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By Jay Carstens
ABC Western Qld
Topic:Renewable Energy
Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 7:05am
Ergon's Kein Jones says the new Windorah solar farm can generate five times as much electricity as the old solar array and save 150,000 litres of diesel. (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens )
The outback town of Windorah will halve its annual fuel bill with a 850-kilowatt solar and battery storage system.
The project replaces a failed solar array from almost two decades ago but locals are disappointed the fuel savings won't be passed on to help lower their power bills.
Hopes are the new system will make the remote community more resilient during major floods as Ergon prepares to roll out similar projects across other diesel-reliant towns.
It's not the first time this stretch of sunburnt country in outback Queensland has been tipped as ideal for solar.
While previous attempts have failed, almost 2,000 panels now shimmer against the red dirt, feeding into Windorah's isolated energy grid.
Engineers and locals hope this solar and battery project will deliver the resilience the community needs, despite no expectations of lower power bills.
The new Windorah 850-kilowatt solar farm and one-megawatt battery system is expected to power the town for days at a time when demand is low during winter.  (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens )
Ergon Energy senior engineer Kein Jones said the new installation would cut fuel use from the town's diesel generators by more than 50 per cent.
"The whole community [of 100 people] will be powered from the solar farm for days and potentially weeks when the loads are low and the weather's sunny," Mr Jones said.
The 850-kilowatt solar farm and one-megawatt battery storage system have been three years in the making as part of a state- funded shift from diesel in remote Queensland.
"It's a pretty exciting milestone for us now to transition into utilising that system to power the community," Mr Jones said.
Windorah, about 1,200 kilometres west of Brisbane, became well known locally for its solar array project — large metal 'sunflower-like' dishes constructed on the edge of town in 2009 as part of an experimental energy project.
The large dishes of Windorah's failed solar array project were dismantled to make way for the new solar farm.  (ABC Western Qld: Cameron Simmons)
Mr Jones said expensive upkeep, inefficient power generation and faltering market interest meant, more than a decade later, the accidental tourist attraction was being dismantled.
"The sunflower part of it were all mirrors, and those mirrors reflected sunlight back into a very small solar panel, which was called a solar concentrator, to produce electricity," Mr Jones said.
"[Then, flat-plate solar went] into mass production and the unit cost of building that solar-panel material just came right down."
Mr Jones says diesel stored for the town's generators will last twice as long as a result of the solar farm connection.  (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens)
The new fixed, flat-plate system is expected to generate five times as much energy as the old solar array, reducing the town's reliance on trucked-in diesel.
Publican Marilyn Simpson has lived in Windorah all her life and hopes the new development will make the town more self-reliant.
"Especially when we're already diesel-generated and we're not hooked up to … the main lines," Ms Simpson said.
"Our towns are lucky sometimes that we don't have to deal with having our power cut and we have a consistent supply."
Windorah publican Marilyn Simpson says some locals had expected the savings from the solar farm to be passed onto residents, which is not the case. (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens)
The town can be isolated by road for weeks at a time during floods.
Mr Jones said the project would lower the risk of running out of diesel when the town is cut off by floodwaters.
"The amount of fuel we use will essentially be half of what we currently use, so that's half the amount of trucks needing to come in," he said.
"Our existing storage will last twice as long as well. Resilience is a big one for the community."
Outback towns can be isolated for weeks at a time when floods cut off roads.  (ABC Western Queensland )
Ms Simpson said she would have liked to see savings passed on to locals, and through to reduced power bills.
"It's really just a business venture for Ergon to save on the use of diesel," Ms Simpson said.
Ms Simpson says the renewable energy project is "just a business venture for Ergon".  (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens)
The longtime local said despite the failure of the last project, people in town held mostly neutral views on the new build.
"I don't know that anyone's unhappy, but I'm not sure that it [will] have a direct benefit to our bill or anything," Ms Simpson said.
"I think most people perceived that was the idea [to reduce energy costs], and it's not."
In regional Queensland, the sta106763978te Competition Authority (QCA) sets a uniform price offering for everyone outside the south east corner, which is usually heavily based on the National Energy Market offer.
The state government subsidises the cost of electricity in rural areas to match the rate paid by urban customers, with any local savings from renewables likely to only reduce the public subsidy paid to Ergon.
Barcoo Shire mayor Sally O'Neil says other remote towns in the region, like Jundah, can benefit from a similar solar farm and battery system.  (ABC Western Queensland: Jay Carstens)
Barcoo Shire mayor Sally O'Neil said the success of the Windorah solar farm could pave the way for more diesel-reliant communities to make the shift.
"Long-term, their [Ergon's] intention is to, like Jundah being a diesel-run town as well, their intention is to convert to solar," Ms O'Neil said.
"But we're on a list of several towns in Queensland that require to go to solar because we're still on diesel-run generators.
"The solar panels they've got in place now are tested and proven, they're everywhere and they work."
Boulia and Doomadgee are next in line to install solar farms — backed by batteries — under Ergon's decarbonisation program.
Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 7:05am
Topic:Explainer
Topic:World Politics
Analysis by Michael Janda
Topic:Liberals
Analysis by Gareth Hutchens
Topic:Utilities
Topic:Solar Energy
Topic:Solar Energy
Renewable Energy
Rural and Remote Communities
Windorah
Topic:Explainer
Topic:World Politics
Analysis by Michael Janda
Topic:Liberals
Analysis by Gareth Hutchens
Topic:Public Health
Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 7:31am
Topic:World Politics
Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 7:17am
Topic:Renewable Energy
Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 7:05am
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China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has opened a public consultation on six proposed electronic industry standards for photovoltaic product classification and grading.
The draft represents one of China’s first attempts to introduce a structured grading system for PV products. By ranking modules into quality tiers rather than applying a simple pass-fail standard, the framework could influence procurement, financing, and insurance decisions across the solar sector.
The proposed framework evaluates products across three categories: reliability, power-generation performance, and green attributes. Modules would be scored against a series of indicators under each category and assigned an overall grade. Products scoring 80 points or higher would qualify as Grade 1, those scoring 60 to 79 would be classified as Grade 2, and those scoring below 60 would fall into Grade 3.
Reliability is a key component of the proposed standard. The framework introduces differentiated testing requirements tailored to specific climate and application conditions, moving beyond uniform baseline testing. It incorporates conventional reliability tests such as thermal cycling, damp heat, damp-freeze, mechanical load, snow load, hail resistance, and potential-induced degradation (PID), as well as additional assessments for sand and dust exposure, marine environments, ultraviolet aging, and coupled-stress conditions.
The performance section establishes different efficiency and bifaciality thresholds for major n-type technologies, including TOPCon, heterojunction (HJT), and back-contact (BC) modules. The draft sets A+ efficiency thresholds at 25% for TOPCon, 24.8% for HJT, and 25.2% for BC products, together with corresponding bifaciality requirements. According to Huatai Securities, the minimum efficiency thresholds proposed in the draft are 23.4% for TOPCon, 23.5% for HJT, and 23.9% for BC modules.
The green-attributes category incorporates carbon and environmental metrics into the grading system. Criteria are expected to include manufacturing energy consumption, carbon intensity, lifecycle carbon footprint, recyclability, and material-related environmental performance. As a result, the standard could influence not only domestic project tenders but also manufacturers targeting overseas markets with more stringent sustainability requirements.
The framework is expected to have its greatest impact on centralized PV procurement. China’s large state-owned power developers frequently incorporate official standards into tender qualification requirements and scoring systems. If Grade 1 or Grade 2 products become preferred in utility-scale procurement, lower-efficiency PERC modules and earlier-generation TOPCon products could gradually lose access to mainstream ground-mounted projects.
In a recent research report, Huatai Securities estimated that the proposed standard could accelerate capacity rationalization across the industry. Under a baseline scenario based on current mainstream product efficiencies, the banking firm said approximately 317.5 GW of TOPCon capacity and 10.2 GW of HJT capacity could become non-competitive, while BC capacity would remain unaffected. The total impacted capacity would reach about 327.6 GW, equivalent to roughly one-third of industry capacity.
Under a more optimistic scenario, in which manufacturers upgrade products toward the efficiency levels of current leading modules, Huatai estimated that potential capacity exits would decline to 143.4 GW for TOPCon and 10.2 GW for HJT, for a combined total of 153.6 GW, or around 15% of installed manufacturing capacity. Huatai Securities said TOPCon would account for most of the affected capacity, as older production lines face increasing pressure to adopt technologies such as multi-cut cells, rear-side efficiency improvements, and enhanced passivation processes.
Under China’s administrative framework, the proposed measures are recommended industry standards rather than mandatory national regulations. They would not prohibit the production, sale, or export of lower-graded modules, provided those products continue to meet compulsory safety and market-access requirements. Their influence is therefore likely to be exerted through market mechanisms, including state-owned enterprise tenders, government-backed projects, financing assessments, insurance pricing, local incentive programs, and brand-based product segmentation.
The draft standards come after nearly two years of severe overcapacity and intense price competition across China’s solar manufacturing supply chain. Previous efforts to encourage capacity rationalization through market forces, industry coordination, and production controls have delivered limited results. The proposed grading framework represents another attempt to promote industry consolidation through standards development and procurement preferences rather than direct administrative intervention.
If widely adopted in project tenders and financing assessments, similar grading frameworks could eventually be extended upstream to cells, wafers, and polysilicon, increasing competitive pressure on older and less efficient manufacturing capacity throughout the solar value chain.
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Thursday, July 9, 2026
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In Gaiselberg in the Weinviertel, Austria’s first grid-connected agri-photovoltaic system over grapevines (“Viti-PV”) has gone into operation. The 2,560 solar modules generate around 965,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This corresponds to the average annual consumption of about 350 households and saves 342 tons of CO₂ according to the operator RWA. The system features an integrated battery storage. Installation began after the flowering phase in 2025.
Under the solar modules, the wineries Schödl and Schweighofer cultivate 4,500 vines of the varieties Weißburgunder, Grüner Veltliner, and Souvignier Gris. They are expected to yield around 5,000 liters of wine. Winemaker Herbert Schödl describes his first observations: “Particularly noticeable was the stronger development of the shoots and the longer green phase of the leaves in autumn. This suggests that the vines under the modules remain active longer and can store more reserves.” Winemaker Hannes Schweighofer says: “It will be interesting to see how the system affects drought stress and disease pressure. If the vines grow more evenly and ripening occurs more slowly, this could have a positive impact on the quality of the grapes and the wine, especially with increasing weather extremes.”
The Higher Federal Teaching Institute and the Federal Office for Wine and Fruit Growing Klosterneuburg are accompanying the project. They are investigating the effects of partial shading on growth, yield, and wine quality according to scientific criteria.
(al; Image: RWA)
More on the topic:
Côtes-du-Rhône bans photovoltaics in the vineyard
Back to the Future – Prof. Manfred Stoll on Viti-Photovoltaics
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That shift could have real consequences for households already facing rising utility costs.
Photo Credit: iStock
After earning the nickname “man who killed offshore wind,” the strategist is now taking aim at Michigan’s solar developments, wind projects, and clean energy laws from the platform of a much larger, better-funded think tank.
That shift could have real consequences for households already facing rising utility costs and for communities counting on cheaper, cleaner power in the years ahead, as fossil fuel companies stand to gain from any delays or cancellations of projects that yield effectively free energy from natural factors like wind and sunlight.
Michigan-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy has named David Stevenson its director of energy and environmental policy, according to the Energy and Policy Institute.
Before that, Stevenson was a leading anti-offshore-wind figure at Delaware’s Caesar Rodney Institute.
Both organizations are affiliated with the State Policy Network, a national network of right-leaning think tanks that has pushed back against state clean energy policies.
Since arriving at Mackinac, Stevenson has moved quickly to join efforts to weaken Michigan’s Healthy Climate Plan and the state’s 100% clean electricity by 2040 standard.
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He has also backed legislation known as Project Lighthouse, which would roll back key 2023 clean energy laws and reopen disputes over where wind and solar projects can be built.
The outlet reported that the Mackinac Center brought in more than $11 million in 2024, while the Caesar Rodney Institute reported $463,000.
Groups in the Koch network also sent major funding to Mackinac and its lobbying arm.
Instead of favoring more wind, solar, and battery storage, Stevenson and the Mackinac Center have pushed to keep coal plants operating longer and to rely more on nuclear and gas.
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That approach could prove costly for consumers. Consumers Energy has said that complying with Trump administration orders to delay the closure of the J.H. Campbell coal plant has already cost $400 million, with those expenses spread across customers in the regional grid. 
The utility had previously estimated that replacing the plant with solar and storage could save Michigan customers about $600 million through 2040.
Another major coal plant, DTE’s Monroe facility, is also part of the debate.
DTE says closing it on schedule would save customers $1.4 billion.
Delays there could mean both higher bills and prolonged exposure to pollution for nearby communities.
In Michigan, Stevenson has testified in support of Republican legislation to repeal parts of the state’s clean energy framework.
He has also promoted reports claiming coal, gas, and nuclear would be cheaper than a grid centered on wind, solar, and storage — even while acknowledging, “Our study might be contested.”
State officials and environmental groups are pushing back. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel challenged federal orders that kept the Campbell coal plant operating.
Clean energy advocates have also warned that repealing Michigan’s recent laws would slow deployment of some of the fastest and least expensive new energy sources now available.
“The future of electric generation is clearly nuclear, not solar, and state legislation needs to change in recognition of this reality,” Stevenson wrote, according to the Energy and Policy Institute.
Nessel offered a sharply different view: “The Trump Administration is crying wolf over a non-existent energy emergency, while at the same time undermining every effort made to increase the efficiency, affordability, and reliability of domestic energy markets.”
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In Singapore, researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have developed a groundbreaking semi-transparent perovskite solar cell with a thickness equivalent to just one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair. Not only is its energy efficiency a record for such slenderness, but it can also be used almost anywhere—a bit like solar tech in stealth mode.
Thanks to its semi-transparent nature and neutral color, this super-slim cell can generate electricity from virtually any surface while staying highly discreet. Unlike conventional photovoltaic panels, this technology slips smoothly onto the facades of buildings, without disrupting the original look and feel. It’s enough to make architects breathe a sigh of relief (no more worries about clunky rooftop panels spoiling the skyline).
One of the system’s top advantages is the use of perovskite. This material not only absorbs sunlight very efficiently but can also be produced at a lower cost than standard silicon. Even better, these new solar cells keep on working even when exposed to indirect or diffuse light—think urban canyons, where tall buildings often block direct sunlight. Here, the property that lets perovskite cells keep up the pace when the sun’s playing hard to get is especially essential for dense city centers.
To achieve such a fine and uniform layer, the scientists relied on a process called thermal evaporation. In practical terms, this industrial technique means heating the material (using the Joule effect) inside a vacuum chamber until it vaporizes, then letting it condense as an ultra-thin film on a surface. Through this approach, the team managed to create perovskite layers just 10 nanometers thick: that’s about 10,000 times thinner than a human hair! (No wonder Professor Annalisa Bruno and her NTU team are grabbing headlines.)
By adjusting the thickness of the active layer, the researchers designed two types of cells:
Now, while these numbers are remarkable for something so thin, they are still somewhat lower than traditional photovoltaic panels. Yet, as reported in the journal ACS Energy Letters, the deployment possibilities for this technology are far greater. Imagine cities where not just rooftops, but windows and facades help power the grid.
The method pioneered by the NTU team has notable environmental and industrial benefits. It avoids the toxic solvents usually required in solar cell manufacturing, is easier to implement, and, as a result, costs less. It’s also suitable for environmentally friendly large-scale production. In other words—it’s a solid win both for the planet and for industry.
Perhaps most importantly, this breakthrough could lay the foundations for a whole new generation of electricity-producing surfaces. Building facades, office or home windows, and even car bodies could, in the near future, integrate these cells easily and affordably—no major design overhauls necessary. Tech that slips in so subtly it’s almost like giving your building (or car) a secret power-up.
In England, researchers from the universities of Warwick and Birmingham have also highlighted that, during chemical reactions, intermediate steps can reveal new materials with helpful properties for solar energy, batteries, or catalysis. Who knew that searching in overlooked places could yield such neat discoveries?
Altogether, ultra-thin, semi-transparent perovskite solar cells promise a new, more integrated way to generate renewable energy in urban environments—without needing to build new solar farms on city outskirts or crowd every rooftop with photovoltaic arrays. For cities looking to boost their green energy credentials, the future might just be looking brighter—and a whole lot sleeker.

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Explained: Next-Generation Smart Solar Modules: How AI Is Transforming PV Manufacturing And Performance Analysis  SolarQuarter
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According to the latest IndexBox report on the global Roof Penetration Sealing Kits market, the market enters 2026 with broader demand fundamentals, more disciplined procurement behavior, and a more regionally diversified supply architecture.
The World Roof Penetration Sealing Kits market is entering a phase of sustained expansion, with demand projected to accelerate through 2035 as global rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations surge and building energy codes become more stringent. These pre-engineered assemblies—comprising gaskets, boots, flashing, brackets, and sealants—are critical for weatherproofing penetrations where solar mounting structures, electrical conduits, ventilation ducts, and instrumentation cables pass through roof membranes. The market benefits from a structural shift away from generic, field-assembled solutions toward certified, multi-component kits that integrate fire-stop, vapor barrier, and thermal-break properties. Solar mounting applications account for an estimated 60–70% of total unit demand, with the remainder split among industrial automation, semiconductor fabrication cleanrooms, OEM integration, and aftermarket replacement. Asia-Pacific dominates both production and consumption, while Europe and North America remain net importers due to domestic capacity constraints. Average selling prices are rising 2–4% annually in premium segments, supported by enhanced material specifications (high-temperature silicone, EPDM, UV-stabilized polymers) and third-party certification costs (UL, TÜV, IEC). However, raw material cost volatility—especially for silicone elastomers and specialty polypropylene—and multi-jurisdiction certification timelines (6–18 months per variant) pose challenges. The market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.5% from 2026 to 2035, with the market index reaching 207 by 2035 (2025=100). This report provides a comprehensive analysis of market size, demand drivers, supply dynamics, trade flows, pricing, competitive lands
The baseline scenario for the World Roof Penetration Sealing Kits market from 2026 to 2035 assumes continued global expansion of rooftop solar PV capacity, particularly in commercial and industrial segments, supported by government incentives, corporate renewable energy targets, and declining solar hardware costs. Building energy codes in developed markets (IBC, ASTM, EN 13501) are becoming more prescriptive regarding air leakage, thermal bridging, and fire resistance, driving specification of certified, pre-engineered kits over generic alternatives. In emerging markets, rapid urbanization and industrialization are increasing the installed base of roof penetrations for HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems, creating replacement and retrofit demand. On the supply side, Asia-Pacific—led by China, India, and Southeast Asia—will remain the largest production hub, with manufacturers investing in automated assembly lines and vertical integration of elastomer compounding. Europe and North America will continue to rely on imports for 40–60% and 30–50% of kits, respectively, though localized production of premium, certified kits is expected to grow modestly. Pricing dynamics are bifurcated: standard-grade kits face near-flat pricing due to low-cost competition from un-certified suppliers, while premium kits see 2–4% annual price increases driven by material upgrades and certification costs. Key risks to the baseline include raw material price spikes (silicone, polypropylene), trade policy disruptions (tariffs on Chinese goods), and slower-than-expected solar deployment in key markets. The market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% through 2035, with the market index reaching 207 (2025=100).
The solar PV mounting segment is the largest consumer of roof penetration sealing kits, accounting for approximately 65% of total unit demand. These kits are essential for weatherproofing the interface between solar array mounting structures and roof membranes, preventing water ingress, air leakage, and thermal bridging. Demand is driven by the rapid global expansion of rooftop solar capacity, particularly in commercial and industrial buildings where large arrays require multiple penetrations. Key demand-side indicators include annual solar PV installations (global additions exceeded 180 GW in 2023), corporate renewable energy procurement targets, and government incentives such as tax credits and feed-in tariffs. By 2035, the segment will benefit from the growing adoption of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and the need for certified, code-compliant sealing solutions as building energy codes tighten. The trend toward pre-engineered, multi-component kits with integrated fire-stop and vapor barrier properties is accelerating, as solar installers seek to reduce labor costs and warranty exposure. Major companies in this space include Sika AG, Carlisle Companies Inc., GAF Materials Corporation, Firestone Building Products, and Dow Inc. Current trend: Dominant and growing, driven by utility-scale and commercial rooftop solar expansion; share expected to remain above 60%.
Major trends: Shift from generic flashing to certified, multi-component kits with integrated fire-stop and thermal-break properties, Growing demand for kits compatible with standing seam metal roofs and single-ply membranes (TPO, PVC, EPDM), Increasing direct-to-installer shipments from specialized manufacturers, reducing distribution layers, and Rising adoption of pre-assembled kits with factory-applied sealants to ensure consistent quality and reduce on-site labor.
Representative participants: Sika AG, Carlisle Companies Inc, GAF Materials Corporation, Firestone Building Products (Holcim), Dow Inc, and RectorSeal Corporation.
The industrial automation and instrumentation segment accounts for approximately 12% of roof penetration sealing kit demand, driven by the need to seal penetrations for control cables, sensors, and instrumentation lines through factory and warehouse roofs. As manufacturers invest in Industry 4.0 upgrades and smart factory retrofits, the number of roof penetrations for data and power cables increases, creating demand for reliable, weather-tight sealing solutions. Key demand-side indicators include global industrial automation spending (projected to grow at 8–10% annually), factory construction starts, and retrofitting of existing facilities. By 2035, the segment will benefit from the expansion of logistics and distribution centers, which require extensive roof penetrations for lighting, HVAC, and automation systems. The trend is toward modular, multi-cable sealing systems that allow for future additions without re-roofing, reducing lifecycle costs. Major companies include Hilti Corporation, Oatey Co., Polyguard Products Inc., and Tremco Incorporated. Current trend: Steady growth supported by factory automation investments and smart building retrofits; share stable at 10–13%..
Major trends: Adoption of modular, multi-cable sealing systems that accommodate future cable additions without roof modifications, Increasing specification of fire-rated sealing kits to comply with NFPA 285 and local fire codes in industrial facilities, Growing use of pre-assembled kits with integrated gaskets and clamps to reduce installation time and errors, and Demand for UV-stabilized and high-temperature resistant materials for rooftop installations in harsh climates.
Representative participants: Hilti Corporation, Oatey Co, Polyguard Products Inc, Tremco Incorporated, and CSL Silicones Inc.
The semiconductor and precision manufacturing segment represents approximately 10% of roof penetration sealing kit demand, but is the fastest-growing niche due to the global expansion of semiconductor fabrication facilities (fabs). These facilities require contamination-free environments, and roof penetrations for process utilities (chemicals, gases, exhaust, power) must be sealed with high-purity, non-outgassing materials to prevent particle ingress and maintain cleanroom classifications (ISO Class 5 or better). Key demand-side indicators include global semiconductor capital expenditure (capex), which exceeded $180 billion in 2024, and the number of new fab construction projects announced worldwide. By 2035, the segment will benefit from the construction of new fabs in the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia, driven by chip supply chain diversification and government subsidies (CHIPS Act, European Chips Act). The trend is toward fully integrated sealing systems with factory-certified leak-tightness and compatibility with aggressive chemicals and high temperatures. Major companies include W. R. Grace & Co., Dow Inc., and CSL Silicones Inc. Current trend: High-growth niche driven by global chip fabrication capacity expansion; share rising from 8% in 2025 to 12% by 2035..
Major trends: Demand for high-purity, non-outgassing sealing materials (PTFE, perfluoroelastomers) for cleanroom applications, Integration of fire-stop and chemical resistance properties in sealing kits for process utility penetrations, Growing preference for factory-assembled, pre-tested kits to reduce on-site validation time and ensure cleanroom compliance, and Expansion of fab construction in regions with stringent building codes, driving demand for certified, code-compliant kits.
Representative participants: W. R. Grace & Co, Dow Inc, CSL Silicones Inc, and Hilti Corporation.
The OEM integration and maintenance segment accounts for approximately 8% of roof penetration sealing kit demand, driven by manufacturers of rooftop HVAC units, exhaust fans, skylights, and other equipment that require pre-assembled sealing solutions for roof penetrations. OEMs specify kits that match their equipment dimensions and performance requirements, often including custom flanges, gaskets, and sealants. Demand is sustained by new equipment production cycles and aftermarket replacement when equipment is upgraded or roofs are replaced. Key demand-side indicators include commercial construction starts, HVAC equipment shipments, and building renovation rates. By 2035, the segment will benefit from the growing trend toward prefabricated, modular building systems, where roof penetrations are pre-planned and sealed at the factory. The trend is toward OEMs partnering with kit manufacturers to develop proprietary, branded sealing solutions that differentiate their equipment and reduce installation complexity. Major companies include Sika AG, Carlisle Companies Inc., and Tremco Incorporated. Current trend: Stable demand from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) integrating sealing kits into rooftop equipment; aftermarket.
Major trends: OEMs increasingly specifying proprietary, branded sealing kits to ensure compatibility and reduce warranty claims, Growing adoption of pre-assembled kits with integrated insulation and vapor barriers for energy code compliance, Aftermarket replacement cycles driven by roof replacement and equipment upgrades, creating recurring revenue streams, and Demand for kits with quick-install features (snap-fit, peel-and-stick) to reduce labor costs for contractors.
Representative participants: Sika AG, Carlisle Companies Inc, Tremco Incorporated, and RectorSeal Corporation.
The electronics and optical systems installations segment accounts for approximately 5% of roof penetration sealing kit demand, driven by the need to seal penetrations for fiber optic cables, data cables, and antenna mounts on commercial and industrial roofs. As data center construction accelerates globally—driven by cloud computing, AI, and 5G—the number of roof penetrations for cooling systems, power feeds, and fiber optic connections increases. These installations require sealing kits that prevent water ingress while allowing for cable movement and thermal expansion. Key demand-side indicators include global data center capex (projected to exceed $300 billion by 2030), fiber optic network deployment, and 5G small cell installations. By 2035, the segment will benefit from the expansion of edge computing facilities and the need for reliable, low-maintenance sealing solutions for critical infrastructure. The trend is toward multi-cable sealing systems with fire-stop properties and compatibility with high-density cable bundles. Major companies include Hilti Corporation, Oatey Co., and Polyguard Products Inc. Current trend: Moderate growth supported by data center construction and optical network expansion; share stable at 4–6%..
Major trends: Growing demand for multi-cable sealing systems that accommodate high-density fiber and power cable bundles, Increasing specification of fire-rated sealing kits for data center roof penetrations to comply with NFPA 75 and local codes, Adoption of pre-assembled kits with integrated cable management features to simplify installation and reduce errors, and Demand for UV-resistant and weather-tight materials for rooftop installations in exposed environments.
Representative participants: Hilti Corporation, Oatey Co, Polyguard Products Inc, and CSL Silicones Inc.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
Asia-Pacific leads the market with 45% share, driven by massive solar PV deployment in China, India, and Southeast Asia, plus semiconductor fab construction. The region is both the largest production base and fastest-growing consumer market, with domestic manufacturers supplying low-cost standard kits and increasingly premium certified kits for export. Direction: Dominant and fastest-growing.
North America holds 22% share, supported by strong solar PV growth under the Inflation Reduction Act and tightening building codes. The region imports 30–50% of kits from Asia, though localized production of premium, certified kits is expanding. Demand is concentrated in commercial rooftop solar and data center construction. Direction: Steady growth, import-dependent.
Europe accounts for 20% share, with demand driven by stringent energy performance directives (EPBD) and fire safety standards (EN 13501). The region imports 40–60% of kits from Asia, but domestic manufacturers focus on high-value, certified kits for premium segments. Solar PV and building retrofit are key demand drivers. Direction: Moderate growth, regulatory-driven.
Latin America represents 7% share, with growth led by solar PV expansion in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Demand is price-sensitive, favoring standard-grade kits, but regulatory improvements and foreign investment in renewable energy are gradually increasing specification of certified kits. Import dependence is high. Direction: Emerging growth, solar-led.
Middle East & Africa hold 6% share, with demand concentrated in large-scale solar projects in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and South Africa. Price sensitivity is high, and competition from un-certified kits limits premium segment growth. However, infrastructure investment and building code modernization are creating opportunities for certified kits. Direction: Slow growth, price-sensitive.
In the baseline scenario, IndexBox estimates a 7.5% compound annual growth rate for the global roof penetration sealing kits market over 2026-2035, bringing the market index to roughly 207 by 2035 (2025=100).
Note: indexed curves are used to compare medium-term scenario trajectories when full absolute volumes are not publicly disclosed.
For full methodological details and benchmark tables, see the latest IndexBox Roof Penetration Sealing Kits market report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Roof Penetration Sealing Kits market in the world, covering market size, growth trajectory, demand structure, supply capability, trade flows, pricing, competitive landscape, and forecast to 2035.
The study is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, investors, procurement teams, advisors, and strategy teams that need a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers the market for roof penetration sealing kits, which are pre-engineered assemblies designed to seal and protect roof penetrations such as vents, pipes, ducts, and cables against water ingress, air leakage, and thermal bridging. The scope includes complete kits, individual components, integrated sealing systems, and consumable or replacement parts used in commercial, industrial, and residential roofing applications.
The report combines the standard market-statistics backbone with strategic chapters that are useful for commercial planning, sourcing decisions, market entry, competitor monitoring, and portfolio prioritization.
The market is segmented into decision-relevant buckets so that demand drivers, pricing logic, supply constraints, and competitive positions can be compared across the same analytical frame.
The classification coverage encompasses products categorized by product type (roof penetration sealing kits, components and modules, integrated systems, consumables and replacement parts), by application (industrial automation and instrumentation, electronics and optical systems, semiconductor and precision manufacturing, OEM integration and maintenance), and by value chain segment (upstream inputs and critical components, manufacturing/assembly/quality control, distribution/integration/channel partners, after-sales service/replacement/lifecycle support).
Coverage includes global totals, major demand markets, production and sourcing hubs, leading exporters and importers, and country profiles for the top national markets.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
All indicators are mapped to a consistent product definition and reviewed against the segmentation framework used in the Table of Contents.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint, Trade and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
Where Growth and Supply Concentrate
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
Detailed View of the Most Important National Markets
How the Report Was Built
Offers roof penetration sealing kits for waterproofing
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Known for DOWSIL brand roof sealants
Produces penetration sealing kits for commercial roofs
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Provides EPDM and TPO penetration sealing kits
Part of Holcim; offers roof penetration sealing solutions
Produces sealing kits for roof penetrations
Specializes in roof penetration sealing systems
Offers sealants for roof penetration applications
Provides roof sealing kits under Loctite brand
Offers roof penetration sealing tapes and kits
Subsidiaries like Tremco and Carboline serve roof sealing
Provides integrated roof sealing solutions
Offers penetration sealing kits for flat roofs
Brands include Icopal and Monier; supplies sealing kits
Produces roof penetration sealing products
Offers sealing kits for roof penetrations
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Offers sealants and flashing for roof penetrations
Supplies roof penetration sealing kits
Offers specialized sealing systems for roof penetrations
Provides roof sealing kits under Dr. Fixit brand
Offers roof penetration sealing solutions
Produces penetration sealing kits for roofing
Offers roof penetration sealing systems
Provides penetration sealing kits for commercial roofs
Offers roof penetration sealing kits
Produces roof penetration sealing accessories
Offers penetration sealing kits for TPO and EPDM roofs
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The European photovoltaic industry seeks to differentiate itself from Asian competitors by focusing on innovation, sustainability, and circularity. An example of this strategy is Solarge, a Dutch manufacturer that produces ultra-lightweight, fully recyclable solar modules at an automated plant in Weert, in the southern Netherlands.
Operational since May 2023, the factory currently has an annual production capacity of 150 MW—equivalent to around 300,000 solar panels per year—but plans are in place to scale up output. The company also states that its facilities and infrastructure are designed to support a future expansion to 400 MW.
Solarge’s flagship product is the SOLO module, which departs from conventional panel design. Instead of glass and aluminium frames, it uses composite materials, reducing the module weight to 5.5 kg/m², which is approximately half that of traditional solar panels.
The company also highlights the elimination of substances considered environmentally problematic. The module is free of the so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAs, and antimony—two materials that are attracting increasing regulatory and environmental scrutiny.
Thanks to this design, the manufacturer has developed a fully circular panel. The company offers a buy-back guarantee at the end of the product’s life and commits to recovering and recycling all materials without resorting to “downcycling,” meaning the recovered materials retain their quality and value in subsequent applications.
Solarge says its focus on circularity has enabled a dual milestone: the SOLO module is, according to the company, the first solar panel worldwide certified under the C2C Certified Circularity program and the first to meet the requirements of version 4.1 of the standard.
The certification obtained is at Silver level, independently verifying that the product has been designed according to lifecycle and resource-optimization criteria aimed at keeping materials in continuous use for as long as possible.
The manufacturer highlights weight reduction as one of its key competitive advantages. Millions of square metres of roofing on industrial facilities, logistics centres, public buildings, and older structures cannot support conventional photovoltaic systems due to structural limitations.
According to the company, its modules allow these surfaces to be used without the need for structural reinforcement, as their low weight maximizes the available area for solar installations. They also highlight applications such as photovoltaic carports, ground-mounted systems, and projects linked to airports and transport infrastructure. In these latter cases, Solarge emphasizes that the panel design helps to minimise glint and glare, a particularly important factor in airport environments.
Previous articles in pv magazine‘s new series on solar manufacturing facilities around the world covered Sunmaxx’s PVT module factory in Germany, SoliTek’s fully-automated line in Lithuania, United Solar’s polysilicon factory in Oman, Belga Solar’s module production facility in Belgium, Midsummer’s CIGS factory in Italy, and Tindo Solar’s PV module plant in Australia.

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Solar generation, batter storage project proposed for area  The Joplin Globe
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Prairie’s Edge is the tribe’s primary source of revenue.
Photo Credit: iStock
A state administrative ruling in Minnesota has gone against a rural power cooperative that had warned a tribal casino it could lose electricity service because of a sizable solar installation.
The decision may have broader implications for those looking to rely on larger solar setups on their own properties to trim utility costs.
Administrative Law Judge Joseph Meyer said Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light and Power Association may not sever electric service to the Upper Sioux Community’s Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort because the tribe built a 2.5-megawatt solar project beside the property, the local outlet MPR News reported.
The installation was set up to operate behind the meter, so the power it produces is used on-site rather than exported into the wider grid.
In Meyer’s view, the cooperative’s own rules do not bar that arrangement. He wrote that cutting service as a penalty “would unlawfully violate [Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light and Power Association’s] obligation to provide service.”
According to MPR, the conflict dates to 2024, when the tribe installed the array with the goal of covering about 30% of the casino’s electric bill.
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Later, the co-op warned in a letter that it would disconnect service if the system went live, saying its policy limited member-owned solar to 40 kilowatts.
The tribe then brought the dispute to the Public Utilities Commission in 2025, MPR News reported, and the matter was eventually sent to the Court of Administrative Hearings.
Although Meyer did not invalidate the cooperative’s policy itself, he said the utility was applying it more broadly than the policy allows.
Across rural Minnesota, many electric cooperatives cap member-owned generation at 40 kilowatts, according to the local news site.
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Meyer’s ruling says those co-ops cannot stop customers from using larger behind-the-meter projects — or punish them for doing so — when the systems do not export electricity to the grid.
That interpretation may make it easier for households, farms, businesses, and tribal governments to pursue stand-alone solar installations that can cut recurring energy expenses.
When solar displaces electricity generated by fossil fuels, it can also reduce air pollution and the emissions that drive climate change.
The casino is the tribe’s primary source of revenue and helps fund housing, health care, schools, and tribal police, MPR reported, meaning lower energy spending could bolster core community services.
According to the local news outlet, Meyer also said that engineers should redo their analysis using the solar project’s actual zero-export design.
If the tribe follows that study’s recommendations, he concluded that “any disconnection of electric service whatsoever based on the existence or generating capacity of the Project would be unlawful, so long as the Project remains a not-for-export system.”
The next step is a final decision from the full Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Before that happens, the cooperative still has the option to file exceptions with the commission.
The advocacy organization CURE celebrated Meyer’s ruling, with the group’s legal director Hudson Kingston telling MPR, “This is a very clear, very clear decision that co-ops cannot have policies that limit behind-the-meter solar systems.”
Kingston added, “It’s going to help drive people’s bills down, and it’s going to make a better electric grid for all of us.”
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Aena, Spain-based airport infrastructure operator headquartered in Madrid, has tendered photovoltaic solar plant at Seville Airport. The project is valued at €5.26 million (~ $6.10 million) and will be built within the airport site. The planned facility will occupy about 5 hectares and have 5.02 MW of total power and 4.57 nominal megawatts (MWn) of nominal power. The selected contractor will draft the project, execute the works, start the solar field and provide 1 year of maintenance. The installation is expected to run within about 32 months and will supply power to the airport’s internal grid. Aena said the plant’s annual generation will be equivalent to the estimated consumption of more than 2,000 households.

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Home – Energy – Solar panels were blamed for wiping out fields, but birds and insects are now rewriting the story beneath them
For years, solar parks have carried a heavy image problem. Many people picture rows of black panels spreading across the countryside, pushing out birds, insects, and the quiet life of rural fields.
However, new data from Spain is complicating that picture. The latest findings suggest that, when solar sites are well placed and properly managed, they can become surprisingly active refuges for wildlife instead of silent industrial zones.
The key point is simple, but important. Solar farms should not be compared with untouched forests. They should often be compared with the intensive farmland they replace.
The clearest numbers come from Spanish solar plants studied by EMAT, an independent environmental consultancy, and highlighted by the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF). In Minglanilla (Cuenca), researchers identified 32 bird species inside the solar plant, compared with 19 in the nearby agricultural control area.
The pattern also appeared elsewhere. Revilla Vallejera (Burgos) recorded 39 species inside the solar site and 34 outside, while Trujillo (Cáceres) recorded 31 species inside and 25 outside. These are not vague hopes about green energy. They are species counts from real facilities.
What kinds of birds are moving in? UNEF says the sites have documented species of special ecological interest, including stone-curlew, little bustard, roller, little owl, and lesser kestrel. As insects and small prey return, raptors such as eagles, vultures, kites, harriers, falcons, and owls can also find reasons to hunt there.
The explanation is not some hidden solar technology. It is much more down to earth. Inside many well-managed solar parks, there are no herbicides, no hunting, no intensive farm work, and only limited human visits for maintenance.
Compared with a field that is regularly plowed, sprayed, and stripped back, that quiet can matter. For an insect, a nesting bird, or a small mammal, the space beneath and between panels may feel less like a machine and more like a break from pressure.
Martín Behar, UNEF’s director of studies and environment, said Spanish data show that solar plants that are “well located and managed” can support valuable habitats. He also pointed to the lack of fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides, combined with controlled grazing, as a reason for the “very positive” biodiversity results.
Spain is not alone here. In the United Kingdom, research by the RSPB and the University of Cambridge found that solar farms in agriculturally dominated East Anglia had more bird species and more individual birds than nearby arable land, acre for acre.
The best results came from solar farms managed with nature in mind. Sites with hedgerows, mixed habitats, flowering plants, and less intensive grass cutting held nearly three times as many birds as adjacent arable farmland. Threatened species such as corn buntings, greenfinches, yellowhammers, and linnets were among the birds that benefited most.
There is also a farming angle. Lightsource bp reported promising results from wool testing at its Wellington solar farm in New South Wales, Australia, where Merino sheep grazing among panels were compared with sheep in a regular paddock.
The company said the setup did not harm wool production, and some measures even suggested improved wool quality, although it warned that longer-term measurement is still needed.
Here is the catch. You cannot just plant panels, mow everything flat, and expect birds and insects to magically appear. A simple, closely cut site may produce electricity, but it will not necessarily do much for nature.
The better model is more active. That means keeping plant cover, using native vegetation around the edges, creating ecological corridors, installing nest boxes or shelters, and using sheep as natural lawnmowers where appropriate. Ultimately, the panels are only part of the story. The land plan is what decides whether wildlife gets a chance.
UNEF’s Sustainability Excellence Seal tries to push the sector in that direction. Its framework includes environmental integration, biodiversity protection, community value, governance, and circular economy measures.
UNEF also says ground-mounted solar plants can leave about 90% of the land free, which gives developers room to restore vegetation and add wildlife features if they choose to do it properly.
None of this means every solar project is automatically good for the countryside. Researchers at Cambridge warned that new solar farms should not be placed in ecologically risky areas, protected nature sites, or places that already serve as important refuges for rare or declining species.
That nuance matters. A solar farm on degraded intensive farmland can create breathing room for wildlife. A poorly planned project in the wrong place can still damage habitats that were already valuable.
So the real debate is changing. It is not simply solar panels versus birds. It is whether solar developers, regulators, and landowners are willing to treat the ground under the panels as living space, not empty space.
The idea now gaining ground is sometimes called “conservoltaics,” a blend of renewable power and active conservation. It sounds technical, but the basic idea is easy to understand. The same field can help produce electricity while also giving insects, birds, sheep, and native plants a better shot at surviving.
That could matter as countries race to build more clean power while families deal with higher electric bills and hotter summers. Solar farms will keep spreading, but the question is what kind of countryside they leave behind.
At the end of the day, a fence around a solar park can work like a wall or like a shelter. The difference comes down to design, location, and care.
The press release was published on UNEF.

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The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) announced that the Solar Roofs program in Mexicali received an investment of US$11 million during its first phase, from March 2025 to May 2026, using funds from the Universal Electricity Service Fund, administered by the Ministry of Energy (SENER).
According to the CFE, each family achieves savings of up to 85% on their electricity bills, which are paid every 30 days in these border municipalities.
The “Solar Roofs for Well-being” program—promoted by SENER, the CFE, and the government of Baja California—aims to improve access to electricity for vulnerable families in the northern part of the country, particularly those facing extreme weather conditions and high energy consumption for much of the year.
It is estimated that the installed systems generate approximately 44,160 MWh of clean energy per year and prevent the emission of 19,486 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, thereby strengthening the energy transition and environmental sustainability, in addition to providing benefits to household finances.
A second phase is scheduled to begin in July 2026 in Hermosillo, Sonora, and in the two municipalities of Baja California, with the interconnection of an additional 5,000 photovoltaic systems.
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By Niina H. Farah | 06/16/2026 01:34 PM EDT
A judge found renewable energy developers were likely to win the legal fight.
Solar panels are shown. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images
A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration’s efforts to end a lawsuit challenging federal policies targeting wind and solar projects.
On Tuesday, Judge Denise Casper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that clean energy developers had grounds to continue their challenge against five Interior Department and Army Corps of Engineers policies they alleged were hampering solar and wind development.
One of those policies is a memorandum requiring senior Interior Department officials to sign off on wind and solar permits, putting those projects under additional scrutiny as part of an effort to slow-walk approvals and construction.
The ruling comes less than two months after Casper, an Obama appointee, issued an order temporarily blocking Interior and the Army Corps from enforcing the policies against Renew Northeast and other regional wind and solar developers involved in the lawsuit.
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PEDOT:PSS is a conductive polymer blend widely used as a hole transport and electrode interlayer in solar cells. It is attractive because it is highly transparent, allowing efficient light to reach the active layer, and it has good hole conductivity along with a suitable work function that enables efficient charge extraction at the electrode interface. In addition, it can be processed from solution to form smooth, uniform films, which improves device quality and reproducibility.
However, in tandem solar cells it can become problematic because its acidic and hygroscopic nature can degrade sensitive layers such as perovskites. It can also contribute to interfacial instability and parasitic losses, which ultimately reduce long-term efficiency and operational stability.
With this in mind, a group of researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has designed a PEDOT:PSS-free all-perovskite tandem solar cell that utilizes a phenothiazine-functionalized phosphonic acid monolayer as the hole transport layer (HTL).
“We designed two-terminal monolithic all-perovskite tandem solar cells that stack two perovskite absorbers with complementary bandgaps in one structure, offering a promising route to surpass the efficiency limits of single-junction solar cells while retaining the advantages of lightweight and potentially low-cost manufacturing,” the research’s corresponding author, Fengzhu Li, told pv magazine. “A major challenge lies at the buried interface of the narrow-bandgap tin-lead perovskite subcell. Many high-performance devices rely on PEDOT:PSS as a hole-transport material, but this polymer can absorb moisture, interact unfavorably with perovskite precursors and promote phase segregation during crystallization. These issues can undermine both device performance and stability.”
In the study “Interface-mediated crystallization enables PEDOT:PSS-free all-perovskite tandems with 29.1% efficiency and enhanced durability,” published in Joule, Li and his colleagues explained that they used in-situ characterization to reveal how PEDOT:PSS induces an unstable crystallization pathway in mixed tin-lead perovskite films. “We then replaced PEDOT:PSS with a phenothiazine-functionalized self-assembled monolayer, known as 4PAPT, which promotes direct phase transition, improves crystal orientation and suppresses non-radiative recombination losses,” he went on to say.
Compared to PEDOT:PSS, 4PAPT reportedly enables faster and more direct perovskite crystallization, suppresses intermediate tin iodide–dimethyl sulfoxide (SnI₂–DMSO) phase formation, promotes preferred orientation, and improves interfacial stability, resulting in reduced defect density and enhanced carrier transport.
The researchers also found that that PEDOT:PSS is more susceptible to DMSO-induced degradation and instability during processing, while 4PAPT maintains stable wetting behavior, preserving interfacial integrity throughout deposition. Overall, 4PAPT was found to promote faster, more uniform crystallization and higher-quality mixed tin–lead perovskite films compared to PEDOT:PSS. In situ ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy also showed faster absorption evolution and phase transition on 4PAPT, while PEDOT:PSS exhibited slower kinetics.
The team built the all-perovskite tandem solar cell using a stacked device architecture on indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes. The bottom cell consisted of a wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite absorber, interfaced with a carbazole-based naphthalene derivative (CbzNaph) as the hole-selective layer, followed by fullerene (C60) as the electron transport layer and atomic layer deposited tin dioxide (ALD-SnO₂) as the recombination layer, completed with a gold (Au) electrode. The top cell was built with the SAM as the hole transport interface, combined with a narrow-bandgap (NBG) perovskite absorber, C60 electron transport layer, bathocuproine (BCP) as the exciton blocking layer, and a silver (Ag) back electrode.
“Our molecular interface strategy enabled a narrow-bandgap single-junction perovskite cell with 23.2% efficiency,” Li further explained. “We the translated the strategy into monolithic all-perovskite tandem solar cells by developing the SAM combining thiol and phosphonic acid anchoring groups on SnO2/Au surfaces. The resulting dense molecular interlayer maintained efficient charge transport while avoiding the instability associated with PEDOT:PSS.”
“The PEDOT:PSS-free all-perovskite tandem solar cell achieved a reported efficiency of 29.1%, the highest reported efficiency to date for PEDOT:PSS-free all-perovskite tandem configurations,” Li added. “Encapsulated devices retained 90% of their initial efficiency after more than 800 hours of maximum power point tracking under simulated one-sun illumination at around 40 C.”
“The instability of PEDOT:PSS is not only a materials problem; it also affects how the perovskite film forms at the buried interface. By replacing this polymer with molecularly designed self-assembled monolayers, we were able to control crystallization from the start and carry that benefit into high-efficiency tandem devices,” co-author Yen-Hung Lin emphasized. “Perovskite tandem solar cells have reached a stage where every interface matters. Our study shows a critical principle: molecular interfaces can be designed as active platforms to control crystallization, reduce energy loss, facilitate charge transport and improve long-term stability across different tandem architectures.”
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Thursday, July 9, 2026
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Thursday, June 18, 2026
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Mountains to climb
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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
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We are participating in Intersolar 2026 again this year! Visit us at our Booth Hall 2 A2.250 to discuss the latest trends within the photovoltaic industry with the pv magazine team.
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The U.S. residential solar industry is cratering after President Donald Trump eliminated a key tax credit for homeowners to install solar panels last year – and it’s dragging down residential battery additions, according to a new BloombergNEF report.
The U.S. is expected to add 4.1 gigawatts of residential solar in 2026, down 15% from 2025, according to a BloombergNEF projection. That would mark the lowest level of new residential solar installations in five years.
“The market is not expected to recover to the record levels of 2023 anytime in the next decade,” the report states.
The main reason for the anticipated drop in home solar is the sunsetting of a 30% tax break for homeowners late last year under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, explains BloombergNEF’s June 15 report. This has made solar systems more expensive for consumers. Meanwhile, tariffs and other factors have raised costs for solar equipment too.
Solar companies are feeling the pressure. According to the new report and company filings, Sunrun Inc. is expecting a 25% drop in U.S. residential solar additions in 2026 compared to 2025, while Enphase Energy Inc., SolarEdge, and SunPower Corp. are expecting declines of 22%, 20% and 15%, respectively. Back in April, Freedom Forever filed for bankruptcy, citing the elimination of the federal tax credit.
While most of the country is experiencing this drop, two states are bucking the trend: California, a longtime solar leader, and Florida, which passed a new pro-solar law last year. BloombergNEF projects Florida’s residential solar additions will hit 710 megawatts in 2026, a 62% increase over last year. California’s installations are also forecast to grow 17% in 2026. Both states are also leading on solar permit applications.
The national solar crunch is having a knock-on effect on home batteries, which are highly dependent on solar installations. About 1.4 gigawatts of home storage is expected to go online this year, down 26% from 2025.
But even as total home battery installations are down, the combination of residential solar with batteries is on the rise. As of the first three months of 2026, some 40% of new residential solar systems have a battery attached, BloombergNEF found, up from an average of 35% last year.
“Battery storage is the future of home solar,” said Cosmo van Steenis, a BloombergNEF analyst and co-author of the new report. “Batteries can lay up stores of solar power in the daytime and release them at night.”
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Australia’s Largest Proposed Wind Farm Scaled Back as Developer Adds Solar and Battery Storage  SolarQuarter
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What Qcells’ First US Plant Says About Trump’s View on Solar  Energy Digital
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Plug-in solar legislation clears New York legislature  Environment America
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“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times,” read Jason Grumet, CEO of American Clean Power (ACP) as he kicked off the CLEANPOWER conference in Houston, the energy capital of the world, acknowledging the contrast of the positive market dynamics versus the challenging federal policies. The audience let out a defiant chuckle, capturing the persistent atmosphere of the show of: “We’ve figured this out before and we’ll figure it out again.”  
While it was a bit too sweltering for an outside opening reception, it was not by accident that ACP chose Houston, Texas, as its newest location for its annual trade show and conference. The state is a leader in utility-scale wind, solar, batteries, and data centers, plus it is known for its extreme weather impacting grid resilience. In 2025 alone, Texas hit $24 billion in clean energy investments. Highlighting the state’s clean energy leadership, Terraflow Energy held an exclusive tour of its new 60,000 sq ft Long Duration Battery Manufacturing facility designed for data centers and located only 35 minutes from the convention center. The state is experiencing an energy abundance, compared to the rest of the world that is undergoing an energy scarcity — and not just because of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, but also due to the blockade on wind and solar by the federal government.  
Overall, the Opening General Session had such an upbeat and positive atmosphere that anyone in the audience could have almost forgotten that there are critical OBBB deadlines looming around the corner. But there was a sense that the industry has quickly matured over the past few years with savvier communications and smarter policy agendas, including ACP’s new PAC reception, which headlined Nextpower’s CEO Dan Shugar and his band, Sweet Voodoo.
As another example of the industry’s growth, ACP launched and demoed its new CLEANPOWER IQ (CPIQ) platform, a comprehensive, real-time “database covering 40+ years of clean energy projects and detailed insights into domestic manufacturing facilities.” Pulling more than just publicly available data, the robust and interactive platform, with excellent data visualization, can be leveraged for advocacy, bizdev, manufacturing, procurement, and by media and communications professionals.
And of course, AI and data centers were discussed in almost every panel, presentation, and side discussion.

Panels and presentations

With so many changes happening in the industry, there were a number of insightful and interesting panels that ranged from investing strategies, tariffs, state-level policies, regulations, and of course AI.
“Where Capital is Flowing: Investor Perspectives on Energy Growth and Risk” with Susan Nickey of HASI, Edwina Kelly of CPP Investments, Jeffrey Osborne of TD Cowen, and Ray Wood of Bank of America Securities highlighted that while the political noise was being offset by the market, policy changes were still having an impact on investment. Some changes that were noted included:

• Construction-ready projects are more attractive than they were 3 years ago.
• Interest in firm power is up, but gas turbine pricing still supports renewables leading to a market demand for long duration batteries.
• Storage is an important flex mechanism for data centers.
• The market is still uncertain about project pricing, but it can likely absorb the delta and investors are becoming more flexible on evaluating projects.

The bottom line of the panel was that investors still believe in clean energy due to pricing, even past 2030, but at the same time the industry should continue to push for an ITC extension.
“Tariff Playbooks: How Industry Leaders Are Navigating Trade Challenges” with Vanessa Sciarra of ACP, Kimberly Ellis of Monument Advocacy, Jeffrey Grimson of Mowry & Grimson, PLLC, and Perry Spiegel of McLarty Associates discussed some of the key tariffs impacting the industry, such as International Emergency Powers Act (IEPA), section 122, 232, and 301. While IEPA was overturned by the Supreme Court, the 3 other sections are still putting price pressures on the industry. The good news is that Section 122 expires in July and that Section 232, while still available to the President, does not have the word tariff in it, and both are legally vulnerable. The Section with the most long-term potential impact is 301, which is for unfair trade practices. This is currently being wielded against 16 countries for so-called “overproduction” and 60 countries for forced labor, including indirectly. Other industries have had success arguing for exemptions, such as the agricultural sector for machinery, and this may be replicable for the solar industry with the right approach. Plus, this type of blanket tariff is unprecedented, leaving it legally vulnerable, especially with a Supreme Court that is getting clingier to the Constitution and separation of powers doctrine. Overall, the panelists agreed that the goal of the tariffs are to reduce our dependency on China, especially for critical minerals. It was also noted that trade policy is often used to force change in other countries, that it seems as if this time it may be a two-way street, as China may also be changing the US to have more of a “small yard, high fence” trade strategy.
“PowerTalk with Jason Grumet Featuring NARUC Leaders” with Jason Grumet of American Clean Power Association, The Honorable Ann Rendahl of National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) & Commissioner of Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and The Honorable Jehmal Hudson Commissioner of Virginia State Corporation Commission discussed the two big elephants in the room: data centers and permitting. With large load customers being given higher rates, data centers are now beginning to outbid utilities on new power generating assets, causing indirect costs to ratepayers. The panel also called for permitting reform at both the federal and state levels. The panelists noted that one way to solve both of these issues is resolving the political divide between electrons, and the good news is that clean energy and economic growth are not competing.
“State Leadership in Action: Regional Strategies to Meet Energy Demand” with Sarah Cottrell Propst, MPA of ACP, Steve Caminati of Pattern Energy, Kelsey Hallahan of ACP, Chris Kunkle of Apex Clean Energy, and Mike Weiner of Fluence centered their conversation around affordability. The consensus was that energy prices are becoming a Tier 1 voter issue. Caminati captured the importance of smart energy policies by stating, “Governors can’t have an economic development strategy without an energy strategy.” Some examples that the panel noted were Virginia, which rolled out one of the most ambitious ESS targets, and Texas, with the largest clean energy portfolio in the country. Also mentioned were Illinois and Michigan for passing redesigned permitting regimes that created a tremendous amount of certainty and predictability, which are desperately needed from states. On the same topic of batteries and affordability, it was called out that batteries are the best technology for maximizing the grid we already have.
To no one’s surprise, the standing room only panel was “How AI is Accelerating Clean Energy Project Deployment” with Russell Gold of T1 Energy, Craig Cornelius of Clearway Energy Group, Mark Donahue of Mortenson, and Sheldon Kimber of Intersect. During the panel, they discussed the challenges and opportunities in the data center and energy sectors. The conversation kicked off with the need for standardization in data center energy planning in order to streamline development and reduce project delays. But other project delay factors also were discussed, such as the supply chain, labor shortages, and community pushback. The IRA’s apprenticeship requirements were highlighted as an important solution for workforce development. Early collaboration to address disinformation and gain community buy-in was another critical way to address the causes of project delays. Of course, interconnection queues were also mentioned and the solutions discussed included an approach that bundled load and generation for interconnection studies and the option to go off-grid. The panel also made future predictions, which included significant advancements in clean firm solar and wind with batteries and technology-enabled permitting and grid connection processes.

On and off the show floor

While many felt that CLEANPOWER 2026 was quieter, there were 8,000 participants this year. The show floor was filled with various companies showcasing their new products and solutions.
Filling in one of the most critical U.S. manufacturing gaps for the solar industry is ES Foundry with its crystalline PV solar cells that are manufactured in Greenwood, South Carolina. While the initial impetus for refurbishing the then Fujifilm factory into its 1 GW plant was the IRA, the company’s cells are fully FEOC compliant and qualifies as domestic content. The company has a deep commitment to its local city, employing over 360 employees and partnering with Piedmont Technical College on a workforce development program. The company is planning on expanding its facilities to 3 GW in H2 of 2026 and growing its workforce to 500 employees. With discussions frequently drifting to policy at the conference, ES Foundry believes that U.S. government support is necessary for the industry’s continued growth.
While downstream, Bila Solar is focused on providing high-quality, domestic-content panels to the market. After transitioning its singe line in Indiana back from ultra-lightweight modules to conventional glass and aluminum/steel bifacial modules, the company recently achieved its ISO 9000-1 certification, validating its quality management system. It continues to conduct third-party and customer audits, and its AA-Series 530-550 Watt Dual Glass Module was recently named a Kiwa PVEL Top Performer in the 2026 PV module reliability scorecard.
Fresh off its inverter acquisition agreement, Nextpower announced its entry into the energy storage market with its agreement to acquire Prevalon Energy. These acquisitions are part of the company’s evolution into a holistic solar technology platform, which Jonathan Eastwood, SVP of U.S. sales and global sales enablement, describes as “very much in response to customers.” He explains that during this environment of unprecedented demand growth, an integrated system is more efficient as it compresses overall timelines and accelerates design — which is especially critical for the speed-to-power challenges facing the AI and data center market. The battery acquisition is particularly relevant to meeting AI energy demand and the new market conditions in which developers need to build where demand is.
GameChange Solar came to the show brandishing its new name GameChange Energy to reflect its transition into an end-to-end solution provider. As part of its name change, the company consolidated its solar tracker, eBOS, asset monitoring, and transformer division. CEO Phillip Byhanek explained that the company’s mission is to improve quality while reducing CAPEX and that when a site is engineered to work together it reduces costs. For instance, by optimizing for eBOS layout, it can reduce eBOS costs by 15% and increase installation efficiencies. The company is also addressing the transformer shortage with a 330,000 square foot expansion of its transformer facility in Mumbai, India.
Meanwhile, Erthos is taking a completely different direction with its earth-mounted solar solution. In what it calls a quilted solar panel design, its solution lays panels flat on the ground and uses ballasting on the permitter, consisting of pre-cast concrete blocks. According to the company, this design dramatically reduces system CAPEX and achieves one of the highest wind ratings. The system requires “smooth, not flat” grading, under a 10% slope, and does not fit heavy snow-load regions.
Affordable Wire Management (AWM) introduced its utility-scale Gen 5S Arden hanger with a new design that enhances cable airflow, boosts ampacity, and lowers project development costs. The new staggered design of the hanger allows for increased airflow and reduces voltage drop. Plus, with the battery market growing, especially due to data center demand, AWM displayed its new Strata for BESS wire management that eliminates trenching and prevents overheating.
And I couldn’t close out the article without mentioning that Fight Night made its official debut at CLEANPOWER, after doing the same at Intersolar this pat February. As the clean energy transition expands and matures, it feels appropriate that so does the long-standing tradition of Fight Night.

Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, OBBBA


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Indian solar PV manufacturer and EPC group HVR Solar is expanding upstream into solar cell production. At the SNEC 2026 expo in Shanghai, the company signed multiple strategic memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with international partners to establish a 1.2 GW annual capacity TOPCon cell manufacturing line in the Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh. Under these agreements, Shenzhen Han’s Photovoltaic Equipment Co., Ltd. will supply the core manufacturing machinery for the TOPCon production line, Gentech Technology (Huzhou) Co., Ltd. will provide critical chemical and gas utility systems, and Indygreen Technologies will serve as the technology facilitator responsible for production line integration and process deployment.
This project is viewed as a strategic move to strengthen India's domestic renewable energy supply chain, reducing the company's reliance on upstream cell imports while enhancing local manufacturing capabilities. Furthermore, this new cell facility will create synergies with HVR Solar’s recently commissioned 1.2 GW automated module factory in Sonipat, Haryana. The module plant primarily produces G12 and G12R bifacial modules utilizing both TOPCon and HJT technologies, targeting the residential and commercial & industrial (C&I) rooftop solar markets.
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Moreover, self-generation of energy increases the property’s attractiveness because it reduces fixed costs, improves financial predictability, and offers protection against tariff adjustments. In this scenario, buyers begin to see the solar system as an asset already incorporated into the property.
The reduction in the energy bill is usually the most well-known benefit of solar energy. However, the impact can go beyond monthly savings.
According to Amicta Sole, some clients already seek photovoltaic systems as a strategy for asset protection. This movement appears mainly among investors, commercial property owners, and families planning a future resale.
Researchers present a hydrogen ion battery capable of storing energy in two different forms, an innovative solution that promises to increase the autonomy of renewable systems and simplify energy transport.
Researchers present a hydrogen ion battery capable of storing energy in two different forms, an innovative solution that promises to increase the autonomy of renewable systems and simplify energy transport.
Researchers present a hydrogen ion battery capable of storing energy in two different forms, an innovative solution that promises to increase the autonomy of renewable systems and simplify energy transport.
Government announces R$ 370 million for those who preserve the forest and an unprecedented initiative places traditional Amazonian communities at the center of conserving a vast area.
Additionally, a property with solar energy tends to offer lower operational costs. Therefore, it can gain an advantage in purchase, sale, or rental negotiations.
The survey cited by Gazeta do Povo indicates that appreciation can vary between 4% and 10%. This difference occurs because the buyer is acquiring more than just the physical structure of the property.
In practice, they also receive a modern energy infrastructure, capable of generating savings for many years. Furthermore, the system offers greater predictability in the monthly budget.
As a result, the property can stand out among other similar options in the market.
In commercial properties, the impact can be even more significant.
The reduction of fixed costs improves the operational margin of companies and makes the asset more attractive to investors. Furthermore, businesses that consume a lot of energy can directly benefit from self-generation.
Thus, solar energy ceases to be just a structural improvement. It becomes a strategic negotiation argument.
A quality photovoltaic system usually has a lifespan of over 25 years, as highlighted by Gazeta do Povo in Amicta Sole’s content. This means that the owner incorporates a long-term productive asset into the property.
Moreover, the financial return does not end after the payback. Once the investment pays off, the system continues to generate savings and add value to the property.
Therefore, the installation can be analyzed as a property decision, not just as an improvement expense.
Consumer behavior has changed in recent years. Today, many buyers evaluate not only price and location but also efficiency, sustainability, and future costs.
Additionally, properties with clean energy can attract individuals and companies interested in reducing emissions and meeting environmental criteria. For companies, this factor can also reinforce commitments related to ESG practices.
In this context, solar energy helps position the property as modern, efficient, and aligned with new market demands.
The appreciation of the property directly depends on the quality of the installed project.
According to Amicta Sole, feasibility studies, consumption analysis, and financial return simulation help the owner understand the economic impact of the system before installation.
Moreover, poorly designed projects can reduce efficiency and compromise the expected return. Therefore, technical planning and responsibility in execution are essential points.
Solar energy is gaining ground as a tool for savings, sustainability, and real estate appreciation.
Additionally, the system can strengthen the owner’s bargaining power in a future sale or rental. In a market increasingly attentive to fixed costs and energy efficiency, properties with self-generation tend to attract more attention.
Thus, investing in solar energy can represent not only an immediate reduction in the electricity bill but also a way to protect and enhance the property’s value in the long term.

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A Chinese research team has developed a novel panel surface temperature (PST) retrieval model designed specifically for utility-scale photovoltaic power plants.
The proposed approach leverages moderate-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) satellite imagery and is engineered to address several long-standing challenges that have limited accurate temperature estimation in large PV installations.
“The novelty of this research is that it enables satellites to estimate the surface temperature of photovoltaic panels – something that has been very difficult because solar farms are not uniform surfaces, but complex mixed scenes made up of panels, gap ground, and surrounding ground,” corresponding author Kun Yang told pv magazine.
“Our method goes beyond conventional land surface temperature retrievals by accounting for the three-dimensional structure of PV arrays, changes in the apparent panel area with viewing angle, and the unusually low, directional emissivity of PV panels,” the academic said. “In doing so, it provides a new scene-aware way to retrieve panel-scale thermal information from satellite observations over utility-scale solar farms.”
The novel method is based on measurements collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a scientific instrument aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. With a spatial resolution of 1 km, each MODIS pixel covers a large surface area that typically includes not only PV modules, but also inter-row gaps, surrounding vegetation, access roads, and bare soil. As a result, the thermal signal recorded by the sensor represents a mixed radiance from multiple land-cover types rather than the temperature of the PV modules alone, which is the target variable of the study.
To address this limitation, the research team developed a pixel decomposition approach to separate PV modules from inter-row gaps within each MODIS footprint. High-resolution Sentinel-2 imagery was first used to estimate the fractional PV coverage within each MODIS pixel. This information was then combined with a three-dimensional geometric model of the PV array layout, incorporating module tilt, azimuth, row spacing, and satellite viewing geometry, to determine the proportion of panel surface that is actually visible to the sensor.
Finally, by explicitly modelling the thermal contribution of non-panel components such as exposed ground and inter-row spaces, the researchers were able to isolate the radiative signal attributable to the PV modules. This correction enables a more accurate retrieval of panel surface temperature at utility scale using moderate-resolution thermal infrared satellite data.
To validate the method, the research team compared modelled results against ground-based measurements from two utility-scale PV power plants: an arid-site installation in Wujiaqu, Xinjiang (northwestern China), and a more humid site in Ganzi on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Sichuan Province (southwestern China). Ground-truth panel temperatures were recorded using calibrated thermocouples mounted on the rear surface of PV modules at four representative locations across each array.
The results show a substantial improvement in retrieval accuracy. During the warm season, the proposed algorithm reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) from 10.8–18.9 C under a conventional land-surface emissivity baseline approach to 3.7–8.6 C. At the same time, it significantly mitigated the systematic cold bias, improving it from approximately −10 to −17 C down to −2 to −3 C.
Overall, these improvements – on the order of roughly 10 C in absolute error reduction – translate into a 3–5% decrease in PV power simulation bias. This level of accuracy enhancement supports more reliable estimation of photovoltaic performance and generation potential from satellite-derived thermal data.
“One of the most striking findings is that the low emissivity of PV panels matters even more than directional effects,” Yang said. “If PV panels are treated as if they had the emissivity of a typical natural surface, the retrieved panel temperature shows a systematic cold bias of around 10 C. In other words, getting the emissivity right is essential for accurate satellite retrieval of PV panel temperature.”
However, the scientist highlighted that while the method performs well in the warm season, winter remains far more challenging, primarily due to long shadows and potential snow cover. “These factors make the ground between panel rows colder than nearby open land, which can lead to significant underestimation of panel temperatures. To address this, we plan to develop a new approach to estimate the temperature of these shaded gaps and then incorporate that into our retrieval algorithm,” Yang said.
“Our long-term goal is to produce a global data set of utility-scale PV panel temperature for both research and industrial applications. Our next key step is to understand better the non-panel parts of solar farms, especially the shaded gaps between rows of panels. These gaps can strongly affect satellite measurements in winter,” he concluded. “We will also test this method on more solar farms under different climate conditions and array setups, including both fixed-tilt and sun-tracking systems, to see how widely it can be applied.”
The new approach was presented in “Photovoltaic panel surface temperature retrieval from MODIS through accounting for directional effects,” published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. Scientists from China’s Tsinghua University, Renewables Research Center of Huairou Laboratory, SPIC Southwest Energy Research Institute, SPIC Innovation Center of Photovoltaic Industry, Qinghai Huanghe Hydropower Development, the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Huadian Xizang Energy have contributed to the study.

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White Water Health Centre now powered 24 hours a day  Guyana Chronicle
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November 24, 2025

City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Schools Complete Solar System Installation at CATEC

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Schools (CCS) announce the completion of a 262.9 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center (CATEC). This system is the largest solar PV system in the City and CCS portfolio.  
This summer, a new solar photovoltaic (PV) system which generates energy from the sun was installed on Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center (CATEC) and is now fully operational. This clean energy project started in May 2025 and was fully operational three months later in August 2025. It is expected this system will produce between 250,000 and 300,000 kWh per year and will meet over 60% of the building’s electricity need. So far, the system has produced over 76 MWh of electricity. 
This climate action project represents a milestone in the City of Charlottesville’s commitment to clean energy adoption and resource conservation, aligning with the City’s community climate goals of reducing emissions 45% by 2030 and aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. It leverages the City of Charlottesville’s contract with CMTA to design and deliver projects through a Master Energy Performance Contract aimed at improving energy efficiency, reducing water consumption, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. CMTA is an energy services company that delivers decarbonization and occupant health and wellness through energy efficient, sustainable projects. 
CMTA teamed with a local solar system installation partner, Tiger Solar, as well as FLIPP Inc, a local nonprofit workforce development organization. Dedicated to fostering an inclusive workforce, FLIPP Inc offers renewable energy training, certification programs, and entrepreneurship development for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. This approach reflects the City’s commitment to local businesses and workforce development and intentional collaboration on climate action. 
CATEC is a member of the Community Climate Collaborative’s Green Business Alliance (GBA), a network of Virginia-based businesses committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The installation of this PV system is a major step towards achieving greenhouse gas reductions and utility bill savings at CATEC and demonstrates the organization’s leadership in the community.  
“We’re thrilled to have this system deployed and now producing clean energy, showing students at CATEC firsthand how solar is a lucrative and viable industry to get into. The positive climate impacts, cost savings, and educational benefits made this an extremely important project for the City to pursue,” says Kristel Riddervold, Director of the City’s Office of Sustainability.  
The City is planning for more PV installations across its portfolio of facilities.  
A recent ribbon cutting video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkH5Ryz-kdY  
More information about the Charlottesville municipal solar portfolio is here: https://www.charlottesville.gov/CitySolar 
###
Media Contact
Kristel Riddervold 
Director, Office of Sustainability 
City of Charlottesville 
434-970-3631
riddervold@charlottesville.gov

 

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Dinto Solar’s HJT Strength Earns Spot Among PVBL 2026 Global Top 100 Solar & Energy Storage Brands  SolarQuarter
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Gujarat Inject Kerala Limited Bags Rs. 14.49 Crore Solar PV Module Order from Deon Energy Limited  ANI News
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For decades, India’s approach to advanced technologies has followed a predictable, high-stakes pattern. Each time a global technology goes through a generational shift, a mad scramble ensues to import the latest machinery, components, or manufacturing lines. We saw it in the early phases of thermal power automation, witnessed it during the electronics boom, and today we are seeing it play out acutely in the clean energy transition.
While importing technology serves as a necessary jumpstart, relying on it as a permanent strategy creates a fragile foundation. In an era defined by geopolitical volatility, trade barriers, and fractured supply chains, the strategy of continuous imports is no longer just economically draining, but also a risk to national energy security.
To build a truly resilient, low-carbon future, India must pivot from being a passive consumer of global technology to an active creator of indigenous innovations. The key to unlocking this shift does not lie in blunt import bans or open-ended subsidies alone. Instead, it lies in a regulatory mechanism that India has already proven. Anchoring long-term procurement frameworks to progressively tightening, non-negotiable efficiency standards can work. By announcing these escalations well in advance, India can compel industry players to move away from quick-fix imports, invest heavily in domestic research, development, and demonstration (RD&D), and forge deep, lasting linkages with local academia.
India’s climate targets are among the most ambitious in the world, requiring the deployment of hundreds of gigawatts of renewable energy over the next few decades. Yet, much of this transition remains tethered to foreign supply chains.
Solar cell technology has evolved rapidly — from older Al-BSF cells, which lost significant energy through their aluminium rear surface, to PERC cells that recover that lost energy through a smarter reflective coating, and further still to newer TOPCon and Heterojunction technologies that push efficiency even higher. Each time the global industry moves to the next generation, Indian manufacturers are left playing catch-up, importing new production equipment and turnkey lines all over again.
This perpetual cycle of technology imports introduces three distinct vulnerabilities. First, global supply chains are increasingly weaponised or disrupted by trade disputes, geopolitical conflicts, and shipping bottlenecks, meaning India’s decarbonisation timeline remains hostage to external shocks as long as it depends on foreign suppliers for core components.
The second is the hidden cost of obsolescence. Foreign technology is rarely cheap, and buying it repeatedly through every major technology cycle steadily drains capital. When local developers must price in the cost of importing next-generation production lines each time, those hidden expenses ultimately travel down the energy value chain.
The third, and perhaps most structural, is the hollow manufacturing problem. Assembling imported components or operating imported machinery does not build a deeply rooted knowledge economy. True technological sovereignty is achieved only when the core design, engineering, and iterative improvements happen domestically.
An indigenous supply chain is inherently cheaper and more reliable over the long term. But to build one, the domestic market needs a clear, predictable signal that rewards innovation over importation.
The most effective way to stimulate domestic innovation is to leverage the purchasing power of future procurements by linking them to strict, forward-looking technical standards. Rather than trying to pick winning technologies or protecting inefficient local industries, the state should mandate performance outcomes — specifically, energy efficiency.
Consider the solar sector as a primary case study. If India were to immediately announce a progressive grading mandate for all future public and utility-scale solar procurements, it would fundamentally alter the investment horizon for developers and manufacturers alike.
A realistic, forward-looking roadmap could unfold in stages. If the government were to mandate a minimum cell efficiency of 22% in the near term, it would be achievable largely through advanced PERC and baseline TOPCon technologies. Both technologies are already within domestic reach. Raising that bar to 27% by 2030 could push the sector toward advanced silicon and early tandem-cell architectures, compelling manufacturers to invest in next-generation capabilities rather than consolidate around current ones. A further mandate of 30% by 2035 could make perovskite-silicon tandem architectures the dominant technology — a frontier that India could help shape rather than simply adopt.
An immediate announcement of this multi-decade escalator completely changes the corporate calculus. If a developer knows that a standard 22% cell will be legally ineligible for future procurement rounds within a few years, they can no longer rely on a business model built around importing depreciated, older-generation manufacturing equipment from abroad.
Faced with an unyielding efficiency escalator, industry players are forced to look ahead. They must calculate the compounding costs of repeatedly importing newer, highly protected foreign technologies versus the viability of developing in-house RD&D capabilities. Over a ten- to fifteen-year horizon, building local capacity is the economically superior choice.
This approach is not a theoretical experiment; India has successfully deployed it before. A flawless historical parallel can be found in the domestic air-conditioning market, which is driven by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
Years ago, the Indian air conditioning sector was heavily dependent on imported compressor technologies and foreign designs to meet shifting consumer demands. To disrupt this dependency, the BEE introduced the Standards & Labelling programme, which continuously raised the efficiency baseline required to achieve coveted star ratings. Crucially, India went a step further by introducing an India-specific metric: the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER).
Unlike the earlier standard that evaluated cooling performance based on a constant, moderate temperature, ISEER was custom-engineered to reflect India’s unique, highly variable climatic zones and higher ambient temperatures.
By anchoring market access and consumer visibility to a tightening, India-specific efficiency standard, and backing it with financial incentives through the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, the regulatory framework left manufacturers with a clear choice: either keep importing expensive foreign components that were not optimised for Indian heat, or invest in domestic engineering to build compressors and heat exchangers tailored precisely to the local climate. PLI scheme was introduced in 2020 and has helped in creating a manufacturing ecosystem in India, even though it doesn’t inherently enhance efficiency.
The strategy worked beautifully. The market shifted decisively. Global and domestic brands such as LG Electronics, Daikin Airconditioning India, and Mitsubishi Electric India established deep manufacturing and engineering bases within India, drastically reducing the country’s reliance on completely built-up or knocked-down imports. The policy proved that when you change the rules of market entry to favour long-term efficiency, the supply chain naturally reorganises itself around domestic innovation.
Setting a strict efficiency roadmap is the demand-side trigger, but the supply side requires a robust ecosystem to deliver the necessary breakthroughs. A major historical failure of Indian industrial policy has been the profound disconnect between laboratory research and commercial deployment. India possesses a deep pool of talent within its Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs, think tanks, and premier universities, yet much of their cutting-edge research remains confined to academic journals.
A progressive efficiency mandate forces the private sector to bridge this chasm. When an industrial house faces a looming deadline to reach 27% or 30% solar cell efficiency, it can no longer treat academic collaboration as a token corporate social responsibility (CSR) exercise. It must actively seek out academic partners to solve deep-tech material science, chemical, and engineering challenges.
To accelerate this process, the state must back its mandates with targeted institutional and budgetary support across several fronts.
For instance, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) should play a catalytic role by structuring co-funding mechanisms. If a solar manufacturer or advanced manufacturing firm partners with an academic institution to achieve the next tier of the efficiency roadmap, the ANRF can provide matching grants to de-risk the early-stage, high-uncertainty phases of research.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), meanwhile, can refocus its funding away from purely exploratory research toward dedicated demonstration and scaling hubs. These hubs would provide the physical infrastructure — such as pilot cleanrooms and testing facilities — where university-developed prototypes can be scaled up to commercial-grade manufacturing speeds.
Cutting across both is the question of intellectual property. Streamlining IP sharing between universities and private entities ensures that when a breakthrough is made, it can be licensed and integrated into domestic factory floors without protracted legal friction.
Achieving true self-reliance in clean tech requires a departure from traditional, protectionist defensive strategies. High import tariffs can temporarily shield domestic industries, but without internal performance pressures, they risk breeding stagnation and keeping the market anchored to older, less efficient technologies.
The path forward must be offensive, strategic, and performance-driven. By designing a system where future procurement is inextricably linked to an escalating ladder of efficiency, India can unleash the latent innovative potential of its private sector and scientific community.
Together, these interventions create a self-sustaining virtuous cycle. Strict efficiency mandates force industry to plan across decades rather than procurement cycles, creating the conditions for deep academic partnerships backed by ANRF and DST funding. Those partnerships, in turn, drive the commercialisation of indigenous technologies — which progressively lower system costs and build supply chains that are resilient by design rather than by accident.
When the core technology is engineered, optimised, and manufactured within our borders, the supply chain shortens, geopolitical exposure drops, and the cost of energy falls.
India has already demonstrated through the transformational restructuring of its appliance sector under BEE that it can rewrite the rules of domestic markets to foster world-class efficiency. It is time to apply that exact same ambition to the broader clean energy landscape. By announcing a clear, progressive, and unyielding efficiency roadmap today, India can finally break free from the import trap — ensuring that the green transition is not just environmentally sustainable, but technologically sovereign.
 
Banner image: Machine operators work on cell printing for solar panels in Mundra, Gujarat, at a manufacturing unit where solar energy components are made from scratch. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
The author is a professor at the School of Public Policy, IIT Delhi and previously served as Director General of the International Solar Alliance (2021–25) and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (2006–12 and 2013–16).
Read more: Behind the green transition is a race for rare earth minerals
 
Hundreds of millions on the Indian subcontinent are living through record-breaking heatwaves that are increasingly testing our resilience. Many parts of northern and central India hit 45-50°C, while the south and coastal areas experienced rising wet bulb temperatures. Scientists and meteorologists are linking the unprecedented heat to human-caused climate change, as well as local land […]
© 2026 Copyright Conservation news. Mongabay is a U.S.-based non-profit conservation and environmental science news platform. Our EIN or tax ID is 45-3714703.

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Bondada Engineering, an India-based engineering company, has received an EPC order from NTPC Renewable Energy Limited for a 250 MW PV project with a 50 MW/200 MWh BESS in Uttar Pradesh. NTPC Renewable Energy awarded the domestic package for EPC work at the site. The order value is INR 1338,03,29,049 (~$147.18 million), inclusive of GST. The project is scheduled for completion within 18 months from receipt of the NOA. The award has taken Bondada Engineering’s Solar EPC order book to approximately 5.5 GW. Its BESS order book has also increased to around 1.1 GWh after the NTPC Renewable Energy order.

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Waaree Energies Limited, a solar PV manufacturing company based in Mumbai, has bagged an order for 800 MW of solar module supply from India. It would be executed in FY 2026-27. The customer was said to be a well-known energy solution supplier. The order is for a one-time supply of solar modules only. This disclosure has been made by the company under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. Waaree Energies informed the exchange that the order was not related party transaction, and neither their promoter group nor group companies had any interest in receiving this order from the customer.

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Energy Storage: The quiet workhorse
Greenpeace: Oil and gas tax breaks could have funded school and hospital solar rollout five times over
EvoEnergy installs over 3,000 panels at venue, as part of wider sustainability efforts to decarbonise the home of Welsh rugby
Booming demand for off-grid solar systems confirmed, the EU advances plans for greener data centres, and Donald Trump moves to protect the ailing US coal industry
Project to provide neighbouring quarry Bathgate Silica Sand with clean power to help decarbonise its century old operations
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Tocantins Government to Supply Public Buildings with Solar Power Under New Energy Programme  SolarQuarter
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Frontier Energy says it has secured firm commitments from investors to raise AUD 110 million before costs through a conditional placement to help fund the first stage of its Waroona Renewable Energy Project in Western Australia.
The initial stage of the project, being developed on an 820-hectare landholding about 120 km south of the state capital, Perth, is to include a 132 MW solar farm along with an 81.5 MW/565 MWh battery energy storage system. Capital cost for this stage is listed at AUD 327 million, including contingency.
Frontier said the capital estimate includes a larger solar plant, which has been boosted from the original 120 MW due to the adoption of higher-efficiency 660 W modules, up from 610 W. The capacity of the battery has also been expanded from the original 80 MW/360 MWh to comply with reserve capacity obligations and to allow for greater flexibility to maximize energy sales into periods of greatest demand.
The Perth-headquartered developer said these changes will “increase energy generation and sales and improve the economics” for the first stage of the planned multi-stage project that is expected to eventually include about 1 GW of solar generation capacity and up to 660 MW of battery storage.
Frontier Executive Chairman Jamie Cullen said the equity raising represents “a pivotal achievement” for the project as it paves the way for “stage one senior debt finance to progress towards binding credit approval and financial close.”
“We will then be ready to commence building stage one and continue development work on stage two,” he said, adding that “the appetite from new investors highlights the quality of our stage one project and the pipeline for future development at Waroona to create a major renewable energy precinct in the southwest of Western Australia.”
As part of the stage one financing process, Frontier said it has advanced all major engineering, procurement, and construction contracts toward execution. This includes major works and key equipment supply contracts.
Frontier is aiming to start construction on the first stage later this year, with operations commencing in late 2027.
The funding milestone follows the announcement that the first stage of the project was among the winners of Western Australia’s first Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender. Frontier has also been assigned capacity credits for stage one of the Waroona project as part of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Reserve Capacity Mechanism (RCM).
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SolarSquare, a residential solar solutions company in India, has raised $53 million in a Series C funding, marking the largest venture investment in India’s solar sector. The round was led by B Capital, with existing investor Lightspeed increasing its investment in the company. Other existing investors Elevation Capital, Lowercarbon Capital, Rainmatter by Zerodha and Good Capital also participated in the current round. This takes the total capital raised by the company to over $100 million.
The company said it will deploy fresh capital to accelerate geographic expansion into new cities, deepen technology capabilities, hire talent and scale its residential solar platform.
Founded in 2015 by Neeraj Jain, Nikhil Nahar, and Shreya Mishra, SolarSquare focuses on residential rooftop solar installations. The company says it has installed rooftop solar systems at around 50,000 homes across India and is currently operating at an annualized revenue run rate of more than INR 1,000 crore.
SolarSquare operates as a full-stack home energy platform. The company manages the entire customer journey from initial consultation and system design to installation, financing support, and long-term maintenance.
“Rooftop solar requires a capital commitment of anywhere between INR 2–4 lakh for a typical urban household. That kind of decision demands trust, transparency, and reliable after-sales support. SolarSquare’s integrated model is built precisely around that insight. It is the first in India to offer a performance guarantee to its customers, an innovation that gives customers complete assurance on their investment,” stated the company.
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With expanded U.S. clean energy incentives, Brookfield’s California Flats solar farm is back in focus. The 280 MW facility in California supplies long-term power to tech giants and highlights how Brookfield Renewable is monetizing utility-scale solar alongside its core hydro assets.
Edited by ad hoc news New Releases & Launches Desk. Reviewed before publication on 06/16/2026 at 10:09 AM ET. Details in the imprint.
Fresh attention on U.S. clean energy tax credits is shining a light on one of Brookfield Renewable Partners’ key American projects: the **California Flats solar farm**, a 280 megawatt solar facility in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties that has become a workhorse asset in the partnership’s growing solar portfolio. The project, which reached full commercial operation in 2018, delivers long-term contracted power to corporate offtakers including Apple and Pacific Gas and Electric, underscoring Brookfield’s strategy of locking in predictable cash flows from investment-grade counterparties. Brookfield Renewable’s own deal announcement on the 1.3 GW U.S. solar portfolio details California Flats as one of the flagship assets acquired.
California Flats is a utility-scale photovoltaic solar facility with a nameplate capacity of around **280 MWac**, spread across roughly 2,900 acres of privately owned land on the eastern side of Monterey County near the Carrizo Plain, an area with high solar irradiance and relatively low competing land use. Commissioned in phases and fully online by early 2018, the plant was originally developed by First Solar before Brookfield Renewable acquired it as part of a broader 1.3 GW U.S. solar portfolio transaction, giving the partnership an immediate scale footprint in American solar generation. According to project documentation filed with California regulators and developer disclosures, the plant connects into the California ISO grid via existing transmission infrastructure, reducing the need for extensive new lines and helping keep project economics in check. A detailed project description from First Solar highlights the 280 MW capacity, multi-phase construction and location in southeastern Monterey County.
A key feature that sets California Flats apart is its offtake structure. Roughly 150 MW of its output is backed by a 25-year power purchase agreement with Apple, which uses the renewable energy to cover a substantial share of its California operations’ electricity consumption, while the remaining capacity is contracted under a long-term agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric for delivery into the utility’s portfolio. These contracts are structured as fixed-price or escalator-linked PPAs, providing Brookfield Renewable with a degree of revenue visibility that aligns with its broader strategy across hydro, wind and distributed generation. Because both Apple and PG&E carry strong credit profiles, the PPA structure also helps reduce counterparty risk, an important consideration for long-dated infrastructure assets.
The project’s operating profile benefits from California’s aggressive renewable portfolio standard, which currently requires utilities and other load-serving entities to source a high and rising share of their electricity from renewable sources, as well as from federal incentives that enhance project returns. While the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was the primary federal support structure at the time of development, newer policy measures under the Inflation Reduction Act have improved the economics of both repowering and life-extension investments, making older but still young assets like California Flats candidates for incremental optimization. For Brookfield, these policy dynamics increase the strategic value of the asset beyond its existing PPA cash flows, potentially enabling upgrades such as inverter replacements or bifacial panel retrofits over the asset’s multi-decade life, subject to permitting and land-use constraints.
Operationally, California Flats is designed for utility-scale efficiency, using single-axis tracking to follow the sun across the sky and maximize energy yield throughout the day. The plant’s layout and tracking systems were engineered to balance peak output with grid-integration requirements, avoiding excessive ramping and curtailment risk where possible. From an environmental standpoint, siting on already disturbed or low-conflict land helped the project navigate California’s stringent permitting process, including habitat considerations for endangered species in the broader Carrizo region. Water use is limited mainly to periodic panel cleaning and minimal site maintenance, which is significantly lower than a comparable fossil-fuel plant generating similar annual megawatt-hours.
For Brookfield Renewable, California Flats fits into a broader pivot toward solar as a complement to its historic core in hydroelectric assets. As of its latest disclosures, the partnership has built or acquired several gigawatts of solar capacity across North America, South America, Europe and Asia, using utility-scale projects like California Flats to anchor regional platforms that can support smaller distributed-generation and community-solar developments. The long-term contracted nature of the project’s revenue is consistent with Brookfield’s targeted risk-return profile for core infrastructure, and management frequently cites such assets when describing the partnership’s ability to generate stable funds-from-operations while still offering growth. A recent investor communication notes that Brookfield Renewable now counts solar as one of its fastest-growing segments by installed capacity and development pipeline, with U.S. projects playing a central role.
Financially, the California Flats asset contributes to Brookfield Renewable’s goal of delivering mid- to high-single-digit annual distribution growth backed by contracted cash flows. While the partnership does not usually break out project-level revenue, back-of-the-envelope calculations using typical California PPA prices and a reasonable capacity factor suggest that California Flats alone could be contributing tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Additionally, the long duration of the Apple and PG&E contracts helps insulate the asset from near-term power price volatility in California’s wholesale markets, though the plant still faces operational risks such as curtailment during periods of high renewable output and potential future grid congestion.
From a market-structure perspective, California Flats illustrates the interplay between corporate procurement of renewables and utility obligations under state law. On one hand, Apple’s PPA demonstrates how large technology companies can directly support the build-out of new clean energy capacity while hedging their own energy costs and meeting corporate sustainability targets. On the other, PG&E’s offtake underpins the utility’s compliance with renewable portfolio standards and provides a long-duration resource that can help balance shorter-term contracts or spot-market exposures. For Brookfield Renewable, serving both types of customers via a single asset reinforces its positioning as a flexible capital provider across different segments of the power market.
Policy developments are reinforcing the relevance of assets like California Flats. California continues to refine its resource adequacy framework and long-duration storage requirements, which indirectly increases the value of dependable daytime solar generation that can be paired with batteries in future repowering or augmentation phases. At the federal level, tax credit transferability and direct-pay options have made it easier for infrastructure sponsors to monetize incentives without complex tax equity structures, potentially benefiting any new capital deployed into optimizing existing solar plants. These shifts, combined with global decarbonization commitments, help explain why investors scrutinize Brookfield Renewable’s operating solar fleet when assessing the partnership’s growth prospects.
Looking at the competitive landscape, California Flats is one of many large-scale solar plants in the broader Central California corridor, which includes projects like Topaz Solar Farm and the California Valley Solar Ranch. While those assets are owned by other sponsors, they share common challenges around curtailment and evolving grid needs. Brookfield Renewable’s advantage lies in its diversified portfolio across technologies and geographies, allowing it to balance region-specific risks. In investor presentations, management has emphasized that diversification across hydro, wind, solar and storage reduces the impact of weather variability and localized regulatory changes, an argument that gains credence as climate patterns become less predictable.
For local communities, the construction of California Flats delivered a short-term employment boost and longer-term tax revenue, though direct permanent jobs at the site are relatively limited due to the nature of utility-scale solar operations. Still, the presence of a large, long-lived infrastructure asset can support ancillary economic activity and signal the region’s suitability for additional clean energy investments. Community-benefit agreements and ongoing land-management commitments aim to balance economic benefits with environmental stewardship, a recurring theme in large-scale solar development across the American West.
Within Brookfield Renewable’s portfolio, California Flats is not the newest asset, but it remains strategically important as a mature, de-risked project that throws off cash and provides a reference case for future deals. The partnership often acquires portfolios that include a mix of development-stage, construction and operating assets; fully contracted sites like California Flats can effectively subsidize the higher risk of earlier-stage projects. This portfolio construction approach is central to Brookfield’s investment thesis and helps support its distribution policy to unitholders. The asset also provides tangible proof of the partnership’s ability to integrate acquired projects from different developers into a unified operations and asset-management platform.
In the context of Brookfield Renewable Partners’ capital-markets profile, California Flats is one of several flagship U.S. solar projects that investors cite when evaluating the stability and growth potential of the partnership’s cash flows. Brookfield Renewable Partners (ISIN BMG162581083) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BEP, and its units last traded around $24 in mid-June 2026, reflecting market expectations for the partnership’s ability to navigate interest-rate moves while continuing to expand its renewable portfolio. A recent market overview from a major financial news outlet noted that the unit price has been sensitive to bond-yield shifts but supported by the firm’s long-term contracted asset base, including utility-scale solar farms such as California Flats. Detailed financial and project-level information is available via Brookfield Renewable’s own investor relations materials, where management regularly highlights the scale and diversification of its operating and development pipelines. Brookfield Renewable’s investor relations site provides the latest presentations and fact sheets on its hydro, wind, solar and storage portfolio.
Brookfield Renewable’s broader portfolio and financial metrics put projects like California Flats into context for investors and stakeholders.
This article was a.i.-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Trading involves risk up to and including the total loss of invested capital.

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Petpeswick Community Solar Project Expected to Deliver Clean Energy Equivalent to Approximately 288 Homes Annually
Subscription-based model lets renters, businesses, and homeowners access solar bill credits ($0.02/kWh savings) without rooftop installation
Advances Alignment with Nova Scotia’s 80% Renewable Energy Target by 2030
TORONTO, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – PowerBank Corporation (NASDAQ: PBK) (Cboe CA: PBK) (FSE: 103) (“PowerBank” or the “Company“), a leader in independent energy development and asset ownership in North America, today announced that the project owner has executed the Standard Small Generator Interconnection and Operating Agreement (SSGIA) for the 3.15 MW DC Petpeswick ground-mounted community solar project in Halifax, Nova Scotia (the “Project“). The Project has also secured municipal permits and will now advance to environmental permitting. The Project is expected to power the equivalent of approximately 288 homes annually and generate roughly $1.727 million in lifetime electricity savings for the local community.
A Standard Small Generator Interconnection and Operating Agreement (SSGIA) is the formal contract that lets a smaller power project connect to and operate on the electricity grid. It sets the technical and safety rules for the physical connection and spells out who pays for any grid upgrades. For the Petpeswick project, signing it is a key milestone, confirming a clear, approved path to deliver solar power to the Nova Scotia grid before construction can begin.
Given the successful completion of the SSGIA and the receipt of necessary permits from the municipality, PowerBank will now be proceeding to environmental permitting. PowerBank targets commencement of ground preparation in the Fall of 2026 for the Petpeswick project, subject to final permitting and financing. Find details on PowerBank’s progress on three community solar projects in Nova Scotia here.
The Project is owned by AI Renewable Flow-through Fund and PowerBank is the lead developer for the Project. PowerBank has partnered with local Nova Scotia’s trusted engineering firm, Trimac Engineering, to deliver the Projects. PowerBank has been at the forefront of community solar development in the United States with over 50 MW of community solar projects completed and is proud to be deploying its expertise in Canada as the community solar market develops there.
Over the lifetime of the Project, it is expected to generate approximately $1.727 Million in electricity savings for the local community in Halifax, Nova Scotia. These savings come with additional benefits including local job creation, economic activity, and emissions reductions.
Community Solar is a cornerstone of Nova Scotia’s bold commitment to achieve 80% renewable energy by 2030 and net-zero by 2035.
Unlike traditional rooftop systems, community solar allows renters, businesses, and homeowners to subscribe to the solar farm and receive bill credits and savings of $0.02/kWh—without installing any equipment. Project feeds directly into the local electricity grid and offers a flexible, accessible way for Nova Scotians to participate in the clean energy transition. As one of only four community solar contracts awarded under the program so far, the Petpeswick project contributes approximately 3.15 MW DC to the 100 MW AC of planned solar additions that will help reduce fossil fuel reliance and drive local economic development.
The Project leverages PowerBank’s proven execution capabilities and strategic partnerships. With over 100 MW of projects built and a 1+ GW development pipeline, PowerBank brings institutional-grade development expertise to Atlantic Canada. The Project’s clear timeline ensures near-term EPC revenue generation, and positions PowerBank to obtain additional development contracts in the high-growth community solar market. All MW numbers presented as MW DC unless otherwise specified.
There are several risks associated with the development of the Project. The development of any project is subject to receipt of a community solar contract, receipt of required permits, the availability of third-party financing arrangements for the Company and the risks associated with the construction of a solar power project. In addition, governments may revise, reduce or eliminate incentives and policy support schemes for solar power, which could result in the Project no longer being economic. Please refer to “Forward-Looking Statements” for additional discussion of the assumptions and risk factors associated with the Project and statements made in this press release.
About PowerBank Corporation
PowerBank Corporation is a vertically integrated and independent North American energy company helping to power the digital economy. The Company develops, builds, owns, and operates solar and battery energy storage systems that deliver reliable, resilient, and behind-the-meter power to the electricity grid, commercial and industrial clients, and municipal and residential off-takers. As AI and digital infrastructure drive unprecedented electricity demand, PowerBank is uniquely positioned to deliver the speed, scale, and energy independence that the next generation of power consumers requires, without waiting years for grid interconnection. The Company has a potential development pipeline of over one gigawatt and has developed energy projects with a combined capacity of over 100 megawatts built. To learn more about PowerBank, please visit www.powerbankcorp.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information ‎within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, “forward-looking ‎statements”) that relate to the Company’s current expectations and views of future events. ‎Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, ‎objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the ‎use of words or phrases such as “will likely result”, “are expected to”, “expects”, “will ‎continue”, “is anticipated”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimated”, “intends”, “plans”, “forecast”, ‎‎”projection”, “strategy”, “objective” and “outlook”) are not historical facts and may be ‎forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties ‎which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in ‎such forward-looking statements. In particular and without limitation, this news release ‎contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Company’s expectations regarding its industry trends and overall market growth; the Company’s growth strategies the expected energy production from the solar power projects mentioned in this press release; the number of homes expected to be powered; the timeline for construction; the expected savings for local residents; the receipt of permits and financing to be able to construct the Project; the receipt of incentives for the Project; and the size of the Company’s development pipeline. No assurance ‎can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking ‎statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These ‎statements speak only as of the date of this news release.‎
Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of the experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. In making the forward looking statements included in this news release, the Company has made various material assumptions, including but not limited to: obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals; that regulatory requirements will be maintained; general business and economic conditions; the Company’s ability to successfully execute its plans and intentions; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company’s ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and services offered by the Company’s competitors; that the Company’s current good relationships with its service providers and other third parties will be maintained; and government subsidies and funding for renewable energy will continue as currently contemplated. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the Company’s expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including those listed under “Forward-‎Looking Statements” and “Risk ‎Factors” in the Company’s most recently completed Annual Information Form, and other public filings of the Company, which include: the Company may be adversely affected by volatile solar power market and industry conditions; the execution of the Company’s growth strategy depends upon the continued availability of third-party financing arrangements; the Company’s future success depends partly on its ability to expand the pipeline of its energy business in several key markets; governments may revise, reduce or eliminate incentives and policy support schemes for solar and battery storage power; general global economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our operating performance and results of operations; the Company’s project development and construction activities may not be successful; developing and operating solar Project exposes the Company to various risks; the Company faces a number of risks involving Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”) and project-level financing arrangements; any changes to the laws, regulations and policies that the Company is subject to may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar power; the markets in which the Company competes are highly competitive and evolving quickly; an anti-circumvention investigation could adversely affect the Company by potentially raising the prices of key supplies for the construction of solar power projects; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; a change in the Company’s effective tax rate can have a significant adverse impact on its business; seasonal variations in demand linked to construction cycles and weather conditions may influence the Company’s results of operations; the Company may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows or have access to external financing; the Company may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future; the Company is subject to risks from supply chain issues; risks related to inflation and tariffs; unexpected warranty expenses that may not be adequately covered by the Company’s insurance policies; if the Company is unable to attract and retain key personnel, it may not be able to compete effectively in the renewable energy market; there are a limited number of purchasers of utility-scale quantities of electricity; compliance with environmental laws and regulations can be expensive; corporate responsibility may adversely impose additional costs; the future impact of any global pandemic on the Company is unknown at this time; the Company has limited insurance coverage; the Company will be reliant on information technology systems and may be subject to damaging cyberattacks; the Company may become subject to litigation; there is no guarantee on how the Company will use its available funds; the Company will continue to sell securities for cash to fund operations, capital expansion, mergers and acquisitions that will dilute the current shareholders; and future dilution as a result of financings.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any ‎forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or ‎otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it ‎is not possible for the Company to predict all of them, or assess the impact of each such ‎factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to ‎differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-‎looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by ‎this cautionary statement.‎
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MNRE clarifies ALMM-II exemption procedure for rooftop solar projects  Business Standard
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Ireland’s Red Admiral receives approval for 600-acre data center and solar farm in Westmeath, Ireland  Data Center Dynamics
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A Chinese research team has developed a novel panel surface temperature (PST) retrieval model designed specifically for utility-scale photovoltaic power plants.
The proposed approach leverages moderate-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) satellite imagery and is engineered to address several long-standing challenges that have limited accurate temperature estimation in large PV installations.
“The novelty of this research is that it enables satellites to estimate the surface temperature of photovoltaic panels – something that has been very difficult because solar farms are not uniform surfaces, but complex mixed scenes made up of panels, gap ground, and surrounding ground,” corresponding author Kun Yang told pv magazine.
“Our method goes beyond conventional land surface temperature retrievals by accounting for the three-dimensional structure of PV arrays, changes in the apparent panel area with viewing angle, and the unusually low, directional emissivity of PV panels,” the academic said. “In doing so, it provides a new scene-aware way to retrieve panel-scale thermal information from satellite observations over utility-scale solar farms.”
The novel method is based on measurements collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a scientific instrument aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. With a spatial resolution of 1 km, each MODIS pixel covers a large surface area that typically includes not only PV modules, but also inter-row gaps, surrounding vegetation, access roads, and bare soil. As a result, the thermal signal recorded by the sensor represents a mixed radiance from multiple land-cover types rather than the temperature of the PV modules alone, which is the target variable of the study.
To address this limitation, the research team developed a pixel decomposition approach to separate PV modules from inter-row gaps within each MODIS footprint. High-resolution Sentinel-2 imagery was first used to estimate the fractional PV coverage within each MODIS pixel. This information was then combined with a three-dimensional geometric model of the PV array layout, incorporating module tilt, azimuth, row spacing, and satellite viewing geometry, to determine the proportion of panel surface that is actually visible to the sensor.
Finally, by explicitly modelling the thermal contribution of non-panel components such as exposed ground and inter-row spaces, the researchers were able to isolate the radiative signal attributable to the PV modules. This correction enables a more accurate retrieval of panel surface temperature at utility scale using moderate-resolution thermal infrared satellite data.
To validate the method, the research team compared modelled results against ground-based measurements from two utility-scale PV power plants: an arid-site installation in Wujiaqu, Xinjiang (northwestern China), and a more humid site in Ganzi on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Sichuan Province (southwestern China). Ground-truth panel temperatures were recorded using calibrated thermocouples mounted on the rear surface of PV modules at four representative locations across each array.
The results show a substantial improvement in retrieval accuracy. During the warm season, the proposed algorithm reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) from 10.8–18.9 C under a conventional land-surface emissivity baseline approach to 3.7–8.6 C. At the same time, it significantly mitigated the systematic cold bias, improving it from approximately −10 to −17 C down to −2 to −3 C.
Overall, these improvements – on the order of roughly 10 C in absolute error reduction – translate into a 3–5% decrease in PV power simulation bias. This level of accuracy enhancement supports more reliable estimation of photovoltaic performance and generation potential from satellite-derived thermal data.
“One of the most striking findings is that the low emissivity of PV panels matters even more than directional effects,” Yang said. “If PV panels are treated as if they had the emissivity of a typical natural surface, the retrieved panel temperature shows a systematic cold bias of around 10 C. In other words, getting the emissivity right is essential for accurate satellite retrieval of PV panel temperature.”
However, the scientist highlighted that while the method performs well in the warm season, winter remains far more challenging, primarily due to long shadows and potential snow cover. “These factors make the ground between panel rows colder than nearby open land, which can lead to significant underestimation of panel temperatures. To address this, we plan to develop a new approach to estimate the temperature of these shaded gaps and then incorporate that into our retrieval algorithm,” Yang said.
“Our long-term goal is to produce a global data set of utility-scale PV panel temperature for both research and industrial applications. Our next key step is to understand better the non-panel parts of solar farms, especially the shaded gaps between rows of panels. These gaps can strongly affect satellite measurements in winter,” he concluded. “We will also test this method on more solar farms under different climate conditions and array setups, including both fixed-tilt and sun-tracking systems, to see how widely it can be applied.”
The new approach was presented in “Photovoltaic panel surface temperature retrieval from MODIS through accounting for directional effects,” published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. Scientists from China’s Tsinghua University, Renewables Research Center of Huairou Laboratory, SPIC Southwest Energy Research Institute, SPIC Innovation Center of Photovoltaic Industry, Qinghai Huanghe Hydropower Development, the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Huadian Xizang Energy have contributed to the study.

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Sheep are the new stars of solar fields  Hay and Forage Grower Magazine
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South African city wants to charge a monthly levy to households with solar panels on their roofs  newsday.co.za
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