Solar Now

(KNSI) – A St. Cloud youth homeless shelter wants to add solar panels, and a regional special education district wants to turn a former medical building into a school.
Both requests go before the St. Cloud Zoning Board of Appeals for public hearings at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday at St. Cloud City Hall.
Minneapolis-based 180 Degrees Inc. is asking for permission to install a ground-mounted solar array at its youth shelter at 1101 and 1111 Washington Memorial Drive, along the Mississippi River Trail.
The catch is a city rule limiting properties like this one to two detached accessory structures. The site already has two detached garages, and under city code, the solar array counts as a third.
In its application, 180 Degrees argues the array isn’t really a building and shouldn’t be treated like one. The organization also says tearing down one of the garages to make room would cost too much to make sense.
The 2.83-acre lot is much larger than the roughly 6,000-square-foot home lots nearby, and city staff point to its size and triangle shape as making it unique. Even with the solar panels, the garages and array would cover less than 3% of the property.
City staff recommends approval, with one key condition. The trees and shrubs along the east and west edges of the property must stay in place to block the view of the panels. If they’re removed, the owner would have to put up a six-foot fence.
The second hearing is about a new home for special education programs. The Benton-Stearns Education District wants to move into the former medical office building at 1520 Northway Drive, which is owned by CentraCare and first opened in 1978 as the Woman and Children’s Medical Clinic. Calvin Ryan Comstock of Inventure Capital filed the request on the district’s behalf.
The education district provides special education services for the Foley, Holdingford, Kimball, ROCORI, Sartell and Sauk Rapids-Rice school districts. The new school would house its most intensive programs, serving students with autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and developmental cognitive disabilities who need more support than their home school can provide. Students go back to their home schools once they’re ready.
Right now, those programs are spread across several buildings that the district says no longer meet its needs. The application says the search for a single, central location has gone on for about two years.
The district currently serves 58 students in those programs, and the school could hold up to about 100 at a time. City staff recommends a cap of 110 students. About 40 teachers, therapists and support staff would work there.
Six to eight buses would drop off and pick up students during the busiest times. The buses would pull right up to the west side of the building, so students wouldn’t have to cross the parking lot. Plans also call for fenced outdoor play areas on the east side of the building, including a playground for younger kids and a basketball area for older students.
The school would run from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
Because the education district can’t own property, an ownership group would buy and renovate the building and lease it to the district. City staff recommends approval, saying the building has more than enough parking and Northway Drive can handle the added traffic. The state would still have to sign off on the building plans.
Both hearings are open to the public, and residents can share their two cents with the board before it votes.
___
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A teacher started off-grid with 6 solar panels, and 15 years later still cuts power bills  Yahoo
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Celloraa Energy appoints Anil Bhadauria as CEO, Advances 1.2 GW TOPCon Solar Cell Facility in Surat  ANI News
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Panasonic Holdings announced on the 20th that it will begin full-scale mass production of next-generation “perovskite solar cells” in April 2029. Production will take place at a facility to be established in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Thinner than conventional solar panels, the product is integrated with building material glass and is expected to be installed on building windows and walls.
The product to be mass-produced measures 1.8 meters tall and 1.2 meters wide, and its product name is “ENEFACE.” It is manufactured by coating raw materials onto glass plates like ink, and its distinguishing feature is that the design can be changed according to customer requests. The company aims for adoption in commercial buildings and public facilities and is accelerating sales efforts with developers and local governments.
Perovskite solar cells are lighter and thinner than silicon-based types, so there are fewer constraints on installation locations. The company has also indicated a target of around 2030 for mass production of a type sandwiched between glass.
Waste disposal is an issue for widespread adoption. Panasonic Holdings plans to launch a recycling business for glass-integrated products in fiscal 2029, and by establishing a resource recovery system before mass production begins, it aims to curb waste problems and support market introduction.
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Fairgrounds solar panel plan heads to a vote  WKRN News 2
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Luis Reyes
Oct 20, at 8:00am ET
Ask pretty much anyone who makes wine and they’ll tell you grapes want sun. Hot, dry, and a lot of it. Zinfandel built its whole reputation in California on that idea, and Zinfandel’s the same grape Italians call Primitivo. So a group of researchers in southern Italy sticking solar panels over a block of Primitivo and cutting the light underneath to about 5 percent sounds like a reasonably efficient way to wreck a vineyard.
It turns out the vines in the dark did considerably better. The bunches under the heaviest shade weighed about two and a half times what the bunches in open sun did, a few rows over on the same farm.
The study comes from the University of Bari, and it ran on a commercial agrivoltaic vineyard called the Vigna Agrivoltaica di Comunità near Laterza, in Puglia, down in the heel of Italy. The team published the results in Scientia Horticulturae over the summer, and pv magazine ran an interview with the lead professor, Giuseppe Ferrara, on October 2. We’ve written about this same farm before, when Ferrara measured the dirt under the panels running 36 degrees cooler than open ground a short walk away. This is the grape half of that story.
The test block covers 8,812 square meters, which works out to about 2.2 acres, with 350 kilowatts of panels sitting on concrete pergola-style frames over the rows. A plot of Primitivo nearby in full sun served as the control. The researchers split the covered area into two zones: directly under the panels, where only about 5 percent of the sunlight gets through, and the gaps between panel rows, where about 95 percent does.
Shoot length is where it got odd. Shoots on the full-sun vines averaged just shy of four feet by the end of the season (115.8 centimeters, if you want the paper’s number). Shoots under the panels, in both the light and the heavy shade, came in between 106 and 108 inches. That’s nearly nine feet of growth. The shaded vines also pushed out bigger leaves, thicker stems and more total biomass.
Then there’s the fruit. Average bunch weight under heavy shade was 164.9 grams, about 5.8 ounces. In full sun it was 65.4 grams, or 2.3 ounces. Both shaded zones also produced more bunches per cane than the open-sun vines, so the gain wasn’t just a few fat clusters pulling up the average.
You’d expect the price for all that growth to show up in the sugar, and it did. Berries in full sun hit 25.8 degrees Brix. Under heavy shade they stopped at 22.9. Acidity, according to the paper, barely budged.
If you don’t spend your weekends thinking about grapevine physiology, Brix is basically the percentage of sugar in the juice by weight, and winemakers use it to guess how much alcohol they’ll end up with. The rough rule is a bit over half a point of alcohol per degree Brix, so 25.8 is heading toward a 14 or 15 percent wine and 22.9 lands closer to 13. For a southern Italian red that routinely gets accused of being a sugar bomb, I’d argue a few degrees less isn’t a tragedy.
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As for the growth, Ferrara’s explanation is pretty simple. A vine in a Puglia summer spends a lot of the afternoon in survival mode. When leaf temperatures climb high enough, the tiny pores on the leaf (the stomata) shut to stop water loss, and the moment they shut, photosynthesis stops with them. The plant then burns water just trying to cool itself down. This particular vineyard’s dry-farmed apart from a bit of emergency irrigation, so there isn’t much water to burn.
Under the panels, air temperature dropped by only 1 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit, and relative humidity went up somewhere between 2 and 14 percent. That doesn’t sound like much. But Ferrara told pv magazine Italia the vines under cover were simply less stressed, which let photosynthesis keep running through the hours when the sun-exposed vines had shut down. So the shaded vines get more hours of actual work in each day, and that shows up as growth. The extra water in the shaded berries also dilutes the sugar, which accounts for part of the Brix gap.
One more thing turned up that the researchers hadn’t gone looking for. They surveyed the weeds growing between the vines, and the number of plant species under the panels came out at roughly double what it was in the open. Clover, sowthistle, plantain, tassel hyacinth, a few kinds of alfalfa. Ferrara’s take is that more ground cover means more pollinators and pest predators, less erosion and more organic matter in the soil. They haven’t tested the soil bacteria or insects yet, and he says that’s planned.
Before anyone in Napa gets excited, Ferrara was unusually direct about the limits of his own result. He pointed to an earlier trial in Valpolicella, up in northern Italy, where the vines outside the panels out-produced the ones underneath. Cooler, wetter places don’t have the heat-stress problem, so the shade just takes light away from a plant that wanted it. His line was that agrivoltaics has to be assessed site by site, matching the panel setup to the crop and the local climate.
There are a couple of other caveats you should know about. It’s one growing season on one farm, and the paper’s own conclusion calls for longer trials in more places. Ferrara also said the sugar and acid differences can swing a fair amount from year to year. And the paper doesn’t say how many individual panels sit over the 2.2-acre test block, so I can’t tell you that either. The farm’s full array, going by pv magazine’s earlier reporting, is about 970 kilowatts across several thousand thin-film modules.
What I find pretty convincing about this one is that it’s a working winery, not a university test plot. Svolta Srl, the company that runs the vineyard, sells the Primitivo it grows under the panels, and it’s been talking up the lower-sugar, higher-acid style of the wine for a couple of vintages now. The research puts numbers on that instead of tasting notes. It’s also a different bet from the one a French cognac grower made when he hung 6,000 panels about 16 feet over his vines, mainly to stop hail, and lost his appellation for the trouble.
Ferrara’s interview ran in pv magazine on October 2, 2026, and the paper, “Agrivoltaics in Mediterranean viticulture: Impacts on physiology, yield and biodiversity,” appeared in Scientia Horticulturae in August.
Don’t bite your tongue. Speak up.
Dave McQuilling · Oct 6, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 4, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 7, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 16, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Oct 11, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Oct 15, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 20, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 20, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 20, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Oct 20, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 19, 2026
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JinkoSolar, a Chinese solar module maker, has launched a 510 W all-black panel for residential use, built on its recently introduced TOPCon-based Amorphous-Si Passivating Cell (TAC) platform. That technology merges TOPCon electron-selective contacts, amorphous silicon heterojunction passivation and a back-contact electrode design.
The JKM485-510T line is intended for premium home installations, such as villas and properties with constrained roof area, where power density, visual appeal and durability over time matter most, according to the company.
JinkoSolar said the 48-cell Tiger Neo 5.0 module achieves a peak conversion efficiency of 25.52% and adopts a monofacial, dual-glass construction. Its dimensions are 1,762 mm by 1,134 mm by 30 mm, it weighs 22 kg, and its maximum power density is about 255 W/m2.
The manufacturer stated that it merged multiple technologies to boost power density and enhance appearance. Its Gapless Cell Array (GCA) approach removes the usual spaces between cells, while hidden interconnections and busbars shrink inactive regions. JinkoSolar says this raises the effective light-capturing area by roughly 2%, yielding an extra 10 W of output.
Another feature, Uniform Matrix Interconnection (UMI), swaps conventional printed main busbars for distributed electrical links. According to JinkoSolar, this layout shortens current routes, cuts resistive losses and allows interconnection steps that exert less mechanical strain on cells.
To improve looks, the company applied its All Consistent Color (ACC) technology, which pairs tight control of coating thickness and refractive index with AI-assisted sorting of cells. The method is meant to reduce noticeable color discrepancies among cells, encapsulation materials and the frame, giving a more even black appearance.
The panel also incorporates Full-Spectrum Light Trapping (FLT) technology, which draws on surface texturing, antireflective coatings and rear-side reflection to enhance light use when sunlight arrives at an angle or irradiance is low.
The module’s power temperature coefficient stands at -0.24% per degree Celsius, versus roughly -0.26% per degree Celsius for earlier TOPCon products from JinkoSolar. The manufacturer further claims the new panel provides around 30 W more power than standard back-contact modules of similar size.
On durability, JinkoSolar added a Perimeter Moisture Barrier (PMB) that uses butyl-based edge sealing to curb moisture entry and the corrosion risk that comes with it. The module also carries a refined current-shunting design intended to curb power losses and lessen hot-spot hazards when shading is partial.
Per its technical documentation, JinkoSolar backs the module with a 40-year product warranty and a 40-year linear power output warranty.
Charlie Cao, JinkoSolar’s CEO, said the goal for Tiger Neo 5.0 was to create a panel suited to premium residential rooftops.
The new residential module broadens the Tiger Neo 5.0 range, which already features larger-format TOPCon modules launched in June 2026 with outputs beyond 700 W and efficiencies reaching 25.91%.
JinkoSolar has named Europe and Australia as target markets for residential use. It has not yet revealed commercial availability, pricing or production volumes for the new TAC-based module.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Solar Panels market in China, covering market size, growth trajectory, demand structure, supply capability, trade flows, pricing, competitive landscape, and forecast to 2035.
The study is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, investors, procurement teams, advisors, and strategy teams that need a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which are devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. It encompasses the global market for finished modules, including all major product technologies and form factors designed for a wide range of end-use applications.
The report combines the standard market-statistics backbone with strategic chapters that are useful for commercial planning, sourcing decisions, market entry, competitor monitoring, and portfolio prioritization.
The market is segmented into decision-relevant buckets so that demand drivers, pricing logic, supply constraints, and competitive positions can be compared across the same analytical frame.
The market data is classified and analyzed according to international trade codes, primarily under the Harmonized System (HS) headings for photovoltaic cells and electric generating sets. This ensures consistent tracking of trade flows for assembled solar modules and relevant apparatus across global markets.
Coverage focuses on China and includes demand, supply capability where present, trade flows, pricing, competition, and outlook.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
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Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
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Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
How the Report Was Built
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A research team in Germany has examined whether compressive stress relaxation measurement (CSRM) can serve as a tool for tracking polymer degradation in aging photovoltaic modules, according to pv magazine. The work, published in Polymer Testing, involved scientists from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and Fraunhofer CSP.
CSRM is a non-destructive method normally applied in manufacturing quality control to gauge the degree of encapsulant cross-linking after lamination. The technique presses a tip into the rear surface of a module and records how the force declines while the indentation depth is held constant, a response that reflects the mechanical properties of both the encapsulant and the backsheet.
The researchers said the publication extends CSRM beyond lamination control to monitoring the mechanical response of the mini-module rear side. To improve resolution and sample throughput, they used cross-linking density to calibrate the measurement, and they sought to decouple encapsulant degradation from backsheet degradation during weathering.
The team built 200 mm by 200 mm mini-modules containing passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulants, and polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) backsheets. Lamination times at 155 C were varied to produce different degrees of cross-linking.
For each measurement, the test location was heated to 89 C, a 4 mm steel tip was pressed roughly 100 um into the module rear surface with a force below 20 N, and the decline in force was recorded while the tip stayed in place.
Modules underwent damp heat testing at 85 C and 85% relative humidity for up to 3,500 hours, or combined heat and ultraviolet irradiation at 85 C, 60% relative humidity, and an irradiance of 227 W/m2 for up to 2,000 hours. At 250-hour intervals, the team used CSRM to track mechanical changes and measured electrical performance. Solvent tests and thermal analyses helped separate changes in encapsulant cross-linking from backsheet degradation.
The researchers reported that after the first 250 hours of damp heat testing, the encapsulants showed an increase in cross-linking degree while differences between samples persisted throughout the test. As a result, module power degradation correlated with the initial cross-linking state. By the end of the test, both the encapsulant and the backsheet had degraded, producing a drop in the CSRM response.
The results also indicated that encapsulant cross-linking density subsequently decreased, while the backsheet underwent post-crystallization and showed chain scission.
In the combined damp heat and ultraviolet test, post-cross-linking occurred within the first 250 hours and led to a leveling of cross-linking states, according to the researchers. The erased chemical differences among encapsulants were reflected in similar module power degradation. The team concluded that overacceleration should be avoided to obtain realistic reliability predictions.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the EV Solar Modules market in Germany, 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 EV Solar Modules, which are photovoltaic modules specifically designed and integrated for use in electric vehicles to convert solar energy into electrical power for auxiliary systems or traction battery charging.
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 EV Solar Modules categorized by product type (including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film, flexible, integrated, portable, and bifacial modules), by application (such as bioprocessing and drug manufacturing, cell and gene therapy workflows, research and development, and quality control and release testing), and by value chain segment (including raw material and input suppliers, qualified manufacturing and processing, QC, validation and documentation, and procurement by CDMOs, biopharma, and laboratories).
Coverage focuses on Germany and includes demand, supply capability where present, trade flows, pricing, competition, and outlook.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
All indicators are mapped to a consistent product definition and reviewed against the segmentation framework used in the Table of Contents.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
How the Report Was Built
Key player in solar inverter technology, relevant for EV charging integration
Offers glass-glass modules; expanding into EV-integrated solar solutions
Produces modules for residential and commercial use, including EV charging
Develops modules with integrated microinverters for EV applications
Distributes modules and provides EV charging infrastructure solutions
Supplies manufacturing tech for PV modules used in EV solar
German subsidiary produces high-efficiency modules for EV integration
Focuses on large-scale PV for EV charging parks
Integrates solar modules into EV charging infrastructure
Develops solar farms for EV fleet charging
Offers integrated solar and EV charging packages
Provides solar modules for residential EV charging
Distributes modules for private and commercial EV use
German entity trades modules for EV solar applications
Inverters used in EV-integrated PV systems
German subsidiary provides inverters for EV solar modules
German branch distributes inverters for EV solar systems
German entity supplies inverters for EV charging
Provides inverters and modules for EV solar integration
Offers integrated solar and EV charging systems
Produces solar modules for residential EV integration
Supplies components for PV modules used in EV systems
Develops integrated solar and EV charging solutions
German branch provides inverters for EV solar modules
Distributes modules for commercial EV charging
Trades modules for large-scale EV solar projects
Integrates solar modules into EV charging parks
Develops solar farms for EV fleet charging
Procures modules for EV charging infrastructure
Develops solar parks for EV charging
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Solar stocks are staging a sharp reversal after a brutal selloff, with the sector's most battered name surging far ahead of its peers. Whether this bounce signals a true turning point or just a brief reprieve depends on answers the…
Market Movers desk. Editor: David Moadel.

Solar stocks are clawing back ground after a heavy selloff, and the group’s hardest-hit name is leading the way. Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) stock is at $7.59, up 10% in afternoon trading, recovering part of its slide to a fresh 52-week low.
Meanwhile, SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) stock is at $32.56, up 5%, a smaller climb than Sunrun stock’s. Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) stock is at $32.02, also up 5% and moving nearly in step with SolarEdge stock.
Fund-level gains are more smaller. The Invesco Solar ETF (NYSEARCA:TAN) is at $41.81, up 1%. At the same time, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is at $768.51, up 0.3%, leaving solar ahead of the wider index.
Monday’s session sent Sunrun stock to its lowest price of the past year, a larger drop than its solar peers suffered, and this bounce reverses part of that slide alongside a rebound across the solar group.
Sunrun’s operating backdrop has grown tougher. The company trimmed its full-year 2026 outlook, lowering its Aggregate Subscriber Value range to $4.6 billion to $4.9 billion and its Cash Generation target to $200 million to $375 million. Management cited softer affiliate channel volumes, a slower-than-expected direct sales ramp and its slightly higher capital costs.
Volume data from Q2 2026 shows where Sunrun is struggling. Its subscriber additions fell 31% year over year to 19,793, even as its storage attachment rate hit a record 74%.
Sunrun describes itself as America’s largest provider of home battery storage, and it’s testing a distributed data center program that places computing nodes in customer homes. Mary Powell, Sunrun’s chief executive at the time of its Q2 results, laid out how that network could produce new cash:
We are positioning the business for strong growth, bringing on some of the best talent in the industry and scaling deliberately, with a focus on customer experience and asset quality. And as that engine scales, we’re aiming to unlock new ways to monetize the network we’ve already built, from distributed power plant programs to emerging data center and grid edge applications, creating new streams of Cash Generation.
Optimism around Sunrun rests on that monetization story and a stock starting from a deeply depressed level. Equal weight belongs to the downside argument, since Sunrun has lowered its guidance, its subscriber additions are shrinking and its higher capital costs hit its lease-financed model directly.
Financing is central to Sunrun’s business. The company installs home solar and battery systems largely under long-term leases it finances, so its economics hinge on borrowing costs and homeowner demand. Enphase Energy sells microinverters and SolarEdge sells inverters and power optimizers, which ties Enphase Energy shares and SolarEdge shares more closely to equipment demand.
Sunrun stock is rising harder than SolarEdge stock, Enphase Energy stock and the Invesco Solar ETF, which fits a stock bouncing from a fresh low after leading the latest decline. The TAN ETF’s smaller gain shows the sharpest buying sits in individual names, with Sunrun shares out front.
The next test for Sunrun is whether its upcoming quarterly report shows its expanded sales force reaching full productivity. Management expects the larger team to help the company exit 2026 at a robust growth rate with higher unit margins, while a shortfall could weigh on Sunrun shares.
For SolarEdge and Enphase Energy, the open variable is the pace of equipment demand. Sunrun stock’s rebound from a fresh low could offer upside, so investors leaning bullish should stay measured until the guidance questions clear. Shareholders can leave room to add to their positions once the Sunrun sales-force ramp resolves.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.
Sunrun is sliding toward a one-year low while the broader market climbs, and with earnings weeks away the question is whether the stock can hold before the next catalyst arrives.
SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG | SEDG Price Prediction) stock is surging 10% on Tuesday, rallying to $38 intraday. Solar-industry peers Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) and Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) are joining the party, with the shares of both…
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Global solar supply chains are shifting toward protectionism and industrial policies designed to support domestic manufacturing, according to an interview with pv magazine featuring Laura Sartore, CEO of Italian solar machinery and production line specialist Ecoprogetti. Sartore told the publication that every major supply chain worldwide except China is moving toward some form of protectionism and price floors, with the United States among the most prominent examples.
According to Sartore, the US market demonstrates that minimum price thresholds, even when set above the prices charged by Chinese manufacturers, do not necessarily slow demand. She indicated that the sector continues to grow despite higher component costs, supported by the development of a domestic supply chain. In China, prices are also rising gradually across the supply chain after government efforts to curb overcapacity, a trend that was expected to continue into 2025. Sartore said this reflects a growing focus on the economic viability of manufacturing in a market where solar technology has already established its competitiveness against other energy sources.
Sartore identified India as one of the most compelling examples of industrial policy in the solar sector. The Indian government is progressively expanding protectionist measures and domestic manufacturing requirements beyond modules to include cells, wafers and ingots, aiming to reduce dependence on Chinese imports and strengthen local production capacity. Sartore said India has the most serious industrial policy, having observed Europe’s mistakes and continuing to monitor developments in the United States, and she highlighted the clear industrial strategy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
A key element of that strategy is industry consolidation. Production capacity exceeding domestic demand is not necessarily seen as a problem and can instead encourage mergers and direct investment toward underdeveloped segments of the supply chain. Sartore said the era of small factories with 200-500 MW of capacity is over and that multi-gigawatt-scale facilities are now emerging, which she described as the only way forward for a continent-sized nation like India. This consolidation is helping create larger, more financially robust manufacturers able to invest not only in cell and module production but also in materials and components such as glass, encapsulants, backsheets and junction boxes.
According to Sartore, India now has the most comprehensive solar manufacturing supply chain outside China, though domestic polysilicon production remains underdeveloped. She explained that beyond raw material extraction, polysilicon production requires specialized technological expertise, capital-intensive facilities and competitive access to energy, capabilities she said are currently lacking and must be developed. She also stressed that India must aim for high environmental standards and low-emission processes from the outset rather than simply replicating capacity without prioritizing emissions, noting that these requirements could lengthen the timeline for building a domestic supply chain.
While India and the United States focus on large-scale factories and highly integrated supply chains, Sartore advocates a different approach for Europe. She argues that Europe’s industrial model cannot be assessed by the same criteria applied in the United States or Asia, since the continent’s manufacturing sector has historically been built around small and medium-sized enterprises, industrial clusters and networks of specialized manufacturers. She pointed to Italy and Germany, where industries have achieved international leadership through networks of relatively small but highly competitive companies, and said Europe’s multi-factory, network-based model should not be abandoned.
This does not mean small module assembly lines can remain competitive regardless of capacity. Sartore said manufacturers need a minimum production scale and adequate investment in technology and automation to justify capital expenditure and maintain competitive costs, citing 800 MW to 1 GW as the minimum threshold for a sustainable investment. She identified 1 GW to 3 GW as offering an optimal balance between economies of scale, financial viability and operational complexity, typically corresponding to companies with annual revenue of EUR100 million to EUR200 million and roughly 150 to 300 employees.
Sartore noted that operating costs, particularly raw material procurement, present a challenge beyond initial capital investment. While increasing capacity initially reduces unit production costs, there is a point beyond which the financial burden of running a larger facility offsets those savings. She said that in the European context the 1 GW to 3 GW range captures economies of scale, while beyond 3 GW additional management costs and financial charges weigh on the bottom line without necessarily lowering raw material procurement costs. For a 5 GW factory, working capital requirements can become significant, requiring substantial credit lines, bank guarantees and careful financial planning, and larger facilities also face greater financial exposure if demand falls short of capacity.
Sartore explained that in Europe, without supply chain integration, purchasing 5 GW worth of raw materials would require structured bank collateral, with high costs for credit guarantees and interest on cash flow weighing on the purchase price and potentially making the resulting module no more cost-effective than one from a smaller manufacturer. She said a larger factory therefore does not necessarily have lower production costs than a medium-sized facility once financing expenses and operating overheads are considered, and that a more moderate scale can help medium-sized European manufacturers limit financial exposure and manage working capital.
Production capacity should also reflect market demand, according to Sartore. Europe’s solar market is more fragmented than other major international markets, with projects generally smaller than gigawatt-scale installations and manufacturers required to handle a wider range of order sizes. European projects often range from a few megawatts to several tens of megawatts, while installations approaching or exceeding 1 GW remain relatively rare. Sartore said this supports a network of manufacturers able to adapt production to individual customer requirements, adding that Europe is unlikely to see many gigawatt-scale solar plant projects and that diverse requirements and local conditions make numerous medium-to-large plants more likely than many mega-installations. Production flexibility therefore becomes a key competitive factor alongside manufacturing costs and supply chain capabilities.
The dynamics shaping global photovoltaic supply chains, including modules, inverters and battery energy storage systems, are scheduled to be discussed during a session titled Decoding solar supply chains at the NetZero event in Milan on Oct. 21.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report is an independent strategic market study that provides a structured, commercially grounded analysis of the market for Solar Cells and Module in India. It is designed for battery and storage manufacturers, power-electronics suppliers, system integrators, EPC partners, developers, utilities, investors, and strategic entrants that need a clear view of deployment demand, technology positioning, manufacturing exposure, safety and qualification burden, project economics, and competitive structure.
The analytical framework is designed to work both for a single specialized storage or conversion component and for a broader renewable energy generation component, where market structure is shaped by chemistry, duration, project economics, system integration, safety requirements, route-to-market, and grid-interface logic rather than by one narrow customs heading alone. It defines Solar Cells and Module as Semiconductor devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity, manufactured as individual cells and assembled into modules (panels) for integration into solar power systems and examines the market through deployment use cases, buyer environments, upstream input dependencies, conversion and integration stages, qualification and safety requirements, pricing architecture, commercial channels, and country capability differences. Historical analysis typically covers 2012 to 2025, with forward-looking scenarios through 2035.
This report is designed to answer the questions that matter most to decision-makers evaluating an energy-storage, battery, renewable-integration, or power-conversion market.
At its core, this report explains how the market for Solar Cells and Module actually functions. It identifies where demand originates, how supply is organized, which technological and regulatory barriers influence adoption, and how value is distributed across the value chain. Rather than describing the market only in broad terms, the study breaks it into analytically meaningful layers: product scope, segmentation, end uses, customer types, production economics, outsourcing structure, country roles, and company archetypes.
The report is particularly useful in markets where buyers are highly specialized, suppliers differ significantly in technical depth and regulatory readiness, and the commercial landscape cannot be understood only through top-line market size figures. In this context, the study is designed not only to estimate the size of the market, but to explain why the market has that size, what drives its growth, which subsegments are the most attractive, and what it takes to compete successfully within it.
The report is based on an independent analytical methodology that combines deep secondary research, structured evidence review, market reconstruction, and multi-level triangulation. The methodology is designed to support products for which there is no single clean official dataset capturing the full market in a directly usable form.
The study typically uses the following evidence hierarchy:
The analytical framework is built around several linked layers.
First, a scope model defines what is included in the market and what is excluded, ensuring that adjacent products, downstream finished goods, unrelated instruments, or broader chemical categories do not distort the market boundary.
Second, a demand model reconstructs the market from the perspective of consuming sectors, workflow stages, and applications. Depending on the product, this may include Grid-connected solar farms, Commercial rooftop installations, Residential solar systems, Industrial self-consumption projects, Off-grid electrification, and Solar-powered consumer electronics and mobility across Power Generation (Utilities/IPPs), Commercial Real Estate, Industrial Manufacturing, Residential Construction, Telecommunications, and Public Infrastructure and Technology R&D and Pilot Lines, Capacity Planning and CAPEX Deployment, Supply Chain Sourcing and Qualification, Manufacturing Process Optimization, Quality Assurance and Certification, Sales Channel and Distribution Setup, and Project Design and System Integration. Demand is then allocated across end users, development stages, and geographic markets.
Third, a supply model evaluates how the market is served. This includes Polysilicon, Silicon Wafers (Mono Grown, Cast Multi), Solar Glass, Encapsulation Materials (EVA, POE), Backsheets, Frames (Aluminum), Silver Paste & Conductive Adhesives, and Specialty Gases and Chemicals, manufacturing technologies such as Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC), Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon), Heterojunction Technology (HJT), Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC), Bifacial Module Design, Half-Cell and Shingled Cell Interconnection, and Advanced Module Encapsulation and Framing, quality control requirements, outsourcing, contract manufacturing, integration, and project-delivery participation, distribution structure, and supply-chain concentration risks.
Fourth, a country capability model maps where the market is consumed, where production is materially feasible, where manufacturing capability is limited or emerging, and which countries function primarily as innovation hubs, supply nodes, demand centers, or import-reliant markets.
Fifth, a pricing and economics layer evaluates price corridors, cost drivers, complexity premiums, outsourcing logic, margin structure, and switching barriers. This is especially relevant in markets where product grade, purity, customization, regulatory burden, or service model materially influence economics.
Finally, a competitive intelligence layer profiles the leading company types active in the market and explains how strategic roles differ across upstream material suppliers, component and controls providers, OEMs, storage-system integrators, EPC partners, project developers, and distribution or service channels.
This report covers the market for Solar Cells and Module in its commercially relevant and technologically meaningful form. The scope typically includes the product itself, its major product configurations or variants, the critical technologies used to produce or deliver it, the core input categories required for manufacturing, and the services directly associated with its commercial supply, quality control, or integration into end-user workflows.
Included within scope are the product forms, use cases, inputs, and services that are necessary to understand the actual addressable market around Solar Cells and Module. This usually includes:
Excluded from scope are categories that may be technologically adjacent but do not belong to the core economic market being measured. These usually include:
The exact inclusion and exclusion logic is always a critical part of the study, because the quality of the market estimate depends directly on disciplined scope boundaries.
The report provides focused coverage of the India market and positions India within the wider global energy-storage and renewable-integration industry structure.
The geographic analysis explains local deployment demand, domestic capability, import dependence, project-development relevance, safety and approval burden, and the country’s strategic role in the wider market.
This study is designed for strategic, commercial, operations, project-delivery, and investment users, including:
In many energy-transition, storage, power-conversion, and project-driven markets, official trade and production statistics are not sufficient on their own to describe the true market. Product boundaries may cut across multiple tariff codes, several product categories may be bundled into the same official classification, and a meaningful share of activity may take place through customized services, captive supply, platform relationships, or technically specialized channels that are not directly visible in standard statistical datasets.
For this reason, the report is designed as a modeled strategic market study. It uses official and public evidence wherever it is reliable and scope-compatible, but it does not force the market into a purely statistical framework when doing so would reduce analytical quality. Instead, it reconstructs the market through the logic of demand, supply, technology, country roles, and company behavior.
This makes the report particularly well suited to products that are innovation-intensive, technically differentiated, capacity-constrained, platform-dependent, or commercially structured around specialized buyer-supplier relationships rather than standardized commodity trade.
The report typically includes:
The result is a structured, publication-grade market intelligence document that combines quantitative modeling with commercial, technical, and strategic interpretation.
Energy-Storage Market Structure and Company Archetypes
Part of Adani Group; one of India's largest integrated solar manufacturers.
India's largest solar module exporter; capacity over 12 GW.
Leading module producer with global certifications.
Subsidiary of Tata Power; established player in solar manufacturing.
Integrated manufacturer of solar modules and encapsulation materials.
Rapidly expanding module capacity; strong domestic and export presence.
Known for high-efficiency modules and EPC services.
Diversified energy company with solar manufacturing division.
Focus on residential and commercial solar modules.
Manufacturer of polycrystalline and monocrystalline modules.
Part of Chiripal Group; new entrant with large capacity plans.
Known for high-efficiency mono PERC modules.
Exports to multiple countries; ALMM certified.
Growing manufacturer with focus on quality and innovation.
Part of the Goyal Group; produces mono and poly modules.
Diversified engineering group with solar manufacturing arm.
Major supplier of solar glass to module manufacturers.
One of India's oldest solar cell manufacturers; recently revived.
Part of Moser Baer Group; cell and module producer.
Specializes in solar cell production; under restructuring.
Integrated manufacturer with cell and module lines.
Part of Borosil group; produces modules for domestic market.
Focus on off-grid and rooftop solar solutions.
Part of Mahindra Group; major solar project developer.
Independent power producer; large solar portfolio.
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“It’s unfortunately a necessity to protect our grid from a larger mass blackout situation.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Fairbanks has been put on an energy alert after a generator failure left Golden Valley Electric Association with limited backup power. Customers are being urged to conserve electricity, and GVEA says outages could become a possibility if the situation deteriorates.
According to Alaska’s News Source, GVEA moved into a level-two alert and asked members to reduce their power use. At that stage, the utility had less than 15 megawatts of reserve power available, which raised the risk of interruptions if demand stayed high.
Ashley Bradish, GVEA’s director of external affairs and public relations, said the co-op measures available backup power through a four-level alert system. Under that framework, level zero means normal operations, and level one starts when reserves fall below 38 megawatts.
The next step up would be level three. Bradish said that if GVEA reaches that point, it could use a controlled load-shed program that rotates 30- to 60-minute outages through parts of the utility’s 13 zones.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
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Bradish explained, “It’s not something we would choose to do. It’s unfortunately a necessity to protect our grid from a larger mass blackout situation.”
The supply crunch began when one GVEA generation unit went offline while two others were already out for scheduled maintenance. The conservation steps the utility is requesting — putting off laundry, lowering thermostats, and using the oven less — could trim overall demand and also help customers save on electric bills.
For homeowners looking for a longer-term way to cut energy costs, going solar is one of the best moves available. You can try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Bradish said new state disclosure rules prevented her from naming the failed unit or describing what caused it to go down. She added that members should be prepared for more level-one and level-two alerts as demand increases and GVEA adds new generation resources, including an LM6000 gas turbine.
For immediate relief, GVEA asked members to keep homes at a safe temperature in addition to conserving energy in the ways mentioned above. The utility said those small steps could reduce pressure on the grid while reserved margins remain tight.
Bradish said the level-two alert had not yet produced a meaningful change in load, so the utility could still need to use its outage plan if supply conditions get worse.
For homeowners thinking beyond this alert, EnergySage can also help make solar shopping far less confusing. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. And EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state, along with state-by-state details on solar panel incentives. Together, those tools can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Homeowners interested in that option can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Grid emergencies elsewhere explore how utilities and households prepare for shortages and outages. 
• In Puerto Rico, MIT researchers have been testing an innovative blackout prevention system as outages worsen.
• Vermont’s Green Mountain Power deployed battery, solar, and wind to reduce outages statewide.
• In Cuba, officials are pushing energy-efficient tech after a nationwide blackout as the grid crisis drags on.
• After Hurricane Beryl, experts warn residents that backup generators can turn deadly when homes lose power.
• In Florida, one neighborhood has been relying on a new solar microgrid to keep power flowing.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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Published on October 20, 2026 at 05:12

Power cables weave through palm trees high above Fiji’s Rukurukulevu Village, linking residents to the national grid and a select few to solar panels.
The settlement of about 400 people finally electrified its last building this year — a kindergarten, just metres from the sea.
But residents are struggling to keep the lights on as the Middle East war and other factors push up energy bills in this Pacific paradise.
It is challenging Fiji’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and driving a push towards renewables in the resource-scarce island nation.
“The prices of electricity here in Fiji (are) very high,” village spokesman Vereniki Nalio told AFP.
“Some houses, they got FJ$100 (US$44) and over. The church, community halls and church minister’s house, they’ve got about FJ$200, nearly FJ$300, for a month.”
Nalio said he paid about FJ$60 per month for electricity — “very, very high”.
Opposite his home stands another small house with one big difference: past the clothes hanging on the washing line lies a small array of solar panels.
Another home across the road boasts an even larger installation, showing how some in the village are seeking to move away from dependence on the grid.
Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, fuel shipments from the Gulf have slowed.
Nalio said the subsequent global energy squeeze had led villagers to consider switching to renewables.
A basic solar power system costs around FJ$3,000, a higher up-front cost but an increasingly reasonable price to pay for theoretically unlimited, free electricity.
“They said we had no more fuel, no more petrol would come to Fiji. So at that time we think about solar,” Nalio said.
He added that the village hoped to install solar panels on communal buildings to reduce the shared cost of powering them.
Pointing to the sky, Nalio said Rukurukulevu should not have to import its energy.
“Solar is already here.”
Fiji hosted this month’s “pre-COP” United Nations climate summit, where Pacific Island nations pressed for faster access to climate financing for projects such as renewable energy.
The event was a precursor to next month’s main COP event in Turkey, where organisers will push for member states to commit to electrification — replacing technologies that burn fossil fuels directly, like diesel cars and gas heating, with electric alternatives.
Symbolising the challenges the Pacific faces, a major power outage on the second day of the event plunged the 4,000 attendees into darkness.
Government minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau blamed Fiji’s rising energy prices on overreliance on fossil fuels and El Nino.
The cyclical climate phenomenon is particularly strong this year and has brought weather patterns that are drying up Fiji’s hydroelectric dams.
They “will face a critical situation” if rainfall does not increase by mid-November, Tuisawau, whose remit covers public works, weather services and transport, told AFP.
“We would probably go into water rationing and power rationing in the next, maybe, four weeks if the situation doesn’t change,” he said.
“The hotels can enjoy (it) now, but we will cut off their water to the pool.”
Fiji spends as much as 12 percent of its GDP on importing fossil fuels — “a huge drain on our resources”, Tuisawau said.
The country is aiming for 90 percent renewable energy generation by 2035 and plans to spend FJ$2 billion on solar and hydropower development in the next decade.
That includes investing at least FJ$460 million in solar farms in the next four years, as well as FJ$650 million on two new dams and more than FJ$700 million to expand its main transmission lines.
For now, though, many islanders are still facing the sharp end of Fiji’s energy crisis, Tuisawau acknowledged.
“With the price, with geopolitical issues, and in addition El Nino right now, it’s a very difficult situation,” he said.
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The business of solar grazing, using animals to manage vegetation at solar sites, has taken off in along with the growth of solar in the U.S. According to Stacie Peterson, executive director of the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA), solar grazing became a business in 2018. This was one year before the U.S. achieved two million solar installations.
The United States Solar Grazing 2024 Census was the first to attempt to capture the full scope and scale of U.S. solar grazing. Conducted by ASGA in conjunction with U.S. Department of Energy National Lab of the Rockies (NREL), the census found that over 113,000 sheep grazed through fields of solar panels on 129,000 acres of land. The 2025 census has not yet been released, but Peterson told pv magazine USA that she believes the numbers have greatly increased.
The ASGA Solar Grazing Map is a resource for solar grazers and solar site operators and developers to connect with each other and build partnerships. Credit: American Solar Grazing Association
What solar grazers bring to solar sites is expertise in agriculture, land stewardship, vegetation management, soil health knowledge and forage and weed knowledge, according to Peterson. Graziers provide additional benefits to solar developers or owners including their connections within the local community and their deep understanding of the land.
Having a regular physical presence at the site is another plus, which Rebekah Pierce, solar grazer and owner of New York-based J&R Pierce Family Farms said has great value to O&M teams. “It’s hard to quantify on paper what being on site means to the O&M team, but we’re there every other day. If we see an issue that needs to be addressed like a loose wire or a hole in a fence, we let them know and that issue is addressed.”
While most solar grazing is done with sheep, J&R Pierce Family Farm raises cows as well as sheep. Pierce proposed a cattle-grazing pilot to Nexamp, a solar developer that grazed livestock at 89 sites this past season across five states for a total of almost 2,000 acres, according to Keith Hevenor, communications manager.
“We began our grazing program in 2019 with just one site and have been expanding significantly each year since,” Hevenor said. “We are looking forward to even more progress next year and love that our grazing partners are able to continue an agricultural application on these solar farms while providing a necessary service for us in a safer and more sustainable way.”
The cow pilot began last summer on two of Nexamp’s solar sites in Fort Covington, New York. Five cattle, including one bull, grazed among the solar modules mounted on trackers, and it was a success with the cows showing “no unusual behavior,” according to Pierce. She said that sheep remain the most flexible option for solar sites, especially those that were not designed for grazing larger animals. Pierce noted, however, that grazing cattle is worth consideration, especially when looking at market potential and the fact that Americans consume far more beef than lamb.
J&R Pierce Family Farm grazed cattle on two of Nexamp’s solar projects in New York state. Credit: J&R Pierce Family Farm
The arrangement between the solar grazer and the developer are different depending on region and for different graziers, Peterson said. In addition to signing an agreement that works for both parties, Pierce stressed that communication is key, so it’s important to have a connection with the right person in the company, especially in light of the fact that solar projects are commonly acquired and new people take the helm.
Many times, enhancing communication requires dispelling misconceptions. Pierce said that in most cases, livestock are less risky than mechanical mowers and other farm equipment. She said sheep don’t chew on wires and damage things, they don’t kick up rocks, they’re not creating fire risk. These misconceptions, she said, just aren’t true and the benefits are many.
A main challenge for both parties is in educating one another about priorities and how they can work together successfully.
“The more corporate world of solar companies can be quite the dichotomy from the one of farmers/ranchers, and vice versa,” said Matt Kovarik of Maine-based Black Earth Grazing. “Once we both do a little work of educating each other on our systems, the partnership can serve both interests and work out quite successfully.”
ReVision Energy, a renewable energy contracting company based in New England, has partnered since 2024 with Black Earth Grazing on a dual-management solar grazing program. It’s been so successful that the farmers changed the name from Black Earth Forest Farm to Black Earth Grazing. They started with 40 ewes and now manage a flock of several hundred. They’re currently responsible for 11 of ReVision’s community solar sites, and the flock keeps growing as more solar sites become available.
The many benefits of solar grazing for solar companies include vegetation management that requires fewer fossil fuels than mechanical methods, a human presence on site and a connection to local graziers who provide products to the community pay taxes, support local services and more.
“We are there to provide vegetation management, but we are a bit more invested in the land and its productivity than a mowing crew would be, as we are deriving benefits from a healthy well-managed pasture that feeds our sheep,” said .
For the grazier, the benefits include the pay they receive for performing land stewardship and vegetation management and access to a greater land area that enables them to expand the size of their operations.
Solar grazing offers a cost-effective solution to land stewardship and vegetation management, with many other tangible benefits as a bonus. For solar developers interested in solar grazing, ASGA offers a one-day workshop for site operations and management teams, developers, asset managers and sustainability teams. Participants receive a Level 1 Solar Grazing Management Certification.
Register for pv magazine USA week to learn more about solar grazing October 22 in a keynote fireside chat with Silicon Ranch, one of the leading solar grazing installers in the U.S.

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Acesur, a Seville-based olive oil producer, has started construction of a 3.65 MW agrivoltaic project in Vilches, in the Spanish province of Jaén. The project will integrate solar power generation into an existing, fully productive olive grove adjacent to the company’s packaging plant.
Granada-based renewable energy company Greening is developing the project, which will combine industrial self-consumption with agricultural production while preserving all existing olive trees and maintaining cultivation.
According to the company, following several phases of system performance validation, the aim is now to scale up the technology for industrial use. All electricity generated by the installation will be used to power Acesur’s packaging plant.
The technology was developed in several stages, beginning with theoretical bioclimatic simulations, followed by laboratory testing under controlled climatic and greenhouse conditions. A prototype was then installed in a traditional rain-fed olive grove.
According to a company representative, results from two consecutive harvests have demonstrated that solar power generation and olive cultivation can coexist successfully. The installation reportedly improved local microclimatic conditions by reducing soil temperatures, retaining moisture and enhancing crop yields.
The representative said the Vilches project will be the world’s first industrial-scale “olivovoltaic” installation.
The 3.65 MW installation will feature more than 5,150 solar modules mounted on metal structures standing more than 4 meters above the ground, supported by steel pillars anchored in concrete foundations. The elevated configuration will allow agricultural machinery to operate beneath the panels, enabling conventional farming activities, including olive harvesting, to continue.
The project will also include a 3 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to optimize energy use and improve operational flexibility.
Spain’s Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) has awarded the project a €2.8 million grant to support the integration of renewable energy technologies into industrial operations..

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It uses a device called TerraNode, which combines cameras and multiple sensors. The aim is to monitor outdoor locations. Interestingly, it uses AI to analyse information collected at a site. The device can operate without an external power supply, which makes it suitable for remote locations. The reason is that installing conventional monitoring equipment can be difficult or expensive.

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Construction started this month on a solar array at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, according to a news item from the organization. The Morton Arboretum said the installation is expected to cover almost all of its annual electricity needs.
The array will sit on a south-facing hillside, a siting choice intended to raise energy output while limiting land use. Once finished, the project is expected to generate more than 3 million kWh each year and, as reported, to occupy less than half the land that conventional array layouts would require.
Jill Koski, the Arboretum president and chief executive, described the organization as setting an example and said it aims to model sustainable practices for other arboreta, public gardens and community members. She framed the array as one part of a broader environmental commitment intended to make operations more sustainable over the coming decades.
Rachel Novick, the Arboretum director of sustainability, said the organization sees an opportunity to inspire its roughly one million annual visitors and the wider community by applying sustainability and conservation solutions to its own operations. She characterized the effort as a multi-decade commitment reflecting long-term dedication to environmental sustainability.
Madison Energy Infrastructure will build, own and operate the array. Ryan Coakley, the company chief development officer, said Madison was proud to partner with the Arboretum, noting its century of work protecting trees and teaching the public about their importance. He said the project fits Madison’s focus on sustainable infrastructure that serves local communities and that helping such an institution lower operating costs allows more of its resources to go toward its mission.
By generating clean energy, the installation is expected to reduce the Arboretum’s carbon footprint and to demonstrate sustainable practices that benefit the ecosystems the organization works to protect and study.
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The Climate Investment Fund, managed by Norway’s state-owned investment fund for developing countries Norfund, and Danish development finance institution Impact Fund Denmark are investing in a 49% equity stake in the 500 MW Ixus Bugallon solar power project in the Philippines.
The project will be built in Bugallon within the coastal province of Pangasinan, northwestern Philippines, by Singapore-headquartered renewable energy company Vena Energy, which holds the remaining 51% stake.
The Ixus Bugallon project reached financial close in July 2026 after securing around $310 million in senior loans from a consortium of eight international banks. 
The investment is the Climate Investment Fund’s first in the Philippines. Norway’s Minister of International Development, Åsmund Aukrust, said the investment is a “good example of mobilising private capital and preventing emissions through profitable investments in renewable energy.”
He added that an increase to the Climate Investment Fund is being proposed in Norway’s 2027 state budget.
The Ixus Bugallon project will be located next to Vena Energy’s existing 550 MW Bugallon solar power project. Together, the two plants are one of the Philippines’ largest solar clusters.
The latest plant was awarded under the Philippines Department of Energy’s (DOE) second green energy auction. It is expected to generate enough electricity to power roughly 650,000 Philippine households annually once operational.
Earlier this year, DOE unveiled plans to hold four editions of its flagship green energy auction programme over the next two years as part of wider plans to auction 25 GW of renewables by 2035.
The Philippines installed 899 MW of solar in 2025, according to figures published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), taking cumulative solar capacity to 3,892 MW.
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Wyze Unveils $69.98 Wire-Free 2K Solar Cam Powered with One Hour of Daily Sunlight  Business Wire
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Plans to improve the energy efficiency of almost 10,000 council-owned homes in Sheffield and lower fuel bills by 2030 are to be considered.
A combination of better insulation and solar panels would be installed in as many as 9,850 homes, if the proposals, which are expected to cost £29.6m, are approved by Sheffield City Council.
The programme, which the authority said could see tenants' bills lowered by £250 a year, would also help cut emissions and improve health across the city, according to the council.
Douglas Johnson, chair of the housing policy committee, said: "We want to deliver lasting improvements that make a real difference to tenants' household finances, health and quality of life."
"Energy bills continue to be a significant concern for many households, and these proposals could put around £250 a year back into the pockets of each household benefiting from the programme," he added.
"We want to make thousands of council homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable."
As many as 5,250 homes could receive solar panels and batteries using third-party investment, with 4,000 homes set to see fabric improvements such as better insulation, a council spokesperson said.
If successfully delivered, the programme was estimated to save tenants collectively between £2.4m and £3.5m on their fuel bills every year, they said.
Those figures were "strategic estimates" based on national evidence and current assumptions about Sheffield's housing stock, according to the council.
The plan would help the authority meet the government requirement that all social housing meets Energy Performance Certificate Band C by April 2030, the spokesperson said.
Energy regulator Ofgem increased the price cap by 4% this month, raising energy prices for millions of households across the UK.
The plans are due to be considered by Sheffield City Council's housing policy committee at a meeting on Thursday.
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India curtails 96.9GW of solar PV in September  PV Tech
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Solesca v2 software adds 3D terrain modelling to solar project design  PV Tech
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By: Marie Wilson, NCTV17
Published: October 20, 2026 at 8:55 AM CDT
Indian Prairie School District 204 may pursue new solar panels atop two more of its buildings to create electricity and lower energy costs. 
The district is already installing solar panels at five schools, including Brooks, Gombert, Georgetown, McCarty and Steck elementaries, where permits are expected to be issued and work to begin soon, said Becky Thompson with Nania Energy Advisors, the district’s energy consultant, at Monday’s school board meeting.
Now two more schools — the Birkett Center building near Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville and White Eagle Elementary in Aurora — are being considered. 
“Having long-term energy reduction on site will pay dividends for years to come,” Thompson said.
The cost-benefit analysis for solar panels at Birkett and White Eagle varies because electricity for each school comes from different utilities — the Naperville Electric Utility for Birkett and ComEd for White Eagle. More energy-related charges for solar panels can be offset under ComEd’s policies than Naperville’s, Thompson said. 
The Birkett project is estimated to generate a return on investment in slightly less than seven years. It would cost roughly $1.5 million to install, and its energy production would offset 52% of the electricity used at the facility, eventually saving roughly $996,000 over 25 years, according to Thompson. 
Meanwhile, solar panels at White Eagle would cost roughly $544,000, would offset 86% of the school’s electric use and would pay for themselves in less than five years, her estimates show. Over the lifespan of the panels, the expected savings would be $705,000. 
Yet administrators said both projects are worth pursuing because of the upcoming expiration of a federal solar incentive program at the end of 2027. 
“That’s why there’s a little urgency to complete these projects,” Thompson said. 
Federal and state incentives currently can add up to between 30% and 50% of the total cost of a solar panel installation, Thompson said, with offerings that have “never been better.” Yet, when the federal program concludes, the future of solar funding “is widely unknown,” she said. 
So, while capital funding is available for general infrastructure and energy efficiency projects through the district’s Safer, Stronger 204 referendum, Thompson said she recommends the district pursue these two solar projects within roughly the next year. 
School board members asked why Birkett and White Eagle have been identified as the best sites for potential solar panels, and officials said it comes down factors including the age and condition of the roof. 
“We never want to put solar on a rooftop that needs to be replaced in 5 to 10 years because it becomes cost-prohibitive to take the solar panels down, store them and then put them back up,” Thompson said.
Variability among roof heights also factors in and weighs against the feasibility of solar installation at some of the district’s largest facilities. 
“Some of our high school buildings are not the best fit for solar,” said Matt Shipley, chief school business official. Take, for example, he said, a building like Waubonsie Valley High School, which has two separate — and disconnected — third floors. “It’s actually our middle and elementary schools that are a better fit.”
While incentive funding and future cost offsets are not as lucrative under the Naperville Electric Utility, Thompson said the district and its energy consultant have met with the city about the potential Birkett project, to positive results. 
“The city of Naperville is very motivated and very cooperative for this project,” Thompson said, even offering a $15,000 one-time incentive to encourage the installation. 
School board members asked how the costs could change as the city considers the future of its electric supply, and whether it will stay with current provider Illinois Municipal Electric Agency past the end of its contract in 2035. 
Thompson said any project pursued while federal funding is ensured through the end of 2027 would be unaffected by decisions about the future supply source for the Naperville Electric Utility. 
If the school board decides to move forward with solar panels at Birkett and White Eagle, the next steps would be drawing up design documents and contracting out the work. 
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Chinese solar module manufacturer JinkoSolar has unveiled a 510 W all-black residential solar panel based on its newly introduced TOPCon-based Amorphous-Si Passivating Cell (TAC) technology, which combines TOPCon electron-selective contacts, amorphous silicon heterojunction passivation and a back-contact electrode architecture.
The JKM485–510T series targets premium residential applications, including villas and homes with limited rooftop space, where power density, aesthetics and long-term reliability are key considerations.
The company said the 48-cell Tiger Neo 5.0 module has a maximum power conversion efficiency of 25.52% and a monofacial, dual-glass design. It measures 1,762 mm × 1,134 mm × 30 mm, weighs 22 kg and offers a maximum power density of approximately 255 W/m².
JinkoSolar said it has integrated several technologies to increase module power density and improve aesthetics. Its Gapless Cell Array (GCA) technology eliminates conventional gaps between cells, while concealed interconnections and busbars reduce inactive areas. According to the company, the design increases the effective light-receiving area by approximately 2%, resulting in an additional 10 W of module output.
The module also features Uniform Matrix Interconnection (UMI) technology, which replaces conventional printed main busbars with distributed electrical connections. JinkoSolar said the architecture shortens current paths, reduces resistive losses and enables interconnection processes that place less mechanical stress on the cells.
For improved aesthetics, the manufacturer has incorporated its All Consistent Color (ACC) technology, which combines precise control of coating thickness and refractive index with AI-assisted cell sorting. The process is designed to minimize visible color variations between cells, encapsulation materials and the frame, resulting in a more uniform black appearance.
The panel also uses Full-Spectrum Light Trapping (FLT) technology, combining surface texturing, antireflective coatings and rear-side reflection to improve light utilization under oblique sunlight and low-irradiance conditions.
The module features a power temperature coefficient of -0.24%/C, compared with approximately -0.26%/C for JinkoSolar’s previous TOPCon products. The manufacturer also claims the new panel delivers around 30 W more power than conventional back-contact modules of comparable dimensions.
For reliability, JinkoSolar has integrated a Perimeter Moisture Barrier (PMB) featuring butyl-based edge sealing to reduce moisture ingress and the associated risk of corrosion. The module also incorporates an optimized current-shunting design intended to limit power losses and reduce hot-spot risks under partial shading.
JinkoSolar offers a 40-year product warranty and a 40-year linear power output warranty for the module, according to its technical documentation.
“Our vision for Tiger Neo 5.0 was to develop a panel tailored to premium residential rooftops,” said JinkoSolar CEO Charlie Cao.
The new residential panel expands JinkoSolar’s Tiger Neo 5.0 portfolio, which includes larger-format TOPCon modules introduced in June 2026, with power outputs exceeding 700 W and efficiencies of up to 25.91%.
JinkoSolar has identified Europe and Australia as target markets for residential applications. The company has not yet disclosed commercial availability, pricing or production volumes for the new TAC-based module.
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With the UK set to almost double its solar capacity by 2030, a new certification scheme is encouraging developers to create better habitats for wildlife alongside clean electricity generation
With the UK set to almost double its solar capacity by 2030, a new certification scheme is encouraging developers to create better habitats for wildlife alongside clean electricity generation
Hares darting between hedgerows. Grasses and wildflowers pushing up between rows of solar panels. Birds wheeling overhead. It’s a world away from the smoke-belching power stations of old, and increasingly, the sites generating our power are doing something else besides – they’re giving nature room to recover. Indeed, a growing body of research suggests that well-designed and carefully managed solar farms can serve as refuges for wildlife.
Now, a new certification scheme is aiming to encourage more solar farms to become just that. Launched by Wild Power, the scheme assesses how renewable energy developments protect and improve habitats, awarding certification to those that meet its biodiversity standards. So far, just two solar farms in the UK have earned its seal of approval.
“I like to think of it as a fair trade stamp, but for clean energy,” says Wild Power director Joe Arafa. “Right now, we’re facing both climate and nature crises. A well-managed solar farm can contribute to solving both at the same time.”
Wild Power launched in 2022 after co-founder James Atkins experienced a lightbulb moment while travelling in northern Spain. A hillside solar farm there, with animals grazing between the panels and insects buzzing among colourful patches of wildflower, set his mind racing.
“It suddenly hit him that this was the kind of electricity he’d like to buy,” says Arafa. “It wasn’t just renewable; the land being used to generate it was also a haven for nature.”
Wild Power initially planned to develop its own wildlife-friendly solar farms, but after consulting ecologists, the founders took a different route. They instead created a free-to-download scorecard that helps developers measure, improve and report their impact on biodiversity.
The scorecard takes in everything from habitats and species to ecological connectivity, monitoring and site management. Measures such as creating habitat corridors, safeguarding protected species and tackling invasive plants can all add to a site’s score. Racking up at least 70 points means operators can apply for certification, which provides independent verification of the measures they have introduced to support wildlife.
One of the first sites to achieve certification is Dunmow, a 10MW solar farm in Essex, which became only the second in the UK to receive the award in September. It’s co-owned by renewable energy investment firm Thrive Renewables and cashback company TopCashback through their joint venture, Fair Play Clean Energy.
Under the Environment Act 2021, most new developments in England must deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%, a requirement that will extend to nationally significant infrastructure projects, including large solar farms, from November 2026. But at Dunmow, measures introduced by Thrive are projected to deliver a substantially larger improvement: a 65% increase in habitat biodiversity units, alongside a 19% uplift in hedgerow units.
Right now, we’re facing both climate and nature crises. A well-managed solar farm can contribute to solving both at the same time
Ecologist Guy Parker of Wychwood Biodiversity advised Thrive and helped implement some of the changes. Under his stewardship, species-rich grassland and new wildflower areas were planted. Gaps were plugged in neglected hedgerows, bird and bat boxes installed in boundary trees, and invasive scrub cleared from a neighbouring area favoured by breeding skylarks.
“It’s gone from a pretty bland arable field worked by tractors twice a year,” he says, “to a much more benign grassland with some really nice habitat features for wildlife. In the next few years, I’d expect a big uplift in invertebrates and pollinators among the wildflowers and grasses, and also more birds and mammals from outside using the site to forage.”
It’s still early days for Dunmow. Thrive only acquired the site in May 2025, and some of the habitats will take years to mature. The projected biodiversity gains have yet to be fully realised, and ongoing monitoring will be needed to establish how wildlife responds. But Parker has already seen a glimpse of the future in the site’s spring growth.
“I was walking through the skylark area in the early summer and it was full of agrimony, [which is] a yellow spike of a flower, like little fireworks,” he said. “There were butterflies moving in and out of them and warblers flitting between the scrub. It felt like a very productive, very special place.”
Parker suggests developers should consider building ambitious wildlife measures into projects from the planning and construction stages, when the cost of implementing nature-friendly enhancements can be a tiny fraction of what are often multimillion-pound developments.
In the next few years, I’d expect a big uplift in invertebrates and pollinators among the wildflowers and grasses, and also more birds and mammals from outside using the site to forage
“Tack on a few tens of thousands of pounds and you could do some really spectacular things for wildlife,” he enthuses. “For sites that are already operating, step out of that routine mindset of spraying, cutting, fixing the fence and start thinking about what that individual site holds, and what its potential is.”
According to the latest government figures, the UK had around 23.2GW of installed solar capacity at the end of August 2026, while the government’s ambition is to reach 45–47GW across the UK by 2030. That includes rooftop installations, but with many more ground-mounted solar farms expected, there’s considerable potential to improve habitats alongside renewable energy generation.
For solar operators, certification offers more than a boost to their environmental credentials. A survey by Wild Power found that 50% of renewable energy customers said they would be willing to pay a premium for electricity from a site with proven high biodiversity standards, suggesting there could be a commercial incentive for developers to invest in nature.
But certification is only part of the picture. While it provides independent verification of the measures developers have introduced, the real test is whether those interventions lead to lasting improvements in biodiversity. At Dunmow, annual ecological surveys will help track changes in breeding birds, pollinators and grassland species, providing evidence of how the habitats develop over time.
For Thrive, the ambition is about more than generating clean electricity. It’s about what happens to the land over the decades that follow, with future projects already being scrutinised through a biodiversity lens.
“We’re delivering on our mission, making sure everyone benefits,” says Thrive’s head of external affairs, Louise Daniels. “That’s people, but it’s also nature. We have a long-term interest in these sites, and we want to see them flourish. We’re looking [to create] a legacy of contributing to our countryside.”
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Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has announced the establishment of a TBC Photovoltaic Technology Alliance, bringing together seven domestic solar companies to strengthen Taiwan’s photovoltaic supply chain and accelerate the commercialization of TOPCon solar cell technologies based on back-contact (BC) design.
The initiative aims to establish a domestic supply chain for TOPCon back contact (TBC) solar technology, combining research and development capabilities with expertise in materials, manufacturing equipment and solar cell production, ITRI said in a statement.
The TBC cells developed by the Taiwanese manufacturers have achieved a power conversion efficiency of around 25.5%, according to a report by local media outlet Formosa News. The report did not specify whether the efficiency figure was independently certified or measured under laboratory or production conditions.
ITRI has also developed a laser-assisted silver-coated copper electrode technology designed to reduce the consumption of silver in solar cell manufacturing. The technology could reportedly lower cell production costs by 8% and generate approximately TWD 200 million ($6.3 million) in annual production value.
The alliance brings together companies operating across different stages of Taiwan’s photovoltaic value chain, including solar materials suppliers, cell manufacturers and module producers. Participants identified by ITRI include TeraSolar, Giga Solar, Motech, Sustainable Sunrise, TSEC and United Renewable Energy (URE)
Lin Fu-ming, a representative of ITRI’s green energy laboratories, said the collaboration will combine the institute’s research and development platform with the equipment, materials and technical expertise of participating companies to support the development of next-generation photovoltaic technologies.
The initiative reflects Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its domestic solar manufacturing capabilities and compete in higher-value photovoltaic market segments through improved conversion efficiency and advanced cell manufacturing processes.
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Thursday, November 5, 2026
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Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
pv magazine hosts its four-day virtual event on European solar and energy storage, exploring market opportunities, solar-plus-storage business cases, technical quality, and cybersecurity in the years ahead.
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Infinity Power and HAU Energy have arranged a debt financing package worth as much as $566 million for the Nefer Minya Solar PV Project in Minya, Egypt, a development described as a notable step forward in the country’s shift toward renewable energy.
The package features up to $265 million arranged by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, consisting of $160 million from the bank’s own resources, $75 million mobilised from Bank of Jordan and as much as $30 million in concessional financing from the Clean Technology Fund. DEG, FMO and Proparco are also providing additional funding.
Nefer Minya will pair 1.2 GWp of solar generation capacity with a 600 MWh battery energy storage system, a combination expected to make it the largest solar power plant in Egypt and Africa. The storage element is designed to let electricity produced during daylight hours be used during peak evening demand, improving grid reliability and broadening access to clean energy.
When operational, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to supply more than 1.4 million homes annually while avoiding over 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Electricity from the project will be sold to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company under a 25-year power purchase agreement, supporting Egypt’s efforts to expand renewable generation and reduce emissions.
Nayer Fouad, Co-Founder and CEO of Infinity Power, said the financing reflects confidence in Egypt’s renewable energy sector and in the company’s ability to deliver large-scale clean energy infrastructure. He described Nefer Minya as the largest solar PV project in Egypt and Africa, paired with one of the country’s first utility-scale battery storage systems, and said it would strengthen energy security, grid resilience and the transition to a low-carbon economy. He also referenced Infinity Power’s goal of 10 GW of operational renewable energy capacity by 2032.
Dalia Wahba, CEO of Hassan Allam Utilities, said the financing package shows what partnerships can achieve in mobilising capital for energy infrastructure. She noted Egypt’s ambition to generate 42 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and said Hassan Allam Utilities is committed to that agenda through HAU Energy, alongside Infinity Power and financing partners. She added that combining large-scale solar generation with battery storage provides clean power when the grid needs it most and reduces reliance on imported fuel.
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As part of a scientifically monitored Interreg project, a winery in Sissach, Basel-Landschaft, is testing solar power systems in its vineyards.
Keystone
In a vineyard near Sissach, Basel-Landschaft, the sun is now generating not only wine but also electricity. The EU-funded Interreg Upper Rhine program is financing a pilot project to test the benefits of photovoltaics (PV) in viticulture in this Basel-Landschaft municipality.
Keystone-SDA
The solar panels at the Zelglihof have been in operation since early summer 2026, as Viticulture Commissioner Urs Weingartner of the Ebenrain Agricultural Center said Tuesday during a media tour. The PV modules are designed to kill two birds with one stone: using agricultural land to generate renewable energy while also protecting the vines from hail, late frost, and heat.
So-called agri-PV already exists in Switzerland in fruit and berry orchards. In viticulture, however—apart from a system of a different design installed in Walenstadt, St. Gallen, in 2013—it is still a novelty. Weingartner noted that the geographical conditions for viticulture, with their sun-exposed slopes, are ideally suited for PV.
The Wiedmer family’s Zelglihof was chosen for the test because it already has a wiring system in place to feed the solar power it generates into the grid. In addition, the farm grows the hardy Muscaris grape variety, which requires little pesticide treatment, simplifying the operation of the system.
The pilot plant comprises 250 square meters of vineyard area and 70 square meters of solar panels. In the four and a half months since the PV system went online, it has generated nearly 5.8 megawatt-hours to date. That is 1.5 times as much as a four-person household consumes in a year, as Weingartner calculated.
Over the next two years, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (Fibl) in Frick, Aargau, will evaluate the effects of small rooftop solar panels on plants as well as on grape and wine yields. To this end, sensors have been installed in the vineyard that continuously transmit data, according to research associate Linnéa Hauenstein.
Among other things, the study examines the effects on soil moisture and shading—after all, even the heat-loving vines reached their limits during the scorching summer of 2026.
In addition to Sissach (BL), the cross-border pilot project includes two other locations in Germany. According to the Ebenrain Center, the total cost of the Interreg-funded project is not yet known.
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Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute has announced the creation of a TBC Photovoltaic Technology Alliance that brings together seven domestic solar companies, according to pv magazine. The initiative is intended to reinforce Taiwan’s photovoltaic supply chain and speed the commercialization of TOPCon solar cells built on a back-contact design.
ITRI said in a statement that the alliance seeks to build a domestic supply chain for TOPCon back-contact solar technology by combining research and development capabilities with expertise in materials, manufacturing equipment and solar cell production.
According to a report by local outlet Formosa News, the TBC cells developed by the Taiwanese manufacturers have reached a power conversion efficiency of roughly 25.5%. That report did not state whether the figure was independently certified or whether it was measured under laboratory or production conditions.
ITRI has also developed a laser-assisted silver-coated copper electrode technology aimed at reducing silver consumption in solar cell manufacturing. The technology could reportedly cut cell production costs by 8% and generate about TWD 200 million, or roughly $6.3 million, in annual production value.
The alliance spans different stages of Taiwan’s photovoltaic value chain, including solar materials suppliers, cell manufacturers and module producers. Participants identified by ITRI include TeraSolar, Giga Solar, Motech, Sustainable Sunrise, TSEC and United Renewable Energy.
Lin Fu-ming, a representative of ITRI’s green energy laboratories, indicated that the collaboration would pair the institute’s research and development platform with the equipment, materials and technical expertise of the participating companies to support next-generation photovoltaic technologies.
The effort reflects Taiwan’s push to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing capabilities and compete in higher-value photovoltaic segments through improved conversion efficiency and advanced cell manufacturing processes.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report is an independent strategic market study that provides a structured, commercially grounded analysis of the global market for Solar Cells and Module. It is designed for battery and storage manufacturers, power-electronics suppliers, system integrators, EPC partners, developers, utilities, investors, and strategic entrants that need a clear view of deployment demand, technology positioning, manufacturing exposure, safety and qualification burden, project economics, and competitive structure.
The analytical framework is designed to work both for a single specialized storage or conversion component and for a broader renewable energy generation component, where market structure is shaped by chemistry, duration, project economics, system integration, safety requirements, route-to-market, and grid-interface logic rather than by one narrow customs heading alone. It defines Solar Cells and Module as Semiconductor devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity, manufactured as individual cells and assembled into modules (panels) for integration into solar power systems and examines the market through deployment use cases, buyer environments, upstream input dependencies, conversion and integration stages, qualification and safety requirements, pricing architecture, commercial channels, and country capability differences. Historical analysis typically covers 2012 to 2025, with forward-looking scenarios through 2035.
This report is designed to answer the questions that matter most to decision-makers evaluating an energy-storage, battery, renewable-integration, or power-conversion market.
At its core, this report explains how the market for Solar Cells and Module actually functions. It identifies where demand originates, how supply is organized, which technological and regulatory barriers influence adoption, and how value is distributed across the value chain. Rather than describing the market only in broad terms, the study breaks it into analytically meaningful layers: product scope, segmentation, end uses, customer types, production economics, outsourcing structure, country roles, and company archetypes.
The report is particularly useful in markets where buyers are highly specialized, suppliers differ significantly in technical depth and regulatory readiness, and the commercial landscape cannot be understood only through top-line market size figures. In this context, the study is designed not only to estimate the size of the market, but to explain why the market has that size, what drives its growth, which subsegments are the most attractive, and what it takes to compete successfully within it.
The report is based on an independent analytical methodology that combines deep secondary research, structured evidence review, market reconstruction, and multi-level triangulation. The methodology is designed to support products for which there is no single clean official dataset capturing the full market in a directly usable form.
The study typically uses the following evidence hierarchy:
The analytical framework is built around several linked layers.
First, a scope model defines what is included in the market and what is excluded, ensuring that adjacent products, downstream finished goods, unrelated instruments, or broader chemical categories do not distort the market boundary.
Second, a demand model reconstructs the market from the perspective of consuming sectors, workflow stages, and applications. Depending on the product, this may include Grid-connected solar farms, Commercial rooftop installations, Residential solar systems, Industrial self-consumption projects, Off-grid electrification, and Solar-powered consumer electronics and mobility across Power Generation (Utilities/IPPs), Commercial Real Estate, Industrial Manufacturing, Residential Construction, Telecommunications, and Public Infrastructure and Technology R&D and Pilot Lines, Capacity Planning and CAPEX Deployment, Supply Chain Sourcing and Qualification, Manufacturing Process Optimization, Quality Assurance and Certification, Sales Channel and Distribution Setup, and Project Design and System Integration. Demand is then allocated across end users, development stages, and geographic markets.
Third, a supply model evaluates how the market is served. This includes Polysilicon, Silicon Wafers (Mono Grown, Cast Multi), Solar Glass, Encapsulation Materials (EVA, POE), Backsheets, Frames (Aluminum), Silver Paste & Conductive Adhesives, and Specialty Gases and Chemicals, manufacturing technologies such as Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC), Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon), Heterojunction Technology (HJT), Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC), Bifacial Module Design, Half-Cell and Shingled Cell Interconnection, and Advanced Module Encapsulation and Framing, quality control requirements, outsourcing, contract manufacturing, integration, and project-delivery participation, distribution structure, and supply-chain concentration risks.
Fourth, a country capability model maps where the market is consumed, where production is materially feasible, where manufacturing capability is limited or emerging, and which countries function primarily as innovation hubs, supply nodes, demand centers, or import-reliant markets.
Fifth, a pricing and economics layer evaluates price corridors, cost drivers, complexity premiums, outsourcing logic, margin structure, and switching barriers. This is especially relevant in markets where product grade, purity, customization, regulatory burden, or service model materially influence economics.
Finally, a competitive intelligence layer profiles the leading company types active in the market and explains how strategic roles differ across upstream material suppliers, component and controls providers, OEMs, storage-system integrators, EPC partners, project developers, and distribution or service channels.
This report covers the market for Solar Cells and Module in its commercially relevant and technologically meaningful form. The scope typically includes the product itself, its major product configurations or variants, the critical technologies used to produce or deliver it, the core input categories required for manufacturing, and the services directly associated with its commercial supply, quality control, or integration into end-user workflows.
Included within scope are the product forms, use cases, inputs, and services that are necessary to understand the actual addressable market around Solar Cells and Module. This usually includes:
Excluded from scope are categories that may be technologically adjacent but do not belong to the core economic market being measured. These usually include:
The exact inclusion and exclusion logic is always a critical part of the study, because the quality of the market estimate depends directly on disciplined scope boundaries.
The report provides global coverage. It evaluates the world market as a whole and then breaks it down by region and country, with particular focus on the geographies that matter most for deployment demand, battery-material processing, cell and component manufacturing, power-conversion capability, renewable integration, and project delivery.
The geographic analysis is designed not simply to rank countries by nominal market size, but to classify them by role in the market. Depending on the product, countries may function as:
This study is designed for strategic, commercial, operations, project-delivery, and investment users, including:
In many energy-transition, storage, power-conversion, and project-driven markets, official trade and production statistics are not sufficient on their own to describe the true market. Product boundaries may cut across multiple tariff codes, several product categories may be bundled into the same official classification, and a meaningful share of activity may take place through customized services, captive supply, platform relationships, or technically specialized channels that are not directly visible in standard statistical datasets.
For this reason, the report is designed as a modeled strategic market study. It uses official and public evidence wherever it is reliable and scope-compatible, but it does not force the market into a purely statistical framework when doing so would reduce analytical quality. Instead, it reconstructs the market through the logic of demand, supply, technology, country roles, and company behavior.
This makes the report particularly well suited to products that are innovation-intensive, technically differentiated, capacity-constrained, platform-dependent, or commercially structured around specialized buyer-supplier relationships rather than standardized commodity trade.
The report typically includes:
The result is a structured, publication-grade market intelligence document that combines quantitative modeling with commercial, technical, and strategic interpretation.
Energy-Storage Market Structure and Company Archetypes
The Key National Markets and Their Strategic Roles
Major R&D in PERC and HJT technologies
High-volume N-type TOPCon producer
Vertex series modules, 210mm wafer size
Strong in PERC and n-type technologies
Vertically integrated, strong project pipeline
Major US producer, strong utility-scale focus
Major US manufacturing expansion
Specializes in heterojunction (HJT) technology
Maxeon spin-off manufactures IBC technology
Major supplier of cells to module makers
Rapidly growing n-type capacity
Part of Chint Group conglomerate
Owned by Reliance Industries (India)
Strong international sales network
Significant production in Vietnam
Former industry leader, now part of Shunfeng
Exiting module business in 2022
Key player in India's domestic supply
Significant domestic and export capacity
Part of GCL Group polysilicon conglomerate
Aiming for large-scale vertical integration
Shifting to own-brand module production
Focus on premium rooftop segment
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Directed assembly of cathode interlayers enables efficient binary organic solar cells
Binary organic solar cells achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 20.65% and a certified fill factor of 82.7% after researchers used a methanol-assisted, stepwise deposition process to control the orientation of cathode-interlayer molecules. The treated interface produced a stronger surface potential and lower charge-transport resistance in devices based on PDISNN and a PM6:Y6 active layer. Sum-frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy showed that the procedure changed the mean molecular tilt at the interface, supporting the conclusion that directing interlayer assembly can improve charge extraction without replacing the binary donor–acceptor combination.
The work focuses on the electrode-facing coating in an organic photovoltaic device, known as the cathode interlayer. Such layers can create interfacial dipoles and affect the electrical properties of the junction between the photoactive material and the metal electrode. Their performance, however, depends strongly on how their molecules are oriented, and that arrangement has been difficult to control during film deposition. The researchers addressed this problem by exploiting the amphiphilic character of the interlayer compounds and separating the deposition process into stages rather than applying the layer as a single conventional coating.
Under the reported Method III procedure, the researchers first spin-coated methanol onto the active layer before depositing the cathode-interlayer solution. The interlayer materials, dissolved in trifluoroethanol, were then applied at 3,000 revolutions per minute for 30 seconds. The authors described this as a methanol-templated film-deposition strategy that controls molecular packing orientation while overcoming the solubility limitations associated with conventional orthogonal deposition. Two comparison procedures were also tested: direct deposition of the interlayer onto the active layer, known as Method I, and methanol post-treatment after deposition, known as Method II.
Three related perylene diimide cathode-interlayer materials were evaluated: PDINN, PDISNN and PDI2SNN. The best certified result came from a binary device containing the PDISNN interlayer and a PM6:Y6 photoactive layer. For the orientation measurements, the investigators examined a representative device stack consisting of indium tin oxide, a 100-nanometre PM6:Y6 active layer and an approximately 11-nanometre PDI interlayer. Sum-frequency generation measurements on this full stack were intended to characterize the interlayer in a configuration relevant to an operating device rather than only as an isolated film.
Using several polarization combinations, including ssp, ppp and sps, the researchers derived tilt angles for the transition dipoles of the interlayer molecules relative to the substrate. The conventional Method I procedure gave a tilt angle of 31.6 ± 1.9°, while the hexane-pretreated case discussed in the analysis gave 35.8 ± 1.2°. The study concluded that the methanol-templated procedure produced a preferred perpendicular orientation for the ordered PDISNN molecules. Standard error propagation was used to estimate uncertainty from variations in the measured signal intensities, and agreement among the different polarization combinations supported the orientation analysis.
Other characterization methods examined why the altered molecular arrangement affected device operation. Surface-energy calculations based on contact angles with liquids of known dispersive and polar components were used to characterize the films. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy was applied to determine work-function-related properties, while molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory were used to investigate molecular interactions, fragment dipoles and adsorption behavior. The results showed that the amphiphilic interlayer molecules interacted with the treated active-layer surface in a way that favored an ordered, more upright molecular arrangement and a stronger interfacial dipole.
According to the researchers’ interpretation of these measurements, orienting PDISNN more perpendicular to the substrate enhanced the surface potential and lowered the work function. They associated these electrostatic changes with a reduced interfacial Schottky barrier and an enhanced built-in electric field. The treated cathode interface also had lower charge-transport resistance. Electrical measurements on interlayer films used a defined electrode width of 11,000 micrometres and spacing of 500 micrometres, with conductivity calculated from current, voltage, electrode geometry and a film thickness of approximately 100 nanometres.
The photovoltaic measurements showed that the electrical and interfacial changes were accompanied by higher performance in devices made with the methanol-assisted deposition sequence than in the corresponding controls. The authors linked the improvement to reduced interfacial charge accumulation, which they identified as a primary source of trap-assisted non-radiative recombination. Suppression of that recombination was associated with a higher open-circuit voltage, while the reduced transport resistance contributed to the stronger fill factor. Devices were tested under simulated AM 1.5 illumination calibrated to 100 milliwatts per square centimetre, and external quantum efficiency was measured with wavelength-by-wavelength calibration against a standard single-crystal silicon cell.
The devices used either an approximately 30-nanometre PEDOT:PSS layer on indium tin oxide or a 2PACz layer deposited from ethanol, followed by the photoactive film, cathode interlayer and thermally evaporated silver electrode. The active layer was spin-coated at 4,000 revolutions per minute and thermally annealed at 100 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to remove residual chloroform and control morphology. Small-area photovoltaic measurements used a masked aperture of 0.0256 square centimetres, while large-area measurements used 1 square centimetre. These details place the certified result within the study’s reported laboratory device structure rather than implying a commercial module or panel.
The researchers also reported that the stepwise deposition method was applicable to different cathode-interlayer and active-layer combinations, with the tested interlayers producing higher efficiencies than their conventional-processing counterparts. The architecture could be extended to ternary active-layer formulations. The principal certified performance remained the 20.65% efficiency and 82.7% fill factor of the binary PDISNN system, so the broader results should not be read as evidence that every material combination reached the same performance. Encapsulated devices were also prepared for operational-stability testing under continuous white light from a 410-to-850-nanometre LED array, operating at the maximum power point under 100 milliwatts per square centimetre in air near 25 degrees Celsius.
Subject of Research: Control of cathode-interlayer molecular orientation for high-efficiency binary organic solar cells
Article Title: Directed assembly of cathode interlayers enables efficient binary organic solar cells
Article References: Yao, J., Zhang, R., Zhang, M., Wang, T., Jain, N., Liu, Y., Liu, C., Liu, X., Zhang, Z., Meng, S., Song, A., Wang, Q., Chen, Q., Gao, F., Zhang, Z.-G., & Li, Y. (2026). Directed assembly of cathode interlayers enables efficient binary organic solar cells. Nature Energy. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-026-02148-w
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1038/s41560-026-02148-w
Keywords: organic solar cells, cathode interlayers, molecular orientation, power conversion efficiency, fill factor, interfacial dipole, PDISNN, PM6:Y6, sum-frequency spectroscopy, charge extraction, Directed, assembly
News Source: Denise Maddox. (October 20, 2026). Directed assembly of cathode interlayers enables efficient binary organic solar cells. Scienmag.
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Fossil fuels remain inextricably bound up in modern warfare as cause, weapon, and primary vulnerability. From military engagements aimed at securing foreign crude reserves to targeted strikes on energy infrastructure, volatile oil and gas assets continue to drive global instability.
Writing in a recent Substack post, environmental advocate Bill McKibben highlighted how substituting hydrocarbons with distributed renewable generation fundamentally alters the strategic calculus of international conflict. 
“If we lived on a planet that ran mostly on wind and solar power, war would be less likely,” McKibben noted. “It’s hard to fight over sunshine.”
The intersection of oil and military conflict is visible across active geopolitical flashpoints. U.S. intervention in Venezuela has focused heavily on securing governance and low-cost off-take rights to over 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. Similarly, military operations targeting Iranian energy nodes, including the Kharg Island oil terminal, demonstrate how central energy infrastructure remains in modern theater operations.
Beyond direct conflict, fuel supply disruptions serve as leverage for economic coercion. The ongoing U.S. oil blockade of Cuba has constrained the island grid, resulting in rolling blackouts that disrupt basic municipal services, healthcare, and industrial output. Meanwhile, attacks on energy infrastructure across Eastern Europe and the Middle East continue to destabilize regional power markets.
In response to grid vulnerability and fuel insecurity, nations and consumers are treating clean energy deployment as an operational hedge. Island nations like Cuba and war-impacted regions in Europe are accelerating rooftop solar and battery storage installations to build localized resilience against centralized fuel shocks.
Every solar system installed on a roof or balcony generates clean, decentralized power directly on site, bypassing the logistical vulnerabilities of imported fuel and insulated from geopolitical blockades. Because sunshine is ubiquitous and impossible to hoard or blockade, replacing centralized fuel supply chains with distributed solar assets strips petrostates and military aggressors of their primary economic leverage.
Simultaneously, clean energy adoption across transport and heating is eroding structural oil demand. European electric vehicle sales reached 600,000 units in September 2026, marking a 39% increase year-over-year. Key markets led the expansion, with France surging 78% year-over-year and Germany rising 61%.
In California, which represents the fourth largest economy in the world, the grid regularly achieves stretches where clean energy meets more than 100% of total demand. When the sun sets, the state increasingly relies on large scale battery storage systems that spent the afternoon soaking up cheap, excess solar generation. This dynamic battery buffer has allowed California to slash its natural gas consumption for electricity by 60% over a brief two year window.
“We live on a planet where the cheapest way to make power is to point a sheet of glass at the sun,” McKibben said on a recent appearance on the Ezra Klein podcast.
As McKibben emphasizes, every solar array, heat pump, and electric vehicle deployed directly reduces global reliance on centralized, vulnerable hydrocarbon supply chains. While regulatory friction and political shifts can affect short-term project timelines, the underlying economic dominance and security benefits of solar generation make the transition irreversible, establishing clean power infrastructure as a foundation for geopolitical stability.
“The solar panel is the new peace symbol. Pass it on,” McKibben said.
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Global solar supply chains are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by growing protectionism and industrial policies aimed at supporting domestic manufacturing. This is the key takeaway from an interview with pv magazine featuring Laura Sartore, CEO of Ecoprogetti, an Italian company specializing in machinery and production lines for solar module manufacturing.
According to Sartore, this trend is increasingly evident across major international markets. “All the world’s primary supply chains, with the exception of China’s, are shifting toward a form of protectionism and price floors,” she said, citing the United States as one of the most prominent examples.

The dynamics shaping global PV supply chains – including solar modules, inverters, and battery energy storage systems – will be discussed during the “Decoding solar supply chains” session at the NetZero event in Milan on Oct. 21.
The session will examine the forces reshaping clean energy supply chains, from manufacturing and sourcing strategies to shifting trade and regulatory requirements. It will also explore what these developments mean for companies procuring solar and energy storage equipment in an increasingly complex global market.
Join us in Milan to hear from industry experts and take part in the discussion on the future of solar supply chains.
The US market shows that introducing minimum price thresholds, even above the prices charged by Chinese manufacturers, does not necessarily slow demand. On the contrary, according to Sartore, the sector continues to grow despite rising component costs, supported by the development of a domestic supply chain.
In China, prices are also gradually rising across the supply chain following government efforts to curb overcapacity, a trend that was expected to continue into 2025. According to Sartore, this shift reflects a growing focus on the economic viability of manufacturing in a market where solar technology has already firmly established its competitiveness against other energy sources.
Among international markets, Sartore identifies India as one of the most compelling examples of industrial policy in the solar sector.
The Indian government is progressively expanding protectionist measures and domestic manufacturing requirements beyond modules to include cells, wafers and ingots, aiming to reduce dependence on Chinese imports and strengthen local production capacity.
“In my view, India has the most serious industrial policy. They have observed Europe’s mistakes, and they continue to monitor developments in the United States,” Sartore said, highlighting the clear industrial strategy pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
A key element of this strategy is industry consolidation. Production capacity exceeding domestic demand is not necessarily seen as a problem. Instead, it can encourage mergers and direct investment toward segments of the supply chain that remain underdeveloped.
“The days of small-scale factories with a capacity of 200–500 MW are over; we are now seeing multi-gigawatt-scale facilities. And that is how it had to be—that is the only way forward for a continent-sized nation like India,” Sartore said.
This consolidation is helping create larger, more financially robust manufacturers capable of investing not only in solar cell and module production but also in the materials and components needed for manufacturing, including glass, encapsulants, backsheets and junction boxes.
According to Sartore, India now has the most comprehensive solar manufacturing supply chain outside China. However, domestic polysilicon production, a technically complex industrial process, remains underdeveloped.
“It will certainly be more challenging, because, beyond the raw material extraction phase, polysilicon production requires specialized technological expertise, capital-intensive facilities, and competitive access to energy. These industrial capabilities are currently lacking and must be developed and solidified; yet, India possesses the potential to scale them up,” Sartore explained.
Beyond technical expertise and investment, the environmental impact of manufacturing presents another challenge. Sartore stressed that developing a domestic polysilicon supply chain must also account for emissions from industrial processes.
“As India develops its polysilicon production, it must aim for high environmental standards and low-emission processes from the very outset. It is not enough to simply replicate production capacity—as seen in China—without prioritizing emissions; the goal must be to build an industrial supply chain that is competitive in terms of both energy efficiency and environmental impact,” Sartore added, noting that these requirements could lengthen the timeline for developing India’s domestic supply chain.
While India and the United States are focusing on large-scale factories and highly integrated supply chains, Sartore advocates a different approach for Europe.
She argues that Europe’s industrial model cannot be assessed using the same criteria as those applied in the United States or Asia. The continent’s manufacturing sector has historically been built around small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), industrial clusters and networks of specialized manufacturers.
“In Europe, we lack the ‘gigafactory’ or ‘mega-factory’ structure seen in India or the United States. Historically, our industrial fabric has been composed of small and medium-sized enterprises, across all sectors and fields,” she said.
Sartore points to Italy and Germany, where numerous industries have achieved international leadership through networks of relatively small but highly competitive companies.
According to Sartore, Europe’s solar manufacturing sector should build on this strength rather than attempt to replicate production models dominated by a handful of large manufacturers.
“The European multi-factory, network-based model is one that should not be abandoned,” she said.
However, this does not mean that small module assembly lines can remain competitive regardless of their production capacity. Manufacturers need to achieve a minimum production scale and invest in adequate levels of technology and automation to justify Capex and maintain competitive costs.
“A scale of 800 MW to 1 GW is the minimum threshold—necessary to make an investment sustainable—otherwise, the Capex burden becomes too heavy, making it impossible to reach competitive module price points,” Sartore explained.
Factory size is a key factor in the future of European solar module manufacturing.
According to Sartore, a production capacity of 1 GW to 3 GW offers an optimal balance between economies of scale, financial viability and operational complexity.
“A capacity of 1 to 3 GW is manageable,” she said, explaining that facilities of this size typically correspond to companies with annual revenue of €100 million ($112.2 million) to €200 million and approximately 150 to 300 employees.
Such companies are large enough to support industrial-scale manufacturing while remaining compatible with Europe’s existing industrial structure.
The challenge goes beyond the initial capital investment required to build a factory. Once production begins, manufacturers face substantial operating costs, particularly for raw material procurement.
Although increasing production capacity initially reduces module production costs per unit, there is a point beyond which the financial burden of operating a larger facility can offset these savings.
“In the European context, the 1 GW to 3 GW range captures the benefits of economies of scale. Beyond 3 GW, additional management costs and financial charges come into play; these weigh on the bottom line and do not necessarily lead to lower raw material procurement costs,” Sartore said.
For a 5 GW factory, working capital requirements can become particularly significant. Procuring and managing large volumes of raw materials requires substantial credit lines, bank guarantees and careful financial planning. These costs must be weighed against potential economies of scale, as greater production capacity does not necessarily translate into lower unit costs. Larger facilities also face greater financial exposure if demand falls short of production capacity.
“In Europe, without supply chain integration, if I need to purchase 5 GW worth of raw materials, I require structured bank collateral. There are high costs for credit guarantees and interest on cash flow—all of which weigh on the purchase price of the raw materials and on the company itself—potentially making the resulting photovoltaic module no more cost-effective than one produced by a smaller-scale manufacturer,” she explained.
As a result, a larger factory does not necessarily have lower production costs than a medium-sized facility, particularly when financing expenses and operating overheads are taken into account.
For medium-sized European manufacturers, a more moderate production scale can help limit financial exposure and make working capital requirements easier to manage, particularly given the financing conditions in Europe’s banking sector.
Production capacity should also reflect the characteristics of market demand.
According to Sartore, Europe’s solar market has a more fragmented structure than other major international markets, with projects generally smaller than gigawatt-scale installations and manufacturers required to handle a wider range of order sizes.
European solar projects often range from a few megawatts to several tens of megawatts, while installations approaching or exceeding 1 GW remain relatively rare.
Sartore argues that this further supports the development of a network of manufacturers capable of adapting production to individual customer requirements.
“There won’t be many gigawatt-scale solar power plant projects in Europe,” Sartore said. “The European market is defined by diverse requirements and local conditions, making the development of numerous medium-to-large-scale plants more likely than the creation of a large number of mega-installations.”
Production flexibility therefore becomes a key competitive factor alongside manufacturing costs and supply chain capabilities.
From this perspective, the future of European solar manufacturing may depend less on establishing a handful of massive gigafactories and more on developing a network of medium-sized manufacturers that are financially viable and capable of responding to diverse market requirements.
According to Sartore, this model is better suited to Europe’s industrial structure and the specific characteristics of its solar market.
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Grid operators across Germany are facing a growing number of connection requests for battery energy storage systems and rooftop solar installations. To manage the increasing workload, distribution system operators (DSOs), including Netze BW, are turning to digital solutions.
The southern German grid operator has unveiled an automated assessment process for PV systems with capacities of up to 15 kW. The system can reduce processing times from an average of 12 days to around five minutes in areas where sufficient grid capacity is available.
Netze BW launched the system in late July 2026, following a testing and rollout phase that began in November 2025. Since then, the company has received more than 16,000 grid connection requests for small-scale PV installations, according to Angelika Ruß, a Netze BW representative, speaking at a press briefing.
More than 5,000 applicants have already received automated responses within five minutes. Marc Schmidt, also of Netze BW, said these responses constitute binding grid connection approvals and specify the connection point for installations up to 15 kW.
Jörg Reichert, chairman of Netze BW’s management board, highlighted the company’s strong performance in a digitalization index published this summer by Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), the country’s energy regulator.
“The energy transition cannot be achieved with a single mouse click – but the right digital solutions can certainly speed things up significantly,” said Reichert. “Anyone wanting to connect a photovoltaic system should be able to reach their goal without paperwork, waiting on hold, or follow-up inquiries.”
In a recently published comparison of German DSOs, Netze BW recorded an average processing time of 12 days for manually assessed grid connection requests, compared with a median of 80 days across all operators. The automated system could further improve the company’s performance.
However, automated approvals are currently limited to installations in areas where grid capacity is not considered critical. In these locations, the entire process is handled through Netze BW’s online customer portal, which accepts and processes requests around the clock.
Schmidt said 99% of grid connection requests are now submitted through the portal.
The automated assessment relies on a digital grid model that maps power lines, substations and individual customer connections. The system calculates available grid capacity, checks technical constraints and accounts for previously approved connections.
Where the assessment identifies insufficient grid capacity, the application is referred for manual review. Netze BW staff then determine whether grid reinforcement is necessary or whether an alternative connection point is available. Such cases can take up to 12 days to process.
Applications for PV systems larger than 15 kW also continue to require manual assessment. Staff must review and verify the technical data before issuing a binding grid connection offer.
Netze BW plans to extend automation to additional connection processes while maintaining grid stability.
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A farmer tends to solar panels near mountain cabins as clouds drift over a highland pasture in Trabzon province, along Turkey’s Black Sea coast, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026.
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The EBRD has mobilized $265 million loan package for a solar and storage project in Egypt
The 1.2 GW solar plant will be paired with a 600 MWh BESS to store daytime electricity and meet peak demand after sunset
Egypt’s EETC will purchase the electricity generated by the project under a 25-year PPA
Infinity Power and HAU Energy B.V. have secured $265 million in financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for a 1.2 GW solar project in Egypt. The project is expected to become the ‘largest’ solar power plant in Egypt and Africa.
The solar power plant project will be accompanied by a 600 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to store electricity during the day to help meet peak demand after sunset. It has a Golden License from the Egyptian government to help fast-track the investment (see Egypt Approves 1 GW Solar PV & 600 MWh BESS Project).
The project is also co-financed by German development finance institution DEG, Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), and France’s Proparco.
HAU Energy is co-owned by Hassan Allam Utilities, Meridiam and the EBRD. Infinity Power, a joint venture between Infinity and Masdar, says this project is part of its target to achieve 10 GW of operational renewable energy capacity by 2032.
“As the largest solar PV project in Egypt and Africa, paired with one of the country’s first utility-scale battery energy storage systems, Nefer Menya will strengthen energy security, enhance grid resilience and support Egypt’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” said Infinity Power’s Co-Founder and CEO Nayer Fouad.    
Nefer Menya for Renewable Energy, the special purpose vehicle (SPV), owned by Infinity and HAU, will secure $160 million A-loan from EBRD’s own funds, while $75 million B-loan has been mobilized by the bank from the Bank of Jordan. Another $30 million is concessional financing from the CIF Clean Technology Fund (CTF) under its Global Energy Storage program.
Chinese solar PV manufacturer AIKO is supplying its all-back-contact (ABC) solar modules for the Nefer Menya Solar Project located in Minya Governorate.
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) will offtake power generated from the facility under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA). It will provide clean power at a lower cost than conventional generation, says EBRD.  
“Egypt continues to be a trailblazer in large-scale renewable energy deployment at affordable prices. By combining solar generation with utility-scale battery storage, this project will strengthen the country’s energy security and enhance grid resilience,” stated Aida Sitdikova, EBRD Director of Sustainable Infrastructure in the Middle East and Africa.
Egypt targets to achieve 42% share of renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030. In 2023-2024, it was about 12%. The country has plans to facilitate 10 GW of new private-sector renewable energy capacity by 2028 while cutting down 5 GW of inefficient fossil-fuel capacity. In 2026, the country announced plans to add 3 GW of solar power capacity, along with 600 MW of new battery storage before summer (see Egypt To Bring Online 3 GW Solar Energy In 2026).   
TaiyangNews 2024

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MNRE is contemplating a support scheme for agrivoltaics either under PM-KUSUM or separately
The ministry expects India could add around 5 GW of agrivoltaic capacity over the next three to four years
Financial and policy support could make solar deployment more widespread in the country via agrivoltaics
India is considering a financial support scheme to encourage agrivoltaics to encourage dual use of land for solar power generation and farming. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) sees the potential to add around 5 GW of agrivoltaic capacity over the next three to four years.
MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi recently said that the government was working on a scheme to address the higher costs of agrivoltaic projects and incentivize stated to encourage their adoption. India’s technical agrivoltaics potential currently stands at between 1 TW to 2 TW (see TERI: India’s Agrivoltaic Potential May Reach 2.1 TW).
Under agrivoltaics, solar panels are installed on elevated structures, allowing crops to grow and farming activities to continue beneath them. The approach could help India expand solar power generation while reducing competition between renewable energy projects and agricultural land. Sarangi stressed that this approach could expand solar deployment beyond the top 5 states that currently account for 85% of deployment, to even those with less non-agricultural land.
Sarangi believes that agrivoltaic projects cost around 25% to 30% more than conventional ground-mounted solar installations because of the additional infrastructure needed to elevate the panels. The proposed scheme aims to address this cost difference and make projects more commercially viable. 
The projected addition of 5 GW would nevertheless depend partly on state governments introducing suitable feed-in tariffs (FIT), which determine the price paid for electricity generated by these projects.
As per the ministry’s estimates, the cost of power from agrivoltaics plants could range between INR 3.20 to INR 3.30 per kWh, compared with INR 2.80 to INR 3 per kWh for decentralized solar installations under PM-KUSUM.
The ministry is considering whether to include the support under the existing PM-KUSUM scheme or introduce a separate program. It is working with the Ministry of Finance to determine its structure. It is also working on a policy document to guide the development of agrivoltaics and engaging with electricity distribution companies to facilitate power purchases, according to the MNRE Secretary.
Speaking with the media ahead of the Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 to be held in New Delhi, Sarangi shared that trials conducted with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) have helped identify crops suited to agrivoltaic installations across different agro-climatic zones.
While fruits and leafy vegetables had shown encouraging results, the arrangement doesn’t seem to work as well for rice and sugarcane. He identified Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh as states with potential for deployment.
Earlier this year, India approved a new floating PV scheme to target 5 GW capacity, combined with 2-hour energy storage systems (see India Launches 5 GW Floating Solar Scheme With Storage).  
TaiyangNews 2024

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Italy awards over US$860 million to deploy 505MW of rooftop agriPV capacity  PV Tech
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Poland has changed its grid-connection rules to make it easier for households to pair PV systems with larger batteries, through an amendment to its Renewable Energy Sources Act that also revises the energy law.
From Dec. 1, the rated power of a battery connected with a micro-installation will not count toward the micro-installation’s installed power, as long as the battery’s power is no more than 2.2 times that of the PV system. Combined grid feed-in from the PV system and battery must also stay below the micro-installation’s installed power.
Under the previous rule, storage power was excluded only if it did not exceed the PV system’s power, effectively a 1:1 ratio. Above that, the battery’s power counted toward the microinstallation’s installed power.
The limit applies to rated power in kilowatts, not storage capacity in kilowatt-hours. A 10 kW PV system could therefore be paired with a battery of up to 22 kW, and the provision does not limit energy capacity. Owners will need export controls to keep feed-in below the PV system’s rating. If either condition is not met, the battery’s power counts toward installed capacity as before.
The amendment also requires electricity sellers to give prosumers more detailed monthly information, including grid imports and exports in kWh, the value of exported electricity and their prosumer deposit. It changes rules for energy cooperatives and introduces an auction system for biomethane plants above 1 MW. The act itself does not provide battery subsidies.
The Sejm passed the act on Sept. 4 by 380 votes to 2, with 53 abstentions, and the Senate approved it without amendments on Sept. 24.
In a government scenario in which 20% of new net-billing prosumers install batteries at up to the new limit, connected storage power would reach about 3.7 GW by the end of 2029.
Poland pulled back building rules in June that industry groups said would have restricted home and business battery storage. Separately, the Ministry of Climate and Environment has launched a PLN 1 billion ($256.9 million) home storage subsidy, with applications opening Oct. 20. It covers up to 30% of eligible battery costs, capped at PLN 800 per kWh, for batteries of at least 10 kWh. Storage already accounted for 60% of applications under the sixth round of the Mój Prąd rebate program.
From ESS News
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Thursday, October 29, 2026
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Thursday, November 5, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
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pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
pv magazine hosts its four-day virtual event on European solar and energy storage, exploring market opportunities, solar-plus-storage business cases, technical quality, and cybersecurity in the years ahead.
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Panasonic Speeds Up Efforts to Turn Windows Into Solar Panels  Bloomberg.com
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