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AI-Powered Solar Irrigation Framework Cuts Water Use by Nearly 29 Percent in Simulation
In the arid expanses of Egypt’s New Delta region, where every drop of water counts and the sun beats down relentlessly, a team of Egyptian engineers has built a virtual farm of the future. A new study published in Scientific Reports presents a MATLAB-based simulation framework that fuses artificial intelligence with Internet of Things (IoT) architecture to manage solar-powered irrigation, and its headline numbers are striking: a projected annual water saving of 28.57 percent compared with a conventional fixed-schedule baseline, and a 74.74 percent reduction in motor energy use through adaptive pump-speed control.
The research, led by Ahmed Mashaly of Mansoura National University, together with Ragab A. El-Sehiemy of Kafrelsheikh University and Mohamed Elgohary of Delta University for Science and Technology, addresses a persistent gap in the smart agriculture literature. According to the authors, most existing studies concentrate either on IoT monitoring platforms or on AI prediction models, but rarely integrate both into a single, coherent system. Their framework does exactly that, coupling a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network for predicting irrigation water requirements with a complete renewable energy management layer that includes photovoltaic generation, battery state-of-charge (SOC) management, and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm.
At the heart of the predictive engine sits the LSTM network, a specialized form of recurrent neural network designed to capture long-range temporal dependencies in sequential data. That architecture is well suited to agriculture, where irrigation demand depends not just on today’s weather but on patterns of solar irradiance, temperature, and humidity unfolding over days. Trained and tested on real environmental data drawn from NASA’s POWER database for the New Delta region, the LSTM classified the operating states of the irrigation pump with an accuracy of 96.11 percent. Its recall of 0.9820 indicates that it rarely misses a genuine irrigation event, while its precision of 0.9100 shows that false alarms are comparatively uncommon. The resulting F1-score of 0.9446 balances those two qualities into a single figure of merit.
Those numbers matter because the model was not operating in isolation. The team benchmarked the LSTM against two widely used alternatives, an artificial neural network (ANN) and a support vector machine (SVM), and found the LSTM outperformed both. Robustness testing across multiple independent training runs showed stable performance, an important consideration for any system intended to run autonomously in the field, where retraining conditions vary and overfitting to a single dataset can quietly degrade reliability.
The energy side of the framework is equally deliberate. A photovoltaic system, whose output power depends on solar irradiance and panel efficiency, feeds the irrigation pump through an MPPT algorithm that continuously adjusts the operating point to extract the maximum available power from the panels. A battery storage subsystem, tracked through its state of charge, buffers the mismatch between when the sun shines and when the crops need water. Rather than running pumps at fixed speed, the framework adapts pump speed to actual demand, which is where the dramatic 74.74 percent reduction in motor energy consumption comes from. In conventional irrigation, motors often run at full power regardless of need; adaptive control trims that waste.
Water savings arise from a different mechanism. Instead of irrigating on a rigid timetable, the system predicts how much water the crops will actually consume and schedules irrigation accordingly, using a soil-moisture error term to correct deviations between predicted and measured conditions. Against an assumed conventional fixed-schedule baseline, the simulated annual water saving reached 28.57 percent. For a country like Egypt, which faces severe water scarcity and is developing the New Delta as new agricultural land, savings of that magnitude could translate into substantially more farmland served by the same water allocation.
The researchers also stress-tested their design. A sensitivity analysis examined how the system responds to moderate variations in environmental and operating conditions, and the model remained stable. That resilience is critical for real-world deployment, where sensor noise, weather variability, and component aging are the norm rather than the exception. The framework further includes a conceptual IoT communication architecture, envisioning field sensors, controllers, and remote monitoring linked through technologies such as GSM and long-range wide area networks, so that the intelligence demonstrated in simulation could eventually govern physical hardware.
It is worth emphasizing what the study does and does not claim. This is a simulation framework, validated against real environmental data but not yet demonstrated on deployed hardware in a working field. The water and energy savings are estimates relative to a modeled baseline, and the authors position the work explicitly as a promising start toward future hardware implementations of intelligent, solar-powered irrigation devices. Even so, the integration is what sets the work apart: prediction, power management, storage control, and communication are designed together rather than bolted together after the fact.
The broader implications extend beyond Egypt. Agriculture consumes the majority of the world’s freshwater withdrawals, and solar-powered irrigation is expanding rapidly across regions where grid electricity is unreliable or absent. A framework that pairs machine learning forecasts with renewable energy management could help farmers squeeze more output from both scarce inputs, water and sunlight. The MATLAB environment also makes the approach reproducible and adaptable, allowing other researchers to plug in local climate data and re-tune the models for their own conditions.
From the sun-scorched fields of the New Delta to the growing literature on AI-driven smart farming, the study offers a template for how simulation can de-risk the next generation of agricultural technology. If future hardware trials confirm the simulated gains, the combination of LSTM forecasting, adaptive pump control, and solar energy management could become a cornerstone of sustainable irrigation in water-stressed regions worldwide.
Subject of Research: An AI-IoT simulation framework using LSTM networks for smart solar-powered irrigation and renewable energy management
Article Title: A MATLAB-based AI-IoT simulation framework for LSTM-driven smart solar irrigation and renewable energy management
Article References: A MATLAB-based AI-IoT simulation framework for LSTM-driven smart solar irrigation and renewable energy management. (n.d.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-74935-0
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-74935-0
Keywords: smart irrigation, LSTM, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, photovoltaic systems, renewable energy, MATLAB, water efficiency, maximum power point tracking, battery state of charge, smart agriculture, Egypt
News Source: Faith Mcneil. (October 12, 2026). AI-Powered Solar Irrigation Framework Cuts Water Use by Nearly 29 Percent in Simulation. Scienmag.
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Azerbaijan Inaugurates 100 MW Gobustan Solar Power Plant Equipped with Sungrow Inverters  SolarQuarter
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Qatar fast-tracks utility-scale solar PV projects to diversify power mix: Report  TradingView
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Navitas Solar’s Vijay Menon identified grid-connection delays and curtailment as major challenges for solar project development
He cautioned that excessive cost reduction during design and procurement can weaken long-term plant performance
Predictive maintenance, better use of plant data, and robotic cleaning can support a more proactive O&M approach
Solar power plants should be planned, built, and operated as one integrated chain, according to Vijay Menon, Chief Operating Officer of Navitas Solar. Speaking at the TaiyangNews Solar Power Plants & Storage Conference 2026, he said decisions made during development and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) directly affect plant yield and operating costs throughout the project’s lifetime.
Menon identified grid-connection queues as one of the main challenges facing solar project development. Project deployments are outpacing grid expansion, while developers and EPC companies have limited control over transmission availability.
He cites curtailment as another concern for operating projects. Solar generation typically peaks around midday, while electricity demand is often higher in the mornings and evenings. This mismatch can reduce the amount of electricity sold and affect project returns.
Menon said developers should consider co-located storage early to shift solar generation to periods of higher demand. Grid access, land acquisition and community engagement should also progress in parallel. Other challenges include volatile development costs and different commercial and compliance requirements among regional and international investors.
Recycling also needs to be considered beyond the manufacturing stage. Menon said the industry requires solutions for damaged and end-of-life modules as well as other project components. Regional recycling hubs are beginning to provide these services in response to regulatory and voluntary requirements.
EPC and Project Quality
Solar construction has become faster with higher-power modules, improved trackers, and cleaning systems. However, Menon said EPC services don’t follow a single global standard, even though individual components may comply with UL or IEC requirements. Tight margins and the availability of skilled personnel also remain concerns.
Menon said digital tools are already changing project execution. He referred to design software and drone surveys as examples. In his view, quality control should extend beyond factory audits and cover risks that may emerge after the equipment has been supplied.
He also questioned the focus on reducing upfront project costs, adding that lower capital expenditure (CapEx) can come with compromises in design and product selection, which may later reduce output. He said lowering lifetime costs may require spending more on quality at the beginning.
Operations and Maintenance
The real test of a solar project comes after commissioning, when the plant must deliver the expected energy yield, said Menon. Yet operations and maintenance (O&M) is still often handled reactively. Teams step in after a fault appears, while construction-related issues can remain unresolved for long periods.
Weather conditions and equipment quality can also result in unexpected degradation. At the same time, useful plant information remains divided among inverter, tracker, and other equipment providers. The project needs to use this data across teams rather than keeping it with individual specialists.
AI tools, drones, and predictive maintenance platforms can assist O&M teams, while robotic systems can support cleaning. Menon also advocated for repowering older projects whose output has declined. This may be necessary where a power purchase agreement (PPA) requires the plant to supply a minimum amount of electricity.
The commercial conditions for O&M remain difficult. Service providers must meet high performance guarantees, although the available maintenance budget may not cover the work needed to deliver those results.
Storage in Solar Projects
Menon said storage is becoming part of more solar projects in India. Solar plants can be built quickly, but their output varies through the day and cannot provide firm power on their own. Storage can store some midday generation and supply it when demand is higher.
Lithium-ion is currently the main technology used for this purpose, although work continues on other storage options. Menon expects deployment to increase as systems become available at larger scale and more competitive prices. In his view, combining solar with storage offers opportunities both within and outside India.
Watch the presentation on the TaiyangNews YouTube channel here.
TaiyangNews 2024

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BLC Energy, a United Kingdom-based renewable energy developer, has received planning approval for the 40 MW Kirknewton Solar and BESS Farm in West Lothian, Scotland. The approval was given unanimously by the planning committee of West Lothian Council on 7 October, and it followed a recommendation from the planning officers of the council. The farm will comprise around 83,000 solar panels and a 9 MW BESS, which will store the excess energy and release it to the grid when it is most needed. BLC Energy has stated that the project will generate enough renewable energy to power over 12,500 homes each year. The company will also provide a community benefit fund that is worth GBP 26,000 (~ $34,410) a year throughout the 40-year life of the solar farm. Construction is to take around six months, and the solar farm will begin exporting electricity to the National Grid in 2030, which is its grid connection date.
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Buyer beware: Going solar turned into a ‘nightmare’ for a Richmond man  WRIC ABC 8News
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New analysis of more than 15 million UK rooftops suggests solar panels and battery storage could save households almost £950 a year on average, with some areas seeing even bigger returns
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Installing solar panels and a home battery could cut the average household’s electricity costs by almost £950 a year, according to new modelling of more than 15 million UK rooftops.
The research, from solar software company GreenSketch, estimates that the average home it analysed could save £946 a year with an optimised solar and battery system.
But some parts of the country appear considerably better placed than others to recoup savings. Torbay in Devon topped the rankings for annual savings, with the modelling estimating that households could save an average of £1,069 a year. Maidstone in Kent and Plymouth were close behind, both at £1,047, followed by Ashford at £1,045 and the Isle of Wight at £1,044.
Torbay also recorded the shortest estimated payback period, at just over seven years. Plymouth came next at 7.23 years, while Maidstone and the Isle of Wight were calculated at 7.24 years.
The results suggest that location can make a noticeable difference to the financial case for solar, although the potential isn’t confined to the sunniest parts of southern England.
GreenSketch found average annual savings above £800 across all four UK nations, with its modelling putting the average at £954 in England, £951 in Wales, £930 in Northern Ireland and £869 in Scotland.
In Wales, the southwest produced particularly strong results, while GreenSketch said some of Northern Ireland’s best-performing areas were in the east, suggesting how local weather conditions can be as important as simply how far north or south a home is.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
Rather than applying the same theoretical solar system to a regional average, GreenSketch says it analysed individual rooftops using satellite imagery, geographical data and artificial intelligence.
The modelling takes factors such as a roof’s slope, orientation and available panel area into account before estimating electricity generation using local solar data. It then models how electricity would be used, stored in a battery or exported to the grid.
There are, however, some important caveats to the headline savings.
The figures are based on a modelled 5.17kWp solar installation paired with a 5kWh battery, costing around £7,845. The calculations also assume particular electricity tariffs, including an export rate of 26p per kWh and an off-peak import rate of 8p per kWh.
Those rates won’t be available to every household, while the amount you could save from solar panels will also depend on factors including your electricity use, roof suitability, the price of your installation and how much generated power you can use or store at home.
GreenSketch estimates the average payback period across the homes it analysed at around 7.9 years.
Prashant Aggarwal, chief executive of GreenSketch, said homeowners should start viewing their roofs as an “energy and financial asset” rather than simply another part of a property that needs maintaining.
The company calculates that the combined potential savings across the 15 million homes included in its analysis could reach £14.2bn a year.
While that figure is theoretical, the research provides another indication that Britain’s famously grey weather doesn’t necessarily rule out solar. Solar panels generate electricity from daylight rather than requiring uninterrupted sunshine, meaning even homes outside the south of England can still produce significant amounts of power.
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Data from Bulgaria’s transmission system operator (TSO) Electricity System Operator (ESO) show that the country produced 12.24% more electricity year-on-year, while domestic consumption grew by 8.45%, according to the Association for Production, Storage and Trading of Electricity (APSTE).
Power generation from renewable energy sources reached 11.5 TWh, up by nearly 34% from the previous year. Renewables have accounted for nearly 80% of the country’s total power generation growth.
The expansion of energy storage systems has been particularly remarkable
The expansion of energy storage systems has been particularly remarkable. From the start of the year until October 4, grid-scale batteries delivered 1,720 GWh of electricity to the power system. It is a more than ninefold increase from just 190 GWh that was recorded a year earlier.
This enabled cheap electricity generated during the day to be stored and used during hours of higher demand and higher prices, APSTE pointed out.
Of note, Bulgaria’s BESS capacity is approaching 6 GW / 17 GWh.
APSTE stressed that the benefits of the new energy mix became particularly clear during the summer.
Despite prolonged heatwaves and low water levels on the Danube river that constrained nuclear and hydro power generation across the region, Bulgaria remained a net exporter and maintained prices lower than neighboring markets during key periods.
This success was driven by a combination of solar power plants, battery storage, and the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).
Gazdov: While neighboring markets suffer from high prices and power shortages, Bulgaria generates and stores more and more of its own electricity
“While neighboring markets suffer from high prices and power shortages, due to constraints on their nuclear plants and high natural gas prices, Bulgaria generates and stores more and more of its own electricity. This translates into more competitive prices for households and businesses, greater energy security, and a stronger position on the regional energy market,” APSTE chairman Nikola Gazdov explained.
A striking example occurred on October 8, when Unit 6 of the Kozloduy NPP underwent planned maintenance and Unit 5 operated at reduced capacity due to low water levels on the Danube.
Despite these constraints, in the early afternoon photovoltaic systems were producing nearly 4,300 MW, exceeding total national demand of 4,100 MW, while batteries were charging at over 4,000 MW, storing cheap electricity for peak evening demand, the update reads.
However, APSTE warned that the successful expansion of solar energy and batteries is not enough. In the winter, solar generation decreases while demand rises. To secure more of cheap domestic power during the colder months, Bulgaria must accelerate wind energy deployment.
Since 2020, PV capacity in the country has grown by about 600% to nearly 7 GW, while BESS capacity is close to 6 GW / 17 GWh. APSTE estimates that total investments in photovoltaics, batteries, and related infrastructure since 2020 have reached approximately EUR 7 billion.
However, Bulgaria has only 716 MW of installed wind capacity, with no major new wind farm built since 2013. Wind power complements solar with a different daily and seasonal generation profile, capable of providing substantial power output during winter, APSTE added.
Gazdov: Sun and batteries have significantly enhanced Bulgaria’s energy security
“Sun and batteries have significantly enhanced Bulgaria’s energy security amid one of the most severe energy crises. This is very important, but it is not enough. We must build on this success by attracting investment into wind power as well,” he said.
This road will secure cheaper local electricity not only in the summer, but also in the winter, Gazdov added.
Achieving this does not require new subsidies, but clear rules and a genuine easing of construction procedures for new capacity, in his view.
According to APSTE, Bulgaria could attract over EUR 4 billion in additional private investment in wind farms and energy storage systems by 2030, provided institutions ensure predictable regulations and remove unnecessary administrative constraints, including for projects located outside renewable energy acceleration areas.
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The EU selected 46 more strategic projects for critical raw materials, including one for a lithium mine and two for the extraction of lithium from geothermal waters
On Maxxen Day 2026, Maxxen Energy opened its factory in Türkiye to the European energy storage industry and showed the most advanced BESS factory in Europe. Maxxen Day 2026 brought together more than 300 guests from 18 European countries and nearly 120 companies across the battery energy storage system (BESS) value chain. Discussions covered the […]
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Austria issued around 43,300 application tickets in the first 10 minutes of its final 2026 solar subsidy funding call 
The government has increased the round’s budget to €38.5 million using funds released from incomplete projects 
It plans to replace the current subsidy arrangement with a new funding model from 2027 which will give greater weight to battery storage 
Austria received around 43,300 application tickets within 10 minutes of opening its final solar PV subsidy round for 2026. The strong demand has highlighted pressure on the existing funding system, which the government plans to replace with a continuous application process from 2027.  
The Austrian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism increased the budget for the latest funding round from €8 million to €38.5 million. The revised amount includes unutilized funds from allocations for earlier projects that were not completed or were only partly implemented.  
“The total funding volume for photovoltaic systems and electricity storage will thus reach 128.5 million euros in 2026,” states the ministry.  
The funding call started on October 8, 2026. Around 19,600 application tickets were issued in the first minute and 40,800 in five minutes. After 10 minutes, the number increased to around 43,300. In comparison, in the previous call, a total of 24,900 applications were submitted.   
The latest call offers subsidies for new or expanded solar PV systems and associated energy storage facilities. Applications will be accepted until October 22, 2026. Details of the call are available on the dedicated Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG) portal.  
The ministry said the high demand underscored the need to change the current system, under which applicants compete for limited funding during specific application windows.  
From 2027, Austria plans to introduce a continuous application process. Under the proposed model, applicants would be able to apply after completing their projects and receiving the final invoice, rather than competing to secure funding when a call opens  
Through the revised funding model, the government aims to make funding more predictable and reduce the amount of money tied up in projects that are never fully implemented. It would also place greater emphasis on battery storage and energy management system (see Austria Launches ‘Storage Offensive’ As Solar Output Peaks).  
“The fact that so many remaining funds can now be reallocated shows how much money was tied up in projects that were not implemented or only partially implemented. We are changing that,” said State Secretary for Energy Elisabeth Zehetner. “Anyone who actually realizes their project should have access to funding. This makes funding more reliable for customers and the use of funds more efficient.” 
The new funding framework is still being finalized. The government is preparing the necessary legislative amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, shared Zehetner.  
TaiyangNews 2024

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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — U Mobile, Malaysia’s best 5G network provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HLGY Energy Sdn Bhd to collaborate on the development of next-generation smart solar farm solutions in Malaysia, enabled by U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network. The collaboration brings together private 5G connectivity, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and industrial automation to enhance the monitoring and management of solar farm operations.
HLGY Energy is a Malaysian renewable energy developer focused on developing and operating utility-scale solar and integrated energy solutions under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) framework, including the Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant.
Under the MoU, both companies will explore the deployment of a private 5G network that would form the digital backbone of the smart solar farm. U Mobile would serve as HLGY Energy’s innovation, automation and communications infrastructure provider. The network’s dedicated, secure and reliable connectivity 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.
The partnership supports U Mobile’s enterprise growth strategy by applying the capabilities of its ULTRA5G network to the evolving needs of the renewable energy sector. Its network capabilities have received independent recognition by Ookla and Opensignal for speed and availability. The collaboration also strengthens U Mobile’s role as a digital solutions partner supporting businesses in their digital transformation.
“This collaboration will demonstrate how U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network can enable the next generation of smart and sustainable infrastructure. 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,” How Lih Ren, Chief Business Officer of U Mobile, said.
“Beyond connectivity, our ambition is to be a trusted digital solutions partner to enterprises across Malaysia. We look forward to applying our network and technology capabilities to support the country’s renewable energy aspirations, including the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS).”
“Malaysia’s green energy transition needs renewable energy infrastructure that is reliable, efficient and built for the future. Our collaboration with U Mobile brings together solar energy expertise and private 5G connectivity to explore how AI and automation can improve the way we operate and manage our solar assets,” Kenneth Yap, Chairman and Executive Director of HLGY Energy, said. 
“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. As we advance our ambitions under CRESS, we aim to make clean energy a dependable choice for businesses, helping Malaysian industries decarbonise and contributing to the nation’s sustainable growth.”
The initiative supports HLGY Energy’s longer-term renewable energy plans including opportunities under CRESS. It demonstrates how advanced connectivity and automation can transform the management of critical energy infrastructure.
The collaboration reflects the growing convergence between digital infrastructure and renewable energy, demonstrating how advanced connectivity and intelligent technologies can support the digitalisation of Malaysia’s energy infrastructure.
Enterprises interested in learning more about U Mobile’s private 5G and smart infrastructure solutions or exploring collaboration opportunities across renewable energy and other critical infrastructure sectors, can visit U Business for more information.
 

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The Pulse
The field looks whole from the road.
Row after row of dark panels still stand upright on their steel posts outside a stretch of Nebraska farmland.
Get closer and the glass tells a different story.
A web of white cracks runs across nearly every surface, as if a thousand windshields had been struck at once.
Nothing scattered across the dirt.
So what actually happens inside a panel when ice the size of a baseball hits it, and why did the field end up standing but useless?
A solar panel’s front surface is tempered safety glass, four to six times stronger than ordinary window glass and engineered to break into small blunt fragments rather than long shards. Behind it, a clear polymer encapsulant bonds that sheet to the cell stack under heat and vacuum.
So when the glass does fail, the pieces stay stuck where they are. When hail driven by winds of 100 to 150 miles per hour came down outside Scottsbluff on June 23, the glass reached its limit, and that fracture is not cosmetic.
Underneath sit thin silicon wafers wired together with metal ribbons, and a broken cover lets moisture reach energized conductors, which ends a module’s working life even when some current still flows. A utility official compared the panels to a car windshield, saying it “fractured the glass, but there wasn’t breakage in pieces all over the place.”
That one detail explains the strange scene of a field that looks intact from a distance. An engineer with the firm that manages the array said afterward that the panels “weren’t rated to quite that high of an impact,” a different kind of failure than wind tearing metal apart.
The numbers from that one afternoon are hard to picture until you walk the rows. The solar farm north of Scottsbluff is the second solar farm built in the area, and the 5.2 megawatt facility consisted of 14,000 solar panels, delivering 4.375 megawatts of alternating current to the grid.
Of those, 13,650 panels were destroyed in a single storm. That storm did not single out the solar farm.
It was part of a supercell that moved out of eastern Wyoming and across the state line, bringing a tornado, downed power lines and shattered windshields with it. The panels sit on trackers that follow the sun across the sky through the day.
Utility officials have said other solar sites in the state have taken hail before, but described this one as an extreme weather event. Early reporting from the scene described most of the array shattered, with the occasional intact panel standing out among the rest.
Much of the public worry after the June 2023 storm was about debris, and whether fragments of panel had littered the field and the farmland around it. Officials said that was not what happened.
Because of the way the modules are built to resist shattering, damage was mostly isolated to the modules themselves, with little impact on the other components of the solar farm. That detail mattered for cleanup, since a field strewn with loose glass would have meant a longer, messier recovery, possibly with fragments migrating into surrounding fields.
Instead, cracked panels sat in place, inert, waiting to be unbolted one at a time rather than swept up. Inspectors moved fast once the skies cleared.
Those involved in the project conducted multiple on site inspections using specially qualified contractors, and crews were on the site within days of the storm.
The utility later confirmed that the facility had been repaired, re commissioned and returned to operation, with the damaged panels removed from the site to be recycled.
The asset manager worked with a specialist recycling company, the kind of operation built to pull glass, aluminum frames and metal wiring apart and feed them back into manufacturing. It echoes the same recovery math behind crushed panels that researchers have shown can give up most of their silver content using nothing more than water and air bubbles.
Rebuilding the field itself took a 17 person crew, including 12 workers from Scottsbluff. That same resilience question is already shaping how solar gets built on hail prone ground, much the way land beneath arrays elsewhere has been reimagined for new purposes once the panels go up.
This stretch of the high plains is no stranger to violent weather, and the same system that wrecked the array damaged homes, trees and vehicles across the valley. The hail that reached the panels was described by the utility as softball and baseball size, and the storm as exceptionally intense.
Even in hail country, it was an outlier. The array came back online about six months later, carrying the same sun tracking hardware but sturdier expectations about what a Great Plains sky can throw at it.
The panels did the one thing their glass is designed to do under conditions they were never rated for, cracking in place instead of scattering. That design choice is the real story behind a field that looked destroyed and came back.
The rebuild itself was completed without safety incidents, according to the contractor that did the work, and the episode reads less as a verdict on solar power than as a question about durability standards catching up with Plains weather.
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Qatar is accelerating the deployment of utility-scale solar photovoltaics as part of a national strategy to diversify its power mix, reduce domestic gas consumption for power generation, and curb emissions intensity, while maintaining gas-fired generation as the bedrock of system reliability. The solar drive is expected to help lift renewable energy’s share in the country’s total power capacity from 12.0% in 2025 to 25.9% by 2035, says GlobalData, a global intelligence and productivity platform.
GlobalData’s latest report, reveals that Qatar’s installed power capacity will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% between 2025 and 2035. Solar PV will be the primary growth engine, expanding at a CAGR of 12.4% over the decade.
“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,”Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments.

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 Qatar’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 approximately 74% of cumulative capacity in 2035.
Saibasan adds: “The cogeneration of potable water and power is a structural feature of Qatar’s utility system. Gas-fired IWPP facilities provide critical firming capacity to absorb large influxes of solar energy during midday hours while securing baseload water desalination. Expanding flexible gas generation and modernizing grid management are essential prerequisites for accommodating the planned 4GW renewable target by 2030 without compromising system security.”
The policy landscape is centrally directed under the Third National Development Strategy and the Qatar National Vision 2030. Key initiatives include the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, carbon-reduction pledges under the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and net-billing regulations introduced by Kahramaa for distributed generation. Meanwhile, Qatar continues to operate a single-buyer model, under which Kahramaa purchases electricity and desalinated water through long-term agreements, minimizing market risk for project developers and consortium partners.
“Qatar is leveraging its world-class solar irradiance and robust balance sheet to free up valuable natural gas volumes for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export markets while decarbonizing its domestic matrix. Sustaining this pace will require continuing to align renewable integration with IWPP offtake commitments, meeting growing industrial demand, and maintaining high transmission reliability across the National Control Centre and regional GCC interconnection links.”
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A research team in Indonesia has proposed a novel grounding strategy to mitigate lightning-induced overvoltage in PV systems by identifying optimal grounding-point locations and evaluating different grounding configurations.
“Previous research has generally protected solar panels using a Lightning Protection System (LPS) with lightning rods connected to down conductors, such as Franklin rods,” the scientists emphasized. “This study considers the possibility of direct lightning strikes on solar panels or their supports, even if an LPS is installed. This occurrence allows current to flow through the solar panels to the grounding point.”
The researchers developed an equivalent electrical circuit model to investigate the transient overvoltage response of PV systems to lightning strikes. The simulated array comprised ten solar panels, each rated at 200 W, representing a section of a larger PV installation. Using ATPDraw 7.2 software, they modeled the electrical characteristics of the PV frames, mounting structures, grounding conductors, and electrodes through equivalent resistance, inductance, capacitance, and mutual inductance parameters.
Lightning strikes were simulated using a Heidler current source with a peak amplitude of 50 kA and an impulse waveform of 1.2/50 μs. Two configurations were investigated: direct grounding through the PV module frames and grounding through the mounting structures. The simulations assessed the effects of soil resistivity, grounding-point location, and the number of grounding connections on transient voltage distribution.
The researchers varied grounding-point locations to determine how the electrical path between the lightning strike location and the grounding connection influences overvoltage levels. They also compared single- and dual-grounding arrangements to assess the benefits of additional connections. The model assumed electrically interconnected metallic PV frames and evaluated voltage differences relative to a reference potential, excluding physical damage mechanisms and potential differences involving PV power conductors and inverters.
The results showed that increasing soil resistivity from 30 Ωm to 3,000 Ωm significantly raised transient voltage levels in both configurations. At lower resistivities, the highest voltages occurred near the lightning injection point, whereas at 3,000 Ωm, they shifted toward the grounding connection. Grounding through the mounting structures generally resulted in lower maximum voltages due to their lower electrical resistance.
At a constant soil resistivity of 30 Ωm, maximum voltages ranged from 1.97 MV to 2.64 MV for frame grounding and from 2.14 MV to 2.43 MV for mounting-based grounding, depending on the connection location. In both cases, positioning the grounding point closest to the lightning injection point minimized peak voltages by shortening the current discharge path and reducing its impedance.
Introducing a second grounding point further reduced transient voltages by 47.5% to 54.8% for frame grounding and by 43.2% to 50.7% for mounting-based grounding. The researchers attributed these improvements to lower grounding impedance and more efficient lightning current dissipation. The simulated peak current reached 48.78 kA, which the researchers described as being within the safety limits of IEEE Std 80, the IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding.
The findings indicate that grounding-point location and the number of connections have a greater influence on transient voltage mitigation than the choice between frame- and mounting-based grounding. In particular, shorter discharge paths, lower grounding resistance, and multiple grounding connections can substantially improve grounding performance.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of strategically positioned grounding points, low-resistivity soil conditions, and multipoint grounding in reducing lightning-induced overvoltage and improving the reliability of PV installations.
The new methodology was presented in “Study of the selection of an individual grounding location point against direct lightning strikes on solar panel systems,” published in Results in Engineering. The research group comprised scientists from Indonesia’s Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and Universitas Hasanuddin.
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Elgin has acquired the 40MWp Kilderry Solar Farm in County Kilkenny, Ireland, from BayWa r.e. as part of its continued growth strategy in the country.
The independent power producer (IPP) said the project is located close to several of its existing development assets, strengthening its growing Irish renewable energy portfolio.
Elgin added that the deal follows its recent acquisition of the approximately 200MW Blackhall Solar Farm in County Meath and reflects its strategy of combining acquisitions with organic development.
The latest transaction supports Elgin’s continued investment in renewable energy projects aimed at accelerating Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon energy system.
Elgin chief executive Dermot Kelleher said: “Kilderry is a strong addition to our Irish portfolio and further demonstrates our commitment to growing our presence in Ireland.
“Alongside Blackhall, this acquisition reflects our strategy of combining selective M&A with our organic development pipeline to create value and accelerate the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure.
“We see opportunities to replicate this approach across our portfolio, identifying strategically located projects that complement our existing assets and enhance overall project economics.”
BayWa r.e. UK managing director Gemma Hamilton said: “Kilderry reflects both the quality of projects we are bringing forward and the strength of our position in the Irish market, where we continue to invest in the growth and delivery of our renewable energy portfolio.
“Given the project’s location and particular strategic fit with Elgin’s existing assets in the area, this transaction creates a unique opportunity to accelerate Kilderry Solar Farm towards delivery under Elgin’s ownership.
“We remain firmly focused on progressing our wider 1 GW solar pipeline and playing a significant role in the continued growth of renewable energy across Ireland.”
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Rooftop solar installations in Australia hit strongest six-month total since 2021  PV Tech
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Doral Renewables commercialises 900MW Mammoth solar PV park  PV Tech
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Published 1:30 am Monday, October 12, 2026
By Darrell Kirk Staff reporter
Darrell Kirk photo
Through the fence—solar panels on Decatur.
An aerial view of Decatur’s solar panels.
Wendy Heister, an OPALCO board member, Bill Hurley, a retired engineer on Decatur Island, and Eva Schulte, executive director of Friends of the San Juans, are in agreement that a successful rollout of solar across the San Juan Islands must include a solar siting group, as well as community and other stakeholder engagement. Hurley believes the County itself should lead the siting group, and Heister describes a team the County is putting together, while Schulte says that Friends of the San Juans has been that group with OPALCO for four years and wants to extend it.
According to a May 2025 working draft prepared by Friends of the San Juans, OPALCO and Friends both submitted docket requests in the spring of 2024 asking the County to consider new land use designations and updated code that addresses commercial renewable energy. The draft also states that such proposed changes would more than double the amount of land available for solar projects. And while OPALCO pushes forward with utility-scale solar to meet requirements to avoid “Tier 2” power generated from coal, which is very expensive, Heister, Hurley and Schulte agree that smaller community solar and microgrid projects should be prioritized to move forward.
Zoning is the roadblock
Heister said the County’s land use tables are blocking sites that could otherwise work. She described two sites where willing landowners can’t build. A University of Washington laboratory on San Juan Island wanted a solar array that would double as a fire break, but the property is designated conservation land. Camp Orkila on Orcas Island has a large field once used for grazing horses that would suit solar, but it is zoned rural farm and forest.
“Working through this issue of the zoning and the land use tables is really the key to being able to move forward,” Heister said.
She said OPALCO members have made clear they don’t want trees cut for solar, and that surveys, including one by the County, show nearly 80% of residents want solar. The siting team’s job, she said, is to find open fields in blocks of property large enough that they are not in anybody’s direct view.
A group already at work
Schulte said Friends has been working with OPALCO as a siting group for four years and has put in “hundreds and hundreds of hours” over the last three. She said the group has a plan that “actually ensures that codes in San Juan County and permits are aligned with the placement of solar arrays.”
She wants to widen the circle. “Friends has been that group with OPALCO for four years now, and we would love to extend that group so we have greater effectiveness in being heard by OPALCO,” Schulte said.
Tina Whitman, Friends’ senior science director, and John Pierre van Dongen, Friends’ board president, sit on the committee along with OPALCO representatives, Schulte said. She sees no reason to wait. “We should build on what we already have done and move from there,” she said.
The County takes the lead
Hurley wrote to the County’s Department of Community Development on Sept. 25, urging it to take charge. “I suggest that the County take the lead and take responsibility in a proactive role,” he wrote. He called the County’s new site selection committee “a positive step” and said he trusts environmental protection will be a strongly weighted criterion in choosing sites.
Heister said the County has a big role to play. “We have to figure out where we are going in the county in order to solve this problem,” she said. “And the county itself needs to play a big part in this whole thing.”
Angela Broderick, climate and sustainability coordinator for San Juan County, said in an email reply to a question on the topic, “Currently there is no task force for solar siting, but we are working towards something along those lines.”
What guides the group
In April 2025, Friends proposed a set of policy preferences for the siting group based on the American Farmland Trust’s Smart Solar principles. The first is siting on the built environment, existing impervious surfaces or already cleared lands. Others include safeguarding agricultural resource land for future farming, using agri-solar on lands suited to agriculture, and inclusive stakeholder and farmer engagement on agri-solar projects.
OPALCO responded to the first preference in an April 30, 2025, letter, saying rooftop and small-scale solar cannot meet the scale of energy needed. Friends replied that the preference is not a required permit condition and is not meant only for rooftops. It calls for commercial-scale projects to use parcels with existing impervious surfaces or cleared land where feasible, instead of removing acres of forest.
As OPALCO plans more utility-scale solar projects across the San Juan Islands, a siting group with county involvement and real community input is a step that Hurley, Heister and Schulte are each calling for.

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UK Invests £3 Million To Advance National Floating And Deepwater Wind Test Site  Marine Insight
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“You don’t only pay for the energy, but for the instant availability of such energy.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Despite producing more electricity than the household uses, one solar homeowner said the utility still charges $10.32 each month for grid access — and another $2.30 every time that bill gets paid.
The complaint appeared on r/MildlyInfuriating, where the homeowner said their rooftop solar panel system more than covers the home’s monthly consumption. Even so, the utility still sends a bill, and readers seemed especially irritated by the extra cost: $10.32 owed, plus a $2.30 payment fee.
In the Reddit thread, the poster wrote, “We have solar and we generate more than we use each month. The $10.32 is a mandatory ‘connection fee’ with the power company. When I go to pay the bill there’s a flat $2.30 convenience fee every time.”
One person in the comments asked whether the surcharge changed with the bill amount: “Is that a 22% fee, or a flat $2.30 fee regardless of amount due?” It turned out to be a flat charge, which in this case works out to roughly 22% of the monthly balance.
For households with solar, that kind of system can feel particularly irritating. Even after everything they can do to lower the bill, customers can still be stuck with fixed utility charges and payment fees that do not depend on how much power they actually used.
One commenter argued that the recurring charge is for keeping the service available, not just paying for consumed electricity. “You don’t only pay for the energy, but for the instant availability of such energy.” They added that when “it’s millions of houses, then it adds up,” and said the roughly $13 in recurring charges help cover shared grid capacity.
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Another user compared it to paying for access whether or not you use it: “You’re paying for the ‘connection’…it’s right there in the word. You have power on demand. Just like if you pay for Netflix but never watch anything.” Even with that explanation, much of the conversation stayed focused on the separate $2.30 fee layered on top.
An early suggestion for avoiding the fee was to skip card processing by using a bank account, but the poster said the only available option was to send a check.
That led to another suggestion: many banks’ online bill-pay systems can essentially “send them a check” on the customer’s behalf. It may not be the most up-to-date fix, but it could remove the extra fee without requiring the original poster to write and mail a check every month.
Some also suggested reducing how often the surcharge gets applied. One commenter recommended, “Just prepay like $120 or whatever amount you are comfortable with,” noting that utilities can keep the extra amount as a credit and apply it to future bills.
Because the $2.30 fee is flat, combining multiple months into a single payment would reduce how much of a $10.32 bill gets eaten up by the surcharge.
Solar owners sometimes see confusing charges on their bills. These stories follow homeowners who kept seeing charges, high balances, or surprising credits after their panels changed how power flowed to and from the grid.
• A solar customer blasted a utility for ridiculous charges from the grid after going solar.
• In South Carolina, the app showed exports before a $150 bill claimed grid power use.
• A new homeowner was shown rooftop panels, then the first bill hit $420 anyway.
• In Australia, a 20kW setup made blackouts invisible, and one month hit a $545 credit.
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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Home > News > Australian-made solar robots move towards commercial scale with $32.3 million in ARENA funding
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing up to $32.3 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 $14.5 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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Stay up to date with this valuable knowledge by following us on social, or by signing up to ARENAWIRE or the ARENA Insights newsletter.

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Voltage Energy targets Europe’s utility-scale solar growth with standardised EBOS solutions  PV Tech
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Kardemir, a Turkish producer of long steel products, has made a major move into renewable energy with a 120.5 MWp solar power investment, equivalent to 92.5 MW AC. The project will support the company’s steel production operations while helping reduce electricity costs and carbon emissions. The solar facility is expected to start operating in 2028, and the investment was estimated at 3.96 billion Turkish lira (~$80,567). The plan also supports Kardemir’s ambition to increase annual steel production capacity to 3 million tonnes while building a more efficient and low-carbon production system. 
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India Curtails 4.2% Of Solar Generation Amid Power Shortages  BW Businessworld
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IoT News is part of the TechForge Publications series
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2-6G+ & Private Networks, AI & Predictive Maintenance, Energy & Environment, Ethernet & Fibre, Features, Infrastructure & Utilities, Networking, Robotics & Automation
Muhammad Zulhusni
12th October 2026
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U Mobile and Malaysian renewable energy developer HLGY Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the use of private 5G networks for monitoring and managing solar farms in Malaysia.
The collaboration will examine how U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network can support industrial automation and remote monitoring across large-scale solar installations. The companies also plan to assess applications involving AI, autonomous drones, and surveillance systems.
Under the agreement, U Mobile will serve as HLGY Energy’s innovation, automation, and communications infrastructure provider. The companies will explore deploying a dedicated private 5G network to connect equipment and monitoring systems across solar farm facilities.
Utility-scale solar farms rely on monitoring systems that collect operational data from equipment distributed across large outdoor sites. These systems track the performance of solar inverters, photovoltaic arrays, and other electrical equipment, while environmental sensors provide information about conditions affecting electricity generation.
A February 2026 report by the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) examined the use of digital monitoring, IoT technologies, and standardised data models in solar plant operations. It identified interoperability and cybersecurity as important considerations when connecting photovoltaic equipment with digital monitoring platforms.
According to the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA), industrial applications have different requirements for data rates, latency, and reliability. Equipment monitoring typically involves smaller data transmissions, while surveillance cameras and drone inspections can require greater network capacity.
Wired infrastructure, including fibre-optic connections and industrial Ethernet networks, is commonly used to connect fixed industrial equipment. 5G-ACIA has documented how 5G can be integrated with industrial Ethernet, allowing wireless devices to communicate with existing wired systems through compatible network configurations.
Deploying private 5G across large outdoor facilities requires planning for radio coverage, interference, and network capacity. Network design must also account for the reliability and performance requirements of connected industrial applications.
U Mobile and HLGY Energy have not disclosed the proposed network architecture, coverage area, or performance requirements, including how the system would integrate with existing wired infrastructure.
The proposed applications include autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics, and smart CCTV surveillance. The companies intend to use these technologies for remote monitoring, earlier fault detection, and faster responses to maintenance needs.
Drone-based inspections are already used in the solar industry to assess photovoltaic equipment. According to an IEA PVPS technical report on infrared and electroluminescence imaging, thermal cameras can detect hot spots, installation defects, and other abnormalities affecting solar modules without requiring physical contact with the equipment.
Drones equipped with infrared cameras can inspect large areas of solar installations and collect images for fault detection. Whether this imagery is stored onboard or transmitted during flight affects the communications capacity required by the inspection system.
U Mobile and HLGY Energy have not specified the sensors or data transmission methods planned for their proposed autonomous drone inspections.
U Mobile chief business officer How Lih Ren said the collaboration would bring together private 5G connectivity, AI, and industrial automation to support HLGY Energy’s renewable energy operations. He also outlined U Mobile’s intention to expand its role in providing digital solutions to Malaysian enterprises.
Beyond monitoring and inspections, the collaboration will explore integrating AI with solar generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to manage when electricity is stored and supplied.
HLGY Energy said the proposed integration is intended to reduce electricity costs and extend equipment lifespan. The companies have not disclosed performance targets or results from the proposed system.
HLGY Energy chairman and executive director Kenneth Yap said the collaboration would bring together the company’s solar energy expertise and U Mobile’s private 5G connectivity to “explore how AI and automation can improve the way we operate and manage our solar assets.”
HLGY Energy develops and operates utility-scale solar projects in Malaysia, including the Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant. The company is also involved in renewable energy initiatives under the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), which allows eligible businesses to purchase renewable electricity through the national grid.
The agreement remains at the exploration stage, with no confirmed deployment timeline, participating solar farm locations, or disclosed financial terms.
(Photo by American Public Power Association)
See also: UniFi expands industrial networking line with switches and U7 access point
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IoT News is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.
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India Curtails 4.2% of Solar Power as Grid Constraints Limit Absorption in July-August  KNN India
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India’s record renewable power generation and solar output were overshadowed by curtailments in July and August when India experienced power availability shortages.
Over 4% of the solar power generated in July and August had to be curtailed because of grid and operational constraints, the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in a report on Monday.
Solar power generation accounted for 58% of the increase in renewable electricity generation in the second quarter of India’s 2026/2027 fiscal year, making it the primary driver of renewable generation growth, CREA’s analysis showed.
“Solar remained the fastest-growing major source of electricity generation in Q2, increasing by 39% year-on-year, compared with 29% for wind and 26% for nuclear,” CREA said. Meanwhile, hydropower generation declined by 20%.
Solar output again reached a new daily record, with 705 million units (MU) generated on September 30, surpassing the previous record in Q1 FY2026-27.
“Despite record renewable generation, significant volumes of renewable electricity continued to be curtailed because of grid and operational constraints,” CREA’s analysts said.
In July and August, about 1.835 billion units (MU) of renewable energy generation, mostly solar, was curtailed, they noted.
Coal and lignite installations were at 231 GW as of August, or a 42% share of all power capacity, but renewable energy (excluding large hydro) grew the fastest, rising to 243 GW, or to a 44% share of India’s capacity, in August 2026. That’s up from 193 GW, or a 39% share, in August 2025, CREA’s analysis showed.
The solar curtailments came as India’s demand surged between July and September and coal plants were increasingly operating with critically low inventories. The number of plants with coal stocks below 25% of normative requirements rose sharply from 32 on August 22 to as many as 85 plants on October 1, according to CREA.
To address curtailments and a lack of flexibility in renewable energy sources, India plans to introduce, from July 2027 a regulation requiring developers of solar and wind energy projects to have battery storage installed at the sites.
By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com
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Molecular Coordination–Driven Photothermally Stable FACs-based Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency Over 25% via Dicarbonyl-Functionalized Thienoacene Small Molecule  Wiley & Sons
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Keong Hong Signs MoU With Helios Photovoltaic  TradingView
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QC lawmaker: Solar panels on every roof  BusinessMirror
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Dale Spridgeon, Local Democracy Reporter
Archaeologists will dig targeted trial trenches along a route planned for underground cables serving a solar farm after a possible Roman camp was identified on historic maps.
Anglesey councillors have approved a 2.5km cable route for Parc Solar Traffwll despite concerns about its potential impact on buried heritage.
Concerns were raised by Bryngwran Community Council over the proposed route passing through “areas of known or potential archaeological interest”.
It stated: “Insufficient archaeological assessment has been undertaken to demonstrate that buried heritage assets would not be adversely affected.”
A planning report had noted: “A more sensitive section of the route is identified at Caer Elen Farm, where historic mapping records a possible Roman camp and associated features, although no surface remains are now visible due to later disturbance.
“The cable route may cross the edge of this former enclosure, and there is potential for sub-surface archaeological remains to survive.”
The cable route would run from the northern outskirts of Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn east towards the southern edge of Bryngwran, running directly south of the A55 with the Afon Crigyll at the eastern section.
The cables would be ducted, inside a 400mm and 700mm wide approximately one meter deep trench.
The route would cross three sections of highway including Minffordd Road, Lon Cymunod and Lon Pont Cymunod.
Speaking at the meeting Jane Papenfus, head of project development at Low Carbon, said Parc Solar Traffwll already had permission from the Welsh Ministers including a cable route from Caergeiliog sub-station running wholly within the public highway.
“The alternative section crossing farm land close to the A55 would remove around 2km of cable route installation works from local roads, meaning less disruption for local residents, businesses and road users,” she said.
“On archaeology we recognise that this is a landscape with history including past finds in the A55 corridor.
“Heneb [archaeological expert group] has reviewed the proposals in detail. We are committed to following all of their advice, including pre-start trial trenching, in a specific location and an archaeologist watching brief along the whole off road section of the cable route.”
“Any remains found would be properly investigated and recorded under a scheme agreed with Heneb and secured by pre commencement condition.”
‘Safeguarded’
She alo noted Natural Resources Wales and council ecologists had “raised no objections”. Protected species and the triple SSI would also be “safeguarded throughout”.
Instead of 2km of work along Lon Bach and Afon Goch drilling would be done under Minffordd Road “to keep it open” she added.
Two road crossings will be licensed by the highways department and controlled by a traffic plan, with access kept open for homes and businesses.
“This is simply a less disruptive way to connect a consented solar farm that will generate enough clean electricity to power 11,600 homes on Ynys Mon,” she said.
Head of Environment and Planning Rhys Lloyd Jones said: “Heneb has assessed the plan and does not raise any objections provided there is a written scheme of investigation and archaeological and mitigation.
“Special attention is given to the area near Caer Elen Farm where targeted trial trenches need to be excavated. Officers are satisfied that archaeological interests can be properly protected through the conditions.”
He also noted the permission already granted.
“In a fall back position they could develop this along the highway, this application is an improvement on that,” he said.
“Officers were satisfied there would be no significant adverse ecological effect nor on transport with temporary effects being mitigated.”
Objections
Local member Cllr Neville Evans said the area had “much historical interest” adding “you don’t know what you will find until you start digging,” he said.
He also noted there had been “significant objections” against the application and the solar park.
A Cllr Dougie Fowlie added: “Obviously there are strong feelings against the solar park.
“What the officers say is we have to consider this application based on merit. It is going to be 2km less of cabling, with less destruction.” He felt the report had addressed the issues through the policies.
Deputy leader Cllr Robin Williams said he “objected to solar development on agricultural land.
“That is something the executive has been against, but we have to be pragmatic.
“As far as this is concerned, the permission is already in place to put cables along the main road. If we reject this, if it went to appeal, we’d get costs against us and it would go ahead any way.
“Any development less of an issue for local people is something to approve, Taking it across the fields makes more sense.”
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Risen Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in China, has introduced a new heterojunction solar module that uses a dual-layer optical design intended to cut down on glare, according to pv magazine.
The product belongs to the company’s Hyper-ion line and is aimed at installations where glare control is a strict requirement, including sites close to airports and residential neighborhoods where reflected sunlight can create visual problems.
Risen Energy stated that its work in photovoltaic optical safety goes past product development, noting that it served as the principal drafting organization for a group standard covering a photovoltaic module glare testing method. The company described the anti-glare Hyper-ion module as the conversion of that accumulated technical and standardization experience into a commercial offering.
The module relies on a dual-layer optical approach that pairs a micron-scale matte glass surface, made through a process the company refers to as nanocrystalline phase reconstruction, with technology designed to suppress internal reflections. Risen Energy did not disclose additional technical information about the process.
Testing carried out by Germany’s TUV Rheinland showed a maximum daylight glare probability of 0.30, which sits below the Class AAA threshold of 0.35, along with a maximum glare luminance of 3,463.94 cd/m2 against a limit of 20,000 cd/m2, according to the manufacturer. The company also reported specular reflectance as low as 0.85%.
The RSM132-8-710-730BHDG module is offered in five versions with power outputs of 710 W, 715 W, 720 W, 725 W and 730 W. Conversion efficiencies span 22.9% to 23.5%, open-circuit voltages range from 50.01 V to 50.33 V, and short-circuit currents run from 18.00 A to 18.38 A.
The bifacial module contains 132 HJT cells and has dimensions of 2,384 mm by 1,303 mm by 33 mm. It weighs 37.5 kg and uses 2 mm anti-glare glass on the front and 2 mm heat-strengthened glass on the rear, together with an anodized aluminum alloy frame.
Under bifacial nameplate irradiance conditions with rear-side irradiance of 135 W/m2, the module produces between 796 W and 818 W based on the manufacturer’s specifications. With a 10% rear-side power gain, equivalent power output falls between 781 W and 803 W.
The panel carries a temperature coefficient of -0.24% per degree Celsius for maximum power, an operating temperature range of -40 C to 70 C, and a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V. Depending on the installation method, it can handle mechanical test loads of up to 5,400 Pa on the front and 2,400 Pa on the rear.
Risen Energy provides 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.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the EV Solar Modules market in China, covering market size, growth trajectory, demand structure, supply capability, trade flows, pricing, competitive landscape, and forecast to 2035.
The study is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, investors, procurement teams, advisors, and strategy teams that need a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers the market for EV Solar Modules, which are photovoltaic modules specifically designed and integrated for use in electric vehicles to convert solar energy into electrical power for auxiliary systems or traction battery charging.
The report combines the standard market-statistics backbone with strategic chapters that are useful for commercial planning, sourcing decisions, market entry, competitor monitoring, and portfolio prioritization.
The market is segmented into decision-relevant buckets so that demand drivers, pricing logic, supply constraints, and competitive positions can be compared across the same analytical frame.
The classification coverage encompasses EV Solar Modules categorized by product type (including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film, flexible, integrated, portable, and bifacial modules), by application (such as bioprocessing and drug manufacturing, cell and gene therapy workflows, research and development, and quality control and release testing), and by value chain segment (including raw material and input suppliers, qualified manufacturing and processing, QC, validation and documentation, and procurement by CDMOs, biopharma, and laboratories).
Coverage focuses on China and includes demand, supply capability where present, trade flows, pricing, competition, and outlook.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
All indicators are mapped to a consistent product definition and reviewed against the segmentation framework used in the Table of Contents.
Report Scope and Analytical Framing
Concise View of Market Direction
Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
Commercial and Technical Scope
How the Market Splits Into Decision-Relevant Buckets
Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
How the Report Was Built
Leading PV producer with major solar module capacity
Top global wafer and module manufacturer
Major module exporter with EV solar applications
Vertically integrated PV manufacturer
One of the largest module producers globally
Chinese-headquartered despite name; global PV supplier
Known for heterojunction solar technology
Part of GCL Group, focuses on module manufacturing
Integrated energy solutions provider
Chinese subsidiary of Hanwha Group; major module maker
Subsidiary of Zhongli Group
Focuses on high-efficiency modules
Specializes in flexible and lightweight solar
Known for high-efficiency N-type technology
Historical top PV manufacturer, still active
Exports to global EV solar markets
Subsidiary of Hengdian Group
Also known as SFCE
Focuses on integrated solar systems
Revived brand under Wuxi Suntech
Part of Hareon Group
Focuses on heterojunction technology
Specializes in small-scale EV solar products
Known for lightweight solar for EVs
Focuses on small to medium solar applications
Revived Suntech brand, active in module production
Focuses on customized solar solutions
Specializes in consumer EV solar accessories
Focuses on integrated solar and storage
Known for portable solar for electric vehicles
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Free Data: Solar Cells and Light-Emitting Diodes — China
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Electricity costs the least in the middle of the night (or increasingly, the middle of the day), when demand is lower, but most households never see those prices because they pay one flat rate, whatever time of day they use it. The battery automatically fills up on cheap overnight electricity, and the household runs on that stored power, instead of buying from the grid at far higher prices.
It comes as energy bills rise again on 1 October, the second increase in a row, with electricity prices under the price cap now 61 percent higher than at the start of 2020. Until now, cutting energy bills with home energy tech has meant two things most households don’t have: thousands of pounds in the bank and a roof suitable for solar panels. Sunsave Home Battery Plus removes both barriers – nothing to pay upfront, with customers owning the system from day one, and a simple installation not requiring solar panels.
Sunsave Sona also connects the battery to Sunsave’s virtual power plant, where thousands of home batteries act together like one large power station to help balance the grid. When the grid comes under strain, from a spike in demand or a lull in wind and sun, Sunsave’s network sends stored power back at the moments it is needed most. That job normally falls to expensive, high-emission gas plants but with Sunsave’s virtual power plant, households get paid for it instead.
The batteries come with free smart software Sunsave Sona. The software learns how a household uses energy, checks real-time prices, then charges and discharges the battery to get the best savings every day, so consumers no longer need to monitor and set their charging schedules manually.
Launched in early access earlier this year, the package can save customers up to £36 a month, after any payments for the battery are taken into account, with customers being already on track to save an extra £240 a year, according to the company.
Grid balancing payments vary with demand, but some customers have earned as much as £30 a month on top of their bill savings. Sunsave is also guaranteeing savings of at least £15 a month for the first 12 months on battery-only systems, and the first 18 months on solar and battery systems.
Rising energy bills are squeezing household budgets, and the pressure is not easing. According to Ofgem, wholesale energy makes up less than 40 percent of a typical bill. The rest goes on running and upgrading the grid, government policy costs, and supplier costs, which means bills can keep climbing even if the cost of energy itself falls.
The grid is changing, with more of Britain’s power now coming from wind and sun, so supply rises and falls with the weather. The system needs ways to store electricity when there is plenty and release it when it’s scarce. Home batteries do exactly that, helping the grid run more efficiently and lowering costs for everyone. But until now the large upfront costs of home energy tech have kept that option out of reach of the families who need it most.
“The households under the most pressure from rising bills have had the least access to the technology that lowers them” said Alick Dru, co-founder and CEO of Sunsave. “Going solar meant a suitable roof and thousands of pounds upfront, so the savings went to the people who needed them least. Sunsave Home Battery Plus needs neither. If you’ve got a wall for a battery, you can start saving immediately.”
Sunsave brings the kit, installation, finance, long-term protection and smart battery management together in one package with one bill. Founded in London in 2022, the company has helped thousands of households cut their bills with solar. But many UK homes are unsuitable for solar, whether down to roof direction, shading, space or other reasons. Standalone batteries open comparable savings to solar for the majority of UK homes for the first time.
For additional information:
Sunsave

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Malaysian telecom operator U Mobile and solar energy developer HLGY Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 12, 2026, to explore private 5G connectivity for smart solar farms, according to a report from SoyaCincau. The deal pairs U Mobile’s ULTRA5G private network technology with HLGY Energy’s utility-scale solar portfolio, aiming to bring autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics, and smart CCTV surveillance to Malaysian solar sites. It’s a hardware story as much as a telecom story: the agreement signals that private 5G radios, edge sensors, and battery-storage controllers are becoming standard equipment on renewable-energy infrastructure, not just factory floors.
The news arrives as Malaysia pushes to grow its renewable energy base under the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), a government framework that lets private companies buy clean power directly from generators. HLGY Energy’s named project under the MoU, the Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant, is one of the sites expected to benefit from the kind of connectivity and automation hardware the two companies are now exploring together.
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The MoU is exploratory rather than a signed construction contract, but its scope is specific. U Mobile is positioned as the innovation, automation, and communications-infrastructure partner, while HLGY Energy brings its experience developing and operating utility-scale solar and integrated energy assets under CRESS. Together, the companies plan to examine how private 5G connectivity, delivered through U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network, can support three categories of smart-farm technology: autonomous drone inspections of solar panel arrays, AI-powered analytics for performance monitoring, and smart CCTV surveillance for site security.
A fourth area under discussion goes beyond monitoring and into energy management: integrating AI with solar generation and battery energy-storage systems (BESS) to optimize when power is stored versus dispatched to the grid or an off-taker. That detail matters because it shifts the conversation from “can we watch the solar farm remotely” to “can we make the solar farm’s economics better” — a distinction that determines whether telecom-energy tie-ups like this one generate recurring enterprise revenue or stay stuck as one-off pilots.
ULTRA5G is U Mobile’s branding for private 5G connectivity aimed at enterprise and industrial customers, distinct from the consumer mobile plans most people associate with the carrier. Private 5G networks differ from the public cellular grid in a specific way: the operator (or the enterprise customer, depending on the deployment model) controls a dedicated slice of spectrum and infrastructure on-site, which means traffic from drones, cameras, and sensors doesn’t compete with consumer phone traffic for bandwidth, and latency stays predictable even during network congestion elsewhere.
That predictability is the entire pitch for industrial customers. A solar farm spread across hundreds of acres of rural land typically has patchy or no public cellular coverage, and even where coverage exists, it wasn’t engineered for dozens of simultaneous drone video feeds or always-on surveillance cameras. U Mobile’s own track record of deploying rural connectivity hardware gives the HLGY Energy partnership a plausible technical foundation rather than a purely aspirational one.
How Lih Ren, Chief Business Officer at U Mobile, framed the collaboration’s ambitions directly: “This collaboration will demonstrate how U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network can enable the next generation of smart and sustainable infrastructure. 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,” he said, according to SoyaCincau’s report on the signing.
HLGY Energy’s business is developing and operating utility-scale solar and integrated energy solutions under Malaysia’s CRESS program, which lets corporate buyers procure renewable power through direct supply arrangements rather than relying solely on the national grid operator. The Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant is the named project tied to this MoU, situated within an industrial zone in Kedah state that has become a target for renewable-energy investment as manufacturers there look to meet sustainability commitments from their own customers and regulators.
Kenneth Yap, Chairman and Executive Director of HLGY Energy, described the complementary nature of the partnership: “Malaysia’s green energy transition needs renewable energy infrastructure that is reliable, efficient and built for the future. Our collaboration with U Mobile brings together solar energy expertise and private 5G connectivity to explore how AI and automation can improve the way we operate and manage our solar assets,” he said, per the same SoyaCincau report.
Yap also addressed the battery-storage angle specifically: “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.” That statement is worth sitting with, because it reframes the private 5G network as plumbing for an AI decision layer sitting on top of the solar farm’s hardware, rather than connectivity as the end goal itself.
Utility-scale solar installations present a specific set of connectivity problems that public networks and standard Wi-Fi struggle to solve. Panel arrays are spread across open terrain with few structures to mount access points on, inverter and switchgear enclosures create interference, and the sites are frequently in rural areas where the nearest cell tower wasn’t built with industrial data loads in mind. Running fiber to every inverter pad and camera post is expensive and slow to deploy compared with standing up a private cellular radio.
Private 5G also solves a security and reliability problem that matters more in critical infrastructure than in a typical office: network segmentation. Keeping drone telemetry, surveillance footage, and BESS control signals on a dedicated private network, separate from public internet traffic, reduces the attack surface available to anyone trying to interfere with a grid-connected energy asset. This is a point the same hardware cluster has covered from a different angle, including the 4G vs 5G voice-quality comparison that showed network choice has real, measurable performance consequences, and the AWS Wavelength vs. Azure Edge Zones breakdown of how edge-compute placement affects latency for exactly this kind of industrial IoT traffic.
The three applications named in the MoU — autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics, and smart CCTV — each require different pieces of hardware stitched together by the private network. Drone inspections typically mean fixed-wing or multirotor units with thermal and RGB cameras that fly pre-programmed routes over panel rows, looking for cracked cells, hot spots caused by failed bypass diodes, or vegetation encroachment, then stream footage back over the private 5G link for processing rather than storing it locally for manual retrieval later.
AI-powered analytics sits downstream of that data collection, running inference models that flag anomalies in panel output, inverter performance, or string-level voltage drops faster than a human technician reviewing spreadsheets could. Smart CCTV, meanwhile, covers perimeter security for sites that can span hundreds of acres with minimal staffing on-site overnight. None of this is conceptually new in industrial IoT, but deploying it across a dispersed solar farm specifically depends on having wireless backhaul that can carry continuous video and sensor telemetry without the packet loss or jitter that plagues congested public networks. Readers who followed the debate between autonomous surveillance systems and staffed alternatives may recall similar tradeoffs surfacing in the Elgin College vs. Flock Safety camera coverage, and the drone-deployment questions echo the operational use case in the Commerce City police drone story, even though that case involved law enforcement rather than energy infrastructure.
The battery energy-storage piece of the MoU is arguably the most commercially significant, even though it’s the least developed in public statements so far. Solar generation is intermittent by nature, peaking at midday and falling to zero overnight, while electricity demand and pricing follow a different curve entirely. BESS installations bridge that gap by storing excess solar output and discharging it when it’s more valuable, either because grid prices are higher or because a CRESS off-taker needs power at a specific time.
Deciding exactly when to charge and discharge a battery system is a continuous optimization problem that benefits from AI models fed by real-time generation, weather, and pricing data, which again depends on reliable connectivity between the solar array, the BESS controller, and whatever system is making those calls. Grid-scale battery deployment has been accelerating well beyond Malaysia, a trend covered in detail in the report on AI data centers fueling battery storage demand, which outlines how battery hardware has become a bottleneck resource across multiple industries simultaneously, not just renewable energy.
CRESS gives corporate electricity buyers in Malaysia a direct route to renewable power, letting a manufacturer or data center operator contract with a solar developer like HLGY Energy instead of buying exclusively from the state utility. The scheme has become a central mechanism for Malaysia’s clean-energy targets because it shifts financing risk toward private capital while still requiring grid interconnection and regulatory oversight. Industrial buyers under pressure from their own international customers to show lower carbon footprints have been among the most active CRESS participants, which is part of why solar developers operating under the scheme are now looking for ways to make their assets more efficient and better monitored.
For U Mobile, a CRESS-anchored developer is also a useful kind of enterprise customer: one with a concrete, revenue-generating asset that needs connectivity infrastructure built once and operated continuously, rather than a shorter engagement. That business logic is consistent with how private 5G has been marketed to industrial customers elsewhere, where the sales pitch centers on recurring managed-network contracts rather than one-time hardware sales.
The HLGY Energy MoU doesn’t come out of nowhere for U Mobile. On September 22, 2026, the carrier and equipment vendor ZTE demonstrated a portable, fully solar-powered 5G site built around a 12-metre lightweight pole, high-efficiency solar panels, a battery backup rated for 52 hours without sunlight, and satellite backhaul to U Mobile’s core network, according to U Mobile’s own newsroom announcement. That proof-of-concept, tested at SK Mentu primary school in Sebuyau, Sarawak, and a community hall in Sipitang, Sabah, hit peak download speeds of 134 Mbps and could reportedly be installed in three days versus close to a year for a conventional rural tower.
That demonstration was framed around closing rural connectivity gaps rather than industrial automation, but the underlying hardware — solar-powered, self-contained, grid-independent 5G infrastructure — is directly relevant to a solar farm site that similarly lacks nearby fiber or reliable grid power at every corner of the property. It suggests U Mobile already has field-tested equipment it can adapt for the HLGY Energy collaboration rather than starting from a blank sheet.
Consumer mobile plans in Malaysia, like most mature markets, face pricing pressure and slowing subscriber growth, which is pushing carriers toward enterprise and industrial connectivity as a growth lever. Private 5G for manufacturing, ports, mining, and now renewable energy sites represents a different kind of contract: longer-term, higher-margin, and tied to a customer’s operational infrastructure rather than a monthly consumer subscription that can be switched with a port-out request.
Networking hardware vendors stand to benefit from this shift too, since private 5G deployments require base stations, edge compute, and switching infrastructure sized for industrial sites rather than dense urban macro cells. The broader industrial-networking hardware market has been expanding rapidly on the data-center side, illustrated by the throughput jump detailed in coverage of Marvell’s 102.4 Tbps AI switch launch, even though that specific product targets data centers rather than solar farms. The common thread is that connectivity hardware vendors are increasingly selling into infrastructure sectors that had little need for high-bandwidth networking a decade ago.
Telecom-energy tie-ups aren’t unique to Malaysia, but the specific combination of private 5G, drone inspection, AI analytics, and BESS optimization under one MoU is a fairly complete package compared with piecemeal connectivity deals seen elsewhere. The table below places the U Mobile-HLGY Energy MoU against the general categories of connectivity approaches solar developers have used for site monitoring, based on confirmed details from the MoU itself.
The second table summarizes the confirmed components of the MoU and U Mobile’s related field-tested hardware, pulling together what’s been verified from the companies’ own statements and U Mobile’s prior ZTE demonstration.
Beyond the headline announcement, both executives used their public statements to signal broader ambitions than this single MoU. How Lih Ren, U Mobile’s Chief Business Officer, positioned the carrier as a long-term enterprise partner rather than a one-deal vendor: “Beyond connectivity, our ambition is to be a trusted digital solutions partner to enterprises across Malaysia. We look forward to applying our network and technology capabilities to support the country’s renewable energy aspirations, including the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS),” he said, according to SoyaCincau.
Kenneth Yap, Chairman and Executive Director of HLGY Energy, kept his framing closer to the operational payoff: reliable connectivity and automation translating into lower electricity costs and longer equipment life through better BESS management. Malaysian technology outlets such as Lowyat.NET have tracked U Mobile’s broader enterprise-network ambitions over the past year, and this MoU fits a pattern of the carrier expanding beyond its consumer mobile business into infrastructure-grade connectivity contracts.
5G’s early marketing in Malaysia and globally centered on consumer speed claims and gaming latency, but the technology’s more durable business case has shifted toward private industrial deployments where dedicated bandwidth and network slicing solve real operational problems. U Mobile’s own history traces that shift: from competing in the consumer prepaid market to building rural connectivity infrastructure with ZTE, and now to courting renewable-energy developers with the same underlying private-network playbook. HLGY Energy’s participation reflects the mirror-image trend on the energy side, where solar and BESS operators that once treated connectivity as an afterthought now see it as core infrastructure for maximizing asset performance under schemes like CRESS.
What did U Mobile and HLGY Energy actually sign?
A Memorandum of Understanding on October 12, 2026, to explore private 5G connectivity for smart solar farms in Malaysia. It is exploratory, not a binding construction contract.
What is ULTRA5G?
ULTRA5G is U Mobile’s private 5G network offering for enterprise and industrial customers, separate from its consumer mobile plans.
Which solar project is named in the agreement?
The Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant, operated by HLGY Energy under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS).
What technology applications are planned?
Autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics, and smart CCTV surveillance, plus exploration of AI-optimized battery energy-storage system (BESS) operations.
Has U Mobile deployed solar-powered 5G hardware before?
Yes. On September 22, 2026, U Mobile and ZTE demonstrated a portable, fully solar-powered 5G site reaching 134 Mbps peak speeds with 52-hour battery backup, tested in rural Sarawak and Sabah.
What is CRESS?
The Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme is a Malaysian regulatory framework that lets corporate buyers procure renewable electricity directly from developers like HLGY Energy, rather than solely through the national grid utility.
Why do solar farms need private 5G instead of public mobile networks?
Utility-scale solar sites are often large, rural, and poorly served by public cellular coverage. Private 5G provides dedicated bandwidth for continuous drone video, AI analytics, and surveillance traffic without competing with consumer network congestion.
Is there a confirmed investment amount or rollout date for the solar farm deployment?
No. The companies have not disclosed specific deployment locations beyond the Kedah Rubber City project, investment figures, or a commercial launch timeline, based on currently available reporting.
Sofia Lindström is the Editor-in-Chief at Tech Insider, where she leads editorial strategy and oversees coverage across AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology. With over a decade in Swedish tech journalism, she previously served as technology editor at Dagens Industri and covered the Nordic startup ecosystem for Breakit. Sofia holds an MSc in Media Technology from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and is a frequent speaker at Web Summit and Slush. She is passionate about making complex technology accessible to business leaders.
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energyRe announced the closing of an $815 million financing package covering five utility-scale solar projects in South Carolina, according to a company press release. The transaction, described in the release as one of the largest solar-only project financing deals in South Carolina history, supports projects totaling approximately 360 megawatts of new generating capacity.
The company said the financing advances its goal of investing $2 billion in South Carolina by 2030 and brings total funds raised for its solar portfolio to more than $1.9 billion when combined with earlier packages. energyRe Chief Financial Officer Pedro Pereira said the portfolio financing is the company’s largest to date and reflects lender confidence in its assets and team, adding that South Carolina sits at the center of its growth strategy.
Bank of America, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Santander supported the financing, with Bank of America acting as documentation agent and Santander serving as financial advisor to energyRe. The five projects are contracted under 25-year power purchase agreements and are expected to provide tens of millions in revenue for local governments.
energyRe’s M&A and Capital Markets team structured and executed the transaction, led by Surya Mohan, working with Santander and the company’s lending and tax equity partners. Mohan, a senior vice president in that unit, said the financing secures capital to advance the projects and demonstrates the company’s ability to finance its development portfolio at scale.
Santander’s Nuno Andrade, head of North America structured finance and global head of digital structured finance for its corporate and investment bank, said the bank was pleased to advise on and finance a landmark transaction expected to serve as a cornerstone for energyRe’s and South Carolina’s clean energy portfolio. CIBC’s Ines Serrao, managing director and head of U.S. project finance and infrastructure, said the bank was proud to support the expansion of critical energy infrastructure and the transition to a more reliable and sustainable power system. Bank of America’s Omer Farooq, head of asset finance within its global sustainable and infrastructure finance group, said the transaction reflects the type of investment its $250 billion Critical Infrastructure Finance Initiative was created to advance.
energyRe said it has broken ground on approximately 450 MW over the past year and has nearly 700 MW in operation or late-stage development. Its portfolio of more than 1.8 gigawatts spans 20 projects across South Carolina, North Carolina, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
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ROADWAY SAFETY CONCERNS: Representatives from the Mt. Olive solar farm project told the Russell County Fiscal Court Monday morning they’ve taken steps to improve roadway safety for neighbors and employees following recent complaints.
What steps have been taken? Complete details during WJRS NEWS Tuesday morning at 5:30, 6:30 & 7:30 and at lakercountry.com.

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The Indian Primary Copper Producers Association has urged the government to raise customs duties on solar copper products. They recommend increasing the duty on solar PV ribbon and busbars from 5% to 10%. The association also requests maintaining existing duties on refined copper and copper pipes. Domestic production is underutilized due to imports from China affecting the market.
Companies are pushing for a higher duty on copper used in solar modules

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Perovskite Solar Panel Was First Applied to DESLOC Smart Lock V150 Plus. Now It’s Showing Up on Your Front Door  Innovation & Tech Today
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Why are so many warehouse spaces going to wasteby not using solar? Amy Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Wattsor, explains.
With geopolitical events causing two major price shocks in five years, it is no wonder that energy has become a major operational and financial concern for logistics providers. As the sector looks at ways to reduce its reliance on volatile wholesale energy prices, the idea of generating renewable energy on-site has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’, or purely environmental initiative, to an increasingly attractive strategy for securing a stable and predictable energy supply.
Despite the government pushing a ‘solar revolution’ for both businesses and households, thousands of warehouse rooftop spaces remain untapped potential for solar generation. A report from Cushman & Wakefield estimates that UK logistics and industrial buildings of 50,000 square feet or more account for 1.5 billion square feet of roof space, with the potential to generate over 36GWh of electricity each year. With the government targeting 45 to 47GW of solar capacity by 2030, warehouse rooftops could make a substantial contribution to national targets.
At a time when logistics operators need greater control over energy costs and to be demonstrating credible carbon reductions, they should look to roofs as a valuable asset.
Several barriers can prevent a promising project from being reduced or even abandoned. Most of the time, technology isn’t the blocker. Developers sometimes design warehouse solar schemes around present demand, so an ambient warehouse with an enormous roof may receive only enough panels to serve its modest daytime load. Much of the available space then remains untouched, even when automation or vehicle charging will increase electricity use later down the line.
In addition, complex property arrangements can make the calculation harder. For example, the occupier pays the electricity bill while the landlord controls the roof, meaning that the lease may not align with the expected payback period. Furthermore, supporting equipment may require planning permission.
Grid constraints often present the biggest obstacle to a large rooftop solar project. Solar panels on a warehouse roof may be able to generate more electricity than the business can use, but the local electricity grid may not have room to take the excess. This can lead to either installing fewer panels or paying for an expensive grid upgrade.
While the UK needs a costly, decades-long grid investment as logistics sites electrify, it must also use the existing network more effectively. Battery storage and smart energy management systems may provide a more immediate solution.
A battery can store solar electricity that the warehouse cannot use straight away, preventing too much power from being sent to the grid at once. If a project can show that it will stay within the grid’s existing limit, the need to pay for an upgrade to handle electricity that the site will never send is avoided. Grid constraint then becomes a design or engineering challenge, rather than the end of the project.
Pharmaceutical distributor Mawdsleys faced this challenge at its warehouse in Doncaster. The site needed a 1,700-kilowatt rooftop solar system to match its expected annual electricity use, but the grid operator would only allow a much smaller limit. Wattstor linked the panels to a battery so surplus solar electricity could be stored on site rather than sent straight to the grid. Controls limited how much power reached the grid, allowing Mawdsleys to install the larger solar system while staying within the permitted connection limit.
Similarly, our work with Big Yellow Self Storage shows how one project can establish a repeatable approach. Its Slough store combined rooftop solar panels with a battery that can power the site for up to ten hours. The installation has helped set the requirements for future stores, allowing it to include solar and storage in new developments from the outset.
This is a model that can be repeated. Warehouse operators should begin with the site, not a predetermined quantity of panels. Half-hourly demand data and the condition of the roof show what is possible, while expected growth and grid limits reveal what the system must handle.
New warehouses should now plan rooftop solar and battery storage together, with energy management built in from the outset. Retrofitting the existing estate remains a vast opportunity, but completing a logistics building without considering the power it could generate, and how it will use that power, creates wasted space from its first day.
The rooftop revolution no longer needs a technological breakthrough, but it does require more than panels. The logistics sector must stop treating roofs as leftover space and use solar plus battery storage and smart energy management to turn them into working energy assets. Operators that act now can reduce costs while preparing for rising electricity demand. The rooftops are ready. The sector should be too.
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Tartu is set to become an important centre for Estonia’s emerging solar-panel recycling capacity. Waste-management company Epler & Lorenz is developing a facility that will handle end-of-life photovoltaic panels and separate their principal material fractions for further recycling.
The project became newly visible in Estonia’s public discussion on 9 October 2026, when national broadcaster ERR reported that the company had received nearly €500,000 in support for the planned facility. The funding decision itself was made earlier through Estonia’s Environmental Investment Centre, known by its Estonian abbreviation KIK. According to KIK, the specific solar-panel project received €439,299 in support. ([news.err.ee](https://news.err.ee/1610161180/plans-for-a-solar-panel-recycling-plant-in-tartu?utm_source=openai))
The timing reflects a familiar pattern in the clean-energy transition: equipment is being installed at a rapid pace today, while the largest volumes of waste will arrive later. Most solar panels currently operating in Estonia are expected to remain in service for years, but the country is already preparing for the point at which damaged, outdated or decommissioned panels need a domestic treatment route.
ERR reported that around 60,000 tonnes of solar panels were placed on the Estonian market between 2018 and 2025, based on figures from the national Register of Products of Concern. The current amount of panel waste is still considered modest, but the accumulated stock gives policymakers and companies a reason to plan ahead rather than wait until disposal volumes rise sharply. ([news.err.ee](https://news.err.ee/1610161180/plans-for-a-solar-panel-recycling-plant-in-tartu?utm_source=openai))
KIK says the planned unit will be capable of processing up to 1,600 tonnes of solar panels per year. The process is intended to separate glass, aluminium, copper and silicon-based fine fractions so that the materials can enter appropriate recycling streams. This is more specific than simply collecting panels: it creates a domestic preparation stage before recovered materials are sent for reuse or further processing. ([kik.ee](https://kik.ee/en/news/old-solar-panels-be-processed-estonia?utm_source=openai))
Solar panels are often presented as a straightforward renewable-energy technology, but their environmental performance also depends on what happens at the end of their useful life. Their frames, glass, wiring and semiconductor materials have different physical and economic properties, which means that recovery requires sorting and treatment rather than a single disposal solution.
For Estonia, local processing could bring several practical benefits. It may reduce the need to export collected panels before treatment, create additional expertise in specialised waste management and improve the recovery of materials that would otherwise be handled as a lower-value waste stream. KIK has described the project as a way to create more added value in Estonia while reducing pressure to extract new resources.
The Tartu project is being developed alongside a separate battery and accumulator sorting line at the company’s site. KIK awarded Epler & Lorenz €197,975 for that equipment, with a planned capacity of up to 600 tonnes per year. Together, the two investments point to a broader expansion of Estonia’s ability to manage waste connected with electrification and renewable energy. ([kik.ee](https://kik.ee/en/news/old-solar-panels-be-processed-estonia?utm_source=openai))
The development also highlights a policy question that will become more important as solar power grows: who is responsible for panels when they reach the end of their service life, and how should the cost of collection and treatment be shared?
ERR reported that producer responsibility remains a concern in Estonia. The challenge is not only technical. Collection systems, information about ownership, transport arrangements and financing mechanisms all need to work together if panels are to reach certified treatment facilities rather than being stored indefinitely or handled through unsuitable channels.
That makes the Tartu facility a piece of wider infrastructure rather than a complete answer on its own. Its effectiveness will depend on reliable collection networks, clear rules for companies placing panels on the market and sufficient demand for the recovered materials. The project nevertheless offers Estonia a concrete way to prepare for a waste stream that is still relatively small but likely to become more visible over time.
Estonia’s solar expansion is creating new questions beyond electricity production. The next phase of the industry will involve designing systems that account for the whole life cycle of equipment, including maintenance, reuse, dismantling and material recovery.
By investing in treatment capacity in Tartu before large-scale panel waste arrives, Epler & Lorenz and KIK are placing circular-economy infrastructure alongside renewable-energy development. The approach is gradual and practical: build the equipment, test the market and develop the expertise needed to keep more materials in productive use.
For Tartu, the project adds another example of how industrial services can support the clean-energy transition. For Estonia, it marks an early step toward ensuring that the benefits of solar power do not end when panels stop producing electricity.
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Dos Grados, a Spanish renewable energy investment and development company, has reached an agreement with Akuo to acquire three solar photovoltaic projects totaling more than 500 MW in Spain. The projects are under development in Castilla y León and Andalusia, expanding Dos Grados’ solar development portfolio. Akuo, a renewable energy developer active in solar, wind and energy storage, will transfer the three-project portfolio under the agreement. The projects offer opportunities to integrate agrivoltaic systems, allowing solar electricity generation and agricultural activities to share land. Dos Grados also plans to explore technologies for energy management and integration with industrial electricity demand. The companies have not disclosed the transaction value, individual project capacities or expected commissioning dates.
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That means utilities can draw on battery capacity people already have at home.
Photo Credit: iStock
California homeowners with battery backup proved they can do the work of a full-scale power plant.
Across 85,774 households, Tesla Powerwalls fed a record 601 megawatts back to the grid during a peak-demand event, with the batteries working together like one coordinated plant.
Drive Tesla reported that Tesla‘s entire California Powerwall fleet briefly reached 634 MW, while the participating batteries supplied 932 megawatt-hours in total.
Compared with the September heat wave, the Oct. 6 event was bigger on both fronts. That earlier response involved about 69,000 Powerwall owners sending more than 500 MW to the grid at once, with Tesla’s dashboard reaching 507 MW, while October added close to 17,000 more homes and nearly 100 MW in additional peak output.
Adding battery storage can help protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and increase energy independence. It can also mean steadier power during storms or heat waves, when the grid is under the most strain.
Homeowners who want to compare options can explore EnergySage to learn about home battery storage choices, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
In California, Tesla relies on software that links thousands of home batteries together, sending their stored electricity to the grid when demand peaks.
That means utilities can draw on battery capacity people already have at home, instead of building a backup plant that would sit idle most of the time.
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Participation has grown quickly since 2023, when Tesla counted a little over 7,000 Powerwall customers in its California program. By Oct. 6, participation had grown more than twelvefold, according to Drive Tesla.
A larger network of home batteries can ease pressure during periods of extreme demand. It can also improve resilience during heat-driven strain and lower the need for expensive backup generation.
The system also lets households keep power available during blackouts and store energy for later use, which can be especially valuable for homes trying to use more of their own solar power after sunset.
Tesla is turning separate household batteries into one coordinated virtual power plant. That gives utilities a way to call on enrolled homes during tight conditions instead of adding more rarely used standby capacity.
For participating owners, feeding electricity into the grid creates a revenue opportunity on top of the battery’s backup protection at home.
In 2025, Tesla said Powerwall owners had earned almost $10 million through its 2024 VPP payouts.
For people who don’t need a full Powerwall-style system, Pila is another company offering strong battery backup options. Pila’s plug-and-play batteries are priced at a fraction of what a whole-home backup system would cost.
Home batteries are playing a bigger role on the grid and in homeowners’ budgets. Related coverage looks at California Powerwall payouts, Tesla’s installation growth, and similar virtual power plant efforts from sonnen.
• In California, Tesla owners can earn up to $1,500 a year by supporting the grid.
• One California homeowner said his Tesla Powerwall earned him $600 through virtual power plant events.
• Tesla’s expanding fleet crossed half a million installations worldwide, helping explain the system’s growing scale.
• Sonnen has been linking home batteries together into virtual power plants.
• In Puerto Rico, Sonnen is strengthening the local grid by coordinating home batteries.
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A temporary liquid phase boosted perovskite device efficiency to 26%, with solar cells retaining most of their efficiency after eight weeks.
Researchers have developed a new method to improve the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells by controlling how the materials crystallize. The study shows how a temporary liquid phase can help produce larger, more uniform crystals with fewer defects.
The team, co-led by researchers at the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego), used this approach to improve perovskite-based solar cells and light-emitting diodes. The devices achieved efficiencies of around 24 percent to 26 percent, among the higher values reported for perovskite devices.
Solar cells made using the technique also retained most of their initial efficiency after eight weeks of continuous operation under simulated sunlight.
Perovskites are materials that could help make solar technology more affordable while delivering high efficiency. They can be processed from liquid solutions and deposited as thin films, potentially reducing the energy and complexity required for manufacturing compared with conventional silicon solar cells.
However, producing high-quality perovskite films remains challenging. These films typically contain many small crystals, with boundaries between neighboring crystals known as grain boundaries. Defects in these regions can cause energy losses and reduce device performance.
The problem becomes more significant when manufacturers attempt to produce larger solar panels, where maintaining efficiency across a greater area is difficult.
To address this issue, researchers led by David Fenning, professor of chemical and nano engineering at UC San Diego, worked with colleagues from Princeton University and Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea.
The team added zinc bromide and methylammonium chloride to the solution used to produce a type of material called a halide perovskite. When heated, the additives formed a low-melting mixture known as a eutectic. This mixture created a temporary liquid around growing crystal boundaries, allowing the crystals to rearrange and form a more orderly structure.
As heating continued, methylammonium chloride evaporated, leaving zinc concentrated around the crystal boundaries. The remaining zinc helped neutralize electronic defects that could otherwise interfere with the movement of electrical charges.
“We introduce a new way of tuning the growth of halide perovskites by developing an additive mixture that actively evolves during crystallization,” said study co-first author Connor Dolan, a chemical and nano engineering PhD alumnus from Fenning’s lab. “What’s even cooler is that the end product removes performance-limiting defects at the edges of the crystalline grains.”
Using advanced X-ray imaging, the researchers observed changes in the material at extremely small scales. Their measurements showed that the regions around crystal boundaries became disordered and liquid-like during heating before returning to an ordered state as the extra salt evaporated and crystal growth ended.
The treatment produced larger crystals with fewer structural defects and a more uniform distribution of chemical properties. The researchers are also interested in understanding why this solid-liquid-solid transformation occurs at the same temperature.
The improved crystal structure translated into better device performance. In solar cells, sunlight excites electrons and leaves behind positively charged holes. The time these electron-hole pairs survive before recombining helps indicate how effectively a material can support solar energy conversion.
“Perovskites made with the eutectic-forming additives had the longest-lasting electron-hole pairs ever reported for any direct-bandgap semiconductor, which speaks to the promise of this approach,” Dolan noted.
The researchers also tested the method across different perovskite compositions and found that it worked with the chemistries they examined.
“It seemed like everything we tried worked!” Dolan added. “I’m hopeful that this mechanism has the chance to be really generalizable and provide a platform for further innovation in the perovskite community.”
The team is now investigating other eutectic mixtures to better control crystallization.
The researchers hope the approach can provide a broader strategy for producing high-quality perovskite materials and support the development of efficient solar technologies that can be manufactured at larger scales.
The study was published in the journal Science.
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First Solar Stock Upgraded to Buy With $270 Target  Barron’s
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South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom has launched a request for qualification (RFQ) process to select renewable energy developers for the first phase of a program aimed at deploying up to 6 GW of utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects.
“The Eskom Phase 1 Programme is an initial portfolio of up to 6 GW of utility-scale renewable energy projects, spanning solar photovoltaic (PV), battery energy storage systems (BESS), wind and other renewable technologies,” the company said in a statement. “Eskom will contribute projects comprising at least 2GW of solar PV and 1GW / 4GWh of BESS, which may be complemented by projects owned or originated by the selected strategic partners. The strategic partners will form a panel of pre-qualified co-development and co-investment partners for development, financing and implementation for a period of five years.”
Qualified developers will be invited to participate in subsequent competitive procurement rounds through one or more requests for proposals (RFPs).
The planned portfolio includes Eskom-originated projects on utility-owned land and at existing generation sites, alongside projects owned or originated by strategic partners that could be developed, acquired or implemented in partnership with Eskom or its Eskom Green subsidiary.
Each project is expected to be structured through a dedicated, ring-fenced special purpose vehicle (SPV), with financing primarily arranged on a limited-recourse or non-recourse project finance basis.
Eskom launched Eskom Green in July as part of its broader restructuring strategy, which includes the unbundling process initiated in 2023.
Despite these developments, Eskom remains under financial pressure. The utility continues to rely on coal-fired generation and diesel-fired peaking plants. Diesel expenditure remains in the hundreds of millions of South African rand, although it has declined significantly from the previous year.
Meanwhile, South Africa is advancing electricity market reforms, including plans to establish a wholesale electricity market that could reshape Eskom’s role in the power sector. Analysts have warned that regulatory provisions favoring Eskom’s coal-fired assets could discourage private investment and undermine efficiency gains, potentially increasing long-term electricity costs for consumers.
South Africa’s cumulative installed solar capacity has exceeded 10 GW, following the addition of 1.6 GW in 2025.
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A SEEG report identifies three major cybersecurity risks to solar PV installations in the EU  
It recommends stronger controls on inverter communications and firmware updates, along with restrictions on suppliers identified as posing significant cybersecurity risks 
It highlights gaps in existing EU cybersecurity rules and says existing rules may not be sufficient 
The rapid expansion of solar power in Europe is creating new cybersecurity challenges for the electricity system, according to a new report by the Smart Energy Expert Group’s (SEEG) Working Group on Cybersecurity. It warns that malicious attacks on connected solar PV installations could disrupt electricity supply, overload grid infrastructure, and cause voltage disturbances. 
The report, Recommendations to Address Cybersecurity Risk in Photovoltaic Generation, assesses cyberattack scenarios across residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale solar installations.  
Citing SolarPower Europe’s EU Solar Market Outlook 2025-2030, the SEEG report notes that EU solar PV capacity increased from 86 GW in 2015 to 406 GW in 2025, and is projected to reach 718 GW DC by 2030. As more installations connect to the internet and use remote monitoring and control platforms, a successful cyberattack could affect multiple systems simultaneously. 
An EU decision to block funding for solar PV and battery storage projects using inverters from high-risk countries has created uncertainty in the industry. SolarPower Europe had earlier called for clarity in the absence of any written guidance from the European Commission (see SolarPower Europe Seeks Clarity On EU Inverter Funding Ban).
Recently, the EU clarified that its official guidance on the use of EU funds for clean energy projects involving certain inverters is “country neutral” and that it will engage with China in further discussions on this issue.  
Meanwhile, the SEEG assessment identifies three high-risk scenarios. The first involves attacks on manufacturer platforms connected to PV installations, particularly residential, commercial, and industrial systems. These platforms allow users to monitor generation, change inverter settings, and update firmware. A security breach could give attackers access to large numbers of connected inverters through a single platform. 
The second concerns the deliberate introduction of backdoors by manufacturers acting on behalf of a nation-state actor. Such access could be embedded in a manufacturer’s central platform, inverter firmware, or hardware. The report considers this risk relevant across all installation categories examined. 
The third involves attacks on utility-scale solar installations through local networks. In this scenario, an attacker gains access to a remote-access firewall and exploits the network used to operate or maintain the installation. 
The report warns that attackers who gain control over sufficient solar generation capacity could switch installations on or off, creating imbalances between electricity supply and demand. Other possible consequences include grid congestion and voltage problems. In severe cases, these disruptions could lead to power outages. 
According to SEEG analysis, says cybersecurity concerns have intensified following research in 2024 and 2025 that exposed serious vulnerabilities in solar inverters and connected manufacturer platforms. Rising geopolitical tensions and Europe’s dependence on Chinese PV equipment have added to concerns about potential cyberattacks by state-linked groups. 
To address the identified risks, the experts recommend requiring manufacturers of internet-connected devices used in PV installations to establish robust vulnerability handling processes for their cloud platforms. These should include clear, enforceable deadlines for fixing security flaws. The report also recommends encouraging “bug bounty” programs to support independent security research. 
For utility-scale installations, the report calls for systematic control of internet communications from inverters. All traffic should be documented, encrypted, and authenticated. Outbound connections should be restricted to approved servers located within the EU or under equivalent jurisdictions. Incoming communications from outside the local network should not be permitted. 
The report also recommends restricting the use of components and software from suppliers subject to the jurisdiction of third countries identified as posing significant cybersecurity risks. Such restrictions should be based on a thorough risk assessment, the report says, because they could disrupt the market if alternative supplies are insufficient. 
For commercial, industrial, and utility-scale installations, SEEG recommends replacing manufacturer-triggered automatic firmware updates with controlled manual updates carried out by qualified maintenance providers. Firmware could also be tested for backdoors, particularly when deployed in critical infrastructure. 
For smaller residential systems, the report emphasizes secure design and default settings, timely security updates, and improved vulnerability management. It also recommends cybersecurity training for installers and maintenance providers, along with better protection for the computer systems and credentials they use to access inverters.  
The report also assessed four existing EU legal frameworks—the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the NIS2 Directive, the Network Code on Cybersecurity (NCCS), and the Network Code on Requirements for Generators (RfG)—to ascertain how well existing legislation can be used to enforce mitigating measures.  
It found that while the CRA covers inverters across the installation categories examined by SEEG, but does not provide sufficiently strong verification to enforce the recommended safeguards. Inverters are not currently classified as important or critical products under the CRA, allowing manufacturers to demonstrate compliance through internal assessments without independent testing or audits. 
To address this gap, the experts recommend developing a harmonized EU cybersecurity standard for PV inverters and classifying them as Class II important products under the CRA.  
The report also recommends aligning thresholds under the NIS2 Directive and the NCCS to make the rules easier for national authorities to apply. It calls for better coverage of PV installers under NIS2 and cybersecurity qualification requirements for installers under the RfG. 
The experts further recommend using the proposed revised Cybersecurity Act and the Industrial Accelerator Act to address supply-chain risks, including the possibility of intentional backdoors. They argue that restrictions on high-risk suppliers should also cover residential installations, including plug-in solar equipment.  
SEEG analysts also call for incorporating PV cyberattack scenarios into electricity-system risk assessments, including those conducted under the EU Risk Preparedness Regulation and the System Operation Guideline.  
The complete report is available for free download on the European Commission’s website.  
The SEEG report follows EU solar industry demand for industry-specific cybersecurity controls. A SolarPower Europe commissioned DNV report from April 2025 called for mandatory regulations to limit remote access and control of the bloc’s solar PV systems via the inverter, following the April 2025 power outage in Spain and Portugal (see EU Solar PV Industry Calls For Cybersecurity Measures). 
A Loom report, earlier this year, said that Europe remains dangerously dependent on Chinese low-carbon technologies while calling for a coordinated industrial strategy to reduce its dependence on China lest it is forced to do so under pressure from the US (see Europe’s Dangerous Dependence On Chinese Clean Technology).
TaiyangNews 2024

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The python was found to have an infection affecting its mouth and teeth.
Photo Credit: iStock
Activists with the Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local police recently tracked a dance troupe from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
After almost a week, they said they rescued an Indian rock python allegedly being used in a road performance at a Ganesh pandal in Jawaharnagar, the Deccan Chronicle reported.
The activists at GHSPCA and police acted on information that a dance troupe was allegedly featuring a live snake in its shows. The organization later said that on Sept. 20 it apprehended the alleged snake handler and seized both the python and a boiler chicken hen.
Before that seizure, GHSPCA said its team had been following the troupe for five days after getting reports about the snake’s supposed role in the performance. During an earlier attempt to intervene, the alleged handler reportedly got away before police and rescuers could detain him.
By the time the troupe was located again, GHSPCA alleged that the python was being used openly in the road act. It claimed the hen was also being subjected to mistreatment as part of the same performance.
After the rescue, GHSPCA said the python was found to have an infection affecting its mouth and teeth, and the animal was placed under veterinary care.
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The organization also called for authorities to take action under the area’s wildlife protection laws.
Though snakes may seem scary to some, people are doing what they can in other places to keep these reptiles alive and well.
• Park contractors in Singapore take swift action after workers spot a reticulated python in a drain.
• In downtown Los Angeles, rescuers pull a 20-foot python from a dumpster after abandonment.
• In Telangana, India, a snake catcher bags an Indian cobra found inside grandparents’ house.
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The global quartz market is projected to expand steadily as demand for quartz materials increases across semiconductor manufacturing, solar photovoltaics, electronics, construction, glass, and engineered-stone applications. The market was valued at USD 8.9 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 17.9 billion by 2036, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% from 2026 to 2036. Growing semiconductor production, rising solar photovoltaic manufacturing capacity, and increasing use of high-purity quartz are among the primary factors supporting market growth.
Quartz is an important industrial mineral because of its hardness, thermal stability, chemical resistance, and electrical properties. Natural quartz is widely used in conventional applications, including glass, ceramics, construction materials, foundry operations, and engineered surfaces. High-purity quartz (HPQ) serves more specialized applications in semiconductor processing, photovoltaic manufacturing, optical fiber, and specialty glass production.
Market participants are investing in high-purity raw-material sourcing, advanced purification technologies, and specialized product manufacturing to meet evolving industrial requirements. Asia Pacific remained the leading regional market in 2025, accounting for approximately 49.5% of global revenue, while natural quartz represented the largest product category, with a 74.5% share.
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Quartz Market Overview
Quartz is a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO₂). It is among the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust and is used across numerous industrial sectors because of its durability, hardness, chemical inertness, and resistance to high temperatures.
Commercial quartz production generally involves mining, crushing, screening, sizing, and washing to obtain materials with the required particle size and quality. Depending on the intended application, additional beneficiation and purification processes may be necessary. High-purity quartz undergoes more advanced processing to reduce impurities and achieve the quality specifications required for semiconductor manufacturing, solar photovoltaics, optical fiber, and specialty glass.
The quartz market includes natural and synthetic quartz products in various forms, such as crystals, powders, granules, sand, pebbles, and quartz glass. Natural quartz is widely used in construction, glass manufacturing, ceramics, foundry applications, and engineered-stone surfaces. Synthetic and processed quartz products serve applications requiring specific material characteristics and performance standards.
Demand for quartz varies according to purity, form, and end-use requirements. Conventional industrial applications benefit from the availability and affordability of natural quartz, whereas advanced manufacturing sectors require specialized materials with carefully controlled impurity levels.
The market is also influenced by developments across the semiconductor and renewable energy supply chains. Semiconductor fabrication requires quartz components capable of withstanding elevated temperatures and chemically aggressive environments. Similarly, crystalline silicon photovoltaic manufacturing uses high-purity quartz in crucibles and related processing equipment.
Key Growth Drivers of the Quartz Market
Expansion of Semiconductor Manufacturing
The expansion of semiconductor manufacturing is a major driver of the global quartz market, particularly for high-purity quartz and fused quartz products. Quartz is used in semiconductor processing equipment because of its thermal stability, chemical resistance, and ability to maintain low contamination levels under demanding operating conditions.
Quartz components, including crucibles, tubes, boats, rings, and other specialized equipment, are used during silicon processing and wafer manufacturing. These components may be exposed to high temperatures and corrosive chemicals, creating demand for materials with consistent quality and reliable performance.
As semiconductor manufacturers expand production to meet demand for processors, memory devices, power electronics, and other integrated circuits, demand for specialized quartz components is expected to increase. New fabrication facilities and the expansion of existing plants across Asia, North America, and Europe are creating opportunities for suppliers of high-quality quartz materials.
The increasing complexity of semiconductor manufacturing is further strengthening the importance of material purity. Even small concentrations of metallic or other impurities can affect silicon purity and manufacturing performance. Consequently, quartz suppliers are focusing on beneficiation, purification, and quality-control processes to meet stringent industrial requirements.
These conditions create opportunities for suppliers capable of securing suitable raw-material deposits and consistently delivering high-purity quartz products. Continued technological advancement in semiconductor manufacturing is expected to support demand for specialized quartz materials throughout the forecast period.
Rising Solar Photovoltaic Production
The expansion of solar photovoltaic manufacturing is another significant factor supporting quartz market growth. High-purity quartz is used in the production of quartz crucibles required for melting and growing crystalline silicon ingots. In the Czochralski process, these crucibles support silicon crystal growth, after which the ingots are cut into wafers and processed into solar cells.
Growing adoption of renewable energy is encouraging investment in photovoltaic manufacturing capacity. Governments and industrial companies are expanding solar power deployment to support decarbonization objectives and improve energy security. This expansion is contributing to growth across the photovoltaic supply chain, including polysilicon, silicon ingots, wafers, solar cells, and specialized quartz products.
Solar manufacturers are also seeking to improve silicon efficiency, wafer quality, and production performance. These objectives increase the importance of quartz crucibles and other processing materials capable of meeting demanding purity and thermal-resistance requirements.
Quartz suppliers are responding by investing in purification technologies, product development, and production capabilities tailored to photovoltaic manufacturing. Growth in solar installations, wafer production, and crystalline silicon technology is expected to support demand for high-purity quartz over the forecast period.
Market Trends and Opportunities
Expanding Applications of High-Purity Quartz
High-purity quartz is an important growth opportunity for market participants because it serves advanced applications that require exceptionally low impurity levels. Semiconductor manufacturing, solar photovoltaics, optical fiber, and specialty glass production are among the sectors creating demand for these materials.
The development of purification and quality-control technologies can enable quartz suppliers to improve material consistency and address more demanding customer specifications. Companies with access to suitable deposits and advanced processing capabilities may be better positioned to supply high-value industrial applications.
The establishment of additional semiconductor fabrication plants and photovoltaic manufacturing facilities is also increasing the importance of dependable quartz supply chains. Manufacturers require consistent material quality to support uninterrupted production and maintain the performance of specialized processing equipment.
Suppliers that strengthen raw-material sourcing, beneficiation, and purification capabilities can pursue opportunities in high-purity quartz while developing long-term relationships with semiconductor, solar, and optical technology manufacturers.
Growing Demand for Engineered Quartz Surfaces
Engineered quartz surfaces represent another important application area. Quartz is used in countertops and other surfaces because of its durability and suitability for a range of interior applications. Manufacturers produce engineered surfaces to meet different design, color, and finish requirements.
Demand for these products is connected to construction activity, renovation projects, interior design preferences, and the use of durable surfaces in residential and commercial buildings. Companies operating in this segment compete through product design, manufacturing quality, surface aesthetics, and distribution networks.
Although engineered quartz surfaces and high-purity quartz serve different market requirements, both contribute to the diversity of the global quartz industry. Suppliers can address a broad range of customers by offering products tailored to construction, specialty materials, and advanced industrial applications.
Advances in Quartz Processing and Purification
Processing technology is becoming increasingly important as end-use industries demand quartz with specific particle sizes, purity levels, and physical properties. Conventional quartz products can often be processed through established mining and beneficiation operations, while advanced applications require more specialized purification.
Investments in processing efficiency, impurity removal, and product consistency may help suppliers improve yields and reduce material losses. Improved processing capabilities can also support the development of quartz products for applications that require high thermal stability and minimal contamination.
Access to suitable deposits remains an important consideration because raw-material characteristics influence the feasibility of producing high-purity grades. Companies that combine reliable deposits with effective processing technologies may strengthen their position in specialized quartz markets.
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Regional Analysis
Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific dominated the global quartz market in 2025, accounting for approximately 49.5% of total market revenue. The region benefits from an established industrial base across construction, glass, ceramics, electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, and solar photovoltaics.
China, India, Japan, and South Korea are important manufacturing markets within the region. Their industrial activities create demand for quartz in construction materials, glass products, electronic components, and advanced manufacturing applications.
Asia Pacific also benefits from established quartz mining and processing operations, competitive manufacturing costs, and investment in semiconductor and renewable energy production. The expansion of electronics manufacturing and photovoltaic supply chains is increasing the importance of specialized quartz products, particularly materials used in silicon processing and high-temperature applications.
The region’s combination of conventional industrial demand and advanced manufacturing activity is expected to support its position in the global quartz market throughout the forecast period.
North America
North America represents an important market for quartz, supported by demand from semiconductor manufacturing, construction, engineered surfaces, and specialty materials applications.
The region is also relevant to the high-purity quartz supply chain because of its quartz deposits and specialized processing capabilities. Access to suitable raw materials and investment in purification technologies can support production of quartz for semiconductor, photovoltaic, and optical applications.
The Quartz Corporation and other suppliers operate across parts of the high-purity quartz value chain, including raw-material sourcing and processing. Continued demand for advanced manufacturing materials creates opportunities for companies capable of delivering consistent quality and reliable supply.
Europe
Europe is included among the major regional markets for quartz, with demand associated with construction, glass, ceramics, electronics, and specialized industrial applications. The region’s industrial base creates opportunities for both conventional quartz products and higher-purity materials used in advanced manufacturing.
Demand will depend on manufacturing activity, construction investment, renewable energy development, and the availability of suitable quartz materials. Suppliers that provide specialized products and efficient processing solutions may benefit from evolving requirements across industrial end-use sectors.
Latin America and the Middle East & Africa
Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are also covered in the global quartz market assessment. Opportunities in these regions are influenced by construction activity, industrial development, glass manufacturing, and demand for materials used in infrastructure projects.
The expansion of industrial facilities and construction-related applications can support demand for natural quartz and processed quartz products. However, the supplied market information does not provide comparable revenue shares or region-specific growth rates for these markets.
Quartz Market Segmentation
The global quartz market is segmented by type, purity, form, application, and end-use.
By Type
Natural quartz remains widely used in conventional industrial applications because it is readily available and can be processed using established methods. Synthetic and specialized quartz products serve applications requiring specific material characteristics.
By Purity
Purity requirements vary according to the intended use. Conventional applications can accommodate a range of grades, whereas semiconductor, photovoltaic, optical, and specialty glass applications may require highly purified materials.
By Form
Different forms serve different industrial requirements, including construction materials, glass production, engineered surfaces, laboratory equipment, and specialized manufacturing components.
By Application
The application landscape reflects the versatility of quartz, ranging from high-volume conventional industrial uses to specialized applications requiring strict material specifications.
By End-use
Demand across end-use industries is influenced by manufacturing activity, infrastructure development, technological advancement, and the need for specialized materials.
Competitive Landscape
The global quartz market includes companies involved in mining, raw-material supply, beneficiation, purification, fused quartz manufacturing, engineered surfaces, and specialized quartz component production. Market participants compete through raw-material access, product purity, processing expertise, manufacturing capacity, and the ability to meet industry-specific requirements.
Major companies identified in the market include The Quartz Corporation, Momentive Technologies, Solar Quartz Technologies, Covia Holdings Corporation, I-Minerals Inc., MSI Surfaces, HanStone Quartz, Vicostone, Sibelco, Jiangsu Pacific Quartz Co., Ltd., High Purity Quartz Pty Ltd, Creswick Quartz, Nordic Mining ASA, Australian Silica Quartz Pty Ltd, Fineton Development Limited, Russian Quartz LLC, Mineracao Santa Rosa, Donghai Shihu Quartz Co., Ltd., AGC Inc., LG Hausys Ltd., and Pokarna Limited.
The Quartz Corporation, Momentive Technologies, Sibelco, Covia Holdings Corporation, I-Minerals Inc., and Jiangsu Pacific Quartz Co., Ltd. are associated with quartz materials, raw-material processing, or high-purity quartz. MSI Surfaces, HanStone Quartz, and Vicostone are particularly active in engineered quartz surfaces and countertops.
Sibelco supplies IOTA high-purity quartz for semiconductor, photovoltaic, and optical applications and has access to high-purity quartz deposits in North Carolina. Such access to suitable deposits, together with purification and processing capabilities, is important for supplying customers with demanding material specifications.
Competitive positioning across the market depends on the ability to secure reliable raw materials, improve processing yields, maintain product quality, and serve diverse applications ranging from construction and glass to advanced electronics and renewable energy manufacturing.
Quartz Market Outlook
The global quartz market is projected to increase from USD 8.9 billion in 2025 to USD 17.9 billion by 2036, expanding at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2026 to 2036. Growth is expected to be supported by semiconductor manufacturing expansion, rising solar photovoltaic production, and the increasing use of high-purity quartz in specialized industrial applications.
Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2025 with a revenue share of 49.5%, while natural quartz accounted for 74.5% of market revenue. These leading positions reflect the region’s established industrial base and the broad availability and affordability of natural quartz for conventional applications.
Going forward, investments in purification technology, specialized quartz products, and reliable raw-material supply chains are expected to create opportunities for manufacturers. Demand from semiconductor fabrication, photovoltaic manufacturing, optical technologies, construction, glass, and engineered surfaces will continue to shape the industry’s development.
The market’s long-term growth will depend on suppliers’ ability to balance conventional industrial demand with the technical requirements of advanced manufacturing. Companies that strengthen material quality, production efficiency, and application-specific capabilities may be better positioned to benefit from expanding quartz demand across global industries.
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