Zambia Commissions Largest Solar Facility As CEC Launches 60 MW Itimpi Solar PV Park  SolarQuarter
source

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.
Notice: By accessing this site you agree that you will not copy or reproduce any part of its contents (including, but not limited to, single prices, graphs or news content) in any form or for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of the publisher.

source

French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen has brought its 440MWp Culcairn Solar Farm online in New South Wales, marking the completion of the company’s second-largest solar asset globally.
The project, located on Wiradjuri Country near the town of Culcairn in the south-east Murray region, was constructed in under two years with a peak workforce of 600 people, representing 152 full-time equivalent positions.
Get Premium Subscription
Culcairn, often referred to as the ‘Oasis of the Riverina’, is an agricultural centre in New South Wales.
The solar PV power plant features approximately 760,000 modules and connects to the wider National Electricity Market (NEM), spanning Australia’s eastern and southern states and territories, via an on-site 330kV transmission line managed by TransGrid.
The project was delivered through collaboration between Bouygues Construction Australia, Equans Solar & Storage, Lumea, TransGrid, and contractors from the Riverina region. Commissioning of the facility began in early 2025, and the project is now at full operational status ahead of schedule.
Neoen will now fulfil its commitment to energy retailer SmartestEnergy Australia, which secured a four-year power purchase agreement for 50% of the solar PV power plant’s output in 2024.
The deal, which SmartestEnergy described at the time as supporting its renewable energy supply to commercial and industrial customers, enables the retailer to meet retail demand with renewable energy from the facility.
Neoen said it will launch a First Nations and Community Benefit Fund for the asset within days, initiating a benefit-sharing program expected to run for more than 25 years to support communities in and around Culcairn.
Neoen secured development consent from the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in March 2021, despite receiving 50 public complaints during the approval process.
The project was estimated to cost approximately AU$636 million (US$415 million) to develop and has an operational lifespan of 30 years.
The approval included provisions for a 100MW/200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to be co-located with the solar PV power plant, though the operational status of the storage component was not confirmed in the latest announcement.
The Culcairn facility is Neoen Australia’s second-largest solar plant after the 460MW Western Downs Green Power Hub in Queensland, which is also operational.
Neoen’s owns several other utility-scale solar projects in New South Wales, including the 66MW Parkes, 36MW Griffith and 28MW Dubbo solar plants.
Neoen Australia’s parent company, Neoen, which was acquired by Canadian asset manager Brookfield, secured AU$1.4 billion in capital in December 2024 to support new solar, wind, and energy storage projects across Australia.
The capital raise was intended to support existing assets and develop an additional 1.3GW of renewable energy generation and storage capacity across the country, including the 157MW Kaban Green Power Hub in Queensland.

source

Greenvolt Next, part of the Greenvolt Group, a specialist in renewable energy solutions for the commercial and industrial sector, today announces the completion of a 2.2MWp ground-mounted solar farm at the Astellas Damastown facility in Dublin.
Greenvolt Next delivered a high-impact renewable energy solution in four months, a timeframe that is increasingly critical to support energy security in today’s volatile energy landscape. Managing every stage of the project, from concept/design to installation and commissioning, Greenvolt Next continues to support Astellas Dublin’s site with ongoing maintenance and performance reviews.
The solar farm which is now live features 3,192 solar panels and five inverters, supplying 27% of the site’s electricity needs and reducing Scope 2 CO₂ emissions by 310 tonnes annually. It marks a significant milestone in Astellas Dublin’s sustainability journey, strengthening operational resilience, lowering environmental impact while maintaining operational excellence.
Designed with future growth in mind, the system can accommodate additional inverters and battery storage integration, allowing the facility to expand its renewable energy capacity as operational needs evolve. This is part of Astellas ongoing commitment to contribute to the sustainability of society through its business activities.
Throughout the project, sustainability considerations extended beyond energy generation. At each stage, careful attention was given to protecting and enhancing site biodiversity. Large bug hotels were constructed using reclaimed tree stumps, multiple bat boxes were installed, and a significant number of native Irish trees were planted to promote local ecology and support long-term biodiversity on the site. The solar farm is also visible along the site’s 1.1km riverwalk, offering employees and visitors a clear view of the facility’s commitment to renewable energy and environmental stewardship.
Gino Gautier, Global CEO DG of the Greenvolt Group, commented, “This project shows how efficiently we can deliver on-site solutions at this level. In just four months, we supported Astellas in reducing its energy costs and improving predictability in a context of continued market uncertainty. The ability to combine speed with high-quality execution is increasingly important for organisations looking for these types of solutions, and we’re very pleased to meet that need.”
Leon Burns, Capital Projects Lead, Astellas Ireland, commented, “In just four months, Greenvolt Next has delivered a solar farm which boosts our sustainability credentials and offers scalability. Underpinned by their resources and expertise, this installation is already making a tangible difference to our business operations.”
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


Δ
Copyright © 2024 | The Energyst | Website users agree to abide by our Terms & Conditions and Cookie Policy
Design by: MoravacNET

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.
Trina Solar has introduced an Australia-specific version of its Vertex S+ module, according to an article published by pv magazine Australia on May 7, 2026.
The new variant, designated the monofacial NEG10R.28Z module, delivers a power output of up to 515 W and a maximum conversion efficiency of 24.65%. It operates within a standard module footprint measuring 1,842 mm by 1,134 mm by 30 mm. The module utilizes n-type i-TOPCon cell architecture combined with zero-busbar and zero-gap technologies to boost efficiency and minimize electrical losses.
Its lower-voltage design, featuring an open-circuit voltage of 38.3 V and a short-circuit current of 12.85 A, allows for more flexible string sizing across various inverter configurations. This flexibility helps installers optimize system layouts, particularly where roof design or electrical constraints apply. The higher power density means target system capacities can be reached with fewer modules, potentially increasing capacity without expanding the physical footprint and reducing balance-of-system requirements as well as the levelized cost of electricity.
The module is engineered for Australian conditions, with a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius to maintain performance in high heat, and a dual-glass structure for enhanced durability. It is rated for mechanical loads up to 5,400 Pa for snow and 4,000 Pa for wind. The product comes with a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year power output guarantee, with end-of-life output guaranteed at no less than 88.85% of nominal power. First-year degradation is limited to 1%.
Trina Solar stated that the module supports systems of up to 100 kW under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, where higher wattage and efficiency per module allow installers to maximize Small-scale Technology Certificate returns within limited roof space. Edison Zhou, Trina Solar’s head of operations for Australia and Asia Pacific, noted that the 510 to 515 W range is considered a practical sweet spot for rooftop systems, as installers increasingly seek higher-wattage, higher-efficiency modules in standard dimensions.
The Vertex S+ 515 W module is available for preorder, with an expected Australian launch in early Q3 2026, pending final certification and listing requirements.
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 Australia, 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 Australia.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for Australia. 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 Australia. 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 Australia.
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 Australia.
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 Australia.
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
Australia's only solar panel manufacturer
Prefabricated solar array solutions
High-efficiency solar power plants
Flexible and glass-free solar products
Developing high-efficiency cell technology
Solar windows and glazing
Next-generation solar cell materials
Major distributor of solar products
Lead generation and consumer platform
Performance monitoring software
Racking and mounting solutions
Local subsidiary of global inverter company
Long-standing solar thermal company
Commercial and industrial LED lighting
LED lighting manufacturer and supplier
Australian subsidiary of global lighting group
Supplier of LED lighting solutions
Integrated solar LED lighting systems
Large-scale solar farm developer
Solar and LED lighting for businesses
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

Climate Fund Managers, Ampyr Energy Commission 67.5 MWp Somasamudra Solar Project in Karnataka  SolarQuarter
source

0
Powered by :
Neoen, renewable energy company, has issued notices to proceed for the 162 MW Garr Solar Farm in County Offaly and the 33 MW Johnstown North Solar Farm in County Wicklow. Omexom will deliver the solar arrays and associated infrastructure, while TLI Group will construct the onsite substations and grid connections. Both projects were secured contracts under Ireland’s RESS 4 auctions in 2024 with site works expected to begin in coming months. Garr Solar Farm is scheduled for operation in 2029 and is expected to supply electricity to more than 38,000 homes annually. Johnstown North Solar Farm is expected to start operations in 2028 and generate enough electricity for around 8,000 homes. The projects will increase Neoen’s total Irish wind and solar capacity in operation or construction to 410 MW. Neoen also stated that its Ireland development pipeline currently totals 1.8 GW across solar, wind, and battery storage projects.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

source

The ACIMUT Architectural Works Construction Company, in the province of Holguin. It is consolidating its position as a strategic player in the transformation of Cuba’s energy matrix.
With its sights set on achieving autonomy from the National Electric System (SEN). And drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels, this collective is leading high-impact projects in the municipality of Rafael Freyre.
Currently, the park contributes approximately 21.8 megawatts (MW) injected directly into the national electricity grid.
A few kilometers away, at the “Loma del Cedro” photovoltaic system, construction activity continues unabated. There, ACIMUT specialists are carrying out highly complex technical work to ensure the plant’s stability.
Unlike other installations, “Loma del Cedro” is projected to contribute 10 MW. With the added value of having energy storage capacity. A key solution for maintaining supply when the sun sets.
This productive effort coincides with the company’s 50th anniversary. The results in the field of renewable energy sources (RES) validate their historic slogan: “We expand your future.” Transforming the Holguin landscape into a benchmark of efficiency and reliability for the nation’s economic development.

source

May 7, 2026
HubSalt has signed an agreement with China’s Livoltec to install a hybrid solar and battery storage system in Karachi. The company says the project will reduce diesel use, lower emissions and improve energy efficiency.
News Desk
May 7, 2026
KARACHI: HubSalt has entered into an agreement with Chinese company Livoltec to install a hybrid solar and battery storage system, in what the company described as a step towards greater energy self-reliance in industry.
The agreement was signed in Karachi by HubSalt Chief Executive Officer Ismail Sattar and Livoltec Asia-Pacific Director Max Ma. Under the arrangement, the project will be carried out on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction basis, with Optimizen assigned responsibility for execution in collaboration with its Chinese technology partner, Livoltec.
According to the details shared at the signing, the project includes the installation of a 1.44-megawatt solar photovoltaic system integrated with a 2.35MW-hour battery energy storage system. The company said the move is expected to sharply cut its dependence on imported diesel.
Speaking on the occasion, Sattar called the initiative a transformative step and said it could serve as a model for Pakistan’s industrial sector. He said the use of advanced renewable energy technologies would improve operational performance while also setting a benchmark for the promotion of green energy in the country’s industrial landscape.
Sattar said the project forms part of the company’s long-term strategy aimed at supporting sustainable industrial growth and contributing to national energy objectives. He noted that HubSalt had previously depended on diesel generators for its operations and is now shifting to a modern hybrid energy setup.
He said the project would enable annual savings of around 360,000 litres of diesel, reducing import costs and easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
Sattar said the environmental gains from the project were also substantial. According to him, the system is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 tonnes each year, which he said is equivalent to planting around 90,000 trees.
He added that the initiative would also position HubSalt to participate in international carbon markets, where carbon credits may be earned under standards such as Verra and Gold Standard.
The hybrid system has been designed to maximise the use of renewable energy, improve efficiency and provide uninterrupted electricity supply for operations.
Livoltec’s Asia-Pacific Director Max Ma and Optimizen’s CEO also underscored the significance of the project and reiterated their commitment to completing it ahead of schedule. They said they were confident the partnership would strengthen Livoltec’s footprint in Pakistan and demonstrate its capability to deliver large-scale projects in collaboration with Optimizen.
The agreement marks a notable industrial renewable energy initiative involving solar generation combined with battery storage, with the participating companies presenting it as a first-of-its-kind arrangement for the sector.
No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!
Pakistan Today is one of Pakistan's leading English-language newspapers, delivering breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful commentary on national and international affairs.
Get the latest news delivered to your inbox.
© 2026 Pakistan Today. All rights reserved. Powered by Mindblaze Technologies.

source

Continuous negative and zero wholesale electricity prices, weak demand, and Greece’s inadequate energy storage policy are leaving small- and medium-sized PV investors exposed, despite abundant solar resources.
Image: pv magazine/AI generated
Wholesale electricity prices in Greece between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., when solar irradiation is highest and photovoltaic systems generate most output, have collapsed, frequently reaching zero or negative levels.
At the same time, significant volumes of renewable generation are being curtailed during these hours. Preliminary data from the Greek energy regulator show that 876.5 GWh of renewable energy was curtailed between January and April this year, up from 588.5 GWh in the same period a year earlier. In the whole of 2024, total curtailment reached around 900 GWh.
“This situation is the new normal,” Petros Tsikouras, organizational secretary of POSPIEF, a Thessaloniki-based association of Greek solar producers, told pv magazine. He added that in March, small PV parks lost 62% of revenue, rising to 70% in April. “7,500 small producers — the backbone of the country’s decentralized energy system — are being pushed within months into financial suffocation,” he said.
Tsikouras warned that many investors may soon be unable to service debt, leading either to bankruptcies or forced asset sales and market exits.
The Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers (Spef), which is one of Greece’s other main photovoltaic associations, had asked the government already in 2024 to stop issuing new grid connection licenses for renewable energy systems to address the nation’s escalating power curtailment issue.
Konstantinos Tsirekis, director of the Strategy and System Planning Department at Greece’s transmission system operator, said at a recent POSPIEF event that Greece had installed 17.9 GW of renewable capacity by the end of February. Of this, 11.7 GW comes from solar PV, 5.6 GW from wind, and 0.6 GW from other renewables such as small hydro plants. Large hydro capacity was not included in these figures.
He added that around 14.1 GW of renewables have already received connection offers to the transmission and distribution networks, while a further 48 GW have applied for grid connection at transmission level and are still under review. Greece’s peak electricity demand, meanwhile, stands at around 11 GW.
At the same event, Pantelis Biskas, professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, noted that electricity demand in Greece has remained broadly flat despite the country’s recovery from its recent economic crisis. Annual consumption is stable at around 50–51 TWh, a level he does not expect to change significantly in the coming years.
Biskas said Greece exported about 3 TWh of electricity last year, enabled by low-cost domestic renewable generation. However, he stressed that this remains marginal compared to total annual demand and does not materially alter the overall consumption outlook.
Tsikouras argued that the current imbalance is the result of policy decisions. “Over the past six years, the government pushed for massive over-licensing of renewable energy projects – up to 25 GW – in a system that consumes between 4 and 11 GW daily,” he said. He also criticized delays in establishing a functioning energy storage framework, saying these have undermined market stability.
Greece held its first battery storage auction in 2023, awarding 412 MW of capacity across 12 projects with significant subsidy support. Investors participated despite uncertainty over future market design, while the regulatory framework for battery operation was expected to be completed in the following two years, with operational deadlines set for 2025.
However, implementation lagged behind schedule. According to industry participants, regulatory delays left approved projects without a clear route to market participation. Some battery installations reached readiness by December 2025 but were unable to connect to the grid due to the absence of finalized operational rules. Authorities have cited the novelty of the technology and limited prior experience, though critics argue that sufficient time was available to prepare the framework.
Nevertheless, of the 412 MW of storage capacity awarded in the 2023 auctions, only two projects totalling around 16 MW have begun participating in Greece’s electricity markets as of April. The system operator has said that roughly 200 MW of additional stand-alone battery projects are now connected to the grid and undergoing testing ahead of imminent market participation. However, there is still no clear timeline for when these projects, or the remaining awarded capacity, will become fully operational in the market.
Tsikouras argues that the situation goes beyond administrative delay. “This is not only incompetence. It is politics,” he said. He described a system in which electricity is increasingly generated when it is not needed, while a lack of storage prevents shifting that energy to peak hours. “This creates winners and losers. Small- and medium-sized investors are the biggest losers, while a few energy companies that can generate power in the evening are the winners.”
He noted that in the evening hours—around 19:00 to 22:00—solar generation drops to zero, leaving gas-fired plants and large hydro units to set prices, which can spike to €170–€250 ($200-$294)/MWh. “This is why the government has been delaying energy storage for years,” he said.
All photovoltaic installations selling into wholesale markets are exposed to curtailment and periods of zero or negative prices, though larger operators are generally better equipped to manage volatility through advanced trading strategies. Revenue exposure also depends on the remuneration model: subsidy-free plants selling directly into the day-ahead market can benefit from high price spikes when they occur, while smaller installations under fixed or premium tariffs cannot fully capture upside volatility. In the case of contracts for difference (CfDs), any revenue above the strike price must be repaid, further limiting gains from price spikes.

Scientists from the University of New England’s Australian Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence are using artificial intelligence and powerful supercomputers to assess potential solvents to separate silicon wafers with minimal contamination.
L-R: UNE Institute for Strategic AI Co-Director Professor Amir Karton, Lecturer in Chemistry Dr Kasimir Gregory, and Computational Chemistry PhD student Amber Hocks.
Image: University of New England
From pv magazine Australia
Researchers from the University of New England and the Australian Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence are using artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputers to develop methods for recycling silicon wafers with minimal contamination.
Silicon, currently the most valuable component in a solar panel, cannot be recycled to its original purity because of the substrates used to prevent degradation during a panel’s operating life. The researchers are using AI-driven quantum chemical simulations to identify molecular solvent formulations capable of cleanly separating silicon from wafers. The simulations evaluate chemical efficacy, identify new pathways, and guide subsequent computations.
UNE computational chemist Kasimir Gregory said it is now possible to predict how panels can be disassembled at the molecular level. “These technologies are giving an exponential boost to the process of scientific discovery,” Gregory said.
Research colleague and ISA director Amir Karton said the team has created an efficient feedback loop between AI-driven predictions and experimental observations. “This allows us to actively steer the experimental discovery of optimal recycling pathways at unprecedented speeds,” Karton said.
The project is supported by a AUD 2.7 million ($1.9 million) automated robotic laboratory funded by the Australian Research Council and shared by several institutions. The laboratory can physically produce the solvents and materials identified through AI-driven simulations.
It can then test them in real-world experiments powered by agentic AI – autonomous AI agents capable of independently running experiments and managing workflows with minimal human intervention. The agents operate continuously, reducing development times from years to months.
The research has attracted support from Philippines-headquartered renewable energy developer ACEN Australia, which is supplying panels from its 720 MW New England Solar Project in the New South Wales Northern Tablelands.
Managing Director David Pollington said the company’s recently commissioned Stubbo Solar Project is the first large-scale project to achieve Circular PV Alliance certification, adding that the UNE research is “an important step in further improving the effectiveness and efficiencies of recycling processes.”
“We are also committed to supporting the regions in which we operate, so we’re extra excited that this industry-leading research is happening right here in the New England,” Pollington said.
Australia’s cumulative volume of end-of-life solar panels is expected to reach one million tonnes by 2035, with the material value of those panels projected to exceed AUD 1 billion.
“It is not practical to ship thousands of tonnes of solar waste across the country for processing,” Amir Karton said. “The university has a strategic focus on ensuring the renewables rollout here provides maximum benefit to the region while it benefits the nation.”
On May 7, 2026, UNE launched the Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence, operating within LabNext70, Australia’s first purpose-built AI research and delivery hub focused on education.
The institute is co-directed by Associate Professor Aaron Driver, UNE’s chief AI officer and director of LabNext70. It will work across fields including materials science, education transformation, geopolitical analysis, and strategic decision-making.
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 Ev Foley
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

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.
Tell us where to send the sample and whether you want this report customized.
Thanks. Our team will review your request and get back to you at your business email.
Your request will be reviewed by our team and routed to support@indexbox.io.
According to the latest IndexBox report on the global Thin Film Photovoltaics market, the market enters 2026 with broader demand fundamentals, more disciplined procurement behavior, and a more regionally diversified supply architecture.
The global thin film photovoltaics market is undergoing a fundamental repositioning from a specialized, project-driven industrial component to a consumer-facing, brand-differentiated product category, creating new battlegrounds in retail channels and consumer mindshare. Consumer demand is bifurcating into two primary need states: a value-driven, commoditized segment focused on basic energy generation for cost-conscious adopters, and a premium, benefit-led segment where aesthetics, design integration, brand trust, and ease-of-use command significant price premiums. Private-label and retailer-owned brands are emerging as significant competitive forces in the value segment, leveraging scale and direct sourcing to exert intense price pressure on established, branded manufacturers and eroding traditional margins. Channel strategy is the critical determinant of market access and growth. The market is fragmenting across specialized professional installers, big-box home improvement retailers, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platforms, and integrated energy service providers, each with distinct margin structures and brand partnership models. Pricing architecture is no longer solely tied to wattage efficiency. A multi-tiered ladder has emerged, with price points driven by brand equity, aesthetic claims (e.g., color, flexibility, transparency), integrated smart features, warranty length, and the simplicity of the installation ecosystem. Supply chain control is shifting downstream. Competitive advantage is increasingly determined by capabilities in final assembly, packaging, logistics for fragile goods, and the creation of shelf-ready or e-commerce-optimized SKUs, rather than upstream cell manufacturing alone. Brand building is transitioning from technical specifications to consumer-
The baseline scenario for the thin film photovoltaics market from 2026 to 2035 reflects steady expansion underpinned by technological maturation, cost reduction in non-silicon materials, and growing architectural integration mandates. Global installed capacity of thin film PV is projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 8.2% through 2035, with the market index reaching 220 by 2035 (2025=100). This growth is supported by the declining levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) modules, which are approaching parity with crystalline silicon in utility-scale applications. The market is also benefiting from policy tailwinds in Europe and North America that incentivize building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and lightweight rooftop installations, where thin film technologies hold a structural advantage. However, the baseline scenario assumes no major breakthroughs in perovskite commercialization before 2030, limiting upside in the early forecast period. Supply-side constraints for critical materials such as tellurium and indium remain a moderate drag, though recycling initiatives and material substitution are gradually easing pressure. The competitive landscape is consolidating around a few large-scale manufacturers, while new entrants focus on niche applications like portable power and transportation. Overall, the market is expected to grow from a 2025 baseline of approximately 18 GW of annual module shipments to over 38 GW by 2035, with the value share shifting toward premium, design-oriented segments.
Utility-scale installations remain the largest end-use segment for thin film photovoltaics, accounting for 45% of global demand in 2025. First Solar’s CdTe modules dominate this segment due to their low LCOE and high energy yield in hot, arid climates. Through 2035, demand is driven by large-scale solar parks in the Middle East, India, and the US Southwest, where thin film’s temperature coefficient provides a 3-5% energy advantage over crystalline silicon. Key demand-side indicators include solar auction volumes, grid interconnection queues, and corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs). The segment is expected to maintain its share as new CdTe manufacturing capacity comes online, though competition from bifacial silicon modules is intensifying. Current trend: Stable growth with increasing share of CdTe.
Major trends: Increasing module power ratings above 500W per unit, Integration with battery storage for dispatchable renewable energy, Use of bifacial thin film designs to capture albedo, and Automated robotic cleaning systems for desert installations.
Representative participants: First Solar Inc, Solar Frontier K.K, Sharp Corporation, and Toshiba Corporation.
Commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftops represent 25% of thin film PV demand, with strong growth momentum through 2035. The lightweight nature of thin film modules (typically 5-7 kg/m² versus 10-12 kg/m² for glass-glass silicon) allows installation on warehouse and factory roofs that cannot support heavier panels. This segment is particularly active in Europe and Asia-Pacific, where building load restrictions are common. Demand indicators include commercial building construction starts, roof replacement cycles, and corporate sustainability targets. By 2035, C&I rooftops are expected to grow at a CAGR of 9%, supported by falling module prices and the availability of peel-and-stick thin film products that reduce installation labor costs. Current trend: Rapid growth driven by lightweight modules.
Major trends: Adoption of adhesive-backed flexible modules for quick installation, Integration with building management systems for energy optimization, Rise of solar leasing and power purchase agreements for commercial properties, and Use of semi-transparent thin film for skylights and atriums.
Representative participants: MiaSole Hi-Tech Corp, Hanergy Thin Film Power Group, Global Solar Energy Inc, and Ascent Solar Technologies Inc.
Residential rooftops account for 15% of thin film PV demand, driven by homeowners seeking aesthetically pleasing solar solutions. Thin film modules, particularly CIGS and amorphous silicon, offer uniform black or colored appearances that blend with roof tiles, contrasting with the blue, framed look of crystalline panels. This segment is price-sensitive but willing to pay a 10-20% premium for design integration. Key demand indicators include new home construction, roof replacement rates, and consumer preference surveys. Through 2035, growth is supported by the expansion of direct-to-consumer sales channels and partnerships with home improvement retailers. However, competition from high-efficiency silicon modules with black backsheets is limiting market share gains. Current trend: Moderate growth with aesthetic premium.
Major trends: Integration with smart home energy management systems, Growth of community solar and virtual net metering programs, Development of solar roof tiles with thin film cells, and Increased marketing focus on curb appeal and home value.
Representative participants: SunPower Corporation, Kaneka Corporation, Sharp Corporation, and Hanergy Thin Film Power Group.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) represent 10% of thin film PV demand but are the fastest-growing segment, with a projected CAGR of 14% through 2035. Thin film technologies are uniquely suited for BIPV due to their flexibility, semi-transparency, and ability to be deposited on glass, metal, or polymer substrates. Applications include solar windows, facades, curtain walls, and roofing membranes. Demand is driven by European Union energy performance of buildings directives and California’s Title 24 building code, which increasingly require on-site renewable generation. Key indicators include commercial building permits, green building certifications (LEED, BREEAM), and architectural specifications. By 2035, BIPV is expected to double its share as building codes tighten and architects integrate solar as a standard building material. Current trend: High growth from regulatory mandates.
Major trends: Development of colored and patterned thin film for aesthetic facades, Use of perovskite-silicon tandem cells in transparent windows, Integration with electrochromic glass for dynamic light control, and Standardization of BIPV module sizes and connection systems.
Representative participants: Oxford PV Ltd, Solar Frontier K.K, MiaSole Hi-Tech Corp, Toshiba Corporation, and NanoFlex Power Corporation.
Portable and off-grid power applications account for 5% of thin film PV demand, serving markets such as camping, marine, remote monitoring, and emergency power. The flexibility, lightweight, and ruggedness of thin film modules make them ideal for integration into backpacks, tents, and foldable solar chargers. Demand is growing at a CAGR of 11% through 2035, driven by the proliferation of portable electronics, the rise of van-life and outdoor recreation, and the need for reliable power in off-grid telecom and IoT sensors. Key indicators include consumer spending on outdoor gear, off-grid telecom infrastructure investments, and disaster relief budgets. While the volume is small, this segment offers high margins and brand differentiation opportunities for manufacturers. Current trend: Niche but expanding with consumer electronics.
Major trends: Integration of USB-C and wireless charging in solar chargers, Development of rollable and foldable thin film panels, Use in military and humanitarian applications for lightweight power, and Partnerships with outdoor gear brands for co-branded products.
Representative participants: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc, Global Solar Energy Inc, NanoFlex Power Corporation, and Hanergy Thin Film Power Group.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
Asia-Pacific leads the thin film PV market with 40% share, driven by large-scale manufacturing in China and Japan, and growing utility installations in India. China’s dominance in CdTe and CIGS production is supported by government subsidies and export incentives. Japan’s focus on BIPV and residential solar adds premium demand. Growth is steady but faces headwinds from silicon overcapacity. Direction: dominant.
North America holds 25% share, with the US as the largest single market for CdTe modules due to First Solar’s dominance. Utility-scale projects in California, Texas, and the Southwest drive volume. The Inflation Reduction Act’s manufacturing tax credits are boosting domestic thin film production. Canada’s BIPV market is emerging with building code updates. Direction: growing.
Europe accounts for 20% of demand, led by Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Strong BIPV adoption due to EU energy performance directives and high electricity prices. CIGS and perovskite R&D hubs in Germany and the UK are driving innovation. Growth is supported by corporate renewable targets and urban solar mandates, though permitting delays remain a constraint. Direction: expanding.
Latin America represents 10% of the market, with Brazil and Chile as key markets. Utility-scale solar parks in Chile’s Atacama Desert favor CdTe for high-temperature performance. Brazil’s distributed generation policy is boosting residential and C&I thin film adoption. Infrastructure and financing challenges limit faster growth, but solar auctions are expanding. Direction: emerging.
Middle East & Africa hold 5% share, with growth concentrated in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Thin film’s high-temperature efficiency is advantageous for desert installations. Large-scale projects like Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park use CdTe modules. Off-grid applications in sub-Saharan Africa are a niche but growing segment for portable thin film. Direction: nascent.
In the baseline scenario, IndexBox estimates a 8.2% compound annual growth rate for the global thin film photovoltaics market over 2026-2035, bringing the market index to roughly 220 by 2035 (2025=100).
Note: indexed curves are used to compare medium-term scenario trajectories when full absolute volumes are not publicly disclosed.
For full methodological details and benchmark tables, see the latest IndexBox Thin Film Photovoltaics market report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Thin Film Photovoltaics market in the World, including market size, structure, key trends, and forecast. The study highlights demand drivers, supply constraints, and competitive dynamics across the value chain.
The analysis is designed for manufacturers, distributors, investors, and advisors who require a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers the global market for thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules and cells, a distinct solar technology characterized by the deposition of light-absorbing semiconductor layers, typically only a few micrometers thick, onto substrates such as glass, metal, or plastic. The analysis encompasses the full commercial value chain, from core material production and deposition equipment to finished module manufacturing and integration across key application segments.
Thin film photovoltaics are primarily classified under Harmonized System (HS) codes for photovoltaic cells and assembled modules, as well as for electrical generating sets and parts thereof. The classification framework captures both the finished generating units and the essential diodes, transistors, and semiconductor devices that constitute the core technology. This coverage aligns with international trade data for tracking production, imports, and exports.
World
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.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint, Trade and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
Where Growth and Supply Concentrate
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
Detailed View of the Most Important National Markets
How the Report Was Built
Largest thin-film manufacturer
Multiple technology subsidiaries
Holds efficiency records for a-Si
Part of Hanergy group
Formerly Showa Shell Sekiyu
Focus on niche applications
Lightweight, flexible products
Amorphous silicon specialist
Leading in OPV technology
Owned by Chinese group
Focus on commercial roofing
Perovskite commercialization
Inkjet-printed perovskite PV
Integrated manufacturer
Historical leader, reduced focus
Diversified PV manufacturer
Integrated manufacturing
Printing technology
High-efficiency CIGS
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
Select the sections and data you need. Delivery by e-mail within 24 hours.
No sections selected yet
Minimum order: $99

source

Insights into the recycling of discarded solar panels: Challenges and future outlook  ScienceDirect
source

Núñez de Balboa, the largest photovoltaic project in Europe  Iberdrola
source

Solar Power World
By Kelly Pickerel | August 4, 2025
During the opening ceremony of this year’s SNEC PV+ conference in China, Trinasolar’s chairman and general manager Jifan Gao said that the ongoing debate on which silicon technology is best — TOPCon, back-contact or HJT — is beside the point when the real future of the solar panel market is tandem perovskite designs. Perovskites are a thin-film material that absorb more of the light spectrum and are highly efficient. When combined with a silicon solar cell, perovskites offer a low-cost, scalable option to boost solar output.
Even the best silicon-only solar cells have likely reached their efficiency limits, but when paired with thin-film perovskite, silicon module efficiencies can exceed 30%. Trinasolar is pioneering perovskite-silicon tandem designs and recently hit a record-setting 30.6% efficiency in the lab. The company has also been breaking its own record every few months on full-sized perovskite-silicon modules, recently exceeding an 840-W output and 27.1% efficiency.
R&D on Tandem PV’s perovskite-silicon tandem cell.
China is positioning itself to dominate another segment in solar with perovskites. Just as the first silicon cell was birthed in the United States before taking off through Chinese R&D, advancements in solar perovskites have become a global effort with commercialization led by Chinese powerhouses like Trinasolar. That doesn’t mean solar perovskite development has been lost to China, though.
“We have a unique historical moment to reset the manufacturing paradigm internationally. One thing that perovskites enable is domestic production — domestic with a capital ‘D,’” said Scott Graybeal, CEO of southern California solar perovskite company Caelux. “It could be anywhere in the world. You have a given market, and it’s possible for you to do perovskite production there. Perovskites give us an opportunity to reset the supply chain.”
That’s because any way you paint it, coat it or embed it — to which there are dozens of perovskite startups all seemingly working in different application processes — thin-film perovskites work with any silicon solar cell to create a new, more powerful solar product. When the entire world is looking for more affordable energy sources, every unique perovskite-silicon tandem solar panel will have a home.
Two California startups may be part of the U.S. perovskite family, but their final products put them at opposite ends of the spectrum. Their individual successes will allow the United States to make its own perovskite-silicon tandem headlines and boost domestic solar production at a perilous time in the industry.
The first peer-reviewed studies on perovskite-silicon tandem solar panels were published in the mid-2010s by Colin Bailie, then a doctoral candidate at Stanford University. He later founded Tandem PV, a perovskite-focused company in San Jose, California, that is working on a full perovskite-silicon tandem solar panel. After 10 years of R&D and $50 million raised, Tandem PV CEO Scott Wharton said the company plans to have tandem solar panels ready for utility-scale customers in 2026.
Prototype of Tandem PV’s perovskite-silicon tandem panel.
“A lot of our competitors are just building a cell or putting perovskite on the cell. Our strategy is different — we’re building the full tandem panel,” he said. “We’ve been working directly with utility-scale developers. A few have invested in us already, and we have incredible feedback. They’re saying, ‘If I get a 28% [efficient] panel from you guys and it’s made in the U.S., why wouldn’t I want it?’ The race is on to fulfill that promise.”
Instead of depositing thin-film perovskite directly on a silicon solar cell, Tandem PV stacks a perovskite-layer between silicon-contacts. The mechanically stacked tandem cell has reached 28% efficiency, the company claims, with expectations to exceed 30% by year’s end. The company’s current R&D tools allow Tandem PV to produce a prototype the size of a tablet. Recent investments and a $4 million grant from the California Energy Commission will enable a demonstration factory and larger panels.
“We’ve ordered all new tools. We’ve got the factory lined up to build out a full-scale panel,” Wharton said. “Our strategy is to do a drop-in replacement, so the same size, same electronics and glass, same encapsulants, just 30% better.”
Wharton said project developers are comfortable with the idea of buying panels directly from Tandem PV because there’s no risk to solar technology in general — developers know how solar panels work, and here’s a company offering a better-performing version.
“We’ve gotten a lot of success on the product side with efficiency and durability. But the real proof is, will the customer buy it? Will they deploy it? There are a lot of announcements about lab [results], but who cares?” he said. “The main thing we’re focused on right now is not setting the world record. But just, can we take a panel that is smaller size and make it bigger? Can we make those efficiency and durability performance levels? Can we replicate it so every panel has it? We’re in the middle of doing that. That’s the risk that we have, but we’re well on the path. Why else would people give us this $50 million to do it?”
Just outside Los Angeles, one U.S. company has shipped its first commercial order of perovskite-coated glass to an unnamed solar panel manufacturer for use in an upcoming domestic project. Caelux used $24 million in funding to outfit a perovskite-coated glass factory that within two years delivered the product it has nicknamed Active Glass.
The Caelux Active Glass product.
“We produce this device that’s used to create a hybrid, tandem module. We needed a name for the sheet of glass that we deposit our stack on,” Graybeal said. “It’s active glass. It does something more than just [be transparent]. We take light and produce electrons.”
Caelux’s perovskite-coated glass will act as a traditional silicon solar panel’s front glass, which can be dropped into an existing panel manufacturer’s assembly line. The boosted glass only needs a few pieces of pre-installed charge collection tape attached at the bussing station.
“We didn’t want to make it hard for the module manufacturer, because those lines run full-out,” Graybeal said. “One of our early taglines was ‘solar simplified.’ We work with customers regardless of cell type. They give us a voltage specification and junction box layout. We take that information and that informs where we put our cell tape that becomes the connection. We’ve found that’s the best way to do it — to be a partner with your customer.”
Instead of producing a perovskite-silicon tandem solar panel outright, Caelux has chosen to focus only on the perovskite element. The company claims to enable up to 6% efficiency improvement, but the rest is dependent on the base silicon product. Caelux’s first module partner wasn’t named, but India’s Reliance New Energy was an early investor.
“Partnering with these big module players is super helpful, because they have the resources and can give you feedback,” Graybeal said. “We’re here to ensure that our downstream customers can generate more energy harvest, especially given the headwinds that have been thrown in front of them. I think optimizing domestic content and optimizing production in the field is going to be really important.”
The rollback of incentives in the U.S. solar market might be an opportunity for perovskite companies like Caelux, Graybeal said.
“The implications associated with the ITC will have an impairment on the market size. Let’s say the U.S. market cuts in half and goes from 50 GW to 25 GW — that’s still huge for us. That’s still massive,” he said. “I think we have a technology that’s going to enable developers to better leverage these fewer projects but with better performing projects. We reduce the install costs by about 14% and boost the cash flows for a project by 45% in the United States. These are all healthy things to have in a less subsidized environment.”
Caelux is working on more orders and intends to have a more formal product launch later this year. While the company is glad to be one of the first perovskite startups in the United States to come to market, Graybeal said the opportunities for perovskites are exciting across the board.
“When we get together at tradeshows, there’s a little perovskite knot of people who tend to find each other. We’re all cheering for one another ultimately,” he said. “I can see, longer-term, a wholesale transition of the market to perovskite-type thin-film technologies. We may be able to look at these technologies on par with crystalline silicon at some point.”
 
Kelly Pickerel has more than 15 years of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World. Email Kelly.

Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website


Δ
Copyright © 2026 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | RSS

source

Italian company Fervo has completed the acquisition of BayWa r.e. Power Solutions, a PV specialist, to expand its energy services and target €100 million in revenue by 2026.
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

Neoen energises 350-MW solar park in New South Wales  Renewables Now
source

Quantum mechanics represents one of the most significant revolutions in the history of modern physics, ushering in a new understanding of nature at the microscopic level. Its development began in the early 20th century, in response to classical physics’ inability to explain certain experimentally observed phenomena.
Quantum mechanics has since transformed our conception of physical reality, introducing a theoretical framework that goes beyond the limitations of classical mechanics. It has laid the foundation for numerous technological and scientific advancements, from quantum chemistry to particle physics and semiconductor technology.
The growing demand for sustainable energy has made solar power one of the most promising renewable sources of the 21st century. In the face of climate change, rising global energy needs, and the depletion of fossil resources, we must rethink our models of energy production and consumption.
Silicon-based photovoltaic technology is the most common and widely used method for generating electricity from solar energy. It relies on silicon, a semiconductor material abundant in nature and second only to oxygen in the Earth’s crust. Thanks to its properties, silicon can convert sunlight into electricity. Traditional silicon-based solar panels have already enabled millions of households and businesses to generate renewable energy and reduce CO₂ emissions. However, research has led to the development of more efficient, lighter, and versatile technologies.
In this context, advanced solar panels are playing a central role in the transition toward a cleaner and more efficient future. To meet the energy needs of a growing population, science has turned to innovative solutions. Here, quantum mechanics—a cornerstone of modern physics that studies the behavior of particles at atomic and subatomic levels—is offering revolutionary possibilities.
The integration of quantum principles into photovoltaic technologies has led to the development of so-called advanced solar panels that exploit quantum materials and phenomena to increase energy conversion efficiency and reduce production costs. A photovoltaic cell, or solar cell, is made of a semiconductor material, such as silicon, which releases electrons when struck by photons, generating an electrical current. Quantum mechanics is essential to understanding this process, as it describes the quantized nature of photon energy and the behavior of electrons within the semiconductor. These principles allow the design and optimization of solar cells to maximize efficiency.
Solar energy is now an undisputed protagonist in the ecological transition. Over the past few decades, photovoltaic panels have spread across rooftops, fields, and even vehicles, transforming sunlight into clean, renewable electricity. But today we stand at a new turning point: photovoltaic technology is undergoing a surprising evolution with the advent of advanced solar panels.
While photovoltaic technology is effective, it has limitations:
Advanced panels aim to overcome these limitations through innovative materials, greater efficiency, and new methods of integration into urban environments.
Here are some of the main emerging technologies:
Perovskites are crystalline materials poised to revolutionize photovoltaics. Unlike silicon, they can be produced at low temperatures using simpler and cheaper processes. Their real advantage lies in efficiency: in laboratory conditions, some perovskite cells have surpassed 30%, approaching the theoretical limits of silicon.
They are also semi-transparent, making them suitable for smart windows or solar facades. However, challenges remain, such as long-term stability and sensitivity to moisture. Many laboratories and startups are working to make these cells more durable and resilient.
Another approach to increasing efficiency is tandem cells, which stack multiple photovoltaic layers, each capable of absorbing a different portion of the solar spectrum. A classic example is the silicon + perovskite combination, which makes better use of sunlight and can achieve efficiencies above 33%.
This technology is particularly promising for large-scale plants or space applications, where every percentage point in efficiency matters.
One of the most fascinating innovations is transparent photovoltaic panels. Imagine a window that lets in light while simultaneously generating electricity. This is no longer science fiction: functioning prototypes already exist, and some companies are beginning to install them in commercial buildings.
The principle relies on materials that absorb only ultraviolet and infrared radiation, allowing visible light to pass through. While efficiency is still limited, the potential is huge—especially for architectural integration in urban environments.
Organic photovoltaic cells are made from carbon-based materials. They offer great flexibility, lightness, and can be printed on various substrates.
Even though their efficiency is lower (between 10% and 15%), their low environmental impact and affordable cost make them ideal for mobile or wearable applications.
Flexible panels are suitable for curved surfaces, tents, drones, and vehicles, making solar energy increasingly accessible everywhere.
One of the main trends in advanced panels is integration. We’re no longer just talking about rooftop systems—panels are becoming part of the urban and everyday fabric.
From solar facades to photovoltaic road surfaces and even smart textiles, solar energy is becoming an invisible but essential component of our lives.
Moreover, with the support of storage systems (batteries) and artificial intelligence for energy management, we are moving closer to a decentralized and self-sufficient energy model, where every building can become a micro power plant.
The potential of advanced solar panels is enormous, but there are still hurdles to overcome, including:
Nonetheless, rapid scientific progress and the growing demand for sustainable energy are pushing innovations from the lab to the market.
Advanced solar panels represent more than just a technological evolution—they symbolize a paradigm shift. From external, visible objects, they will become an integral part of the environments we live in: invisible, but vital.
In a world racing toward decarbonization, solar energy—ever more efficient, affordable, and adaptable—is poised to illuminate our future.
For general questions about IYQ, please contact info@quantum2025.org. For press inquiries, contact iyq2025@hkamarcom.com.

source

Ultrasonic-stirring-enhanced leaching and recovery of silver from retired photovoltaic cells using a green CuCl  ScienceDirect
source

Residents have won a two-year fight to stop plans for a solar farm to the north of their village.
The scheme would have covered 163 acres (66 hectares) – which is about the size of 90 football fields – on fields in Morton in North East Derbyshire.
RWE, the company behind the plans, said it would have been a clean way of producing power on a large scale to help cut carbon emissions.
But residents in Morton successfully argued that a popular place for walkers would have been lost if the plans had gone ahead.
Campaigner Sarah Barraclough said: "I am amazed because I didn't think we had a chance against such a big multi-million pound company, with such a small team in such a small village.
"So I am overjoyed that the inspector listened to our concerns and what we were saying."
The plans for the solar farm, near Stretton Road, were originally submitted in December 2023, but North East Derbyshire District Council planners turned these down.
RWE appealed against this decision, but last week the government planning inspector Lora Hughes dismissed the appeal after hearing evidence from all sides.
Morton resident Neil Radford said: "It has been a great result for the community, for the wildlife and everything else here.
"It still shows that when people come together for a common cause on planning and environmental changes to their village, their voices can really make a difference."
Becky Spackman, who was also part of the campaign, said at present the site had footpaths through fields that were accessible to the disabled and were popular with families, which would be greatly missed.
She said that she recognised the benefits of solar power, but believed that there were better ways to harness the Sun's energy.
"We believe there are more suitable locations for solar panels, one of which is rooftops and another one is brownfield sites – but they do cost more," added Spackman.
RWE said that solar farms were a clean and environmentally-friendly way of producing energy.
It added that this solar farm would have generated enough energy to power 18,600 homes.
"Following the refusal of our planning application and the subsequent dismissal of our appeal, we are naturally disappointed with the outcome," a spokesperson said.
"Throughout this process, we have worked to ensure that our proposal was carefully considered, responsive to feedback, and aligned as far as possible with local planning policies and community context.
"We respect the decision reached, although we do not fully agree with the conclusions drawn.
"We will now take time to review the decision in detail. We would like to thank those who engaged constructively during the process."
Listen to BBC Radio Derby on Sounds and follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
Villagers say they are worried people could be killed on a road where fatal collisions have happened
Many of the most deprived parts of Derbyshire have seen steep rises in households in arrears.
Pawz for Thought in Sunderland is planning to build a hospital next to its exisiting headquarters.
New facilities at Dovedale, Hartington and Millers Dale will be cashless, the national park says.
Matt Milnes bowls Kent to their first County Championship win in more than a year as they rout Derbyshire by 225 runs at Canterbury.
Copyright 2026 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
 

source

Researchers from the University of New England’s Australian Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence are using artificial intelligence and powerful supercomputers to assess potential solvents to separate silicon wafers with minimal contamination.
L-R: UNE Institute for Strategic AI Co-Director Professor Amir Karton, Lecturer in Chemistry Dr Kasimir Gregory, and Computational Chemistry PhD student Amber Hocks.
Image: University of New England
Researchers from the University of New England (UNE) Australian Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence (ISA) are using artificial intelligence (AI) and powerful supercomputers to find methods to enable recycling of silicon wafers with minimal contamination.
Currently the most valuable component of a solar panel, silicon cannot be recycled to its original purity, given the use of substrate that prevents it from degrading in sunlight over a solar panel’s lifetime.
Hoping to identify potential molecular formulations for solvents that could achieve clean silicon separation from wafers the researchers are working with AI-driven quantum chemical simulations to evaluate chemical efficacy, flag new pathways and move onto new computations.
UNE Computational Chemist Dr Kasimir Gregory said its now possible to predict how these panels can be disassembled at the molecular level.
“These technologies are giving an exponential boost to the process of scientific discovery,” Gregory said.
Research colleague and ISA Director Professor Amir Karton said the team has efficiently created an effective feedback loop between AI-driven predictions and experimental observations.
“This allows us to actively steer the experimental discovery of optimal recycling pathways at unprecedented speeds,” Karton said.
Robotic laboratory
Assisted with a $2.7 million (USD 1.9 million) Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded automated robotic laboratory shared by several institutions, the lab can physically produce the solvents/materials identified by the AI-driven simulations.
It can then test them in real-world experiments, powered by agentic AI (autonomous AI agents capable of independently running experiments and managing workflows with minimal human intervention).
The agents are also working 24/7 reducing the development time from years to months.
Image: ACEN
ACEN
The research has attracted the support of Philippines-headquatered renewables developer ACEN Australia, which is providing panels from its 720 MW New England Solar Project, near Uralla in the NSW Northern Tablelands.
Managing Director David Pollington said its recently-opened Stubbo Solar project is the first large-scale project to achieve Circular PV Alliance certification – “and the UNE research is an important step in further improving the effectiveness and efficiencies of recycling processes.”
“We are also committed to supporting the regions in which we operate, so we’re extra excited that this industry-leading research is happening right here in the New England,” Pollington said.
Solar waste
At the start of 2025, the world had installed more than 2 TW of total solar energy generation capacity, which is predicted by 2030 to increase 1 TW of solar generation capacity per year.
The cumulative volume of end-of-life solar panels Australia is expected to reach one million tonnes by 2035, with a material value within these panels projected to exceed $1 billion.
“It is not practical to ship thousands of tonnes of solar waste across the country for processing,” Karton said.
“The University has a strategic focus on ensuring the renewables rollout here provides maximum benefit to the region while it benefits the nation.”
“New technologies are making it possible for us to apply world-class methods to these challenges, not as some distant abstract issue, but in support of an energy revolution that is almost literally taking place in our backyards,” he said.
Institute for Strategic Articial Intelligence
On 7 May 2026 the UNE also launched the Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence (ISA), operating within UNE’s LabNext70 – Australia’s first purpose-built AI research and delivery hub focused on education.
The institute will work across diverse fields including materials science, education transformation, geopolitical analysis and strategic decision-making.
The institute is co-directed by Associate Professor Aaron Driver, UNE’s Chief AI Officer and Director of LabNext70.
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 Ev Foley
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.
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
pv magazine Australia offers bi-weekly 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
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

Public hearings are being held by the Planning Inspectorate into a project to build one of the largest solar farm schemes in the UK.
The Droves, which would cover an area equivalent of 1,175 football pitches, is earmarked for land between Swaffham and Castle Acre in Norfolk.
Concerns were raised at the meeting by locals about the scale of the project and the impact it would have on the distinctive environment of the Brecks.
The firm developing the plan, Island Green Power (IGP), said the panels were "temporary" and that the land could be returned to agricultural use within 60 years.
The 2,075-acre development would be built on farmland close to Swaffham and IGP said it would generate up to 500 megawatts of electricity — enough to power about 115,000 homes annually.
The government, which has the final say on the development, has been inviting public comments on the proposals.
One of those who spoke at the Planning Inspectorate meeting was Tim Hubbard, the chair of Castle Acre Parish Council, who raised concerns about the scale of the project.
"I'm certainly not anti-solar," he said.
"I have solar panels on my roof at home – I am a supporter of solar power.
"I, however, feel that this is really one of the worst locations that they could have picked in terms of the impact it will have on local communities, heritage assets and agricultural land."
Harman Sond, project development manager at IGP, said they were taking the concerns of locals seriously and remained open to modifying their plans.
"We think that the scale is appropriate because we've done several assessments looking at various things, various areas like landscape, visual heritage, ecology, we've taken the results of all of that, we've come up with this based on what we think is an appropriate scale," he said.
A second day of hearings will take place on Thursday and will include evidence from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) about the potential impact of the solar panels on pilots at RAF Marham.
The MOD confirmed it would oppose the project due to concerns about glint and glare.
Large solar farms are a major part of the government's plans to transition to green power, with the aim of tackling climate change and making the UK less reliant on foreign energy.
Because of the scale of such projects, it will decide on planning permission for them, rather than local authorities.
Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Politicians must be able to to ask questions about the plans at Earystane, a local authority says.
The solar farm would have been across an area the equivalent to about 90 football pitches.
Grantham Meres has replaced its gas boilers with an air source heat pump and 576 solar panels.
Building a community solar farm in Oxfordshire fulfils a lifelong dream for Barbara Hammond.
BBC Verify has been assessing if any of the pledges to cut energy bills made in the Holyrood election campaign can actually be delivered.
Copyright 2026 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
 

source

Newsroom
Quality worth making room for
Expert opinion from University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau
Solar potential maps of New Zealand show that we’ve got a lot of it. Potential, that is. When it comes to generating energy solar power, New Zealand is flatlining as other countries are skyrocketing.
That’s despite multiple reports and studies showing that solar energy could cut the average household’s annual power bills by at least $1000 and provide the country with more energy security.
Farmers who install solar could halve their energy costs while also making some income selling electricity back into the grid, says the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
Next year, solar is predicted to overtake coal as the world’s biggest electricity-generation source.
But in New Zealand, the up-front expense of installation remains a hurdle – the average household solar system costs $16,500. While numerous national or state governments overseas offer subsidies, rebates, feed-in tariffs, tax credits, or other incentives for households to install solar, New Zealand stands out for its lack of support.
However, there’s also perhaps a psychological obstacle at play, suggests Ralph Cooney, a professor emeritus, chemical sciences, at the University of Auckland.
When considering whether to invest in rooftop solar, people usually focus on how long the payback period will be, says Cooney: how many years it’ll take for the savings on power bills to compensate for the cost of installation.
That skips an important aspect of switching to solar energy, says Cooney.“New Zealanders tend to view rooftop solar as, ‘It has to pay for itself’,” he says. “Without looking at the fact that you’ve actually improved the capital value of the property.”
Instead, says Cooney, the addition of solar should be regarded the same as adding other amenities to a property, like a deck. No one expects a deck to pay for itself. “But you would say, ‘I’ve improved the property, so when I sell the property, I’ll get the value of the deck.’ Now, people don’t think of solar in those same terms, but they should do. It’s a capital improvement on the property that actually is attractive to a new buyer.”
Earlier this month, the financial journalist Frances Cook calculated that her household’s switch to solar energy has been an investment with a higher rate of return than the stock market – without accounting for future power-bill savings after the payback period.
Start your day informed. Make room for newsroom’s top stories. Direct to your inbox daily.

The biggest savings involve combining rooftop solar with electric vehicle use, says Cooney: “It enables EV owners to drive their car free of fuel costs.”
Across the ditch, Australia is a world leader in solar energy, with around a third of all households in the country having some form of solar generation. While Australia has a great deal more sunlight hours than New Zealand, that isn’t entirely the reason it made the switch so quickly to solar, says Cooney.
“The government there has provided incentives for residential solar in a way that the New Zealand government never did.”
Not all Australia’s financial incentives remain, but the country still has a rebate for solar installation. But here, solar subsidies are limited to a handful of community projects and schools. Until last October, adding rooftop solar to a New Zealand residential house required building consent.
Permitting requirements remain an obstacle to on-farm solar projects, says Federated Farmers. A survey by the organisation found that 70 percent of respondents were interested in installing solar on their farm.
Last July, Federated Farmers called for streamlining regulations, the rules and costs of which vary wildly depending on the region. In most areas, farmers must obtain resource consent – and in Canterbury, farmers also must obtain a stormwater consent for rain dripping off the panels.
“Solar and wind and some other forms of renewables can be set up so that they don’t require the same extensive massive grids that we’ve had in the past,” says Cooney.
That’s something the Pacific islands are beginning to capitalise on, with a focus on solar over other renewables. “They’re very highly motivated to move into renewables, and they are reluctant to move into wind because of the risk of cyclones destroying the infrastructure.”
Samoa was the first country in the Pacific to install battery energy storage systems, in conjunction with a large solar farm across the road from the airport. It now saves the airport hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in energy costs.
Here, an increase in solar generation could help retain more water in the country’s hydro lakes in dry years: Cooney wants to see an increase in utility solar, which is distributed via the grid. Currently eight solar farms are operational in New Zealand, with another nine under construction.
On a household level, stored solar energy can provide security during weather events when mains power is cut as during Cyclone Gabrielle, when more than 200,000 households lost power for up to a week.
That security increases when households also own an EV – their substantial battery capacity can be used to power a home if mains power is cut or solar generation lags. “It is an interesting little bit of insurance, if you like, for a household,” says Cooney.
“We just don’t get the solar energy that some other places get,” says Cooney. “The places around the world that scream out saying, ‘This is a great place for solar’, are places like Western Australia and North Africa. Those countries are really going ahead with it.”
That shouldn’t hold us back, says Cooney. For a long time, the world leader in solar power was Germany, which is hardly known for its sunshine hours. Instead, the government provided financial incentives, and the public took them up. Now, around a fifth of Germany’s electricity comes from solar, and its success paved the way for Australia’s strategy and energy transition.
The Solar Potential Map for Auckland, created by three University of Auckland researchers, uses LIDAR data to indicate how much electricity could be generated on city rooftops. The answer is: plenty. Non-leafy suburbs have the solar advantage – as those trees provide shade – with areas in the southeast of the city receiving the highest ratings for solar generation.
Paradoxically, solar uptake in New Zealand doesn’t always coincide with the sunniest spots. While the country’s sunniest town in 2025 was New Plymouth (again), Taranaki lags at 17th out of 39 regions for solar uptake.
“Solar’s the cheapest energy we’ve got,” says Cooney. “It’s provided for free by nature. So why wouldn’t we actually embrace it?”
Newsroom exists because of readers like you. Help us deliver trusted, independent journalism that serves all New Zealanders. Support our work with a donation today.
Science journalist Rebekah White works as a sustainability communications adviser at the University of Auckland. She is former editor of New Zealand Geographic magazine. More by Rebekah White
13 Comments
I totally agree. The returns from solar should be compared with the returns on any other investment. “Payback time” is not relevant, as it measures the time to achieve a 100% return, often unachievable in the short or medium term with any investment.
The backers of the Modern Slavery Bill say that 97% of polysilicon for solar panels is made by slave labour, NZ is ahead of the curve in refusing to support these practices by not buying solar.
The biggest reason for backing solar is driven by artificially high hydro electricity prices driven by our monopoly gentailers. Like Tasmania , which has a cable supplying Melbourne, NZ has abundant water storage . The solar panel industry depends on imported battery technology and materials
Actually, NZ has very limited water storage, we have a small number of mainly snow/glacier melt fed lakes which relatively quickly run out of water in colder and dryer years
NZ is so far behind on solar, in part for the reasons stated: stupid regulations, and excessive installation costs. But also the strong resistance from the electric companies and the Gentailers.
NZ has barely 10% of the solar that South Australia, NSW and Victoria have. Germany has 40GW rooftop = 480 MW per million people. (33% larger area than NZ).
NZ has 200 MW rooftop or <40 MW per million (12x less); or 160x less per area.
So-called "balcony" solar is very popular: zero installations costs and it can be mounted on a balcony for those without a roof, such as renters.
You just plug it in!
The aversion to intermittency, especially by the electric companies who can't manage it, is a major issue in NZ that could be solved by an integrated system that uses hydro as a storage device instead of costly batteries. But that requires cooperation and likely changes imposed by the government. The ability to feed excess power into the grid and get it back later should be mandated by the government (called net metering). The companies get power with zero investment. But this would likely eliminate the small electric compamies.
NZ is so far behind just about everywhere and it is holding our economy back!
There has been a long history of the generation of confusion and doubt about PV Solar even though it has been the lowest cost form of energy production for many years. With grid and home battery prices now also competitive with GT spinning reserves the distributed Solar/Battery concept is a winner. However, the Govt is conflicted by its 51% ownership of Gentailer assets where it collects about $1.5b/annually in GST and dividends that goes into general taxation. Because Rooftop solar is behind the meter there seems to be an effort to discourage its growth with even more confusion and doubt. Oddly neither of the main parties seem to be as concerned as NZF in the resulting closures of sawmills and Frozen foods. Let’s hope the truth will be revealed under the current oil crises!
Thank you for answering the question posed by the headline, Dr. Trenberth. NZ’s aversion to regulating major industries (even natural monopolies) and the power of lobbying, result in failure to adopt and implement real policy changes.
These two statements warrant further investigation:
“… a psychological obstacle at play.” My grandson in Australia bought a house with solar panels and runs an economical hybrid car. By comparison, I find there’s a strong conservative backlash against solar and electric or hybrid cars here in NZ, particularly amongst Gen X.
Grant says: “97% of polysilicon for solar panels is made by slave labour …” Rather than simply making that a reason not to go with solar, a global investigation needs to be conducted and manufacturers forced to abide by international law. (A big ask these days when the US is blatantly flaunting international laws, but that’s not a reason to abandon hope and let the international criminals run free.)
We need to understand how general the reluctance is – it’s who we are, looking at the larger historical / cultural context. This is a Post Truth Era where denial has reached mainstream.
Legislation that guaranteed that any surplus energy sold back to the grid, must be at a rate close to what consumers paid for energy bought from the grid, would boost the installation of solar panels over night.
In know it’s a pipe dream, but if ChatGPT is right (who knows) we need 44 TWh, and already have 37 TWh non-combustion generation. ‘It’ estimates 14 TWh from fully exploited solar (from every feasible home, business and factory rooftop) and related batteries, with the surplus 6 TWh filling Lake Onslow, which would supply the 4 TWh in winter and dry years to complete the requirement. Yes, a pipe dream, but … wouldn’t it be nice? Disclosure: Rooftop with 19 kWh, battery and two Leaf cars.
The 97% number is commonly misquoted. It does not mean that 97% of polysilicon is made by slave labour. What reputable sources actually say is: ~97% of global solar wafer manufacturing occurs in China, not that 97% of polysilicon is produced with forced labour. Some advocacy groups state that up to 97% of polysilicon‑based solar panels are at risk of exposure to forced labour somewhere in their supply chains — “at risk” ≠ “proven forced labour”
About 35–50% of the world’s solar‑grade polysilicon has been produced in Xinjiang (Uyghur Region) in recent years, where state‑imposed forced labour programs are well documented.
It is safe to say, “A significant share (roughly one‑third to one‑half) of the world’s solar‑grade polysilicon has been produced in Xinjiang, China, where credible evidence shows the use of state‑imposed forced labour, and global solar supply chains remain highly exposed to this risk.”
Encouraging solar power and EV cars and using the hydro lakes as a temporary battery while planning ahead for the big one, Lake Onslow, is such an elegant answer to our long term energy needs, that I cannot understand why the present government can’t see it. So is reinvesting in rail and having adequate Cook Strait ferry services. But then I was a pre-WW2 baby, brought up with old school values, cash payments and jam jar accounting, which I still practise today. I have solar power and an EV car and use Meridian as the battery. The difference between their charging and buyback prices is ridiculously low but it’s convenient and hopefully will reduce. Even so, every week, just $20 goes to Meridian to cover the cost of the additional electricity I need in my all electric house in the winter. No one can tell me that solar and EVs aren’t economical.
Only Members may post a comment. If you already have a membership, then sign in. Subscribe now.
A weekly digest of the latest news and insights on climate change and sustainability.
Start your day with a curation of our top stories in your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Enter the code sent to your email
Email address

Enter your password
Sign in by entering the code we sent to , or clicking the magic link in the email.
I agree to Newsroom’s Terms and Conditions. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Link Copy link

source

Get the latest industry scoop
From Home Furnishing Business
May 6, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   
In FY25, Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, matched 94.8% of its annual electricity consumption with renewable sources, through a three-tier model spanning on-site generation, owned wind and solar assets, and energy certificates. Moving forward, the company will continue to focus on increasing energy efficiency, as well as growing the amount of energy it generates, owns and operates itself.
Three sources, one system
The energy transition is reaching a tipping point and transitioning to renewables simply makes business sense. According to the UN, nearly three-quarters of the growth in electricity generated worldwide was from wind and solar. Renewable energy offers lower operating costs in the long-term, new job creation, increased energy security all while decreasing emissions.

From the lights in a store to the conveyor belts in a warehouse, electricity runs through almost every part of Ingka Group’s operations. In FY25, 94.8% of that annual consumption was matched with renewable sources.

Renewable electricity does not come from a single switch. Ingka Group reaches its figures through a combination of generation, ownership, and market mechanisms, each covering a different part of the picture.
– On-site generation: Solar panels on store rooftops and carpark shelters supplied 7.8% of total electricity consumption in FY25.
– Owned assets: Ingka Group owns and operates 49 wind farms and 26 solar parks across multiple countries, the largest single source at 49.1% of consumption.
– Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs): High-quality certificates covered the remaining 37.9%, used in markets where direct renewable sourcing is not yet viable.
The remaining 5.2%
In some markets, renewable electricity is not available at the scale or cost required. South Korea is one example: the policy and pricing conditions needed to source renewable electricity at Ingka Group’s volumes do not yet exist. The company is engaging with regulators and advocacy groups including Climate Group’s RE100 and the Asia Clean Energy Coalition to push for more enabling conditions, while also working to reduce overall consumption.

The other lever is energy efficiency. The less electricity stores and warehouses use, the smaller the gap to close towards 100% renewable electricity sourcing. Across the portfolio, Ingka Group is improving insulation, recovering energy from heating and cooling systems, and running annual energy action plans for its buildings.

“We’ll continue driving our renewable energy transition in our operations and beyond. The more energy efficient we can be, the more cost-effective and simpler it will be to match our total consumption going forward,” says Karen Pflug, chief sustainability officer, Ingka Group.

“Joining RE100 in 2014 as one of our first members, Ingka Group (IKEA) has long demonstrated corporate ambition and leadership on renewable electricity. Members of our campaign, and their commitments to 100% renewables use, drive forward our policy advocacy work around the world. As companies continue to face renewables supply and grid connection barriers, we look forward to working with Ingka and others on how policymakers can unlock increased and accelerated renewables investment.” adds Ollie Wilson, head of RE100, Climate Group

Solar panels, green walls, and 250 trees in Copenhagen
The approach shows up differently depending on the store’s location. The IKEA city store in central Copenhagen matches 10% of its own electricity consumption from rooftop solar, a meaningful share for an urban location without the footprint of out-of-town sites.

The building is also designed to minimize how much energy it needs in the first place. A heat reuse and night cooling system reduces demand for conventional heating and air conditioning. Parts of the facade are covered in plants, and a rooftop park with 250 trees and shrubs helps keep temperatures down while supporting local biodiversity.

What needs to happen next
Closing the gap requires action beyond Ingka Group’s own operations. The company is calling on governments to be ambitious and accelerate the market conditions that make renewable energy viable at scale, including more investments, stronger grid infrastructure, clearer policy frameworks, and market access for corporate buyers.

Ingka Group is committing EUR 7.5 billion into offsite renewable energy and supporting technologies by 2030, and EUR 1.5 billion into energy retrofits of its buildings to enable renewable heating and cooling. The goal is not just to match what the business uses, but to use less in the first place, and to help build the grid capacity that others can benefit from too.

Fiscal Year Renewable Figures
FY25 renewable electricity figures: 94.8% of annual consumption matched with renewable sources; 7.8% from on-site generation; 49.1% from owned wind farms and solar parks; 37.9% from Energy Attribute Certificates. Ingka Group owns and operates 49 wind farms and 26 solar parks globally. The 94.8% match represents a 70.6% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions against the FY16 baseline.

Full FY25 Annual Summary and Sustainability Report: https://www.ingka.com/annual-summary-and-sustainability-report/
Get the latest product announcements, show reports and people news in the home furnishings retail industry sent straight to your e-mail inbox.

source

Public hearings are being held by the Planning Inspectorate into a project to build one of the largest solar farm schemes in the UK.
The Droves, which would cover an area equivalent of 1,175 football pitches, is earmarked for land between Swaffham and Castle Acre in Norfolk.
Concerns were raised at the meeting by locals about the scale of the project and the impact it would have on the distinctive environment of the Brecks.
The firm developing the plan, Island Green Power (IGP), said the panels were "temporary" and that the land could be returned to agricultural use within 60 years.
The 2,075-acre development would be built on farmland close to Swaffham and IGP said it would generate up to 500 megawatts of electricity — enough to power about 115,000 homes annually.
The government, which has the final say on the development, has been inviting public comments on the proposals.
One of those who spoke at the Planning Inspectorate meeting was Tim Hubbard, the chair of Castle Acre Parish Council, who raised concerns about the scale of the project.
"I'm certainly not anti-solar," he said.
"I have solar panels on my roof at home – I am a supporter of solar power.
"I, however, feel that this is really one of the worst locations that they could have picked in terms of the impact it will have on local communities, heritage assets and agricultural land."
Harman Sond, project development manager at IGP, said they were taking the concerns of locals seriously and remained open to modifying their plans.
"We think that the scale is appropriate because we've done several assessments looking at various things, various areas like landscape, visual heritage, ecology, we've taken the results of all of that, we've come up with this based on what we think is an appropriate scale," he said.
A second day of hearings will take place on Thursday and will include evidence from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) about the potential impact of the solar panels on pilots at RAF Marham.
The MOD confirmed it would oppose the project due to concerns about glint and glare.
Large solar farms are a major part of the government's plans to transition to green power, with the aim of tackling climate change and making the UK less reliant on foreign energy.
Because of the scale of such projects, it will decide on planning permission for them, rather than local authorities.
Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
MoD objects to large solar farm near RAF base
Council farmland will not be used for solar energy
Solar 'part of food security solution' – developer
Ministry of Defence
The Droves Solar Farm
Victor Wembanyama and Co. didn't play around in Game 2.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 as the global spectacle takes place across North America.
Andrew Siciliano, Frank Schwab and Charles Robinson break down the top OTA storylines from around the league. Plus, Trevor Sikkema joins the pod!
Major gauges held steady as markets adjusted to the potential of peace in Iran.
Rachel Entrekin had twice crossed the finish line as the top women's finisher at the Cocodona 250. On Wednesday, she beat the entire field — consisting of men and women — to win the grueling ultramarathon in record time.
Perhaps the top reason Williams caught the Commanders' eye was his route-running. Washington hopes giving Daniels a player who can sync with him and sync quickly will help Daniels in and out of structure.
Boyd is the latest in a laundry list of pitchers in MLB to suffer a freak accident away from the field.
Why make a break for the usual tourist spots when these destinations can feel like your own private islands?
News of the strong financial start to 2026 comes the same week as reports that WWE recently asked several wrestlers on its roster to take sizable pay cuts.
How projectable to the regular season are things that happen at rookie minicamp, like Fernando Mendoza taking more under-center snaps than he's used to, or highlight-reel plays?

source

As electricity demand accelerates, economics and financing flexibility are reshaping what qualifies as foundational infrastructure.
Image: Pixabay
For most of the past two decades, U.S. electricity demand was largely flat. During that time, utilities planned for incremental growth, and investors financed generation assets in a market characterized by predictable load forecasts. Today, that long period of stability is giving way to a different operating environment.
Hyperscale data centers, advanced manufacturing, and broad electrification are driving sustained increases in power consumption across multiple regions. U.S. data center load alone is projected to more than double from 35 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 to 78 GW by 2035. Utilities are reporting large-load interconnection requests arriving earlier and at a greater scale than prior planning cycles anticipated, even as many grids operate near existing capacity limits. The sector now faces a more complex reality: new generation must be financed and delivered, and it must happen quickly.
For infrastructure investors, the opportunity here is real, but so is the risk of backing the wrong assets. Fortunately, a close look at the data quickly clarifies the leaders: more than 30 GW of solar were installed across the U.S in the first nine months of 2025, while 12.6 GW of energy storage was installed. Together, these resources accounted for the majority of new capacity additions last year, underscoring where the system is already turning to meet incremental load growth. Capital is increasingly following that reality, positioning solar and storage as the next generation of infrastructure investments.
Coming of age
Solar and storage weren’t always the default choice for infrastructure investors. Just over a decade ago, the United States had only a few gigawatts of installed solar capacity and even less utility-scale storage. But growth did not remain incremental for long.
Within a few years, deployment accelerated through a combination of cost compression, expanding procurement pipelines, and early institutional backing. I witnessed this first hand during my time at the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, where I worked on some of the first loans for utility-scale solar facilities, helping validate the asset class for private capital. The federal Investment Tax Credit provided longer-term revenue visibility, while the more recent Inflation Reduction Act expanded incentives for both solar and standalone storage.
The outcome is evident in today’s power system. More than 160 GW of utility-scale solar is operating nationwide, while grid-scale storage deployment now exceeds 137 GWh. Looking ahead, nearly 70 GW of solar is scheduled to come online by 2027, and 24 GW of utility-scale battery storage is expected to be added to the grid this year alone. With deployment and cost trajectories firmly established, the remaining question for investors is how those fundamentals translate into long-term value.
Economics
The reason solar and storage have moved from emerging technologies to essential capacity is ultimately economic. In a market facing accelerated load growth, capital is flowing toward resources that can deliver dependable electrons within defined budgets and timelines, and do so with greater cost certainty over time.
The industry continues to pursue new combined-cycle gas plants, advanced nuclear, geothermal, and other firm resources. While these technologies may play an important long-term role, they face near-term economic and execution constraints. Gas turbines ordered today face delivery backlogs that extend into the end of the decade. Meanwhile, advanced nuclear and geothermal projects, while making progress, have longer development cycles and greater construction risk. In an environment where utilities and large energy buyers are prioritizing access and speed, those constraints matter.
Solar and storage operate under a different economic model. A solar facility requires significant upfront capital, but once built, the primary input — sunlight — is free. A gas or coal plant, by contrast, combines infrastructure investment with decades of fuel purchases, exposing owners to commodity price volatility and geopolitical risk. 
That distinction has become increasingly important. Over the past fifteen years, the levelized cost of electricity from utility-scale solar has declined by roughly 90%, reshaping its competitive position in wholesale markets. At the same time, technological improvements have extended expected operating timelines. A decade ago, many projects were modeled with useful lives of 15 to 20 years. Today, advances in module durability, racking systems, and performance management support lifespans of 30 years or more. For investors, that extension meaningfully lowers lifetime cost per megawatt-hour and enhances long-term return visibility.
That economic advantage is amplified when paired with storage. Battery costs have fallen sharply over the past decade, following a trajectory similar to solar’s earlier decline. Since 2010, lithium-ion battery pack prices have dropped more than 90%, driven by manufacturing scale, chemistry improvements, and supply chain efficiencies. As costs fall and deployment scales, battery storage is becoming more competitive, allowing renewable projects to shift output into higher-value periods and strengthen overall economics. 
Financing structures have evolved in parallel with these cost improvements. The transferability of federal tax credits — preserved in recent legislative negotiations — allows credits associated with solar and storage projects to be sold directly to third parties. That flexibility reduces reliance on traditional tax equity structures, expands the pool of eligible capital providers, and improves transaction efficiency. For infrastructure investors, the result is greater capital liquidity and a more streamlined path to deployment.
For infrastructure investors, the implication is clear. Assets that convert upfront capital into decades of predictable output, without ongoing commodity exposure, offer a fundamentally different risk profile than fuel-dependent generation. As demand accelerates, that distinction becomes increasingly material to portfolio construction.
Infrastructure reality
For years, solar and storage were discussed primarily through the lens of the energy transition. Today, they are being evaluated through a different filter: economics and delivery. Their front-loaded capital structures, improving durability, and limited fuel exposure position them to meet rising demand within real-world constraints. The pace of deployment reflects that shift — and so does capital. In 2025 alone, global investment in the energy transition totaled $2.3 trillion, with approximately $1.2 trillion directed toward renewable energy and power grids.
This is no longer a question of preference or policy alignment. It is a question of which resources can be financed, built, and operated with predictable outcomes. In that context, solar and storage are not alternative assets — they are becoming foundational infrastructure. For investors, that reality makes solar and storage less a thematic allocation and more a disciplined portfolio decision.
By Aligned Climate Capital COO Brendan Bell.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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.
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

Soda Mountain Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of VC Renewables, will construct and operate a combined solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system. The project will be located on approximately 2,670 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Desert District in San Bernardino County, contingent on BLM approval.
Once built, the nearly $700 million project will generate up to 300MW of renewable energy from a utility-scale solar PV array and include up to 300 MW of battery storage capable of storing 1,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy.
This will strengthen statewide grid reliability and help California move closer to achieving its clean energy and climate goals. The project is expected to create approximately 200 construction jobs and up to 40 part-time operations jobs and additional jobs as needed to conduct routine inspections, maintenance, and security along with millions of dollars in local economic activity and tax revenue to support public services in San Bernardino County.
The project also includes a community benefits agreement that commits the developer to pay $50,000 to Friends of El Mirage, a local nonprofit that supports outdoor recreation and public land stewardship in San Bernardino County. The funding will pay for improvements to amenities at the Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.
“This project doesn’t solely deliver clean, reliable energy — it brings jobs and meaningful economic investment to the region,” said CEC Commissioner Noemi Gallardo. “We are committed to seeing that the benefits of California’s energy transition are felt locally, in the communities where these projects are built.”
“The Opt-In Certification program is designed to accelerate the development of critical clean energy infrastructure without compromising California’s rigorous environmental protections or commitment to meaningful community engagement,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “Today’s approval shows we can move projects forward with urgency and efficiency while preserving the values that matter most to Californians.”
Soda Mountain is the second renewable energy project approved through the Opt-In Certification Program. Authorized under Assembly Bill 205, the Opt-In Certification Program provides a consolidated state permitting option for eligible clean energy projects, supporting California’s transition to 100 percent zero-carbon retail electric sales by 2045, as required by Senate Bill 100. 

source

source

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
image: 

view more 
Synchronized crystallization enables efficient rigid and flexible perovskite tandems
Credit: NIMTE
All-perovskite tandem solar cells are promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaics, as they harvest sunlight more efficiently than single-junction devices and can be fabricated through low-temperature solution processing. However, their performance is often limited by asynchronous crystallization in multicomponent perovskite films, in which different parts of the system crystallize at different times. This leads to compositional and structural unevenness, which reduces device efficiency and stability.
Now, a research team led by Prof. GE Ziyi and Prof. LIU Chang at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a chemical-hardness-guided strategy to control crystallization in all-perovskite tandem solar cells—achieving a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.3% in rigid devices and 28.0% in flexible tandems.
The study was published in Nature Nanotechnology on April 27.
To achieve this result, the researchers developed an additive design strategy based on hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory. They identified difluoro(oxalato)borate (DFOB⁻) for wide-bandgap perovskites and tetrafluoroborate (BF₄^⁻) for narrow-bandgap perovskites as effective additives. These additives selectively coordinate with precursor species to synchronize nucleation and crystal growth, thereby suppressing uneven vertical phase distribution and improving film uniformity.
Structural and optical analyses further revealed that the strategy promotes homogeneous nucleation and uniform crystal growth, while preventing halide redistribution that typically causes defects and stress accumulation.
As a result, the efficiency of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells increased from 18.5% to 20.1%, while narrow-bandgap devices improved from 21.6% to 23.3%. When integrated into monolithic two-terminal tandem architectures, the optimized rigid device achieved a peak efficiency of 30.3%, with an open-circuit voltage of 2.16 V and a fill factor of 85.2%.
The devices also demonstrated strong operational stability. For example, the optimized rigid device retained 92% of its initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of maximum power point tracking. Flexible tandems, on the other hand, reached 28.2% efficiency (certified at 28.0%) and maintained 95.2% of their initial efficiency after 10,000 bending cycles.
This study establishes a general chemical principle for regulating crystallization in compositionally complex perovskite systems. The findings provide a pathway to simultaneously improve efficiency and durability in both rigid and flexible devices, thereby advancing the development of lightweight, scalable photovoltaic technologies.
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program, the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Zhejiang Province "Leading Goose" Plan.
Nature Nanotechnology
10.1038/s41565-026-02165-6
Experimental study
Not applicable
Chemical hardness engineering synchronizes crystallization in perovskite tandems
27-Apr-2026
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
Media Contact
LIU Chang
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering
liuchang1@nimte.ac.cn

Expert Contact
LIU Chang
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering
liuchang1@nimte.ac.cn

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters


Copyright © 2026 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Copyright © 2026 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

source

AMPIN Energy Transition has commissioned 500 MWp of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind-solar hybrid capacity in the Indian state of Rajasthan, marking its first integrated hybrid project supplying power to distribution companies (DISCOMs) and corporate customers.
AMPIN Energy Transition
AMPIN Energy Transition has commissioned 500 MWp of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind-solar hybrid capacity in the Indian state of Rajasthan, marking its first integrated hybrid project supplying power to distribution companies (DISCOMs) and corporate customers.
Located in Fatehgarh, in the Barmer district, this is AMPIN’s largest co-located hybrid project on the ISTS network. It combines 400 MWp of solar and 100 MW of wind capacity to deliver round-the-clock renewable energy across state borders.
The project supplies power to state DISCOMs under Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) Tranche III and V tender requirements, along with commercial and industrial (C&I) customers such as Samsung Electronics and Bharti Airtel, supporting long-term demand for firm renewable energy. The project is expected to generate 1.25 billion kWh annually and offset around 1.15 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
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

CT Mirror
Connecticut's Nonprofit Journalism.
Republish This Story

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
by John Moritz, CT Mirror
May 6, 2026
Lawmakers voted to reauthorize Connecticut’s rooftop solar incentives until 2035 on Wednesday, avoiding a potential Republican filibuster that threatened to run out the clock on a key priority for many Democrats, solar developers and climate activists.
The legislation, House Bill 5340, passed the Senate on a mostly party-line vote shortly before 8 p.m., just hours before the midnight deadline marking the end of the legislative session. The bill passed the House earlier in the week, and now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk for his signature.
“This bill is another step in the right direction and builds on the success of our current programs while maintaining our dedication to lowering the cost of these programs for our ratepayers,” said Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, chair of the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee.
In addition to re-authorizing the state’s exsiting residential, commercial and community solar programs, the bill places those programs under a target budget of $85 million a year, which advocates say represents a nearly 10% savings over the programs’ historic cost. Solar installations that are paired with battery storage would be exempt from the budget.
The bill also includes other provisions setting up regulations for the adoption of plug-in solar panels, expediting solar permitting and imposing a one-year moratorium on new approvals for large solar arrays in the towns of East Windsor and Enfield, which are home to the highest concentration of solar in the state.
But most of the focus from critics has been on the expense of subsidizing the development of rooftop solar in Connecticut.
With limited time during Gavel Give, every reader who donates today can ensure CT Mirror keeps on the story.
Donate to publish more local news before the gavel drops. 
The state’s existing rooftop and community solar programs cost a combined $118 million in 2025, according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Those costs are passed along to customers through the public benefits charge. (Needleman said that last year’s costs were inflated by people rushing to build rooftop solar systems before the expiration of federal tax credits on Dec. 31).
Opposition to the bill in the Senate was led by Sen. Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, a ranking Republican on the Energy and Technology Committee who is also seeking the GOP nomination for governor.
Fazio introduced several unsuccessul amendments to the bill, including one to eliminate the public benefits charge and shift the costs of its programs onto the state’s budget.
“We all know, we all feel that electricity rates are far too high in the state of Connecticut,” Fazio said. “It’s not as if it has to be this way, but rather the policies and the decisions made in this State Capitol have contributed to these high rates, making Connecticut far less affordable than it needs to be.”
The bill also became subject to attempts at horse trading between the House and Senate, when an amendment appeared earlier in the week on an unrelated bill proposing tougher safety regulations on battery storage systems. That legislation, H.B. 4572, also faced a time crunch for passage as the session entered its final two days.
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, said Tuesday that he was trying to get the House to act on the battery measure as part of negotiations over the movement of several other bills, including the reauthorization of the rooftop solar incentives. Harding represents the town of New Milford, where local opposition has sprung up against a proposed 140-megawatt battery storage facility.
“It’s part of negotiations with other energy bills. I’m working to try to get it upstairs because it’s a priority for me,” Harding told the Connecticut Mirror.
But advocates of solar and battery storage projects argued that the proposed safety standards were so restrictive they would effectively ban people from purchasing batteries for their homes and businesses.
“No batteries are actually certified to [the standard],” said Kyle Wallace, a lobbyist for the battery and solar developer Sunrun. “If this amendment were to pass, as of Jan. 1, 2027 there would be no ability to do residential batteries in the state.”
By Wednesday morning, support for the battery amendement had fizzled in the House and a second, less restrictive amendment was put forward authorizing the Department of Energy and Environmental protection to conduct an environmental assessment on large battery projects. The underlying bill was still waiting for a vote in both chambers around 9 p.m.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans — exhausted after their all-night debate in the upper chamber — reached an agreement with Democrats to limit debate Wednesday evening on the solar bill and a few other legislative priorities so everyone could get a few hours of rest, according to state Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott.
“In order for us to even be able to go home and take a shower, our leadership had to agree to this,” Sampson said.
The debate on the solar bill lasted about two hours in the Senate.
Afterwards, advocates for the legislation celebrated in the Capitol, saying the bill avoided an additional blow to an industry that has suffered under the the shift in federal policy toward renewable energy under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“It wasn’t a perfect bill by any stretch, we were disappointed by, for instance, the new caps on the amount of rooftop solar that can be built, and the moratorium language on certain solar farms,” said Christopher Phelps, the state director of the non-profit advocacy group Environment Connecticut.
“But on the balance, it ensures that we can continue to go solar in Connecticut, whether you’re a family or a business… and that’s a good thing,” he added.

This legislative session, CT Mirror’s stories didn’t just inform the public – they informed decisions. Lawmakers, advocates and residents cited our reporting time and again as they debated bills, questioned officials and pushed for change.
A state representative referenced CT Mirror reporting on early voting costs during a House debate. In a committee hearing on elder care, testimony pointed to our investigation into the lack of standards for home care agencies. During discussions on education funding, a superintendent’s comments to a CT Mirror reporter were repeated to underscore the urgency facing local schools.
Again and again, our reporting framed the issues under consideration:
Our stories on medical debt and human trafficking informed public testimony on bills addressing those issues.
Reporting on earmarks was referenced in conversations about government transparency and reform.
Our Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into predatory towing practices continues informing legislative reform.
This is how accountability reporting works. It shapes the questions lawmakers ask and the solutions they consider.
Today, during our Gavel Give fundraiser, we’re asking you to help sustain this work. We’re aiming to raise $36,000 on the final days of the legislative session and we can’t do it without you.
Your support ensures that when critical issues come before lawmakers, the facts are already on the table. Will you start a monthly donation today?
Thank you.
John covers energy and the environment for CT Mirror, a beat that has taken him from wind farms off the coast of Block Island to foraging for mushrooms in the Litchfield Hills and many places in between. Prior to joining CT Mirror, he was a statewide reporter for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and before that, he covered politics for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock. A native of Norwalk, John earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Temple University.
Link Copy link

source

By TIM STAUFFER, REGISTER MANAGING EDITOR
Local News
May 6, 2026 – 3:31 PM
A Pete’s convenience store in Chanute has gone solar, and two Pete’s locations in Allen County will soon do the same. 
SEK Solar of Chanute recently announced the completion of a 97-kilowatt system composed of 162 panels installed on the store’s roof and parking canopy. The store is located at 701 N. Santa Fe.
A slightly larger solar project is planned for the Pete’s location at 1700 East Street in Iola. That system is expected to supply nearly 100% of the store’s electric consumption. Panels will be installed on the store’s roof as well as the automotive and diesel canopies. 

Daniel Zywietz, co-founder of SEK Solar, said crews will begin installation at the Iola Pete’s location in the next several weeks. “We should be finished in under three months,” he said. 
And while Humboldt’s new Pete’s location at 218 N. 9th St. is still under construction, solar will also be included in the design, with an array designed to produce about 50% of the store’s electric use.  
The solar panels at the Chanute store will produce about 118,000 kilowatt hours per year, enough energy to power about 10-11 Kansas homes. It’s expected to generate just under 40% of the convenience store’s electric demands.
GAREK PETERS, administrative director for Pete’s, said the company is just getting started, noting they have plans to incorporate solar into as many locations as they can.
“Like anything with Pete’s, our foot is on the pedal,” Peters said. “We’re pushing hard for growth and pushing for projects, so we’re looking to expand solar and grow aggressively.” 
The finances were what swayed leadership, he said. 
“From a capital standpoint, it’s an upfront investment, of course. But with our industry and the amount of energy we use, the internal conclusion we reached is that it truly makes sense to us,” Peters said. 
“If it pays for itself within 7 years, and for 18 years instead of paying money to Evergy, we’re putting that money back into our business, that’s a no-brainer,” he said. “We really believe solar is and will play a huge part in the future of Pete’s.”
Username or Email Address
Password
Remember Me

The latest in local news, right to your feed
302 South Washington
Iola, Kansas 66749
© 2026 The Iola Register|
All Rights Reserved|
Terms of Use|Privacy Policy
Powered by CopperPress

source

First Solar, SolarEdge Technologies, and Enphase Energy are the three Solar stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeat’s stock screener tool. Solar stocks are shares of publicly traded companies whose primary business involves solar power—such as manufacturers of photovoltaic panels and inverters, solar installers and project developers, and firms that provide related technology or financing. For investors, these stocks offer targeted exposure to the solar-energy sector’s growth drivers (policy incentives, technological advances, and rising clean-energy demand) while carrying sector-specific risks like regulatory changes, trade policies, and supply-chain or commodity volatility. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Solar stocks within the last several days.

First Solar (FSLR)

First Solar, Inc., a solar technology company, provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions in the United States, France, Japan, Chile, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells PV solar modules with a thin film semiconductor technology that provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules.
Read Our Latest Research Report on FSLR

SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG)

SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells direct current (DC) optimized inverter systems for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, rest of Europe, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Solar and Energy Storage.
Read Our Latest Research Report on SEDG

Enphase Energy (ENPH)

Enphase Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells home energy solutions for the solar photovoltaic industry in the United States and internationally. The company offers semiconductor-based microinverter, which converts energy at the individual solar module level and combines with its proprietary networking and software technologies to provide energy monitoring and control.
Read Our Latest Research Report on ENPH

See Also

• MarketBeat’s Top Five Stocks to Own in May 2026
• DigitalOcean’s AI Surge: How Far Can This Rally Go?
• Capital One’s Big Bet Faces Rising Credit Risk
• Apple Talks Just Changed Everything for Intel
• Consolidate or Die: Is Rivian The Ultimate Takeover Target?
• Boarding Passes Now Being Issued for the Ultimate eVTOL Arbitrage

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.
Before you consider First Solar, you’ll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street’s top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on… and First Solar wasn’t on the list.
While First Solar currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
MarketBeat just released its list of the 7 hottest IPOs expected to hit Wall Street in 2026. See which companies are preparing to go public and why investors are watching closely.
Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat’s full suite of research tools.
Featured By
345 N Reid Place, Suite 620, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
contact@marketbeat.com
(844) 978-6257
© MarketBeat Media, LLC 2010-2026. All rights reserved.
© 2026   Fair market value prices are updated every minute and are provided by Massive. Other market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided ‘as-is’ and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see Barchart’s disclaimer.
My Account –

source

Virginia’s New Law Blocks Counties From Banning Solar

May 6, 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes

Full Story: Canary Media

Author: Elizabeth Ouzts

A solar farm in Campbell County, Virginia. (Retronaut/flickr)

This story was originally published by Canary Media.

As data centres drive electricity demand to new heights and consumers struggle with rising energy costs, cheap, clean power remains out of reach in much of Virginia: Nearly two-thirds of counties outright ban or severely restrict large solar farms.

But that’s about to change.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last week enacted a new law that voids community-wide prohibitions on solar fields and establishes new siting guidelines for the facilities. Starting July 1, when the law takes effect, local governments can still deny permits to solar developers but must submit their rationale for doing so to state regulators.

“Localities still are in the driver’s seat here. They can still deny every project from now until the end of time if they want,” said Evan Vaughan, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, a nonprofit that represents over 50 large-scale solar, storage, and wind developers and manufacturers.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

View our latest digests

But, he added, given rising prices and pressures on farmers from tariffs and fertilizer shortages, ​“there may be more interest in rural communities to see solar projects and to at least hear them out about the benefits that they can provide.”

Virginia is fertile ground for large-scale solar.

The state requires its largest utilities to produce 100% renewable energy by 2050, and solar—combined with battery storage—is widely viewed as the lowest-cost way to meet that mandate. Solar arrays can be built more quickly than large gas power plants, making the carbon-free resource a vital way to meet growing energy demand in the state, which is the data centre capital of the world. Solar is also insulated from the price volatility inherent to natural gas because it requires only the sun for fuel.

Even with widespread limitations on development, Virginia is No. 9 in the nation in installed solar capacity and gets almost 10% of its electricity from the clean energy source. Nationwide, solar and storage together are set to make up nearly 80% of new utility-scale electricity capacity built in the country this year, per U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

“Affordability is key,” Vaughan said. ​“Predictability is also key.”

Though the new law is no silver bullet, it’s been long sought by the renewables industry and by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Democrat who represents the Richmond suburbs and is one of its sponsors.

VanValkenburg promoted similar bills in 2024 and 2025, starting with a simpler proposal that prohibited solar bans but didn’t contain siting criteria. He spent two years negotiating with fellow lawmakers, conservationists, and others to craft the new law.

“This milestone has been years in the making,” VanValkenburg said in a statement, ​“and is the product of close collaboration among bill patrons, solar developers, and environmental advocates.”

The proposal cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly in March. Rather than sign it as passed, Spanberger offered two technical amendments to the measure earlier this month. The General Assembly, which Democrats seized after campaigning on energy costs last November, adopted those changes on April 22.

The measure isn’t without detractors. It passed along party lines, and drew opposition from county governments and the state’s Farm Bureau as it moved through the legislature. Two conservation groups—Friends of the Rappahannock, a river protection group, and The Piedmont Environmental Council—also voiced worry about the law’s approach.

Virginia’s move to expand solar comes as local restrictions on renewable energy proliferate nationwide. Farmland has become a particular flash point for opposition to solar development, as the flat open fields often make prime spots for solar panels.

Vaughan is optimistic that the law will unleash more solar power sooner rather than later. Though the statute won’t be on the books until this summer, some developers may have plans to apply for connection to the PJM grid this week.

“This has been pretty clearly heading for passage for a while,” Vaughan said. ​“That may have sent folks to take a risk and propose projects in parts of Virginia that were not previously viable. There may be some low-hanging fruit from an interconnection standpoint.”

He added, ​“I have no special knowledge of that. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to see what happens.”

in Legal & Regulatory, Policy & Politics, Solar, United States

Trending Stories

Electric Vehicles

BYD Eyes 20 Dealership Locations After Canada Greenlights Chinese EV Imports

March 31, 2026

7.1k

Fracking & LNG

Black Smoke, Broken Equipment Fuel Health Concerns at LNG Canada’s Kitimat Facility

May 5, 2026

543

Oil Sands

Trump Gives Go-Ahead to Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline

May 5, 2026

304

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

Related Articles

The U.S. Lost $35B in Clean Energy Projects Last Year

February 10, 2026

How Politics Shapes Who Lives and Who Dies

February 9, 2026

U.S. Departs Paris Agreement Again, Sending a Disdainful Signal

February 2, 2026

On On Oil (Not a Typo)

by Alex Cool-Fergus

May 3, 2026

…

Follow Us

Virginia’s New Law Blocks Counties From Banning Solar

May 6, 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes

Full Story: Canary Media

Author: Elizabeth Ouzts

A solar farm in Campbell County, Virginia. (Retronaut/flickr)

This story was originally published by Canary Media.

As data centres drive electricity demand to new heights and consumers struggle with rising energy costs, cheap, clean power remains out of reach in much of Virginia: Nearly two-thirds of counties outright ban or severely restrict large solar farms.

But that’s about to change.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last week enacted a new law that voids community-wide prohibitions on solar fields and establishes new siting guidelines for the facilities. Starting July 1, when the law takes effect, local governments can still deny permits to solar developers but must submit their rationale for doing so to state regulators.

“Localities still are in the driver’s seat here. They can still deny every project from now until the end of time if they want,” said Evan Vaughan, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, a nonprofit that represents over 50 large-scale solar, storage, and wind developers and manufacturers.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

View our latest digests

But, he added, given rising prices and pressures on farmers from tariffs and fertilizer shortages, ​“there may be more interest in rural communities to see solar projects and to at least hear them out about the benefits that they can provide.”

Virginia is fertile ground for large-scale solar.

The state requires its largest utilities to produce 100% renewable energy by 2050, and solar—combined with battery storage—is widely viewed as the lowest-cost way to meet that mandate. Solar arrays can be built more quickly than large gas power plants, making the carbon-free resource a vital way to meet growing energy demand in the state, which is the data centre capital of the world. Solar is also insulated from the price volatility inherent to natural gas because it requires only the sun for fuel.

Even with widespread limitations on development, Virginia is No. 9 in the nation in installed solar capacity and gets almost 10% of its electricity from the clean energy source. Nationwide, solar and storage together are set to make up nearly 80% of new utility-scale electricity capacity built in the country this year, per U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

“Affordability is key,” Vaughan said. ​“Predictability is also key.”

Though the new law is no silver bullet, it’s been long sought by the renewables industry and by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Democrat who represents the Richmond suburbs and is one of its sponsors.

VanValkenburg promoted similar bills in 2024 and 2025, starting with a simpler proposal that prohibited solar bans but didn’t contain siting criteria. He spent two years negotiating with fellow lawmakers, conservationists, and others to craft the new law.

“This milestone has been years in the making,” VanValkenburg said in a statement, ​“and is the product of close collaboration among bill patrons, solar developers, and environmental advocates.”

The proposal cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly in March. Rather than sign it as passed, Spanberger offered two technical amendments to the measure earlier this month. The General Assembly, which Democrats seized after campaigning on energy costs last November, adopted those changes on April 22.

The measure isn’t without detractors. It passed along party lines, and drew opposition from county governments and the state’s Farm Bureau as it moved through the legislature. Two conservation groups—Friends of the Rappahannock, a river protection group, and The Piedmont Environmental Council—also voiced worry about the law’s approach.

Virginia’s move to expand solar comes as local restrictions on renewable energy proliferate nationwide. Farmland has become a particular flash point for opposition to solar development, as the flat open fields often make prime spots for solar panels.

Vaughan is optimistic that the law will unleash more solar power sooner rather than later. Though the statute won’t be on the books until this summer, some developers may have plans to apply for connection to the PJM grid this week.

“This has been pretty clearly heading for passage for a while,” Vaughan said. ​“That may have sent folks to take a risk and propose projects in parts of Virginia that were not previously viable. There may be some low-hanging fruit from an interconnection standpoint.”

He added, ​“I have no special knowledge of that. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to see what happens.”

in Legal & Regulatory, Policy & Politics, Solar, United States

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Related Articles

The U.S. Lost $35B in Clean Energy Projects Last Year

February 10, 2026

How Politics Shapes Who Lives and Who Dies

February 9, 2026

U.S. Departs Paris Agreement Again, Sending a Disdainful Signal

February 2, 2026

Trending Stories

BYD Eyes 20 Dealership Locations After Canada Greenlights Chinese EV Imports

March 31, 2026

7.1k

Black Smoke, Broken Equipment Fuel Health Concerns at LNG Canada’s Kitimat Facility

May 5, 2026

543

Trump Gives Go-Ahead to Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline

May 5, 2026

304

On On Oil (Not a Typo)

by Alex Cool-Fergus

May 3, 2026

…

Follow Us

A solar farm in Campbell County, Virginia. (Retronaut/flickr)
This story was originally published by Canary Media.
As data centres drive electricity demand to new heights and consumers struggle with rising energy costs, cheap, clean power remains out of reach in much of Virginia: Nearly two-thirds of counties outright ban or severely restrict large solar farms.
But that’s about to change.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last week enacted a new law that voids community-wide prohibitions on solar fields and establishes new siting guidelines for the facilities. Starting July 1, when the law takes effect, local governments can still deny permits to solar developers but must submit their rationale for doing so to state regulators.
“Localities still are in the driver’s seat here. They can still deny every project from now until the end of time if they want,” said Evan Vaughan, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, a nonprofit that represents over 50 large-scale solar, storage, and wind developers and manufacturers.
View our latest digests
But, he added, given rising prices and pressures on farmers from tariffs and fertilizer shortages, ​“there may be more interest in rural communities to see solar projects and to at least hear them out about the benefits that they can provide.”
Virginia is fertile ground for large-scale solar.
The state requires its largest utilities to produce 100% renewable energy by 2050, and solar—combined with battery storage—is widely viewed as the lowest-cost way to meet that mandate. Solar arrays can be built more quickly than large gas power plants, making the carbon-free resource a vital way to meet growing energy demand in the state, which is the data centre capital of the world. Solar is also insulated from the price volatility inherent to natural gas because it requires only the sun for fuel.
Even with widespread limitations on development, Virginia is No. 9 in the nation in installed solar capacity and gets almost 10% of its electricity from the clean energy source. Nationwide, solar and storage together are set to make up nearly 80% of new utility-scale electricity capacity built in the country this year, per U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
“Affordability is key,” Vaughan said. ​“Predictability is also key.”
Though the new law is no silver bullet, it’s been long sought by the renewables industry and by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Democrat who represents the Richmond suburbs and is one of its sponsors.
VanValkenburg promoted similar bills in 2024 and 2025, starting with a simpler proposal that prohibited solar bans but didn’t contain siting criteria. He spent two years negotiating with fellow lawmakers, conservationists, and others to craft the new law.
“This milestone has been years in the making,” VanValkenburg said in a statement, ​“and is the product of close collaboration among bill patrons, solar developers, and environmental advocates.”
The proposal cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly in March. Rather than sign it as passed, Spanberger offered two technical amendments to the measure earlier this month. The General Assembly, which Democrats seized after campaigning on energy costs last November, adopted those changes on April 22.
The measure isn’t without detractors. It passed along party lines, and drew opposition from county governments and the state’s Farm Bureau as it moved through the legislature. Two conservation groups—Friends of the Rappahannock, a river protection group, and The Piedmont Environmental Council—also voiced worry about the law’s approach.
Virginia’s move to expand solar comes as local restrictions on renewable energy proliferate nationwide. Farmland has become a particular flash point for opposition to solar development, as the flat open fields often make prime spots for solar panels.
Vaughan is optimistic that the law will unleash more solar power sooner rather than later. Though the statute won’t be on the books until this summer, some developers may have plans to apply for connection to the PJM grid this week.
“This has been pretty clearly heading for passage for a while,” Vaughan said. ​“That may have sent folks to take a risk and propose projects in parts of Virginia that were not previously viable. There may be some low-hanging fruit from an interconnection standpoint.”
He added, ​“I have no special knowledge of that. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to see what happens.”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

…

A solar farm in Campbell County, Virginia. (Retronaut/flickr)
This story was originally published by Canary Media.
As data centres drive electricity demand to new heights and consumers struggle with rising energy costs, cheap, clean power remains out of reach in much of Virginia: Nearly two-thirds of counties outright ban or severely restrict large solar farms.
But that’s about to change.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last week enacted a new law that voids community-wide prohibitions on solar fields and establishes new siting guidelines for the facilities. Starting July 1, when the law takes effect, local governments can still deny permits to solar developers but must submit their rationale for doing so to state regulators.
“Localities still are in the driver’s seat here. They can still deny every project from now until the end of time if they want,” said Evan Vaughan, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, a nonprofit that represents over 50 large-scale solar, storage, and wind developers and manufacturers.
View our latest digests
But, he added, given rising prices and pressures on farmers from tariffs and fertilizer shortages, ​“there may be more interest in rural communities to see solar projects and to at least hear them out about the benefits that they can provide.”
Virginia is fertile ground for large-scale solar.
The state requires its largest utilities to produce 100% renewable energy by 2050, and solar—combined with battery storage—is widely viewed as the lowest-cost way to meet that mandate. Solar arrays can be built more quickly than large gas power plants, making the carbon-free resource a vital way to meet growing energy demand in the state, which is the data centre capital of the world. Solar is also insulated from the price volatility inherent to natural gas because it requires only the sun for fuel.
Even with widespread limitations on development, Virginia is No. 9 in the nation in installed solar capacity and gets almost 10% of its electricity from the clean energy source. Nationwide, solar and storage together are set to make up nearly 80% of new utility-scale electricity capacity built in the country this year, per U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
“Affordability is key,” Vaughan said. ​“Predictability is also key.”
Though the new law is no silver bullet, it’s been long sought by the renewables industry and by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Democrat who represents the Richmond suburbs and is one of its sponsors.
VanValkenburg promoted similar bills in 2024 and 2025, starting with a simpler proposal that prohibited solar bans but didn’t contain siting criteria. He spent two years negotiating with fellow lawmakers, conservationists, and others to craft the new law.
“This milestone has been years in the making,” VanValkenburg said in a statement, ​“and is the product of close collaboration among bill patrons, solar developers, and environmental advocates.”
The proposal cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly in March. Rather than sign it as passed, Spanberger offered two technical amendments to the measure earlier this month. The General Assembly, which Democrats seized after campaigning on energy costs last November, adopted those changes on April 22.
The measure isn’t without detractors. It passed along party lines, and drew opposition from county governments and the state’s Farm Bureau as it moved through the legislature. Two conservation groups—Friends of the Rappahannock, a river protection group, and The Piedmont Environmental Council—also voiced worry about the law’s approach.
Virginia’s move to expand solar comes as local restrictions on renewable energy proliferate nationwide. Farmland has become a particular flash point for opposition to solar development, as the flat open fields often make prime spots for solar panels.
Vaughan is optimistic that the law will unleash more solar power sooner rather than later. Though the statute won’t be on the books until this summer, some developers may have plans to apply for connection to the PJM grid this week.
“This has been pretty clearly heading for passage for a while,” Vaughan said. ​“That may have sent folks to take a risk and propose projects in parts of Virginia that were not previously viable. There may be some low-hanging fruit from an interconnection standpoint.”
He added, ​“I have no special knowledge of that. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to see what happens.”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

…
Copyright 2026 © Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.
Proudly partnering with…
Copyright 2025 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2025 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

source

How Deep-Red Utah Helped Launch a Plug-in Solar Movement

May 6, 2026

Reading time: 7 minutes

Full Story: Grist

Author: Leia Larsen

Josh Craft, the director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy, shows the outdoor plug that connects his solar panels to his home in Salt Lake City. ( Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune via Grist)

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom in Utah.

Utah state Representative Raymond Ward was reading a story in The New York Times about a growing trend in Europe, and it sparked an idea to make energy more affordable and portable at home.

Plug-in solar panels—sometimes called “balcony solar”—allow people to generate electricity by plugging panels directly into a standard outlet and help cut down on utility bills, without the need for expensive rooftop installations. The relatively cheap technology has taken off in parts of Europe, and a recent Utah law sponsored by Ward has spurred interest across the United States.

Utah lawmakers passed HB 340 last year with bipartisan and unanimous support, becoming the first state to allow residents to plug solar systems directly into residential outlets.

“It’s great for anyone who wants a little solar power but does not want to pay $30,000 for a roof install,” said Ward, a Republican.

Ward learned about plug-in solar panels after reading about their popularity in Germany. Balcony panels there added 10% more solar capacity to the grid in just a few months, The New York Times reported, just as Russia’s war with Ukraine was draining energy supplies.

Since Ward’s bill passed last year, 30 more states plus the District of Columbia have drafted similar bills, according to information tracked by the plug-in solar lobbying group Bright Saver.

“Thank you, Utah,” said Cora Stryker, a co-founder of the California-based nonprofit. “It’s a common-sense, no-brainer thing that should keep sweeping the country.”

Maine’s governor signed a similar bill earlier this month, and Virginia is following suit. Colorado and Maryland have legislation approved by both chambers of their statehouses. Bills in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Vermont are moving forward.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

View our latest digests

Despite that momentum, U.S. residents still can’t buy plug-in panels from the same big box stores that sell other consumer electronic appliances, like hair dryers, washing machines, or toasters. That’s because Utah and other states also need rules and regulations for the panels, because while they sound simple, they flip the way the electrical utility system works on its head.

Residential households are only designed to pull power off the grid, through wires to outlets, and into plugged-in devices. Balcony solar does the opposite by creating power and pushing it backward into the outlet and “upstream” through a home’s wires, Ward explained. “Utilities tend, in general, not to want anybody else to make power,” he said.

Power providers also have concerns about safety, the lawmaker said. If line workers are trying to repair an electrical line they think is switched off, for example, but a condo’s solar panels are still pushing electricity through that line, it could put those employees in danger of getting electrocuted.

To Ward, those problems were solvable. “The electricity is the same over [in Europe] as it is over here,” he said. “All the same rules of physics work and have proved to be safe.”

But U.S. residents can’t smuggle balcony solar systems over in a suitcase from Europe, because North America uses different plugs and voltages.

Ward collaborated with Utah’s largest electricity provider, Rocky Mountain Power, to craft language for his bill so that the plug-in movement in Utah can be homegrown.

A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power noted the utility took no position on Ward’s bill. “We remain concerned that some products entering the market may not meet the requirements of the bill,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, “potentially creating electrical hazards for utility workers.”

The legislation removes liability for utilities, and owners of plug-in panels can’t ask for payments for the electricity they send back to the grid. It also requires a company called Underwriters Laboratories, often shortened to UL Systems, to develop safety certification for plug-in panels.

UL develops all kinds of safety standards for consumer products, building materials, and other goods. But Utah’s legislation marked the first time they were asked to test plug-in panels, and the company got to work over the summer. Kenneth Boyce, vice president of engineering for UL, said he was surprised to see his company named in Utah’s legislation. 

“But we take it very seriously,” Boyce said. 

The company issued a white paper in November outlining potential hazards with the panel systems themselves as well as how they might interact with a typical home’s wiring. From there, it developed product-level requirements that will allow the UL mark to appear on certified products.

“We’re … making sure we keep [consumers] safe while they get the benefits of participating in the energy transition,” Boyce said. “We can do both.”

Underwriters Laboratories’ researchers tested ways to ensure that plug-in panels don’t make circuit breakers explode, or that GFCI plugs that are supposed to trip and switch off—commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors—don’t fry and malfunction without the residents’ knowledge.

No plug-in systems have been certified by UL to date, Boyce said. “We expect that will change soon,” he said, noting he’s heard from multiple manufacturers. He expects the UL stamp to appear on U.S. panels in “months, maybe even weeks.”

Some inventive individuals, including the popular Utah YouTuber JerryRigEverything, have cobbled together their own plug-in systems. They use components that are individually UL certified, like panels, cords, and inverters. But all the components combined into a balcony system haven’t been tested and green-lit for safety, Boyce cautioned.

For those willing to take the risk, a global company called EcoFlow is one of the most popular online retailers for plug-in panels in the U.S. They’re currently in conversations with UL about how to certify their product, according to Ryan Oliver, a spokesperson for EcoFlow.

They’ve sold portable solar systems for about four years in Europe “where they’re very popular,” he said.

An inverter, which brings electricity from the solar panels into the home and shuts down generation to ensure safety, currently costs about US$300 on EcoFlow’s website. A system that includes a battery to store solar energy costs $1,200. And compatible solar panels run between $250 to $1,000, depending on the size of the array.

“It’s consistent with Utah’s values of wanting to supply your own energy, and letting people make their own decisions around meeting their needs,” said Josh Craft, director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy.

Craft said he’s experimenting with his own plug-in system at home donated by EcoFlow. “It works. It’s fun,” he said. “I have foldable panels set up on my patio roof.”

The panels could also amp up an entirely new market for clean energy. Their surge in popularity comes at a time when the Trump administration is slashing subsidies for wind and solar projects, even as energy bills are expected to spike due to demands from data centers and artificial intelligence, Craft noted.

Utah code resulting from Ward’s bill caps power output from plug-in systems at 1,200 watts, which means they won’t offset all the electrical use from a typical household.

On his YouTube channel, JerryRigEverything reported that his array saves about a dollar a day on his electricity bill. Craft figures his system, which is combined with a battery, cuts down his power bill by about 10%, but he hasn’t tested it while running an air conditioner.

In just the last few weeks, Ward said he’s had conversations with lawmakers in Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, and Colorado about how to facilitate plug-in solar in their states. With Maine adopting a similar policy and several other states close behind, Utah’s experiment is already spreading.

“Heck yeah,” Ward said.

in Legal & Regulatory, Solar, United States

Trending Stories

Electric Vehicles

BYD Eyes 20 Dealership Locations After Canada Greenlights Chinese EV Imports

March 31, 2026

7.1k

Fracking & LNG

Black Smoke, Broken Equipment Fuel Health Concerns at LNG Canada’s Kitimat Facility

May 5, 2026

543

Oil Sands

Trump Gives Go-Ahead to Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline

May 5, 2026

304

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

Related Articles

What Solar Panels Make Possible

January 12, 2026

Global Solar Growth to Slow in 2026 as China, U.S. Scale Back

January 7, 2026

Solar-Powered ‘Hub Homes’ Help Houston Residents Brace for Climate Emergencies

October 27, 2025

On On Oil (Not a Typo)

by Alex Cool-Fergus

May 3, 2026

…

Follow Us

How Deep-Red Utah Helped Launch a Plug-in Solar Movement

May 6, 2026

Reading time: 7 minutes

Full Story: Grist

Author: Leia Larsen

Josh Craft, the director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy, shows the outdoor plug that connects his solar panels to his home in Salt Lake City. ( Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune via Grist)

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom in Utah.

Utah state Representative Raymond Ward was reading a story in The New York Times about a growing trend in Europe, and it sparked an idea to make energy more affordable and portable at home.

Plug-in solar panels—sometimes called “balcony solar”—allow people to generate electricity by plugging panels directly into a standard outlet and help cut down on utility bills, without the need for expensive rooftop installations. The relatively cheap technology has taken off in parts of Europe, and a recent Utah law sponsored by Ward has spurred interest across the United States.

Utah lawmakers passed HB 340 last year with bipartisan and unanimous support, becoming the first state to allow residents to plug solar systems directly into residential outlets.

“It’s great for anyone who wants a little solar power but does not want to pay $30,000 for a roof install,” said Ward, a Republican.

Ward learned about plug-in solar panels after reading about their popularity in Germany. Balcony panels there added 10% more solar capacity to the grid in just a few months, The New York Times reported, just as Russia’s war with Ukraine was draining energy supplies.

Since Ward’s bill passed last year, 30 more states plus the District of Columbia have drafted similar bills, according to information tracked by the plug-in solar lobbying group Bright Saver.

“Thank you, Utah,” said Cora Stryker, a co-founder of the California-based nonprofit. “It’s a common-sense, no-brainer thing that should keep sweeping the country.”

Maine’s governor signed a similar bill earlier this month, and Virginia is following suit. Colorado and Maryland have legislation approved by both chambers of their statehouses. Bills in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Vermont are moving forward.

Get the latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Today

View our latest digests

Despite that momentum, U.S. residents still can’t buy plug-in panels from the same big box stores that sell other consumer electronic appliances, like hair dryers, washing machines, or toasters. That’s because Utah and other states also need rules and regulations for the panels, because while they sound simple, they flip the way the electrical utility system works on its head.

Residential households are only designed to pull power off the grid, through wires to outlets, and into plugged-in devices. Balcony solar does the opposite by creating power and pushing it backward into the outlet and “upstream” through a home’s wires, Ward explained. “Utilities tend, in general, not to want anybody else to make power,” he said.

Power providers also have concerns about safety, the lawmaker said. If line workers are trying to repair an electrical line they think is switched off, for example, but a condo’s solar panels are still pushing electricity through that line, it could put those employees in danger of getting electrocuted.

To Ward, those problems were solvable. “The electricity is the same over [in Europe] as it is over here,” he said. “All the same rules of physics work and have proved to be safe.”

But U.S. residents can’t smuggle balcony solar systems over in a suitcase from Europe, because North America uses different plugs and voltages.

Ward collaborated with Utah’s largest electricity provider, Rocky Mountain Power, to craft language for his bill so that the plug-in movement in Utah can be homegrown.

A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power noted the utility took no position on Ward’s bill. “We remain concerned that some products entering the market may not meet the requirements of the bill,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, “potentially creating electrical hazards for utility workers.”

The legislation removes liability for utilities, and owners of plug-in panels can’t ask for payments for the electricity they send back to the grid. It also requires a company called Underwriters Laboratories, often shortened to UL Systems, to develop safety certification for plug-in panels.

UL develops all kinds of safety standards for consumer products, building materials, and other goods. But Utah’s legislation marked the first time they were asked to test plug-in panels, and the company got to work over the summer. Kenneth Boyce, vice president of engineering for UL, said he was surprised to see his company named in Utah’s legislation. 

“But we take it very seriously,” Boyce said. 

The company issued a white paper in November outlining potential hazards with the panel systems themselves as well as how they might interact with a typical home’s wiring. From there, it developed product-level requirements that will allow the UL mark to appear on certified products.

“We’re … making sure we keep [consumers] safe while they get the benefits of participating in the energy transition,” Boyce said. “We can do both.”

Underwriters Laboratories’ researchers tested ways to ensure that plug-in panels don’t make circuit breakers explode, or that GFCI plugs that are supposed to trip and switch off—commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors—don’t fry and malfunction without the residents’ knowledge.

No plug-in systems have been certified by UL to date, Boyce said. “We expect that will change soon,” he said, noting he’s heard from multiple manufacturers. He expects the UL stamp to appear on U.S. panels in “months, maybe even weeks.”

Some inventive individuals, including the popular Utah YouTuber JerryRigEverything, have cobbled together their own plug-in systems. They use components that are individually UL certified, like panels, cords, and inverters. But all the components combined into a balcony system haven’t been tested and green-lit for safety, Boyce cautioned.

For those willing to take the risk, a global company called EcoFlow is one of the most popular online retailers for plug-in panels in the U.S. They’re currently in conversations with UL about how to certify their product, according to Ryan Oliver, a spokesperson for EcoFlow.

They’ve sold portable solar systems for about four years in Europe “where they’re very popular,” he said.

An inverter, which brings electricity from the solar panels into the home and shuts down generation to ensure safety, currently costs about US$300 on EcoFlow’s website. A system that includes a battery to store solar energy costs $1,200. And compatible solar panels run between $250 to $1,000, depending on the size of the array.

“It’s consistent with Utah’s values of wanting to supply your own energy, and letting people make their own decisions around meeting their needs,” said Josh Craft, director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy.

Craft said he’s experimenting with his own plug-in system at home donated by EcoFlow. “It works. It’s fun,” he said. “I have foldable panels set up on my patio roof.”

The panels could also amp up an entirely new market for clean energy. Their surge in popularity comes at a time when the Trump administration is slashing subsidies for wind and solar projects, even as energy bills are expected to spike due to demands from data centers and artificial intelligence, Craft noted.

Utah code resulting from Ward’s bill caps power output from plug-in systems at 1,200 watts, which means they won’t offset all the electrical use from a typical household.

On his YouTube channel, JerryRigEverything reported that his array saves about a dollar a day on his electricity bill. Craft figures his system, which is combined with a battery, cuts down his power bill by about 10%, but he hasn’t tested it while running an air conditioner.

In just the last few weeks, Ward said he’s had conversations with lawmakers in Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, and Colorado about how to facilitate plug-in solar in their states. With Maine adopting a similar policy and several other states close behind, Utah’s experiment is already spreading.

“Heck yeah,” Ward said.

in Legal & Regulatory, Solar, United States

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Related Articles

What Solar Panels Make Possible

January 12, 2026

Global Solar Growth to Slow in 2026 as China, U.S. Scale Back

January 7, 2026

Solar-Powered ‘Hub Homes’ Help Houston Residents Brace for Climate Emergencies

October 27, 2025

Trending Stories

BYD Eyes 20 Dealership Locations After Canada Greenlights Chinese EV Imports

March 31, 2026

7.1k

Black Smoke, Broken Equipment Fuel Health Concerns at LNG Canada’s Kitimat Facility

May 5, 2026

543

Trump Gives Go-Ahead to Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline

May 5, 2026

304

On On Oil (Not a Typo)

by Alex Cool-Fergus

May 3, 2026

…

Follow Us

Josh Craft, the director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy, shows the outdoor plug that connects his solar panels to his home in Salt Lake City. ( Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune via Grist)
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom in Utah.
Utah state Representative Raymond Ward was reading a story in The New York Times about a growing trend in Europe, and it sparked an idea to make energy more affordable and portable at home.
Plug-in solar panels—sometimes called “balcony solar”—allow people to generate electricity by plugging panels directly into a standard outlet and help cut down on utility bills, without the need for expensive rooftop installations. The relatively cheap technology has taken off in parts of Europe, and a recent Utah law sponsored by Ward has spurred interest across the United States.
Utah lawmakers passed HB 340 last year with bipartisan and unanimous support, becoming the first state to allow residents to plug solar systems directly into residential outlets.
“It’s great for anyone who wants a little solar power but does not want to pay $30,000 for a roof install,” said Ward, a Republican.
Ward learned about plug-in solar panels after reading about their popularity in Germany. Balcony panels there added 10% more solar capacity to the grid in just a few months, The New York Times reported, just as Russia’s war with Ukraine was draining energy supplies.
Since Ward’s bill passed last year, 30 more states plus the District of Columbia have drafted similar bills, according to information tracked by the plug-in solar lobbying group Bright Saver.
“Thank you, Utah,” said Cora Stryker, a co-founder of the California-based nonprofit. “It’s a common-sense, no-brainer thing that should keep sweeping the country.”
Maine’s governor signed a similar bill earlier this month, and Virginia is following suit. Colorado and Maryland have legislation approved by both chambers of their statehouses. Bills in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Vermont are moving forward.
View our latest digests
Despite that momentum, U.S. residents still can’t buy plug-in panels from the same big box stores that sell other consumer electronic appliances, like hair dryers, washing machines, or toasters. That’s because Utah and other states also need rules and regulations for the panels, because while they sound simple, they flip the way the electrical utility system works on its head.
Residential households are only designed to pull power off the grid, through wires to outlets, and into plugged-in devices. Balcony solar does the opposite by creating power and pushing it backward into the outlet and “upstream” through a home’s wires, Ward explained. “Utilities tend, in general, not to want anybody else to make power,” he said.
Power providers also have concerns about safety, the lawmaker said. If line workers are trying to repair an electrical line they think is switched off, for example, but a condo’s solar panels are still pushing electricity through that line, it could put those employees in danger of getting electrocuted.
To Ward, those problems were solvable. “The electricity is the same over [in Europe] as it is over here,” he said. “All the same rules of physics work and have proved to be safe.”
But U.S. residents can’t smuggle balcony solar systems over in a suitcase from Europe, because North America uses different plugs and voltages.
Ward collaborated with Utah’s largest electricity provider, Rocky Mountain Power, to craft language for his bill so that the plug-in movement in Utah can be homegrown.
A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power noted the utility took no position on Ward’s bill. “We remain concerned that some products entering the market may not meet the requirements of the bill,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, “potentially creating electrical hazards for utility workers.”
The legislation removes liability for utilities, and owners of plug-in panels can’t ask for payments for the electricity they send back to the grid. It also requires a company called Underwriters Laboratories, often shortened to UL Systems, to develop safety certification for plug-in panels.
UL develops all kinds of safety standards for consumer products, building materials, and other goods. But Utah’s legislation marked the first time they were asked to test plug-in panels, and the company got to work over the summer. Kenneth Boyce, vice president of engineering for UL, said he was surprised to see his company named in Utah’s legislation. 
“But we take it very seriously,” Boyce said. 
The company issued a white paper in November outlining potential hazards with the panel systems themselves as well as how they might interact with a typical home’s wiring. From there, it developed product-level requirements that will allow the UL mark to appear on certified products.
“We’re … making sure we keep [consumers] safe while they get the benefits of participating in the energy transition,” Boyce said. “We can do both.”
Underwriters Laboratories’ researchers tested ways to ensure that plug-in panels don’t make circuit breakers explode, or that GFCI plugs that are supposed to trip and switch off—commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors—don’t fry and malfunction without the residents’ knowledge.
No plug-in systems have been certified by UL to date, Boyce said. “We expect that will change soon,” he said, noting he’s heard from multiple manufacturers. He expects the UL stamp to appear on U.S. panels in “months, maybe even weeks.”
Some inventive individuals, including the popular Utah YouTuber JerryRigEverything, have cobbled together their own plug-in systems. They use components that are individually UL certified, like panels, cords, and inverters. But all the components combined into a balcony system haven’t been tested and green-lit for safety, Boyce cautioned.
For those willing to take the risk, a global company called EcoFlow is one of the most popular online retailers for plug-in panels in the U.S. They’re currently in conversations with UL about how to certify their product, according to Ryan Oliver, a spokesperson for EcoFlow.
They’ve sold portable solar systems for about four years in Europe “where they’re very popular,” he said.
An inverter, which brings electricity from the solar panels into the home and shuts down generation to ensure safety, currently costs about US$300 on EcoFlow’s website. A system that includes a battery to store solar energy costs $1,200. And compatible solar panels run between $250 to $1,000, depending on the size of the array.
“It’s consistent with Utah’s values of wanting to supply your own energy, and letting people make their own decisions around meeting their needs,” said Josh Craft, director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy.
Craft said he’s experimenting with his own plug-in system at home donated by EcoFlow. “It works. It’s fun,” he said. “I have foldable panels set up on my patio roof.”
The panels could also amp up an entirely new market for clean energy. Their surge in popularity comes at a time when the Trump administration is slashing subsidies for wind and solar projects, even as energy bills are expected to spike due to demands from data centers and artificial intelligence, Craft noted.
Utah code resulting from Ward’s bill caps power output from plug-in systems at 1,200 watts, which means they won’t offset all the electrical use from a typical household.
On his YouTube channel, JerryRigEverything reported that his array saves about a dollar a day on his electricity bill. Craft figures his system, which is combined with a battery, cuts down his power bill by about 10%, but he hasn’t tested it while running an air conditioner.
In just the last few weeks, Ward said he’s had conversations with lawmakers in Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, and Colorado about how to facilitate plug-in solar in their states. With Maine adopting a similar policy and several other states close behind, Utah’s experiment is already spreading.
“Heck yeah,” Ward said.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

…

Josh Craft, the director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy, shows the outdoor plug that connects his solar panels to his home in Salt Lake City. ( Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune via Grist)
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom in Utah.
Utah state Representative Raymond Ward was reading a story in The New York Times about a growing trend in Europe, and it sparked an idea to make energy more affordable and portable at home.
Plug-in solar panels—sometimes called “balcony solar”—allow people to generate electricity by plugging panels directly into a standard outlet and help cut down on utility bills, without the need for expensive rooftop installations. The relatively cheap technology has taken off in parts of Europe, and a recent Utah law sponsored by Ward has spurred interest across the United States.
Utah lawmakers passed HB 340 last year with bipartisan and unanimous support, becoming the first state to allow residents to plug solar systems directly into residential outlets.
“It’s great for anyone who wants a little solar power but does not want to pay $30,000 for a roof install,” said Ward, a Republican.
Ward learned about plug-in solar panels after reading about their popularity in Germany. Balcony panels there added 10% more solar capacity to the grid in just a few months, The New York Times reported, just as Russia’s war with Ukraine was draining energy supplies.
Since Ward’s bill passed last year, 30 more states plus the District of Columbia have drafted similar bills, according to information tracked by the plug-in solar lobbying group Bright Saver.
“Thank you, Utah,” said Cora Stryker, a co-founder of the California-based nonprofit. “It’s a common-sense, no-brainer thing that should keep sweeping the country.”
Maine’s governor signed a similar bill earlier this month, and Virginia is following suit. Colorado and Maryland have legislation approved by both chambers of their statehouses. Bills in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Vermont are moving forward.
View our latest digests
Despite that momentum, U.S. residents still can’t buy plug-in panels from the same big box stores that sell other consumer electronic appliances, like hair dryers, washing machines, or toasters. That’s because Utah and other states also need rules and regulations for the panels, because while they sound simple, they flip the way the electrical utility system works on its head.
Residential households are only designed to pull power off the grid, through wires to outlets, and into plugged-in devices. Balcony solar does the opposite by creating power and pushing it backward into the outlet and “upstream” through a home’s wires, Ward explained. “Utilities tend, in general, not to want anybody else to make power,” he said.
Power providers also have concerns about safety, the lawmaker said. If line workers are trying to repair an electrical line they think is switched off, for example, but a condo’s solar panels are still pushing electricity through that line, it could put those employees in danger of getting electrocuted.
To Ward, those problems were solvable. “The electricity is the same over [in Europe] as it is over here,” he said. “All the same rules of physics work and have proved to be safe.”
But U.S. residents can’t smuggle balcony solar systems over in a suitcase from Europe, because North America uses different plugs and voltages.
Ward collaborated with Utah’s largest electricity provider, Rocky Mountain Power, to craft language for his bill so that the plug-in movement in Utah can be homegrown.
A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power noted the utility took no position on Ward’s bill. “We remain concerned that some products entering the market may not meet the requirements of the bill,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, “potentially creating electrical hazards for utility workers.”
The legislation removes liability for utilities, and owners of plug-in panels can’t ask for payments for the electricity they send back to the grid. It also requires a company called Underwriters Laboratories, often shortened to UL Systems, to develop safety certification for plug-in panels.
UL develops all kinds of safety standards for consumer products, building materials, and other goods. But Utah’s legislation marked the first time they were asked to test plug-in panels, and the company got to work over the summer. Kenneth Boyce, vice president of engineering for UL, said he was surprised to see his company named in Utah’s legislation. 
“But we take it very seriously,” Boyce said. 
The company issued a white paper in November outlining potential hazards with the panel systems themselves as well as how they might interact with a typical home’s wiring. From there, it developed product-level requirements that will allow the UL mark to appear on certified products.
“We’re … making sure we keep [consumers] safe while they get the benefits of participating in the energy transition,” Boyce said. “We can do both.”
Underwriters Laboratories’ researchers tested ways to ensure that plug-in panels don’t make circuit breakers explode, or that GFCI plugs that are supposed to trip and switch off—commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors—don’t fry and malfunction without the residents’ knowledge.
No plug-in systems have been certified by UL to date, Boyce said. “We expect that will change soon,” he said, noting he’s heard from multiple manufacturers. He expects the UL stamp to appear on U.S. panels in “months, maybe even weeks.”
Some inventive individuals, including the popular Utah YouTuber JerryRigEverything, have cobbled together their own plug-in systems. They use components that are individually UL certified, like panels, cords, and inverters. But all the components combined into a balcony system haven’t been tested and green-lit for safety, Boyce cautioned.
For those willing to take the risk, a global company called EcoFlow is one of the most popular online retailers for plug-in panels in the U.S. They’re currently in conversations with UL about how to certify their product, according to Ryan Oliver, a spokesperson for EcoFlow.
They’ve sold portable solar systems for about four years in Europe “where they’re very popular,” he said.
An inverter, which brings electricity from the solar panels into the home and shuts down generation to ensure safety, currently costs about US$300 on EcoFlow’s website. A system that includes a battery to store solar energy costs $1,200. And compatible solar panels run between $250 to $1,000, depending on the size of the array.
“It’s consistent with Utah’s values of wanting to supply your own energy, and letting people make their own decisions around meeting their needs,” said Josh Craft, director of government relations and public affairs for Utah Clean Energy.
Craft said he’s experimenting with his own plug-in system at home donated by EcoFlow. “It works. It’s fun,” he said. “I have foldable panels set up on my patio roof.”
The panels could also amp up an entirely new market for clean energy. Their surge in popularity comes at a time when the Trump administration is slashing subsidies for wind and solar projects, even as energy bills are expected to spike due to demands from data centers and artificial intelligence, Craft noted.
Utah code resulting from Ward’s bill caps power output from plug-in systems at 1,200 watts, which means they won’t offset all the electrical use from a typical household.
On his YouTube channel, JerryRigEverything reported that his array saves about a dollar a day on his electricity bill. Craft figures his system, which is combined with a battery, cuts down his power bill by about 10%, but he hasn’t tested it while running an air conditioner.
In just the last few weeks, Ward said he’s had conversations with lawmakers in Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, and Colorado about how to facilitate plug-in solar in their states. With Maine adopting a similar policy and several other states close behind, Utah’s experiment is already spreading.
“Heck yeah,” Ward said.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

…
Copyright 2026 © Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.
Proudly partnering with…
Copyright 2025 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2025 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

source

Solar Was Poised To Help Puerto Ricans Survive Blackouts — Until Trump Axed Nearly $1B in Funding  The Good Men Project
source

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.
Notice: By accessing this site you agree that you will not copy or reproduce any part of its contents (including, but not limited to, single prices, graphs or news content) in any form or for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of the publisher.

source

© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
The project has the potential to be replicated elsewhere in the state and nation.
Photo Credit: iStock
California’s canal-top solar pilot has wrapped up, and the early results suggest the idea could do much more than generate clean electricity. It could also help protect one of the state’s most precious resources: water.
As PV Magazine detailed, the 1.6-megawatt Nexus project, completed in September, was built over canals operated by the Turlock Irrigation District. The pilot is the first of its kind in the country and was designed to test whether solar panels installed above active irrigation canals can reliably produce power while reducing evaporation, limiting algae growth, and avoiding the need for additional land.
The project launched in 2022 through a public-private collaboration among TID; the California Department of Water Resources; Solar Aquagrid; and the University of California, Merced. 
The collaboration helped move the idea beyond theory and into real operating conditions. The team used the pilot to study how canal-based solar performs across an irrigation season in an agricultural region where both electricity and water are under increasing pressure.
According to the project’s initial findings, canal sections covered by solar arrays saw evaporation reductions of 50-70% over a full irrigation season. The covered sections also recorded an 85% drop in algae growth, which could reduce maintenance needs and operating costs for water managers. 
Researchers also tracked electricity production, water quality, aquatic vegetation growth, and canal maintenance requirements, providing a broader view of whether this kind of system can work at scale.
The Merino Mono is a heating and cooling system designed for the rooms traditional HVAC can’t reach. The streamlined design eliminates clunky outdoor units, installs in under an hour, and plugs into a standard 120V outlet — no expensive electrical upgrades required.
And while a traditional “mini-split” system can get pricey fast, the Merino Mono comes with a flat-rate price — with hardware and professional installation included.
The pilot tested several designs, including broad-span structures above wide canals, smaller systems over narrow channels, vertical setups along canal banks, and early retractable prototypes, according to PV. A battery energy storage system was also added at the narrowest site using 75-kilowatt iron-flow batteries from battery manufacturing company ESS. 
Together, those setups are helping developers understand how they might adapt canal solar to varying hydraulic and structural conditions across California’s vast canal network.
That is where the bigger promise comes in. A University of California study estimated that covering roughly 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) of California canals could conserve 63 billion gallons of water annually — enough for 50,000 acres of farmland or the residential needs of more than 2 million people.
For communities, that could mean a more resilient water system, less land pressure for new solar development, and more clean energy feeding the grid.
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Starting at $50
Starting at $99
Starting at $60
Starting at $80
Others are putting solar panels on existing spaces, such as farmland, cemeteries, and parking lots, in efforts to reduce the need for additional land use. 
The Nexus project has the added benefit of water preservation. As drought worsens worldwide and cities implement water restrictions, systems like this will become increasingly vital to protecting communities, the environment, and the global food supply. 
At its core, the Nexus project was built to “generate empirical data under real-world operating conditions” and explore the “dual use of existing infrastructure,” PV wrote. So far, the early numbers suggest the idea is more than just a clever concept.
“Project Nexus has the potential to demonstrate a new, innovative water-energy nexus project that can be replicated elsewhere in the state and nation to increase efficiencies in managing limited natural resources,” its website states.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source

source

source

EWEC and Masdar sign framework to accelerate large-scale renewable deployment, targeting 30 GW solar and 8 GW storage by 2035, supporting UAE’s clean energy goals and net-zero ambitions.
May 06, 2026. By EI News Network
Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has signed a strategic Collaboration Framework Agreement (CFA) with Masdar to fast-track the development of large-scale renewable energy projects across the UAE, marking a significant step in the country’s clean energy transition.
The agreement establishes a structured roadmap to accelerate deployment of utility-scale solar and energy storage projects, aimed at diversifying the UAE’s energy mix, strengthening supply security, and supporting industrial growth. A key focus of the framework is to maximise in-country value while fostering local talent and technical expertise.
Signed by EWEC CEO Ahmed Ali Alshamsi and Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the CFA is designed to streamline Masdar’s participation across the entire project lifecycle—from early-stage development to financial close—while maintaining the transparency of EWEC’s competitive procurement processes.
The partnership builds on a series of landmark projects jointly delivered by EWEC and Masdar, including Al Dhafra Solar PV, Al Ajban Solar PV, and Khazna Solar PV, as well as a gigascale round-the-clock solar-plus-storage initiative. The new framework is expected to enhance execution efficiency and accelerate capacity additions.
EWEC aims to scale its solar photovoltaic capacity to over 30 GW by 2035, alongside integrating more than 8 GW of battery energy storage systems. These efforts are central to achieving Abu Dhabi’s target of meeting 60% of its total energy demand through renewable and clean sources by 2035.
Officials highlighted that the agreement aligns with the UAE’s broader clean energy ambitions, including the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035. The collaboration is also expected to support near emissions-free water production by 2030 through integrated planning of power and desalination systems.
The CFA underscores the UAE’s continued push toward building large-scale, cost-efficient renewable infrastructure while reinforcing its position as a global leader in clean energy deployment.

From Innovation to Execution, BESS is Now Central to Power Planning: Savek Dubey, Sungrow

Mufin Green Finance's Gunjan Jain Bets on Premium Financing as India’s Next Credit Opportunity

Grid Modernisation, Storage, and Hydrogen to Shape India’s Energy Future: Advait's Rutvi Sheth

Energy Security Has Evolved into a Strategic Imperative for India: Hartek Singh

Geopolitics Reshaping Solar Strategy, Says Hindustan Power's Chairman Ratul Puri

source

Oswal Pumps has secured an order from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) for the supply and installation of 6,869 off-grid solar PV water pumping systems in Maharashtra. The solar pumps will be deployed under Component B of the PM-KUSUM scheme, also known as the Magel Tyala Saur Krishi Pump Yojana.
Oswal Pumps
Oswal Pumps has secured an order from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) for the supply and installation of 6,869 off-grid solar PV water pumping systems in Maharashtra. The solar pumps will be deployed under Component B of the PM-KUSUM scheme, also known as the Magel Tyala Saur Krishi Pump Yojana.
The total order value stands at INR 162.06 crore (inclusive of GST).
Oswal Pumps’ scope of work includes the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar water pumping systems in 3 HP, 5 HP, and 7.5 HP capacities. It also covers a comprehensive system warranty, along with repair and maintenance services for a period of five years.
These systems will be installed at identified farmers’ locations across Maharashtra, supporting sustainable irrigation and promoting the adoption of renewable energy in the agricultural sector.
Vivek Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, Oswal Pumps Limited, said that by directly benefiting nearly 6,869 farming households across the state of Maharashtra, this project will reduce their dependence on grid power and diesel-based irrigation, lowering both input costs and carbon footprints.
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

Plans submitted for major solar farm beside Belfast International Airport  loveballymena.online
source

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.
Advertisement
Nature volume 653, pages 90–97 (2026)Cite this article
7198 Accesses
1 Citations
122 Altmetric
Metrics details
Perovskite–silicon triple-junction photovoltaics offer efficiency gains beyond dual-junction devices but at the expense of added complexity¹. Here we address two key bottlenecks in perovskite–silicon-based triple-junction solar cells: reduced open-circuit voltage (V_OC) in the wide-bandgap (WBG) top cell and limited photocurrent generation in the middle cell^1,2. A non-volatile additive, 4-hydroxybenzylamine (HBA), regulates WBG perovskite crystallization and passivates defects, promoting oriented growth and suppressing non-radiative recombination. Together with improved energy-level alignment, this yields V_OCs of up to 1.405 V and enhanced stability. To overcome the current limitations in the middle cell, a three-step deposition strategy enables the formation of thick, low-bandgap perovskite absorbers while preserving microstructural integrity and enhancing electron extraction. Also, low-refractive-index SiO_x-nanoparticles (SiO_x-np) that accumulate in the front valleys of the textured silicon bottom cell act as an optical middle reflector, enhancing light absorption in the middle cell. These advances are then combined in 1-cm² perovskite–perovskite–silicon devices, achieving a certified efficiency of 30.02%.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Source data are provided with this paper. All other data of this work are available from the corresponding authors on request.
The custom LabVIEW code used for data acquisition and three-point MPP tracking, as well as the MATLAB code used for numerical calculations of the equivalent circuit model, are available from the corresponding authors on request.
Xu, F., Subbiah, A. S., Said, A. A., Allen, T. & De Wolf, S. Perovskite/perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cells: progress, challenges, and perspectives. EES Solar https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EL00213C (2026).
Yao, Y. et al. Perovskite-based multi-junction solar cells. Nat. Rev. Clean Technol. 1, 771–787 (2025).
Article  Google Scholar 
Best research-cell efficiency chart. National Laboratory of the Rockies https://www.nrel.gov/pv/cell-efficiency.html (2026).
Allen, T. G., Ugur, E., Aydin, E., Subbiah, A. S. & De Wolf, S. A practical efficiency target for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. ACS Energy Lett. 10, 238–245 (2025).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Schygulla, P. et al. Two-terminal III–V//Si triple-junction solar cell with power conversion efficiency of 35.9 % at AM1.5g. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 30, 869–879 (2022).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
France, R. M. et al. Triple-junction solar cells with 39.5% terrestrial and 34.2% space efficiency enabled by thick quantum well superlattices. Joule 6, 1121–1135 (2022).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Werner, J. et al. Perovskite/perovskite/silicon monolithic triple-junction solar cells with a fully textured design. ACS Energy Lett. 3, 2052–2058 (2018).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Wang, Z. et al. Suppressed phase segregation for triple-junction perovskite solar cells. Nature 618, 74–79 (2023).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Wang, J. et al. Halide homogenization for low energy loss in 2-eV-bandgap perovskites and increased efficiency in all-perovskite triple-junction solar cells. Nat. Energy 9, 70–80 (2024).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Suchan, K. et al. Rationalizing performance losses of wide bandgap perovskite solar cells evident in data from the Perovskite Database. Adv. Energy Mater. 14, 2303420 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Heydarian, M. et al. Minimizing open-circuit voltage losses in perovskite/perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cell with optimized top cell. Sol. RRL 9, 2400645 (2025).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Liu, S. et al. Triple-junction solar cells with cyanate in ultrawide-bandgap perovskites. Nature 628, 306–312 (2024).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Zheng, L. et al. Strain-induced rubidium incorporation into wide-bandgap perovskites reduces photovoltage loss. Science 388, 88–95 (2025).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Xu, J. et al. Triple-halide wide-band gap perovskites with suppressed phase segregation for efficient tandems. Science 367, 1097–1104 (2020).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Xu, F. et al. Stabilized perovskite phases enabling efficient perovskite/perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cells. Nat. Mater. 25, 259–266 (2026).
Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Turkay, D. et al. Synergetic substrate and additive engineering for over 30%-efficient perovskite-Si tandem solar cells. Joule 8, 1735–1753 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Liu, C. et al. Bimolecularly passivated interface enables efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells. Science 382, 810–815 (2023).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Zhang, F. & Zhu, K. Additive engineering for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 10, 1902579 (2020).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Wang, F. et al. Phenylalkylamine passivation of organolead halide perovskites enabling high-efficiency and air-stable photovoltaic cells. Adv. Mater. 28, 9986–9992 (2016).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Azmi, R. et al. Double-side 2D/3D heterojunctions for inverted perovskite solar cells. Nature 628, 93–98 (2024).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Jin, J. et al. Spontaneous bifacial capping of perovskite film for efficient and mechanically stable flexible solar cell. Nat. Commun. 16, 90 (2025).
Article  ADS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Liang, J. et al. Origins and influences of metallic lead in perovskite solar cells. Joule 6, 816–833 (2022).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Torres Merino, L. V. et al. Impact of the valence band energy alignment at the hole-collecting interface on the photostability of wide band-gap perovskite solar cells. Joule 8, 2585–2606 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Hu, H. et al. Triple-junction perovskite–perovskite–silicon solar cells with power conversion efficiency of 24.4%. Energy Environ. Sci. 17, 2800–2814 (2024).
Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Er-raji, O. et al. Tailoring perovskite crystallization and interfacial passivation in efficient, fully textured perovskite silicon tandem solar cells. Joule 8, 2811–2833 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Lin, R. et al. All-perovskite tandem solar cells with 3D/3D bilayer perovskite heterojunction. Nature 620, 994–1000 (2023).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Golobostanfard, M. R. et al. Bifacial perovskite/silicon heterojunction tandem solar cells based on FAPbI3-based perovskite via hybrid evaporation-spin coating. Nano Energy 131, 110269 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Sahli, F. et al. Fully textured monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with 25.2% power conversion efficiency. Nat. Mater. 17, 820–826 (2018).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Min, H. et al. Efficient, stable solar cells by using inherent bandgap of α-phase formamidinium lead iodide. Science 366, 749–753 (2019).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Du, J. et al. Face-on oriented self-assembled molecules with enhanced π–π stacking for highly efficient inverted perovskite solar cells on rough FTO substrates. Energy Environ. Sci. 18, 3196–3210 (2025).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Schutt, K. et al. Toward fullerene-free PIN perovskite solar cells. ACS Energy Lett. 10, 6307–6317 (2025).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Doherty, T. A. S. et al. Stabilized tilted-octahedra halide perovskites inhibit local formation of performance-limiting phases. Science 374, 1598–1605 (2021).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Gries, T. W. et al. Co-doping approach for enhanced electron extraction to TiO₂ for stable inorganic perovskite solar cells. Small Sci. 5, 2400578 (2025).
Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Gries, T. W. et al. Unlocking high-throughput heterojunction discovery. Preprint at https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.11548 (2025).
Musiienko, A. et al. Resolving electron and hole transport properties in semiconductor materials by constant light-induced magneto transport. Nat. Commun. 15, 316 (2024).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Niesen, B. et al. Self-patterned nanoparticle layers for vertical interconnects: application in tandem solar cells. Nano Lett. 14, 5085–5091 (2014).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Dominé, D. et al. Optical management in high-efficiency thin-film silicon micromorph solar cells with a silicon oxide based intermediate reflector. Phys. Status Solidi Rapid Res. Lett. 2, 163–165 (2008).
Article  ADS  Google Scholar 
Haug, F.-J. et al. Advanced intermediate reflector layers for thin film silicon tandem solar cells. In Proc. 2013 IEEE 39th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) 914–916 (IEEE, 2013).
Buehlmann, P. et al. In situ silicon oxide based intermediate reflector for thin-film silicon micromorph solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 143505 (2007).
Article  ADS  Google Scholar 
Boccard, M. et al. High-stable-efficiency tandem thin-film silicon solar cell with low-refractive-index silicon-oxide interlayer. IEEE J. Photovolt. 4, 1368–1373 (2014).
Article  Google Scholar 
Kocak, D. et al. Silica aerogel as rear reflector in silicon heterojunction solar cells for improved infrared response. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 258, 112430 (2023).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Turkay, D. Self-aligned silica nanoparticle rear reflectors for single-junction Si and perovskite-Si tandem solar cells. Sol. RRL 9, 2400704 (2025).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Aydin, E. et al. Enhanced optoelectronic coupling for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Nature 623, 732–738 (2023).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Boccard, M. et al. Hole-selective front contact stack enabling 24.1%-efficient silicon heterojunction solar cells. IEEE J. Photovolt. 11, 9–15 (2021).
Article  Google Scholar 
Antognini, L. et al. Influence of the dopant gas precursor in P-type nanocrystalline silicon layers on the performance of front junction heterojunction solar cells. IEEE J. Photovolt. 11, 944–956 (2021).
Article  Google Scholar 
Fischer, O. et al. Versatile implied open-circuit voltage imaging method and its application in monolithic tandem solar cells. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 33, 40–53 (2023).
Article  Google Scholar 
Fischer, O. et al. Imaging-based loss-analysis for perovskite/perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 295, 114004 (2026).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Rau, U. & Kirchartz, T. Charge carrier collection and contact selectivity in solar cells. Adv. Mater. Interfaces 6, 1900252 (2019).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Ozen, S. et al. Performance constraints of all-perovskite tandem solar cells in low-intensity, low-temperature environments. Adv. Mater. Interfaces 38, e17703 (2025).
Article  Google Scholar 
Momma, K. & Izumi, F. VESTA 3 for three-dimensional visualization of crystal, volumetric and morphology data. J. Appl. Crystallogr. 44, 1272–1276 (2011).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Harter, A. et al. Double-sided nano-textured surfaces for industry-compatible high-performance silicon heterojunction and perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 31, 813–823 (2023).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Harter, A. et al. Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells above 30% conversion efficiency on submicron-sized textured Czochralski-silicon bottom cells with improved hole-transport layers. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 16, 62817–62826 (2024).
Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Turkay, D. et al. Beyond flat: undulated perovskite solar cells on microscale Si pyramids by solution processing. ACS Energy Lett. 10, 1397–1403 (2025).
Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Chiang, Y. H. et al. Vacuum-deposited wide-bandgap perovskite for all-perovskite tandem solar cells. ACS Energy Lett. 8, 2728–2737 (2023).
Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Kamino, B. A. et al. Low-temperature screen-printed metallization for the scale-up of two-terminal perovskite–silicon tandems. ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2, 3815–3821 (2019).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Kresse, G. & Joubert, D. From ultrasoft pseudopotentials to the projector augmented-wave method. Phys. Rev. B 59, 1758–1775 (1999).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Kresse, G. & Furthmüller, J. Efficient iterative schemes for ab initio total-energy calculations using a plane-wave basis set. Phys. Rev. B 54, 11169–11186 (1996).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Ning, J. et al. Workhorse minimally empirical dispersion-corrected density functional with tests for weakly bound systems: r²SCAN + rVV10. Phys. Rev. B 106, 075422 (2022).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Bartók, A. P. & Yates, J. R. Regularized SCAN functional. J. Chem. Phys. 150, 161101 (2019).
Article  ADS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Furness, J. W., Kaplan, A. D., Ning, J., Perdew, J. P. & Sun, J. Accurate and numerically efficient r²SCAN meta-generalized gradient approximation. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 11, 8208–8215 (2020).
Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Sun, J. et al. Accurate first-principles structures and energies of diversely bonded systems from an efficient density functional. Nat. Chem. 8, 831–836 (2016).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Sun, J., Ruzsinszky, A. & Perdew, J. P. Strongly constrained and appropriately normed semilocal density functional. Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 036402 (2015).
Article  ADS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Sabatini, R., Gorni, T. & de Gironcoli, S. Nonlocal van der Waals density functional made simple and efficient. Phys. Rev. B 87, 041108 (2013).
Article  ADS  Google Scholar 
Vydrov, O. A. & Van Voorhis, T. Nonlocal van der Waals density functional: the simpler the better. J. Chem. Phys. 133, 244103 (2010).
Article  ADS  PubMed  Google Scholar 
Artuk, K. et al. 60 cm² perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with an efficiency of 28.9% by homogeneous passivation. Nat. Commun. 16, 8672 (2025).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
International Electrotechnical Commission. Photovoltaic devices – Part 8-1: Measurement of spectral responsivity of multi-junction photovoltaic (PV) devices 1st edn (IEC, 2017).
Chojniak, D. et al. A precise method for the spectral adjustment of LED and multi-light source solar simulators. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 32, 372–389 (2024).
Article  Google Scholar 
International Electrotechnical Commission. Photovoltaic devices – Part 1-1: Measurement of current-voltage characteristics of multi-junction photovoltaic (PV) devices 1st edn (IEC, 2017).
Meusel, M., Adelhelm, R., Dimroth, F., Bett, A. W. & Warta, W. Spectral mismatch correction and spectrometric characterization of monolithic III–V multi-junction solar cells. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 10, 243–255 (2002).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Ashiotis, G. et al. The fast azimuthal integration Python library: PyFAI. J. Appl. Crystallogr. 48, 510–519 (2015).
Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 
Levine, I. et al. Charge transfer rates and electron trapping at buried interfaces of perovskite solar cells. Joule 5, 2915–2933 (2021).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Thiesbrummel, J. et al. Universal current losses in perovskite solar cells due to mobile ions. Adv. Energy Mater. 11, 2101447 (2021).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Thiesbrummel, J. et al. Ion-induced field screening as a dominant factor in perovskite solar cell operational stability. Nat. Energy 9, 664–676 (2024).
Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 
Li, M. et al. Strategies to improve the mechanical robustness of metal halide perovskite solar cells. Energy Adv. 3, 273–280 (2024).
Article  CAS  Google Scholar 
Kanninen, M. F. An augmented double cantilever beam model for studying crack propagation and arrest. Int. J. Fract. 9, 83–92 (1973).
Article  ADS  Google Scholar 
Download references
We thank F. Toniolo, F. Sahli, and Y. Liu for their support in cell development, P. Chen from Scenergy and Patrick Wyss for the wet chemical processing of the Si wafers, A. Descoeudres, V. Gainche, Philippe Wyss, B. Paviet-Salomon, S. Dunand for Si bottom-cell fabrications, J. Geissbuhler for support in cell measurement, J. Decoppet and A. Theytaz for atomic layer deposition and screen printing, J. Gay for the SiO_x-np supply, A. Bonet for NMR measurements and analysis and L. Klimmek for measurement support in iV_OC imaging. GIWAXS experiments were performed at the NCD-SWEET beamline at ALBA Synchrotron with the collaboration of ALBA staff. The authors acknowledge funding from the European Union’s Horizon programme (VIPERLAB, 101006715, TRIUMPH, 101075725), the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) (TRIUMPH, 101075725), the Swiss National Science Foundation (Radicals, CRSII5_216647), the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (PERSISTARS, BESTOBOT, COMET, 502791-01), the ‘Fonds Électricité Vitale Vert des Services Industriels de Genève’ and the ETH Domain through an AM grant (AMYS). M.O., D.T. and A.K. acknowledge funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under a Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant (945363 and 101034260). D.T. acknowledges the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for an FCS/ESKAS Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship. This project has received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) under the NanoMatFutur Call, project number 03XP0625, COMET PV, and the European Union’s Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe (2021–2027) under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowships (European Fellowship) 101061809 HyPerGreen. DFT calculations were performed at the Swiss National Computing Centre (CSCS) under project ID lp60. J.A.S. acknowledges financial support from the Australian Research Council (DE230100173) and travel funding provided by the International Synchrotron Access Programme (ISAP) managed by the Australian Synchrotron, part of ANSTO, and financed by the Australian Government. Fracture energy measurements are based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 2339233.
Photovoltaics and Thin Film Electronics Laboratory (PV-lab), Institute of Electrical and Micro Engineering (IEM), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Kerem Artuk, Deniz Turkay, Austin Kuba, Julien Hurni, Joël Spitznagel, Hugo Quest, Jonas Diekmann, Chiara Ongaro, Mostafa Othman, Hilal Aybike Can, Mohammad Reza Golobostanfard, Umang Desai, Paul Remondeau, Antonin Faes, Aïcha Hessler-Wyser, Christophe Ballif & Christian M. Wolff
Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM), Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Kerem Artuk, Michele De Bastiani, Jun Zhao, Felipe Saenz, Lisa Champault, Antonin Faes, Quentin Jeangros & Christophe Ballif
Chaire de Simulation à l′Echelle Atomique (CSEA), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
Stefan Riemelmoser & Alfredo Pasquarello
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Julian A. Steele
School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Julian A. Steele
3S Swiss Solar Solutions AG, Gwatt (Thun), Switzerland
Hugo Quest
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Freiburg, Germany
Maryamsadat Heydarian, Oliver Fischer, Martin C. Schubert & Florian Schindler
Chair for Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Department of Sustainable Systems Engineering (INATECH), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Oliver Fischer
Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Huagui Lai, Jonathan S. Austin & Fan Fu
Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Stefan Zeiske, Rafael López-Arteaga, Cheng Liu, Bin Chen & Edward H. Sargent
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, Switzerland
Mounir D. Mensi
Physik und Optoelektronik weicher Materie, Institut für Physik und Astronomie, Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Andrés-Felipe Castro-Méndez & Felix Lang
Materials Science and Engineering, Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
Muzhi Li & Nicholas Rolston
Young Investigator Group, Robotized Material and Photovoltaic Engineering, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Berlin, Germany
Thomas W. Gries, Siddha Hill & Artem Musiienko
NCD-SWEET beamline at ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
Eduardo Solano
Photophysics and OptoElectronics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Giuseppe Portale
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Edward H. Sargent
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar
Conceptualization of the idea: K.A., A.K. and C.M.W. Three-step absorber development: K.A. and A.K. Single-junction fabrication: K.A. and A.K. Tandem and triple-junction fabrication: K.A. Bottom-cell fabrication: J.S., M.D.B. and J.H. Middle-reflector development: K.A. and D.T. Encapsulation and damp-heat testing: L.C. GIWAXS measurements: J.A.S., E.S. and G.P. Analysis: J.A.S. DFT calculations: S.R. Analysis: S.R. and A.P. COMSOL simulations: J.D. Cross-section SEM: D.T., J.H. and M.O. ToF-SIMS measurement analysis: H.L. and F.F. XPS/UPS measurements: M.D.M. Analysis: M.D.M. and K.A. Transient absorption and high-dynamic-range EQE measurements: S.Z. and R.L.-A. Fracture energy measurements: M.L. and N.R. Transient surface photovoltage measurements: T.W.G., S.H. and A.M. Bias-assisted charge extraction measurements: A.-C.F.-M. and F.L. Outdoor monitoring: A.F., P.R. and U.D. Data analysis: H.Q. In situ iV_OC imaging: O.F. EQE and J–V measurements at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems: M.H. Writing: review and editing: K.A., Q.J. and C.M.W. Supervision and funding acquisition: A.H.-W., A.P., E.H.S., F. Schindler, A.F., M.C.S., Q.J., C.B. and C.M.W. Manuscript revision: all authors.
Correspondence to Kerem Artuk or Christian M. Wolff.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available.
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Notes 1–14, Supplementary Tables 1–3, Supplementary Figs. 1–82 and Supplementary References.
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Reprints and permissions
Artuk, K., Turkay, D., Kuba, A. et al. Triple-junction solar cells with improved carrier and photon management. Nature 653, 90–97 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10385-y
Download citation
Received: 08 July 2025
Accepted: 10 March 2026
Published: 17 March 2026
Version of record: 29 April 2026
Issue date: 07 May 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10385-y
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.