas said. “A big part of that is how much value is extracted across the entire value chain. This recycling process is very focused on a high-purity silicon. [Eventually] we will have enough silicon that it can become a feedstock for metallurgical-grade silicon production.”
At the same time, recyclers are preparing for a future in which panel designs may include less silver, bifacial features, or newer tandem perovskite-silicon structures that can contain lead.
In other words, their work involves anticipating shifts in panel design.
Because the composition of that one incoming product keeps changing, adaptability may prove essential. 
As Henderson said, “It’s a strange industry. Solar panels are the one singular item you’re bringing in, but there’s so many flavors.”
Solar recycling is becoming a bigger part of the clean energy business, and people in many places are proving that there are many ways to address panel recycling.
• In Odessa, Texas, a solar panel recycling plant is tackling the industry’s mounting waste stream.
• In Georgia, a major U.S. manufacturer has gone all in on panel recycling.
• In Tennessee, BBB Industries’ division is recycling over 125,000 solar modules each year.
• In Italy, a startup can recover 99% of components from discarded solar panels.
Even if solar recycling or even panels themselves feel less accessible now, there’s always the possibility that additional research will make them more possible in the future.
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India’s solar module manufacturing capacity has grown much faster than cell and upstream capacity, raising the risk of oversupply, according to a new report
New demand from data centers, green hydrogen, and exports could ease some of the pressure
The capacity mismatch could increase pressure on smaller manufacturers and accelerate consolidation across the sector
India’s solar manufacturing sector is heading toward a potential oversupply of module capacity, cautions a new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research. India’s cumulative nameplate solar module manufacturing capacity reached 233 GW as of June 2026, with another 135 GW in the pipeline.
This capacity is well ahead of India’s annual demand since the country installed around 13 GW in FY2022, reaching over 30 GW in FY2025. Over the same period, its module production capacity rose from around 38 GW to over 90 GW.
While India’s nameplate module production capacity has made it one of the largest module manufacturing bases globally, this growth is woefully short on vertical integration. As per the analysis, the 233 GW is nearly 7 times India’s solar cell manufacturing capacity, and 116 times higher than ingot and wafer capacity.
With this arrangement, India’s solar supply chain remains dependent on imports, mainly from China.
Report writers attribute the rapid build-out of module capacity partly to the relatively low barriers to module assembly since such projects require less capital and can be commissioned faster than cell or ingot-wafer facilities. Cell and ingot-wafer manufacturing, by comparison, require substantially higher investment, longer construction periods and more specialized expertise.
The difference has resulted in a manufacturing base that has grown much faster downstream than upstream.
Analysts also highlight that manufacturers are already operating below sustainable utilization levels – 35% to 40% –as compared to 50% to 65% needed to operate sustainably. Upcoming capacity additions could put further pressure on the market.
According to the report titled Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market, this imbalance could become more pronounced as additional projects come online. The report says about 135 GW of future module capacity is backed by firm investment commitments and near-certain commissioning schedules. This raises the risk of further widening the gap between available supply and market demand.
Analysts believe that continued capacity additions could put further pressure on factory utilization, margins and investment returns. Standalone manufacturers could face a higher risk of stranded assets if demand does not grow quickly enough, they warn.
The capacity imbalance could also change the structure of India’s solar manufacturing industry as consolidation concerns become real. Smaller, non-integrated manufacturers may face greater pressure as surplus capacity increases, while companies with vertically integrated operations, greater scale, and stronger technology capabilities could be better positioned.
According to the analysts, the sequencing of India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework has contributed to the imbalance in India’s vertical integration. ALMM List-I for modules became operational in March 2021, and nearly five years later ALMM List II for cells became operational in June 2026 (see India Brings ALMM List-II For Solar Cells Into Force).
The government now plans to bring ALMM List-III for wafers into force from June 1, 2028 (see India To Enforce ALMM List-III For Ingots, Wafers On June 1, 2028).
“This staggered rollout created a one-sided demand pull for modules, while cells continued to compete against lower-cost imports, directing investment toward the only segment with assured offtake,” reads the report.
Simultaneously, the report highlights that domestic demand has faced near-term constraints, especially due to contraction in utility-scale tenders. For instance, renewable energy tenders issued in FY2026 totaled about 24 GW, down around 47% from nearly 45 GW in FY2025, even though the annual bidding target is 50 GW. The report links the decline to issues including land acquisition, grid connectivity and delays in power supply agreement execution.
The report’s scenarios show that the mismatch across India’s PV manufacturing chain could persist through FY2030. In FY2026, domestic demand was about 65 GW, but module production capacity had reached 150 GW, while cell, wafer-ingot, and polysilicon capacity remained below demand.
Based on confirmed investments and credible commissioning timelines, India’s annual solar demand is expected to reach about 80 GW by FY2030 under Scenario I modeled in the report. Yet module capacity would still have a 135 GW surplus, while cell capacity would move into a 40 GW surplus. Wafer-ingot capacity would nearly meet demand, but polysilicon would remain 56 GW short.
The oversupply risk under Scenario II, which includes all announced capacity and Scenario I capacity, is much larger. Module capacity would exceed around 80 GW of expected demand by 335 GW, while cell capacity would have a 240 GW surplus. Polysilicon would continue to show a 56 GW shortfall.
“These scenarios point to sustained utilisation pressure across the PV manufacturing value chain, particularly in modules, where Tier I manufacturers already operated at 50–85% utilisation in FY2026. As surplus capacity expands, the sector is likely to face increasing margin pressure and a higher risk of stranded manufacturing assets,” according to the analysts.
The report identifies data centers, green hydrogen and exports as the main potential sources of additional module demand through 2030, while India’s domestic demand accelerates. Together, these areas could create an estimated 17 GW to 22 GW of annual incremental solar demand beyond conventional deployment, provided policy support and project execution keep pace.
Data centers, with their preference for open access and captive procurement requirements, alone could provide around 2 GW to 3 GW of annual solar demand by 2030, according to the report.
Analysts see exports as playing a larger role in utilizing India’s manufacturing base while domestic demand accelerates. India’s previous reliance on the US as a major export market, disrupted by high tariffs, has highlighted the risks of depending heavily on one destination.
They identify Europe as a more structured medium-term opportunity for Indian manufacturers as its policies increasingly emphasize supply-chain resilience and diversification.
“The timing favours such investment, as leading Chinese producers are absorbing losses from oversupply while Indian manufacturers have stayed profitable,” highlights the report.
But, as the analysts point out, gaining access to new markets alone may not be enough. Indian manufacturers would need to narrow the cost and technology gap with Chinese producers through greater scale, vertical integration and operational efficiency.
Indian solar modules remain more expensive than Chinese modules, but the cost gap has narrowed. Indian module costs fell from $0.18/W in 2024 to $0.15/W in March 2026, a 28.6% reduction, while Chinese module costs declined from $0.11/W to $0.10/W over the same period.
The complete report is available for free download on IEEFA’s website.
TaiyangNews will delve into India’s solar PV manufacturing industry during the two-day Solar Technology Conference India (STC.I 2027) on January 20-21, 2027, in New Delhi. The third edition of the annual in-person conference will cover the entire upstream supply chain. Registrations will open soon.
TaiyangNews 2024

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A ‘raincoat’ protects lead-free solar cells from the elements  Tech Xplore
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⚡ Quick Read
SAEL Industries Ltd, an integrated renewable energy player, has announced a significant milestone in its manufacturing division. Its subsidiary, SAEL Solar P6, has successfully secured supply orders for 1 GWp of solar PV modules over the last six months. This achievement underscores the company’s rapid expansion in the domestic and international solar supply chain, positioning it as a key contributor to India’s ambitious renewable energy targets.
The order book is anchored by a major 585.8 MWp supply requirement for NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd’s solar PV project in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. The remaining capacity is allocated to utility-scale solar projects across Gujarat and other regions of Uttar Pradesh. SAEL has confirmed that these orders will be fulfilled using high-efficiency n-type TOPCon modules. Crucially, all modules are enlisted under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), ensuring compliance for government-assisted projects.
As of September 30, 2025, SAEL maintains a robust portfolio of 8,299 MWp (DC) of contracted and awarded solar and storage capacity. The company currently operates 3,625 MW of TOPCon module manufacturing capacity and 164.90 MW of agri-waste-to-energy capacity. Furthermore, SAEL is currently constructing an integrated facility in Greater Noida (Jewar), Uttar Pradesh, which will house 5 GW of solar cell manufacturing and 5 GW of solar module manufacturing lines.
For EPC contractors and solar developers, the availability of ALMM-compliant, high-efficiency n-type TOPCon modules from a domestic manufacturer like SAEL provides a reliable supply chain alternative. As developers face pressure to meet strict commissioning timelines for utility-scale projects, the ability to source locally manufactured, high-performance modules is a critical factor in mitigating import-related risks and ensuring project bankability.
The industry will closely monitor the commissioning of SAEL’s upcoming 5 GW integrated facility in Greater Noida. As India continues to scale its renewable energy sector, the shift toward domestic manufacturing of advanced cell technologies like TOPCon is essential for reducing reliance on imports. SAEL’s continued growth reflects the broader trend of vertical integration among Indian energy majors, which is expected to drive further cost efficiencies and supply chain stability across the national solar landscape.
Aditya Pathre is the Founder of MVApulse and covers India’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, renewable energy policy and competitive bidding. His reporting focuses on project developments, market trends, government policies and energy transition across India.
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Scientists in Japan have developed a new approach that they claim can improve the durability of tin-based perovskite solar cells.
Researchers at the Sophia University in Tokyo and the and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, both of which are in Japan, have added a particular molecule to a tin-based perovskite solar cell, which has stabilised its performance under controlled conditions.
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The molecule in question is 2-aminobenzothiazole (2-ABZ), a “heteroatom” molecule containing nitrogen, carbon, sulphur and hydrogen. The researchers found that adding 2-ABZ to “Ruddlesden–Popper” tin halide perovskite cells creates a “multifunctional passivation strategy that enhances both photovoltaic performance and device longevity.”
The “optimised” devices containing 2-ABZ had conversion efficiencies of 9.07%, compared with 6.6% for control devices used in the experiment.
The 2-ABZ cells retained 84.94% of their initial efficiency after 100 days of storage, compared with 48.95% for untreated cells, and maintained 89% functionality after ten hours of simulated sunlight exposure, while untreated cells “degraded rapidly within the first hour”.
Professor Yuko Takeoka, leading the research at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Materials and Life Sciences, at Sophia University said: “The findings from our research showed the way for developing safer lead-free solar cells, which could help expand the use of photovoltaic cells.”
The use of tin in perovskite cells is a potential replacement for lead, which is poisonous and, the researchers claim, limited in its commercial viability. However, lead offers a higher power conversion efficiency and more stable performance than tin.
The research said that 2-ABZ “functions as a multifunctional molecular stabiliser throughout the entire device architecture. By regulating crystallisation, reducing trap formation, preventing ion migration, inhibiting tin oxidation and improving interfacial energy alignment, 2-ABZ addresses several of the intrinsic weaknesses that have limited the efficiency” of tin-halide perovskite cells.
Takeoka said:“The buildup of 2-ABZ at the interface is crucial for decreasing buried defects in the perovskite layer by creating densely populated nucleation sites at the base of the layer, resulting in the production of a high-quality and stable film.”
Perovskite research runs down many avenues in the modern solar industry. Takeoka’s research is pursuing “lightweight, flexible, and shape-controllable” perovskite cells, potentially for use in niche applications. A number of other companies are pursuing industrial-scale, commercial perovskite production; notably Caelux, which is producing solar glass laced with perovskite material in the US, and Oxford PV, the widely regarded technology and patent leader in the industry, which has licensed its technology to multiple large-scale solar manufacturers.

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Thunderstorms, some strong this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Damaging winds with some storms. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..
Thunderstorms, some strong this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Damaging winds with some storms. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Updated: September 3, 2026 @ 7:42 pm
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.

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Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
CARROLLTOWN, Pa. – A group of Cambria Heights Elementary School fifth-graders flipped a ceremonial switch Thursday to bring the school’s new solar array online.
Construction on the roughly $6 million project started in the spring and wrapped up before the start of the 2026-27 school year.
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Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
Central Cambria School District’s solar project at the Cambria Township campus has been narrowed down to two candidates, and Monday the school board heard from those prospects.
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New Alberta recycling fee on solar panels adds extra burden, renewables sector says  The Globe and Mail
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RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group buys ReNew Solar Power for Rs 4,859 crore  The Indian Express
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US to Make Tariff Decision on Solar Panels from India, Indonesia and Laos  EnergyNow.com
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The nonprofit now operates out of a more than 22,000-square-foot location and has 36 employees.
Photo Credit: Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop
Parents in Ann Arbor, Michigan, frustrated by school wrapping paper drives that brought in little money, decided to build a different kind of fundraiser, CBS News Detroit reported.
According to CBS News Detroit, the idea took shape in the early 1990s when families in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district started looking for a more worthwhile alternative to traditional school fundraising.
Founding member Janet Fritsch shared, “One of the women I was friends with had a sister in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the school district had a thrift shop where all of the money went back to the school system. So, we kind of investigated that idea.”
The result was the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, a nonprofit that now operates out of a more than 22,000-square-foot location and has 36 employees. Its sales floor spans furniture, books, toys, jewelry, kitchenware, clothing, and a separate higher-end space called “The Showcase.”
The shop has raised more than $3.8 million for PTOs serving each of the district’s 33 schools.
The shop’s impact is far-reaching, general manager Paulette Brown said. Unsellable items are increasingly being recycled instead of thrown away, which has reduced how often its dumpster needs service.
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“We’ve gone from having a dumpster serviced three times a week to only once,” Brown said. “So, we are finding ways to recycle things more and more, and it’s really great to see that drop in things going to the landfill.”
Community members donate goods they no longer want, workers sort and ready those items for resale, and the proceeds go back to area schools.
Brown said the staff’s attention to each donation is what makes the system work. 
“Our staff is excellent,” Brown said. “They’re the people who diligently touch everything that comes in, everything that’s donated. And it’s their dedication and, like I said, diligence in finding the good in order to turn it into something that is sellable on the floor.”
Supporters have been engaged for decades. Donor Nancy Burns told CBS News Detroit she has dropped off items three times a year for the past 25 years.
“All the money goes to the schools,” Burns said. “It’s great.”
“I really love everything about it,” Fritsch added. “The donors are just unbelievably generous. From all of that, we’re able to reuse, recycle and resell almost everything so that it can benefit the students of the Ann Arbor Public Schools.”
If you want to make more of those choices in daily life, it’s important to support eco-friendly initiatives by your favorite brands.
Other efforts show how people are reworking ordinary systems everywhere to cut waste.
• At ShopRite, a plastic-film packaging recycling program made it easier for customers to cut waste.
• Patagonia expanded non-forest packaging alternatives through a nonprofit partnership aimed at reducing shipping waste.
• Dutch grocer Albert Heijn introduced store-brand bottles made with PEF instead of conventional plastic.
Like Ann Arbor’s thrift shop, these stories show that handling materials more thoughtfully can keep a lot of waste out of landfills and benefit people in other unexpected ways.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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Solar panels will be banned from Alberta’s provincial landfills beginning Oct. 1.
The province is also launching a solar panel recycling program.
A $14 environmental fee will be added to every new panel to cover future collection and recycling costs.
“Responsible solar energy growth means considering environmental responsibility throughout its lifecycle,” says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities.
“By planning ahead to ensure expired panels are properly collected and materials are reused where possible, we’re protecting taxpayers from future cleanup costs and keeping power affordable and sustainable for generations to come.”
The government says the move will ensure valuable materials can be recovered and help build a new recycling industry in Alberta.
(with files from The Canadian Press)

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UNSW Sydney researchers have secured $64.8 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for 12 solar projects, according to the university.
The funding represents the bulk of ARENA’s $105.6 million investment in a new wave of solar innovation projects, with UNSW receiving funding for 12 of the 20 successful projects.
ARENA almost doubled its planned grant allocation for Ultra Low-Cost Solar PV Research following what it described as a high quality of applications. The investment is the agency’s largest single commitment to solar photovoltaic research.
The UNSW projects span areas including improving the durability of silicon solar modules, increasing solar cell efficiency, developing materials aimed at improving the cost and performance of solar panels, and enhancing the monitoring of solar farms.
Professor Bronwyn Fox, UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, said the funding would support a range of solar energy research projects.
“Ever since UNSW’s pioneering work developing high-efficiency silicon solar cells 50 years ago, the University has been a leader in solar energy research,” Prof Fox said.
“UNSW is thrilled to partner with ARENA on these 12 projects which continue to build on this strength and help drive the development of more affordable solar technology.”
Eleven of the successful projects are associated with UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, while one is from the School of Chemistry.
UNSW Dean of Engineering Professor Julien Epps said the funding would support collaboration between solar researchers and industry.
“This funding enables some of the leading experts worldwide in solar photovoltaics to work hand-in-hand with industry to drive forward innovative research and development that is pivotal to the energy transition and pivotal to climate change mitigation,” Prof Epps said.
ARENA acting chief executive Chris Faris said the projects addressed a range of challenges across the solar sector.
“The portfolio brings together a mix of near-term improvements and breakthrough technologies that have the potential to lower costs, improve performance and accelerate the deployment of solar energy both in Australia and around the world,” Mr Faris said.
He said achieving ultra low-cost solar would require innovation across the value chain, including solar cells and modules as well as the construction, operation and maintenance of solar farms.
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Falling costs make renewables more viable
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4th September 2026
By: Nadine Ramdass
Senior Staff Writer
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Sustainability aside, falling solar and battery costs have made renewable energy a compelling solution for reducing energy costs and improving power reliability, with dispatchable solar and battery systems expected to play an increasingly central role in powering industrial growth across Africa, says renewable energy systems developer and operator CrossBoundary Energy commercial head Franck Alloghe.
Aligned to this, CrossBoundary Energy is currently delivering the Kamoa-Kakula solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) baseload project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The development will provide 30 MW of 24/7 power to copper miner Kamoa Copper’s Kamoa-Kakula copper mining complex, through a power purchase agreement (PPA).
The project consists of a 233 MW solar PV power plant and a 526 MWh battery, delivering 30 MW of continuous dispatchable power to the mining complex.
Alloghe attributes the project’s viability to converging cost trends, noting that while solar PV costs have significantly decreased over the past decade, the “real game changer” has been the rapid decline in battery storage costs.
Citing intergovernmental organisation International Renewable Energy Agency’s 2024 Renewable Power Generation Costs report, he explains that BESS costs fell by 93% between 2010 and 2024, from about $2 571/kWh in 2010 to about $192/kWh in 2024, making it more economical to store excess daytime solar energy for night-time dispatch.
This, in turn, has unlocked significantly higher solar penetration, enabling renewables to meet a more meaningful share of a mine’s 24/7 power requirements, as well as lowering energy costs, improving power security and reducing exposure to fuel price volatility.
Continued improvements in energy density and operating performance are expected to further improve battery costs, with intergovernmental organisation International Energy Agency estimating that innovation could reduce battery storage capital costs by a further 40% by 2030, reinforcing the trend towards competitive, dispatchable solar- plus-storage solutions.
These trends are further strengthened by the context of the local power market, where the grid reliability of certain regions remains a challenge. Combined with costly, inconsistent imported power, reliable onsite power becomes significantly valuable for big, energy-intensive mining operations, explains Alloghe.
For diesel generation-reliant mines, dispatchable solar power and battery storage can now deliver substantially lower lifetime energy costs compared to diesel when factoring in transport, storage, working capital, maintenance, spare parts, security and the supply-chain risks associated with diesel, he adds.
In contrast, Alloghe says most of the costs of solar power and battery systems are incurred upfront, providing long-term price visibility and reducing operational risk over the asset life, alongside decarbonisation benefits.


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“The money’s too good not to take.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Some Australian farmers who once spent $1 million feeding livestock through a severe drought now see wind and solar projects as a way to better withstand the next dry spell, Renew Economy reported.
Near Uralla in northern New South Wales, Australia, sixth-generation farmers Hugh Sutherland and Cathie Sutherland said the 2019 drought nearly broke their property, Deerargee, according to Renew Economy.
Looking back on that period, they said the farm was reduced to a dustbowl.
Hugh Sutherland recalled, “It was just heartbreaking. The cattle were fighting sheep for the feed.”
That ordeal helped lead the Sutherlands to commit roughly half of their 3,400-acre property to the next stage of the nearby New England Solar farm. They also expect payment for hosting a section of the transmission line and a shared substation tied to the New England Renewable Energy Zone.
In an industry where income can swing with rainfall and feed costs, those payments offer predictability and a steadier income source than agriculture often provides.
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That consistency matters even more because the region was still unusually dry by the end of July. Bureau of Meteorology figures from Armidale Airport showed 8.5 inches of rain had fallen by then, versus a long-term average of 16.9 inches.
For many landholders, wind and solar projects can help invest back into farms and keep properties in family hands.
Chris and Jen Laurie, who run the 1,050-acre Talbarea property, see the prospect of hosting turbines and solar panels as something that would significantly reshape their future.
“It’s literally life-changing for us,” Chris Laurie said.
Landholders also said the infrastructure can bring day-to-day advantages. Roads built for turbines and solar installations can make distant parts of a property easier to reach.
On some farms, land can continue to be used productively around solar infrastructure, as sheep can still graze near panels while the property also earns another stream of income. This practice is known as agrivoltaics.
Renewable energy development in Australia’s New England region is taking shape through a mix of solar projects, wind proposals, transmission lines, and substations.
For farmers, those projects could provide income that helps them get through dry years and avoid having to spend heavily on emergency feed.
Some nearby landholders want the developments to proceed. 
Hugh Cordingley, who farms at Mihi Station, said, “The money’s too good not to take.”
The path forward, however, has become less certain because of politics. Renew Economy reported that in June 2026, the New South Wales Coalition downgraded the New England REZ and dropped its backing for the planned transmission line.
Farmers interviewed by Renew Economy said transmission infrastructure is crucial because many of the planned projects would not be able to go ahead without it.
“If they pull out, it will hurt,” Chris Laurie said.
If you want to read more about people implementing agrivoltaics and other sustainable farming practices, these stories have plenty of examples.
• In Wyoming, ranchers say the benefits of pairing solar power are helping them stay competitive.
• In arid regions, solar projects are turning deserts into fertile farmlands as they expand.
• Across the Midwest, farmers and developers are teaming up to grow produce together.
• On solar farms, pairing sheep with solar panels is giving graziers a massive leg-up.
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Solar panels will be banned from Alberta’s provincial landfills beginning Oct. 1.
The province is also launching a solar panel recycling program.
A $14 environmental fee will be added to every new panel to cover future collection and recycling costs.
“Responsible solar energy growth means considering environmental responsibility throughout its lifecycle,” says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities.
“By planning ahead to ensure expired panels are properly collected and materials are reused where possible, we’re protecting taxpayers from future cleanup costs and keeping power affordable and sustainable for generations to come.”
The government says the move will ensure valuable materials can be recovered and help build a new recycling industry in Alberta.
(with files from The Canadian Press)

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• India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity reached 233GW by June 2026, but upstream capacity in cells, wafers, ingots and polysilicon remained far lower.

• Module factories were operating at an estimated 35% to 40% utilisation, while another 135GW of capacity was planned or under construction.

• New demand from data centres, green hydrogen and exports could add 17GW to 22GW by 2030, but may not be enough to absorb the expected surplus.

• The report warned that smaller, non-integrated manufacturers and firms using older technologies could face consolidation or stranded assets.

India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity reached 233GW by June 2026, but upstream capacity in cells, wafers, ingots and polysilicon remained far lower.
Module factories were operating at an estimated 35% to 40% utilisation, while another 135GW of capacity was planned or under construction.
New demand from data centres, green hydrogen and exports could add 17GW to 22GW by 2030, but may not be enough to absorb the expected surplus.
The report warned that smaller, non-integrated manufacturers and firms using older technologies could face consolidation or stranded assets.
India’s solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing capacity reached 233 gigawatts (GW) by June 2026, but the expansion was overwhelmingly concentrated in modules, leaving significant gaps in upstream manufacturing, according to a new report.
Module manufacturing capacity was nearly seven times cell capacity and 116 times ingot and wafer capacity, highlighting a structural imbalance in India’s solar PV manufacturing ecosystem.
Module factories were operating at an estimated 35 per cent to 40 per cent utilisation, below the 50 per cent to 65 per cent considered necessary for sustainable operations. At the same time, another 135 GW of capacity was planned or under construction, according to the report, Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market, by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research.
The findings were significant as India sought to build a globally competitive and self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem, but capacity expansion had moved much faster than demand and upstream integration.
Policy support and strong domestic solar deployment had driven rapid manufacturing growth, particularly in modules. But the industry now faced low factory utilisation, a large mismatch between module, cell and wafer capacity, and dependence on a limited set of upstream inputs.
Operating profitability for domestic solar PV manufacturers was about 25 per cent in financial year 2025, but the report expected increasing competition and overcapacity to put pressure on selling prices and profitability. Smaller, non-integrated assemblers were likely to face a sharper decline in utilisation as competition intensified.
“India has added module capacity faster than the market can absorb it,” said Prabhakar Sharma, senior consultant at JMK Research and lead author of the report.
“With around 135 GW more already planned or under construction and factories running at 35-40 per cent, the pressure on utilisation, margins, and returns will only intensify. Standalone module manufacturers face a real risk of stranded assets.”
The report identified data centres, green hydrogen and exports as the most credible sources of new demand for Indian solar modules.
Together, these segments could generate an additional 17 GW to 22 GW of demand by 2030, but the report said this would not be enough on its own to absorb the expected manufacturing surplus.
Data centres could generate around 2 GW to 3 GW of additional annual solar demand by 2030 as the sector’s electricity consumption increased.
Green hydrogen and ammonia could create another 8 GW to 10 GW of solar PV demand by 2030.
The National Green Hydrogen Mission targeted production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2030, while the report considered a trajectory of about 3 million tonnes a year more realistic, given the current stage of projects already awarded.
The report said exports would therefore remain important in improving factory utilisation and absorbing some of the excess capacity.
India exported about 4.5 GW of solar modules in financial year 2026, but around 97 per cent of that volume went to the US. Exports to markets outside the US stood at only about 128 megawatts (MW), highlighting the concentration of India’s current export market.
Indian solar module exports to the US peaked at about $1.94 billion in financial year 2024 before falling by 44 per cent to 47 per cent over the following two years, according to the report.
The decline came amid tighter US trade measures, with preliminary determinations by the US Department of Commerce in February and April 2026 resulting in combined duty exposure of more than 200 per cent for most Indian manufacturers.
The report said manufacturers could reduce this vulnerability by diversifying into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including by setting up manufacturing facilities closer to overseas demand centres to navigate import duties and local-content requirements.
“India may have the opportunity to unlock new export markets, provided Indian solar PV manufacturers can effectively compete with Chinese manufacturers by investing in R&D and the manufacturing of polysilicon, ingots, wafers, and cells,” said Charith Konda, lead energy specialist at IEEFA and contributing author of the report, along with Vibhuti Garg, director for South Asia at IEEFA.
Konda said access to new markets alone would not be enough, with sustained export growth depending on India closing the cost and technology gap with China through scale, integration and operational efficiency.
The concentration of manufacturing capacity in modules left India heavily dependent on the expansion of upstream segments such as cells, wafers, ingots and polysilicon.
The report’s figures showed the scale of the imbalance, with module capacity nearly seven times cell capacity and 116 times ingot and wafer capacity.
India had around 35 GW of cell manufacturing capacity, but nearly 33 GW was tied to integrated manufacturers for their own use, leaving only about 2 GW available to the wider market, according to the report.
The report expected cell manufacturing to expand under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List II, followed by wafer capacity from 2028.
Meaningful expansion in polysilicon capacity was expected only after 2030, with near-term development limited to a few Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme awardees with the financial and technical capacity to develop upstream manufacturing facilities.
“The challenge is no longer building capacity; it is using it well and deepening the value chain,” said Chirag H Tewani, senior research associate at JMK Research and co-author of the report.
Tewani called for incentives to be distributed across cells, wafers and polysilicon rather than being concentrated on modules. He also called for stronger collaboration between industry and researchers and targeted, time-bound support for exporters.
The report recommended restructuring incentives so that meaningful support was available for individual stages of the solar PV value chain, rather than requiring manufacturers to achieve full vertical integration to receive incentives.
It also called for greater collaboration between manufacturers and domestic research institutions as the industry shifted towards newer technologies such as heterojunction and perovskite-silicon tandem cells.
The expected capacity surplus was likely to affect manufacturers unevenly.
Small downstream-only assembly facilities, manufacturers relying predominantly on older Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) technology and companies without a credible upstream integration strategy were identified as the most vulnerable.
JMK Research estimated that these categories together accounted for 45GW to 50GW of module capacity that could face consolidation or disruption in the near term.
Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) technology already accounted for more than 70 per cent of India’s module manufacturing capacity, increasing pressure on manufacturers still dependent on older PERC technology.
The report said manufacturers that combined scale, technological competitiveness, supply-chain integration and market diversification would be better placed to sustain utilisation and profitability as the gap between supply and demand persisted through 2030.
The report also pointed to India’s entry into the Pax Silica coalition as an opportunity to diversify silicon procurement and reduce dependence on China.
The initiative covered the wider silicon supply chain, including critical minerals, polysilicon and rare earth elements.
“India’s entry into the Pax Silica coalition is a real opportunity to diversify silicon inputs and cut its reliance on China,” said Pulkit Moudgil, senior research associate at JMK Research and co-author of the report.
The challenge of converting manufacturing ambitions into operational capacity was also visible in other clean-technology sectors.
A September 1 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and the Tata Centre for Technology and Design at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore found that India had about 1.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of operational battery cell manufacturing capacity as of June 2026, meeting less than 3 per cent of projected demand in 2032.
The announced pipeline of about 128GWh — comprising 50GWh targeted under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage and about 78GWh from other announced automotive projects — could take battery localisation beyond 30 per cent by 2032 if the capacity was commissioned.
The ICCT study also found that battery localisation was critical to the employment gains from electric vehicle manufacturing, with the overall employment impact turning positive once domestic battery manufacturing crossed 25 per cent.
Under its most ambitious pathway, economic output linked to electric vehicles could rise from $12.8 bn in 2024 to $620 bn by 2040, while direct manufacturing employment could reach 4.3 million before accounting for additional jobs from battery cell localisation.
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Thunderstorms, some with heavy rain this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..
Thunderstorms, some with heavy rain this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Updated: September 3, 2026 @ 6:32 pm
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.

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Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
CARROLLTOWN, Pa. – A group of Cambria Heights Elementary School fifth-graders flipped a ceremonial switch Thursday to bring the school’s new solar array online.
Construction on the roughly $6 million project started in the spring and wrapped up before the start of the 2026-27 school year.
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Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske (left) leads a tour of the solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) offers a lesson on the conversion of solar energy to electricity during the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights High School senior Kaitlyn Fox, 17, dons a sun costume and distributes frozen treats to students after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School Board President Kenneth Vescovi (center) cuts a ribbon to commemorate the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske emcees the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Cambria Heights School District Superintendent Kenneth Kerchenske stands near the new solar panel array after the district’s solar project celebration at the elementary school in Carrolltown of Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
Central Cambria School District’s solar project at the Cambria Township campus has been narrowed down to two candidates, and Monday the school board heard from those prospects.
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India’s digital economy is entering a phase in which computing growth and power infrastructure can no longer be planned separately. Artificial intelligence, cloud services, digital payments and data localisation are increasing demand for computing capacity, while data centres are becoming larger and more power intensive.
India illustrates the scale of this shift. Data-centre capacity increased fourfold from about 375 MW in 2020 to around 1,500 MW by 2025. The Economic Survey 2025–26 cites industry estimates of around 4 GW by 2030. The IEA also expects India’s electricity demand to grow by an average 6.4% a year between 2026 and 2030. Data centres will therefore expand within a power system already responding to industrialisation, cooling demand and wider electrification.
The clean-energy imperative is becoming central to where data centres are located, how quickly they can be commissioned and whether they can operate reliably at scale.
A data-centre asset creates value only when sufficient, reliable power is available to support computing capacity. That makes time-to-power a strategic investment variable alongside land, fibre connectivity and construction economics.
Grid capacity, connection timelines, substation requirements, transmission constraints, renewable sourcing and future load growth need to be assessed before development assumptions become fixed. A location that appears attractive can become commercially difficult if network reinforcement takes years or if the power architecture cannot scale with demand.
Renewable generation and storage can often be deployed modularly and, under suitable conditions, on shorter timelines than large conventional generation or major network reinforcement. Actual delivery schedules, however, still depend on site readiness, permitting and grid connectivity.
Annual renewable-energy procurement can reduce the carbon intensity of electricity consumption, but it does not guarantee clean power every hour. Solar output is concentrated during daylight; wind varies by location and season; and grid congestion can emerge when reliability matters most. Data centres operate continuously and have very limited tolerance for interruption.
The requirement is an integrated portfolio: renewable generation, battery energy storage systems, firm grid supply, substations, transmission capacity and backup arrangements. Depending on the facility’s criticality, renewable energy supported by storage can form a significant part of the supply mix, while firm grid supply and standby generation provide additional resilience.
Data-centre technology is also changing rapidly. Higher-density computing, evolving cooling requirements and compressed development schedules mean power planning must begin earlier.
Battery energy storage can improve resilience while shifting renewable generation, managing demand peaks and supporting power quality.
The engineering challenge is to ensure these technologies operate as one system. Storage duration, degradation, dispatch strategy, protection settings, backup architecture and grid-code compliance influence performance and investment returns. Decisions taken in isolation can create costly interface problems later.
The scale and speed of data-centre development can create pressure to commit capital before energy risks are fully understood. That makes independent engineering and technical advisory important.
The approach starts with the investment question rather than the equipment list: what power is required, how quickly can it be connected, how should renewable generation and storage be configured, where are the interface risks, and can the system expand without compromising reliability?
Independent technical oversight helps keep these decisions aligned with long-term availability, bankability and asset performance. Technical due diligence, Owner’s Engineering, grid studies, EPCM, quality assurance and operational performance review are most effective when they operate as one connected lifecycle framework.
India combines renewable resources with a deep engineering base and capability to execute digital and power infrastructure at scale. Developers, utilities, investors and technology companies need credible demand forecasts so grid connections, renewable supply, storage and network infrastructure can be planned ahead of congestion.
India’s digital economy will ultimately be supported by physical systems: substations, transmission lines, renewable plants, batteries and control platforms. If these systems are planned with the same precision and urgency as the computing infrastructure they serve, data-centre growth can strengthen both economic competitiveness and the clean-energy transition.
The clean-energy imperative is becoming part of the core engineering and investment logic of India’s digital economy for the decade ahead.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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India’s residential rooftop solar initiative is seen as key to easing the burden on the country’s strained grid. © AP
Despite progress, consumer barriers and differing utility incentives limit uptake
BENGALURU — It took three months of research before 25-year-old finance professional Sagar Agarwal took the plunge into rooftop solar, joining an initiative widely recognized as the largest of its kind in the world. But despite being a resident of Lucknow, which in April became the Indian city with the most residential solar installations, he was left frustrated by the friction he encountered — a situation mirrored across the nation, whose lopsided rooftop solar rollout threatens to impinge on energy goals.

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The gains rely on a two-step method using two organic molecules of different sizes and shapes.
Inverted perovskite solar cells can reach an energy conversion efficiency of 24.6 percent when treated with a new chemical process. The performance marks a clear step up from standard versions of the device. 
Untreated control cells managed an efficiency of 21.21 percent. Meanwhile, devices prepared using conventional single-chemical treatments reached 23.17 percent. 
The gains rely on a two-step method using two organic molecules of different sizes and shapes. The process targets structural defects at two distinct depths within the solar material.
“The researchers first used the smaller PDAI molecule to fill microscopic voids remaining at grain boundaries and stabilize charge-transport pathways,” said a press release.
The compound travels into the tiny gaps between individual crystal grains. These narrow spaces naturally trap charge carriers if left unsealed. By filling the internal voids, PDAI secures the pathways that electrical charges use to move through the crystal.
Next, researchers deposit a second compound called 4TF over the outside of the thin film. In untreated films, bare lead atoms remain exposed on the outer boundary. These uncoordinated atoms create electrical traps that stall the flow of current. The 4TF molecules bind directly to the exposed lead atoms. “This chemically stabilized the surface and facilitated more efficient charge transport,” added the press release.
“The researchers also experimentally demonstrated that sequentially applying the two molecules produces complementary effects in defect passivation and surface stabilization, resulting in better performance than using either molecule independently.”
These chemical repairs address a fundamental issue in perovskite thin films. When manufacturers produce the films, microscopic flaws form across the surface and along grain boundaries. 
When sunlight strikes the cell, it generates positive and negative electrical charges. If charges run into these structural flaws, they recombine and cancel each other out. This recombination prevents the charges from reaching the electrodes, which wastes potential electrical power.
Fixing these defects has proved difficult in the past. Standard engineering methods relied on just one type of molecular layer to cover the flaws. However, a single compound cannot easily squeeze into tight internal fissures while also binding to wide open surfaces. The two physical environments require different molecular designs.
Overcoming this defect problem is an important goal for inverted perovskite devices. Engineers prefer the inverted cell layout because it requires lower processing temperatures during manufacturing. 
Lower temperatures keep production costs down and make the materials easier to fabricate on high-speed commercial lines. This will help engineers print solar cells on flexible, lightweight sheets instead of rigid glass panels.
The research was carried out through a joint effort in South Korea. Dr. Sungjun Hong from the Korea Institute of Energy Research led the project alongside Professor Young Seok Park from UNIST and Professor Kyung-Koo Lee from Kunsan National University.
“This technology provides a key fundamental platform for accelerating the commercialization of high-efficiency, flexible solar cells for applications such as building windows, automotive sunroofs, and portable devices,” concluded Dr. Hong. 
“We plan to expand its application to a broader range of high-performance next-generation solar cell products and strengthen technological competitiveness in the clean and renewable energy market.”

An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.
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Today, Attorney General Mike Hilgers finalized a settlement with Sunburn Construction, LLC, also known as Everlight Solar. 
Everlight, a Wisconsin company, marketed and sold residential solar panels door to door to Nebraska consumers, often through a pattern of misleading statements and sometimes through aggressive sales tactics. These tactics included making false statements to consumers that installing their solar panels would reduce, or even eliminate, their electric bills. In other instances, Everlight’s salesperson represented to consumers without basis that installing its solar panels would increase the value of their property. Other times, Everlight’s salesperson would ignore “no solicitation” signs or refuse to leave when consumers said they were not interested and asked them to leave. 
“Nebraska is a welcoming place for businesses and having a robust competitive market in all industries is critical,” said Attorney General Hilgers. “However, a healthy marketplace cannot tolerate sales tactics to consumers that depend on making knowingly and intentionally false claims about the products being sold. We are pleased to resolve this suit and to protect Nebraskans from unlawful and intrusive sales techniques.”
The settlement stops this conduct. Everlight agreed to clean up its sales practices and report its compliance under the agreement to the Attorney General’s Office for three years. Everlight has also agreed to make a lump sum payment into the State Settlement Cash Fund of $200,000 to cover the State’s investigative costs, attorney fees, and related expenses. 
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New Jersey Just Legalized Cheap Plug-In Balcony Solar Panels  InsideEVs
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“Keep in mind that you will need a breaker that trips before those conductors melt.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
A DIY energy project can be both exciting and extraordinarily stressful, as countless hours of work could either go up in smoke or yield massive utility bill savings.
After one homeowner designed their solar battery project, they posted to Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community to ask the forum what they were missing.
On Reddit, the original poster wrote, “Not everything is hung up; this was the first time I was able to get power out for a short test after wiring. I know several things wrong I intend to fix, but wondering if anyone notices things I haven’t thought of that need fixing for a permanent system before I add a second inverter for 240V.” 
Alongside the photo of the setup, OP added, “Still to do: Grounding, finish charging all the batteries up to connect them together, fire suppression system, passive vents on the shed, replace that pedestal with a 6 AWG to a main breaker panel for the house, [and a] second inverter for 240V.”
Battery backup systems can make a huge difference in saving your home money and getting you independence from the grid, including keeping your home running during an outage. For professional installation options instead of DIY assembly, EnergySage can help you find the best deal among vetted local installers. It has teamed up with home electrification brand Qmerit to provide top-notch deals.
Pila is also an option that should be on your radar with cost-effective plug-and-play options that cost much less than a whole-home backup system.
In the comments section, dozens of other DIY solar enthusiasts shared their kudos and suggestions. One asked, “Do you have a class T fuse somewhere? That’s a lot of batteries!”
Another wrote, “Keep in mind that you will need a breaker that trips before those conductors melt – which might be a very high amperage and very expensive breaker/fuse.” A third simply congratulated the OP, writing, “Nice job! Congrats on getting here. I know it’s stressful.”
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn’t that worth an email or two?
Battery storage is becoming more accessible for people seeking backup power, lower bills, or greater energy independence. A 48-volt battery bank is a common foundation for larger backup systems because it can support substantial household loads more efficiently than smaller portable units.
At the same time, the Redditor’s to-do list highlights the difference between a successful short test and a reliable permanent installation. 
Grounding, ventilation, fire safety, and proper connections to a home panel are not minor finishing touches; they are among the key factors that determine whether a system is safe, code-compliant, and ready for everyday use. The closer a setup gets to powering an entire home, the more important it becomes to focus not just on performance but also on protection.
These stories dig into the same issues that came up in the Reddit test run: what makes a battery setup safe, when storage makes sense, and how homeowners weigh bigger system decisions. 
• After online feedback, one family rebuilt an 8-battery DIY solar bank to correct unsafe wiring.
• One homeowner said his solar setup works fine after skipping batteries and adding EV charging.
• At EnergySage, Charlie Hadlow and his team of experts break down solar panel costs for homeowners weighing professional installation.
For anyone tweaking a DIY setup or pricing out a professionally installed system, these examples offer a clearer picture of the tradeoffs involved. Safety upgrades, battery decisions, and the basic cost of reliable backup power all play a role.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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India’s Tripura minister says rooftop solar can shield low-income consumers as gas wanes  Yahoo
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These lightweight, high-efficiency cells could be used for space solar power, ensuring reliable performance under extreme extra-terrestrial conditions.
Tandem solar cells are emerging as the leading next-generation photovoltaic solution. The technology could help future satellites and space data centers run on ultra-lightweight solar power. 
In this vein, researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) have set a new world record for perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cell efficiency, advancing next-generation, high-efficiency thin-film solar technology.
KIER achieved a laboratory-measured efficiency of 27.0 percent and an officially certified efficiency of 26.7 percent. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems officially certified the result. It is now listed in the U.S. National Laboratory of the Rockies’ Best Research-Cell Efficiencies Chart.
The tandem solar cell stacks a perovskite layer over a CIGS layer to capture different sunlight wavelengths simultaneously, creating a light, flexible, and efficient thin-film device.
“This achievement is significant in that both cell efficiency and stability can be enhanced by minimizing potential interfacial and optical losses during the integration of perovskite and CIGS. The resulting efficiency was also officially certified by a world-renowned institute and recognized as a world-record performance, underscoring Korea’s technological competitiveness,” said Inyoung Jeong, a senior researcher at KIER, who led the research. 
To overcome the physical efficiency limits of silicon solar panels, scientists stack a top perovskite layer and a bottom copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) layer to capture different wavelengths of light without adding extra weight. 
Perovskite and CIGS form an ideal scientific pairing for tandem solar cells because their complementary bandgaps allow them to divide and absorb the solar spectrum with minimal energy loss. The top perovskite layer absorbs high-energy blue and ultraviolet light while allowing longer wavelengths to pass through to the bottom CIGS layer, which efficiently captures the remaining low-energy near-infrared light.
Although combining these delicate thin films usually causes damage and blocks light, special protection layers and modified electrodes overcome these assembly issues to maximize power output.
The KIER team solved this by inventing an advanced interfacial protection layer and re-engineering the transparent top electrode. This reduced both electrical damage and unwanted light absorption simultaneously, pushing raw laboratory tests up to 27 percent.
“The developed technology is expected to increase electricity generation per unit area and thereby expand the potential applications of photovoltaic power generation,” the researchers stated. 
The development shows South Korea’s strong competitiveness in next-generation thin-film solar technology. By reaching 26.7 percent, KIER surpassed the previous record of 26.3 percent set just a year prior by a joint team from Seoul National University and KIST.
Reportedly, this 26.7% record applies to small-area laboratory research cells (sub-1 cm²).
Earlier, Germany’s Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Humboldt-Universität held the world-record efficiency at 25.5 percent for perovskite-CIGS tandem solar cells with an active area of over 1 cm². Formally verified by the European Solar Test Installation (ESTI), this benchmark shows the technical progress in scaling up high-efficiency thin-film architectures beyond sub-centimeter laboratory devices.
Thanks to their flexible and lightweight thin-film design, these cells are ideally suited for integration into buildings and vehicles, as well as weight- and space-constrained space applications such as small satellites and orbital data centers.
KIER is now working with industry partners to scale these tiny lab samples into large commercial modules.
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
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GREW Solar said this week that it has secured a repeat order worth INR 430 crore from a leading independent power producer (IPP) in India for the supply of high-efficiency solar PV modules.
The company will supply its G12R modules based on n-type TOPCon cell technology. It did not disclose the name of the IPP.
GREW Solar, a venture of the Chiripal Group, currently operates a 6.5 GW PV module manufacturing facility in Dudu, Rajasthan, with plans to scale its total capacity to 11 GW by the end of 2026, alongside investments in solar cell manufacturing and backward integration.
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The Town of Derry, New Hampshire has activated a 2.25 MW ground-mounted solar array built on a capped municipal landfill. Developed, financed, and constructed by Vermont-based Encore Renewable Energy, the project operates under a long-term power purchase agreement and delivers 100% of its generation directly to the municipality.
The installation covers 10 acres of reclaimed municipal property and was built at no upfront cost to the town. Local officials estimate the array will produce enough electricity to offset the power consumption of roughly 500 average New Hampshire homes annually. The generation will serve municipal and school operations across the town.
The project has a fixed power rate that undercuts the local utility’s benchmark supply costs. The town will purchase solar electricity from Encore at $0.065 per kWh, compared to Eversource NH’s current electricity supply rate of $0.14 per kWh. Town administrators project year-one savings between $250,000 and $300,000. Over the 25-year operational life of the system, cumulative savings are conservatively expected to exceed $4 million.
The initiative originated with the Derry NetZero Task Force. This all-volunteer municipal committee spent six years benchmarking energy usage across 40 town and school buildings to advance the system’s design and clear legislative hurdles. The Town of Derry selected Encore through a competitive procurement process in 2021 from a pool of seven bidding developers
Brightfield developments on closed landfills offer municipal off-takers a viable method to monetize otherwise undevelopable property while capitalizing on existing electrical infrastructure. The Derry installation marks another expansion of community-scale solar capacity across the region as local governments seek to offset operating expenses through localized generation.
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Perovskite solar cells have attracted major interest because they could deliver high performance at lower manufacturing costs.
Photo Credit: Renshine Solar
A research team led by Nanjing University in China and perovskite specialist Renshine Solar has set a new benchmark for large-area solar technology: a 125.6-square-inch (810-square-centimeter) aperture module certified at 24.0% efficiency.
The stronger efficiency and durability could help lower the cost of solar electricity for homes, businesses, and cities while cutting the planet-warming pollution associated with conventional power.
According to PV Magazine, testing showed the module reached a top conversion efficiency of 24.2%, while TÜV SÜD in China separately certified a 24.0% result.
Corresponding author Ke Xiao said, “This result represents a world record for this perovskite module format.”
The breakthrough centered on a passivation strategy using chemically stable lead carboxylate passivators, or LCPs, derived from lead dioleate. Researchers said the method improved charge-carrier transport while avoiding some of the chemical and thermal stability problems seen with more conventional ammonium halide passivators.
In testing, the module recorded 53.46 volts open-circuit, 0.436 amps short-circuit, and an 83.40% fill factor.
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Xiao added: “It also maintained a stable 19.4 W output under maximum power point tracking (MPPT). This marked the first perovskite solar module exceeding 800 cm² to surpass 24% efficiency.”
Perovskite solar cells have attracted significant interest because they may deliver higher performance at lower manufacturing costs than traditional silicon panels.
The challenge, however, has been scaling the technology without sacrificing efficiency or long-term stability.
The researchers said the LCP treatment produced evenly coated, water-repelling films that held up better against moisture, heat stress, and UV exposure than films treated with ammonium halide passivators.
Measurements put carrier lifetime at 706 nanoseconds, up from 264 nanoseconds, a sign of reduced carrier trapping and stronger passivation.
For larger, meter-scale devices, the team produced 150 modules measuring 7.75 square feet (0.72 square meters). Those modules averaged 144 watts, and the best performer delivered 158.4 watts and earned a 22.0% efficiency certification.
Beyond raising efficiency, the researchers said the process also improved module durability.
Xiao said that after 1,300 hours in damp heat, LCP modules were down just 2% from their starting efficiency, compared with 39% for ammonium halide passivator modules.
They also said all LCP-modified modules satisfied IEC 61215 reliability requirements.
The researchers said: “Overall, combining high-saturated-vapor-pressure (SVP) processing with chemically stable LCP passivation provides an industry-ready route to efficient, durable and scalable meter-scale perovskite photovoltaics.”
This progress is part of a broader push to make next-generation solar hardware more efficient, easier to scale, and durable enough for real-world use. It also reflects how materials choices, module design, and field conditions are shaping the next phase of commercial photovoltaics.
• A solar company pushed the 30% solar barrier with scalable perovskite-silicon tandems.
• In China, manufacturers unveiled revolutionary anti-dust solar panels to protect output in dusty conditions.
• Scientists developed a fluorine-free polymer that could ease persistent electronics manufacturing problems.
These examples show why the Nanjing University record matters beyond a single efficiency mark. The breakthroughs with the biggest industry impact are the ones that also improve manufacturability, durability, and performance at scale.
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A Solar Farm Project Will Make This Tiny Country Energy-Independent  AOL.com
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Solar Power World
By Finlay Colville | September 3, 2026
Having recently attended the opening ceremony of SEG Solar’s second module factory in Tomball, Texas, I decided to take a closer look at a company that has become one of the most visible in the U.S. solar industry, having moved quickly through the initial manufacturing investment cycle that was stimulated by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022.
SEG Solar now has about 6 GW of U.S. module assembly capacity across its Houston and Tomball sites in Texas, taking it from a relatively small domestic manufacturing base to one of the largest silicon-based module producers in the country in just two years.
While the capacity announcements have received considerable attention recently, SEG Solar’s efficient deployment of capital, while retaining high visibility with the industry, is perhaps more interesting to understand.
The post-IRA period produced a long list of U.S. module factory announcements. However, a few years on, only a small group has converted their plans into actual multi-gigawatt manufacturing operations.
SEG Solar’s 2-GW module factory outside Houston was opened in 2024, the company’s first investment in U.S. manufacturing facilities.
Notably, SEG Solar had already established its current U.S.-headquartered operations before the IRA expansion cycle gathered pace. And by this time, the company had considerable experience within a global solar manufacturing landscape that had been routinely shaped by changing trade rules.
In August 2024, SEG Solar opened its 250,000-ft² Houston site, with 2 GW of annual module capacity that was ramped into production within about 12 months. During 2025, SEG Solar was one of only six companies in the United States that produced more than 1 GW of silicon-based solar PV modules domestically.
The comparison with the wider post-IRA solar manufacturing investment pool is even more striking. Several early multi-gigawatt entrants to the U.S. sector — including some of the largest Asian-headquartered PV manufacturers — subsequently sold their factories or restructured their U.S. operations on the back of new ownership-related criteria.
By contrast, SEG Solar then expanded further with a second module assembly factory in Tomball. At the end of 2025, SEG Solar’s cumulative global module shipments had reached about 7.5 GW with the U.S. module business the dominant driver for this strong growth.
SEG Solar’s route from 2 GW to 6 GW reveals a highly efficient approach to factory deployment. The Houston site occupies around 250,000 ft², while the new Tomball factory is roughly 500,000 ft² and adds a further 4 GW of nameplate capacity. Both sites reflect a pragmatic use of conventional industrial space, concentrating investment on the infrastructure and production equipment required for module manufacturing.
In 2026, SEG Solar expanded with a second module factory in Tomball, this time with 4 GW capacity, just a 30-minute drive from first factory site.
Notably, module assembly does not require the process infrastructure of a solar cell factory. Industrial buildings for module assembly can be adapted relatively quickly once power, logistics, testing, warehousing and line-specific requirements are in place. SEG Solar has used this approach to minimize the time between site commitment and manufacturing ramp, while avoiding some of the larger construction costs associated with more customized locations.
A bottom-up analysis of the physical sites and manufacturing requirements suggests direct factory capital expenditure across Houston and Tomball reaching $100-150 million by the end of 2026, representing a highly efficient deployment of capital compared with larger greenfield projects.
Consequently, by the end of 2026, SEG Solar should be one of only five companies in the United States with more than 5 GW of effective silicon-based module capacity.
SEG Solar’s public-facing approach is another interesting part of the story and is certainly in contrast to the somewhat ‘self-imposed’ stealthiness that others are choosing today in the U.S. market.
The company has generally made its U.S. factories, senior management and expansion plans visible to the outside world. Factory openings are high-profile events, customers appear central to the manufacturing story, local officials are involved and the company regularly links new capacity with employment and investment.
This further contrasts with a U.S. solar manufacturing sector that has routinely been embroiled in trade investigations, customs actions, legal disputes and recurring questions around supply-chain provenance and corporate structures. These issues have created reputational pressure across the sector and may also have encouraged some companies to keep their U.S. operations relatively low profile. Indeed, some solar manufacturers are only known today because of their involvement in certain trade filings and petitions.
SEG Solar’s more open approach in recent years may indeed translate into commercial benefits, although it does not remove the normal trade, policy or execution risks facing any U.S. solar manufacturer. It does, however, make the company easier for outside stakeholders to understand and engage with.
The next investment decision is therefore the more interesting question. SEG Solar has already announced an additional Tomball module assembly factory and has discussed both HJT-specific module capacity and future U.S. cell manufacturing, again highlighting HJT as a preference.
However, there are several options now available to the company, some of which may become more desirable on the back of the recent Sec. 232 ruling.
The next phase of capacity expansion for SEG Solar involves a greenfield site construction, slated for additional module capacity. It would not be a surprise for this site to be modified to include a greater percentage of upstream cell and wafer capacity.
One option is to remain heavily focused on modules and buy cells from a growing number of U.S. producers expected to come online over the next few years. This would preserve flexibility in domestic cell supply options, limit upstream capital requirements, and allow SEG Solar to focus on the part of the manufacturing chain where it has already built scale.
A second route is a much larger move into cells. SEG Solar could apply the same emphasis on speed and efficient deployment to a multi-gigawatt domestic cell project, supplying part of its own module requirement while retaining the ability to buy lower volumes from third parties. The company did mention it is considering this path.
The third route is a broader integrated U.S. platform over the remainder of the decade. A larger module base could be matched with substantial cell production and, over time, selected upstream investment in ingot or wafer manufacturing if policy and economics support this. This route offers greater supply-chain control but also brings much greater capital requirements.
SEG Solar has now joined a relatively small group of companies that converted the post-IRA investment opportunity into a meaningful position within U.S. solar manufacturing. Its next investment decisions will determine how far that position extends beyond module assembly during the remainder of the decade.
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognized as a leading analyst in the sector. With a focus on technology, manufacturing and strategy, he has created industry-leading market reports and technical conferences. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 and is a senior advisor for the Global Solar Council. In 2023, Finlay was the recipient of the Solar & Storage Live “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

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As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown  TiffinOhio.net
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The idea of carpeting vast desert landscapes with solar panels to generate clean, abundant energy may sound tempting at first. Imagine all that space, all that sunlight—what could possibly go wrong? But before you start drawing up blueprints for your Sahara-sized power station, it’s worth pausing. The reality runs up against a host of technical, environmental, and economic hurdles. Let’s dig (with sunscreen!) into the reasons why deserts haven’t yet turned into the solar power stations of the future.
Contrary to popular belief, covering the desert with solar panels could bring some notable ecological consequences. Because of their dark color, solar panels soak up much more heat than the natural sandy terrain, which can lead to effects such as:
For instance, scientific studies have shown that building a huge solar farm in the Sahara could even impact rainfall patterns well beyond its borders. An increase in monsoon rains there could, paradoxically, trigger drought in regions as far away as the Amazon.
It’s not that nobody has tried. Over in the United Arab Emirates, work began this year on Khazna Solar PV, soon to be the largest solar power plant in the world. With record-breaking production and storage capabilities, this project represents a massive leap for the energy transition. Meanwhile, from space, you can already see the “photovoltaic Great Wall” being built in China, a colossal project aiming both to generate staggering amounts of electricity and to slow the advance of sand dunes.
But scale brings challenges:
So what’s the way forward? These more targeted, adaptive methods may pave the way to tapping the solar potential of deserts, all while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and sticking to budgets.
The future for solar in these blazing regions most likely lies in finding a delicate balance between technological innovation and respect for local ecosystems. And here’s a twist: according to a recent study led by Chinese researchers, solar parks aren’t just about energy. They could also play a crucial role in regenerating fragile ecosystems, especially in desert zones.
“The quest for renewable energy remains essential in the face of climate challenges, but it must go hand in hand with careful thinking about its long-term implications. Tapping into the solar potential of deserts—if it does happen—will have to be guided by a holistic approach, factoring in environmental, economic, and social considerations.”

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Mundra, India – The race for green energy is on. India, driven by soaring electricity demand and a push to reduce reliance on China, is rapidly producing solar panels, fueling a booming yet uncertain market.
At the Adani Group’s factory in Mundra, in India’s western state of Gujarat, assembly lines churn out photovoltaic panels around the clock.

Up to 10,000 a day come off the line, with most sent straight to Khavda, farther north, where the Indian conglomerate is finishing what will be the world’s largest solar park.
But Adani Solar’s CEO, Muralee Krishnan, says operations are “actually lagging.”
“Our capacity needs to be fully used — we should work 48 hours a day.”
The intensity is matched by other major producers in the world’s most populous nation.
At the Tata conglomerate factory in Tirunelveli, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, 4,000 mostly women employees also work nonstop shifts.
“They operate 24/7, so you get better yield, better efficiency, better productivity,” said Praveer Sinha, CEO of Tata Power.
“You cannot stop the production line … there is a rush to produce to maximize the output.”
With the twin imperatives of development and lower carbon emissions, India has set itself ambitious renewable energy targets.
Last year, it said half its electricity-generation capacity was now “green,” five years ahead of the timeline set in the Paris Agreement on lowering emissions.
But 75% of electricity is still generated by coal-fired power plants, with inflexible operations and long-term coal power purchase agreements hampering renewable uptake.
There are signs of change.
Last year, coal-fired power generation fell 3%, only the second full-year drop recorded in half a decade, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Renewable capacity of 230 gigawatts (GW) is set to rise to 500 GW by 2030, including 280 GW of solar.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has placed another constraint on the industry: “Make in India.”
That means there is no question of importing solar panels from China, which supplies 90% of the world’s market.
All public tenders require “local” production, which India supports with substantial subsidies that have attracted big businesses.
Tata, a pioneer in solar panels since the 1990s, has been joined by Adani and Reliance, which have built state-of-the-art, highly automated factories.
“The quality of the product is very, very critical,” said Ashish Khanna, CEO Adani Green Energy.
“When you are building a project of this size, you also need to be very reassured of the supply chain. We cannot have a disruption or interruption in that particular process.”
But for now, the technology and raw materials still come from China.
And Beijing has complained to the World Trade Organization over the subsidies and restrictions on its solar panels.
The solar push is so intense that Adani is considering silicon mining to secure a key raw material, company insiders say, and there are suggestions Tata Power is eyeing in-house silicon-wafer production.
Growth in the sector is already staggering, with solar manufacturing capacity expected to soon exceed 125 GW, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie said.
But that is triple current domestic demand, according to Wood Mackenzie analyst Yana Hryshko.
Government incentives have “been highly effective in spurring factory announcements, but the industry is now seeing warning signs of rapid overcapacity,” Hryshko said in a report last year.
The sector’s long-term sustainability may therefore depend on exports, with some companies already targeting global markets.
“Solar is a huge market: the world will see it doubling, from 2,000 GW to 4,000 GW in four years,” said Ashish Khanna, head of the International Solar Alliance.
“The question is now — will Indian manufacturers be globally competitive compared to China?”
Tejpreet Chopra, from the private power company Bharat Light and Power, points out that “the problem is that it’s cheaper to import from China than to buy local.”
And the level of manufacturing in China “is so much higher that it’s very difficult to match,” he added.
The sector also faces “geopolitical” headwinds from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, with Chopra adding that they make it “very difficult to sell to the United States.”
Despite these challenges, the head of Tata Power, which does not yet export, remains convinced his business has a bright future.
“We strongly believe,” said Praveer Sinha, “that solar will play a very important role in the renewable space of India.”
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Solar power has overtaken coal to become China’s largest source of installed generating capacity, marking a historic shift in the power mix of the world’s largest electricity system.
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Sept. 1 that cumulative PV capacity reached 1.286 TW at the end of July, edging past the country’s 1.285 TW of coal-fired capacity. Solar now accounts for around 31.5% of China’s total installed power capacity, comprising 704 GW of utility-scale PV and 582 GW of distributed solar.
The crossover ends a century-long period in which coal was China’s largest power source by installed capacity, according to the NEA. It follows two earlier milestones: total renewable energy capacity overtook coal in 2023, while combined wind and solar capacity surpassed thermal power in 2025.
China had 4.078 TW of installed generating capacity at the end of July. In addition to PV and coal, wind capacity stood at 687.2 GW, hydropower at 455.5 GW and nuclear at 66.14 GW, according to NEA statistics. The latest separately published figure for biomass, for the end of June, was 47.91 GW. Total thermal capacity, which includes gas and other thermal generation alongside coal, stood at 1.581 TW.
The milestone, however, applies to installed capacity rather than electricity generation.
Solar generated 802.4 TWh of electricity in the first seven months of 2026, up 15.5% year on year and equivalent to around 13% of national electricity consumption. Coal remains far more important in terms of actual output. Coal-fired plants generated about 2.5 PWh in the first half of the year and accounted for 49.7% of total generation.
“This is a milestone event in China’s green and low-carbon energy transition,” said Liu Zhiqiang, deputy director of planning and development at the China Electricity Council (CEC). He cautioned, however, that solar’s intermittency and lower utilization hours mean coal will remain an important source of system support in the near term.
The scale of the transition becomes clearer when compared with China’s power system little more than a decade ago.
Subsequently revised NEA statistics put cumulative PV capacity at just 17.45 GW at the end of 2013. Coal capacity stood at around 790 GW, representing roughly 63% of the country’s generating fleet, while solar accounted for only around 1.4%. Hydropower stood at approximately 280 GW, wind at 75.5 GW and nuclear at 14.6 GW.
China’s PV fleet has therefore expanded almost 74-fold since 2013. Capacity reached 77.4 GW in 2016, passed 130 GW in 2017 and exceeded 250 GW in 2020, before accelerating sharply following China’s 2020 carbon-neutrality pledge. It climbed from 392 GW in 2022 to 609 GW in 2023 and 887 GW in 2024, reaching around 1.2 TW by the end of 2025.
The expansion also has global significance. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that worldwide solar capacity reached around 2.4 TW at the end of 2025, meaning China’s 1.2 TW fleet represented approximately half of global installed solar capacity. Solar accounted for about three-quarters of all new renewable capacity added worldwide in 2025.
Yet China’s domestic PV industry is reaching the milestone while undergoing one of its deepest corrections in years.
China installed about 71.8 GW of PV in the first half of 2026, down from 212.2 GW in the same period of 2025, a decline of roughly 66%. Last year’s figure was inflated by a rush to complete projects ahead of the shift toward market-based renewable electricity pricing, but developers are also facing tighter grid-connection conditions and weaker project economics.
Grid integration is becoming another constraint. China’s average PV utilization rate fell to 91.4% in the first half of 2026, from 94% a year earlier, increasing pressure for additional transmission and storage capacity, more flexible generation, and improved electricity market mechanisms.
Manufacturers are simultaneously struggling with excess capacity and weak prices. China Photovoltaic Industry Association data show that polysilicon production fell 9.8% year on year in the first half, while module output declined 35.1%. Wang Bohua, former secretary-general of the association, described the sector as undergoing a “deep adjustment,” but said the slower pace of installations represented a return toward more sustainable growth following the exceptional surge in 2025.
The next stage of China’s solar transition will therefore be less about how many additional gigawatts can be installed than how reliably that capacity can supply electricity when the system needs it. CEC officials have argued that wind and solar have yet to effectively replace conventional generation during critical periods, making storage, grid-forming technologies, stronger transmission networks and more flexible power markets increasingly important.
Solar’s move past coal is consequently both a historic milestone and the beginning of a more difficult phase: converting unprecedented renewable energy capacity into dependable electricity supply.
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The Town of Derry, New Hampshire has activated a 2.25 MW ground-mounted solar array built on a capped municipal landfill. Developed, financed, and constructed by Vermont-based Encore Renewable Energy, the project operates under a long-term power purchase agreement and delivers 100% of its generation directly to the municipality.
The installation covers 10 acres of reclaimed municipal property and was built at no upfront cost to the town. Local officials estimate the array will produce enough electricity to offset the power consumption of roughly 500 average New Hampshire homes annually. The generation will serve municipal and school operations across the town.
The project has a fixed power rate that undercuts the local utility’s benchmark supply costs. The town will purchase solar electricity from Encore at $0.065 per kWh, compared to Eversource NH’s current electricity supply rate of $0.14 per kWh. Town administrators project year-one savings between $250,000 and $300,000. Over the 25-year operational life of the system, cumulative savings are conservatively expected to exceed $4 million.
The initiative originated with the Derry NetZero Task Force. This all-volunteer municipal committee spent six years benchmarking energy usage across 40 town and school buildings to advance the system’s design and clear legislative hurdles. The Town of Derry selected Encore through a competitive procurement process in 2021 from a pool of seven bidding developers
Brightfield developments on closed landfills offer municipal off-takers a viable method to monetize otherwise undevelopable property while capitalizing on existing electrical infrastructure. The Derry installation marks another expansion of community-scale solar capacity across the region as local governments seek to offset operating expenses through localized generation.
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A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
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While garage-based battery storage may still be workable, it would usually require added links.
Photo Credit: Reddit
After reviewing options for a home solar project, a U.K. homeowner went to Reddit to get a clearer picture of how the wiring and equipment placement might work with a detached garage.
The replies indicated that the setup they wanted might be possible, but with one major limitation: the gateway is usually installed near the home’s incoming mains supply and electric meter, even if the battery, inverter, and EV charger are located in the garage.
The homeowner described a property in the Reddit post with a separate garage, solar panels planned for the rear roof, and a preferred layout that would place the battery and inverter in the garage while mounting the EV charger on the front of it.
“What I am struggling to visualise based on the picture is where could the gateway go?” the OP asked. 
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They added, “Is what I am asking achievable and reasonable?”
Luckily, redditors were happy to offer advice on where the gateway could go. 
One user said, “The gateway goes close to your mains incomer. And intercepts the tails after the meter.”
So while garage-based battery storage may still be workable, it would usually require added links between the meter area and the garage, such as armored cable and separate paths for DC and data connections.
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To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Another user said, “The gateway will go next to or above your electric meter. No need to run anything into the consumer unit.”
While the installation process can be complicated, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially when comparing system layouts and equipment ahead of installation. Homeowners can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
A layout that seems simple in theory can become more involved once a detached garage has to be tied back to the main supply, potentially requiring trenching, conduit, additional isolation hardware, or a longer armored cable run.
The homeowner also said they did not want to make the side path harder to use and hoped any underground work could include conduit for future cable pulls.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
One user suggested, “Personally, I’d put the battery and inverter on the house wall near the back of the house.”
Getting multiple site-specific quotes and asking each installer to map out the exact cable route, gateway location, and any trenching requirements can help clarify the likely scope of work.
That can make it easier to compare not just the sticker price but the total value of the project.
EnergySage’s free tools can help with that process. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. And EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
To get even more out of your solar panels, you can add battery storage to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. It can also make a system more flexible when paired with electric-vehicle charging and backup-power planning. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Of course, getting installation estimates and set-up advice beforehand can be useful 
One user shared their set-up: “I dug the trench for the conduit. My thinking is that I’m paying the solar team for electrical installation; anything else I ask them to do is risk that they’ll cost into the quote.”
Questions about cable runs, battery placement, and meter-side equipment can quickly turn into bigger decisions about cost and long-term savings. Financing, battery economics, meter-adjacent hardware, and real household results can influence whether a more complex setup is worth it.
• Palmetto and SunPower are offering home backup batteries without upfront costs to homeowners.
• In many states, net metering changes make home batteries harder to justify on savings alone.
• ConnectDER has developed a device that could prevent costly rewiring for EV chargers and solar.
• EnergySage has shown interconnected factors behind solar costs can reshape installation quotes.
• In Ohio, one retired engineer used rooftop solar to produce ‘negative’ energy bills at home.
For homeowners trying to decide if a more involved solar-and-battery layout is worth the hassle, that added context can be useful. It can also make quote comparisons a little easier once real-world installation constraints start pushing up the final price.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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Solex Energy Ltd has secured work orders worth INR 74.77 crore from domestic entities for the manufacture and supply of solar PV modules, according to a regulatory filing.
The orders are scheduled for execution in Dec. 2026.
The latest orders add to Solex Energy’s recent order inflows. In July 2026, the company received orders worth more than INR 628 crore. In August, it secured an additional INR 42.47 crore work order from a domestic company in the power sector for the supply of n-type TOPCon 620 W glass-to-glass solar PV modules. Execution of that order is scheduled to begin in October 2026. Solex Energy also received a letter of intent for an additional order worth INR 175 crore, with a master supply agreement currently at the signing stage. The company said these orders together represented an executable order pipeline of INR 846 crore, targeted for execution by Dec. 31, 2026.
Solex operates a 4 GW solar module manufacturing facility at Tadkeshwar in Gujarat, equipped with Industry 4.0-enabled automation. It is also developing a solar cell manufacturing facility. Its 2.2 GW n-type TOPCon+ cell line, the first phase of a planned 5 GW cell manufacturing capacity, is on track for commissioning by the end of 2027.
As part of its 2030 expansion plans, the company aims to build 10 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity, 10 GW of solar cell capacity, 10 GW of battery energy storage system (BESS) infrastructure, and 2 GW of wafer and ingot capacity. It is also exploring further vertical integration across the solar value chain.
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GREW Solar said this week that it has secured a repeat order worth INR 430 crore from a leading independent power producer (IPP) in India for the supply of high-efficiency solar PV modules.
The company will supply its G12R modules based on n-type TOPCon cell technology. It did not disclose the name of the IPP.
GREW Solar, a venture of the Chiripal Group, currently operates a 6.5 GW PV module manufacturing facility in Dudu, Rajasthan, with plans to scale its total capacity to 11 GW by the end of 2026, alongside investments in solar cell manufacturing and backward integration.
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India’s solar energy momentum is growing rapidly. More homes, businesses, factories and utility projects are choosing solar power to meet their energy needs. At the centre of this growth are solar panels, the key equipment that converts sunlight into electricity.
In the dynamic and unpredictable solar market, Rayzon Solar has positioned itself as one of India’s top solar panel suppliers.
According to JMK Research & Analytics, Rayzon Solar stood at No.2 in India for module shipments in FY2025-26, with a 7.21% market share. The JMK FY2026 leaderboard places Rayzon Solar”>Rayzon Solar second among the companies ranked for module shipments.
For instance, imagine India’s solar panel market as a very large marketplace where many companies are supplying panels. During FY2025-26, Rayzon Solar”>Rayzon Solar supplied a significant portion of the solar panels shipped in the Indian market. A 7.21% market share means that out of all the solar modules considered in the market, Rayzon Solar accounted for 7.21%.
That is a significant achievement in a market where several established manufacturers are competing for customers and projects. And there is something even more important about it: JMK’s ranking is based on active module shipments, rather than simply looking at projects that have already been completed. The report’s methodology distinguishes shipment/sales data from project commissioning.
Use building a house analogy to understand what ship means and how it is seen in the industry. Before you can use the house, you need the building materials. In the same way, before a solar power project can generate electricity, it needs solar panels and other essential equipment. So, when a company is shipping a large number of solar panels, it shows that its products are reaching the market and being used across different solar requirements, so in a way it means – Rayzon Solar is also contributing largely in enabling sustainability.
India is adding solar capacity at a strong pace. JMK’s report shows that 118.7 GW of utility-scale solar capacity had been commissioned by March 2026, while another 58.2 GW was in the pipeline. This growing demand creates opportunities for solar manufacturers that can supply quality panels at scale.
Being ranked second in module shipments puts Rayzon Solar in the driving position within India’s solar manufacturing landscape. The JMK FY2026 leaderboard lists Rayzon Solar alongside some of the country’s major solar module manufacturers, with Rayzon placed second, behind Waaree.
For customers, developers and businesses looking at solar, this kind of industry recognition provides a blunt message; Rayzon Solar is not just a participant or contributor in India’s solar growth; it is leading the market. A market that is getting bigger each passing day.
Today, solar panels are being used for a wide range of applications, from large utility-scale projects to commercial and industrial installations and rooftop systems. JMK’s report shows that India commissioned 34,848 MW of utility-scale solar capacity in FY2026, demonstrating the scale at which the country’s solar market is expanding. As this market becomes larger, the need for dependable solar panel suppliers also becomes more important.
The 7.21% market share is more than a percentage on a report. It represents the scale at which Rayzon Solar’s modules are reaching the Indian market. For a solar manufacturer, shipment numbers matter because they reflect the ability to produce, supply and serve a growing client base.
India’s journey towards cleaner energy is only getting bigger. With solar becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s renewable energy segment, companies that can manufacture and supply solar panels at huge scale will have an important role to play. Rayzon Solar’s second-place ranking and 7.21% market share demonstrates that the company is already making a strong mark on this journey toward an energy-independent India.
Note to readers: This article is part of HT’s paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently.
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Minooka Village Administrator Dan Duffy spoke with WCSJ about repairs and the rebuilding of Well #9. He said the board ratified the contract for that work.
“Well number nine was coming up on twenty years. We’ve had several issues with it over the last couple years. So, we’ve split the emergency repairs when that stopped working into two phases. First phase is just to bring it out, pull the well, bring it up, strip all the equipment down to see if there’s an issue. That’s around $41K to see exactly what the issue was. And then and then, obviously, once we found the issue had to be rebuilt. And that was the additional phase two of $285K. So altogether, it was a little over $300K to pull that well and get it back into working condition. Since one of those things, it’s a must have. You know, folks got to have water. We got to have the ability to have all wells working. Just in case one goes down, we run the other ones a little bit harder and pick up that pick up that slack. But this fell in line. We had a well, had to be repaired a couple years ago. It was a little over $300K as well. So, it’s just something we have to have, the residents have got to have. And, at the end of the day, we executed that contract last night. So those repairs were already done. This just ratifies that contract.”
 He also talked about a solar project on Ridge Road.
“One of the last actions taken by the village board last night was an access agreement for the Water Lily solar project. And folks familiar with Manuka, if you go north of town on Ridge Road, you’ll see two solar projects already built on your right-hand side just north about a mile. They were going to come in and build at the county level, the county. Kendall County was gracious enough to tell them, well, no. Please go down and annex into the village and work with the village to situate that project there because it’s going right on the main drag there on Ridge Road. You can see it right off it, and it’d be taking a valuable future commercial space from gas stations to car dealerships to grocery stores. The solar folks understood that, and they worked with us to carve out nine acres on the corner of Wildey and Ridge Road so we don’t miss out on all the commercial. We at least get something out of the deal.”
Duffy added that the last board action taken was to provide access to the farm and donate those nine acres, on the corner, for future development.
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A rooftop solar installation at Schutz Canada Inc.’s Belleville, Ont. manufacturing facility is expected to pay for itself in just over three years, while supplying about one-third of the site’s annual electricity needs.
An array of over 2,700 solar panels atop the 230,000-square-foot building where container systems are made, it is expected to generate enough electricity to save the company over $300,000 per year. 
Toronto-based EcoGrid Renewables Inc. a partner on Schutz’s energy transition in North America, was the general contractor for the installation. The firm also designed the array and calculated the anticipated financial impact.
Schutz, a Germany-based manufacturer of industrial packing systems and provider of industrial services, initiated the project to satisfy its environmental mandate, Greg Sommers, president of EcoGrid, said in an interview with Sustainable Biz Canada.
With Ontario’s electricity grid relying more on natural gas generation since the refurbishment of its nuclear fleet was initiated, Schutz’s leadership was concerned about the rising carbon emissions associated with the Belleville facility.
“It really compounded the need in their messaging for, ‘We are forward thinking, we are stewards in our environmental impact and we are always looking for ways to reduce,’” Sommers said.
Schutz executives also initiated the installation as a form of risk management. Mindful of economic pressures stemming from the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, decades-high inflation, a trade war with the U.S. and escalating electricity costs, “you have to be looking for ways to mitigate that risk,” Sommers said. Anything that can reduce energy costs is “a big win,” he added.
Solar energy, EcoGrid often finds, “aligns very well with the high cost of demand of electricity,” Sommers said. At daytime, typically when the cost of electricity spikes in Ontario, the array generates the most electricity.
The solar array can be part of the solution as a long-term, consistent power source, Sommers explained, which produces power lower than utility rates. “This was the single-largest cost savings initiative across their entire global network last year,” he added.
EcoGrid hired Picton, Ont.-based Otter Energy as a subcontractor to handle the labour and most of the electrical work. Construction started in November 2024 and was finished in March 2025.
The array has the potential to produce over 1.5 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity per year. That would offset over 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, or approximately 16 per cent of Schutz Canada’s Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions.
The Belleville facility is not disconnected from Ontario’s grid, still relying on the province for its remaining electricity needs.
Schutz is looking to add battery energy storage for the Belleville site in the coming years to enhance its sustainability, Sommers said.
A 2024 study from Natural Resources Canada assessing the potential for rooftop solar in Canada across 11 municipalities such as Winnipeg, Halifax and Kelowna found significant potential for deployment. One model suggested 90 gigawatts (GW) of capacity on commercial or institutional buildings. Another found 36 GW of capacity.
One of the largest commercial rooftop solar projects in Ontario is Loblaws’ 7.5-megawatt installation in East Gwillimbury, designed to take up approximately 435,000 square feet of roof space.
Oxford Properties is another leader in deploying rooftop solar across its portfolio of commercial buildings in Ontario. At the James Snow Business Park in Milton, at least 3.85 MW of electricity is expected to be generated per year. Additionally, Oxford’s shopping malls such as Square One Shopping Centre, Scarborough Town Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre are equipped with rooftop solar panels.
As for Schutz, it plans to use the Belleville facility as its benchmark for sustainability in North America, Sommers said. To maintain its focus on sustainability, Schutz plans to install more solar arrays on its U.S. facilities.
Category: Energy   Commercial  
Tags: Solar Energy   Clean Energy   Technology   Commercial Green Buildings   Sustainable building   Green Buildings  
Locations : Ontario   Toronto / GTA  

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Technical advisory firm Intertek CEA has released its Q2 2026 PV Price Forecasting Report, projecting a strategic realignment across global solar manufacturing hubs. While Chinese suppliers push to restore profit margins following extended price compression, module pricing in the United States, India, and other major rest-of-world markets is expected to hold relatively flat through 2027.
Annual global solar installations are forecast to remain constrained in the low-600 GW range in 2026 and 2027, down from roughly 650 GW in 2025. This slowdown is primarily driven by the stagnating domestic Chinese market, reinforced by the phase-out of demand-side subsidies, tighter energy consumption rules, and new efficiency standards, said the report.
Chinese suppliers pivot to margin expansion
Domestic policy in China is accelerating domestic price increases, which are expected to spill over into international markets, said the report. Major Chinese manufacturers are guiding toward reduced export volumes while actively pursuing higher-margin international sales.
According to Intertek CEA’s regional cost modeling, integrated production costs globally show a massive spread. Fully integrated production costs for TOPCon modules in China remain the global floor at under $0.12/W. In Southeast Asia and India, regional manufacturing costs hover near $0.17/W for TOPCon technology.
Meanwhile, unsubsidized all-in U.S. manufacturing costs for TOPCon modules using U.S. cells exceed $0.37/W prior to incentives. However, factoring in Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credits brings net U.S. TOPCon production costs down to approximately $0.21/W.
The Section 45X subsidies effectively eliminate much of the historical cost penalty for domestic U.S. manufacturing, narrowing the net cost gap between U.S.-made modules and non-Chinese imports from Southeast Asia or India to just $0.01/W to $0.03/W.
Trade policy and policy mandates dictate regional pricing
U.S. module prices are projected to stay elevated as buyers await final clarity on the tariff structures emerging from the ongoing polysilicon Section 232 investigation. While operational cell capacity outside duty-subject nations remains tight, expanding non-duty ingot, wafer, and cell capacity throughout 2026 and 2027 is expected to alleviate acute procurement bottlenecks.
In India, pricing dynamics are increasingly governed by domestic procurement mandates. The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II, which requires domestic module makers to utilize domestic cells for public tenders, is officially in effect.
While Indian module prices are expected to linger near $0.20/W due to grandfathered 2026 projects, developers face near-term cell supply shortages for late-2026 and 2027 deliveries. A secondary cost adjustment is anticipated in 2028 when ALMM List-III mandates the use of domestically produced wafers.
Across all international sea lanes, elevated freight costs continue to compound baseline module pricing, said the report. Logistics disruptions tied to ongoing Middle East conflict and early peak-season surcharges have pushed ocean freight rates above $0.01/W, adding cost pressures to cross-border deliveries through 2027.
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