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MG News | October 13, 2026 at 03:16 PM GMT+05:00
October 13, 2026 (MLN): The remaining 3.0-megawatt (MW) renewable energy system has been commissioned at Kohinoor Mills Limited (PSX: KML), taking the company’s total solar energy generation capacity at its manufacturing facility to 10.2MW, according to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
More than 20% of the company’s operational electricity needs are now being met through the solar photovoltaic system.
The expansion is expected to reduce unit energy costs, lower exposure to government-related grid tariff volatility, and support national objectives by decreasing reliance on imported fuels and associated carbon emissions.
The latest commissioning follows the company’s update of December 10, 2025, when the remaining 2.7MW solar photovoltaic system was completed at the facility.
That addition lifted total solar capacity to 7.2MW, also meeting more than 20% of operational electricity needs through renewable energy.
At that time, management had approved the installation of an additional 3MW solar system by the end of the current financial year, to advance the company’s sustainability and efficiency goals.
Date
Capacity commissioned
Total solar capacity
10-Dec-25
2.7MW
7.2MW
Latest
3.0MW
10.2MW
 
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Kohinoor Mills adds 3MW solar, takes total capacity to 10.2MW
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ARENA has approved AUD 31.1 million funding under round 3 of Solar Sunshot program  
Luminous Robotics has secured AUD 17.8 million to establish a Melbourne manufacturing facility for 100 autonomous LUMI robots by 2029 
Built Robotics Australia will set up its Brisbane manufacturing hub and operations center for autonomous piling systems 
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to AUD 31.1 million funding to support two solar robotics manufacturing facilities under the government’s Solar Sunshot program. These projects will automate solar panel installations for large-scale solar farms.   
ARENA opened the AUD 1 billion Solar Sunshot Round 2 with an AUD 150 million budget in September 2025. The program aims to support the development of solar PV manufacturing industry in Australia (see Australia’ ARENA Opens Solar Sunshot Funding Round 2).  
Of the winning projects, Luminous Robotics has secured AUD 17.8 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Melbourne. It will produce autonomous solar panel installation robots called LUMIs. It targets to manufacture and deploy about 100 LUMI robots by 2029.    
The company previously secured AUD 4.9 million from ARENA under the Solar ScaleUp Challenge to deploy its LUMI robots for large-scale solar installations (see Luminous Wins AUD 4.9M In ARENA’s Solar ScaleUp Challenge).  
“We’ve proven LUMI on real solar farms in Australia, in the heat and dust, doing some of the hardest work on site. With ARENA’s support, the next step is to turn that into scale,” said Tenzin Crouch, Luminous Robotics Australia General Manager.  
The other winner of this round is Built Robotics Australia. It has secured up to AUD 13.3 million to establish a manufacturing hub and operations center for autonomous piling systems for utility-scale solar, in Brisbane. The target is to manufacture and deploy 12 robotic piling systems that will automate labor-intensive stage of solar farm construction.  
Built Robotics was one of the winners of ARENA’s AUD 3.2 million funding in 2024 for robotics and software projects (see ARENA Commits AUD 3.2 Million To Drive Down Solar Costs With Software Solutions). 
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said, “Australia needs to install large volumes of solar quickly and cost-effectively. Local manufacturing and automation can improve the way solar farms are built by reducing construction costs and making installation faster, safer and more efficient; an important part of ARENA’s ultra low-cost solar vision.” 
As part of the vision to achieve 30-30-30 goal—30% solar module efficiency, installed cost of 30 cents/W by 2030—to deliver solar electricity at less than AUD 20/MWh, ARENA is backing new approaches to accelerating utility-scale solar deployment through automation and integrated demonstrations (see ARENA: Lower Solar Module Prices Not Enough For 30-30-30 Goal).    
TaiyangNews 2024

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Burgenland Energie is Austria’s largest wind and solar PV company and has doubled its renewable energy generation capacity over the past five years. To achieve energy independence for Burgenland by 2030, the company plans to expand capacity by up to a further 2,000 megawatts (MW), equivalent to around 20 percent of Austria’s current wind and solar capacity. In addition to directly financing Burgenland Energie, the EIB has supported loans from Erste Bank and Landesbank Baden-Württemberg totalling 100 million euros for the project.
“Investments like these are making Europe’s energy independence a reality while strengthening our industrial base and the fight against climate change” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “Energy is now a question of security and competitiveness. Burgenland shows what can be achieved when ambitious regional projects, long-term finance and European support come together.”
The EIB financing is supported under the European Union’s InvestEU programme. The project also advances the REPowerEU plan to reduce Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.
“Austria and Europe need more renewable energy produced domestically” added Stephan Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of Burgenland Energie. “Five years ago, Burgenland was 50 percent energy-independent. Today, that figure has already reached 75 percent. This success demonstrates what is possible when you consistently believe in a vision and turn it into reality, step by step. Our goal remains unchanged: 100 percent energy independence and climate neutrality by 2030. The additional financing from the European Investment Bank sends a strong signal that Europe believes in this path and shares this vision. Together, we are demonstrating that the answer to the energy crisis, the climate crisis and dependence on fossil fuel imports lies in Europe’s renewable energy sources. Burgenland can show what Europe’s energy future could look like.”
The ambition to make Burgenland one of the world’s first climate-neutral and energy-independent regions by 2030 encompasses around 40 sites across the region. The total investment is estimated at approximately 1.5 billion euros. Other financing partners include the Austrian banks UniCredit Bank Austria and Raiffeisen Bank International, the Austrian insurer Wiener Städtische, and the German financial services group Talanx Group.
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A team of researchers from Empa, the Helmholtz Center for Materials and Energy in Berlin, and other partners was able to experimentally determine the light output in chalcogenide perovskites for the first time.
Insights: Researcher Mirjana Dimitrievska is conducting in-depth investigations of the new materials using a variety of methods.
Potential applications may change as the material is developed. Materials for solar cells are also of interest for other optoelectronic applications, such as photodetectors.
Newswise — A typical solar cell is made of crystalline silicon and converts about 20 percent of the incoming sunlight into energy. This is the most common way to manufacture a solar cell – but not the only one. Other materials can, for example, enable lightweight and flexible cells, require less energy during manufacturing, or increase their efficiency.
Perovskite solar cells are a promising alternative. In materials science, the term “perovskite” does not refer to a specific chemical compound, but rather to a type of material structure. The best-known representatives are halide perovskites, which are the subject of active research at Empa and elsewhere and are being commercialized by the Empa spin-off Perovskia Solar. However, other materials can also adopt this crystalline perovskite structure.
A rising star in the world of perovskites are the so-called chalcogenide perovskites. Chalcogenides are stable, consist of non-toxic elements that are abundant in the Earth’s crust, and have the necessary optical and electronic properties for solar cells and similar applications – at least in theory. This is because, until now, one of the most important properties – the efficiency of light emission – had not been experimentally demonstrated in these materials.
A team of Empa researchers led by Mirjana Dimitrievska, in collaboration with Susan Schorr from the Helmholtz-Zentrum for Materials and Energy in Berlin and other partners, has now shown light emission efficiency in chalcogenide perovskites for the first time. The researchers have published the results of their study in the journal Advanced Optical Materials.
To tease photoluminescence – the ability to «light up», so to speak – from the material, Empa researchers investigated a crystal of barium zirconium sulfide, a chalcogenide perovskite, which was produced at the Helmholtz Center. To do so, they employed advanced spectroscopic methods, a specialty of Mirjana Dimitrievska’s research group. “We have demonstrated that the material exhibits relatively strong photoluminescence. However, when it is produced as a thin film, this photoluminescence is strongly quenched by defects introduced during synthesis and processing,” explains the researcher. “Our results on single crystals though match the theory very well.”
The discrepancy between theory and practice is a fundamental aspect of materials science. “Material development usually begins with theory,” says Dimitrievska. “Computational materials scientists use theoretical models and calculations to identify which materials might be suitable for a specific application. These materials are then synthesized and processed into initial prototype components, as parts of devices such as solar cells or photodetectors, to see how they perform and if they meet expectations.”
When practice deviates from theory, it is up to spectroscopy experts like Dimitrievska to determine the why. “We can establish, for example, whether the synthesis process was suboptimal and the material has too many defects, or whether the electrical connections in the prototype device are the issue,” she explains. Based on these findings, both the synthesis and the processing of the material are further refined – until it is ready for application. There is still a great deal of development work to be done before chalcogenide perovskites can be used in practice. However: “Our study has shown that these materials have great potential and that further research into them is worthwhile,” Dimitrievska concludes.
Potential applications may change as the material is developed. Materials for solar cells are also of interest for other optoelectronic applications, such as photodetectors. And sometimes, entirely unexpected applications emerge. During the synthesis of chalcogenide perovskites from their constituent elements, a byproduct is formed. Instead of the crystalline perovskite lattice, tiny needle-like structures with a hexagonal cross-section are formed. This previously undesirable phase has astonishing properties. The chalcogenide needles polarize, refract and conduct light in unique ways, as well as showing potential as superconductors as well as quantum materials.
In a project supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as part of its international Weave program, Dimitrievska and her team, in collaboration with Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, now aim to investigate these “quantum needles,” further develop their synthesis, better understand their unique properties, and integrate them into the first photonic and electronic components.

Credit: Empa
Caption: A team of researchers from Empa, the Helmholtz Center for Materials and Energy in Berlin, and other partners was able to experimentally determine the light output in chalcogenide perovskites for the first time.
Credit: Empa
Caption: Insights: Researcher Mirjana Dimitrievska is conducting in-depth investigations of the new materials using a variety of methods.
Credit: Empa
Caption: Potential applications may change as the material is developed. Materials for solar cells are also of interest for other optoelectronic applications, such as photodetectors.
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Atomic Motion May Push Solar Cells Beyond Conventional Limits  Mirage News
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By Canary Media
Canary Media
13 October 2026
Qcells, one of the most prolific solar manufacturers operating in the U.S., is staking a claim on the next generation of solar power.

Laboratory scientists have established that solar panels convert sunlight to electricity with much higher efficiency if traditional silicon cells are paired with layers of perovskites, a type of crystal that can be synthesized with a wide range of ingredients. These constructions have set stunning efficiency records in the lab, but break down far too quickly out in the real world.

A number of startups — including Tandem PV, Oxford PV, and Caelux — have been trying to solve this problem and commercialize these so-called tandem perovskite panels. But none of them are mass producing and selling tandem panels with a commercial warranty akin to conventional solar. 

Qcells aims to be among the first to make that leap. Qcells is testing full-size tandem panels in the field and plans to open a gigawatt-scale factory to produce them in 2029, Global Chief Technology Officer Danielle Merfeld told Canary Media.

That means competition is heating up in the race to build large-scale perovskite solar factories, even as the contenders still must prove that their tandem products survive long enough to be commercially viable. 

Chinese company GCL said it opened a 1-GW factory last year in Kunshan, near Shanghai; that said, factory developers in China can avail themselves of many types of direct public support that aren’t available to companies in other countries, making it hard to extrapolate lessons about perovskites’ commercial readiness. In the U.S., Tandem PV is targeting 2028 for building a gigawatt-scale factory, CEO Scott Wharton told Canary Media. ​“I think we’ve seen enough on the product side. It’s more you’ve got to raise money,” he said. 

Qcells, originally a German firm that was acquired by South Korea’s Hanwha in 2012, has been developing tandem cells since 2016. It opened a pilot R&D line to make tandem prototypes in Germany in 2022, then, in 2024, launched a 40-megawatt pilot line in South Korea that produces full-size tandem panels. That sizing is notable in itself, as the competing perovskite startups are still transitioning from smaller test cells to bigger systems. 

Current high-performance solar panels convert the sunlight with around 24% efficiency. That number has been inching higher as manufacturers hone their craft, Merfeld said: Over the last decade, the rate has improved by half a percentage point each year. 

Qcells set a tandem efficiency record in 2024, when an independent body confirmed a rate of 28.6% for a standard-size silicon cell layered with perovskites. That’s like gaining eight years of incremental progress, instantly. Conventional panels will have narrowed the gap a bit by 2029, but Merfeld expects another cycle of process improvements once tandem hits mass production.

Should Qcells or any competitors succeed in bringing perovskites to market, that could profoundly accelerate the adoption of solar power, which has already become the top new power source getting built in the U.S. and around the world.

Tandem panels produce more energy in the same size package as conventional panels. That means installers could turn rooftops or fields into more productive clean power plants in the same footprint. Or they could generate the same amount of electricity in a smaller space, with compounded savings on all the non-panel costs, like wiring, auxiliary equipment, land, and labor.

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Leapfrogging clean energy hardware is painstaking work fraught with setbacks — just ask anyone hoping to bring solid-state batteries to market, or actually install a small modular nuclear reactor. Silicon Valley has invested billions of dollars in the belief that nimble, venture-backed startups are best suited to invent these new climate solutions, rather than the ossified incumbent energy companies. Qcells proposes a different theory of the case.

“We’re not a startup, unlike a lot of the Western tandem developers,” Merfeld said. ​“We don’t need to raise money. We don’t need to excite investors, except for our own internal owners. We’re only working on commercial scale.”

In other words, setting new records with tiny sample cells might make sense if the goal is to generate headlines and stimulate venture capitalists, but that is a separate pursuit from honing a product for mass manufacturing.

Qcells has spent years studying the ​“killer issues” that degrade silicon cells over time, such as light, heat, and dampness. ​“We have the right muscles to solve those problems,” Merfeld said.

To that end, in July Qcells announced its tandem panel passed testing against the solar panel quality standards set by UL and the International Electrotechnical Commission. The panels had to withstand a barrage of highly calibrated physical stresses and still produce power reliably. Since no tandem panel has actually operated for 20-plus years, these third-party accelerated degradation tests offer a necessary proof point for the banks that will ultimately need to finance installations of the technology.

There’s more to do to keep building that confidence. Qcells declined to share the ingredients it chose for its perovskites, or to share degradation data from early field testing. But Merfeld said the company installed tandem panels at its own test sites over the last year, and is also getting them to potential customers so they can see for themselves how they work. Waiting until 2029 to launch the gigascale factory allows time to convince large buyers of solar panels that they should make the jump to perovskites.

The location of that proposed factory has not been decided yet (though a company presentation in Seoul last week seemed to indicate that Jincheon, South Korea, was the pick). Qcells designed its new, vertically integrated solar factory in Cartersville, Georgia, to easily upgrade to tandem fabrication when the time comes, Merfeld noted. 

But Merfeld argued that supportive industrial policy will be a determining factor in where the tandem factory goes. Qcells has previously advocated for domestic manufacturing incentives and trade protections against cheap imports from China-linked firms, to bolster U.S. solar manufacturing as a strategic industry. The company suffered from the absence of such policies in Germany, which let that country’s ​“Solar Valley” get wiped out by competition from state-backed Chinese manufacturers in the early 2010s. (Qcells survived that episode because Hanwha bought it out of bankruptcy for nearly $45 million.)

“We learn by doing,” Merfeld said. ​“If you support the innovation here, you build that cycle that you need to build more and learn more.”

Qcells has far more experience scaling gigawatts of solar production than the rival perovskite startups. It just has to demonstrate that an incumbent multinational corporation can beat its smaller, singularly focused competitors in the innovation game.

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Julian Spector is a senior reporter at Canary Media. He reports on batteries, long-duration energy storage, low-carbon hydrogen, and clean energy breakthroughs around the world.
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London Stadium has generated more than 1 million kWh of clean energy since its solar panels went live in July 2025. This output provides enough electricity to match the annual power demand of more than 350 family homes while cutting 177 tonnes of carbon emissions. 
The milestone comes as the multi-purpose Olympic venue marks its first 14 months of generating renewable energy on-site. The on-site renewable energy has generated the equivalent energy needed to power all the venue’s major events including Metallica and Take That concerts, international athletics and West Ham United fixtures.
London Stadium’s defining strength is flexibility, but that versatility comes with cost and complexity. This portrait examines the decisions, investments and governance changes shaping the venue and its next chapter. Click here to read the article.
In June 2026 alone, over 140,000 kWh of energy was produced, meeting 21% of the venue’s demand for that month. 
Powered by Ameresco UK, the 6,500m² membrane system features 3,350 solar panels integrated directly into the roof of London Stadium, creating one of the largest stadium solar installations in Europe. The solar panels form part of a wider 4.35m British pounds (approx. 5.1m EUR / 25.8m USD) climate action investment supported by the Mayor of London’s Green Finance Fund, designed to accelerate the capital’s transition to net zero.

The solar panel system on the roof of the London Stadium has been generating electricity since July 2025. Image: London Stadium

Sacha Giovannoni, Sustainability Manager at London Stadium, said: “This landmark of 1 million kWh of energy generated is a significant one as we aim to make London Stadium one of the UK’s most sustainable venues. It is extremely exciting to be one of the venues leading the way in sustainable venue management, achieving remarkable environmental milestones through innovative technology and strategic partnerships.”
Justin Jacober, Managing Director at Ameresco UK, said: “Reaching 1 million kWh of clean energy generation is a fantastic milestone for London Stadium and a powerful example of what can be achieved when major venues invest in practical, long-term solutions to reduce carbon emissions.” (stadiaworld, 13.10.2026)
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India added 50.6 GW of solar module and 9.7 GW of cell manufacturing capacity in the first half (1H) of 2026, taking its cumulative solar module manufacturing capacity to 261.7 GW and cell manufacturing capacity to 36.6 GW as of June 2026, according to Mercom India’s recently released report, State of Solar PV Manufacturing in India 1H 2026.
As of the report’s release, cumulative module capacity under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-I stood at 225.5 GW, against nearly 35.5 GW of cumulative cell capacity under ALMM List-II.
“Domestic cell shortages have become the biggest near-term challenge for India’s solar market. Module capacity has expanded rapidly, but cell supply has not kept pace, tightening availability and pushing up prices for compliant modules and sharply slowing project activity. Many module manufacturers are struggling to maintain production because of limited domestic cell availability,” said Raj Prabhu, CEO at Mercom Capital Group.
Prabhu said that the installed cell capacity overstates actual availability, as new lines take months to reach stable commercial production. ALMM List-II has intensified the pressure by increasing dependence on domestic cell supply before enough capacity was commercially available.
Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) accounted for 80% of the total ALMM-listed module manufacturing capacity as of June 2026, followed by monocrystalline PERC/TOPCon at 11% and mono PERC at 4%. HJT accounted for 3%, while thin-film technology represented 2% of the total ALMM-listed capacity.
“Until commercially available cell supply catches up with demand, the entire industry will remain under pressure, with manufacturers facing production constraints and developers facing commissioning delays,” added Prabhu.
Gujarat remained the most favorable destination for solar module manufacturing, accounting for nearly 45% of the cumulative capacity as of June 2026. Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu followed with module production capacities of 26.1 GW and 23.4 GW.
Gujarat also held the largest annual solar cell production capacity at 37%. Tamil Nadu and Telangana were other top states, with capacities of 4.3 GW and 4.2 GW, respectively.
In 1H 2026, India’s imports of solar cells and modules increased 18% compared to 1H 2025. Cells accounted for 81% of total imports, while modules accounted for 19%.
The U.S. remained India’s largest solar export destination in 1H 2026, accounting for 92% of total exports.
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Minimal changes to our outlook indicate structural and policy challenges to continued growth
Trade actions and tariffs continue to challenge portions of the US solar manufacturing industry
Strong pipelines will ensure average additions of 43 GW in the next five years, but market challenges constrain growth
Residential solar slowly starts growing again in 2027, fueled by continued third-party ownership project tax credit eligibility and higher retail energy prices
1,179 MWdc installed in Q1 2026, up 6% from Q1 2025, down 15% from Q4 2025
The residential solar market grew 6% year-over-year in Q1, marking one of its strongest quarters in the past two years other than Q4 2025
After a significant contraction in 2026, the segment will begin recovery and grow at an average annual rate of 6% between 2027 and 2031
523 MWdc installed in Q1 2026, down 4% from Q1 2025, down 25% from Q4 2025
New commercial solar capacity additions driven by California, with Illinois and Pennsylvania gaining ground
Following a 2026 contraction, safe harbored project buildout and rising retail rates will drive sustained market growth through 2031
247 MWdc installed in Q1 2026, down 4% from Q1 2025, down 67% from Q4 2025
Strong project pipelines and improving queue efficiency bolster near-term outlook ahead of ITC expiration
National market growth will decline beginning in 2028 in the absence of new state programs
5.9 GWdc installed in Q1 2026, down 34% from Q1 2025, 211 GWdc of utility-scale solar will be added between 2026 and 2031
Slow Q1 installs mask strong underlying momentum, supported by on-schedule project execution and a 15% increase in contracting activity
We expect the utility-scale segment to add 211 GWdc between 2026 and 2031
Note: We employ a bottoms-up modeling methodology to capture, track and report national average PV system pricing by segment. Prices are reflective of ‘overnight’ pricing incurred in the year in which the project is being contracted, and no procurement or construction lags are being factored into modelling assumptions. The methodology is based on the tracked wholesale pricing of major solar components and data collected from industry interviews. Wood Mackenzie’s supply chain data and models are leveraged to enhance and bolster our pricing outlooks.
PV system prices fell for all segments except commercial in Q1 2026
The decline was driven by module prices decreasing across all segments and lower residential customer acquisition costs
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The UK energy price cap has now risen to 4 percent and recent reports even suggest that household energy bills could increase by £276 in January, it seems household energy bills are unlikely to decrease any time soon.
The Eco Experts’ findings show that UK households are turning to green technology to help lower their household energy bills, showing that homeowners are dissatisfied with government efforts to lower energy bills.
When asked if they agree that the government is doing enough to cut energy bills, the majority of respondents (65 percent) said they disagree, with just 15 percent of respondents saying they agree that enough is being done to cut bills, revealing a clear disappointment in the government to lower energy bills in UK homes.
However, UK households appear to be finding their own solution to energy bill costs, as 85 percent of UK homeowners say they believe renewable tech can help lower energy bills. With so many respondents backing renewable energy sources, perhaps the government might invest in more green technology.
According to The Eco Experts’ latest survey data, a staggering majority (78 percent) of UK homeowners said that the primary reason they purchased solar panels was to lower their household energy bills.
This stood out as the most popular reason for purchasing domestic solar panels, shedding light on the demand for green technology as a means of reducing household energy costs.
Primary reasons for purchasing solar panels:
To reduce household energy bills: 78 percent
To lower a home’s carbon footprint: 49 percent
To improve a home’s EPC rating: 27 percent
To gain independence from the National Grid: 24 percent
To make their home more valuable: 23 percent
To take advantage of government grants: 20 percent
Recommendation from friends, family of neighbours: 3 percent
“The government is clearly struggling to bring down bills, despite doing useful things like VAT off electricity” added The Eco Experts’ Deputy Editor, Maximilian Schwerdtfeger. “The reality is that the UK is too dependent on wholesale gas to generate electricity. The only way to get away from that is to improve renewable energy generation, storage, and capacity. Ministers also need to help more UK households get the technology that will protect them from shocks in the fossil fuel market, namely solar panels, both rooftop and plug in. The government should see this as an opportunity. There is clearly huge momentum behind clean technology, households still need help getting it. How can Andy Burnham do that? Remove VAT from plug-in solar panels, keep VAT off rooftop solar panels beyond 31st March 2027, and include plug-in solar panels in the Warm Homes later in the year. Another thing it should look at is legalising plug-in batteries. There is already work going in that direction, but we think the government should get new legislation through as soon as possible.”
For additional information:
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Quarter 4 2026 Update
Almost all of the modules are installed on the storage building and the GreenPower crew will be complete with all rooftop work in October. The crew will continue to work on installing the balance of the system inside of the building with an intent to have everything completed by the end of the year. 
This project will install 1,200 kW of solar electric (PV) panels on two buildings at the Metro Hanson Road Satellite Bus Facility. When complete the arrays will generate ~1,530,000 kWh of electricity per year reducing operational costs for Metro. The array will be installed by the Engineering Division’s GreenPower program where trainees with little to no electrical skills are provided on-the-job training through solar installations on City buildings.
City User Agency: Madison Metro
Planning and Design: Quarter 2 2025 through Quarter 1 2026
Construction Start Date: Quarter 2 2026
Expected Completion Date: Quarter 4 2026
Quarter 4 2026 Update
Almost all of the modules are installed on the storage building and the GreenPower crew will be complete with all rooftop work in October. The crew will continue to work on installing the balance of the system inside of the building with an intent to have everything completed by the end of the year. 
Quarter 3 2026 Update
Construction has started on the PV arrays. All modules have been installed on the maintenance building roof (3829) and the GreenPower crew is working on wiring the system. The roof replacement for the storage building (3901) is complete and the GreenPower crew will start installing racking and modules this month. 
 
Quarter 1 2026 Update
Project planning and material procurement is underway. The Engineering Division’s GreenPower installation crew will start working onsite in late spring. 3901 Hanson Road’s roof is being replaced ahead of this project through a purchase of service contract.
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How to remove dust on solar panels without using water, improving overall efficiency  MIT Energy Initiative
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Delhi govt to provide free rooftop solar panels to 2.3 lakh families in first phase  The Indian Express
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Elgin, an Ireland-based independent power producer, has acquired the 40 MW Kilderry Solar Farm in County Kilkenny in Ireland from BayWa r.e. The solar farm will stand approximately 1 km south of Johnswell village, where it is to cover more than 45 hectares. Planning permission is already in place, because Kilkenny County Council granted it to BayWa r.e. in October 2024. Elgin holds several development assets in close proximity to the project. The purchase follows the recent acquisition by Elgin of the approximately 200 MW Blackhall Solar Farm in County Meath, Ireland. Dermot Kelleher, the chief executive officer of Elgin, said that the two purchases reflect a strategy in which the company combines selective acquisitions with its own development pipeline. Gemma Hamilton, the managing director of BayWa r.e. UK, said that the transaction creates an opportunity to accelerate the delivery of Kilderry under the ownership of Elgin.
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India’s electricity generation increased 11% year-on-year to 536 billion units (BU) in the second quarter of FY2026-27, while peak electricity demand reached a record 270 GW, 18% higher than the peak recorded in Q2 FY2025-26. Amidst this growing demand, renewable electricity generation (excluding large hydro) crossed 100 BU for the first time, reaching 101 BU, as combined non-fossil generation reached a record 177 BU, up from 163 BU in Q2 FY2025-26.
Solar remained the fastest-growing major power source, with generation increasing 39% year-on-year to 51 BU, while wind generation rose 29% year-on-year to 45 BU. Solar accounted for 10% of total electricity generation in Q2 FY2026-27 for the first time and reached a new daily record of 705 MU on Sept. 30. Non-fossil sources, including renewables, hydropower, and nuclear, accounted for around 33% of total generation in Q2 FY2026-27.
Large hydropower generation rose from 39 BU in Q1 FY2026-27 to 60 BU in Q2 FY2026-27, a 53% quarter-on-quarter increase, but remained 20% below Q2 FY2025-26. The increase in hydropower between Q1 and Q2, together with strong year-on-year growth in solar and wind, contributed to renewable generation crossing 100 BU in Q2 FY2026-27. Coal accounted for around 64% of total generation, broadly unchanged from Q2 FY2025-26.
Even as national peak demand reached a record 270 GW in Q2 FY 2026–27, coal power plant utilisation remained at just 68%, down from 73% in Q1. This indicates that the coal fleet had substantial unused capacity even during periods of record electricity demand. Coal consumption remained broadly stable at around 79 million tonnes per month from May through September, but coal dispatch to power plants declined from 74 million tonnes in May to 66 million tonnes in August, the lowest level in 2026.
Average freight train rake loading also fell from around 290 rakes of coal per day in June to 280 in August, indicating a weakening flow of coal to power plants despite continued coal consumption. Rake loading was subsequently ramped up sharply in early September, reaching 444 rakes on 6 September.
Despite these efforts, coal stocks at power plants fell to 21 million tonnes by 30 September, just 36% of the normative requirement of 58 million tonnes, while the number of plants with stocks below 25% of their normative requirement rose sharply from 32 on 22 August to 91 on 6 October.
India’s installed power capacity reached 555 GW by August 2026, with non-fossil sources accounting for around 55% of installed capacity. Renewable energy excluding large hydro increased to 243 GW, including 168 GW of solar capacity. Renewable capacity additions also outpaced thermal additions in Q2 FY2026-27, with around 7 GW of renewable capacity added compared with 0.8 GW of thermal capacity.
India’s energy storage pipeline is also expanding, with around 290 GWh of storage capacity tendered by August 2026, including pumped storage and battery energy storage systems. Around 9.1 GWh of battery storage was operational, with storage contributing up to 5.5 GW during nighttime peak demand.
Even with national peak demand reaching a record 270 GW, India’s coal power plants only reached 68% of their utilisation rate in Q2 FY2026-27. As solar increasingly meets daytime electricity demand and storage helps meet evening and nighttime peaks, new thermal capacity should be assessed against expected demand, renewable generation, and storage availability. This will help avoid building capacity that could remain underutilised as India’s power system evolves–Manoj Kumar, India Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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Southeast Asia’s BESS barriers are mostly regulatory, not technical  Energy-Storage.News
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Researchers at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia have investigated whether luminescent ultraviolet down-shifting (UVDS) layers could replace conventional UV absorbers to reduce UV-induced degradation in solar cells based on tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) technology and have found that the small initial performance penalty associated with UVDS layers could be offset by higher long-term energy yields if UV-induced degradation is effectively suppressed.
Both UVDS layers and conventional UV absorbers are designed to protect solar cells from harmful UV radiation. However, while conventional UV absorbers primarily dissipate the absorbed energy as heat, UVDS layers convert UV radiation into visible light by absorbing high-energy UV photons and re-emitting them at longer wavelengths. The main advantage of UVDS layers is their ability to make part of the absorbed UV radiation available for electricity generation while protecting solar cells from UV-induced degradation, potentially improving long-term energy yields.
“UVDS integration shifts part of the incident photon flux from the ultraviolet region into a spectral range where the external quantum efficiency of silicon solar cells is typically higher,” the scientists explained. “While UVDS concepts have been studied for several decades and across various photovoltaic technologies, their practical implementation remains challenging due to the complex interplay between absorption, photoluminescence, reabsorption, optical trapping, device geometry, and outdoor operating conditions.”
Against this backdrop, the research team developed an optical modeling framework for UVDS layers integrated into realistic photovoltaic devices. “Throughout this work, the investigated UVDS materials are treated as experimentally characterized optical systems defined by their measured absorption, emission, and photoluminescence properties, which constitute the relevant inputs for the proposed modelling approach,” they stressed.
The researchers developed UVDS encapsulant layers using organic photoluminescent dyes dispersed in a polyolefin elastomer (POE) matrix. The layers were fabricated through a twin-screw cast extrusion process, producing films approximately 400 μm thick. The films had thicknesses ranging from 350 μm to 450 μm and a surface roughness of approximately 105 nm. The team also prepared formulations with dye concentrations up to 100 times higher than the reference concentration.
Measurements of reflectance, transmittance, and absorptance were used to calibrate and validate the numerical model. The researchers estimated a photoluminescence quantum yield of approximately 95%, indicating efficient conversion of absorbed photons into emitted light. The UVDS layers were subsequently incorporated into mini-modules based on commercially available TOPCon solar cells. Current-voltage and external quantum efficiency measurements were performed to validate the model’s predictions at the device level.
The model was designed to track incident photons as they pass through the UVDS layer, calculating their absorption and subsequent emission at longer wavelengths. It also simulated the direction of emitted light and the possibility of multiple reabsorption and re-emission events before photons escape or are absorbed elsewhere in the device. The simulations accounted for textured surfaces, material optical properties, and realistic layer thicknesses.
Simulations showed that increasing dye concentration enhanced UV absorption but also increased optical losses, which were partially offset by photoluminescent emission. For a UVDS layer absorbing more than 90% of incident UV photons, the short-circuit current density decreased by 1.77% without photoluminescence, compared with just 0.20% when photon conversion was included. Even the most strongly absorbing UVDS layer limited current losses to 0.34%.
“Furthermore, comparison with hypothetical UV-blocking layers without photoluminescence demonstrated that appropriately designed UVDS layers can recover a substantial fraction of the absorbed UV photon flux, resulting in photocurrent gains exceeding 2% relative to conventional UV-protection approaches with comparable absorption characteristics,” the academics explained.
To assess long-term performance, the team simulated energy production over 10 years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Phoenix, Arizona, assuming a 6% voltage loss in unprotected TOPCon cells due to UV-induced degradation. Assuming that UVDS layers completely prevent this degradation, the simulations showed that an initial performance penalty of approximately 1% could be offset by more than 4% additional cumulative energy production over the decade.
The team noted that commercial implementation will depend on manufacturing compatibility, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and the long-term stability of the luminescent materials. The predicted energy-yield gains remain conditional on effective UV protection and the assumed degradation behavior, which has not yet been experimentally validated over the simulated operating period.
“By quantifying the sensitivity of photovoltaic performance to key material properties, including absorption, emission, photoluminescence quantum yield, and degradation, the framework can guide the development and assessment of future UVDS concepts,” the researchers concluded.
Their findings are presented in the paper “Optical modelling and energy-yield assessment of UV down-shifting layers for high-efficiency TOPCon solar modules,” published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells.
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The Minns Labor Government is consulting on Australia’s first mandatory solar panel recycling scheme to ensure valuable solar panel materials are recovered, reused and recycled rather than sent to landfill.
The proposed regulation will help drive investment and jobs in the solar recycling industry and support the potential development of a solar panel remanufacturing industry in NSW.
NSW leads the nation in solar uptake, with more than 1.18 million rooftop solar systems across homes, businesses, schools and community facilities. As these systems age, increasing numbers of solar panels are ending up in landfill.
Around 14,000 tonnes of solar panel waste is generated in NSW each year. This is predicted to increase to 89,000 tonnes by 2045.
The proposed mandatory product stewardship scheme would require solar panel brand owners to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of their products, helping fund collection, recycling and resource recovery across NSW.
Recycling solar panels is not simply about reducing waste. It is also about capturing valuable resources and creating new economic opportunities.
Valuable materials such as aluminium, glass, silicon, copper and silver can be recovered and reused in new products and manufacturing industries. As larger volumes of materials are recovered, NSW will be better placed to build local supply chains, strengthen manufacturing capability, encourage innovation and create skilled jobs across the state.
To help shape this opportunity, the NSW Government has released an issues paper alongside the draft regulation, seeking feedback on how the state can support the growth of solar panel recycling, remanufacturing and manufacturing industries.
Consultation will seek views from unions, industry, recyclers, manufacturers, researchers, local government, workers and the community on the opportunities, challenges and investment needed to build a circular economy for solar panels in NSW.
Feedback will inform the design of the mandatory product stewardship scheme with the aim of establishing a system that reduces waste, recovers valuable resources and positions NSW as a leader in solar panel recycling and circular manufacturing.
Submissions on the draft regulation and issues paper are now open. For more information and to have your say, visit https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/solar.
Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:
“NSW has embraced rooftop solar, and now we’re making sure those panels don’t become tomorrow’s landfill problem. Solar panels contain valuable materials that can be recovered and put back to work.
“A mandatory product stewardship scheme can help build a circular economy for solar panels, while supporting new recycling and manufacturing opportunities here in NSW.” 
We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW, and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture.

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Home > News > Australian-made solar robots move towards commercial scale with $31.1 million in ARENA funding
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing up to $31.1 million to establish solar robotics manufacturing facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane, supporting faster, safer and more efficient construction of large-scale solar farms across Australia.
Funded under Round 2 of ARENA’s Solar Sunshot Program, the projects will manufacture two complementary technologies in Australia; robots that install solar panels and autonomous systems that drive foundation piles.
The new facilities in Victoria and Queensland will help improve productivity, reduce construction costs and ease workforce constraints as large-scale solar deployment grows, supporting Australia’s goal of ultra low-cost solar.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said these projects will advance the development of technologies previously demonstrated in Australian conditions into locally manufactured products that can be deployed at scale.
“Installing foundations and placing panels are two of the most labour-intensive parts of solar farm construction. It’s hard work in the hot sun,” Mr Miller said.
“Australia needs to install large volumes of solar quickly and cost-effectively. Local manufacturing and automation can improve the way solar farms are built by reducing construction costs and making installation faster, safer and more efficient; an important part of ARENA’s ultra low-cost solar vision.
“Manufacturing these technologies in Australia will help to strengthen local supply chains, develop specialist skills and give solar projects better access to advanced construction equipment when and where it is needed.”
ARENA is providing up to $17.8 million to Luminous Robotics to establish a Melbourne manufacturing facility for its autonomous solar panel installation robots, called LUMIs. The facility is expected to support the manufacture and deployment of around 100 LUMI robots by 2029, helping automate solar panel installation on large-scale solar farms.
Luminous Robotics came through ARENA’s 2024 Solar Challenge, an initiative designed to supercharge innovation and crowdsource ideas from across the world on how to reduce the cost of large-scale solar.
ARENA supported demonstrations of LUMI robots at solar farms in Victoria and New South Wales, where the technology was tested under Australian construction and environmental conditions. The new funding will enable moving the technology from field demonstration to industrial-scale manufacturing in Australia.
“We’ve proven LUMI on real solar farms in Australia, in the heat and dust, doing some of the hardest work on site. With ARENA’s support, the next step is to turn that into scale,” Tenzin Crouch, General Manager, Luminous Robotics Australia said.
“Building a production line in Melbourne, delivering our first hundred robots, and then growing from there. If Australia is going to build renewable energy at the scale and speed we need, robotics will have an important role to play and we are building it.”
Built Robotics Australia will receive up to $13.3 million to establish a Brisbane manufacturing hub and operations centre for autonomous piling systems used in utility-scale solar construction. The facility will manufacture and deploy 12 robotic piling systems, helping automate one of the most labour-intensive stages of solar farm construction.
The project builds on previous ARENA-supported deployments of Built Robotics’ autonomous piling technology in Australia, establishing domestic capability to manufacture, integrate and test piling systems for solar projects.
“Australia has shown the world that construction robotics and physical AI work in the field. Now we’re going to build that technology here,” Paul Kelly, Vice President of Business Development, Built Robotics, said.
“Our Brisbane hub will make Queensland a home for autonomous solar construction, creating skilled local jobs and a supply chain that serves projects in Australia, building on nearly a decade of work we’ve done here.”
Together, the projects will build Australian manufacturing capability at two critical stages of solar farm construction. By moving proven robotics into larger-scale production and deployment, they can help create a domestic equipment supply chain for Australia’s growing large-scale solar industry.
About Solar Sunshot   
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is delivering the $850 million Solar Sunshot Program to support innovation in Australia’s solar PV manufacturing industry. Solar Sunshot was announced by the Australian Government in March 2024 and aims to uncover and support innovation to drive scale and diversity in a critical industry.
Australia benefits from strong renewable energy potential, high-quality, abundant raw materials and a long track record of excellence in research and development. Solar Sunshot aims to harness these advantages so that Australia can strengthen and diversify its supply chains and create economic opportunities.
For more information, visit ARENA’s website.
We support global emissions reduction by accelerating innovation and the deployment of renewable energy, electrification and energy efficiency technologies, to the benefit of all Australians.
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“They opened the panels near seat number 34, but nothing was found.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Passengers on India’s Swatantrata Senani Superfast Express were rattled when a snake disappeared into a hidden compartment above an upper berth. When repeated searches failed to find it, railway officials removed that coach and attached another in its place.
Train 12561 was on its Jaynagar-to-New Delhi run when passengers reported the sighting in A2, the AC 2-Tier coach, according to Hindustan Times. After the 5:30 p.m. departure from Jaynagar, travelers said a snake entered a covered space above an upper berth, prompting them to notify the attendant, the TTE, and railway control.
Video recorded by fellow passenger Arun Thakur appears to capture the moment the snake entered the panel while concern spread through the compartment. When the train got to Darbhanga, the animal could no longer be seen and was believed to have moved farther inside the paneling.
Crew members removed the panel to check the area, but they did not locate the snake. The train kept moving, passing through Samastipur on the way to Muzaffarpur Junction.
At roughly 9:38 p.m., after arriving in Muzaffarpur, railway personnel and Carriage and Wagon staff had passengers step out so they could search the coach for nearly an hour.
Inside the sealed AC coach, with overhead panels, berths, and luggage, passengers did not know where the snake was.
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East Central Railway said staff began acting on the report before the train reached Muzaffarpur. East Central Railway chief public relations officer Saraswati Chandra said, “Two staff members escorted the suspected coach from Samastipur to Muzaffarpur. They opened the panels near seat number 34, but nothing was found.”
Inspectors concentrated on the hidden sections where the snake was said to have vanished.
Because the reptile still hadn’t been found, authorities removed the coach and brought in a replacement. Railway staff used announcements and direct assistance to move passengers into the newly attached coach.
Saraswati Chandra said the final decision came down to passenger safety: “However, as an extra precaution and to ensure the safety of passengers, we replaced the suspected coach at Muzaffarpur with another coach and detached the old coach.”
Snakes have turned up in plenty of unsettling places beyond this coach on the Swatantrata Senani Express, as these articles cover. 
• In another Indian coach, a snake glided down the aisle as passengers scrambled.
• In Sydney, a venomous snake slithered through a crowded train station, sparking chaos.
• On a TUI flight from Cancun, a stowaway snake vanished before anyone spotted it.
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“It’s very misleading to the laymen.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A California resident said a city permit office refused to approve the installation of an Anker Home Power Panel. The issue is that the homeowner already bought the product based on a somewhat misleading claim on the Anker website.
The senior building plans examiner said the paperwork submitted did not adequately show the required UL certification. However, the buyer purchased the panel during a sale, relying on support-page language from Anker that said it “supports UL 1741 and UL 1741 CRD-PCS.”
Commenters in an online forum pointed out a subtle wording issue at the root of the homeowner’s problems. 
In a Reddit thread, the poster said the permit application was for operating the home power panel only as an automatic transfer switch when a portable generator was plugged in. Issues arose when the examiner denied it, saying the product did not appear to be certified under UL 1741 CRD-PCS and that the SGS material submitted did not include “a certificate, a file number, or an NRTL name.”
According to the post, Anker support still had not produced a PDF of the certificate and instead sent only a partial PNG image. The examiner also rejected the image, and the poster noted that parts of it seemed cut off compared with other SGS UL 1741 certificates.
The poster said they decided to purchase after finding a support Q&A page asking whether the home power panel supported UL certification and answering that it “supports UL 1741 and UL 1741 CRD-PCS.” 
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If permit approval never comes through, a homeowner can be left with costly equipment they cannot legally install.
The discussion highlighted the difference between marketing-style wording and the documentation a permitting office can accept.
One commenter detailed the distinction: “Support UL certification? Not the same as certified to… lol.” 
A commenter replied: “It’s very misleading to the laymen.”
Another commenter argued that the panel “doesn’t appear the home power panel is certified to the 1741 CRD-PCS nor the newer UL3141 which supersedes CRD-PCS” and pointed instead to a different product line, where that certification is “readily available.” 
A separate commenter, who identified themselves as an electrical contractor in Idaho, described the safety concern that drives permit scrutiny: “The reason this is so important is that there is a possibility that any generation system that is connected to the main electrical panel could, in a failure, back feed the power grid.”
Before buying equipment that requires a permit, buyers may benefit from acquiring the formal certification document itself rather than relying on general support-page language.
It may also be important to confirm which standard a local building department wants to see. In this case, the city reviewer specifically objected that the article did not attach “a certificate, a file number, or an NRTL name.”
The poster described the next step as asking for a return if the promised documentation never arrives and saving screenshots of the company’s claims. 
The poster said that if support did not respond soon, “I’ll have to request a product return. If they don’t, I have screenshots of their website and will be filing a dispute with my credit card. I hate to do that, but if I can’t legally install this per their own claims and they refuse to accept a return, then what else is there to do?”
These articles dig into similar challenges homeowners have faced. They cover California’s changing plug-in solar rules, warning signs around solar sales claims, and other disputes over installation costs and restrictions.
• In California, lawmakers moved closer to allowing plug-in solar with no permit for some homeowners.
• NPR highlighted how predatory solar companies left homeowners facing misleading claims and costly headaches.
• EnergySage executives broke down interconnected factors behind solar costs as homeowners tried to avoid buying mistakes.
• In Wisconsin, one homeowner sought clarification on homeowners association regulations after neighbors resisted planned solar panels.
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Shakti Pumps Invests ₹10 Crore in 2.20 GW Solar Facility  SolarQuarter
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Vena Group has started commercial operations at its 72 MW Maniwa Solar Project in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The project was developed on a former golf course, repurposing previously developed land for solar power generation. Vena says the project supports the first virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) signed by LY Corporation and is Japan’s largest single solar facility dedicated to VPPAs, according to Vena Group. Digital Grid Corporation trades the electricity generated by the project on the Japan Electric Power Exchange. The project is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the annual consumption of approximately 18,500 households. 
New Zealand-based Lodestone Energy has signed electricity supply agreements with Briscoe Group and Farro, expanding its commercial customer base as it develops its solar energy business. Both the brands expect predictable energy costs and greater certainty over energy costs with the deal. The agreements come as Lodestone prepares to raise NZD 75 million to NZD 100 million through an initial public offering (IPO) on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX). It plans to use the proceeds to support further solar farm development, grow its electricity retail business and meet general corporate needs. 
Kazakhstan’s Samruk-Energy and Oman’s O-GREEN have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop approximately 2 GW of solar and wind power projects, supported by energy storage systems. These will be established across Kazakhstan, Central Asia and other international markets. The partnership aims to supply electricity to wholesale markets, industrial consumers and data centers, including through solutions enabling round-the-clock (RTC) renewable power supply.  
Yude Solar Technologies, a subsidiary of Chinese inverter and energy solutions group GoodWe, has partnered with PT Selaras Daya Utama (SEDAYUSolar), an Indonesian solar EPC company. The duo plan to develop and operate solar projects in Indonesia. The JV will focus on commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop solar, ground-mounted installations and utility-scale projects. The partners will also explore integrating battery energy storage systems (BESS) into projects. Yude Solar has developed and commissioned more than 3 GW of residential and C&I solar projects, while SEDAYUSolar has delivered more than 250 solar projects in Indonesia since its establishment in 2009.  
ACEN Investments, a subsidiary of ACEN Corporation, has signed a €50 million term loan facility with ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch. It plans to use the proceeds to finance or refinance investments in existing and future renewable energy projects through its subsidiaries and joint ventures. ACEN said that the facility will also support general corporate purposes, according to a disclosure filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange on October 5, 2026. 
Australian renewable energy company LGI Limited has agreed to acquire two operating solar farms in Queensland with a combined export capacity of 54 MW DC/42 MW AC for AUD 22 million. The acquisition covers 34.5 MW DC/27.3 MW AC Brigalow Solar Farm and the 19.9 MW DC/14.7 MW AC Chinchilla Solar Farm. LGI estimates that the acquisition could contribute EBITDA of AUD 2.1 million to A$4 million, depending on revenue synergies and the implementation of its Dynamic Asset Control System (DACS). The company plans to apply DACS to optimize electricity dispatch and improve market returns. It is also evaluating BESS integration at both sites. The acquisition will increase the company’s targeted medium-term pipeline of distributed, renewable and dispatchable capacity to more than 120 MW. 
TaiyangNews 2024

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“Otherwise you give PG&E essentially free energy all day long then buy it back at full retail markup once the sun goes down.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A homeowner who works from home wanted to buy a solar panel system to help offset energy costs, but the solar salespeople don’t seem to be playing nice. The homeowner went to an online forum asking: “Are vendors just trying to upsell me?”
While looking to buy a straightforward 12-panel solar system, a Bay Area PG&E customer said nearly every installer instead steered them toward a five-year battery PPA that would cost about twice as much.
Reddit users said that the PPA concern is reasonable, but added that California’s NEM 3 rules can make going without storage far less attractive.
The Oct. 6 post on Reddit described a low-use Bay Area home on PG&E service. The household uses roughly 625 kilowatt-hours a month and relies on gas-powered heating, hot water, a stove, and a dryer, with little electricity demand after dark. 
The homeowner said the household is mostly retired and works from home, and they want a 12-panel system with microinverters rather than a battery-focused financing offer.
A common response in the thread was that NEM 3 changes the equation because excess daytime solar is compensated at much lower rates than evening electricity purchases. As one commenter put it, “Otherwise you give PG&E essentially free energy all day long then buy it back at full retail markup once the sun goes down.”
For homeowners who want to compare options before signing anything, EnergySage can help them explore home battery storage, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
The poster also questioned whether the sales pitch made financial sense for their home. The homeowner questioned whether the added complexity was worth it for a house with modest use and a commuter EV. “I am just not convinced that I need one, since it’s twice the price, and dealing with financing,” they wrote. 
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The homeowner also raised concerns about battery lifespan, theft, fire risk, and whether stored power would later charge a commuter EV.
Many replies focused on the deal structure as the main issue, saying a battery is likely worth the effort. One commenter offered blunt advice about PPAs: “DO NOT SIGN A PPA. BUY THE SYSTEM OUTRIGHT OR FINANCE IT. DO NOT DO ANY KIND OF THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP.” Another commenter said PPA agreements are “often” shady and urged the poster to closely examine the buyout terms.
Given the home’s limited evening load and usage of about 625 kWh per month, another suggestion was to consider a smaller battery or install a system that could easily add storage later.
For homeowners under export rules like NEM 3, battery storage can provide backup power during outages, save money on energy, and let households use more of their own solar production instead of depending on the grid after sunset.
Several commenters said the key is to model the home’s actual consumption carefully, especially if EV charging can be moved around. Replies noted that shifting more use into daylight hours could help, and that a west-facing array serving late-afternoon demand might reduce how necessary a battery is.
For shoppers who do want backup power, there are lower-commitment options worth comparing. Pila offers strong battery backup options, and its plug-and-play batteries cost a fraction of a whole-home backup system. In the Reddit thread, other commenters also suggested paying cash for solar when possible and making sure the system can accommodate a battery later.
One commenter offered a simple solution: “Using battery makes a lot of sense. You have an EV though. I suggest just getting it set up so that connecting a battery will be easy in the future.”
For homeowners weighing solar-only systems against batteries, these stories offer a closer look at how the math changes from one market to the next. 
• In California, PG&E’s NEM 3.0 pays so little that batteries can transform solar savings.
• Across the U.S., net metering rules often decide whether home batteries pencil out.
• In Ohio, net metering may leave big utility charges untouched even after solar.
• In Texas, home solar power purchase agreements promised panels with no upfront cost.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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Two robotics firms based in the United States are set to receive up to AUD 32.3 million, or roughly USD 22.45 million, from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to build manufacturing sites in Australia. The agency, commonly known as ARENA, is backing Luminous Robotics and Built Robotics as part of a push to localise production of equipment used in utility-scale solar construction.
Luminous Robotics stands to obtain as much as AUD 17.8 million for a Melbourne plant producing its LUMI autonomous solar panel installation robots. Valued at AUD 39.7 million overall, the project should enable the manufacture and deployment of approximately 100 such robots by 2029. Built Robotics Australia is slated to get up to AUD 14.5 million for a Brisbane manufacturing hub and operations centre dedicated to autonomous piling systems, with 12 robotic pile driving systems expected to be built and deployed there.
Darren Miller, ARENA’s Chief Executive Officer, said the new plants would boost productivity, bring down construction costs and alleviate workforce pressures as large-scale solar deployment grows in Australia. Foundation installation and panel placement, he noted, rank among the most labour-intensive phases of solar farm construction, and Australia must install large volumes of solar quickly and affordably. Miller added that domestic manufacturing and automation can enhance solar farm construction by reducing costs and making installation quicker, safer and more efficient.
Australia aims for 82% renewables by 2030. The Australian Energy Market Operator calculates that this will necessitate roughly 38 GW of new solar and wind capacity within the next three years, encompassing about 20 GW of large-scale solar.
Tenzin Crouch, General Manager of Luminous Robotics Australia, said the funding would let the company advance its technology from Australian field demonstrations to industrial-scale manufacturing. He described the effort as building Australian capability that feeds directly into on-the-ground delivery, with robots designed and made locally before being deployed to construct the solar infrastructure the country requires. Crouch said LUMI had been proven on actual solar farms in Australia, enduring heat and dust while handling some of the toughest on-site work, and that scaling up is the next step.
The LUMI robot independently lifts and positions solar panels onto racking structures, traditionally one of the most labour-intensive elements of solar farm construction. ARENA says the robot can install panels as much as 3.5 times faster than current manual approaches and could reduce solar farm construction costs by around 6.2%. Built Robotics’ autonomous piling robots automate the repetitive pile driving process, which is typically time-consuming when establishing utility-scale solar farms. The company estimates its robots could cut piling time by about 82% and labour costs by 88%.
Paul Kelly, Vice President of business development at Built Robotics, said the new Brisbane hub would establish Queensland as a base for autonomous solar construction and create a supply chain serving Australian projects. He said Australia has demonstrated to the world that construction robotics and physical AI function in the field, and the company now plans to build that technology locally.
Both projects fall under Round 2 of ARENA’s Solar Sunshot program. Miller said that beyond enabling more efficient large-scale solar farm builds, the projects would expand Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability. Producing these technologies domestically, he said, would help reinforce local supply chains, cultivate specialist skills and give solar projects improved access to advanced construction equipment when and where required.
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Malaysian 5G operator U Mobile announced on Monday it has signed an MoU with renewable energy developer HLGY Energy to develop 5G-connected smart solar farm solutions in Malaysia.
Under the MoU, both companies will explore deployment of a private 5G network that would form the digital backbone of the smart solar farm.
The network would support applications including autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics and smart CCTV surveillance, enabling remote monitoring, earlier issue detection and faster response to operational and maintenance needs.
HLGY Energy develops and operates utility-scale solar and integrated energy solutions under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) framework. U Mobile would serve as HLGY Energy’s innovation, automation and communications infrastructure provider under the MoU.
“By combining private 5G connectivity with AI and industrial automation, we aim to help HLGY Energy develop renewable energy assets that are safer, more efficient and increasingly autonomous,” said U Mobile chief business officer How Lih Ren.
“Malaysia’s green energy transition needs renewable energy infrastructure that is reliable, efficient and built for the future,” added Kenneth Yap, chairman and executive director of HLGY Energy. “Integrating AI with solar generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS) operations can optimise when energy is stored and supplied, help reduce electricity costs and extend equipment life.”

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Brazil’s micro- and mini-distributed generation (MMGD) segment is expected to add 41.4 GW of capacity over the next decade, according to the country’s draft ten-year energy expansion plan (PDE 2036), prepared by the Energy Research Office (EPE) under guidelines established by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).
The report projects that the segment will serve 13.5 million consumers by 2036, with average generation reaching 14.1 GW. Solar PV is expected to account for most of the expansion, supported by growing adoption of self-generation systems among residential, commercial and industrial consumers.
The estimates are included in the preliminary PDE 2036, released for public consultation on Oct. 8. The plan sets out projections for Brazil’s energy supply and demand from 2027 to 2036.
The expansion of distributed generation is expected to coincide with rising electricity demand and growth in other generation technologies. Under the PDE 2036 reference scenario, Brazil’s electricity generation is projected to increase from 829.2 TWh in 2026 to 1,132.5 TWh in 2036.
The growth of decentralized generation will also create operational challenges, particularly in integrating distributed energy resources, coordinating generation and demand, and maintaining system flexibility.
The report identifies a need for greater control and monitoring capabilities for distributed resources, alongside closer coordination between Brazil’s National Electric System Operator (ONS) and distribution utilities.
The pace of expansion will depend on equipment costs, electricity tariffs, compensation mechanisms and consumer finances. These factors will determine the economic attractiveness of self-generation systems and influence future investment in distributed generation.
The PDE 2036 also includes projections for technologies designed to improve power system flexibility as the share of variable renewable energy increases.
The plan envisages 7.2 GW of battery energy storage capacity, 2 GW of pumped-storage hydropower and 4 GW of demand response capacity.
These resources could help balance electricity supply and demand, reduce operational imbalances and support the integration of variable renewable generation.
The expansion of utility-scale and distributed solar PV is expected to increase the need for flexibility resources that can align electricity generation with consumption patterns and grid operation.
The PDE is an indicative planning document that presents scenarios for the development of Brazil’s energy supply and demand over a 10-year period. Its projections provide a reference for energy sector planning and investment decisions but do not impose binding capacity expansion requirements on market participants.
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A Moldovan family in Vatra installed solar panels and battery storage to cut utility bills and feed surplus clean electricity into the grid, supported by a government-backed energy efficiency program.
The household joined the national “Green House” program to overhaul their home, which was built in 2019 and previously upgraded with thermal insulation and a heat pump. The latest installation features 20 rooftop photovoltaic panels paired with a 16 kWh energy storage battery.
Overcoming initial delays
The total investment amounted to approximately €15,500 (approx. 300,000 MDL), with the homeowners contributing more than €5,200 (approx. 100,000 MDL) and state grants covering the remainder.
“Because the costs were quite high, we kept putting it off,” said homeowner Cristina Cebotari. “It was demanding, taking one year and a month from the acceptance notice until the funds were reimbursed by the state.”
The system was commissioned in May, allowing the family to sell surplus power back to the national distribution network while securing significant self-sufficiency ahead of the cold season.
“We commissioned the system in May and already generated credit worth up to 15,000 MDL,” Cebotari added. “According to our estimates, we will cover about 80% of our electricity needs this winter.”
Expanding residential support
More than 1,000 households have applied for financing since the initiative began, with over 700 project files already approved. The scheme primarily co-finances insulation for exterior walls, roofs, and windows, alongside clean energy equipment for energy-intensive households.
“We promote these measures for consumers with higher electricity demand,” said Lucia Arsenii, deputy director at the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED). “Beneficiaries planning to install a heat pump, those who already have one, or electric vehicle owners are eligible for photovoltaic systems combined with battery storage.”
The second call of the program operated with a budget of approximately €10.3 million (approx. 200 million MDL). Moldovan authorities plan to launch a new financing round to help more households cushion against rising energy costs.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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Gagauzia elections: Three candidates for Bashkan are officially registered
Eight candidates will compete for Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia in the November 15 elections. On Monday, October 12, the Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia (CECG) registered the final three contenders: former Socialist MP Ivanna Koksal, the mayor of Comrat municipality Serghei Anastasov, and the mayor of Copceac village Oleg Garizan. All three are running as independent candidates.
Bogdan Nigai
16 Russians illegally got ID cards with fake documents from Chișinău
Romanian prosecutors have uncovered an illegal scheme in which 16 Russian citizens obtained Romanian passports and identity cards using forged documents—falsely attributed to entities including the Romanian Embassy and Consulate in the Republic of Moldova. After the investigation, authorities cancelled over 1,700 identity cards issued using fictitious addresses.
Liubomir Guțu
Eight detained in Moldova for scams targeting US and Canada victims
Police have dismantled a criminal network in the Republic of Moldova that generated about $2 million a month through cryptocurrency scams. The group lured victims from the US and Canada to fake trading platforms via call centers. Authorities detained eight individuals after raids on October 9.
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Universal Energy, a China-based renewable energy company, inaugurated the 100 MW Gobustan Solar Power Plant in the Garadagh district of Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 16, 2026. President Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration alongside Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, Chinese Ambassador Lu Mei and Universal Energy Chairman Nan Yi. The project marks Azerbaijan’s first solar power plant developed through a competitive auction process. It is also Universal Energy’s first renewable energy project in Azerbaijan. During the ceremony, President Aliyev received a briefing on the solar facility, the developer and its operations in the country. The inauguration marked the completion of the project, adding 100 MW of solar generation capacity to Azerbaijan’s electricity infrastructure.
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The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed up to $31.1 million in funding to establish solar robotics manufacturing facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane to support safer and more efficient large-scale solar farm builds.
Funded under Round 2 of ARENA’s Solar Sunshot Program, the projects will manufacture two complementary technologies in Australia—robots that install solar panels and autonomous systems that drive foundation piles.
Related article: Rise of the robots in the race to renewables
ARENA is providing up to $17.8 million to Luminous Robotics to establish a Melbourne manufacturing facility for its autonomous solar panel installation robots, called LUMIs. The facility is expected to support the manufacture and deployment of around 100 LUMI robots by 2029, helping automate solar panel installation on large-scale solar farms.
ARENA supported demonstrations of LUMI robots at solar farms in Victoria and New South Wales, where the technology was tested under Australian construction and environmental conditions. The new funding will enable moving the technology from field demonstration to industrial-scale manufacturing in Australia.
Built Robotics Australia will also receive up to $13.3 million to establish a Brisbane manufacturing hub and operations centre for autonomous piling systems used in utility-scale solar construction. The facility will manufacture and deploy 12 robotic piling systems, helping automate one of the most labour-intensive stages of solar farm construction.
The project builds on previous ARENA-supported deployments of Built Robotics’ autonomous piling technology in Australia, establishing domestic capability to manufacture, integrate and test piling systems for solar projects.
The new facilities in Victoria and Queensland will help improve productivity, slash construction costs, and ease workforce constraints as large-scale solar deployment grows.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the projects would advance the development of technologies previously demonstrated in Australian conditions into locally manufactured products that can be deployed at scale.
“Installing foundations and placing panels are two of the most labour-intensive parts of solar farm construction. It’s hard work in the hot sun,” he said.
Related article: Equans’ Lightspeed solar project scores ARENA funding
“Australia needs to install large volumes of solar quickly and cost-effectively. Local manufacturing and automation can improve the way solar farms are built by reducing construction costs and making installation faster, safer and more efficient; an important part of ARENA’s ultra low-cost solar vision.
“Manufacturing these technologies in Australia will help to strengthen local supply chains, develop specialist skills and give solar projects better access to advanced construction equipment when and where it is needed.”
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The Jollibee Group is transitioning 189 company-owned stores in the Philippines to renewable electricity, aiming to lower energy costs and reduce emissions across its retail network.
The initiative, developed with energy supplier First Gen, covers outlets of Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Red Ribbon, Burger King and Panda Express. The stores represent about 40 per cent of the group’s total Philippine network.
According to the company, the initiative is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 75 per cent and deliver “significant electricity cost savings”.
“Transitioning nearly 200 stores to renewable electricity requires close coordination across our organisation,” said Bong Filart, head of network development at Jollibee Group Philippines.
“By consolidating eligible stores and improving electricity sourcing, we are demonstrating a practical approach that supports operational efficiency while advancing more sustainable business practices.”
The move builds on the group’s broader sustainability strategy, Joy for Tomorrow. Key commissaries and logistics hubs across the Philippines already use 99 per cent renewable energy, combining geothermal power with on-site solar generation.
The group began installing solar panels at selected restaurants in 2014 and plans to extend renewable energy adoption across its retail operations.
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Renewables are forecast to account for 25.9% of total power capacity.
Qatar is expanding utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to diversify its power mix, reduce domestic natural gas consumption for power generation, and curb emissions, whilst maintaining gas-fired generation to ensure grid reliability, according to GlobalData.
The country’s installed power capacity is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2025 to 2035, with solar PV capacity projected to expand at a faster CAGR of 12.4% over the same period.
Renewable energy’s share of Qatar’s total power capacity is expected to rise to 25.9% by 2035 from 12.0% in 2025, GlobalData said in its latest report on the country’s power market.
Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, said the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy is driving the build-out of major solar facilities, including Al Kharsaah, Ras Laffan, and Mesaieed, alongside the large-scale Dukhan development.
Despite the rapid expansion of solar, natural gas will remain central to Qatar’s power and water infrastructure, accounting for approximately 74% of total power capacity in 2035.
Combined-cycle gas turbines and cogeneration plants underpin Qatar’s Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) fleet, providing dispatchable electricity during periods of high summer cooling demand and thermal energy for seawater desalination.
“Gas-fired IWPP facilities provide critical firming capacity to absorb large influxes of solar energy during midday hours whilst securing baseload water desalination,” Saibasan said.
He added that expanding flexible gas generation and modernising grid management would be essential to accommodating the planned four-gigawatt renewable energy target by 2030 without compromising system security.
Qatar’s power sector is governed by the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.
Supporting initiatives include the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, carbon-reduction pledges under the updated Nationally Determined Contribution, and net-billing regulations introduced by Kahramaa for distributed generation.
The country operates a single-buyer model, under which Kahramaa purchases electricity and desalinated water through long-term agreements, minimising market risk for project developers and consortium partners.
Saibasan said expanding solar generation could free up natural gas for liquefied natural gas exports whilst reducing emissions from domestic power generation.
He added that sustaining this expansion would require Qatar to balance renewable energy integration with IWPP offtake commitments and growing industrial demand, whilst maintaining transmission reliability across the National Control Centre and regional Gulf Cooperation Council interconnection links.
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Officials with Toyo Co. held an Oct. 6 ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the company’s manufacturing facility expansion in Humble, according to an Oct. 7 news release. 
Toyo is a global solar energy company that designs, manufactures, and sells solar cells, photovoltaic modules and related components across the solar power supply chain, according to the company’s website. 
With the expansion, the facility—which opened in October 2025—now has the capacity to produce 2 gigawatts of solar modules annually, per the release. 
“Completing our 2 GW module expansion in Texas is an important milestone for Toyo,” Toyo Chairman and CEO Takahiko Onozuka said in a statement. “We thank our employees, the Humble community, and our partners in the United States and Japan for their support.”
Toyo officials said the company is in the midst of another expansion at the site that will include the construction of a heterojunction cell line, which will further increase the facility’s capacity to produce solar modules. 
Expansion completed Oct. 6
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Oswal Pumps Invests ₹456 Crore in 1.2 GW Solar Cell Facility  SolarQuarter
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NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. (NTPC REL) has issued a tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of a 1 GW (2 × 500 MW) ground-mounted solar PV project at Kambadur in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. Separately, NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) has invited bids for the EPC package for a 3,300 MWh BESS at the NTPC REL Khavda solar plant in Gujarat.
The 1 GW solar project at Kambadur, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, is proposed to be executed in two 500 MW blocks under the EPC mode.
The scope of work includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing, loading and forwarding, transportation, unloading, storage, installation, testing and commissioning of the solar PV project. The supply of solar PV modules is also included in the package.
The selected bidder will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the solar PV plant for three years from successful project commissioning.
The 3,300 MWh BESS project at the NTPC REL Khavda solar plant in Gujarat is divided into four blocks, all located at PSS-1 at NTPC REL Khavda. Three blocks will each have a capacity of 300 MW/900 MWh, while the fourth will have a capacity of 200 MW/600 MWh.
The BESS package will be executed on a turnkey basis. The scope includes design, engineering, supply, packing and forwarding, transportation, unloading, storage, installation and commissioning of the grid-connected battery energy storage system.
The selected bidder will also be required to provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for 15 years.
The tender specifies a design life of 25 years for the BESS, including its batteries, from the date of commissioning, with capacity degradation to be considered as per the bidder’s proposal for daily single-cycle operation.
In addition, the batteries offered must be rated for a minimum operational life of 25 years under a single-cycle-per-day application.
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The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to $32.3 million (USD 22.45 million) in funding for United States-headquartered companies Luminous Robotics and Built Robotics to establish new manufacturing facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane.
ARENA is providing up to $17.8 million to Luminous to establish a Melbourne manufacturing facility for its autonomous solar panel installation LUMI robots designed to streamline utility-scale solar construction. The $39.7 million project is expected to support the manufacture and deployment of about 100 of the robots by 2029.
Built Robotics Australia will receive up to $14.5 million to establish a Brisbane manufacturing hub and operations centre for autonomous piling systems. It is anticipated the facility will manufacture and deploy 12 robotic pile driving systems.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said the new manufacturing facilities will improve productivity, reduce construction costs and ease workforce constraints as large-scale solar deployment in Australia grows.
“Installing foundations and placing panels are two of the most labour-intensive parts of solar farm construction,” he said, noting that “Australia needs to install large volumes of solar quickly and cost-effectively.”
Australia is targeting 82% renewables by 2030 and according to the Australian Energy Market Operator that will require about 38 GW of new solar and wind capacity to be built in the next three years. That includes some 20 GW of large-scale solar
“Local manufacturing and automation can improve the way solar farms are built by reducing construction costs and making installation faster, safer and more efficient,” Miller said.
Luminous Robotics Australia General Manager Tenzin Crouch said the new funding will enable the company to move its technology from field demonstration in Australia to industrial-scale manufacturing.
“For me, this is about building Australian capability that translates directly into delivery in the field. Designing and manufacturing robots here, then putting them to work building the solar infrastructure we need,” he said.
“We’ve proven LUMI on real solar farms in Australia, in the heat and dust, doing some of the hardest work on site. The next step is to turn that into scale.”
The company’s LUMI robot autonomously lifts and places solar panels onto racking structures, traditionally one of the most labour-intensive parts of solar farm construction. According to ARENA, the robot can install panels up to 3.5 times faster than current manual methods and has the potential to cut solar farm construction costs by about 6.2%.
Built Robotics’ autonomous piling robots automate the repetitive process of pile driving, which is usually time-consuming when setting up utility-scale solar farms. The company estimates that its robots have the potential to reduce piling time by approximately 82% and labour costs by 88%.
Paul Kelly, Vice President of business development at Built Robotics, said the company’s new Brisbane hub will make Queensland a home for autonomous solar construction and create a supply chain that serves projects in Australia.
“Australia has shown the world that construction robotics and physical AI work in the field. Now we’re going to build that technology here,” he said.
Both projects are supported through Round 2 of ARENA’s Solar Sunshot program.
Miller said in addition to supporting more efficient large-scale solar farm builds, the projects will also grow Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability.
“Manufacturing these technologies in Australia will help to strengthen local supply chains, develop specialist skills and give solar projects better access to advanced construction equipment when and where it is needed,” he said.
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Briscoe Group and Farro ink supply deals with New Zealand solar generator Lodestone Energy  PV Tech
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ZAWYA: Qatar boosts utility-scale solar push to diversify power mix  TradingView
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Pebble was one of the first fifth-wheel manufacturers to truly embrace the promise of automotive-grade lithium batteries, rooftop solar, and public EV chargers bundled into a tech-centric living space.
That’s right up our alley, which is why we cover them regularly here on CleanTechnica. They invited us out to be some of the first in the world to experience the new 2027 Pebble Flow and speak directly with their leadership team about all of the things they’ve learned in their first year of volume production and what upgrades they made as a result.
Disclaimer: Pebble paid for the author’s travel and accommodations to attend this event.
On the surface, the 2027 Pebble Flow looks the same as its predecessor. Digging deeper, you start to see some of the new options and upgrades they’ve added. Pebble added a new external portable solar integrator that plugs directly into the Flow and adds a pigtail with four pairs of solar MC4 connectors. This module will be available for all Flow owners as a retrofit and lets Pebble owners add up to 3 kW of additional solar to the 1.1 kW system that comes on the roof.
That translates to up to 4 kW of solar that can keep the Pebble’s 45 kWh iron phosphate battery topped up. In more practical terms, that means you can use the Pebble for more things, for more hours, on more days of the year. Owners have the option to add as much or as little solar as they want via the new external junction box, and Pebble partnered with Jackery to more seamlessly integrate their 500W foldable solar panels with the system.
A larger solar system pumps out more power in all seasons, opening up new options for owners whether they’re looking to charge their EV from their Pebble, use it as a backup battery during grid outages, or just to run the air conditioner for more hours each day. The new energy upgrade option will begin shipping in December 2026, with an option for existing owners to retrofit their Flow.
Because the Pebble Flow is so capable and is effectively autonomous when it comes to your energy generation and consumption, it can even be used as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) when you have guests visiting. It’s definitely a non-traditional option, but it’s really cool that you could conceivably host guests in your fifth wheel in the backyard without asking them to sacrifice anything.
Stepping inside the Pebble, perhaps the biggest interior change for the 2027 model year is the option to swap out the queen-size Murphy bed that was the only option in the original Flow for two twin-size beds that come permanently fixed to the ground, which translates to even more storage underneath (photo above).
It’s a good option for couples with older kids that aren’t interested in sleeping in the same bed and want their own space. This configuration gives the kids their own space to sleep on the two twin beds in the front of the unit while the adults can sleep on the convertible dinette bed that seems roughly equivalent to a full-size bed at the rear.
The twin bed configuration is also a great option for people who don’t like climbing into bed from the foot of the bed, which is what you have to do with the queen-size configuration. The two twins have a narrow aisle between them which lets you walk up to the side of the bed before sitting down, which is a preferred way of getting in and out of bed for many people. Of course, that comes with the tradeoff of not sleeping in the same bed as your spouse, which may also be considered a benefit, depending on how you look at it.
The Pebble Flow has electrochromatic glass on all exterior windows as well as along the bathroom and shower section of the Flow. It’s a really cool way to add legitimate privacy, which is perhaps the ultimate luxury in such a small space. It also lets you shroud the entire Pebble Flow in a cocoon of privacy for when you’re at camp changing or just don’t want to have to interact with the outside world.
On the software front, Pebble is shipping Pebble OS 2, which will come as an over-the-air update later this year to all Flow owners and come natively on the 2027 Flow. This unlocks a number of new features, including Boost Mode, which gives you the ability to leverage the Pebble’s 40 kW or 54 horsepower of tow assist.
Towing is definitely one of the strengths of the Flow, thanks to the pair of hub motors located in each of its wheels. These tap into the Flow’s onboard battery to propel the Flow when it’s being towed. It actively detects if the tow vehicle is accelerating or slowing and either accelerates to match the speed or engages regeneration to slow itself down.
Combined with its impressive aerodynamics and its active aerocap up front, the Pebble Flow is a gamechanger. Instead of an EV range of around 100 miles of range per charge with an equivalent 6,000 lb trailer, drivers can achieve upwards of 250 miles of range per charge when starting out with a full EV battery and a fully charged Flow in tow. That’s fewer charging stops, which is always a win.
The twin motors in the Flow can also be used to literally remote control the Flow, which in addition to being a great party trick around camp, makes hitching and unhitching the flow a breeze. You can use the iPad to steer and drive the Flow into exactly the right position before lowering it down onto the hitch and securing it. It’s also super handy if you’re looking to fast charge the Flow, as you can simply disconnect it and drive it into a charging stall. That’s right, it can fast charge, too.
When it comes to actually towing the Flow, I’ve only driven with a trailer once, so I was nervous to tow the Flow. Just the same, I hopped into the Rivian R1S with the Flow in tow thinking I was just taking it for a loop around camp. To my surprise, I was directed to the highway where I discovered just how easy it was to tow.
I couldn’t really tell there was anything behind me for most of the trip as we flipped the Flow into different assist modes. Some provide no to low assist, while the new Boost Mode makes it effectively disappear as a tow vehicle. You can still feel it if there are any crosswinds, but it’s a noticeable improvement and a huge win for folks new to towing.
Overall, spending a long day with it and a night sleeping in the Pebble Flow showed me firsthand that it is a fantastic fifth wheel that makes getting out and adventuring easier and more comfortable than it has ever been. It lets you bring all the comforts of home with you on the road without the stress towing a large fifth wheel used to incur.
The new solar integration and partnership with Jackery makes it easy to boost solar input to up to 4 kilowatts, while its ability to push 12kW back out makes it a great option as a backup power source for your house. It’s a functional microgrid on wheels with generation, storage, utilization, and power output capabilities that are unmatched.
When you’re home, it can serve as an auxiliary living space for guests, or for you if you end up in the doghouse.
I’m seriously tempted to pull the trigger on one myself if I can only find a way to convince my wife. It’s currently $189,000 for the fully loaded Flow Founder’s Edition, $159,000 for the slightly less well equipped Pebble Flow Magic Pack, and presumably slightly less for the soon-to-be-released Pebble Flow Standard.
For more information about Pebble or the Flow, head over to their official website.
CleanTechnica’s Comment Policy
I’m a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term stock holdings in Tesla and Rivian.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“I have never seen a trap primer attached to a shower valve.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Upgrading to a heat pump water heater can lower the cost of making hot water, so a mysterious stream of warm water heading straight to a basement drain immediately raised red flags for one homeowner, who reached out to Reddit’s r/AskAPlumber forum for advice. 
According to the homeowner, the puzzling part was that the warm water was coming from a “small line” feeding into the same drain used by the heat pump condensate line. 
In this case, the flow appeared only while their wife was showering, and they discovered it only after living in the house for almost 10 years. 
“Any speculation on why this would happen?” the homeowner asked, adding that “our power bills have recently been higher than normal which is now making sense.”
Some weren’t convinced the homeowner showed evidence of a bigger problem. 
One commenter thought the drain line was there on purpose and wouldn’t have a major impact on electric bills, writing: “It’s intended to keep the P trap in the basement floor drain full of water. It’s usually tied into the shower head of the main bath.”
“It’s a very common thing,” another said. 
Others pushed back on that explanation, though. 
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To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn’t that worth an email or two?
“I started plumbing in 1985,” a commenter wrote. “I have never seen a trap primer attached to a shower valve.” This reaffirmed the homeowner’s suspicion that something was wrong. 
“This was like a full tap running,” they noted. 
“It’s not supposed to be delivering that much water. The quantity is the problem, not the principle,” another commenter explained. 
Instead of assuming the root cause of the flow, the homeowner said they planned to try other hot water fixtures upstairs and see whether they produced the same warm discharge. 
The replies also suggested checking the pressure-relief valve on the water heater. Another wondered whether a water softener flush might have happened at the same time as the shower, which would mean the two events were unrelated.
For homeowners who decide it may be time for an equipment upgrade, Cala makes smart heat pump water heaters. Cala‘s customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help homeowners decrease their energy bills by heating water exactly when it is needed. 
For a household already worried about an electric bill, that kind of timing control could be especially appealing, and Cala is built around that approach.
If rising water or power bills have you wondering where your hot water is going, these stories dig into similar plumbing and cost concerns. They cover hidden leaks, drain habits, wastewater heat, and simple ways homeowners try to avoid bigger plumbing expenses.
• A realtor showed homeowners how blue dye can expose hidden toilet leaks behind rising bills.
• A plumber said hot water helps keep kitchen drains clearer before clogs turn costly.
• In Vancouver, Canada, officials found heat in the sewerage system to help warm homes.
• A plumber shared simple drain hacks that helped homeowners avoid expensive sink backups.
• A homeowner tried a plumber-approved hack to clear a clogged drain without a service call.
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.

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ARENA commits AU$32 million to build solar installation and piling robots in Australia  PV Tech
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KNOX COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) – The Knox County Commissioners have approved revisions to the county’s solar ordinance, including additional soil and water monitoring and expanded setbacks near homes. The proposed changes will now go before the Knox County Area Plan Commission.
Commission President T.J. Brink said the monitoring requirements are intended to help protect nearby residents and their well water.
“Some of the things we have added in are the soil and water monitoring. Making sure there is nothing leeching into the ground, and of course, these folks out here live on well water. So we wanna make sure their wells are protected,” Brink said.
The revisions also change the required distance between solar projects and neighboring homes. Brink said the setback for a home on one side of a project increased by 100 feet; if a home is on more than one side, the setback is now 500 feet.
“We added in an extra hundred foot for the single setback and if you’re going to be on more than one side of a home, it’s now five hundred foot. So, we’ve added in a little bit of that. Measurement as well, for the homes,” Brink said.
Brink said county officials developed the changes to comply with state law while adding safety measures.
“Indiana has a law that protects solar and you cannot make it egregious to where they do not wanna be in your area, but, we can add in safety measurements. And that’s exactly what we’ve done with this new ordinance,” he said.
The revisions followed discussions with residents about potential changes to the county’s solar regulations.
“We’ve talked to our constituents time and time again and we’ve heard their concerns, most definitely heard their concerns, and we’ve tried to stay within the state law obviously, but be able to provide them with things they’ve asked for,” Brink said.
The proposed ordinance changes will go before the Knox County Area Plan Commission. If approved, they will return to the commissioners for further consideration.
Copyright 2026 WTHI. All rights reserved.

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Oswal Pumps plans to establish a 1.2 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility
It expects the investment to reduce its dependence on external suppliers and improve cost competitiveness
It will be funded through debt and the reallocation of previously earmarked IPO proceeds
Oswal Pumps Limited has unveiled plans to establish a 1.2 GW solar cell manufacturing facility using tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology. The management said this investment will expand its manufacturing operations beyond solar modules and pumping systems.
The board of its wholly owned subsidiary, Oswal Solar Energy Private Limited (OSEPL), approved the proposal on October 10, 2026. Commercial production at the facility is expected to begin by April 2028. 
The company intends to use the entire output for its in-house solar module manufacturing lines, securing supplies of domestically manufactured cells for projects that require compliance with domestic content requirements (DCR).
Oswal Pumps said it evaluated long-term supply arrangements with domestic cell manufacturers but found the available commercial terms, including pricing and upfront security deposits, unsuitable for its long-term plans and working capital management.
The company identified cell manufacturing as a priority because domestic cell availability is a constraint for its operations serving programs such as PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar.
“With ALMM List-II now in force, demand for domestically manufactured cells is set to rise sharply. We see this as the right opportunity to invest. Choosing TOPCon technology ensures we are building for the future, with higher efficiency and better long-term performance for our customers,” stated Oswal Pumps Limited Chairman and Managing Director Vivek Gupta.
According to the company, the TOPCon project will cost an estimated INR 456 crore, of which about INR 296 crore is proposed to be financed through debt. The remaining INR 159.85 crore is expected to come from unutilized IPO proceeds of INR 163.04 crore. This was originally allocated to other manufacturing facilities, namely aluminum frame facility, 300 MW EVA encapsulant facility, and 500 MW solar module factory.
The company said its planned cell production will suffice its existing module production capacity of around 570 MW and planned module capacity of 1 GW. Its 1.2 GW EVA encapsulant capacity is also sufficient to support the production of solar modules. It can source any additional requirement for EVA as well as aluminium frames from the market.
It expects the cell facility to reduce the company’s exposure to spot-market price fluctuations, supplier terms and potential supply constraints.
TaiyangNews 2024

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Qatar is fast-tracking utility-scale solar PV projects to more than double the renewable energy share of the country’s total power capacity, diversify its power mix and reduce domestic gas consumption for power generation, according to London-based GlobalData.

The share of renewable energy in the Gulf state’s total power capacity will increase from 12 percent in 2025 to 25.9 percent by 2035, the data analytics firm said in a report.

Qatar’s installed power capacity will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2 percent between 2025 and 2035. Solar PV will be the primary growth engine, expanding at a CAGR of 12.4 percent over the decade.

Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, said that Qatar’s power sector is shifting from total reliance on natural gas toward a structured hybrid model.

“Driven by the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, the build-out of major solar facilities such as Al Kharsaah and the recently commissioned plants at Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, alongside the large-scale Dukhan development demonstrate substantial momentum in deploying low-cost clean generation across the peninsula.”

Despite rapid solar growth, natural gas will remain indispensable to the country’s power and water infrastructure. Combined-cycle gas turbines and cogeneration plants underpin the country’s Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) fleet, providing both dispatchable power for extreme summer cooling loads and thermal energy for seawater desalination.

Natural gas capacity will continue to expand in absolute terms, accounting for about 74 percent of cumulative capacity in 2035.

Saibasan said gas-fired IWPP facilities provide critical firming capacity to absorb large influxes of solar energy during midday hours, while securing base load water desalination.

Expanding flexible gas generation and modernising grid management are essential prerequisites for accommodating the planned 4 gigawatt (GW) renewable target by 2030 without compromising system security, he added.
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Posted by Arpita Chowdhury | Oct 12, 2026 | 0

Agrovoltaic project in Agra, India

What if a farm could produce not only food but also electricity?

At Dayalbagh Educational Institute in Agra, India, elevated solar panels stand above the land, allowing cultivation to continue underneath. It is a local example of agrivoltaics, combining solar power generation with agricultural production.
The idea is gaining attention well beyond India as countries face the challenge of how to expand renewable energy without putting additional pressure on farmland.
“From the same piece of land, a farmer can grow his crops and sell the electricity from solar energy,” says Joydeep Gupta, India Head of the Earth Journalism Network.
The AgriPV system on Dayalbagh Educational Institute’s Dairy Campus, producing 209 kilowatt-peak, consists of 19 raised solar-panel support structures with 32 panels each.
A 2024 study of the project found that the crops grown beneath the elevated solar structures were not significantly
affected by the shadow. Researchers reported a total vegetable yield of 10 metric tons, higher than India’s average national vegetable yield for the same land area.

How Great Are Potential Benefits?

Around 7.5 million hectares (75,000 square km) of India’s cropland, about 14% of the country’s land area, is technically suitable for AgriPV. That could generate up to 20,000 TWh of electricity, four times India’s projected electricity demand of 5,250 TWh in 2050.
However, “technically suitable” does not mean that all of this land could or should be covered with solar panels. Factors such as crop type, sunlight, water availability, local electricity infrastructure, farming practices and the cost of installing elevated structures determine whether a particular site is viable.
The potential benefits for farming, from the partial shade of solar panels, include around 30% savings of water and yield improvements of 10 to 20% for certain crops. But agrivoltaic systems can produce very different outcomes, depending on the crop, climate, panel height, spacing and design.
In Madhya Pradesh, Anand Jain has integrated elevated solar infrastructure with agriculture, installing the panels 11 to 13 feet above the ground and spacing them to allow tractors to pass.
With a 4.5 MW solar plant, the farm generates up to 25,000 units of electricity daily, supplying any surplus to the grid. Crops on the site include strawberries, lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes and cabbage.
“Combining solar power generation with agricultural cultivation can significantly improve land productivity and provide farmers with an additional source of income,” conclude the Indian Government.
The model is also being tested in Europe. In Germany’s Baden-Württemberg region, the Model Region Agrivoltaics project has brought together researchers, government agencies, and other partners. During its first phase, five pilot facilities with a combined capacity of more than 1,700 kWp were established, focusing
primarily on pome fruit, stone fruit and berries. The second phase, running from 2025 to 2026, has expanded the research to grassland, arable farming, livestock, vineyards, and reforestation.
The project is studying crop-specific designs, including the orientation and transparency of photovoltaic modules as well as their effects on plants and agricultural production. One of its sites is an apple orchard in Kressbronn on Lake Constance. Elevated photovoltaic panels above the orchard allow agricultural machinery to continue operating underneath.
Globally, the experiments are even more diverse, with seven solar-powered agri-food projects across countries including China, Iran, Japan, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. The applications range from crop cultivation and horticulture to aquaculture, sheep, and dairy farming. Researchers emphasize that project design needs to reflect local agricultural conditions, skills, markets, and financing requirements.

Challenges

Estimates of India’s agrivoltaic potential range from around 3,000 GW to nearly 14,000 GW. However, access to finance is one of the biggest challenges, particularly for smallholder farmers. Installing elevated solar structures can require more investment than conventional ground-mounted solar.
India faces particular regulatory and financial questions. Research on AgriPV has highlighted issues around land-use classification, approvals, and the design of policies that can accommodate both agricultural and energy activity.
The installation in Agra is part of a much larger global experiment. From an educational institute in northern India to an apple orchard in southern Germany, farmers and researchers are testing whether one piece of land can perform two functions without compromising either.
The answer will not be identical everywhere. But as countries search for ways to expand renewable energy while protecting food production and rural livelihoods, agrivoltaics offers a model worthy of consideration. This is not a choice between the farm and the solar panel, but the possibility that, with the right design and policy support, the two can work together.
Arpita Chowdhury visited Agra, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the Renewable Energy Workshop, hosted by the Earth Journalism Network.

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Arpita Chowdhury is a journalist, writer, and researcher with a background in the telling of human interest stories. She is currently pursuing an MA in Journalism and International Affairs at University College Dublin in conjuction with CNN Academy. She is a former news reporter at All India Radio.
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Researchers at the Liten research institute of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) have investigated how increasing PV system voltage affects potential-induced degradation (PID) in solar modules, focusing on the relationship between encapsulant electrical conductivity and module performance.
The scientists said this is the first study to investigate PID in passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar modules at voltages as high as 6,000 V and to identify partial-discharge-induced electrical treeing as an additional degradation mechanism in medium-voltage PV modules. “PERC modules were chosen even though they are progressively being phased out; this cell technology has been well studied and is therefore a logical choice for investigating medium-voltage degradation phenomena,” they explained.
Their analysis considered four encapsulant materials – ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin elastomer (POE), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), and ionomer – under controlled electric field, temperature, and humidity conditions. For the tests, they used 20 cm × 20 cm glass-glass PV mini-modules, each containing a half-cut bifacial PERC cell.
Conductivity was measured using a parallel-plate electrode configuration with gold-coated polymer samples, applying voltages of up to 3,000 V through alternating two-hour polarization and depolarization cycles. The researchers conducted two experimental campaigns. The first examined PID at 1,500 V, 3,000 V, and 6,000 V using nine TPO-based modules, while the second compared the PID resistance of the four encapsulants at 3,000 V. All modules underwent accelerated aging for 96 hours at 85 C and 85% relative humidity.
Current-voltage (I-V) measurements under standard test conditions were performed before and after aging to quantify electrical performance losses on both sides of the bifacial modules. Electroluminescence (EL), photoluminescence (PL), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements were used to characterize degradation mechanisms.
The analysis showed that encapsulant electrical conductivity strongly depends on electric field and temperature, significantly influencing PID. For example, TPO conductivity increased with applied voltage, while raising the temperature from approximately 20 C to 80 C increased conductivity by two orders of magnitude. Further PID testing revealed progressively greater power losses with increasing voltage magnitude, particularly on the rear side of the modules. At 6,000 V, maximum power losses reached 13.5% on the front side and 19.5% on the rear side.
The researchers also found that front-side degradation was primarily associated with sodium-ion migration, while rear-side degradation was mainly attributed to charge accumulation and polarization. Following testing at 6,000 V, rear-side power losses increased to 26% during dark storage but fell to 9.8% after illumination, indicating partial recovery.
A comparison of the four encapsulants at 3,000 V revealed a strong correlation between electrical conductivity and degradation severity. TPO exhibited the highest rear-side power loss at 23.6%, followed by EVA at 21.7%, ionomer at 13.0%, and POE at 4.6%. Power losses increased approximately linearly with the logarithm of conductivity, at rates of 1.8 and 4.9 percentage points per tenfold increase in conductivity on the front and rear sides, respectively.
POE demonstrated the greatest resistance to PID, although residual fill-factor losses suggested possible metallization-related degradation. EL and PL imaging confirmed the electrical performance trends. The researchers also observed partial-discharge-induced electrical treeing exclusively in ionomer-based modules at 3,000 V, particularly near metallic cell ribbons and glass-encapsulant interfaces. They identified this phenomenon as a new PID degradation mechanism, referred to as PID-discharge (PID-d).
The authors attributed this phenomenon to locally enhanced electric fields associated with reduced encapsulant thickness, ribbon geometry, and possible insulation weaknesses. The discharges appeared to cause localized cavities and delamination, potentially compromising long-term electrical insulation.
Overall, the findings highlight the importance of low-conductivity encapsulants, adequate insulation thickness, and optimized module design for mitigating PID and partial-discharge risks in medium-voltage PV systems. “This study demonstrates that moving toward higher system voltages is not without risks for PV modules; however, these risks can already be effectively quantified and identified through appropriate laboratory testing and material qualification,” the researchers concluded.
Their findings are presented in the study “Degradation of photovoltaic modules at medium voltage with different types of encapsulants,” published in Solar Energy.
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Chinese solar module manufacturer Risen Energy has unveiled a new heterojunction (HJT) solar module featuring a dual-layer optical design to reduce glare.
The company said the new product is part of its Hyper-ion series and is designed for installations with stringent glare-control requirements, such as those near airports and residential areas, where reflected sunlight may cause visual disturbances.
“Risen Energy’s capabilities in photovoltaic optical safety extend beyond product development. It is also the principal drafting organization behind T/CPIA0119-2025, the group standard for Photovoltaic Module Glare Testing Method,” the manufacturer said in a statement. “The launch of Hyper-ion anti-glare module represents the translation of this accumulated technical and standardisation expertise into a commercial product.”
According to Risen Energy, the module uses a dual-layer optical design combining a micron-scale matte glass surface, produced through a process it calls “nanocrystalline phase reconstruction,” with technology to suppress internal reflections. The company did not provide further technical details about the process.
The manufacturer said tests conducted by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland showed a maximum daylight glare probability (DGP) of 0.30, below the Class AAA threshold of 0.35, and a maximum glare luminance of 3,463.94 cd/m², compared with a limit of 20,000 cd/m². The module also achieved a specular reflectance as low as 0.85%, according to the company.
The RSM132-8-710-730BHDG module comes in five versions, with power outputs of 710 W, 715 W, 720 W, 725 W and 730 W. Their conversion efficiencies range from 22.9% to 23.5%, while open-circuit voltages range from 50.01 V to 50.33 V and short-circuit currents from 18.00 A to 18.38 A.
The bifacial module features 132 HJT cells and measures 2,384 mm × 1,303 mm × 33 mm. It weighs 37.5 kg and features 2 mm anti-glare glass on the front and 2 mm heat-strengthened glass on the rear, along with an anodised aluminum alloy frame.
Under bifacial nameplate irradiance conditions, with rear-side irradiance of 135 W/m², the module delivers between 796 W and 818 W, according to the manufacturer’s specifications. With a 10% rear-side power gain, its equivalent power output ranges from 781 W to 803 W.
The panel has a temperature coefficient of -0.24%/C for maximum power, an operating temperature range of -40 C to 70 C, and a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V. It can withstand mechanical test loads of up to 5,400 Pa on the front and 2,400 Pa on the rear, depending on the installation method.
Risen Energy offers a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year linear power output warranty. The company specifies an annual degradation rate of 0.3% over 30 years, with guaranteed power output of 90.3% at the end of the warranty period.
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Staff Writer October 12, 2026Environment, Business, Government, Government & Politics, Headlines
By George D. Rotsch, Delaware LIVE News
DOVER, Del. — Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration has announced plans to accelerate four community solar projects representing approximately $20.3 million in proposed private investment, promising additional electricity generation and savings for participating Delaware consumers.
The projects, proposed by King Energy, would add nearly 10 megawatts of solar generating capacity at commercial properties in New Castle and Sussex counties. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027.

The announcement comes as Delaware residents and businesses continue to face concerns about electricity affordability, generating capacity and the state’s ability to attract private investment.
Although the administration says the projects will expand local energy production and help customers manage electricity costs, its Oct. 9 announcement did not specify how many households would benefit or how much an average subscriber could save annually.
That distinction matters because community solar programs provide financial benefits directly to participating customers but do not necessarily reduce electricity rates for everyone.

Four projects, $20.3 million in investment

The solar installations are among six projects accepted into the governor’s JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator, an initiative designed to shorten government review timelines for housing, energy and infrastructure development.
The six projects represent approximately $165 million in proposed private investment, including two mixed-use housing developments and the four solar installations.
King Energy would develop the solar facilities at commercial properties owned by Harvey Hanna & Associates and Coastal Trade Supply.

According to the administration, the installations would generate more than 12 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually after completion.
“King Energy is extremely excited to partner with the Delaware JobsFirst program to accelerate the deployment of rooftop solar programs at four commercial properties, owned by Harvey Hanna and Coastal Trade Supply,” King Energy CEO John Witchel said in the announcement.
Witchel said the projects would help address growing electricity demand and costs by expanding in-state generation.
The installations would connect to Delmarva Power’s distribution system. Construction is scheduled to begin in late March 2027, with completion dates varying by location.

How much will customers save?

Unlike traditional rooftop solar, community solar allows eligible residents and businesses to subscribe to a larger solar installation without purchasing or installing panels on their own property.
Electricity generated by the facility enters the utility’s distribution system, and participating customers receive credits on their electric bills based on their subscriptions.
Delaware law establishes minimum savings requirements for newer community solar projects.
For facilities receiving final operating certificates on or after Sept. 3, 2026, residential subscribers must receive savings of at least 10% on the value of their community solar credits. Qualifying low- and moderate-income subscribers must receive savings of at least 20%.
The law also requires at least 15% of a qualifying facility’s electricity output to serve low- and moderate-income customers.
Those savings percentages apply to the value of solar electricity credits after applicable charges, not necessarily to a customer’s entire electric bill.
For example, a residential customer receiving $100 worth of solar credits would save at least $10 under the standard requirement. An income-qualified customer receiving the same credits would save at least $20.
The actual annual savings would depend on electricity consumption, subscription size and billing arrangements.
While those consumer protections are established in state law, the administration has not released expected annual dollar savings for participants in the four newly announced projects.
The number of available subscriptions, eligibility details and enrollment dates also have not been announced.

More generation does not necessarily mean lower statewide rates

The facilities would add locally generated electricity to Delaware’s energy supply, an objective emphasized by the Meyer administration as electricity demand grows.
Solar generation can reduce demand for electricity from other sources during periods when sunlight is available. However, solar panels do not produce electricity at night, and generation varies with weather and seasonal conditions.
The four proposed projects do not include a battery-storage component in the information released by the administration.
As a result, the installations could contribute to Delaware’s electricity supply but would not independently address the need for dependable generation during nighttime hours or other periods when solar production is limited.
The state has not released an analysis quantifying how these four projects would affect wholesale electricity prices, grid reliability or utility rates for customers who do not subscribe.
Those questions are relevant as Delaware considers how to balance renewable energy development with dependable, affordable electricity from a variety of generating sources.

Private investment and public incentives

One notable feature of the announcement is its emphasis on private-sector investment rather than a newly announced state construction appropriation.
King Energy is identified as the developer, with approximately $20.3 million in proposed investment across the four facilities.

However, private financing does not necessarily mean a project operates without public incentives or other financial support.
Depending on eligibility and applicable rules, solar developers may receive tax benefits or generate revenue through renewable energy credit programs.
The governor’s announcement does not identify the specific tax incentives, grants or other public financial assistance, if any, expected to support these installations.
It also does not provide a detailed accounting of utility interconnection expenses or program administration costs.
Those financial arrangements would help establish the projects’ overall economics and clarify whether any associated expenses could affect taxpayers or utility customers who do not subscribe.

Meyer promotes faster permitting

The governor’s JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator is intended to reduce unnecessary delays by coordinating reviews across state agencies.
Established through Executive Order 18, the initiative assigns participating projects a central point of contact and seeks to complete complex permitting reviews within 120 business days.
Existing environmental, public safety and regulatory requirements remain in place, according to the administration.
“The JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator is about cutting unnecessary red tape, moving projects forward faster and making it easier to invest in Delaware,” Meyer said.
“These projects will help lower costs, create opportunities and strengthen the communities Delawareans call home.”
Thomas Harvey, managing director of Harvey Hanna & Associates, said the permitting improvements could help bring needed energy projects online more efficiently.
“We believe projects like these can play an important role in addressing Delaware’s growing need for reliable, affordable energy,” Harvey said.
The approach has implications beyond solar development. More predictable permitting timelines can reduce uncertainty for businesses considering investments in manufacturing, housing and infrastructure.
However, acceptance into the accelerator does not constitute final regulatory approval or guarantee that construction will begin on schedule.

Construction jobs expected

The administration also says the four installations will generate local construction employment.
The announced construction schedules range from approximately five to eight months, depending on the facility.
The state did not specify the number of construction positions, expected wages, how many workers would be Delaware residents or whether the projects would create permanent jobs after construction.
Those details would help evaluate the employment impact of the investments, particularly because the permitting initiative is part of the administration’s JobsFirst economic development program.

Part of a larger solar initiative

The newly announced facilities build on Delaware’s efforts to expand community solar.
In September, the Delaware Public Service Commission highlighted four previously accepted community solar projects in Seaford, Townsend and Clayton.
Those projects represent more than 16 megawatts of proposed generating capacity and over $73 million in investment.
According to the commission, state officials estimated that the earlier projects could provide electricity cost reductions of 10% to 15% for more than 16,000 Delaware households.
Those estimates apply to the earlier projects, not the four King Energy installations announced in October.
The additional facilities would expand the number of proposed solar installations moving through the state’s accelerated permitting process.

Measuring the benefits

The latest announcement represents another step in the administration’s effort to encourage private investment, expand energy generation and reduce regulatory delays.
The projects offer potential benefits, including additional electricity production, savings for participating customers and construction-related economic activity.
Whether those investments also produce broader affordability benefits will depend on actual electricity output, project costs, subscriber participation and how the facilities operate within Delaware’s electricity system.
Several questions remain unanswered in the announcement, including how many Delawareans will subscribe, what average annual savings will be, whether public incentives are involved and how the administration will measure the results of accelerated permitting.
For consumers concerned about rising electricity costs, those figures will help determine how much of the promised benefit ultimately reaches Delaware households and businesses.
The four installations remain proposed developments, with construction planned for 2027. Their economic and energy benefits will become measurable once the facilities are completed and begin operating.
Delaware LIVE collaborates with a network of professional journalists to cover a diverse range of stories across various fields.  Staff Writers include experienced journalists and young professionals.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected] or our publisher, George D. Rotsch, at [email protected]
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