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OMV Petrom announces that three photovoltaic parks developed in partnership with Renovatio have become operational and are now delivering power to the national grid. The projects have a total gross installed capacity of 130 MW and are located in Țăndărei, Bucovăț and Căzănești. The net capacity attributable to OMV Petrom’s interest in the three projects is around 65 MW.
The total gross estimated annual production of the three parks of 0.2 TWh is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 110,000 households in Romania.
“The commissioning of these solar parks is another step in advancing our renewable power portfolio. Operational assets in our portfolio, including partnerships, now have a cumulative total capacity of around 200 MW. A further 1,200 MW is under construction, and we target over 2,500 MW of operational capacity by 2030. These new renewable power capacities support Romania’s energy transition,” said Franck Neel, member of the Executive Board of OMV Petrom, responsible for Gas & Power.
Total investment for the three projects amounts to approximately EUR 78 million, thereof EUR 26 million grants under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
OMV Petrom is strengthening its position in the electricity market with a portfolio that includes the 860 MW Brazi power plant, over 2,500 MW of renewable capacity projects (including partnerships) currently in various stages of implementation, and power storage projects in Romania and Bulgaria.
Since 2004, ‘The Diplomat – Bucharest’ aims to bring a fair and balanced analysis and comprehensive coverage of the political and business scene in Romania.
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Pulau Tekong, Singapore’s largest outlying island, is one of the areas identified as holding potentially vast reserves of subterranean geothermal energy. Photo by triplefivedrew / Flickr.
 
Singapore discovered geothermal resources at potentially 60 times its annual electricity consumption.
Energy regulators appointed a consortium to run a 15-month assessment on generating utility-scale geothermal power.
The 2035 solar goal was meanwhile raised to 4GWp, targeting unconventional spaces like building facades and carports.
 Solar will meet just 10% of 2050 demand, driving the push for round-the-clock low-carbon energy alternatives.

Singapore’s geothermal resource potential is more than 60 times its current annual electricity consumption, its two-year survey has concluded.
Following these preliminary findings, Singapore’s Energy Market Authority has appointed a consortium formed by state-owned Surbana Jurong and Canadian energy consulting firm GLJ to study the feasibility of generating geothermal power from the newfound resources it detected several kilometres deep.
The study will commence by the end of 2026 and is estimated to take about 15 months.
“We are at the start of our journey, and have not yet made a decision on whether to deploy geothermal in Singapore. It could take many years before we get to that decision point. Nevertheless, we will explore this option seriously,” said Tan See Leng, Singapore’s minister for energy, trade and industry.
Given the constraints in deploying its most viable domestic renewable energy source, Tan said geothermal energy is one of the alternative pathways Singapore is “seriously studying”.

Meanwhile, Singapore has raised its 2035 solar target to 4 gigawatt peak (GWp) as part of its efforts to decarbonise its gas-reliant grid.
But even with its new target, solar is not expected to meet more than 10% of projected electricity demand in 2050, said Tan at the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) on Monday. 
“Ultimately, we need sources of low-carbon energy that can meet baseload demand at utility-scale.”
To date, Singapore has deployed 2.3GWp of solar, and is on track to meet its current 2030 target of 3GWp. The land-scarce nation has already installed solar panels on reservoirs, interim vacant lands and building rooftops, but plans to make a bigger push into underutilised spaces.
A new tender has been launched to deploy solar in less conventional spaces in the public sector, such as through replacing the rooftop materials of parking structures with solar panels, also known as solar carports, or building-integrated photovoltaics, where solar cells double as building facades. 
The government is also exploring the use of containerised solar solutions, paired with mobile battery storage systems, on vacant plots and remote construction worksites that currently rely on diesel generators. 
It has also partnered with the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore to link up private homeowners to solar installers to maximise residential solar deployment.
Meanwhile, Singapore industrial landlord JTC has awarded a tender for the country’s first overhang solar project to renewables giant EDP APAC. The project, which involves suspending solar panels between two existing buildings, aims to export 250 kilowatt peak (kWp) of power to the grid and will be licensed to operate for 10 years, once commissioned.
Under Singapore’s recently announced S$800m (US$624m) initiative to develop emerging low-carbon technologies, it has co-funded a pilot project by the Asia-Pacific arm of Portuguese/Spanish giant EDP Renewables and Chinese solar firm GCL Perovskite to roll out higher efficiency tandem perovskite-silicon panels – designed to generate more solar using the same amount of space – within the next decade.
“We are really pushing all boundaries and surfaces, literally… to harness solar across Singapore,” said Gan Siow Huang, minister of state for energy, trade and industry of Singapore. 
“But even so, we know there are limits to how much solar energy we can deploy here.”
This page was last updated October 29, 2026
Gabrielle See is an award-winning journalist based in Singapore who has written for Green Central Banking since 2025. She has covered the intersections of finance, geopolitics and energy transition in Asia over the past five years for regional and international publications, including CNBC, Eco-Business, Southeast Asia Globe and the Business Times.
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Asean’s first ever adaptation guide warns against financing projects that worsen climate risks under the guise of adaptation, such as monocultures and replanting drained peats.
Malaysia’s regulators are exploring a centralised nature-data platform, but will better data help banks assess environmental risks and make nature-positive projects bankable?
Most banks say climate-related risks are already captured in market prices, with only few explaining how these risks are reflected in banks’ financial statements.
Japanese policymakers should work with the investment sector to ensure its economic growth plans help the energy transition, argues policy expert Sam Hall.
The country wants fairer export terms for the regional initiative, while calling for more investment in its planned 100GW solar buildout.
Global 2050, 35 Smiths Neck Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371 USA. [email protected]
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“Most people selling electrical items are migrating to solar.”
Photo Credit: iStock
In Nigeria, wedding gift lists increasingly include solar panels, batteries, and inverters next to staples like microwaves and bed linens, reflecting how backup electricity has become a household necessity rather than an upscale extra.
The financial payoff is winning over many families — BloombergNEF estimated a small solar setup could recoup its cost in as little as 16 months as generator fuel prices continue to rise.
Running a generator became costlier after gas subsidies ended in May 2023, compounding Nigeria’s chronic power shortages. 
According to BloombergNEF, Chinese manufacturers have made solar panels, batteries, and inverters a much more realistic purchase for consumers.
A solar setup for a three-person home costs around $4,500, compared with a new petrol generator that sells for about one-seventh of that. 
However, BloombergNEF modeled generator fuel costs alone at roughly $200 per month, which helps explain why that upfront price gap can narrow much faster than many buyers expect.
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By the end of 2025, Bloomberg reported that Nigeria’s small-scale solar capacity had surpassed the amount of power supplied through the national grid.
The pressure on generator users has been particularly intense in cities such as Lagos, where fuel spending can quickly eat up a large share of a household budget. 
One Lagos resident said weekly fuel spending had reached about 70,000 naira ($52) before subsidy cuts made it even harder to afford, per Bloomberg.
The man eventually took out a loan for a 3-kilowatt Felicity Solar system. After switching, he kept his generator only for water pumping.
Nigeria added as much solar capacity in 2026 as in 2024 and 2025 combined, but environmental concerns aren’t the main driver behind the change. 
Households are reacting to unreliable grid service and soaring fuel bills by seeking a steadier, more affordable way to power lights, appliances, and other basic home needs.
The commercial response has been rapid. 
Alaba International Market in Lagos boasts more than 200 solar shops, with solar goods filling its most prominent aisles beside televisions and refrigerators.
The companies selling into Nigeria are scaling up, too. 
Felicity Solar entered Nigeria after struggling in China’s saturated domestic market. Its Nigerian managing director reported 250% sales growth in 2023 and a 200% average annual growth rate.
Traditional generator brands are also moving into the category by adding solar equipment to their product lines. The crossover suggests sellers see sustained consumer demand, not a short-lived spike.
For households, part of the attraction is flexibility. 
Abuja-based energy consultant Lande Abudu explained that the power source lets people “build with solar and scale up,” then add panels, batteries, or appliances as they can afford them, rather than paying for a full system at once.
The change is visible in Lagos storefronts. 
“Most people selling electrical items are migrating to solar,” said Nnamdi Nkemka, owner of CNN Global Solar.
Nigeria’s household solar boom is part of a broader move away from expensive diesel and unreliable power grids. The articles below look at that shift from several angles, including Nigerian manufacturing, emerging-market financing, and off-grid batteries.
• Across Nigeria, solar is drawing industry away from diesel generators and weak grid service.
• Across emerging markets, solar now beats fossil fuels on upfront costs and financing.
• In Africa and Asia, all-in-one off-grid batteries target homes still reliant on diesel.
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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The IROSA solar array unrolls under during the Oct. 29 spacewalk under the watchful eye of astronaut Anil Menon. Image: NASA.
Over seven hours and 11 minutes, the alternating darkness and sunshine of low Earth orbit set the pace as NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk successfully installed and unfurled the seventh of eight new solar panels designed to power the outpost through its retirement in 2030.
“Night is dark and full of wonders,” one of the spacewalkers radioed after the hatch to the station’s airlock swung open.
Menon, 50, and Kutryk, 44, switched their spacesuits to battery power at 7:57 a.m. EDT and began repressurizing the Quest airlock at 3:08 p.m. EDT, ending the seven-hour, 11-minute outing. The pair finished the IROSA work far enough ahead of NASA’s planned timeline that they could tackle “get-ahead tasks,” including preparations for the final IROSA installation Nov. 5.
“The spacewalk was essentially flawless,” NASA Mission Control commentator Rob Navias said.
The extravehicular activity, or EVA in NASA parlance, was the 285th devoted to station assembly, maintenance and upgrades and was the first of two planned spacewalks to install the final pair of IROSAs. NASA says the eight arrays will raise the station’s available power from 160 kilowatts to about 215 kilowatts.
“Engineers and electrical officers here in Mission Control are happy with what they’re seeing from the new array, which will add 8 kilowatts to the overall power capability of the complex,” Navias said after the 60-foot solar panel unfurled from its rolled-up configuration over about 10 minutes.
Kutryk, making his first spacewalk after arriving on station Oct. 1 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, became the fifth Canadian astronaut to walk in space and the first since David Saint-Jacques in 2019. It was Menon’s fourth spacewalk, bringing his total time spacewalking to 26 hours and 31 minutes, all of it logged since he arrived at the ISS aboard a Russian Soyuz in July.
The successful EVA brought NASA’s cumulative spacewalk time outside the station since assembly began in 1998 to 75 days, seven hours and 14 minutes, and brought 2026’s total number of spacewalks to eight.
Thursday’s operations got off to a quick start.
After Menon and Kutryk worked through a series of bolts to free the IROSA from the carrier it launched on, Menon locked his boots into a foot restraint affixed to the end of the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm, Canadarm2, and rode it, array in hand, out to the left, or port, side of the station’s main truss.
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney piloted the arm from inside the station while Kutryk made his way to the installation site along the truss. Flight director Greg Whitney led the spacewalk from Mission Control in Houston.
By about three hours and 13 minutes into the spacewalk, the pair had the array installed at the P4 truss work site on a bracket astronauts previously installed during a March spacewalk. In all, Menon spent more than two hours anchored to the end of the station’s robotic arm before rejoining Kutryk on the truss.
Because the new array’s power cables can only be handled and hooked up to the station while it’s in Earth’s shadow, when none of the ISS’ solar panels are generating electricity, mission planners timed the cable work to coincide with orbital night.
During the first available nighttime pass — an entire eclipse earlier than planned, according to Mission Control — Menon and Kutryk connected three of the four main power connectors before the station slipped back into sunlight, where it would remain for about an hour.
That was no issue, as the spacewalkers were running “about an hour ahead of the timeline,” Navias said as the EVA neared the four-hour mark. At 12:20 p.m. EDT, Menon and Kutryk released the final restraints, and the IROSA began to unfurl — no motors required — thanks to energy stored in carbon-fiber composite booms.
Mission Control’s electrical engineers had already determined the array was safe to deploy with three of the power connectors mated, and Menon made the fourth and final connection during the next nighttime pass, after the array had unrolled.
During an Oct. 20 briefing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Garrett Hehn, the flight director who will lead the Nov. 5 spacewalk, likened the IROSA panels to a snap bracelet that, once released, “just continues rolling out steadily.”
“All of the work has gone very much by the book today,” Navias said during the roughly 10 minutes it took the IROSA to unfurl. “So far, so good.”
The two final arrays arrived at the station rolled up and folded on a carrier in the unpressurized trunk of a SpaceX Cargo Dragon, which launched Oct. 13 atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Each weighs about 750 pounds folded, according to Hehn.
“Overall, these roll-out arrays increase our power generation capability up to 30 percent,” Gaurang Patel, operations integration manager for NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, said at the Oct. 20 briefing.
Space shuttles delivered the station’s eight original solar wings, designed to last 15 years, between 2000 and 2009. Rather than replace them outright, NASA opted to mount the smaller IROSAs in front of the old wings, partly shading them while the original panels’ exposed portions keep producing power. Each IROSA generates about 8 kilowatts of electricity, according to NASA.
The first IROSA unrolled on station in June 2021, though not without a fight: A spacesuit glitch and an array that wouldn’t unfold cleanly forced astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet to finish the job on a second spacewalk. NASA refined the installation process during successive spacewalks, and by 2023, six arrays were in place. That summer, NASA ordered an additional pair — the seventh and eighth.
Menon and Kutryk plan to venture back outside the Quest airlock Nov. 5 to install the eighth and final IROSA at the far right, or starboard, end of the station’s main truss, beyond the reach of its robotic arm. Menon will again ride the arm as far as it will take him. To cover the last stretch, he and Kutryk will pass the array between foot restraints in a maneuver Hehn said the team “lovingly” calls “the leapfrog.”
“Everything today went almost better than could have been expected,” Navias concluded after Menon and Kutryk had returned to the station’s interior.
Safely inside the ISS, Menon reflected on what he called “an incredible milestone.”
“Well, being outside, I can say that it is always sunny in space, except for a few orbits,” Menon told Mission Control. “And it’s quite incredible what we’ve been able to do to provide new solar arrays to space station.”
In his first remarks after venturing into the vacuum of space for the first time, Kutryk was quick to thank Menon for “being a great spacewalking partner.”
“Been wonderful working with you,” Kutryk continued. “A very special thank you to our crewmates Jessica [Watkins] and Luke [Delaney]. Trusted them with our lives to get us in and out today … They did exactly that.”

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Distributed Energy Infrastructure Adapts 3.37 MWdc Solar Project to Bedrock in Upstate New York  energynews.pro
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The UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has granted development consent for Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, a solar photovoltaic project with a maximum generation capacity of 800 MW, incorporating battery energy storage and infrastructure to connect to the national electricity grid.
The decision, announced by the Planning Inspectorate, marks a major regulatory milestone for one of England’s large-scale solar developments, promoted by Elements Green Trent Limited.
The project will be located northwest of Newark-on-Trent, in Nottinghamshire, and will connect to the national grid through the Staythorpe substation.
According to the developer’s estimates, the facility could generate approximately 1.13 TWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of around 400,000 UK homes.
The project includes solar photovoltaic panels, a battery energy storage system (BESS), and the infrastructure required to transmit electricity to the grid.
Technical documentation indicates approximately 1,120 MW of photovoltaic capacity in direct current (DC), corresponding to 800 MW of generation capacity in alternating current (AC).
The storage system will enable part of the electricity generated to be stored and supplied at other times, improving operational flexibility and supporting the integration of renewable generation into the electricity system.
Development consent includes the BESS installation, although the official announcement does not specify its final power rating or energy storage capacity.
The development will cover approximately 1,765 hectares, of which around 1,025 hectares will be allocated to solar infrastructure. The remaining land will accommodate supporting infrastructure, access routes, grid connections and environmental measures.
Alongside electricity generation, Great North Road incorporates environmental restoration and biodiversity enhancement measures.
Elements Green plans to plant approximately 64,500 trees and establish more than 50 kilometres of new hedgerows, alongside areas dedicated to protecting and restoring natural habitats.
The proposal also includes more than 800 acres of biodiversity areas outside the land occupied by solar panels.
In addition, it provides for 28 new public access routes, including walking paths and bridleways, with a combined length of approximately 34.8 kilometres.
These initiatives form part of the developer’s proposed environmental measures and will be subject to the applicable requirements during construction and operation.
Elements Green submitted its application for development consent on June 27, 2025, and the Planning Inspectorate accepted it for examination on July 22 of the same year.
The project was assessed under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, which applies to certain large-scale energy developments in the United Kingdom.
During the examination, local authorities, statutory bodies and affected communities had the opportunity to submit representations and supporting evidence.
Following the assessment, the Examining Authority submitted its recommendations to the UK government on July 28, 2026.
Development consent was granted on October 27 through a decision made by Baroness Curran, acting under delegated authority from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
According to the developer, construction could begin from 2027, although the timetable remains indicative and may change as the project progresses through its next stages.
With this approval, Great North Road has cleared a major regulatory milestone. However, development consent does not mean construction has started or that the 800 MW of solar generation capacity has already been added to the UK’s electricity system.
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Loma Del Norte Apartments in Anthony received solar panels, heat pump upgrades and roof repairs through New Mexico's Energy$mart Weatherization Program.
Housing New Mexico and Southwestern Regional Housing celebrated improvements at Loma Del Norte Apartments, where upgrades aim to reduce heating and cooling costs for low-income residents.
Organ Mountain News report
ANTHONY – Residents of an affordable housing complex in Anthony could see lower heating and cooling costs following energy efficiency improvements that include solar panels, a heat pump and roof repairs.
Housing New Mexico and Southwestern Regional Housing and Community Development Corporation celebrated the improvements at Loma Del Norte Apartments on Thursday, Oct. 29, as part of a local observance of Weatherization Day.
The work was completed through the NM Energy$mart Weatherization Program, which helps low-income households reduce energy consumption and utility costs while improving home safety and comfort.
Improvements at the apartment complex included roof and ceiling repairs, a heat pump and solar panel installation.
“Through weatherization measures, HVAC upgrades and solar panel installations, the residents of Loma Del Norte will be able to reduce heat loss in the winter and reduce heat gain in the summer months,” said Veronika Molina, executive director of Southwestern Regional Housing and Community Development Corporation. “The goal is to reduce the heating and cooling burden by at least 30% for low-income residents.”
The 30% figure is the program’s goal, not a documented reduction in residents’ utility bills.
Southwestern Regional Housing and Community Development Corporation, which provides affordable housing and community resources for low- and moderate-income New Mexicans, facilitated the improvements. The organization received the first award from the state’s Energy$mart Weatherization Program in 2012.
Housing New Mexico administers the statewide program through nonprofit service providers.
“Thanks to partners like Southwestern Regional Housing and Community Development Corporation, we can help many New Mexicans lower their energy costs and improve their health through the NM Energy$mart Weatherization Program,” said Donna Maestas-De Vries, Housing New Mexico’s chief housing officer. “We are appreciative of all the funders of this program and everyone who performs the hard work to make the energy efficient retrofits a reality.”
The Anthony celebration coincided with the 50th anniversary of the federal Weatherization Assistance Program, authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1976.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham proclaimed Friday, Oct. 30, as Weatherization Day in New Mexico, recognizing efforts to improve housing energy efficiency and reduce utility expenses.
The state’s Energy$mart program receives funding from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, New Mexico Gas Company, New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, New Mexico Housing Trust Fund, PNM and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Other weatherization service providers include Central New Mexico Housing Corporation and Red Feather Development Group.
The program focuses on improvements that can help households reduce energy expenses while addressing health and safety concerns associated with inefficient housing.
Residents interested in learning about eligibility and available weatherization assistance can find information through Housing New Mexico’s weatherization program.
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NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk are performing a spacewalk to install the 7th of 8 ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA) to upgrade the orbiting outpost's power system.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk are awaiting the start of today’s spacewalk. They are buttoned up inside what NASA calls Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs), better known as space suits.
The crew is running slightly ahead of the timeline according to NASA commentator Rob Navias. The spacewalk is due to get underway at about 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) but first the spacesuits will be fitted with SAFER units, jet back packs that will be used in the unlikely event a crew member becomes untethered from the space station. They will then move into the crew lock portion of the Quest airlock for depressurization.
The Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER), a small, self-contained jet pack, is now being fitted to Anil Menon’s space suit.
Menon has now moved into the outer Crew Lock portion of the Quest Airlock. He can be easily identified by the red stripes on his space suit, indicating he is designated EV1 for this excursion. This will be his fourth spacewalk since arriving at the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz craft in July.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk is now being fitted with his SAFER back pack.
Kutryk, who will be referred to as EV2 by Mission Control, has now joined Menon inside the Crew Lock section of Quest. Next up will be closure of the hatch.
The hatch between Equipment Lock and Crew Lock sections of the airlock is now being closed ahead of depressurization of the outer compartment.
Meanwhile at the Kennedy Space Center, the Pegasus barge is departing for the Stennis Space Center. It’s carrying a New Glenn second stage for test firing at the Mississippi facility.
The airlock depressurization is underway. Pressure in the compartment will initially drop to 5 psi where it will be held for space suit checks before being lowered to a vacuum.
Airlock pressure now 9 psi.
Space suit leak checks underway as the pressure in the airlock has reached 5 psi.
Leak checks are reported good and depressurization to vacuum will now continue.
Now 4 psi in the airlock.
Approaching 2 psi now.
Astronaut Nichole Ayers in Mission Control has taken over from the station crew in communicating instructions to the spacewalkers. She is designated Spacewalk Communicator for this excursion. Astronaut Jenni Gibbons is the CAPCOM in mission control, an acronym from the early days of the space program standing for Capsule Communicator.
Pressure inside the Crew Lock section of the Quest airlock is approaching vacuum.
The airlock has reached vacuum and the spacewalkers are starting to open the outer hatch.
The hatch is now open.
The astronauts space suits are now on internal battery power. NASA considers this the start of the spacewalk. The official start time was 7:57 a.m. EDT (1157 UTC), according to Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.
“The night is dark and full of wonder,” said Menon as he opened the thermal cover that protects the airlock hatch. He will be first to leave the airlock.
Menon is now outside the airlock. This spacewalk is expected to last about seven hours.
Joshua Kutryk has also left the airlock. He has now become the fifth Canadian astronaut to make a spacewalk.
Previous Canadian spacewalkers (with the date of their first spacewalk) were: Chris Hadfield (STS-100, April 2001), Steve MacLean (STS-115, September 2006), Dave Williams (STS-118, August 2007), and David Saint-Jacques (Expedition 59, April 8, 2019).
Menon and Kutryk have made their way down the space station truss to the location of the pallet holding the International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) that they will be installing today.
The two spacewalkers are working to release a series of bolts that hold the iROSA to its storage pallet.
The astronauts are using pistol grip tools to release the bolts holding the array.
Now an hour into today’s spacewalk.
Menon is now in a foot restraint, riding on the end of the Canadian robot arm, while Kutryk continues to work in the area of the iROSA pallet.
Final bolts are being released holding the ISS roll-out array in its carrier.
Menon is holding the new International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) at the end of the robot arm after it was removed from the stowage pallet on the station’s truss.
Now more than two hours and 16 minutes since the start of today’s spacewalk, Menon is being moved on the end of the Canadarm-2 to begin aligning the IROSA with the bracket for power channel 2A.
Kutryk is translating along the station to position himself for installing the IROSA.
Now more 2.5 hours into the spacewalk, Ayers told Menon and Kutryk that when they’re working on the mod kit for the new IROSA that they shouldn’t make simultaneous or sudden movements.
The solar array has been soft-docked to the 2A electrical power channel.
The manual maneuver of the Canadarm-2 of about half a meter is complete, moving to Menon’s right. His spacesuit has the red stripe on his legs. Kutryk continues working on the IROSA mod kit. The ISS is about 10 minutes away from going into a night pass where they can start making the electrical connections on the IROSA. Navias says things have proceeded as expected so far on today’s spacewalk with no bolt issues.
Now more than three hours into the spacewalk Menon and Kutryk are working to release a hinge restraint on the IROSA. This will allow it to fully unfurl to its full length of about 60 feet. Menon is now being translated away from the IROSA.
Teams in Mission Control Center Houston are determining whether they will use this current night pass to begin hooking up the power cables first or to unroll the IROSA first. Navias says they are still running ahead of the timeline.
Kutryk and Menon are preparing to open the IROSA after engaging the soft capture. There are about 20 minutes remaining in the night pass. Menon says they should proceed with the power cable mating and Kutryk agrees.
Navias says if all of the power connections cannot be completed during this nighttime pass, Menon and Kutryk will pause and wait for the next one, since they don’t want to be interacting with them when power is flowing.
Both Menon and Kutryk are at their de-mate locations. They are working to complete the remaining power hookups during this night pass with Navias reiterating that they are running ahead of the clock.
A little more than 3.5 hours into the mission, Menon and Kutryk have mated three out of the four major power connectors for the IROSA. They will pause on this work for about an hour until they are fully in a night pass again. They are in a safe configuration to pause this work.
Navias says that there have been no issues experienced during this spacewalk as the ISS is currently in a day pass. The station is currently traveling at an altitude of nearly 428 km, passing over the North Pacific Ocean. Our new ISS tracker can show you the station’s position around the globe 24/7: https://spaceflightnow.com/tracker/
Now a little past the four-hour mark in today’s spacewalk, Navias says teams are running about an hour ahead of the original timeline. With three out of the four power connections attached, the fourth will be mated during the next night pass. Right now, Kutryk and Menon are cleaning up the work site as the space station passes over the South Pacific Ocean at an altitude of about 426 km.
Menon and Kutryk are in the midst of releasing the final two restraint bolts. Once the IROSA begins to unfurl, it will take about 10-12 minutes to fully extend. The space station is currently passing over the South Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of about 434 km.
The seventh IROSA is now unfurling. The process will take about 10-12 minutes.
The seventh IROSA has been unspooling for about seven minutes in front of the legacy solar arrays.
With the IROSA now fully extended, and the space station back in a night pass, Menon is preparing to attach the fourth and final main electrical connector. Navias says because they are running as far ahead on the timeline as they are, Menon and Kutryk may also get to some work-ahead items while they have time outside the space station today.
Menon is now driving two tension bolts, which will make the IROSA as taut as possible.
Some of the work-ahead items for Kutryk and Menon will include removing the booms that helped store the seventh IROSA. They may also get to some prep work for next Thursday’s spacewalk, per Navias.
Menon and Kutryk are cleaning up the work site at the P4 truss and are proceeding towards some work ahead items for next Thursday’s spacewalk.
As the 285th spacewalk continues, Kutryk and Menon are beside the eighth and final IROSA that they will install next Thursday. They are moving towards the flight support equipment where they will remove a couple of beams to make that upcoming EVA a bit easier.
Kutryk hands over one of the beams on the final pair of IROSAs to Menon as the space station passes over the South Atlantic Ocean.
Now a little more than six hours into the spacewalk, Kutryk and Menon will proceed towards releasing some of anti-rotation devices (ARDs), which are launch locks that are holding the final set of IROSAs in place and previously did the same for the set that the duo installed on the P4 truss earlier in the EVA.
Menon and Kutryk have returned to the airlock and are exchanging thankyous with their support teams in Mission Control. They have been given a go to close the outer hatch of the airlock.
Mission Control has timed the end of today’s spacewalk at 3:08 p.m. EDT (1908 UTC). A duration of 7 hours 11 mins.
The airlock depressurized and the inner hatch between the crew and equipment locks is now open.
The Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER) jet packs have been removed from the space suits. Glove checks and photos will be taken to document any damage that might have occurred.
Menon’s helmet has now been removed.
Kutryk has also removed his helmet.
NASA commentator Rob Navias saying today’s spacewalk was “essentially flawless”.
Over seven hours and 11 minutes, the alternating darkness and sunshine of low Earth orbit set the pace as NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk successfully installed and unfurled the seventh of eight new solar panels designed to power the outpost through its retirement in 2030. Read Houston Harwood’s full report.

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“After Hurricane Maria, our electrical system collapsed and a huge demand for photovoltaic systems began.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A two-unit apartment building in Bayamón chose solar and battery backup to keep daily life going through Puerto Rico’s frequent power outages.
According to Solar Power World, Ricardo Fonseca, owner of Ingenious Solution Services, installed three independent solar-plus-battery setups at the Bayamón property rather than one building-wide system. 
One serves each apartment, and the third supports the electric gates and common-area lighting.
The four parking-access gates and the shared lights run on their own SimpliPHI 6.6 battery.
“The systems operate independently, they don’t communicate with each other, and there are no backup generators,” Fonseca explained. 
“Each apartment has eighteen 550-W solar panels with 19.8 kWh of Briggs & Stratton batteries. The building operated in self-consumption mode for five months after installing the three systems, as we were waiting for electrical approval from Luma Energy.”
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Every apartment carries a substantial household load, including an air conditioner, heater, stove, lights, and other typical home electrical needs.
Puerto Rico has struggled for years to maintain reliable electricity because of an aging power system and repeated hurricane damage. Fonseca noted that solar demand surged after a major storm. 
“After Hurricane Maria, our electrical system collapsed and a huge demand for photovoltaic systems began,” he said.
Fonseca has worked with solar and battery storage in Puerto Rico for more than 20 years, even though his company started in another field. 
“Our business began by offering services to the pharmaceutical industry in the area of ​​validations,” he said. 
Demand then expanded into electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, appliances, and thermal studies.
The systems provide backup power for daily life without forcing residents to wait out outages in the dark or depend on a fuel-powered generator.
Fonseca has continued using Briggs & Stratton’s SimpliPHI 6.6 batteries across Puerto Rico, completing about a dozen installations over more than eight years with the company.
“SimpliPHI batteries are reliable, long-lasting, and fast-charging,” he told the outlet. “I’ve never had any problems with them.” 
“They’re smaller than Tesla batteries, so they take up less space, they’re lighter and easier to handle. Best of all, they’re easy to install, and now that the new controller can be connected from either side, it’s even more convenient.”
Fonseca said another customer who uses three air conditioners overnight has not needed a backup generator because the batteries can cover the full load.
Fonseca plans to expand that work beyond his current footprint, naming Mayagüez, Fajardo, and possibly the central municipalities of Naranjito and Aibonito as future growth areas.
Discussing the Bayamón project, where there was no space for a generator, Fonseca described a new level of reliability. 
“The system works wonderfully,” he noted. “They’ve never run out of electricity. If there’s plenty of sun, the batteries charge in 75 minutes with the panels.”
“If there isn’t as much sun, it takes a maximum of 150 minutes. With the meters installed and the electrical certification, they’ll be able to start exporting energy to the grid.”
Others have used solar and battery backup to get through outages. 
• One solar owner rode out a weeklong outage after pushing for battery recharging from the grid.
• Two seniors weighing backup options found whole-home batteries versus gas generators brought very different trade-offs.
• One homeowner learned a blackout still required gas cans and extension cords without battery backup.
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Researchers in Sweden have investigated how climate change could affect the country’s solar power generation potential throughout the 21st century, aiming to provide more accurate projections of PV output in high-latitude regions. The study accounts for factors such as panel orientation, temperature and snow cover, which are often overlooked in conventional assessments of PV potential, potentially leading to inaccurate estimates in cold climates.
“We found that the combined effects of air temperature and snowfall are as crucial as solar radiation for PV production in high-latitude regions,” corresponding author Wujun Wang told pv magazine. “This is quite different from the case in low- and mid-latitude regions. In Sweden, climate change will lead to an approximate 5% increase in PV generation, which means global warming might be positive for PV generation.”
The researchers assessed PV generation from 1951 to 2100 in four Swedish cities: Malmö in the south, Gothenburg on the west coast, Stockholm on the east coast, and Kiruna in the far north. Malmö recorded the highest temperatures and solar radiation levels and the least snowfall, while Kiruna had the coldest conditions, lowest solar radiation levels and approximately twice as much snowfall. Stockholm and Gothenburg represented intermediate climatic conditions. The team combined an hourly snow-PV model with climate projections from the HCLIM43-ALADIN regional climate model at a spatial resolution of 12.5 km.
The researchers considered two climate scenarios: a low-emissions scenario involving strong climate action (SSP1-2.6) and a high-emissions scenario involving limited climate action (SSP3-7.0). Their model calculated direct, diffuse and reflected solar radiation reaching the modules, accounting for incidence-angle and snow-related losses. It also estimated cell temperatures based on ambient temperature, irradiance and nominal operating cell temperature, before calculating electricity generation using module efficiency and its temperature coefficient. For south-facing modules, the researchers tested tilt angles ranging from 0 degrees to 90 degrees in 0.1-degree increments. They compared projected yields with a historical baseline covering 1951 to 2014 and a reference tilt angle of 15 degrees.
“The projected trends depend on both location and scenario,” the researchers said. “Under SSP1-2.6, annual generation increases by 1.52–2.60 kWh/kW per decade, corresponding to less than 0.5% per decade. Under SSP3-7.0, PV output increases in Stockholm and Kiruna; however, it decreases in Gothenburg and Malmö. Nevertheless, the net change remains within approximately 30 kWh/kW by 2100.”
Compared with the historical period, annual PV output variability is projected to decrease in the three southern cities but increase in Kiruna. The frequency and duration of consecutive periods with zero generation are also generally expected to decline, potentially reducing energy storage requirements.
“In the future, an installation tilt of approximately 35° is suitable for all selected cities and can increase annual generation by about 3–6% relative to the commercial angle currently used,” the researchers said.
“The findings provide valuable insights into photovoltaic potential in a changing climate,” the researchers concluded. “It provides a powerful tool for a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, PV plant owners, power grid operators, investors, and engineers, to estimate the impacts of local climate change on PV generation, particularly in high latitude cold regions with long snow seasons.”
The findings are presented in “Impact of climate change on the photovoltaic power potential in Sweden across 21st century,” published in Communications Earth & Environment. The research team included scientists from Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, as well as China’s Zhejiang University of Technology.

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As a media partner of Genera 2026, pv magazine will organize and moderate a session in Spanish in Madrid, during International Electrification and Decarbonization Week.
Monday, November 2, 2026
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
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The investment is expected to support UK clean energy goals and create local construction jobs.
Elgin, a renewable energy company backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has outlined plans to invest nearly £400m ($531m) in five new projects across the UK, with a combined capacity of 230MW.
The company expects all five sites to reach final investment decisions by the end of the first quarter of 2027, with four projects anticipated to meet this milestone by the close of 2026.
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The proposed developments are located in Suffolk, Leicestershire, Buckinghamshire, and Staffordshire.
These projects will form part of Elgin’s solar and energy storage portfolio and are expected to move closer to supplying electricity to the UK grid following these investment decisions.
Elgin said the projects will represent around 0.5% of the government’s solar capacity target, which aims for between 45GW and 47GW of capacity by 2030 under its Clean Power Action Plan.
Furthermore, the company stated that its investment comes at a time when the UK government is seeking to attract greater private sector involvement in renewable power as part of national efforts to enhance energy security and support economic growth.
In addition to supporting the country’s clean energy targets, the projects are expected to provide construction employment and generate longer-term roles in operations and maintenance.
Work related to the developments is also expected to create opportunities for local businesses in areas including civil engineering, site management, electrical work, and environmental services.
Elgin chief executive Dermot Kelleher said: “The UK remains one of Elgin’s most important markets and this investment reflects our confidence in its long-term future. These five projects represent a major commitment and will help turn the country’s renewable energy ambitions into reality.
“Renewable energy is considerably cheaper than the alternatives and with improvements to grid access and planning processes, can be delivered more quickly – supporting economic growth, strengthening energy security and delivering more homegrown power.”
The plans follow Elgin’s continued expansion in the UK, where the company reports a pipeline of more than 10GW in solar and battery storage projects.
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ENGIE has announced the full commissioning of two solar projects in India totalling 450 MW. The projects are the 250 MW Khaba solar farm in Rajasthan and the 200 MW Khavda solar farm in Gujarat.
According to the company, the Khaba plant is expected to generate around 650 GWh of electricity per year, compared with 350 GWh for the Khavda facility. The Khavda plant benefits from a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited.
Executive comments
Sharing the development on LinkedIn, Pedro Vasconcelos, ENGIE Executive Vice President for Renewable & Flexible Power, said the commissioning reflects the company’s continued effort to build scale in a market undergoing one of the world’s major energy transitions. He noted that as electricity demand grows and energy needs become more complex, addressing them requires a broader combination of solutions.
Vasconcelos said solar and wind remain the foundation, but the energy landscape is changing, with corporate PPAs, battery storage, flexibility and energy management becoming an increasingly important part of the equation and helping build a more resilient power system. He added that ENGIE has secured its first standalone and co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects in India, while strengthening its energy management capabilities to better connect generation with demand.
Storage pipeline
The new capacities add to the company’s recent award of two projects incorporating battery storage. These are a 280 MW/560 MWh facility awarded in November 2025 and a hybrid project combining 200 MW of solar power with 100 MW/600 MWh of storage, awarded in January 2026. ENGIE said it is continuing to expand in India by combining renewable power generation with flexibility solutions.
In July this year, ENGIE achieved financial closure for its 250 MW Khaba Solar Project in Barmer, Rajasthan, with construction expected to be completed by Q3 2026.
US states and companies are continuing renewable energy efforts despite federal policy rollbacks under President Donald Trump, according to a Climate Council report. China, meanwhile, is emerging as a global clean energy leader. California, powered two-thirds by clean energy, remains a national climate leader, while Texas is the top US wind producer. Across the country,…
Read More US states advance renewables despite setbacks
JSW Neo Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited, has acquired a 4.7 GW renewable energy platform from O2 Power Pooling Pte Limited. O2 Power is a joint venture between global investors EQT and Temasek. The acquisition, valued at Rs 124.68 billion, includes a mix of operational and under-construction renewable assets. Of…
Read More JSW Neo acquires 4.7 GW renewable energy platform from O2 Power
Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has completed the e-reverse auction for its 375 MW / 1,500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) tender under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Tranche 2 scheme. Three bidders have been selected to develop standalone storage projects on a build-own-operate basis. KCC Buildcon Private Limited and Agastya Energy Industries…
Read More UPPCL awards 375 MW BESS under VGF Tranche 2 auction
Oyster Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd has appointed Sandeep Arora as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), as the hybrid renewable energy solutions provider expands its portfolio and presence among commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers. Arora will be responsible for strengthening the company’s financial strategy, capital management and long-term financial planning, while supporting its next phase of…
Read More Oyster Renewable Energy appoints Sandeep Arora as CFO
ReNew Energy has received $331 million in debt financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to develop a large-scale clean energy project in Andhra Pradesh. The financing includes up to $291 million in local currency from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and $40 million from the ADB-administered Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund 2. The loan forms…
Read More ReNew Energy secures $331 million ADB loan for hybrid project
Juniper Green Energy Limited has started operations of 60 MWh of its 100 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Bikaner, Rajasthan, marking the company’s entry into merchant energy storage operations. The BESS project has been developed through Juniper Green Energy’s subsidiary, Juniper Green Cosmic Private Limited. This is the company’s first operational merchant…
Read More Juniper Green commissions 60 MWh of merchant storage project in Bikaner
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THORNTON, Colo., Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced its participation as co-host of an executive networking event held October 20, 2026, in Willow Springs, California. The event brought together leaders and innovators from across the commercial space industry to discuss emerging technologies, mission requirements and opportunities for future collaboration.
Ascent leadership, including CEO Paul Warley, Chairman of the Board David Peterson and Director of Strategic Sales Tom Bawol, liaised with executives and representatives from various organizations including Venturi Astrolab, Impulse Space, Breakwater Strategies, Sophia Space and others. These discussions showcased Ascent’s thin-film PV technology and its ability to help meet modern space mission power needs to organizations that are actively developing next-generation space technology.
As commercial space missions expand their reach into increasingly ambitious projects, like orbital data centers, lunar exploration and advanced spacecraft platforms, the demand for lightweight, reliable and high-performance power generation solutions grows larger. This demand positions Ascent’s flexible solar technology as a reliable, readymade solution to support these evolving mission needs, as it offers significant advantages in mass reduction, design flexibility and integration versatility.
“Space innovation is accelerating rapidly. As that exponential growth occurs, so too does the fundament need for reliable, efficient power generation to enable the next generation of missions,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “Directly engaging with the very organizations that are shaping the future of space allows us to better understand their evolving needs while also demonstrating how Ascent's technology can help power their ambitions. The connections established during this event have led to ongoing relationships and discussions that could lead to future revenue that would expand the role our flexible solar solutions play throughout the space industry.”
Ascent's fully U.S.-manufactured solar solutions and secure domestic supply chain differentiate the Company within an industry that is increasingly focused on supply chain resilience and alignment with U.S. government and defense procurement requirements. These domestic manufacturing capabilities position Ascent to readily support both commercial space innovators and government programs in swift need of reliable solar power technologies.
About Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Backed by 40 years of R&D, 15 years of manufacturing experience, numerous awards, and a comprehensive IP and patent portfolio, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative, high-performance, flexible thin-film solar panels, optimized for use in space, military and defense, and other applications where mass, performance, reliability, and resilience are paramount.
Ascent’s photovoltaic (PV) modules have been deployed on space missions, multiple airborne vehicles, agrivoltaic installations, in industrial/commercial construction as well as an extensive range of consumer goods, revolutionizing the use cases and environments for solar power. Ascent Solar’s research and development center and 5-MW nameplate production facility is in Thornton, Colorado.
To learn more, visit https://www.ascentsolar.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute “forward-looking statements” including statements about the financing transaction, our business strategy, and the potential uses of the proceeds from the transaction. Such statements also include, but are not limited to, statements related to the intended use of proceeds from the offering and the potential exercise of the series warrants. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the company's actual operating results to be materially different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current assumptions, expectations, and projections about future events. In addition to statements that explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements that contain terms such as “will,” “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “expect,” “intends,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “plan,” to be uncertain and forward-looking. No information in this press release should be construed as any indication whatsoever of our future revenues, stock price, or results of operations. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.
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Silver traders are being pulled in two directions at once, and neither the Federal Reserve nor the solar industry is offering much relief. The metal settled at 52.72 USD per troy ounce at the day’s close, down 2.4%, with Sucden Financial pointing to a combination of firm US rate expectations and fading support from photovoltaic demand. The trading house was careful to note that these factors describe the market backdrop rather than pin down a specific trigger for the session’s decline — a distinction that matters when a single day’s move gets attributed to any number of headlines.
That caution is warranted. A restrictive rate environment can persist for months without explaining every individual loss, and the same logic applies to the physical side of the market.
Yesterday’s policy decision left the benchmark rate unchanged, despite inflation that remains stubbornly high. Two members — Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack — voted for a 0.25 percentage point hike, a split that undercuts any reading of the pause as a signal of easing. Reuters reported that US Treasury yields climbed further after the announcement.
Sucden Financial draws a line from higher oil prices through mounting inflation concerns to firmer US yields, with the dollar catching a bid along the way. Silver, the house notes, is sensitive to shifting expectations around US rates, and investor positioning played a role in the recent pullback according to its weekly report. Higher yields and a stronger greenback are the classic headwinds for a metal that pays no interest.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Silber Preis?
The next real test arrives on October 29, when the PCE inflation report for September is due. That release could reshape expectations for the policy path, and the possibility of a December rate increase remains a live topic in market commentary.
On the demand side, Sucden’s quarterly outlook, published Tuesday, sketches a softer picture. Industrial fabrication is projected to fall 3% to 639.6 million ounces in 2026, according to the World Silver Survey cited in the report. Photovoltaics — long the sector’s most dependable growth engine — are expected to account for a 19% drop to roughly 151 million ounces, driven by lower silver loadings per cell and a shift toward copper-based technologies.
Those are forecasts, not settled annual results. Still, they expose the limits of any rally built on supply alone: relief on the dollar and yields would address only one side of the pressure, leaving weaker demand expectations as an independent factor in how the silver price should be read.
The supply picture looks altogether different. Sucden estimated 2026 mine production at 844 million ounces on Monday, a 0.3% decline from the prior year, alongside an expected market deficit of 46 million ounces. The house also flagged falling registered COMEX inventories and limited free float in London, shifting attention from annual output to the availability of metal already above ground.
CME Group data for yesterday put total holdings in approved warehouses at 337.2 million ounces, split between 99.8 million ounces in the “registered” category and 237.4 million ounces “eligible.”
Silber Preis at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
A tight supply forecast is not a guarantee of higher prices, however. Reuters noted on Monday that solar manufacturers could cut silver consumption per module or substitute alternative materials — meaning scarce supply has to be weighed against potential savings on the demand side.
UBS Global Wealth Management weighed in on Saturday with a forecast of 70.00 USD per ounce by December 2026, citing demand from AI infrastructure and structural supply deficits as supports. The call came with explicit risks attached: prolonged rate hikes, a global economic slowdown and industrial substitution.
For silver, the expected supply gap remains a longer-term argument. In the near term, inflation data and the trajectory of demand will have to carry any recovery — and with two Fed members already voting for tighter policy, the market has little room to assume the pressure is lifting.
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For utility-scale PV plants, DC-side cabling often spans considerable distances, making conductor selection an important factor in overall material costs. SUNKEAN’s copper-to-aluminum jumper solution uses a dedicated transition structure that allows aluminum conductors to be used in selected sections of the DC-side circuit, reducing copper consumption while maintaining the required connection performance. Project experience indicates that, under suitable application conditions, the copper-to-aluminum approach can deliver cost savings of nearly 50%. For cable runs exceeding 20 meters, the economic advantage of aluminum becomes increasingly significant.
Installation efficiency is another consideration behind the jumper design. SUNKEAN supplies the copper-to-aluminum jumper as a pre-assembled cable harness, with the copper-to-aluminum connector assembled before delivery. At the project site, installers only need to crimp the copper connector to the copper cable, eliminating the need for complex copper-to-aluminum conversion work in the field. For utility-scale projects involving large numbers of repeated DC connections, this prefabricated approach can reduce field operations and improve installation consistency.
The copper-to-aluminum connector is central to the solution. The challenge in adopting copper and aluminum conductors is not simply replacing one material with another but ensuring a stable connection between dissimilar metals over the operating life of the system. SUNKEAN’s copper-to-aluminum terminals use solid-state friction welding, in which heat generated by high-speed friction, combined with applied pressure, creates a solid-state bond between copper and aluminum without melting the materials.
Compared with conventional fusion welding, the process avoids key manufacturing challenges associated with the different melting points and thermal expansion characteristics of copper and aluminum. The terminals also feature a high-performance multilayer protective coating to enhance environmental resistance at the connection interface and reduce the impact of moisture, heat, salt spray, and other environmental factors. Contact resistance is controlled at ≤0.3 mΩ, with current ratings of 46 A, 55 A, 70 A, and 95 A available for different applications.
As utility-scale PV projects continue to focus on reducing BOS (Balance of System) costs and improving construction efficiency, copper-to-aluminum conversion is emerging as an option for optimizing conductor materials on the DC side. SUNKEAN’s copper-to-aluminum jumper applies this approach through a prefabricated DC-side harness, offering a way for PV projects to reduce copper consumption while simplifying field installation.
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Venerdì, 19 Novembre 2026
11:00  – 12:00 CET, Roma
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.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
As a media partner of Genera 2026, pv magazine will organize and moderate a session in Spanish in Madrid, during International Electrification and Decarbonization Week.
Monday, November 2, 2026
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Missed pv magazine USA Week 2026?
Catch up on three days of expert discussions on U.S. solar manufacturing, distributed energy, and solar-plus-storage.
Thursday, November 5, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Monday, November 23, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid

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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“That doesn’t seem like missing data to me?”
Photo Credit: iStock
A Tesla Powerwall owner said a battery that briefly appeared to hit 0% in the app may point to a bigger problem than a missing graph point after a similar issue lasted 24 hours, stopped solar generation, and forced the home to rely on grid power.
On Reddit, not everyone saw the graph as evidence of a real system failure.
One user said, “That just means the data is missing for that time period,” later describing it as “normal.”
The owner pushed back, noting that the house appeared to pull electricity from the grid during both events and that the 24-hour outage put the home on grid power for a full day. 
“That doesn’t seem like missing data to me?” they said.
A second commenter took a more cautious view, saying, “It usually indicates a connectivity problem (or worse, an issue with the system) and is worth investigating.”
The original poster said the support flow ultimately sent them back to their installer’s contact details, but the installer was “seemingly” not answering emails.
They also added they could still access the setup through WiFi and that it “seemed like the powerwalls had just stopped communicating with everything else.” That would point to something beyond a simple app-display issue during the 24-hour disruption.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Homeowners who want to compare battery setups can explore EnergySage for home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
Another user said, “Check your utility portal for daily usage info etc. maybe it is just a data drop.” 
The OP noted that a review showed heavier utility use during the outage, helping separate missing app data from actual grid consumption.
Someone else offered another possibility for the shorter event: “The 30 minutes of 0% battery can be that the system is restarting, such as for an update.” 
Owners can compare the app with utility usage, log into the system locally if possible, and document whether solar generation and battery communication actually stop.
For homeowners who want backup power but are not ready for a whole-home setup, Pila offers another option. The company’s plug-and-play batteries are priced at a fraction of what a whole-home backup system would cost, which may appeal to shoppers looking for a simpler starting point while they evaluate installer support and system complexity.
Other homeowners have run into similar questions about whether a battery issue was just bad data, a restart, or a real system failure. 
• One customer watched their panel and battery system report a grid outage for hours, leaving the home dark.
• A homeowner’s solar panels stopped working during outages even with battery backup installed.
• Some Powerwall owners said server errors froze controls and made stored home energy harder to manage.
• One solar panel system saw output drop as batteries filled because pre-PTO rules blocked exports.
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Spacewalkers begin final phase of multi-year space station power system upgrade  CBS News
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India’s federal government has decided it wants more floating solar and is backing its ambition with investment and incentives. Deployed floating solar capacity in India stands at roughly 700 MW in 2026, but a new support mechanism approved by India’s cabinet in July aims to see that expanded by 5 GW in a five-year period. The Pradhan …
Venerdì, 19 Novembre 2026
11:00  – 12:00 CET, Roma
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.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
As a media partner of Genera 2026, pv magazine will organize and moderate a session in Spanish in Madrid, during International Electrification and Decarbonization Week.
Monday, November 2, 2026
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Missed pv magazine USA Week 2026?
Catch up on three days of expert discussions on U.S. solar manufacturing, distributed energy, and solar-plus-storage.
Thursday, November 5, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Monday, November 23, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid

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The government of Togo is asking stakeholders to comment on documents covering the development of a large-scale solar project ahead of issuing a competitive tender.
The Nangbéto solar PV project, with a planned capacity of 100 MWac, represents the first tranche of a planned 400 MW clean power program in Togo.
Earlier this year, Belgium-headquartered clean energy non-profit RELP entered into an agreement with the Togolese government to support the development of a government-led renewable energy program.
A social media post published by RELP explains that before the government opens the competitive tender for the Nangbéto project, it is asking the market to review the draft documents. Documents available for comment include the concession agreement, power power agreement, tender dossier and technical requirements.
Togo’s Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, Robert Koffi Messan Eklo, explained during the launch of the public consultation why Togo was requesting the feedback.
“If I sign at the wrong price, we’ll be paying for it for 25 years,” the minister said.
Independent power producers, contractors, suppliers and financiers are invited to give feedback on the documents. The deadline to submit comments is November 9.
RELP says the feedback will help make the final documents “clear, balanced and bankable, ahead of the tender launch expected by year-end.”
“Togo is starting something that matters for investors: a multi-year programme and a transparent, competitive process will give developers and lenders a credible pipeline and will provide the government good value,” Andrea Bertello, RELP Regional Director for Africa and Asia, told pv magazine.
RELP is also working with other West African nations to develop similar government-led renewable energy procurements, including Ghana, Senegal and Guinea.
Togo’s largest operational PV project is the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed solar plant, according to data from the Africa Solar Industry Association’s (AFSIA) project database, with a total capacity of 70 MW.
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Electricity demand in Quang Ninh province continues to increase along with socio-economic development, urbanization, and the expansion of production and business activities. In this context, developing local renewable energy sources, especially rooftop solar power to meet household needs, is considered a solution contributing to diversifying energy supply and using energy efficiently.
Quang Ninh has the potential to develop rooftop solar power with an average of 1,500-1,700 hours of sunshine per year. Utilizing rooftop space to install photovoltaic panels not only helps households proactively secure a portion of their electricity supply but also contributes to reducing pressure on the power grid, saving energy costs, and promoting the use of clean energy.
However, the initial investment cost for rooftop solar power systems and storage equipment remains a major consideration for many households before deciding to invest. According to preliminary calculations, the installation cost for a rooftop solar power system with battery storage currently ranges from 12-15 million VND/kWp; to meet a self-consumption need of 6-8kWp, the investment cost for households can reach hundreds of millions of VND. This makes many families hesitant to invest in rooftop solar power.
Based on practical requirements and government directives, the Department of Industry and Trade is actively developing regulations and policies to support households in installing rooftop solar power systems for self-production and self-consumption, as well as electricity storage systems, for the period 2026-2030. By October 18, 2026, the Department of Industry and Trade had received input from 33 departments, agencies, and local People’s Committees. This input is being compiled, incorporated, and explained to finalize the draft resolution. This is a crucial step to ensure that the policy, once enacted, is consistent with legal regulations, practical conditions, and the local capacity to balance resources.
One of the notable aspects of the draft is the mechanism for directly supporting a portion of the investment costs for rooftop solar power systems and electricity storage systems for households. Specifically, the draft proposes a maximum support level of no more than 15 million VND for each household solar power system after installation, commissioning, and operation in accordance with the law.
Specifically, for rooftop solar power systems, the expected support level is 1.5 million VND per kWp of photovoltaic panel capacity, but not exceeding 7.5 million VND. For electricity storage systems, the expected support level is 1.5 million VND per kWh of storage capacity, also not exceeding 7.5 million VND.
In addition to direct support, the draft also proposes a policy for lending capital through the City Branch of the Social Policy Bank. Accordingly, the maximum loan amount is expected to be 80% of the total cost of infrastructure and system installation after deducting the support amount, but not exceeding 100 million VND. The maximum loan term is 60 months; the interest rate is equal to the interest rate for loans to poor households as stipulated by the Prime Minister for each period, and the overdue interest rate is 130% of the lending interest rate.
The combination of partial investment cost support and preferential loans is expected to help reduce initial financial pressure, making it easier for more households to access and choose installation options that suit their electricity needs.
The draft also outlines principles for support that are open, transparent, targeted, and for the right purpose, ensuring fairness and limiting policy abuse. Each household is expected to receive financial support only once for one rooftop solar power system on one plot of land.
In addition to financial support, households also receive technical guidance during the investment, installation, operation, and exploitation of the system. The regional power grid management unit is responsible for providing guidance on installation and connection to ensure electrical safety; the commune-level authorities provide guidance on implementing regulations related to structural safety and fire prevention.
Mr. Tran Viet Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, stated: “According to the plan, in the period 2026-2030, the city aims to have approximately 74,000 households installing and using rooftop solar power for self-production and self-consumption. Therefore, developing a support policy is considered one of the solutions to increase the attractiveness of the investment option, while creating a basis for mobilizing people’s participation in the energy transition process. Once considered, approved, and implemented according to regulations by the City People’s Council, the policy supporting rooftop solar power will create more basis for people to proactively choose suitable energy solutions, gradually forming a habit of using electricity economically and efficiently. In the long term, it will contribute to reducing load pressure, diversifying supply sources, and supporting the achievement of goals related to ensuring energy security, reducing emissions, and promoting green growth.”
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Published on Oct 29, 2026
Peter Mwaniki
SEG Solar plans to invest $950 million in a 4-gigawatt (GW) heterojunction (HJT) solar cell manufacturing facility in Tomball, Texas, adding upstream production capacity to an industrial campus where the company already manufactures solar modules and is developing additional production lines.
The Houston-headquartered manufacturer signed a land agreement for the proposed facility at its Tomball Industrial Campus in the greater Houston area on October 29. The development is expected to create more than 700 local jobs and enter operation in two phases, each with 2 GW of annual production capacity. SEG targets the first phase for 2028 and the second for 2029.
The proposed cell factory represents a significant expansion of the campus’s manufacturing scope. Rather than concentrating on assembling finished solar modules, SEG intends to bring the production of the solar cells themselves into the same location, alongside module manufacturing and selected component production.
The proposed facility will sit next to two existing or developing module manufacturing operations. SEG’s Tomball #1 facility has 4 GW of annual module production capacity, while Tomball #2, which remains under construction, is designed for another 4.6 GW.
Together, the two module facilities represent 8.6 GW of planned annual production capacity. The proposed 4 GW cell factory would add an upstream manufacturing stage, although its capacity would not cover the full combined nameplate capacity of both module facilities.
The distinction matters because solar cells are the electricity-generating components inside finished photovoltaic modules. Module factories assemble these cells into panels, incorporating electrical connections, protective materials, glass and other components.
By manufacturing cells alongside modules, SEG aims to reduce its reliance on externally sourced cells and gain greater control over the origin and supply of an important part of its finished products.
The company also plans to incorporate warehousing, a research and development center, a certified testing laboratory and additional component production at the Tomball campus. Planned manufacturing lines include ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film and junction boxes, both used in solar module production.
The resulting campus would combine several stages of solar manufacturing rather than operate as a standalone panel assembly site.
The new facility will produce heterojunction solar cells, a technology that combines a crystalline silicon wafer with thin layers of amorphous silicon to improve the electrical properties of the cell.
HJT technology is designed to reduce energy losses and support high conversion efficiency. Its temperature performance and potential for bifacial module applications also make it attractive for utility-scale solar installations, where developers seek higher electricity output from available project sites.
For SEG, the choice of HJT technology is also significant because the company has already been developing HJT module production at its Texas operations.
The proposed cell factory would bring domestic cell production closer to that module manufacturing activity, allowing the company to develop a more integrated HJT supply chain.
However, the 4 GW cell capacity should not be interpreted as an additional 4 GW of finished solar module production. Cells and modules represent different stages of the manufacturing process, and the amount of cell capacity available will not necessarily match the total module capacity across the campus.
SEG is positioning the investment around the growing importance of domestic sourcing in the U.S. solar industry.
The country has expanded its solar module manufacturing base, but domestic production of solar cells has historically lagged behind module assembly. That imbalance has left manufacturers dependent on imported cells even as more panel factories open in the United States.
Bringing cell manufacturing into Tomball could help address part of that gap and give SEG greater control over the sourcing of materials used in its U.S.-made modules.
The development also has implications for solar developers and project owners seeking to meet domestic-content requirements associated with U.S. clean-energy incentives.
However, producing cells and modules in the United States does not automatically establish that every finished product or solar project qualifies for a particular domestic-content benefit. Eligibility depends on the applicable rules, sourcing calculations and documentation for each project.
SEG says its Texas-made modules using U.S.-produced HJT cells will give customers a more domestic supply option, with the company overseeing multiple stages of production.
The company has identified 2028 and 2029 as the targeted operating dates for the two manufacturing phases. However, its October 29 announcement does not provide a construction commencement date, the identity of the engineering or construction contractor, or a detailed commissioning schedule.
SEG has also not disclosed the financing structure for the planned $950 million investment or identified the principal equipment suppliers for the cell production lines.
Those details will be important in determining how quickly the project can progress from a land agreement to a functioning manufacturing operation.
The proposed investment follows the company’s earlier expansion at Tomball. SEG opened its first module manufacturing facility at the campus in August 2026 and has continued developing the second facility. The new cell factory would extend that expansion into another major stage of solar manufacturing.
If completed on the announced schedule, the development would give the Tomball campus a broader role in the U.S. solar supply chain, bringing cell production, module assembly and selected component manufacturing together at one industrial location.
The expansion of U.S. energy infrastructure extends beyond renewable energy manufacturing to the existing power-generation fleet. In a separate development, CPV Group has arranged $825 million in consolidated financing for its 1,470 MW Shore and Maryland natural-gas power plants, refinancing existing debt and lowering borrowing costs across the two facilities. The transaction highlights a parallel area of investment in the U.S. energy sector, where companies are also restructuring and strengthening the financial position of established electricity-generating assets.
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Solid Solar Pvt Ltd has commissioned a 20 MWp solar power plant in Malna/Patara village in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, India. The company describes the project as one of India’s largest solar installations on hilly terrain. Developed across a single hill at an elevation of more than 5000 feet above sea level, the plant is built with Gautam Solar’s TOPCon bifacial modules.
The steep, rocky and uneven terrain, remote Himalayan location and limited accessibility presented challenges at almost every stage of the project. Harsh climatic conditions, wildlife risks, logistical constraints and manpower shortages added to the complexity of construction.
Given the significant variations in elevation and terrain, Solid Solar created a detailed 3D model of the entire hill. This enabled the design and site teams to plan the placement of modules and supporting structures according to the actual contours, helping achieve a precise layout while making the best use of the available space and sunlight.
As most of the hill could not be accessed by conventional vehicles, a ropeway was used to transport materials and solar modules across the most difficult sections of the site. Relying solely on manual material handling or using a conventional ropeway system would have involved both substantially higher costs and longer timelines. Where even the ropeway could not provide a practical solution, the teams relied on smaller, site-specific methods: a controlled sliding mechanism, a manpower-based chain-link system and, through the most difficult stretches of the hill, ‘kachhars’ (mules) to transport materials.
“These seemingly simple solutions played an important role in keeping construction moving across terrain where conventional logistics were not feasible,” stated Solid Solar.
The rocky ground presented another challenge as conventional heavy equipment used for piling and foundation work could not be deployed across almost the entire hill. Solid Solar therefore relied on portable handheld equipment to break and drill through rock, enabling teams to work in areas inaccessible to larger machinery. The project also used chemical grouting to secure columns. This technique, more commonly associated with rooftop solar applications, was adapted to suit the specific conditions of the rocky hillside.
Gautam Solar’s n-type TOPCon bifacial modules have been deployed across the project. The technology allows the modules to generate electricity from sunlight reaching both sides of the panel. The plant has reportedly delivered stronger performance than several other solar installations in the surrounding region.
“Building a plant of this scale on a single hill required meticulous planning, innovative thinking to develop out-of-the-box solutions and close coordination between the design and site engineering teams. The successful commissioning of our 20 MWp solar PV plant in Malna/Patara village is an important milestone for us and reflects the engineering effort that went into its execution,” said Mukesh Agrawal, Managing Director, Solid Solar. 
Gautam Mohanka, Managing Director, Gautam Solar, said, “The Uttarkashi project demonstrates the potential for advanced solar technology to be deployed in challenging geographical conditions. Our TOPCon bifacial modules powering this project are part of an approach that combines technology with site-specific engineering and meticulous execution.”
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TOYO Confirms U.S. Customs and Border Protection Release of Ethiopia-Produced Solar Cells  Yahoo Finance
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Solar Farms Should Prepare for Bushfire Effects, Which Can Reduce Output by 70%  AZoCleantech
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By JD Hayworth, Guest Commentary//October 29, 2026//
Arizona needs more power. Embracing solar can help.
Rows of solar panels sit at Orsted’s Eleven Mile Solar Center lithium-ion battery storage energy facility, Feb. 29, 2024, in Coolidge, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By JD Hayworth, Guest Commentary//October 29, 2026//
Arizona’s electricity needs are growing. Arizona Public Service and the Salt River Project both recorded peak electricity demand during last summer’s heat waves. These peaks came as data centers continue to strain our energy grid across the greater Phoenix metropolitan area and beyond. 
That’s why we must use every available energy resource. One of the best ways to do that is to respect Arizona’s farmers’ and ranchers’ property rights by letting them decide whether to build a new solar panel or gas well on their land
For many Arizonans, all the natural energy resources we need are right here at home. Our state ranks near the top nationally for peak sun hours. Arizona is already a solar leader, ranking fifth in the United States and generating enough capacity to power millions of homes.
That solar power has created an estimated 15,506 jobs in Arizona while bringing in tens of millions of dollars in capital investment and tax revenue.
Meanwhile, our grid is backed by nuclear infrastructure through our Palo Verde plant. In fact, our grid is already anchored by a massive foundation—including abundant natural gas and the Palo Verde plant, the largest nuclear energy facility in the United States.
As a conservative who represented Arizona in Congress, I’ve always believed energy policy should follow a simple principle: use what works. This means giving landowners the freedom to decide how to use their own property.
That’s why, while I represented Arizona in Washington, D.C., I sponsored legislation that gave Arizona homeowners a federal tax credit for installing solar panels. While I believe consumer choice and private property rights should always have the final say on any energy project, I know Arizona should take advantage of every reliable, affordable resource we have to increase access and lower costs. To the extent we can encourage production from any energy source, I believe we should.
Farmers should be allowed to install solar panels whenever they want. That should be their right as property owners. The simple truth is that, right now, we need more power. Lots of it.
The new solar energy complex in Pinal County, also known as Eloy Valley Energy Center III, can help meet that demand. This approach builds on a formula that already works, giving Arizona farmers and ranchers a steady stream of extra income by letting them voluntarily lease their land, while also bringing jobs, tax revenue, and much-needed power to Arizona’s grid.
Resisting innovations that deliver new energy sources will only hold us back. The same goes for local restrictions that block private landowners from leasing out their own property.
That is why it was disappointing that the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission voted last month against expanding the Babacomari Solar Field near Whetstone and Huachuca City. If built, that facility would have added more than 700,000 panels and a 160-megawatt battery facility.
The only solar projects that should move forward are those the community and our farmers feel good about. Still, modern solar and storage systems use far less water than traditional thermal plants, and the construction phase still requires careful review.
Some state measures just go too far. Why are Arizona lawmakers debating making solar construction a misdemeanor? While China tries to corner the solar market at Americans’ expense?
Other countries understand that solar power is increasingly reliable and affordable. Arizonans shouldn’t be denied those benefits.
Over the past decade, solar panel costs have fallen sharply, and battery storage has drastically improved, making power available even after sundown.
Arizona cannot afford to leave sunshine, nuclear capacity, or natural gas underused. Our farmers can’t afford to be unable to use their own land in order to make a living. 
When we protect farmers’ and ranchers’ rights to lease their land, rural communities thrive while energy costs come down. We should all be in support of that.
Republican JD Hayworth represented Arizona in the U.S. House from 1995-2007, and was the first Arizonan to ever serve on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, where he successfully sponsored a federal tax credit for residential solar power.

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Average prices for solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Europe rose 0.4% between the second and third quarters of 2026, according to the latest data from LevelTen Energy. In the United States, prices increased by 4.9%.
LevelTen attributes the European increase to macroeconomic factors, including higher photovoltaic module prices and interest rates. Rising costs are increasing project development expenses and pushing PPA prices slightly higher to maintain project financial viability.
The consultancy has also changed how it presents its data. Rather than reporting prices directly in euros per megawatt-hour, it now uses an index based on prices eight quarters earlier, assigning the reference period a value of 1.00.
Under this methodology, the European solar PPA price index stood at 0.86 in the third quarter of 2026, equivalent to 86% of the price recorded in the third quarter of 2024, when the average reached €63.64/MWh. The wind PPA index stood at 0.99, indicating a much smaller decline over the same two-year period.
The quarterly increase therefore does not offset the cumulative fall in solar PPA prices since 2024. Instead, the data point to recent stabilization following a more pronounced period of decline.
Contracts combining renewable generation with battery energy storage systems (BESS) are gaining traction across Europe. LevelTen reported hybrid PPAs in nine European markets during the third quarter, with Spain and Portugal accounting for almost half of the hybrid contracts recorded across the region.
In Spain, the average price for standalone solar PPAs fell to €30.93/MWh, down 1.2% from the second quarter and 7.7% year on year. LevelTen considers prices to be approaching the lower limit at which projects can still secure financing.
Spanish hybrid PPAs, by contrast, reached an average of €48/MWh. The difference reflects the additional value storage can provide by shifting some generation to other hours, reducing exposure to periods of low electricity prices and limiting the economic impact of renewable energy curtailment.
Hybrid PPA prices did not move uniformly across Europe. In Spain, they rose 6.8% quarter on quarter, while in Germany they fell 12.7%. Adding storage does not, by itself, eliminate PPA price volatility; outcomes depend on the conditions in each market.
In Spain, growing renewable energy curtailment is an important factor. Curtailment reached 2.5 TWh in the first half of 2026, more than three times the volume recorded in the same period of 2025 and 50% above the total for all of 2024.
Against this backdrop, integrating BESS into renewable energy projects and their PPAs is emerging as one way to make generation more flexible and reduce exposure to periods of surplus supply.
For the first time, LevelTen’s report includes data on PPAs linked to operating assets, alongside contracts associated with new projects. Agreements involving operational installations currently account for about 40% of transactions recorded on the platform.
The trend is also reflected in offers, with PPAs linked to operating assets rising from less than 10% of the total to nearly 40% in the third quarter of 2026.
Operating assets carry less development risk because they avoid many of the uncertainties associated with permitting, construction and commissioning delays.
They can also offer buyers a faster route to adding renewable electricity to their portfolios. This may appeal particularly to buyers that prioritize energy availability and price over additionality — the contribution a new project makes to increasing renewable energy supply.
European PPA markets are therefore moving from a period of steep price declines toward one shaped by higher development costs, pressure on standalone projects and greater integration of storage. In Spain, where solar PPA prices are among Europe’s lowest and renewable energy curtailment is increasing, hybridization with BESS is playing a growing role in the economics of new projects.
From pv magazine España
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Venerdì, 19 Novembre 2026
11:00  – 12:00 CET, Roma
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.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
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As a media partner of Genera 2026, pv magazine will organize and moderate a session in Spanish in Madrid, during International Electrification and Decarbonization Week.
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4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Missed pv magazine USA Week 2026?
Catch up on three days of expert discussions on U.S. solar manufacturing, distributed energy, and solar-plus-storage.
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Masdar starts construction on 200MW solar energy project in Malaysia  The National
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A week after a Wagoner County District Court Judge reversed a county commission denial of a permit for a proposed 5,000-acre solar project, the commission has yet to decide how to proceed with considering the request of NextEra Energy and its subsidiary Persica Solar LLC.
Wagoner County Commissioners met this week and had the Persica Solar project lawsuit on the meeting agenda. Commissioners discussed the issue of Persica Solar, LLC v. Board of County Commissioners, case No. CV-25-111 in executive session, then returned and took no action. The agenda explained that the executive session was necessary “based on its attorney’s determination that disclosure of these communications will
seriously impair the ability of the Board to conduct the pending litigation and remanded proceedings.”
District judge Doug Kirley ruled last week that the commissioners decision on June 16, 2025 to deny the permit should not have been based on their refusal to consider “appropriate conditions” to be placed on the project.
“An application for conditional use permit cannot be denied solely on the grounds that the use is not affirmatively beneficial to the community when all conditions of the ordinance are satisfied,” wrote the judge in his order. “Wherefore, premises considered, Persica’s Application for Conditional Use Permit is granted subject to the imposition of reasonable conditions by the Board of County Commissioners of Wagoner County.”
Commissioners in their October 26 meeting listened to a few residents including Joyce Campbell but took no action on the issue.
“I would like to urge you to appeal the recent ruling in the Persica that can be approved for the application. The court’s ruling grants the permit subject to the imposition of reasonable conditions by this board, yet important questions still remain unanswered.”
She asked what constitutes a reasonable condition for a project of the magnitude of 5,000 acres. Campbell also raised the question as to the extent the conditions can address setbacks, drainage, road, fencing, screening, lighting, emergency response and the protection of neighboring landowners.
Commissioners are scheduled to meet in the coming week, but an absence will delay any potential decision on the Persica Solar farm request to Monday, November 9, according to a spokeswoman at the Wagoner County Clerk’s office.
The original vote was 2-1 to deny Persica a permit for its proposed 241-megawatt solar farm near Porter.
 
Jerry Bohnen is the founder and creator of OK Energy Today, which began in 2012. He is an Edward R. Murrow Investigative award winner and has been recognized by other national, regional and state institutions during his 50 years as a broadcast journalist. Contact Jerry at editor@okenergytoday.com
OK Energy Today is a news media publication committed to timely, accurate reporting on Oklahoma energy.
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KUANTAN: A RM850 million floating solar photovoltaic (PV) project at Chereh Dam in Pahang is expected to create about 1,500 jobs and generate clean electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 100,000 households.
Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said the project, a collaboration between Citaglobal Bhd, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) and Tiza Global Sdn Bhd, marked a major step towards expanding the state’s use of renewable energy.
The Pahang Ruler said the project was set to become one of the largest floating solar installations in Southeast Asia, while creating employment opportunities for local communities.
“We hope it will create jobs and be completed as soon as possible,” Al-Sultan Abdullah told reporters after officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chereh Dam floating solar PV project at a hotel here today.
Citaglobal Bhd group chief operating officer Datuk Aimi Aizal Nasharuddin said construction was expected to begin in January or February next year, with completion targeted for the end of March 2028.
The 200-megawatt (MW) project will cover about 1,500 acres (607 hectares) of the dam’s water surface and is expected to generate 1,500 jobs, particularly during the construction phase, he said.
The jobs would span several fields, including engineering, construction, hydrographic surveying, electrical engineering and other related professions.
Meanwhile, Citaglobal New Energy Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Chairil Nazri Ahmad said floating solar technology could improve electricity generation efficiency because panels installed over water generally operate at lower temperatures than those mounted on land.
He said installing solar panels on the reservoir could also help reduce water evaporation and preserve water reserves.
“The solar panels are estimated to have a total capacity of 307 MW, while the maximum electricity export capacity to the grid is 200 MW. Actual generation will depend on weather conditions and the amount of sunlight received, with the electricity generated fed into the grid for distribution to consumers,” he said.
Also present were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Citaglobal Bhd executive chairman and president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, and Masdar executive director for projects and business development Abdulla Zayed.

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For decades, “rooftop solar” has equated to a major rooftop transformation and a significant financial commitment. It’s also been largely limited to wealthier homeowners, though even they could be stymied by solar-hostile HOAs, municipalities, or utility companies.
Plug-in solar, often referred to as “balcony solar” is a new mode of solar installation that could start to change that in a big way. Plug-in solar refers to a small scale (<1.2kW) solar array that can be purchased retail and is designed to be set up as a temporary installation, often being hung over a balcony rail or set up in a backyard by the purchaser. These panels connect to a small inverter (which may have an attached battery) which is then directly plugged into a wall outlet in the home.

Historically, plug-in solar systems have been illegal (and were also considered unsafe). This year, 10 states, including California, have passed legislation legalizing plug-in solar, and the UL 3700-based testing and certification framework was established in January of this year.  Although the specifics vary by state, the legislation generally limits plug-in solar systems to 1.2 kW (most retail systems currently available on the market are around 400 W, or 0.4 kW) and allows them to be used without a signed interconnection agreement with the utility company. However, system owners are still required to notify their utility company of their intent to install and use a plug-in solar system, and the systems cannot export electricity to the grid. Additionally, most states’ plug-in solar legislation includes provision limiting, or in some cases outright prohibiting, landlords and homeowner associations (HOAs) from preventing residents from installing these systems. For state-specific details, see the
“Plugin Solar Legislation Tracker.”
Residential solar has an entry-point problem; plug-in solar may be a solution
Rising household and utility costs are giving consumers more reasons to look for ways to take greater control over their energy use and expenses. With systems starting as low as $800 for a 400-watt setup, plug-in solar creates a lower-cost entry point for consumers that traditional rooftop solar doesn’t serve.
For installers, that means it shouldn’t be viewed as a competitor to rooftop solar. It may be better understood as an on ramp to a much longer homeowner renewable energy journey.
Residential solar doesn’t have a demand problem so much as an entry-point problem. Our latest Solar Snapshot report found that 71% of homeowners have at least some interest in solar. But interest doesn’t necessarily translate into a viable rooftop project. Zooming out, it’s easy to see why.
For starters, the traditional rooftop solar market is only available to a limited pool of consumers, excluding renters, multifamily residents and households with unsuitable roofs. For many, going solar is out of the question entirely. And for those who do meet the required housing conditions, it’s not exactly a slam dunk. 44% of interested homeowners say solar is more expensive than they expected. We call that gap between expectation and reality “Cost Shock,” and it’s now the leading barrier to adoption in our research.
The expiration of the solar tax credit has raised the barrier even further. During the two decades the credit was in place, the U.S. solar industry grew by over 200x. Now, its absence has fundamentally changed how installers close a sale. Nearly half (49%) of interested homeowners say they can’t afford solar without tax credits, while 55% of installers now say third-party ownership is their most popular financing option and 65% expect it to represent the majority of their 2026 sales.
The result is a sizable group of consumers who are interested in generating their own power, but for whom the industry’s traditional entry point simply doesn’t work. New tools that let homeowners compare options, understand expected costs and savings, and explore solar before speaking with an installer can help make the process feel less opaque. Plug-in solar fits into that same broader shift by giving consumers more ways to engage with solar on their own terms, rather than requiring a full rooftop project, or signing risky-feeling financial agreements as the first step.
Not the end of the ride; Just another loop on the “Solar Coaster”
Currently the plug-in solar system landscape is largely direct-to-consumer, but I don’t believe that makes it the “Uber of Solar.” Yes, plug-in solar removes many of the traditional barriers to adoption, but there are a couple actionable ways for solar professionals to add significant value.
First, the impact of shading on solar panels is not always intuitive. People I’ve spoken with are always very surprised to learn that a single line of persistent shading (like the kind you might get from a nearby utility pole, or a balcony rail) could reduce the output of an entire array to nearly zero. Factor in other considerations like ideal tilt and azimuth, airflow for cooling, and the effects of debris on panel performance, and the case for a professional consultation on panel placement becomes pretty clear.
Second, plug-in solar is available to a wide swath of the population who cannot go solar for reasons other than the cost of a traditional system. Depending on your location, there’s a strong case for a “full service” plug-in system, where trained and trusted professionals still handle the installation, which can be a great option. It’s something I would have loved to have access to as a fresh-faced college graduate with a new job, but still renting!
From there, you’ve formed a new relationship with a customer, and a few lower energy bills may prompt them to start thinking more about where their electricity comes from, how much they use and how much control they have over it. A few years down the road, they may choose to buy a home and turn back to their trusted installer for a full-scale rooftop solar project, or EV charger install. That trust matters: 54% of homeowners interested in solar cite technical expertise as a top factor in choosing an installer, alongside warranties and customer reviews.
For installers, the opportunity starts before the rooftop
One of the things I’ve learned from studying solar consumers is that the first energy decision rarely happens in isolation. Someone who starts with a few panels on a balcony today may be the same customer considering rooftop solar, battery storage or an EV charger several years from now. Of course, not every customer will follow that path. That’s not really the point. The point is that plug-in solar creates an opportunity to introduce more people to solar energy and establish relationships that can grow alongside their energy needs, early.
The 2026 Aurora Solar Snapshot also revealed that utility bill savings and energy independence remain a primary motivator for going solar, consistently outranking environmental impact for the last four consecutive years. Plug-in systems, which have a typical payback period of two to five years, are a great first step on the path to utility savings. With the majority of the country seeing utility reductions of up to $400 per year for a 1,200-watt plug-in system, balcony solar installations can open the door to additional home electrification improvements.
And, not every plug-in customer will become a rooftop customer, of course. In a post-incentive market, the most resilient installers will be the ones that can meet customers at more than one point in their energy journey. Plug-in solar lowers the threshold for that first purchase and gives more opportunities to build relationships and trust. It may be a much smaller system, but for installers willing to think beyond the traditional, it could be the beginning of a much bigger customer relationship.
By Fox Swim, Senior Solar Industry Researcher

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the UL 3700-based testing and certification framework has yet to be adopted by manufacturing to even produce and sell the systems. The California “Balcony Solar has a “Sunset Clause” in jut 3 years. After that, even the UL3700 plug in 120-volt systems could be outlawed because Utilities want 220-to-250-volt solar AC input at the meter, not 120 Volt. Phase A to Phase B is 240 volts and Phase A or Phase B to the grounded conductor is 120Volts and that is not the Transmission voltage required by Utilities for NEM2.0 or NWM3.0 in California. A smart customer could connect 600 watts to Phase A and the neutral and 600 Watts to Phase B and neutral with two separate balcony solar systems but then the design and cost just doubled.
A better system you can use one thousand watts of solar panels to charge a 5kwh battery (rack battery) through a hybrid inverter (inverter plus charger) or a PSPS, you can then use a 200w micro inverter for 24 hours (24hr*200w= 4800wh)…to reduce base electric load use and with the hybrid inverter or a PSPS, you have access to power in a blackout!!!
OR you export the 1000w onto the grid FOR CREDIT!!!
To make any decisions you need to live monitor your house electric use with a whole house monitor like Emporia Via monitor for $200
I built just a system, and I could vary the on-grid output from the batteries based on need. All the parts are available on E-bay, but they do not meet the UL3700 testing and only have CE testing certification from China. But that required a very large battery-based system, and the weight and cost was in the tens of thousands of dollars like a 4 Power wall combined system. Simple is better. The Dryer 30 amp 240 volts plug in the garage or laundry room with a Fused “y” connector would be better but that is NOT what is proposed.
Currently Plug-in solar has five major problems causing you not to benefit…. NO Netmetering (you don’t get any credit and why give the power company FREE power???), kits don’t come with battery option (work only during the day), only benefits half of your house because you only connected to 120v (what about the other side of your 240v split phase house) so you actually need to purchase TWO kits to cover your whole house, one way smart meter on your house (current going in either directions reads only as consumption, you will be paying a bigger bill because of exporting), and kits with inverters that can not do ‘zero export mode’….
CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND DEMAND CREDIT FOR EXPORTING PLUG-IN SOLAR!!! All the above issues would be solved only if you get credit for exporting!!!
One solution is Portable, Powerful, Plug-In Solar: GismoPower patented a plug-in, 5Kw EV-charging carport, the MEGA® (“Mobile Electricity Generating Appliance”). Shade & Charge while generating electricity for homes, small biz and renters. Solar on Wheels® won the American Made Solar Prize & federal grants.
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The UK’s largest solar power system installed on a single continuous roof is set to be built at a factory in Bridgwater.
More than 18,000 solar panels will be installed at Refresco’s manufacturing site on the edge of town, creating a system expected to generate around 7.5GWh of renewable electricity every year.
The huge 8.5MWp installation is expected to become the largest solar PV system on a single continuous roof anywhere in the UK, according to the companies behind the project.
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Once up and running, it is expected to provide around 17 per cent of the Bridgwater factory’s annual electricity needs, reducing the amount of power the site has to draw from the national grid.
Work on the project is already well underway at the factory, which operates around the clock. The drinks manufacturing plant is a leading provider for Complete Beverage Solutions.
Refresco is the world’s largest independent bottler and private-label beverage manufacturer, with one of their factories at the edge of Bridgwater. (Image: GB NRG)
The Bridgwater installation forms the centrepiece of a much wider solar programme being rolled out across four Refresco UK manufacturing sites.
Together, the four projects will have a capacity of 21.5MWp, in what the company describes as one of the largest commercial and industrial solar programmes undertaken in the UK.
James Logan, managing director of Refresco UK, said: “Reducing the environmental impact of our manufacturing operations is an important part of Refresco’s long-term strategy, alongside maintaining the scale, efficiency and reliability our customers expect.
“This programme will enable us to generate more renewable electricity directly at our production facilities, reduce our reliance on grid-supplied electricity and strengthen the long-term resilience of our operations.
“By reducing emissions from our manufacturing activities, we can also support our customers in achieving their own sustainability objectives and addressing emissions within their supply chains.”
Once up and running, the project is expected to provide around 17 per cent of the Bridgwater factory’s annual electricity needs. (Image: GB NRG)
GB NRG was chosen to develop and deliver the four-site programme after a competitive process involving 12 commercial solar providers.
Zestec Renewable Energy was subsequently selected to fund and manage the solar infrastructure over the long term. The projects are being delivered through long-term agreements backed by funds managed by Octopus Energy Generation.
Installing such a large system while the Bridgwater factory continues operating 24 hours a day has presented challenges, with work planned to avoid interrupting production and to protect the building’s roof.
Several companies are collaborating the design, install, fund and manage the ambitious solar project. (Image: GB NRG)
Jon Antoniou, founder and CEO of GB NRG, said: “We are extremely proud to have been selected by Refresco to deliver what is a genuinely landmark solar programme.
“An 8.5MWp installation on a single roof is an exceptional project in its own right, and across the four sites we expect to deliver 21.5MWp of onsite solar generation.”
Meanwhile, Toby Smith, COO of Zestec Renewable Energy, said large rooftop projects allowed businesses to make use of space which would otherwise go unused.
He said: “Large-scale rooftop solar gives businesses such as Refresco the opportunity to make productive use of existing roof space, reduce reliance on grid electricity and make meaningful progress towards their sustainability objectives, without the need for upfront capital investment.”
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Luis Reyes
Oct 29, at 10:30am ET
Most solar farms aren’t built with a tractor in mind. The rows are packed in tight, the solar panels usually sit a few feet off the dirt, and once the fence goes up, about the biggest machine that ever drives in there is a mower.
So when someone pitches a farmer on growing food under solar panels (the industry calls it agrivoltaics), you can probably guess what the farmer asks first. Can I still get my equipment in?
Oregon State University has a five-acre solar array about 20 miles south of Portland that was laid out to answer that. Its rows of solar panels are spread farther apart than usual, and the panels can rotate to a nearly vertical position so farm equipment can drive through.
Right now it’s being tested with blueberries, which get picked by one of the more awkward machines in farming.
Two rows of blueberry bushes, basically. OSU’s page for the trial says Scott Lukas, who holds OSU’s endowed professorship for Northwest berry production and management, planted one row inside the solar array and one row outside it. Both went in the ground in October 2024, and both are a variety called Calypso.
It’s about as simple as a field experiment gets. The soil and the weather are the same for both rows, and one of them spends part of the day in the shade of solar panels. If the shaded bushes grow differently, you can pretty much pin it on the array.
Calypso wasn’t picked at random, either. OSU says growers are planting it widely because of its large berries, high yields and flavor, and because it ripens in the middle to late part of the season. Frankly, that makes it a better test subject than some variety hardly anyone grows.
OSU says it’s tracking growth rate, yield, berry size and sugar content in both rows as the plants mature.
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Because picking blueberries by hand is expensive. Oregon growers harvest roughly 150 million pounds of them a year, according to OSU Extension, and a big share is headed for the fresh market.
The machine that replaces all those hands is called an over-the-row harvester. If you’ve been through a drive-through car wash, picture that, except the car wash is what’s moving and the car is a blueberry bush. It’s a tall, tunnel-shaped machine on wheels that straddles the row and drives straight down it, shaking the ripe fruit loose and catching it as it goes.
Machines like that have picked berries headed for processing for a long time, and an OSU Extension team led by berry agent Wei Qiang Yang has been testing soft-catch versions that are gentle enough for fresh fruit. OSU puts hand-picking fresh-market berries at about $0.60 a pound, against about $0.15 a pound by machine.
You can see why a machine like that is a headache around solar panels. It needs a clear lane on both sides of the bushes and open air above them, and a regular solar array doesn’t leave room for either.
OSU built the spacing in from the start. According to a case study from the AgriSolar Clearinghouse, a program run by the National Center for Appropriate Technology, the team used the research station’s own tractor to work out how far apart the solar panels needed to be, so a farmer copying the layout wouldn’t have to buy special equipment. I think that’s arguably the smartest decision in the whole project.
OSU’s trial page says the spacing allows machine harvest using an over-the-row harvester, and it shows a photo of one with a caption saying it fits between the rows of solar panels.
We’ve seen this problem solved the other way around. A Spanish olive grove we covered is raising its solar panels 13 feet in the air so an 11.5-foot straddle harvester can drive underneath them. Oregon State went with wider lanes and panels that tilt out of the way instead.
I’d love to give you the lane width and the height of the machine, but OSU hasn’t published those, or the harvester’s make. I also can’t find a photo or a write-up of it working a row inside the array. To be fair, there wouldn’t be much for it to pick yet.
Blueberry bushes take a while to get going. OSU’s plan treats the first two years, 2024 through 2026, as a test of whether the plants establish themselves as well inside the array as they do outside it. Year three is when the fruit gets compared.
So will a blueberry bush put up with that much shade?
Nobody knows yet, and I’d be pretty wary of anyone who says they do. Sweet corn under a raised array in Massachusetts came in at about 80 percent of the open rows next door. Pears under a solar roof in Belgium gave up about 15 percent of their harvest three years running. They’re different crops under different hardware, so you can’t really carry either number over to a Calypso bush in Oregon.
The plot’s doing double duty, too. When blueberry bushes are young, growers usually pull most of the flower buds off by hand, sometimes every one of them, so the plant puts its energy into growing. Lukas’s team is spraying an off-the-shelf gibberellic acid product, which is a hormone the plant already makes on its own, in the first summer and fall the bushes are in the ground. They want to see if it cuts the bud count enough that nobody has to hand-prune in winter. So that’s a second labor bill this one plot is trying to shrink, and I’d argue growers care about that at least as much as the shade.
I went looking for the array’s capacity and came back with three answers.
The first figure comes from OSU’s own announcement, and the second is on the Oregon Public Utility Commission’s certification order. Solar panels make direct current, and inverters turn it into the alternating current the grid runs on. Arrays usually carry a bit more panel capacity than their inverters can push out, so the AC number comes in lower.
As far as I can tell, that’s the gap between 326 and 300, but OSU doesn’t spell it out, so treat that as my read. The 320 looks like a typo to me, since a kilowatt-hour measures energy used over time, like on your power bill, and arrays are rated in plain kilowatts.
Whichever number you pick, it’s a small array, and it’s been feeding the grid for more than three years. OSU says 10 percent of the power goes to the research station, 40 percent goes to lower-income subscribers and the other half goes to community subscribers who buy it through the Oregon Clean Power Cooperative, which developed the array.
Chad Higgins, the OSU associate professor who got the array built, has a pretty blunt view of where this is headed. “There is, in my opinion, no need to stop farming under solar panels ever,” he told Capital Press.
That’s a bold line, and a crop that needs a tunnel-shaped harvester is a pretty fair test of it. OSU says the first side-by-side comparison of yield and fruit quality comes in 2027, when the Calypso bushes fruit in their third year.
What do you think?
Olivia Richman · Sep 29, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 11, 2026
Dave McQuilling · Oct 13, 2026
Chema Bonilla Díaz · Oct 17, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 14, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 16, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 29, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 29, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 28, 2026
Luis Reyes · Oct 28, 2026
Olivia Richman · Oct 28, 2026
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Rooftop Solar Panels Slash Electricity Bills, Ease Household Finances in Gujarat
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Gujarat families praise PM's solar scheme for reducing electricity bills, boosting household savings for children's education and expenses.
Gandhinagar: Families in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district say installing rooftop solar panels under the Centre’s 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana' has significantly reduced their electricity bills, allowing them to redirect savings towards their children’s education and other household expenses.
Residents of Shalin-2 Society in Vavol area said the scheme had eased the financial burden of electricity costs, with some reporting monthly bills falling from more than Rs 20,000 to a few thousand rupees after installing solar plants.
Gajsi Suthar, a beneficiary, said: "My household’s electricity bill had earlier exceeded Rs 20,000. Following the installation of a rooftop solar plant under the scheme, I received considerable relief from the expense and is using the savings to meet my children’s educational needs and other household requirements."
He further added, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Shalin-2 Society to meet beneficiaries, inspect the solar panels installed on their rooftops and learn about their experiences with the scheme."
Jasiben Suthar, another beneficiary, said the reduction in electricity bills had helped families retain more money to meet their children’s needs. She expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister for the scheme.
Ushaben Patel added that the savings generated through rooftop solar installations are helping families manage their expenses, making it easier to pay for children’s requirements and other household needs.
Priya Patel, a beneficiary from Vavol, said: "My family’s monthly electricity bill had previously ranged between Rs 25,000 and Rs 26,000. After installing a solar plant, the bill had come down to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 at most."
The reduction had helped her family to save a substantial amount every month, which could be used towards her children’s higher education and future requirements.
Patel also urged other households to consider installing solar plants.
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana promotes rooftop solar installations in residential households, with the objective of reducing electricity expenses through solar power.
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Ballard Power Systems, through its GeoPura subsidiary, has introduced the HPU Agile-H, an 80 kW mobile hydrogen generator designed to displace diesel generators on job sites with strict space or noise constraints.  
Designed by GeoPura, manufactured by Siemens Energy, and powered by a Ballard Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, the platform integrates an onboard high-efficiency battery storage system. 
The hybrid setup delivers 80 kW of continuous 400V 3-phase AC power at 50/60Hz. The fuel cell provides steady baseline output, while the integrated battery handles load balancing, peak demand responsiveness, and instant cold starts. Fueling of the system relies on 100% green hydrogen charged by renewable energy sources. 
For operational flexibility, the system operates in off-grid mode, grid synchronization mode, or as a standalone primary source. Multiple units can also be connected in parallel to serve higher electrical loads or build hardware redundancy. 
“From construction and film shoots to events and emergency response, HPU Agile-H brings clean power to more places, without diesel fumes and with less noise,” the companies stated. 
The unit targets lower-load profiles, short-term projects, and operations with limited access to grid infrastructure. Built for rapid field logistics, the lightweight trailer can be towed using standard SUVs or commercial panel vans and set up by a single technician in under 20 minutes without specialized rigging licenses.  
The unit’s safety systems include continuous hydrogen leak detection, smoke and fire monitoring, and hardwired interlocks. 
Operating below 65 dB at 1 meter, the unit produces zero point-of-use emissions. It incorporates cloud telemetry for remote diagnostics and achieves a 99% expected availability rate across a 10-year design life, supported by GeoPura’s low-carbon hydrogen supply network. 
The HPU Agile-H holds tri-certification (CE, UL, CSA) for deployment across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Pre-orders are currently open, with initial commercial deliveries set for Q1 2027. 
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ONTARIO, Calif. — Renogy has partnered with the RV Technician Association of America (RVTAA) to give RVTAA member technicians two on-demand continuing education courses on RV solar and DC charging systems, worth three CEU hours in total, according to a release. The courses are now open to RVTAA members.
Solar charging and DC-DC charging are showing up on more RVs, and more of that equipment is arriving in the service bay. The training is built around what a technician does with that equipment: installing it, programming it, diagnosing it and keeping it running.
The courses are Solar Panels and Charge Controllers (2 CEU hours) and DC-DC Battery Chargers (1 CEU hour). Both cover installation, operation and programming, common technical issues and troubleshooting, and maintenance.
RVTAA members can access registration through the CEU library in their member dashboard. Training is delivered through Renogy’s learning management system and includes an evaluation, with a certificate of completion for technicians who pass. Because the courses are on demand, technicians can fit them around a shop schedule.
“Partnering with the RVTAA allows us to bring the latest off-grid energy training directly to certified technicians through flexible, on-demand CEU courses, empowering them to master the newest components on the market,” said Stephen Clifton, product solutions training manager at Renogy.
“Continuing education is an essential part of maintaining certification and ensuring our technicians and inspectors stay current with evolving technologies, industry advancements, and best practices,” said Destiny Rounsavall, member services and partnership coordinator at RVTAA. “Renogy’s expertise in solar power and energy solutions makes them a valuable educational partner, providing knowledge and resources directly relevant to today’s RV industry.”
The RVTAA courses extend a year of Renogy training for the RV channel, which has included a sales training webinar series for dealers and hands-on technical and sales training with NTP-STAG.
About Renogy
Renogy designs and manufactures solar panels, lithium batteries, charge controllers, inverters and complete off-grid power systems for RV, marine, residential and off-grid applications. The company is headquartered in Ontario, California. More information is available at http://www.renogy.com.
About RVTAA
The Recreational Vehicle Technician Association of America (RVTAA) is dedicated to promoting professionalism and excellence in the RV service industry. Through standardized testing, certification, and educational requirements, RVTAA provides Registered, Certified, and Master Technician credentials to help ensure RV owners receive quality diagnostics and repairs from trained professionals. Our mission is to establish and promote industry standards while building a nationwide network of qualified RV technicians across North America.
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McKay has completed the full electrical and balance-of-plant installation package for the 202 MWdc Tauhei Solar Farm in Waikato, New Zealand, adding to its work in large-scale solar infrastructure in the country.
The contract covered site establishment, trenching and cabling, low voltage, direct current and medium-voltage systems, inverter placement / set up, switching station works, fibre and SCADA installation, and testing and pre-commissioning. McKay worked alongside the engineering, procurement and construction contractor on the project.
Project scope
At the Te Aroha site, McKay installed a solar generated temporary power supply to the site compound. McKay also carried out trenching, conduit installation, cable laying, joint bay preparation and backfilling for LV , DC, MV, fibre and communications routes.
These works formed part of the broader balance-of-plant package for the 202 MWdc solar farm. Quality assurance inspections were completed at each stage of the civil and electrical installation works, according to the project description.
Electrical works
The direct current scope included installation of string cabling and 1500 V DC sub-array cabling, along with terminations into combiner boxes. McKay also installed the combiner boxes, and associated DC protection systems.
It McKay positioned and prepared inverter stations for service, including cable terminations, earthing and internal electrical fit-out, as part of its role in readying the plant for commissioning.
For the medium-voltage package, the team installed and terminated MV cables, completed 33 kV joints, added surge protection and carried out the full electrical scope for the MV switching room. McKay installed a complete earthing system inclusive of inverter ring mats and amin earthing loop throughout the site.
Renewables work
The Tauhei development sits within a wider build-out of utility-scale solar generation across New Zealand. McKay's renewables work also spans geothermal energy, wind energy and battery energy storage systems.
Its McKay solar work has included feasibility assessments, detailed electrical design, construction and commissioning on other projects in New Zealand. Tauhei illustrates the scale of electrical infrastructure being deployed as solar becomes a larger part of the national energy mix.
The project due to its size, sourced the majority of the labour requirements from local sources however also drew staff from across the country for peak work commitments, reflecting the labour and coordination demands of large solar developments. The work required integration across civil, electrical and communications systems on a single site.
McKay described the Tauhei scheme as an example of complex, multidisciplinary electrical construction delivered in coordination with EPC and structural teams.
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The UK government has retained the boiler upgrade scheme (BUS) despite widespread speculation the heat pump subsidy program was set to be scrapped, although the total budget for the program has been cut by around GBP 700 million ($932 million).
BUS grants of up to GBP 9,000 have been offered to UK consumers in a bid to accelerate the electrification of home heating in a country where more than two thirds of households use a natural gas-fired heating system.
In the first Budget delivered by UK Chancellor John Healey, the government committed to maintaining the BUS grant at current funding levels of GBP 400 million in 2027-28, rising “broadly in line with inflation” thereafter. Previously, GBP 600 million was allocated for the 2027/28 financial year, GBP 683 million for 2028/29 and GBP 709 million for 2029/30.
Social housing tenants should also benefit from an additional GBP 100 million of funding, subject to final approvals, to support the delivery of up to 57,000 solar installations for households this financial year. Further grant support for residential solar, battery storage and heat pumps will continue to be available through the government’s Warm Homes Plan, which receive an additional GBP 335 million investment in 2027, however the multi-year program’s total budget is being cut by GBP 1 billion as a contribution to defense spending.
The Chancellor has made changes to value added tax (VAT) rules that will affect solar and battery storage. UK consumers currently pay no VAT on home solar and battery but this will rise to 5% from Apr. 1, 2027.
Budget day also saw the UK government publish guidance for the Warm Home Loans program, which will see the UK government subsidize some of the risk associated with financing, allowing lenders to offer lower interest rates.
Solar, battery storage and heat pump installations qualify for Warm Home Loans support and can potentially be used in conjunction with grants or money from other funding programs. The loans themselves are offered by finance partners participating in the program, meaning consumers apply directly to a lender, through an installer or retailer when arranging finance for the improvement work, or through their mortgage providers.
Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, welcomed the launch of the Warm Homes Loan program.
“With the Warm Homes Loan Scheme now in place, more homes can go solar next year than ever before, taking control of their energy and insulating themselves from high energy bills. Critically, it will ensure that households across society can overcome any financial barriers, making sure that the benefits are felt where they are most needed.”
Hewett added that Solar Energy UK already expects the annual record for smaller-scale solar systems to be broken within a few weeks, and the association is confident the loan program will deliver another record year in 2027.
Progress was also made on a fixed-revenue offer to existing utility-scale solar plants. The government has launched a consultation on a proposed Wholesale Contracts for Difference (WCfD) program, first announced in April 2026. Available on the UK government website, the consultation covers eligibility, allocation and auction design, commercial arrangements, and potential electricity market impacts. Industry stakeholders have until Dec. 9 2026 to respond.
The UK Chancellor also pledged to drive down electricity system costs following up the recent announcement state-owned Great British Grid would work alongside existing network operators to increase competition. Healey added that competition in offshore electricity networks “has delivered hundreds of millions of pounds of bill savings” and therefore competition will “shortly be introduced” into offshore electricity transmission, in a nod to the Competitively Appointed Transmission Owner (CATO) regime which has been in development in Great Britain for more than a decade. If implemented, CATO would allow private companies to competitively bid for the right to build and run new onshore grid infrastructure.
There was movement on electricity bills too, with Chancellor Healey committing to remove standing charges from gas bills. Standing charges are applied to bills for all connected households regardless of usage and are used to cover gas network upgrades. These fixed costs will be paid on the unit rate – the amount paid for each kWh of gas consumed. The government estimates the change could save 60% of households around GBP 45 per year. Healey said the government also plans to remove standing charges from electricity bills in the future.
Andrew Sissons, director in sustainable future at innovation charity Nesta welcomed the change. Sisson said it would provide relief to the poorest households who ration their gas use, “but it will also mean that switching to electric heating such as heat pumps is a better deal for some households that use more gas.”
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) has been the main policy tool supporting UK heat pump deployment since it was introduced in May 2022. The program initially offered GBP 5,000 grants for air-to water heat pumps and GBP 6,000 grants for ground source heat pumps for households installing a heat pump, before increasing to 7,500 GBP for both technologies in October 2023. Following the outbreak of conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, the UK government added a GBP 9,000 grant option for those households using heating oil systems due to their increased exposure to energy price hikes.
The rate of installations has increased since BUS grants were introduced, but volumes remain significantly below what is needed to achieve a government target of 450,000 heat pump installations per year by 2030. The government reported 151,136 BUS voucher applications had been received from May 2022 to August 2026, with 98% applications for air-to-water heat pump grants.
Guidance for Warm Home Loans suggests that BUS grants and other funding support can be used in conjunction with the state-backed financing, potentially further lowering the cost to consumers.
The following lenders are offering Warm Home loans according to the UK government: HomeServe Finance, Hometree Finance, The Money Co-Op, Propensio, Secure Trust Bank, Selina Finance, South Manchester Credit Union, Sunsave Energy, Tandem Bank, This Bank.
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The process dips solar cells into a molten mixture of sodium and potassium hydroxide salts.
This molten salt weakens the coating on the silicon panel, allowing the silver wires to peel off intact as pure metal.
The first generation of commercial solar panels is reaching the end of its 25- to 30-year lifespan.
It offers an acid-free, low-loss approach to recovering precious silver from retired silicon solar panels.
China-based researchers have introduced a new eco-friendly method to extract valuable silver from retired solar panels without using toxic acids. 
The process dips solar cells into a molten mixture of sodium and potassium hydroxide salts. This molten salt weakens the coating on the silicon panel, allowing the silver wires to peel off intact as pure metal. 
Ningxia University researchers recovered up to 97% of the silver while limiting damage to the underlying silicon wafer to just 2.6%.
“These findings clarify the mechanisms of acid-free, low-loss precious-metal recovery from crystalline silicon photovoltaic materials,” the team noted in the study paper.
The first generation of commercial solar panels is reaching the end of its 25- to 30-year lifespan. The aging infrastructure is a major trash problem, but also a massive treasure hunt. 
Silver accounts for less than 0.03% of a retired solar panel’s weight, but it drives nearly half of its monetary value. Recovering that precious metal hasn’t been eco-friendly.
A Chinese team designed a cleaner alternative. The new laboratory-scale method uses a molten mixture of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to pop silver wires off dead solar cells. 
Usual solar recycling uses acid leaching. Nitric acid dissolves solid silver into silver ions, leaving recyclers with toxic nitrogen oxide emissions, acidic wastewater streams, and a complex chemical recovery process. The molten salt strategy skips that chemical detour entirely.
The hot salt bath targets the solar cell’s silicon nitride (SiNx) passivation layer rather than dissolving the metal directly. It etches the layer, weakens the adhesive bond at the interface, and lets intact metallic silver wires slide off.
The process is fast. At 230 °C for 150 seconds, the system recovered 94.34% of the cell’s silver while wiping away the SiNx coating. Under peak conditions, total silver recovery reached 97.11%.
Protecting the underlying silicon wafer proved to be a difficult hurdle. Early molten salt methods failed to keep the salt bath from corroding the valuable silicon substrate. The research team limited this damage after identifying the exact chemical mechanism driving the corrosion.
Hydroxide ions attack the exposed silicon as soon as the protective silicon nitride layer strips away. This reaction converts the silicon into soluble silicates, leaving behind tiny pits across the surface. Researchers limited total silicon loss to 2.62% at 230 °C for 100 seconds by precisely controlling the bath temperature and exposure time.
“At 230 °C for 150 s, Ag recovery reached 94.34 %, and the SiN_x passivation layer was effectively removed, maximum Ag recovery was 97.11 %,” the study reported. 
Although the process currently operates only at a lab scale, understanding the mechanics of direct silver detachment could provide a practical solution for green industrial recycling. It offers an acid-free, low-loss approach to recovering precious silver from retired silicon solar panels without damaging the underlying substrate.
This approach arrives at a key moment, preparing the global solar market for the massive influx of panel waste expected in the coming years.
The study findings were published in the Journal of Cleaner Production on October 28.
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
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Qualitas Energy secures $286 million financing for its renewable portfolio in Chile  energynews.pro
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Jen Allen, chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors seen here in a March protest over an ICE detention facility in Marana, has criticized a massive solar farm proposal 25 miles southwest of Tucson. The Center for Biological Diversity also is critical of the plan.
Pima County Supervisor Jen Allen has become the first elected official to come out against a massive solar farm proposal 25 miles southwest of Tucson.
Allen penned a statement in the Fence Post, a newsletter for the Three Points and Robles Junction area, earlier this week that she had met with leadership from RepSol, the parent company proposing a 5,554-square-foot utility-scale solar farm.
Allen, who chairs the board, said she can’t support the project because the company has made no changes to the footprint or energy capacity, despite extensive community opposition.
“No changes, despite several community events with 100-plus people at them being clear about their concerns,” she said.
Allen, a Democrat like four of the five board members, wrote the company still plans to submit permit applications to Pima County early next year.
The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity has also come out against the proposal, saying there are better places for solar projects.
“Where we put solar is as important as whether we build it, and this plan gets it backward,” said Southwest Director Taylor McKinnon. “The proposal puts endangered species, conservation lands and nearby communities in the crosshairs of industrial development. Solar belongs on rooftops and already disturbed land, not in pristine desert habitat that deserves protection.”
CG Three Points, Repsol’s subsidiary, sent landowners letters in mid-August informing them of plans and project maps for a 500 megawatt solar farm and a 250 megawatt battery storage facility on state trust land. It would include its own substation and is estimated to cost about $575 million, with plans to operate for 35 years, according to applications with the Arizona State Land Department.
Expanding large-scale renewable energy is still a necessity, but not at the expense of rural communities, Allen wrote.
Most of the proposed area falls within the Pima County Conservation Lands System and ranked among the most vulnerable land classifications within the system. The project could reverse decades-long restoration work, she wrote.
“Altar Valley ranchers, farmers, and residents have worked with county, state and federal partners for years to develop and implement protections for the Altar Valley and the Brawley wash – establishing wildlife corridors, revegetating historically damaged areas, and preventing the spread of invasive fire-prone weeds, to name a few – all while preserving the rural traditions of ranching and farming. This work is valuable, as are the rural traditions and culture of the region,” her statement reads.
Allen also expressed her support for the Southern Arizona Open Space Alliance, an opposition group formed before any official notification. They’ve held community meetings since early this summer and are encouraging residents to petition the Board of Supervisors to reject the project, saying fields of solar panels will disrupt the environment and the region’s rural character.
Allen said the project carries environmental risk, including spreading invasive species and increasing the risk for wildfires.
She called on utilities to make investments closer where the need is highest, closer to industrial, commercial, and residential areas in urban and suburban areas.
“We cannot ask our rural communities to bear the brunt of these developments,” she wrote.
Although the company plans to file an application with the county’s Planning and Development Services early next year, it may be several more months before it appears on any public agenda, Allen said.
Because the county has existing land use codes for a utility scale solar, the project would not have to go through a full Planning and Zoning Commission, and receive a hearing administrator process instead. Class II conditional use permits, which the RepSol project would most likely apply for, go through the hearing administrator, which still has opportunities for public feedback, but less eyes on any given proposal, Allen said.
“It’s just heard by one person as opposed to being heard by the full commission,” she said.
The hearing administrator then makes a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, which they will vote on.
However, all the applicable county departments have to weigh in on their piece of the project before it gets on a hearing administrator’s meeting agendas, which are held once a month.
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Carmine DeBonis Jr., who has worked for Pima County for three decades, will be its next top boss.
Secretary for the Department of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Rep. Juan Ciscomani and dozens of USDA officials gathered in Tucson Tuesday to off…
The Cook Political Report has switched its assessment of the congressional race for the House seat from a “toss-up” ranking to “Leans Democratic.”
Marana’s town council has voted to tighten noise restrictions and how a developer will decommission a data center site if it goes offline. 
Jen Allen, chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors seen here in a March protest over an ICE detention facility in Marana, has criticized a massive solar farm proposal 25 miles southwest of Tucson. The Center for Biological Diversity also is critical of the plan.
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The UK has allocated an additional £100 million to support solar and battery installations for social housing in its Budget 2026 
The government has cut the Warm Homes Plan by £1 billion but established a £2 billion Energy Wealth Fund for renewable and low-carbon infrastructure 
Residential solar and battery installations will face 5% VAT from April 1, 2027, raising concerns over higher upfront costs 
The UK’s solar energy industry has mixed feelings about the country’s Budget 2026, with Solar Energy UK calling it ‘broadly positive’ for solar and battery technology, even as the government has announced a £1 billion cut to the Warm Homes Plan. 
A major highlight of the budget is the announcement of an additional £100 million for the Social Housing Fund to support solar and battery installations for households. The government plans to support up to 57,000 solar installations in the current financial year. 
The government has also announced the establishment of an Energy Wealth Fund (EWF) within the National Wealth Fund (NWF) to invest in renewable energy and low-carbon energy infrastructure across the UK. The EWF will receive £2 billion, funded by future revenues from North Sea oil and gas. 
Launched earlier this year as the biggest public investment in home upgrades in the UK’s history, the Warm Homes Plan was announced with a £15 billion budget. It aims to upgrade up to 5 million homes with solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation by offering low- and zero-interest loans (see UK’s £15 Billion Warm Homes Plan To Boost Solar & Battery Uptake).  
However, in the budget announcement, the government has announced a £1 billion cut to the Warm Homes plan as it prioritizes defense funding. Yet it has introduced the Warm Homes Loan Scheme to support uptake of heat pumps and clean technology, including solar panels and battery installations. According to the government, solar panel installations totaled almost 150,000 in H1 2026, while heat pump sales reached a record high in 2025, both indicating a rapid uptake of these technologies. 
The government has also announced it will remove zero value-added tax (VAT) for energy-saving materials, and increase it to 5% from April 1, 2027. Solar Energy UK says this will raise the upfront cost of cutting bills just when it needs to come down. Currently, consumers are not required to pay VAT on home solar and battery installations. 
“Removing the VAT exemption is inconsistent with the Government’s intention for more people to enjoy the benefits of home solar and battery systems. With domestic electricity bills now zero-rated until July next year, saving energy will be taxed more heavily than consuming it – a perverse incentive,” said Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett. He added that the industry will urge the government to reverse course. 
Solar Energy UK said the budget proposes to prioritize projects ready to connect to the grid and generate power soon under the upcoming eighth round of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. This may create uncertainty for projects planned for later years.  
The government has also opened consultation on offering existing low-carbon generators a fixed-price Wholesale CfD scheme. These are currently supported by the legacy Renewable Obligation Certificates system. However, Solar Energy UK warned that the scheme’s final design could affect investor confidence. The consultation is open till December 9, 2026. 
Overall, the UK has made it clear that even as it transitions to clean power and net zero to support energy security, oil and gas will remain part of the electricity mix for decades to come. 
The complete Budget 2026 is available on the UK government’s website.  
Meanwhile, the government continues to clear large-scale solar PV and storage projects. It approved nearly 2 GW of new solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in the month of October 2026 alone. These include Elements Green’s 1.12 GW DC/800 MW AC Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, with 440 MW/880 MWh of storage; Cubico Sustainable Investments’ Frodsham Solar Project in Cheshire, with over 50 MW of solar and an associated battery system; Island Green Power’s 500 MW Green Hill Solar Farm in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes; and RES Group’s 450 MW Steeples Solar Farm in Nottinghamshire, paired with 150 MW of battery storage. 
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Plant design allows it to run on either stored solar heat or combustion.
Rather than directly converting photons into electricity, concentrated solar energy uses mirrors to turn sunlight into heat, which can then be used to drive traditional generating turbines. Up to about a decade ago, there was a case to be made that concentrated solar energy had a bright future, as improvements in heat storage had turned it into a way to generate power around the clock.
It wasn’t to be. While concentrated solar costs fell enough to compete with nuclear power, the price of photovoltaics plunged, making solar panels the cheapest source of power in most locations. Currently, if you have a good site to generate solar power, then the economics of PV panels are hard to beat.
That has left us needing to build a mixture of other facilities—typically batteries and natural gas facilities—to handle overnight needs or weather-driven shortfalls. But a small company is promising that it can help avoid the need to build a separate facility. Its version of concentrated solar is designed so that a fossil-fueled backup system shares most of the generating hardware with the solar side.
Concentrated solar, also called solar thermal, is pretty simple in principle. Most of the site is covered with heliostats, devices that incorporate mirrors and a motorized tracking system that can keep their focus on a single point as the Sun moves across the sky. The point of focus is in a tower, where sunlight heats a working fluid. The hot fluid can then be used to power a traditional steam turbine, or its heat can be stored and used to generate power overnight.
There are many potential variations, however: different working fluids and methods of heat storage, trough-shaped mirrors that eliminate the need for a tower, and so on. All of those variants are meant to reduce some of the issues inherent to solar thermal: lots of moving parts, potentially corrosive fluids, and so on. Those issues and the lack of standardization have helped ensure that the costs of these plants haven’t come close to keeping pace with photovoltaics.
Without any incentive to generate renewable power overnight, there hasn’t been any way for concentrated solar to compete. Construction of new plants has largely stopped, and a number of sources have simply stopped tracking the economics of it.
So it was a bit of a surprise to hear that India had contracted with a US-based startup called 247Solar to build and operate a small concentrated solar plant. While the plant will be extremely small (1 megawatt) and mix in photovoltaics, the company had a unique angle: The same hardware that is handling the solar thermal output can simply be run using fossil fuels if there is a significant shortfall in renewable generation.
“Our systems are their own backup,” said 247Solar’s Mark von Keszycki. “During times of low solar resource—long duration, bad weather, whatever the case may be—they’re able to burn a variety of fuels.”
To understand how this works, it’s best to step back and understand the entire system being built, which includes details about how the 247Solar team hopes to avoid some of the problems faced by other solar thermal systems and provide a great deal of flexibility in terms of how its systems get put to use.
Like other concentrated solar systems, 247Solar’s will be using a field of heliostats. But the receiver—the hardware that they focus the sunlight on—is distinctive, in that it works with ambient-pressure air. (It’s an updated version of hardware developed by a German company.) Air exits this hardware at approximately 970° C. That air can potentially be used directly for industrial process heat or sent on to the hardware that generates electricity. But in most cases, it will be directed to heat storage.
Rather than dealing with molten salts and potential phase transition, 247Solar heats up ceramic pellets roughly the size of a golf ball. Depending on the details of the storage configuration, von Keszycki says that the heat from the storage could be used to generate power for anywhere from nine to 20 hours after the Sun sets. Hours will obviously be shorter if some of the heat is used to generate power during the day, but 247Solar plans to pair its system with photovoltaic installations for daytime generation.
Wherever the hot air comes from, it will be sent to a heat exchanger. This is designed as a drop-in replacement for a combustion unit on a traditional turbine to heat up compressed air to drive generation. “The heat exchanger does the same job as the combustor did,” 247Solar’s Bruce Anderson told Ars. “It’s in the same place in the turbine assembly as the combustor was: after the compression stage and before the expander.” The initial installation will pair two 200 kW generators; aside from the heat exchanger, everything else is part of a standard off-the-shelf package.
This is the point where the system’s flexibility comes in: It doesn’t care how the air in the exchanger gets heated. So, any of a variety of fuels can be burned to provide the equivalent heat. von Keszycki suggested that adding the capability to the system to burn fossil fuels tacks on less than 10 percent of its total cost.
The air coming out of the heat exchanger is still quite hot, in the neighborhood of 250° C, and von Keszycki called it “a separate usable resource” that could be directed to a variety of applications, including industrial processes and absorption cooling. Again, if intermediate temperatures are needed, it could potentially be mixed with some hot air coming directly from the storage medium, albeit at the cost of generation.
The first installation will be small, with a pair of 200 kW generators, and so will mostly serve to validate the system’s engineering—Anderson said the biggest worries are “unknown unknowns.” But the system is designed to be modular, and the company is already working through the engineering of a 3 megawatt facility that combines multiple units that share a single tower that holds multiple receivers and heat storage.
The installation will also give the company a sense of how the system actually works out financially. On a typical grid, there are few incentives for providing around-the-clock renewable energy. And the cost of ensuring that there is enough generation to back up solar plants is often absorbed by other parties. The ability to generate fossil-fuel-based backup power without having to build a dedicated facility can definitely save someone money, but markets aren’t always set up so that it’s easy to extract those savings.
So, it’s not surprising that 247Solar has other markets in mind. It’s especially excited about remote mining sites, which typically require diesel to be shipped in, often at considerable expense. The 247Solar system would avoid that expense, while potentially providing process heat that could be useful for some of the ore processing. And powering mining operations without emissions would work well for companies that are required to account for the carbon emissions of their supply chain.
Still, there might be a space for this sort of facility on the grid, if it does successfully avoid the need for dedicated fossil fuel plants that only ever run for a small fraction of the night—provided the price and incentives line up.
Ars Technica has been separating the signal from the noise for over 25 years. With our unique combination of technical savvy and wide-ranging interest in the technological arts and sciences, Ars is the trusted source in a sea of information. After all, you don’t need to know everything, only what’s important.

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Solar panels work best in bright sunshine, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless on a cloudy day, and even on overcast days, they still generate electricity
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Fitting solar panels to your home is a sizeable undertaking, so it’s understandable in a country like the UK to be concerned about their performance when it’s cloudy.
Thankfully, the short answer is: yes, solar panels work on cloudy days. Even when overcast, the panels continue to generate electricity, which can then be used to power your home, stored for use later, or earn money by being exported to the grid.
It’s true to say solar panels generate less electricity on cloudy days, and that they work best on clear, sunny days. But, importantly, the UK’s climate doesn’t prevent solar panels from being an effective source of household electricity.
Keep reading to understand more about how solar panels work, and what to expect from their performance on cloudy, dull and overcast days.
Solar panels work by using photovoltaic (PV) panels to convert light into electricity. They work in daylight, rather than exclusively when subjected to direct sunlight, so even on cloudy or fully overcast days they will continue to work. That’s because solar panels absorb energy from the visible light spectrum and wavelengths that can pass through clouds.
That said, on cloudy days solar panels generate less electricity than on bright, sunny days. The amount of electricity generated depends on how much light reaches the panels, which in turn is affected by the thickness of the cloud cover, the time of day and year, the angle of the panel (or roof it’s attached to), and local shadowing from nearby objects like trees.
It is also worth remembering that solar panels generate electricity using light, not heat. They don’t need warm weather to function, and can actually perform less efficiently during especially hot weather. So even on a cold winter’s day, clear sunshine will produce a good amount of electricity.
Solar panels generally produce less electricity when it’s cloudy, but the reduction depends on the specific weather conditions. A bright day with occasional light cloud might have relatively little impact on electricity generation, while thick, dark clouds can dramatically reduce the amount produced.
An exact figure can’t be put on how much electricity a solar panel generates on a cloudy day, since there are too many variables to produce a reliable conclusion. However, it is generally claimed that electricity output from solar panels can fall to between 10 and 25 per cent on a grey and overcast day, compared to a sunny day. Heavy cloud cover can see output fall to between 20 and 40 per cent of optimal conditions, while light cloud cover can cut electricity generation to between approximately 60 and 80 per cent.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
Yes. Solar panels generally generate more electricity when exposed to direct sunlight, since more solar energy reaches their photovoltaic cells. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the hottest days of the summer are always the best for producing electricity.
This is because high temperatures can make solar panels less efficient. As the temperature of the cells increases, their ability to convert sunlight into electricity tends to decrease slightly.
This doesn’t mean solar panels stop working on hot sunny days. Longer daylight hours and stronger sunlight generally make summer the most productive season for solar generation in the UK, despite efficiency occasionally dropping on especially hot days. Ultimately, the amount of light reaching the panel has a much greater influence on electricity generation than the temperature.
Solar panels can absolutely be a worthwhile investment for your home, despite the UK’s reputation for grey skies and unpredictable weather. As explained earlier, they don’t require constant sunshine to work, and can continue to produce useful amounts of electricity even on cloudy days, and are mostly unaffected by colder temperatures.
In short, a properly installed system can still produce a substantial amount of a home’s electricity demand each year. It is therefore best to zoom out and look at years as a whole, instead of focusing too much on individual days or weeks. Some especially cloudy days will see very little electricity generation, while other days will see much more.
Whether solar panels are worth it to you comes down to their cost and the long-term savings they can deliver. Using electricity generated by your own panels reduces the amount you need to buy from your energy supplier, while exporting surplus electricity back to the grid can provide an additional financial benefit.
Read more: Are Octopus solar panels worth it?
Weather is one of the biggest factors affecting solar panel performance, with the difference between a sunny day and a dull, overcast one having a significant impact on electricity production. However, there are other factors that determine how much electricity your panels can generate.
These include the angle of your roof, local shading caused by nearby objects like trees or other buildings, the size and specification of the panels, and even how clean they are. Dust, pollen, leaves and other objects can reduce electricity generation. A bright side in the UK is that our frequent rainfall can help solar panels stay cleaner and more efficient, according to Switch Together.
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Rooftop solar energy systems, paired with battery energy storage, are one of the most effective ways to bring down household energy bills. A typical installation saves many hundreds of pounds each year, the precise amount varying according to capacity, configuration and location.
“With the Warm Homes Loan Scheme now in place, more homes can go solar next year than ever before, taking control of their energy and insulating themselves from high energy bills” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK. “Critically, it will ensure that households across society can overcome any financial barriers, making sure that the benefits are felt where they are most needed. We are already expecting the annual record for smaller-scale solar systems to be broken within a few weeks. I have every confidence that the scheme will help deliver yet another record next year, over and above the 300,000 we expect to see this year. That in turn means employing more people, cutting energy bills and fuel poverty, delivering economic growth and cutting dependence on increasingly expensive natural gas.
The Warm Homes Loan Scheme was first trumpeted in the Labour’s 2024 manifesto, as part of the Warm Homes Plan. It is comparable to a Scottish Government programme that formerly offered interest-free loans for home solar installations, which had a significant impact on fuel poverty.
Rather than being provided directly by the state, the loans will be made available across the UK via a series of partners, including Solar Energy UK members Sunsave and E.ON (via Homeserve). Interest rates will be cut by up to 5 percent on the rate that would otherwise apply, saving customers hundreds of pounds a year and ensuring that savings exceed repayments.
Loans for solar panels will be capped at up to £15,000, enough to secure an array substantially larger than the household average. The same cap will apply for battery energy storage, again plentiful.
“Two further aspects of the scheme are also very welcome” added Gemma Grimes, Solar Energy UK’s Director of Policy and Delivery. “All home energy upgrades, barring connections to heat networks, will be conducted by installers certified by the standards body MCS, with whom we work closely. This will help secure and maintain consumer confidence. Grants for heat pumps will also remain, under the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (and Home Energy Scotland in Scotland), further reducing the cost of installations.”
For additional information:
Solar Energy UK

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