Solar Now

Some researchers believe the Sahara could, in theory, be transformed into a massive solar power plant. A project of that scale could generate enough electricity to meet nearly four times the world’s current energy consumption. Spanning more than 8.5 million square kilometers, this North African desert is the largest on Earth. Temperatures can reach 55 °C. Several projects have already proposed installing solar panels there, with the goal of supplying electricity to millions of European homes. Still, major obstacles remain.
The Sahara Desert is not likely to be covered with solar panels anytime soon. Because of their dark color, panels absorb far more heat than sand. This can further warm the surrounding environment and reduce air pressure. Heat is reflected toward space, where it condenses the moisture present there. Studies suggest that a solar farm in the Sahara could increase monsoon rainfall. Greater humidity in the Sahara could also mean less rain in the tropics and drought in the Amazon region. Researchers also believe that large-scale solar deployment in the Sahara could disrupt wind circulation.
A solar power project in the middle of a desert can have serious environmental consequences. Installing solar panels could damage natural areas and disturb fragile ecosystems. At that point, the issue would no longer be only about renewable energy, but also about the survival of wildlife and plant life. A desert covered in solar panels would affect the climate. According to researchers, ground temperature and wind cycles would be disrupted. A huge solar farm would also increase the carbon footprint and require a large amount of raw materials. Finally, removing sand from solar panels would require a great deal of water, a resource that is already rare and precious in desert regions.
The photovoltaic cells used in solar panels become less efficient at extreme temperatures. Their output would therefore be less impressive than it seems at first glance. Covering a desert with solar panels would also be an economic challenge, with electricity costs reaching millions of euros. Deserts also lack the infrastructure needed to maintain panels, especially after a sandstorm. That would mean investing again in cleaning robots capable of covering hectares of panels. On top of that, there is the problem of sending electricity to other countries, since deserts are so vast. A consortium from the Innova MicroSolar project favors smaller-scale production instead.

source

New! Sign up for our email newsletter on Substack.
Inexpensive material compresses light, paving the way for photonic microcircuits in the terahertz range
There’s a mineral called bustamentite that almost nobody studies. It forms in flat hexagonal plates, grows readily in warm water, and turns up as an unwanted contaminant in perovskite solar cells. For decades it sat at the margins of materials science, useful mostly as a precursor for more fashionable compounds. Then a group of physicists decided to look at it very carefully in the terahertz range, and found something that had been hiding in plain sight since the 1970s: bustamentite, better known as lead iodide, can compress light to a degree that has no real parallel among materials tested at these frequencies.
The finding, published in Nature Communications, positions lead iodide as the first material to bring the strange physics of hyperbolic phonon-polaritons into the deep terahertz, a spectral region that the nanophotonics community has been trying to crack for years.
Phonon-polaritons are hybrid quasiparticles. In polar crystals like lead iodide, light and atomic vibrations can couple so tightly that neither propagates independently, and what you get instead is something with properties neither possesses alone. “It’s as if the phonon were dressed in light,” says Raul de Oliveira Freitas, who coordinates the Imbuia beamline at Brazil’s synchrotron facility LNLS-CNPEM and led the study. “The propagation characteristics and interaction with matter of these quasiparticles differ from both isolated light and isolated phonons.” In materials with a particular kind of crystalline anisotropy, these hybrids become hyperbolic: they travel through the bulk of the crystal along cone-shaped wavefronts, guided by the geometry of the lattice itself rather than by conventional optical boundaries.
The terahertz gap has frustrated physicists partly because of scale. Light in this range has wavelengths of hundreds of micrometers. That’s a problem if you want to route it through circuits that fit on a chip. Confining terahertz radiation to the nanoscale requires suppressing the diffraction limit, the fundamental constraint that prevents ordinary optics from resolving or manipulating anything smaller than roughly half the wavelength. “In classical optics, it isn’t possible to observe or manipulate structures much smaller than the wavelength of light,” Freitas says. “With polaritons, we’ve managed to overcome that limit.”
Several materials had already shown this trick in the infrared range. Hexagonal boron nitride is the canonical example, with polaritons that propagate with low losses and squeeze infrared wavelengths into extraordinarily small volumes. But pushing comparable behavior to longer terahertz wavelengths meant finding a material with the right anisotropy at the right frequencies, and most of the obvious candidates didn’t have it. Lead iodide, it turns out, does. Its crystal structure produces a pronounced mismatch in how it responds to electric fields along different axes, generating a hyperbolic response in a band that runs from about 1.55 to 3.03 terahertz, a range that overlaps neatly with where next-generation wireless communication systems are heading. “Today, Wi-Fi and 5G operate at frequencies of a few gigahertz,” Freitas notes. “But there is interest in moving toward hundreds of gigahertz, or even terahertz, because the higher the frequency, the greater the bandwidth and data transmission capacity.”
To see the polaritons directly, the team used scattering-type near-field optical microscopy, a technique in which a platinum-coated atomic force microscope tip is illuminated by a terahertz laser. The tip acts as an antenna, concentrating the field at its apex to a hotspot of a few tens of nanometers. “The electric field density in s-SNOM probes is up to 10⁵ times higher than in free waves,” Freitas says. The result is that a wave 200 micrometers long gets squeezed into a volume smaller than 50 nanometers. In the images from the microscope, the polaritons appear as ripple patterns of alternating bright and dark fringes, propagating outward from the edges of thin lead iodide crystals with a regularity that matched theory almost exactly.
Quality factor is a measure of how long a system sustains oscillation before dissipating its energy as heat. High quality factors are what separate a useful resonator from a leaky one. Lead iodide’s quality factor in the terahertz range, assessed by the team using a figure of merit that tracks how many oscillation cycles a polariton completes before it damps out, reached 17 for a crystal 340 nanometers thick. That’s on par with hexagonal boron nitride in its native infrared range, and comfortably above molybdenum trioxide, the other leading benchmark material, whose maximum in the mid-infrared is around 12. “The longer the system oscillates, the higher the quality factor,” Freitas says. “PbI₂ performed comparably to hexagonal boron nitride, which is the reference material in the infrared range.”
The confinement numbers are perhaps more striking. A 144-nanometer-thick flake compressed the terahertz wavelength by a factor of 264: that is, the polariton wavelength inside the crystal was 264 times shorter than the free-space wavelength of the light driving it. Go to a flake thinner than 100 nanometers and the factor exceeds 300. This happens because thinner crystals force the polariton into a tighter mode, and lead iodide’s high ionicity, a large charge transfer in its chemical bonds, sustains the coupling without extracting too heavy a penalty in losses. The material’s extreme dielectric anisotropy, captured in a Lyddane-Sachs-Teller ratio of 4.20 (versus 1.41 for hexagonal boron nitride), gives it a hyperbolic band that is far broader than in comparable materials, which translates into more usable frequencies and more flexible device design.
What makes the finding practically appealing is how unremarkable lead iodide is to produce. Growing hexagonal boron nitride to research quality requires extreme pressure, high temperatures, and decades of accumulated expertise; only a handful of groups worldwide can do it reliably. Lead iodide crystallizes from water. “Simply dissolve the salt in water until a supersaturated solution is obtained and heat it to about 80 degrees Celsius,” Freitas explains, “something that can be done on a household stove. During cooling, the material crystallizes, forming structures that can be collected.” The synthesis is hydrothermal, the precursors are cheap and common, and because iodine is monoisotopic and lead has minimal natural isotopic variation, the resulting crystals are reproducible in a way that matters enormously for device fabrication.
The broader vision is for photonic circuits inside chips, where information moves on light rather than electrons. “Currently, information is transmitted within devices via electrons,” Freitas says. “Using light can drastically increase speed and reduce losses. It’s analogous to what happened in the field of telecommunications. Before, we used electrical cables; today, we use optical fibers.” The same logic, applied at the scale of integrated circuits, suggests a future where processor-to-processor communication happens at the speed of light through terahertz waveguides, consuming a fraction of the energy that copper interconnects require. The team has designed experiments around lead iodide functioning as a resonator, a beam splitter, and a modulator; all three functions are demonstrated in the paper.
The material’s role in perovskite research adds an adjacent strand to the story. Lead iodide is a ubiquitous precursor for the perovskite compounds now competing seriously with silicon in solar cell efficiency tables, and understanding its optical phonon behavior may help explain why excess lead iodide in perovskite films sometimes passivates defects and sometimes accelerates degradation. Whether or not that turns out to be a useful connection, “the expectation of the scientific community,” Freitas says, “is to make light circuits increasingly present in everyday devices.” The material that was cluttering up solar cells may turn out to be what makes that possible.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69027-6
Why does compressing terahertz light to the nanoscale matter for future technology?
Terahertz radiation has wavelengths of hundreds of micrometers in free space, which makes it impossible to route through chip-scale components using conventional optics. Phonon-polaritons in lead iodide compress that wavelength by a factor of 264 or more, shrinking the effective size of the light to a point where it could feasibly travel through nanoscale waveguides and resonators on a chip. That opens a path to optical data links inside devices that would be dramatically faster and more energy-efficient than the copper interconnects used today.
How is lead iodide different from the materials researchers normally use for this kind of physics?
Hexagonal boron nitride is the gold standard for phonon-polariton research, but it only works in the infrared range and is notoriously difficult to synthesize at research quality. Lead iodide crystallizes from warm water in a process that requires no specialist equipment, and its natural isotopic consistency means crystals are reproducible. Crucially, it operates in the terahertz range rather than the infrared, which is where next-generation wireless communication is heading.
Is lead iodide safe to work with at this scale?
Lead compounds require standard laboratory precautions because of lead’s well-documented toxicity. The paper does not address this directly, but lead iodide is already handled routinely in perovskite solar cell research, where it is synthesized and processed in academic and industrial labs worldwide. Whether its toxicity profile presents a barrier to large-scale chip integration is a practical question that research at this stage has not yet confronted.
Could this technology actually replace electronic circuits in the near future?
The research is at the basic science stage, demonstrating that the material can confine and guide terahertz light with low losses. The gap between a proof-of-concept polariton waveguide and a manufacturable photonic chip is significant, involving challenges in fabrication, integration with existing electronics, and device engineering that remain largely unsolved. The researchers describe lead iodide as a candidate for resonators, beam splitters, and modulators, which are the building blocks for circuits, but none of those components have been built into working devices yet.
ScienceBlog.com has no paywalls, no sponsored content, and no agenda beyond getting the science right. Every story here is written to inform, not to impress an advertiser or push a point of view.

If you find this site useful, consider supporting it with a donation. Even a few dollars a month helps keep the coverage independent and free for everyone.

Comment
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.


Δ
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

source

We use cookies to improve your experience and for marketing. Read our cookie policy or manage cookies.
Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories.
A portfolio of seven solar projects for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) is approaching its final stages, according to a May 4, 2026, report by Kelly Pickerel.
The projects, totaling 4.7 megawatts, were developed by Verogy with assistance from the Connecticut Green Bank. CTECS is expected to save roughly $5.4 million in energy expenses over the systems’ operational lifespan.
A ceremonial ribbon-cutting event was held for the 756.8-kilowatt solar carport system at Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester. Students from the school participated in cutting the ribbon.
CTECS Executive Director Dr. Alice Pritchard stated that the ribbon cutting represents a dedication to using resources more efficiently for the benefit of students while introducing them to new energy technologies. She also expressed gratitude to project partners for their collaboration in completing the projects swiftly.
Steve DeNino, Chief Operating Officer of Verogy, noted the privilege of delivering clean energy to Connecticut’s technical schools and the pride his team felt in the accomplishment. He added that, as a Connecticut-based firm, the projects were personally significant and that providing CTECS students with direct exposure to the solar industry’s direction made the work especially fulfilling.
Other schools receiving solar energy systems were listed as part of the portfolio, in addition to the carport system at Howell Cheney Technical High School.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides a comprehensive view of the solar cells and light-emitting diodes industry in the United States, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the solar cells and light-emitting diodes landscape in the United States.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for the United States. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
This report provides a consistent view of market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for the United States. The profile highlights demand structure and trade position, enabling benchmarking against regional and global peers.
The analysis is built on a multi-source framework that combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, and expert validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to ensure consistency across time series.
All data are normalized to a common product definition and mapped to a consistent set of codes. This ensures that comparisons across time are aligned and actionable.
The forecast horizon extends to 2035 and is based on a structured model that links solar cells and light-emitting diodes demand and supply to macroeconomic indicators, trade patterns, and sector-specific drivers. The model captures both cyclical and structural factors and reflects known policy and technology shifts in the United States.
Each projection is built from national historical patterns and the broader regional context, allowing the report to show where growth is concentrated and where risks are elevated.
Prices are analyzed in detail, including export and import unit values, regional spreads, and changes in trade costs. The report highlights how seasonality, freight rates, exchange rates, and supply disruptions influence pricing and margins.
Key producers, exporters, and distributors are profiled with a focus on their operational scale, geographic footprint, product mix, and market positioning. This helps identify competitive pressure points, partnership opportunities, and routes to differentiation.
This report is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, investors, and advisors who need a clear, data-driven picture of solar cells and light-emitting diodes dynamics in the United States.
The market size aggregates consumption and trade data, presented in both value and volume terms.
The projections combine historical trends with macroeconomic indicators, trade dynamics, and sector-specific drivers.
Yes, it includes export and import unit values, regional spreads, and a pricing outlook to 2035.
The report benchmarks market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for the United States.
Yes, it highlights demand hotspots, trade routes, pricing trends, and competitive context.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
How the Report Was Built
Major US solar manufacturer
Residential & commercial solar
Former Cree LED business
Spin-off from SunPower
Specialty & high-power LEDs
LED technology & solutions
Advanced photonics
Residential solar panels
CIGS solar technology
US & Canadian manufacturing
North American manufacturing
US-made solar panels
US operations of Korean parent
3D architecture LEDs
High-quality lighting
High-brightness microdisplays
Disinfection & purification
US crystalline silicon solar
Next-generation tandem cells
Tandem cell technology
Manufacturing equipment
Turnkey production lines
Distributor & assembler
Residential & commercial
Former Philips business
Specialty & horticultural
Military & commercial
Aluminum nitride substrates
Materials for UV LEDs
US division of Kyocera
Instant access. No credit card needed.
Online access to 2M+ reports, dashboards, and tables. Trusted by Fortune 500 teams.
IndexBox, Inc.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1441
Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Contact us
© 2026 IndexBox, Inc

source

JinkoSolar Retains “AAA” Rating in PV Tech’s Q1 2026 Module Technology Bankability Report  SolarQuarter
source

JACKSON COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) – A new community solar project was approved for a southern Illinois community.
The Jackson County Board approved Pivot Energy’s 1.25 MW solar project.
According to Pivot Energy, the solar project in Jackson County will generate enough electricity to power more than 200 homes.
It was the first solar project approved under the county’s solar ordinance, which was enacted in 2025.
“Pivot’s team is grateful to the Jackson County Board, Assistant State’s Attorneys and especially the solar subcommittee for their questions, collaboration, and professionalism,” said Buzz Becker, Senior Director of Project Development for Pivot Energy. “We look forward to being part of this community.”
According to Pivot, the land for the solar project is leased from local landowners who will continue farming the rest of their acreage.
Once it’s operational, they say the Jackson County solar farm will use sheep grazing to manage the vegetation around it and plant pollinator-friendly groundcover.
They expect to begin construction of the project in the first quarter of 2027.
According to Pivot, it has been working in Illinois since 2018 and has 64 Illinois solar projects operating or under construction for a total of 213 MW.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.

source

Mango Power is currently offering up to 72% savings during its latest Brand Month Sale, with things starting at the centerpiece Mango Power E Portable Power Station at $1,299 shipped, with the rest of the sale being on larger bundle setups for this station. Normally going for $4,250 at full price, this particular unit is not available on Amazon, but you can find it over at Wellbots, currently matching the sale’s pricing. While we have seen it go lower to $1,099 direct from the brand during Black Friday and Christmas sales, as well as the exclusive $899 low we last saw during August 2025, this is still a solid 69% markdown that saves you $2,951 off the tag for the third-best price we have tracked. What’s more, folks who are already members can score an additional $100 discount on orders, while anyone who signs up for free by providing an email can get a 5% off discount code. Head below to see all the bundle package offers for even larger backup solutions.
While most of the best power station brands on the market focus on LiFePO4 battery configurations, the Mango Power E power station stands outside of that sphere with a more unique CATL battery that we often see used in EVs from Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and more. It brings along a 3,500Wh capacity that can scale all the way up to 14kWh (again, bundles are below), 16 output ports (including an RV-ready port), and up to a maximum 3,000W of power delivery – plus, that rate also expands up to 7,000W with two expansion batteries added on.
You can even utilize the mSocket Pro accessory bundle to use this power station as a split-phase generator for hungrier appliances, including heaters, dryers, water pumps, and more. There are three main ways to recharge its battery: in around an hour with any standard AC outlet, with up to 3,000W of input from a gas generator, or by connecting up to 2,000W of solar input to take advantage of sunny days.
***Note: We have not factored in any additional $100 or 5% savings on the prices you see below, so be sure to use those where applicable for even greater savings.
We also have sales running from alternate brands like Jackery, EcoFlow, and more within our dedicated power stations hub here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!

source

Palm Garden Nevis, the six-acre private estate renowned for its rare palm collection, historic heritage spaces, and elevated Caribbean experiences, proudly announces the completion of a major solar infrastructure project that enables the estate to operate on 100% clean, renewable energy.
This milestone marks a significant investment in the estate’s long-term sustainability and operational independence. The system includes a comprehensive network of solar panels paired with advanced battery storage, allowing Palm Garden Nevis to generate, store, and efficiently manage its own energy supply throughout the day and evening. By reducing reliance on traditional energy sources, the estate significantly lowers its environmental footprint while ensuring uninterrupted power across guest accommodations, event spaces, and core operations. This transition positions Palm Garden Nevis as one of the few privately owned estates in the Caribbean operating entirely on renewable energy
“We saw an opportunity to invest in something that not only enhances the guest experience but also contributes meaningfully to the future of Nevis,” said Joseph Katsman, Chief Operating Officer of Palm Garden Nevis. “Transitioning to full solar energy allows us to operate more responsibly while maintaining the level of comfort and quality our guests expect. It’s about creating a model where luxury and sustainability coexist seamlessly.”
The estate also announced the launch of construction for Bar 29, an innovative rum destination that will showcase exceptional rums from twenty-nine rum-producing countries surrounding the Caribbean Sea. Designed as both a social hub and cultural experience, Bar 29 celebrates the diversity of Caribbean rum, with each country offering its own interpretation shaped by climate, geography, and tradition. The concept invites guests to explore the region’s collective rum heritage through curated tastings and guided experiences, creating an engaging and educational journey into one of the Caribbean’s most iconic exports.
“The evolution of properties like Palm Garden Nevis reflects exactly where our destination is headed,” said Andia Ravariere, CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority. “We are focused on low-density, high-impact development that prioritizes true sustainability, authenticity, and meaningful guest experiences. Investments like this not only enhance our product offering, but also strengthen Nevis’ position as a leader in sustainable, bespoke Caribbean travel.”
Sustainability remains central to the Palm Garden Nevis philosophy. The new solar installation allows the estate to power its operations entirely through renewable energy, reinforcing its commitment to environmentally responsible luxury hospitality.
Alongside its sustainability initiatives, the estate’s signature Palm Collection remains a defining element of the guest experience. Palm Garden Nevis is home to a remarkable living botanical collection featuring 108 species of palms and 39 unique tree varieties sourced from around the world.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Subscribe to the Daily Brief today—your shortcut to staying informed.
© 2025 Carib News, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission is strictly prohibited.
Removed from reading list
No thanks, I’m not interested
Sign in to your account
Username or Email Address
Password
Remember Me

source

Selangor Launches EV And Solar Centre To Accelerate Clean Energy Adoption In Shah Alam  SolarQuarter
source

Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters discuss data centers’ energy consumption.
The price Virginians with solar panels get for shipping power to Dominion Energy will decline, under a new State Corporation Commission order.
Charles Gerena, pictured in 2023, had solar roof panels installed at his home after joining the Solar United Neighbors co-op.
Read the stories from the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s three-day series on data centers and the key issues they pose.
Proponents say data centers bring localities enormous revenues and opportunities. Opponents raise concerns about their big demands for power and compatibility with neighborhoods.
Data center developers are now eyeing the Richmond area. While counties welcome the sites’ tax revenues, residents’ concerns have prompted developers to withdraw some proposals and Henrico imposed further oversight.
These buildings that house key IT infrastructure are big, expensive and need a lot of energy but promise big revenues for localities.
The state’s telecommunications infrastructure, tax breaks, workforce and officials’ welcoming attitude have helped make Virginia the world’s data center capital.
The 451 now running in Virginia, home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world, currently use 3,583 megawatts, or enough electricity to power nearly 896,000 homes.
Virginia’s data center boom means new terms to understand. Here are some key words and phrases.
The state’s data center boom is the subtext to increasingly intense politicking over longtime Virginia issues — climate change, electricity rates and the powers of local governments.
President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders removing barriers to expanding the electric grid’s ability to serve data centers necessary to advance artificial intelligence and other power-hungry technologies.
Dave Ress (804) 649-6948
dress@timesdispatch.com

Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
State Politics / Growth and Development Reporter
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters discuss data centers’ energy consumption.
Charles Gerena, pictured in 2023, had solar roof panels installed at his home after joining the Solar United Neighbors co-op.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
Sorry, an error occurred.

Already Subscribed!

Cancel anytime
Account processing issue – the email address may already exist

Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.

Secure & Encrypted
Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.

Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.

source

Bangladesh’s Industrial Rooftop Solar Boom Drives Cost Savings And Clean Energy Growth  SolarQuarter
source

EWEC and Masdar have signed a collaboration framework agreement to accelerate the deployment of over 30 GW of solar capacity and 8 GW of battery storage in the UAE, supporting the country's decarbonisation goals.
Each week:
40 curated articles via our newsletters + a selection of your choice.
Sector alerts and personalized feed.
Just your email — that's all it takes.

source

To stream KVUE on your phone, you need the KVUE app.
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video

source

Headlining this week’s starting Green Deals is a spotlight on the ENGWE EP-2 3.0 Fast Charging Long-Range Foldable Commuter e-bike that comes with a $214 FREE gear bundle at a new $949 low (with an extra savings code that we found works on the two other e-bikes in this sale). We also spotted Baseus’ X1 Pro Wireless Outdoor Dual-Tracking Solar Security Camera back at its $150 low, as well as Tenways’ latest sale with the AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike and a FREE $307 gear bundle at its $1,899 low. There’s also Mango Power’s Brand Month power station sale with up to 72% discounts, some solid savings on a pro-grade Greenworks 3,000 PSI electric pressure washer, EGO electric chainsaw, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from last week at the bottom of the page, collected together in our latest Electrified Weekly roundup edition.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
As part of ENGWE’s ongoing 12th Anniversary Sale, which seems to be gearing up to end on May 6th, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the brand’s EP-2 3.0 Fast Charging Long-Range Foldable Commuter e-bike with $214 in FREE gear down at $949 shipped, after using the code DEAL50 at checkout for an additional $50 savings. One of ENGWE’s newer models, this e-bike hit the market back in September 2025 with a $1,699 full price, which we’ve seen discounted as low as $1,099 up until today. While the initial $700 markdown already drops the price to a first-ever $999 rate, the added $50 savings lands it further at an even better and new all-time low price. You can learn more about it below, or check out the full sale lineup in our original coverage here.
The most affordable of the three e-bikes included in ENGWE’s 12th Anniversary event, this EP-2 3.0 e-bike not only comes ready to tackle daily commutes, but features a folding frame design to save on storage space at your destinations/home. It is equipped with a 750W rear hub motor (1,500W peak) and a 48V 15Ah/720Wh battery to deliver up to 65 miles of pedal-assisted travel at up to 28 MPH speeds, with a throttle available for electric riding up to 20 MPH speeds. According to the brand, it can “fully recharge in about two hours” using the included 8A fast charger. It also comes with an IPX4 water-resistant design and a 330-pound total carrying capacity, and is fairly manageable at 75.4-pounds in weight.
One thing to note is that for the under $1,000 price, you’re getting some built-in security features here that include keyless unlocking, GPS tracking, and motion detection alerts. Among its mechanical features, you’ll find urban hybrid puncture-resistant fat tires that can handle more than just paved streets, a sensor system that can be set to either torque or cadence sensing, a 30-lux headlight with a horn, a taillight with brake lighting, Tektro hydraulic dual-piston brakes, hydraulic front suspension, a Shimano Tourney 7-speed derailleur, a rear cargo rack, a 3.5-inch LCD color display for settings, and more.
As I mentioned, you can check out ENGWE’s full 12th Anniversary Sale lineup in our original coverage here ahead of the event ending at the end of May 6th, with even more e-bike sales available to shop from in our dedicated e-bikes hub here.
At Amazon, through the official Woot storefront, you can currently score the Baseus X1 Pro Wireless Outdoor Dual-Tracking Solar Security Camera at $149.99 shipped. While it may carry a $270 MSRP, it’s been keeping down from that full rate since March, keeping between $170 and $160 on average, though there have been some occasional drops as low as $150. Today’s deal is one such drop, giving you a total $120 savings over buying it at full price, and returning it to the all-time lowest price we have tracked.
You’ll be getting a significant security upgrade when installing this Baseus X1 Pro outdoor camera to your home or business. What’s particularly nice is the wire-free design, thanks to the onboard solar panel that keeps the battery charging every single day the sun continues to rise, with the brand promising that just 20 minutes of ideal sunshine gives it 24 hours of runtime. There are two independent 3K lenses here (plus full-color night vision), with both boasting 300-degree pan action, allowing them to seamlessly track two different moving targets with AI recognition. It comes with an IP65 waterproof design, up to 512GB of local storage (though microSD cards are not included), as well as a two-year warranty.
If you weren’t aware, May is National Bike Month, and Tenways is celebrating with up to $600 price cuts and up to $307 in FREE bundled gear on three of its e-bikes. The largest savings is hitting the Tenways’ AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike with $307 in FREE gear down at $1,899 shipped. The e-bike alone would run you $2,499 outside of sales and $2,806 were the add-on gear not also bundled for free, which we last saw during the brand’s late-winter deals back in February. All-in-all, you’re getting $907 in combined savings that lands it back at the lowest price we have tracked with the largest continuing bundle offer that we’ve seen. Tenways also offers additional $150 savings to medical providers, military, first responders, and teachers with verification, as well as an extra $100 discount when buying two models together. Head below to also check out the deals on the newest Wayfarer and the CGO800S e-bikes.
While Tenways is well known for its more premium commuter solutions, the AGO X e-bike sits higher on the hill compared to other models under the brand’s flag, as it’s tailored for multiple terrain types over just street riding. What’s more, it bears a 250W 80Nm Bafang M410 mid-drive motor that pairs with the 504Wh battery in order to support you with pedal-assistance for up to 62 miles and top out at 20 MPH speeds – and do keep in mind that there is no throttle here.
Other features include a SR SUNTOUR Lockout Fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 29-inch puncture-resistant tires, integrated front and rear lighting, a Shimano 10-speed derailleur, a TFT LCD color display, and more. It’s also worth noting that the TFT display even allows your smartphone to pair and provide navigation to it, cutting the need to have your phone mounted on the handlebars.
We’ve got plenty more e-bike sales worth checking out in our dedicated e-bikes hub here, like the Lectric Mother’s Day Sale and up to $793 e-bike savings starting from $799. There’s also ENGWE’s 12th Anniversary Sale with up to $1,048 savings on three of its newest e-bikes, and much more. You can also find e-scooter and electric dirt bike deals in our separate EV hub here, including the Yozma IN 10 Mini Electric Dirt Bike at an exclusive new $999 low, amongst others.
Mango Power is currently offering up to 72% savings during its latest Brand Month Sale, with things starting at the centerpiece Mango Power E Portable Power Station at $1,299 shipped, with the rest of the sale being on larger bundle setups for this station. Normally going for $4,250 at full price, this particular unit is not available on Amazon, but you can find it over at Wellbots, currently matching the sale’s pricing. While we have seen it go lower to $1,099 direct from the brand during Black Friday and Christmas sales, as well as the exclusive $899 low we last saw during August 2025, this is still a solid 69% markdown that saves you $2,951 off the tag for the third-best price we have tracked. What’s more, folks who are already members can score an additional $100 discount on orders, while anyone who signs up for free by providing an email can get a 5% off discount code. Head below to see all the bundle package offers for even larger backup solutions.
While most of the best power station brands on the market focus on LiFePO4 battery configurations, the Mango Power E power station stands outside of that sphere with a more unique CATL battery that we often see used in EVs from Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and more. It brings along a 3,500Wh capacity that can scale all the way up to 14kWh (again, bundles are below), 16 output ports (including an RV-ready port), and up to a maximum 3,000W of power delivery – plus, that rate also expands up to 7,000W with two expansion batteries added on.
You can even utilize the mSocket Pro accessory bundle to use this power station as a split-phase generator for hungrier appliances, including heaters, dryers, water pumps, and more. There are three main ways to recharge its battery: in around an hour with any standard AC outlet, with up to 3,000W of input from a gas generator, or by connecting up to 2,000W of solar input to take advantage of sunny days.
***Note: We have not factored in any additional $100 or 5% savings on the prices you see below, so be sure to use those where applicable for even greater savings.
We also have sales running from alternate brands like Jackery, EcoFlow, and more within our dedicated power stations hub here.
Over at Amazon, you can bolster your outdoor cleaning needs with the Greenworks Pro Brushless 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer for $359.99 shipped, beating out its direct website pricing by $140. It’s dropping down from a $500 full price here, which we’ve previously seen only go as low as $370 in 2026. While the price has gone a bit further in the past, you’re looking at a 28% markdown off the going rate, slashing $140 from the tag to land it at the best price we have tracked since early November.
One of Greenworks’ newer-generation pressure washing solutions, this pro-grade model boasts the highest settings across the lineup, with it reaching up to a max 3,000 PSI and 2.0 GPM flow rate. As a 14A wired model, you won’t have to be concerned about keeping track of battery levels – plus, as is common with the brand’s tools, the annoying pull strings are replaced by push-button starts.
This model sports an upgraded axial cam pump with greater safety features located in the thermal relief valve, purging hot water for faster cooldowns after you’ve been running it for long periods. There’s also the addition of PCBA tech that senses which of the five included nozzles are connected, promptly adjusting its power output and flow rate for ideal performance.
You can find even more deals from Greenworks, EGO Power+, Worx, and more collected into our dedicated tool hub here.
Amazon is offering folks another chance to score the popular EGO Power+ 56V 16-inch Cordless Electric Chain Saw with a 2.5Ah battery at $219 shipped. Dropping down from $279 here, we’ve been seeing this same discounted rate appear consistently for quite some time, beaten out over the last 12 months by a Prime-exclusive deal to $208 back during October’s 2025 Prime Day event. The deal here gives you a $60 price cut from the tag, landing it at the second-best price we have tracked over the last year. You can find a large number of EGO’s other tools benefiting from discounts in the brand’s official Amazon storefront here.
If you’re looking for a fully capable cutting solution that doesn’t bring the cons of a gas-guzzler along with it, this EGO cordless electric chain saw is ready to join your arsenal with the equivalent power to a 40cc gas engine. The included 2.5Ah battery in the package provides the juice for up to 130 cuts on each full charge, and you can always extend that runtime by switching it out with other batteries you may already own. Not only can the 16-inch chain have its tension adjusted easily without any additional tools, but it also keeps itself lubricated with the automatic oiler – plus, the whole thing sports an IPX4 weather-resistant construction, too.
You’ll find tons of other deals on equipment from EGO, Greenworks, Worx, and more collected into our dedicated tools hub here.
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.

source

The May issue of IEEE Spectrum is here!
A grant is funding the installation of solar minigrids
Natalie Zundel, founder of Raise Well in Ashburn, Va., consults and writes for associations and nonprofit organizations.
Jude Numfor [middle] and members of the Renewable Energy Innovators Cameroon staff celebrating the completion of their newest mini-grid in Voundou, Cameroon.
More than 30 years ago, in the mountain village of Mbem in northwest Cameroon, the moon and stars in the night sky were the only light young Jude Numfor knew after the sunset. Electricity had not yet reached his rural community.
“There was one person in the village with a petrol generator and a small television,” Numfor says. “When he turned it on, all the children would run to his house and peep through the window.”
That memory became the spark for Numfor’s mission: to bring electricity to rural communities like his hometown. To accomplish his goal, in 2006 he cofounded Wireless Light and Power, since renamed Renewable Energy Innovators Cameroon, and he serves as its CEO.
REI Cameroon designs, installs, and maintains solar minigrids for rural electrification. The minigrids use photovoltaic technology and battery-energy storage systems to generate electricity at 50 hertz. The electricity is distributed through smart meters.
In 2017 the company received a grant from IEEE Smart Village to fund the expansion of REI’s minigrid operations and refine its business model. Smart Village supports projects and organizations bringing electricity and educational and employment opportunities to remote communities worldwide. The program is supported by IEEE societies and donations to the IEEE Foundation.
The partnership has led to a collaboration developing open source metering, a free, community-driven way of tracking energy usage. Unlike proprietary utility meters, the system allows users, researchers, and utilities to view, customize, and verify how data is collected, ensuring transparency in billing, consumption tracking, and grid management.

Smart Village’s support has been pivotal, Numfor says: “It’s not just about money. We share ideas, we get advice, and we have made friends. Entrepreneurship is lonely, but with the [Smart Village] community, it is different.”
Numfor’s first experience of life with electricity was in 2001, after moving in with a missionary family in the small village of Allat. They used solar panels to power their whole home—an unimaginable luxury in Mbem. “I could watch TV, eat ice cream, and turn on lights,” he says. “It made me wish my brothers in Mbem had the same opportunity.”
Numfor’s curiosity about electricity was ignited when a motion-sensor solar light in the family’s home stopped working. He tinkered with the device to find out why. “My missionary family told me to play with it like a toy,” he says, laughingly. “I replaced the dead battery with a motorcycle battery and was able to bring the power back for the night.”
Jude Numfor [right] testing a rechargeable solar lantern, which aimed to replace hazardous kerosene lamps—known locally as “bush lamps.”REI Cameroon
His missionary parents encouraged Numfor to study technology and engineering on his own, as none of the country’s universities offered solar energy educational programs at the time. They built him a library and stocked it with books on engineering, management, and entrepreneurship.
In 2006, armed with his new knowledge, Numfor launched Wireless Light and Power with a friend, Ludwig Teichgraber. The nonprofit aimed to replace hazardous kerosene lamps—known locally as “bush lamps”—with rechargeable solar lanterns.
These solar lanterns—called “light packs”—were built locally by Numfor and a team of 11 young Cameroonians using PVC pipes, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and LED bulbs. Families rented the lamps for a small fee, swapping discharged lamps for fully charged ones at solar-powered charging kiosks when they ran out of power. The kiosks then recharged the depleted lamps, making them available for the next swap. “The solar lantern was safer and cleaner, plus it gave children a chance to read at night,” Numfor explains. “People loved them.”
Between 2006 and 2010, his team replicated the model across several villages. But when the global financial crisis hit in 2008, donor support dwindled, forcing the organization to evolve. “We pivoted from being an NGO to a commercial venture,” he says. “That’s how REI was born.”
The new company’s goal was to move away from the lanterns and toward full electrification of communities. Villagers’ aspirations changed, Numfor says, as they now wanted to power their TVs, music systems, and mobile phones. In response, in 2010, REI developed one of the first solar minigrids in West Africa. Using locally procured components, the prototype supplied steady power to six households. The minigrid system used 12 123-watt solar photovoltaic panels manufactured by Sharp, 16 12-volt 100 ampere-hour automatic gain control lead acid batteries, and a Xantrex charge controller and inverter. Locally sourced wooden light poles were erected to distribute electricity throughout the village. REI charged each household a fee for the electricity.

“It was a product-market-fit moment,” Numfor says. “People immediately asked, ‘When can we get this, too?’” The word-of-mouth, grassroots growth caught the attention of global partners. Numfor connected with Smart Village and in 2017, REI Cameroon received its first seed grant from the program.
With that funding, Numfor was able to grow organically and attract additional grants, including one from the U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. REI has since expanded to six villages, providing power to more than 1,000 households and businesses. With a dedicated team of 16 people, the company operates in multiple regions of the country, each with unique terrain, languages, and cultural dynamics.
“It wasn’t easy,” he acknowledges. “I’m not an academic person—I had to learn everything by doing. [Smart Village] helped me structure the project and grow as an entrepreneur.”
Today, Numfor pays it forward by sharing his Smart Village experience and mentoring new entrepreneurs.
Minigrids can’t operate efficiently without clarifying operating rules to ensure quality service requirements and consumer protection, while also enabling reliable and effective monitoring of the system, Numfor says. “We need to know how power is being used, detect problems early, and manage the minigrid from a distance,” he explains.
Existing commercial smart-meter providers offer limited and proprietary solutions. One major provider left the market, making their technology infrastructure obsolete. “It’s risky for an entire sector to depend on a few companies for such a critical technology,” Numfor says.
In 2025, with the help of the Smart Village technical community, Numfor convened a consortium of open-source power advocates, including the Africa Mini-Grid Developers Association, EnAccess, Energy IOT, and NESL. The goal was to develop an open smart metering system that is accessible, transparent, and sustainable for all energy providers.
“These organizations are collaborating as Open Advanced Metering Infrastructure [OpenAMI], which is about giving control back to the people who deliver the energy,” he says.
Numfor’s passion has grown from bringing light to local rural communities to bringing light to his entire country. Just 54 percent of Cameroon’s citizens have access to electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. For Numfor, the challenge is not just technological—it’s social and economic as well. “Electricity is the most important enabler of education and economic growth today,” he says. “When you have power, you unlock everything else.”
“Electricity changed my life. Now I want to make sure every child can grow up with that same light.” —Jude Numfor
Across the villages where REI has installed sustainable electricity solutions, small businesses are flourishing. Barbershops hum with community chatter, food vendors can preserve perishables, and entrepreneurs run companies such as phone-charging stations and small mills. “Some villages even have laundromats now,” Numfor says proudly. “Electricity creates jobs and changes mindsets.”
Still, it has been a bumpy journey. It wasn’t until 2025 that REI obtained its official authorization (license) from Cameroon’s government to produce and distribute electricity in off-grid areas using solar minigrids. This was a major milestone because REI is one of the first private enterprises in the country to receive such authorization. “We were stuck between pilot projects and growth,” he explains. “Our projects were successful, and there was community demand for more, but to grow, we needed investors who require legal guarantees before committing funds. Now we can scale up and attract investors.”
REI plans to expand its reach dramatically, beginning with 134 new villages identified through a feasibility study supported by the USTDA. Their long-term goal is to electrify 760 villages across Cameroon by 2031.
While authorization opens doors, financing remains one of REI’s biggest challenges. “The minigrid space doesn’t attract venture capitalists easily,” Numfor notes. “Our return on investment is under 15 percent, so it’s not a typical tech startup model. The real return here is the impact” on the community.
He hopes to attract investors who understand that access to electricity drives education, health care, and entrepreneurship. “There are people out there who want to make meaningful change,” he says. “We just need to connect with them. When you electrify a village, you never know who the next innovator will be. Maybe it’s another kid like me, looking through a window, dreaming.”
Finding skilled staff is another challenge, Numfor says. To address this, REI developed an intensive recruitment and training process. “It used to take years to find the right people,” he says. “Now, we can identify who fits our company culture within six months.” Numfor’s wife, Angela Taliklong, who joined the venture in 2010, now oversees administration and human resources.
Numfor offers simple words of advice to other impact-driven entrepreneurs: Keep moving.
“One of my mistakes early on was trying to be perfect,” he says. “I was spending time improving prototypes instead of increasing the number of our project installations and scaling how many communities we could electrify. You must keep momentum. Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you move forward.”
That mindset, rooted in resilience and experimentation, has defined his journey. Rajan Kapur, president of Smart Village, says Numfor is a “shining example” of the program’s vision: “scalable and enduring impact through local entrepreneurs, local procurement, and community engagement based on the use of IEEE technology in underserved communities.”
With the ongoing Smart Village partnership, Numfor is determined to bring light and opportunity to every corner of Cameroon, and beyond. He already has launched REI Nigeria.
“Electricity changed my life,” he says. “Now I want to make sure every child can grow up with that same light.”
Natalie Zundel, founder of Raise Well in Ashburn, Va., consults and writes for associations and nonprofit organizations.

source

Organic Solar Cell (OPV) Market Set for Explosive Growth at High  openPR.com
source

EU blocks funds for key Chinese solar energy parts  Financial Times
source

Romania’s PV and storage development: A regional success story  SeeNews
source

11,000+ projects in Latin America.
24,000+ global companies doing business in the region.
83,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects
Analysis, reports, news and interviews about your industry in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

source

US technology giant Meta and developer EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the 250MW Cypress Knee Solar project in the US.
The project is currently under construction in Arkansas, and EDPR NA expects it to be completed in 2028. This is one year later than the proposed start of commercial operations date of 2027 referenced in EDP’s documentation of the project.
Get Premium Subscription
The utility has invested more than US$400 million into the project, and this marks the third PPA to be signed between the companies for US renewable power projects. In 2024, EDP started operations at a 200MW solar project in Arizona, at which Meta agreed to acquire all of the power generated, and the two companies have now signed PPAs for 545MW of renewable energy capacity across the country.
“Our partnership with Meta demonstrates how long-term collaborations are essential to accelerate the energy transition at scale,” said EDP CEO Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade.
“Through our partnership with EDPR, Cypress Knee Solar will bring new generation to the Arkansas grid, creating local jobs and delivering economic benefits to the community,” added Meta head of clean and renewable energy Amanda Yang.
Despite only placing 18^th in the Solar Energy Industries Association’s latest ranking of the leading US states for solar, Arkansas has seen notable recent PV project activity driven by the escalating power needs of data centre infrastructure. Last year Entergy announced plans to build a solar-plus-storage project in Memphis to power a Google data centre, and Arkansas was one of the states included in a portfolio of projects developed by Invenergy and Meta across the US.

source

As 1,900-acre solar farm looms, Zeeland Township targets $100,000 toward legal fight  MLive.com
source

0
Powered by :
SolarPower Europe, a Europe-based association for the solar and energy storage sector, has announced Rystad Energy as Prime Market Research Partner. The partnership was announced on 4 May 2026 and has extended an existing collaboration between both organisations. Rystad Energy, a Norway-based energy research and intelligence company, will support SolarPower Europe’s flagship reports and policy positions through data analysis, expert insights, and modelling. Rystad Energy’s analytical work will cover solar PV and battery storage, while the partnership will include member-exclusive market webinars and high-level events. Rystad Energy will also be integrated as Prime Partner within the Battery Storage Europe Platform. Both organisations will collaborate on the upcoming Solar+ report, which will examine solar PV’s role in delivering the EU’s 2030 energy targets. The report will be published this week at the SolarPower Summit 2026.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

source

From pv magazine France
French independent power producer Solvéo Energies has announced the expansion of its Bélesta-en-Lauragais solar power plant in France’s Aude region.
Backed by French asset manager Mirova, Solvéo Energies commissioned a new 300 kW unit in February, bringing the plant’s total capacity to 3 MW. The facility has been in operation since 2018 and was previously expanded in April 2022 with the addition of a 250 kW low-voltage unit.
Unlike a conventional expansion, the latest development is based on a decentralized architecture developed by Solvéo. The company’s so-called “mini solar field” is not connected via high voltage (HV-A) through the original plant’s substation. Instead, it connects at low voltage (LV) directly to the local grid operator via a dedicated, separate link.
This “island” architecture enables capacity additions without modifying the existing solar farm’s electrical configuration. As a result, electricity metering and sales are managed separately.
Although Capex per installed megawatt is slightly higher than for conventional ground-mounted projects, Solvéo says the model offsets this through greater reversibility and reduced use of natural, agricultural, and forest land. It also enables shorter development timelines. “Between securing the land and commissioning, we generally need between 18 and 24 months,” a company spokesperson told pv magazine France.
Solvéo’s business model focuses on developing land considered unsuitable by traditional developers, with project sizes ranging from 5,000 m2 (around 300 kW) to 2 hectares (1 MW). A key advantage is reduced permitting time, directly linked to the smaller scale of the installations.
This regulatory flexibility stems from the limited size of the projects. Installations under 300 kW in France are exempt from environmental impact assessments, while those between 300 kW and 1 MW bypass lengthy public inquiries and instead undergo a simplified review by the Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing (DREAL). In addition, their limited capacity allows for a simple prior declaration of works, typically processed within one month, compared to the longer timelines required for building permits for larger projects.
Grid connection follows a similar principle of simplicity. By using low voltage, Solvéo can obtain a technical proposal within three months, avoiding the costly and time-intensive stability studies and grid reinforcement work associated with high-voltage connections.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
We provide services to link megaproject-related companies and professionals
Follow us on
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MEGAPROJECT REPORTS
© Copyright Megaproject. All rights reserved 2024

source

Echelon facility linked to Wicklow data centre site greenlit after solar farm dropped  The Irish Independent
source

0
By clicking the button, I accept the Terms of Use of the service and its Privacy Policy, as well as consent to the processing of personal data.
Don’t have an account? Signup
Powered by :
SAEL Moves UPERC for Power Cost Waivers to Set Up Solar Cell Plant in UP Photograph: (AI)
Indian clean tech compant SAEL Solar is looking to set up a large solar cell manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh—but the plan comes with a clear caveat: affordable and predictable power for its proposed solar cell facility. The company has approached the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), seeking a set of key exemptions on power-related charges that it says are critical to making the project viable. 
At the centre of SAEL’s proposal is a 5 GW solar cell manufacturing unit, along with a downstream 5 GW module facility. The project, which could see an investment of around ₹8,000 crore, is expected to be highly energy-intensive, making electricity costs a decisive factor in its competitiveness.
To address this, SAEL wants relief from transmission, wheeling and banking charges on power generated through its proposed captive solar project. It has also sought flexibility in using banked power at any time, without restrictions tied to peak or non-peak hours.
The company’s argument is straightforward: solar cell manufacturing is a cost-sensitive business, and power forms a large share of operating expenses. Without stable and lower-cost electricity, competing with global manufacturers—many of whom benefit from government support—becomes difficult. 
SAEL has also asked for approval to set up a captive power plant with energy storage and to install capacity beyond the usual regulatory limits, anticipating higher electricity demand for its operations. 
The UPERC, while noting that the reliefs sought could go beyond the current regulatory framework, has admitted the petition and asked state utilities to respond. The next hearing is scheduled for June 9, 2026.
The outcome of the case could have wider implications. As India pushes to scale up domestic solar manufacturing, the question of power costs—and how far regulators are willing to go in supporting industry—may increasingly shape where and how such large projects take off.
We are India’s leading B2B media house, reporting full-time on solar energy, wind, battery storage, solar inverters, and electric vehicle (EV)
Quick Links
© 2025 Saur Energy. All Rights Reserved.

source

Indian PV manufacturer Solex Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat to establish a 5GW solar cell manufacturing facility alongside a 10GW energy storage plant in the state.  
Under the agreement, Solex will invest approximately INR40 billion (US$419 million) in the project, as part of its “Vision 2030” strategy. The 5GW solar cell manufacturing facility will be built in phases, comprising an initial 2GW followed by a further 3GW second phase, alongside a 10GW battery energy storage system (BESS) manufacturing plant. 
Get Premium Subscription
“This MoU is not merely an investment announcement; it is a commitment towards India’s clean energy future. At Solex Energy, we are envisioning the next phase of growth through scale, innovation, and nation-building. Our integrated solar cell and energy storage manufacturing project will strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, reduce import dependence and help build a resilient renewable energy ecosystem for generations to come,” said Chetan Shah, managing director of Solex. 
Surat-headquartered Solex Energy operates a 4GW solar module manufacturing facility in Tadkeshwar, Gujarat. Beyond manufacturing, the company also provides engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services across utility-scale, commercial, industrial and institutional segments. 
In October 2024, Solex unveiled plans for a roughly US$1 billion expansion of its solar module and cell production capacity. The company said it would explore the development of a 2GW solar cell facility, with potential to scale capacity up to 5GW. Both cell and module production were set to focus on n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology using rectangular solar cells. 
Furthermore, Solex launched two n-type solar modules designed for Rajasthan’s extreme climate conditions and high-irradiance regions last year. The first module, Tapi R, is a TOPCon module and the second, Tapi Series, is an n-type dual-glass module. 
PV Tech has contacted Solex for further details on its plans to realise the proposed facility.

source

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd has invited bids for the balance of system (BoS) package for the development of 900 MW of grid-connected solar PV projects at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The tender covers two projects (500 MW and 400 MW) with a combined capacity of 900 MW.
An NTPC project
NTPC
NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd has invited bids for the balance of system (BoS) package for the development of 900 MW of grid-connected solar PV projects at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
The tender covers two projects (500 MW and 400 MW) with a combined capacity of 900 MW.
The scope of work includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the solar PV plant, excluding the supply of PV modules.
The selected contractor will also be responsible for comprehensive operation and maintenance of the solar PV plant, along with associated electrical equipment, consumables, and spare parts, for a period of three years from the commissioning of the full project capacity.
Bidding closes on June 5.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
More articles from Uma Gupta
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website


Δ
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
By subscribing to our newsletter you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on magazine subscriptions!
Δ
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy © pv magazine 2026
Δ
This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. To find out more, please see our Data Protection Policy. ×
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close

source

EWEC And Masdar Sign Strategic Deal To Accelerate UAE’s Renewable Energy Growth  SolarQuarter
source

EDP Renewables and Meta Partner on 250 MW Cypress Knee Solar Project in Arkansas  SolarQuarter
source

We use cookies to improve your experience and for marketing. Read our cookie policy or manage cookies.
Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories.
China Datang Corp has placed into service a 500 MW solar facility in Zhongwei, Ningxia, calling it the nation’s first utility-scale green power installation purpose-built to feed a data center hub under a coordinated computing-electricity framework. The plant began commercial operations on May 2, after achieving full-capacity grid interconnection and initiating direct green electricity deliveries on February 5.
This solar farm is a component of Datang’s initial 2 GW development stage for the Zhongwei Cloud Base, which merges solar, wind, and storage technologies. The company has earmarked roughly CNY 8.7 billion ($1.27 billion) for this phase. The 500 MW photovoltaic unit is coupled with a 1.5 GW wind farm and energy storage systems. The wind segment is still being built and is slated to achieve full-capacity grid connection in September 2026. A subsequent phase is envisioned, which would enlarge the total project scope to 4.6 GW and push overall investment close to CNY 20 billion.
Datang and Chinese state media report that the initiative employs a two-track supply approach, blending physical direct delivery with bilateral power market transactions. Four dedicated 110 kV transmission lines channel green electricity straight to computing installations for new data center loads, circumventing the public grid. Supplementary demand is satisfied through bilateral market deals. Solar generation is emphasized during daylight hours, while wind output is anticipated to fill gaps when solar production wanes, backed by energy storage.
The newly operational 500 MW plant is forecast to produce roughly 970 GWh annually, meeting about half of the Zhongwei Cloud Base’s power needs. When the first phase is completely operational in September, yearly generation is projected to hit 4.3 TWh, which the company states is ample to cover the cloud base’s estimated yearly consumption of 2.29 TWh.
Zhongwei sits within one of China’s national computing hubs under the East Data, West Computing initiative, which seeks to relocate data center and AI tasks to western areas with richer renewable energy resources. The Datang project is thus seen as a practical trial of whether large-scale digital loads can be directly paired with desert-based wind and solar generation, shifting toward a physical infrastructure model featuring dedicated transmission lines, co-located renewables, and dispatch strategies tailored to computing needs. If this approach proves scalable, it could become a blueprint for lowering both the carbon footprint and operational expenses of China’s upcoming data center growth.
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
The Largest Destinations for Exports
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
Instant access. No credit card needed.
Online access to 2M+ reports, dashboards, and tables. Trusted by Fortune 500 teams.
IndexBox, Inc.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1441
Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Contact us
© 2026 IndexBox, Inc

source

The 1.6 MW Nexus pilot project in California has demonstrated that solar panels installed over irrigation canals can significantly reduce water evaporation and algae growth by 85%, while also showing operational efficiency.
Image: Solar Aquagrid
From pv magazine Global
In September 2025, the Nexus pilot project in California, United States, was completed. The 1.6 MW solar installation is located on canals operated by the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) and was developed through a public-private partnership between the California Department of Water Resources, TID, Solar AquaGrid, and the University of California (UC), Merced. The project aimed to generate empirical data under real-world operating conditions.
Launched in 2022, the pilot evaluated the technical and operational feasibility of deploying PV systems on active irrigation canals. The concept enables dual use of existing infrastructure: clean electricity generation alongside reduced water evaporation and minimized land use – an approach particularly relevant in agricultural regions such as California’s Central Valley.
The project monitors key performance indicators including electricity generation, evaporation losses, water quality, aquatic vegetation growth, and canal maintenance requirements. After one irrigation season, initial results indicate measurable benefits for the water sector. Canal sections covered with PV modules showed reduced evaporation and lower aquatic weed proliferation, which may translate into reduced operating costs.
Specifically, continuous measurements over a full irrigation season recorded evaporation reductions of 50-70% beneath the solar arrays and an 85% decrease in algae growth, a result that could yield operational efficiencies in canal management. These findings are consistent with earlier research by UC Merced, which highlighted the potential of canal-based solar systems to improve water-use efficiency in open-channel infrastructure.
From a technical perspective, the project also serves as a testbed for multiple design configurations. These include large-span structures over wide canals, smaller systems on narrower channels, vertical installations along canal banks, and early-stage retractable prototypes. As previously reported by pv magazine, a battery energy storage system (BESS) was also deployed at the narrowest site, using 75 kW iron-flow batteries supplied by US manufacturer ESS.
This range of configurations is intended to assess system adaptability under varying hydraulic and structural conditions.
Project developers note that the scalability potential is significant, given California’s extensive canal network. A UC study estimates that covering approximately 4,000 km of canals could save 63 billion gallons of water annually, equivalent to irrigating 50,000 acres (20,234 hectares) of farmland or meeting the residential water demand of more than 2 million people. Beyond water savings, improved water quality through reduced vegetative growth is also of interest to TID.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
More articles from Pilar Sánchez Molina
I’m sure installation and maintenance is a breezy also… oh, wait
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


Δ
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox.
Δ
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy © pv magazine 2026
Δ
Welcome to pv magazine USA. This site uses cookies. Read our policy. ×
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close

source

When armed groups began threatening a community in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that had recently gained access to solar-powered electricity, something unexpected happened. Rather than flee, residents rushed to protect their mini-grid. They put themselves at risk to keep the lights on.
That story, shared at a three-day convening in Nairobi in March 2026, captures a thesis that experts across the renewable energy, finance, government, and peacebuilding worlds are increasingly taking seriously: that energy access and conflict are deeply intertwined, and that access to clean energy can help to reduce conflict. The gathering brought together more than 45 participants from across the energy, finance, government, and peacebuilding communities to wrestle with that thesis and the conditions under which it can become a reality. Ultimately, participants agreed that access to clean energy can be a tool for peace, provided the work is done intentionally, with communities at the center, and backed by a new generation of financial tools.
Conflict is now at its highest level since World War II, driven by the breakdown of the international rules-based system, climate degradation, inequality, and demographic pressure—forces that are particularly acute across sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, some 600 million people on the continent still lack access to electricity, with rural and conflict-affected areas bearing the heaviest burden. Those two crises are usually addressed by different agencies, funding streams, and professional communities. The argument that emerged in Nairobi is that treating them separately is a mistake.
In eastern DRC, the Virunga National Park Foundation spent years watching mountain gorillas killed not by trophy poachers, but by people clearing forests for charcoal—a primary energy source for the city of Goma. That charcoal trade was also bankrolling armed groups, including the FDLR, responsible for some of the region’s worst violence. The foundation’s response was to invest around $250 million in hydroelectric plants, eventually generating 60 megawatts. The result was significant: for every megawatt brought online, between 800 and 1,000 jobs were created; and 11% of new workers were young men and women who had left armed groups to take them.
Renewable energy can really contribute to the making of peace, said one government participant. By bringing electricity, we create jobs, especially for youth, who can get drawn into armed groups given high rates of unemployment.
The conversation was far from triumphalist, however. Practitioners were quick to note that renewable energy projects, when poorly planned, can also make conflict worse. In one DRC case, a community mini-grid lacked capacity to serve two neighboring villages, and the decision to prioritize one triggered tension between them. In Nigeria, a 350kW solar mini-grid was shut down after armed vigilantes attacked the community, killed several people, and burned down a nearby warehouse. The company eventually returned—but only after community leaders engaged local authorities to address the underlying security situation.
These cases point to a central lesson that practitioners have learned the hard way: conflict-sensitive design is not an optional add-on. It must be built in from the start. That means understanding who the conflict actors are, which groups feel excluded, and who might be spoilers or champions. It means ensuring that the benefits of a project—jobs, electricity, productive assets—help address grievances rather than reinforce them. And it means monitoring not just energy connections, but changes in community cohesion and economic interdependence over time.
Peacebuilders stressed the importance of working with existing local peace processes rather than parachuting in with technical solutions. Experience from Darfur and the Sudan-South Sudan borderlands showed that even in active war zones, local agreements can create functioning markets and that energy infrastructure woven into those processes can genuinely shift incentives, including for combatants.
Clean energy in fragile settings is expensive to develop, risky to invest in, and hard to make economically sustainable. A developer building a mini-grid in eastern DRC or northern Nigeria faces currency risk, regulatory uncertainty, insecure supply chains, and customers with very limited ability to pay. Standard commercial investors won’t touch projects like these without significant risk-sharing from public and philanthropic sources.
Capital is not the problem—there is plenty of money out there, one participant noted. The problem is the pipeline. Are there bankable projects? The global infrastructure capital market alone is valued at over $2 trillion, but mini-grids and distributed solar systems are rarely structured in ways that attract it.
One idea that is gaining traction is to frame mini-grids explicitly as infrastructure investments in order to unlock new sources of backing for these projects. Infrastructure investors understand long-term, asset-backed returns and have experience with political risk insurance and concession agreements. If renewable energy projects in fragile settings were consistently packaged as infrastructure deals, they could access a much larger pool of capital.
Another concept with real momentum is the “peace premium”—a results-based financing instrument that would pay a bonus to developers delivering energy in conflict-affected areas, in recognition of the additional costs and risks involved and the broader peace dividends their work generates. The analogy is to climate finance, where carbon credits and green bonds have mobilized enormous capital by pricing environmental co-benefits. Instruments like Peace Renewable Energy Credits already exist in early form, but much more is needed to incentivize significant new project development in fragile settings.
Africa is not simply a recipient of global energy and climate policy; it is the place where the most important work is happening, and where a new global model is being built. It hosts 60% of the world’s best renewable energy resources. Wind alone, participants noted, could theoretically power the continent 250 times over. Yet only 2 percent of global energy investment flows there. In 2023, global clean energy investment reached $2.1 trillion, of which Africa received a fraction.
Participants noted that the continent’s practitioners have built mini-grids in South Sudan, financed solar systems in Somalia, and navigated the DRC’s regulatory landscape, and have accumulated knowledge that would directly benefit interested investors. The goal is not for Africa to catch up. It is for Africa to lead.
That framing shaped the gathering’s most ambitious commitment: delivering renewable energy access to 30 million people in conflict-affected regions of Africa by 2030. The figure is calibrated against the World Bank and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to bring electricity to 300 million Africans by that year—with participants setting a goal of channeling 10 percent of that total specifically to conflict and fragility-affected areas.
Participants left Nairobi with a concrete agenda for the next twelve months. On the project pipeline, priorities include developing a shared definition of fragility and conflict-affected areas to guide investment targeting and testing a first peace premium financing instrument. South Sudan, DRC, and Nigeria were identified as priorities for a Mission 300 proposal that would explicitly incorporate the peace dimension, potentially the first national energy compacts to do so.
On finance, the group committed to identifying champions within major institutions, including the African Development Bank and World Bank, who could embed peace as an impact metric in their reporting. One near-term step: engaging the Africa Mini-grid Developers Association to add a “Contribution to Peace” indicator to its annual industry report.
None of the participants came to Nairobi with illusions. They know money doesn’t flow to conflict zones without good reason. They know solar panels don’t automatically create peace. But the story of residents rushing to defend their mini-grid kept coming up—as a reminder that when people have something worth protecting, they find reasons to protect it together.
That’s not the end of a conflict. But it might be a beginning.
 
Andrew Hyde is a Senior Fellow in the Stimson Center’s Strategic Foresight Hub.
Photo Credits: View of the solar panels at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)’s Camp Green Hill, in Naqoura. Courtesy of Andrew Hyde.
Backdraft
Podcasts
© Copyright 2007-2026.
Developed by Vico Rock Media

source

Manila Electric Company, commonly known as Meralco, is the largest private electric distribution utility in the Philippines, serving Metro Manila and surrounding provinces with a franchise area that covers more than seven million customers. Its role is comparable to a regulated distribution utility in the United States, responsible for delivering electricity from generation sources to end users, maintaining grid stability, and enforcing interconnection standards.
Against this backdrop, the company is now pressing the Philippine government to tighten technical requirements for rooftop solar systems and the contractors installing them, citing a rapid expansion of unregistered installations that operate outside formal regulatory oversight.
At a recent Senate hearing, Meralco vice president Lawrence Fernandez supported proposed amendments to the Renewable Energy Act aimed at streamlining the country’s net metering framework. Net metering in the Philippines, much like in several U.S. states, allows distributed solar users to export excess electricity to the grid in exchange for bill credits, but the process has been widely criticized for its permitting complexity and long approval timelines.
In a report that appeared in the Manila Standard, Meralco said there are more than 20,000 registered rooftop systems with a combined capacity of about 170 megawatts. It estimates that an additional 370 megawatts exist in the commercial sector alone without formal registration. A separate analysis by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, using satellite imaging and cross-referenced grid data, suggests that roughly one-third of solar rooftops within Meralco’s service territory fall into this unpermitted category, often referred to locally as “guerrilla solar.”
The technical concern centers on the integrity of equipment and installation practices, particularly the use of inverters that do not comply with internationally recognized safety and grid synchronization standards such as anti-islanding protection. In a compliant system, the inverter must immediately disconnect when the grid goes down to prevent backfeeding electricity into power lines, which could endanger utility workers performing repairs. Substandard or improperly configured inverters can fail to perform this function, creating a serious safety hazard. Meralco is therefore urging the Department of Energy and the Department of Trade and Industry to formalize equipment certification protocols and require installer accreditation, aligning local practices more closely with standards seen in mature solar markets.
The economic driver behind this shadow market is straightforward. The Philippines has some of the highest retail electricity rates in Southeast Asia, often exceeding ₱10 to ₱12 per kilowatt-hour, equivalent to roughly $0.18 to $0.22. A typical small residential rooftop system installed through formal channels can cost between ₱200,000 and ₱350,000 ($3,600 to $6,300), depending on size and component quality, partly due to compliance costs, engineering studies, and permitting requirements. Guerrilla installers, operating outside this framework, can offer similar grid-tied systems at significantly lower upfront costs by bypassing these steps. For consumers facing persistent energy inflation, the appeal is immediate and tangible, even if it comes with regulatory and technical risks.
The term “guerrilla solar” in the Philippine context does not imply improvised or inherently inferior hardware. Many of these systems use standard photovoltaic panels and commercially available hybrid or grid-tied inverters. The distinction lies in how they are deployed. These installations are connected in parallel to the household electrical system without utility approval and without the installation of a bi-directional meter that can properly record exported energy. In some cases, particularly with older analog meters, excess generation can cause the meter to run backward, effectively reducing recorded consumption. While utilities classify this as a violation of service agreements, many users see it as an informal workaround in a system they perceive as overly restrictive.
From a grid management perspective, the proliferation of unregistered distributed generation introduces uncertainty into load forecasting and voltage regulation. Distribution networks are engineered based on predictable demand patterns and known generation inputs. When hundreds of megawatts of rooftop capacity operate invisibly, it complicates the balancing of supply and demand at the local feeder level. Voltage fluctuations, harmonic distortions, and reverse power flows can occur, particularly in circuits not designed for high levels of distributed energy resources. These conditions can accelerate wear on transformers and other infrastructure, potentially leading to localized outages or equipment damage.
There is also a direct safety dimension. Lineworkers depend on accurate system visibility when de-energizing circuits for maintenance. Undetected backfeeding from rooftop systems can keep lines energized even when they are presumed safe, increasing the risk of electrocution. This is why interconnection standards in the United States and other developed markets mandate certified equipment, inspection, and utility coordination before any grid-tied system is allowed to operate. Meralco’s position reflects a similar engineering logic, emphasizing that the issue is not opposition to solar adoption but the manner in which it is being integrated into the grid.
At the same time, the scale of the guerrilla market signals a structural problem in policy design. Lengthy approval processes, inconsistent local permitting rules, and perceived protection of incumbent utility revenues have created friction that discourages formal participation in net metering. For many Filipino consumers and small businesses, the choice is not between compliant and non-compliant solar, but between slow, expensive compliance and immediate, affordable installation. This dynamic mirrors early-stage distributed solar markets elsewhere, where regulatory lag often trails technological adoption.
The resulting tension is not simply a regulatory dispute but a deeper conflict between centralized grid control and decentralized energy autonomy. Utilities like Meralco are tasked with maintaining reliability and safety across a complex network, while consumers are increasingly empowered by falling solar costs and accessible technology. Whether the government responds with stricter enforcement, streamlined processes, or a combination of both will determine whether these “energy rebels” are absorbed into the formal system or continue operating in parallel.
CleanTechnica’s Comment Policy
Raymond Gregory Tribdino, or Tribs, is an automotive and tech journalist for over two decades, a former car industry executive, and professor with deep roots in the EV space. He was an early contributor to EVWorld.com (1997-1999), was the motoring and technology editor for Malaya Business Insight (www.malaya.com.ph) and now serves as Science and Technology Editor for The Manila Times (www.manilatimes.net), along with co-hosting “TechSabado” and “Today is Tuesday.” He’s passionate about electrification, even electrifying his own motocross bike. Contact him at tribs.tribdino@gmail.com
Raymond Tribdino has 443 posts and counting. See all posts by Raymond Tribdino

source

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KWQC) -As more homeowners look for ways to manage rising electricity costs, Eagle Point Solar says battery storage is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for improving energy independence and reducing monthly utility bills.
Jim Pullen, President and CEO of Eagle Point Solar, joins Quad Cities Live to explain how modern battery storage systems work alongside a solar array and why they offer benefits far beyond simple backup power.
According to Eagle Point Solar, battery storage systems are designed to store excess solar energy and discharge it whenever electricity is needed.
Many homeowners use stored energy during peak demand hours — typically 4 to 9 p.m. — when utility rates are often at their highest. Instead of buying electricity at peak pricing, the battery can power the home during that window, then recharge the next day when the sun comes up.
Battery storage can also provide backup power during outages or be configured to support only critical circuits such as refrigerators, freezers, medical devices or computers.
For customers served by co‑op utilities, peak demand pricing can significantly affect monthly bills. Eagle Point Solar notes that some utilities charge a lower rate per kilowatt during daytime hours, then increase the rate substantially from late afternoon into the evening.
By using stored solar energy during those peak hours, homeowners can reduce the amount of high‑priced electricity they purchase from the grid. This cycle repeats daily, trimming energy costs over time.
Battery systems are customizable and can be programmed to discharge during peak demand, during outages or when a home experiences a sudden spike in energy use.
Eagle Point Solar emphasizes that storage allows homeowners to decide how and when to use the solar energy their system produces, including at night when solar panels are not generating power.
Most residential batteries are compact — roughly four feet tall and about a foot thick — and are typically installed indoors near the home’s load center. Eagle Point Solar primarily uses Tesla Powerwall 3 and Franklin batteries for residential, small farm and commercial applications, while also offering larger‑capacity systems for commercial clients.
The number of batteries needed depends on how much energy a household wants available at any given time. Many homeowners require only one unit, though larger energy needs may require additional storage.
Eagle Point Solar’s design and engineering teams work with customers to determine the right configuration for their goals.
More information about battery storage is available at eaglepointsolar.com/solar-storage-benefits
More information about discussed discount promotions (and timelines), office locations and how to make free solar analysis requests, is available at eaglepointsolar.com .
Eagle Point Solar’s Dubuque office is located at 2400 Kerper Blvd., Suite A‑20, and can be reached at 563‑582‑4044.
The toll‑free number is 877‑357‑2555.
Copyright 2026 KWQC. All rights reserved.

source

Tigo Energy has announced the expansion of its Predict+ platform, introducing advanced modeling features designed to improve the accuracy of financial forecasting and grid integration for utility-scale solar and energy storage operators in the United States.
Image: Tigo Energy
Tigo Energy, a specialist in intelligent solar and energy storage solutions, announced upgrades to its Predict+ software suite. The latest updates specifically target the North American market, where energy producers face increasing volatility in wholesale electricity prices and more stringent requirements for grid stability.
The platform utilizes machine learning to analyze historical weather patterns, real-time system performance, and market pricing data to provide power generation forecasts.
Tigo’s dual role as a hardware provider and a software developer gives the company a distinct advantage in the predictive analytics space. Its Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) hardware, including the TS4 platform for optimization and rapid shutdown, generates high-resolution, module-level data that serves as the foundation for its software models. By capturing granular performance metrics, such as by-the-minute energy yield and temperature from individual panels , the company can feed more accurate, real-world inputs into its AI engines compared to providers relying solely on bulk inverter data or remote satellite imagery.
The company’s hardware solutions are currently deployed across projects ranging from residential repowering to utility-scale installations, allowing the company to aggregate massive datasets under management.
In the current market environment, power producers often face financial penalties for deviations from predicted generation schedules. By leveraging high-fidelity data, the software allows operators to optimize bidding strategies in day-ahead and real-time markets, reducing risk and improving the bankability of large-scale renewable projects. The technical improvements are integrated into a broader Energy Intelligence platform that monitors and manages thousands of sites globally. 
The Predict+ platform expansion into more granular U.S. energy features reflects the growing complexity of a domestic grid that must balance high penetration of intermittent renewables with steady demand from industrial users and data centers.  High-fidelity analytics provide actionable insights that allow asset managers to determine optimal times to charge or discharge battery storage systems based on predicted price spikes or grid stress. Precision in output modeling has become a core operational requirement as more states implement complex community solar and storage programs.
Management noted that the growth of the platform aligns with a period of significant regional shifts, such as when the California Independent System Operator launches its Extended Day-Ahead Market to improve coordination across the Western grid.
Regional market expansion allows participants to trade energy in a day-ahead timeframe, creating a larger and more efficient pool of resources that requires accurate, localized forecasting. Scaling these software capabilities helps independent power producers and utilities navigate the transition to a more decentralized and digitalized power grid.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
More articles from Ryan Kennedy
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


Δ
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox.
Δ
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy © pv magazine 2026
Δ
Welcome to pv magazine USA. This site uses cookies. Read our policy. ×
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close

source

Plans for cattle shed as big as a supermarket  AOL.com
source

PSO names new executive
PSO’s power struggles
May 4, 2026

Two years after New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham boasted how a new $942 million Ebon solar manufacturing plant would turn her state into a global center for advanced energy manufacturing, the boast is gone.
There’s a strong suggestion the company’s ties to Red China might have resulted in the U.S. stopping the project.
Ebon Solar has cancelled plans to build a factory in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol and will not create the 900 jobs it promised in the summer of 2024. At the time, the company intended to fabricate solar cells or semiconductors on the faces of solar panels to convert sunrays into electricity.
Different tax and economic development incentives were offered by Bernalillo County and the city of Albuquerque. But in recent days, Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department confirmed the project would not be moving forward.
“Ultimately, federal policy constraints and CFIUS-related considerations prevented the company from establishing U.S. operations,” a city spokeswoman told the Albuquerque Journal.  “No public funds were expended.”
The spokeswoman also referred the issue to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment. The Journal suggested the failure to build might be associated with Ebon Solar’s ties to the People’s Republic of China.
The Treasury Department didn’t offer an answer but its Committee on Foreign Investment has a responsibility of reviewing certain transactions involving foreign investment in the U.S. and also determining whether those foreign investments might place national security at risk.
Ebon’s parent company is Ebang International which lists an address in Irvine, Texas, based on Securities and Exchange Commission documents filed in April. Two years ago, Ebon told Albuquerque officials its parent company was headquartered in Singapore. In other SEC filings, Ebang International stated it was incorporated in the Cayman Islands.
“As we have PRC operating subsidiaries,” the company disclosed in an SEC filing, referring to the People’s Republic of China, “we face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China.”
In the form, an annual report for 2025, Ebang International disclosed that its securities may be prohibited from trade on a national exchange under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act.
Dong Hu is listed in Securities and Exchange Commission documents as the chairman, CEO and chief financial officer of Ebang International. He and other officers on the board are from China and either taught at universities in China or are graduates from them. They include: Chunjuan Peng, Director and Deputy General Manager; Tingjie Lyu, Independent Director; Yanqing Gao, Independent Director; and Mingming Su, Independent Director.
The Journal reported Ebon and Ebang have not responded to numerous requests for comment on the project made over the course of several weeks to numbers and email addresses in New Mexico, Hong Kong, New Jersey and Texas.  On Friday, a man who answered the company’s Irvine, Texas, phone number — as listed on SEC records — said Hu could not talk because he was in a meeting.
 
© 2026 Oklahoma Energy Today.
Made with by Graphene Themes.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
Manage your cookie preferences below:
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.

source

Advocates push for more solar-powered schools in Pennsylvania  ABC27
source

Posted By: Jan Larson McLaughlin May 4, 2026
By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
While literal sunshine seems rather short lately, figuratively, the sun is shining on Bowling Green. In the past four days, the city and the university leadership approved a joint solar project to be located on acreage at the Wood County Regional Airport.
On Friday, the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees voted to enter an agreement with the City of Bowling Green to lease undeveloped land for a solar field. And on Monday evening, City Council voted to authorize development of a solar generation project and gave the utility director the go-ahead to negotiate an agreement for the project.
The BGSU Trustees said the partnership advances the university’s commitment to supporting sustainable practices. The board authorized a strategic partnership between BGSU and the city of Bowling Green to lease roughly 82 acres of vacant campus land for the development of a large-scale, 10-megawatt solar array project to enhance the city’s energy grid.
The acreage is located west of Interstate 75, north of land used for the airport off East Poe Road, and south of Newton Road. The solar panels will be 10 feet tall, and made of anti-glare panels that rotate with the sun – making them compatible with the airport, according to university officials.
Under the agreement, the lease will run for an initial period of 25 years at $800 per acre, with rent increases every five years. The city will then have the option for two additional five-year renewals after the initial lease period.
The targeted completion date for the ground-based solar array project is slated for June 2027.
Over the past two years, the city has been evaluating the feasibility of developing a locally sited solar photovoltaic generation project. The project is anticipated to be approximately 10-12 megawatts in size and operate as part of the city’s overall energy portfolio.
The solar generation is expected to complement existing energy supply resources and provide strategic benefits, particularly in managing system peak demand and reducing transmission and capacity costs.
The project also provides an opportunity to replace energy previously supplied by the JV6 wind turbine project, which accounted for approximately 4.0 MW of wind capacity prior to its retirement last year.
Last month, the BG Board of Public Utilities voted to authorize Utilities Director Brian O’Connell to lease approximately 80 acres and select a solar development partner for the project which will operate behind the meter for the city. That means all the 10 to 12 MW of electricity generated on the acreage will go to Bowling Green – powering an estimated 2,000 households in the city.
The utilities board voted more than two years ago to authorize the city to pursue another solar field site, in addition to the 165-acre solar field on Carter Road that generates 20 MW, which the city shares with other communities.
Initially, city officials planned a possible solar field on acreage the city already owned near the county landfill. However, that plan fell apart when Plain Township officials passed an ordinance banning solar fields, explained Jim Odneal, the city’s assistant utilities director.
So the search began again, and this time some local partners voiced interest in leasing farmland to the city for the project.
Those partners are BGSU and an affiliate of Principle Business Enterprises, which plans to lease 20 acres at the southeast corner of Devil’s Hole Road and I-75.
These properties are strategically located adjacent to the city’s electric distribution system, which helps minimize interconnection complexity and associated costs. 
BGSU and Principle Business Enterprises will continue to own the land. The developer will own and operate the solar arrays, which will be purchased locally from First Solar. And the City of Bowling Green will buy all the power generated at the two fields. The cost is expected to range between 5 cents and 7 cents per kilowatt hour, Odneal said.
The new solar project is expected to help in managing system peak demand and reducing transmission and capacity costs, Odneal explained.
Community, public health
Community, Downtown Bowling Green, Government
animals, Zoning
Community, Environment, Government, Pipeline

May 4, 2026
May 4, 2026
May 4, 2026
May 4, 2026
May 4, 2026
Click typewriter to read opinions from readers or to learn how to submit one of your own.
Interested in advertising here on the sidebar of BG Independent News, or in becoming an annual sponsor? Contact Elizabeth Roberts-Zibbel at elizabeth.lrz@gmail.com or click image below for the Advertise page, also accessible from the Main Menu heading above.
published 11386 articles
published 9105 articles
All Content Copyright BG Independent News ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials on this website, including reproduction, modification, distribution or republication, without the prior written consent of BGIN, is strictly prohibited.

source

PH has plenty of sun—so why isn’t solar booming yet?  Inquirer.net
source

based double perovskite solar cells via numerical simulation and AI techniques  Nature
source

A German research team has developed a nondestructive, on-site method to quantify water ingress in photovoltaic modules using near-infrared absorption (NIRA) spectroscopy calibrated with Karl–Fischer titration (KFT). The approach enables precise measurement of absolute moisture content in sealed modules without disassembly, improving inspection, failure analysis, and lifetime prediction.
Image: Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP), Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, CC BY 4.0
A German research group has developed a novel, nondestructive method to quantify water ingress in solar modules on site. The technique uses near-infrared absorption (NIRA) spectroscopy calibrated against absolute water content measured via Karl–Fischer titration (KFT), enabling inspectors to determine moisture levels inside modules without opening them.
“The methodology is noninvasive, requires no bill-of-material modifications such as additional sensors, and is broadly applicable to field-deployed modules, provided prior calibration has been conducted,” corresponding author Anton Mordvinkin told pv magazine. “Unlike conventional approaches, it does not rely on assumptions such as Henry’s law or on approximations of evolving barrier properties or uncertainties related to a module’s internal microclimate.”
Mordvinkin said the approach lays the groundwork for more precise modeling of moisture ingress and improves the reliability of module lifetime predictions. “It provides actionable insights for manufacturers to optimize the design and qualification of products resistant to moisture-induced degradation mechanisms, including moisture-induced degradation (MID) and potential-induced degradation (PID), particularly in challenging environments such as floating PV systems and tropical climates, as well as for emerging technologies like tandem cells,” he added.
He also noted that the method enhances solar park inspection by enabling the identification of modules with insulation deficiencies, supporting targeted mitigation measures. “These advances contribute directly to improved asset bankability and provide a robust technical basis for future warranty and reclamation processes,” he said.
 
Image: Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP), Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, CC BY 4.0
The novel method involves exposing polymer materials commonly used in PV modules to varying moisture levels through damp-heat testing. Each sample is then measured using near-infrared absorption (NIRA) spectroscopy, in which water is detected by its strong absorption of infrared light. However, as NIRA provides only a relative signal, the same samples are subsequently analyzed using Karl–Fischer titration (KFT), a technique that heats the material and precisely quantifies the amount of water released. By correlating the NIRA signal with the absolute water content determined by KFT, the researchers establish calibration curves for each material.
The materials tested include encapsulants such as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin elastomer (POE), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), as well as backsheets such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyamide-aluminum-polyamide (AAA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and fluorinated-coated PET.
Image: Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP), Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, CC BY 4.0
Once calibrated, a handheld NIRA spectroscopy device can be used directly on installed the modules. To demonstrate this capability, the research team tested minimodules with PET- and PP-based backsheets under damp-heat conditions, polymer coupons exposed to accelerated ultraviolet (UV) radiation and humidity aging, rooftop modules exhibiting backsheet cracking and snail trails, and field-retrieved modules with both cracked and intact AAA backsheets to compare real-world moisture ingress and degradation behavior.
The tests showed that PET-based modules absorbed more water than PP-based modules. In field studies, modules with backsheet and cell cracking exhibited up to 50% higher water content, while modules with cracked AAA backsheets absorbed water up to ten times faster than intact reference modules.
“In this work, it was found that the improved barrier performance of PP is primarily governed by its lower water solubility, whereas the diffusion coefficients of both materials are comparable,” said Mordvinkin. “This provides a more detailed mechanistic explanation for the previously observed differences and is consistent with trends reported in the literature.”
“Another particularly insightful observation is the presence of a non-homogeneous water-content distribution in modules with severely degraded backsheets after extended outdoor exposure of over 7 years,” he added. “Localized moisture accumulation was significantly enhanced in regions with cell microcracks, which correlate with visually observable snail trail patterns. This finding points to a coupling between mechanical degradation and localized moisture ingress behavior.”
The new method was presented in “Nondestructive Quantification of Water Ingress in PV Modules via Spectroscopic and Chemical Analysis for Enhanced Quality Assurance and On-Site Inspection,” published in Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications. Researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP), Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure and Systems (IMWS), and Forschungszentrum Jülich have contributed to the study.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
More articles from Lior Kahana
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


Δ
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Data Privacy © pv magazine 2026
Δ
This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. View our privacy policy. ×
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close

source

source

Solar panel prices rise after China clampdown on producer competition  Financial Times
source

With the “AMAG Energy Flexpool,” existing photovoltaic systems in commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings can now participate in the Swiss balancing energy market without additional hardware and via fully remote integration. Self-consumption, however, remains fully possible.
Image: Swissgrid
From pv magazine Germany
The Swiss balancing energy market is opening up to smaller, decentralized assets. Until now, the grid operator Swissgrid has sourced balancing energy mainly from large power plants and industrial facilities.
Novagrid AG, which specializes in digital grid integration and virtual power plant solutions, and AMAG Energy, the renewable energy and energy trading arm of the AMAG Group, are now extending access to commercial and industrial photovoltaic systems, as well as rooftop installations on apartment buildings.
With the “AMAG Energy Flexpool,” existing PV systems can, for the first time, be certified and operate within the Swiss balancing energy system entirely remotely and without additional hardware, the companies said on Monday.
Under this model, PV system operators can participate directly in balancing energy market revenues, while self-consumption remains fully possible, with the systems being aggregated into a virtual power plant. AMAG Energy will handle fiduciary marketing and optimize system performance over the long term for the benefit of pool members. The scale of the pool reportedly enables competitive bids to be placed on Swissgrid’s balancing energy market.
The systems are integrated via the VPN solution Nova Connect, which supports the connection of compatible data loggers and ensures a secure internet connection to the grid, according to Novagrid.
In addition to maximizing self-consumption, the solution ensures that PV systems do not feed electricity into the grid during periods of negative electricity prices through a fully automated process.
In 2025, Switzerland added 1,526 MW of new solar capacity, down from 1,798 MW in 2024 and 1,640 MW in 2023. Despite the decline, growth in residential storage, building electrification, and EV integration points to a gradual market recovery.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
More articles from Sandra Enkhardt
Please be mindful of our community standards.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


Δ
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.
Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Data Privacy © pv magazine 2026
Δ
This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. View our privacy policy. ×
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click “Accept” below then you are consenting to this.
Close

source

The Cypress Knee Solar project is the third energy agreement between Meta and EDPR NA.
EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta for the 250MW Cypress Knee Solar project to be constructed in Arkansas, US.
The agreement is part of Meta’s initiative to align its annual electricity consumption entirely with renewable sources by integrating new energy generation into the grid.
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Find out more
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Find out more
The Cypress Knee Solar project is the third energy agreement between Meta and EDPR NA, bringing their joint energy procurement to 545MW.
Meta clean and renewable energy head Amanda Yang said: “Through our partnership with EDPR, Cypress Knee Solar will bring new generation to the Arkansas grid, creating local jobs and delivering economic benefits to the community. We are proud to expand our collaboration with EDPR.”
The ongoing collaboration is focused on expanding renewable energy infrastructure throughout the US.
Once operational, the Cypress Knee Solar project is expected to generate approximately $25m in revenue for Chicot County, contributing to public services and infrastructure improvements.
The construction phase is set to create several hundred jobs.
Completion of the solar farm is targeted for 2028.
EDPR NA CEO Sandhya Ganapathy said: “Cypress Knee Solar and our broader portfolio of projects with Meta are helping power a reliable, modern US electric grid – the backbone of American innovation and long-term economic growth.
“These investments strengthen local communities, create durable economic value and ensure that progress is built on a resilient, sustainable foundation.
“EDPR NA is proud to work with Meta as we deliver domestic power and advanced infrastructure that reinforce American energy independence and expand economic opportunity nationwide.”
In January this year, EDPR NA commenced commercial operations at Riverstart Solar IV, a 150MW clean energy project in Randolph County, Indiana, US.
Riverstart Solar IV will generate enough electricity each year to power more than 28,800 local homes and businesses, strengthening Indiana’s grid reliability and supporting regional economic growth.
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Find out more
Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise.
Find out more
Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.
Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

Future Power Technology : Power Technology Focus (monthly)
Thematic Take (monthly)
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network.
Power industry news, data and in-depth articles on the global trends driving power generation, renewables and innovation
Powered by
© GlobalData Plc 2026

source

Sustainability Online
A business news platform with a sustainable focus. Featuring the latest sustainability news and ESG insight, viewed through a business lens.
Energy giant TotalEnergies has teamed up with Philippines-based renewable energy developer Nextnorth on the development of a 440 MWp solar power plant in Ilagan.
Once operational, the new facility will produce around 13.5 TWh over 20 years, with more than 50% of the energy generated set to be sold under long-term offtake agreements with two retail electricity suppliers, AdventEnergy and PrimeRES. The remainder will be delivered to the national grid.
“We are delighted with our partner Nextnorth to start the construction of this major solar project in the Philippines, thereby contributing to the country’s goal of increasing renewables in its generation energy mix,” commented Olivier Jouny, SVP Renewables at TotalEnergies.
“These 440 MW will contribute to the 9 GW renewables portfolio that we are combining with Masdar through a 50/50 joint venture across nine Asian countries.”
The Ilagan project is 65% owned by TotalEnergies, and 35% by Nextnorth, and is set to commence operations by the end of 2027.
It has a total cost of around $300 million, and is financed by three international banks: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, ING Bank and Standard Chartered. According to TotalEnergies, it represents the largest international financing for a solar project in the Philippines to date.
“Energy security has never been more relevant for the Philippines than it is today,” added Miguel Mapa, president and CEO, Nextnorth.
“With rising demand and continued exposure to imported fuels, the country needs domestic, scalable, and bankable renewable capacity. Working alongside TotalEnergies, we are delivering clean, reliable power that supports communities, creates jobs, and advances the Philippines’ transition toward a more energy independent future.”
As of April 2026, TotalEnergies boasts nearly 36 GW of gross renewable generation capacity globally, and is aiming to achieve more than 100 TWh of net electricity production by 2030. Read more here.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.
Type your email…
Subscribe
Continue reading

source