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Ratinsg and research firm CRISIL predicts that indigenous solar cells are expected to account for just around half of the overall demand this fiscal, up from a fourth last fiscal. This strong uptick will be driven by the government’s push to reduce dependence on imports, supported by a strong ramp-up in solar cell manufacturing capacity. However, such large capacity additions are likely to put pressure on capacity utilisation and realisations, that can stretch payback periods.
ALCM Mandate And Change 
After the implementation of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) from April 1, 2024, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) mandated upstreaming to production of solar cells through the Approved List of Cell Manufacturers (ALCM), thereby ensuring ‘Made in India’ components and reducing dependence on imported cells in the solar photovoltaic supply chain. This solar manufacturing push has had wide repurcussions that are still playing out, with the increasingly obvious situation of dricving consolidation in the sector as well capitalised firms grab the advantage.  
Applicable from June 2026, the ALCM is mandatory for utility-scale projects with bid submission date after August 31, 2025, and for net metering1 and open access projects commissioned after June 1, 2026. Residential rooftop solar consumers participating in the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana ‘Give It Up’ are exempt up to March 31, 2027.
Says Manish Gupta, Deputy Chief Ratings Officer, Crisil Ratings, “The ALCM will sharply reset India’s solar cell supply mix. Domestic supply will gain share and meet around half of the 60-65 GW demand this fiscal, with imports making up for the rest. The shift will be led by demand for indigenous cells from newer utility-scale bids, net-metering and open-access projects, and government-backed schemes such as Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, or KUSUM. Meanwhile, imports will mainly be for the pipeline of unexecuted utility-scale projects with bid submissions prior to the August 31, 2025 cut-off. As the earlier project pipeline winds down,
import dependence should fall materially starting next fiscal.”
With rising demand and anticipated reduction in imports, several manufacturers are undertaking capital expenditure to set up or expand solar cell manufacturing capacities. Net-net, such capacity is expected to nearly double to ~60 GW by the end of this fiscal, with further additions likely over the next fiscal. This could challenge the returns on new solar cell manufacturing capacities.
Says Ankit Hakhu, Director, Crisil Ratings, “The surge in solar cell capacity will redraw project economics. Capacities commissioned by the end of this fiscal could see payback periods stretch by 1-2 years, compared with the 4-5 years it took the early movers integrating backward to solar cell manufacturing. These early movers benefited from higher premiums and 50-60% capacity utilisation after stabilisation – advantages that are likely to narrow as fresh capacity comes on stream.”
The payback periods are crucial given the rapid evolution of technology in the sector, which can shorten the economic life of assets, particularly where reliance on imported raw materials adds to margin volatility.
That said, manufacturers pursuing deeper backward integration into ingot and wafer manufacturing – currently almos entirely imported – are likely to see better returns through higher realisations following the government’s notification on the likely applicability of ALMM III2 from June 2028 onwards.
Risk Of Slowing Demand 

A key monitorable is the risk of weaker solar module demand arising from delays in power purchase agreement signings. Moreover, the MNRE has also set up an expert committee to assess ALCM exemption requests for net-metering and open-access projects with installed but uncommissioned modules, or where developers have taken substantive steps toward project implementation. 
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Optimizing photovoltaic panel orientation for peak demand management – Aiman Albatayneh, Lara Al-Saket, 2025  Sage Journals
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Arizona court strikes down solar fee for APS customers citing lack of public notice  KTAR News 92.3 FM
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Clarkson Valley backed down on plans to restrict the use of solar panels on residential homes in the city.
The Board of Aldermen had considered adding more rigorous requirements, in particular for roof-mounted solar panels.
There were two bills proposed at the board’s June 2 meeting. 
One proposed bill would have removed “devices for the generation of energy, such as solar panels and similar devices” as an accessory use from city code. It would also remove language associated with special use regulations that “solar energy systems may be approved by the board of aldermen.” This means solar panels would only require relevant permits from the city.
The other bill would have amended the city’s land use code by adding a new chapter on solar energy systems. 
Under the regulations proposed, solar energy collectors would have to be located on the back- or side-facing roof. Systems could not be located on front-facing roofs of a primary or accessory structure. 
The proposed regulations would mean solar energy collectors could be installed on front-facing roofs only when the front-facing roof is not in line of sight or visible from the street frontage due to elevation, topography or berms. Additional restrictions would have required solar energy collectors to be positioned in a symmetrical fashion, and applied regulations to ground-mounted solar systems as well.
Several residents attended the June 2 meeting to voice their displeasure over these proposed new regulations.  
Frances Babb, a longtime proponent of solar panels, previously sued Clarkson Valley over solar panels and won. She also helped to defeat similar solar legislation proposed in Wildwood.
Babb said a well-designed solar energy system can produce up to six figures worth of electricity in its lifetime.
Babb said Missouri law recognizes the right to utilize solar energy as a property right.
“Sadly, to protect those rights you need to sue,” she noted.
Bryan Meyers said a legal precedent had already been set in the Missouri Supreme Court case of Eikmeier v. Granite Springs Homeowners Association, which ruled that the association’s rule prohibiting street-facing solar panels adversely affected cost and efficiency and could not be enforced under the statute.
The bill removing solar energy systems from accessory land uses and special use regulations was approved. 
The bill to add new regulations to solar energy systems did not pass. 
 
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India’s total agriphotovoltaics (agri-PV) potential is estimated at 1,192-2,129 GW, based on different power density assumptions ranging from 0.42 MW to 0.75 MW per hectare.
Using state-wise agricultural statistics and cropping intensity adjustments, around 2.835 million hectares of land across selected crop categories was identified as capable of supporting agri-PV deployment.
India’s clean energy transition is entering a phase where the challenge is no longer limited to installing renewable energy capacity but also ensuring that this expansion does not intensify pressure on land, water and food systems. As electricity demand rises rapidly due to industrial growth, electric mobility, data centres and green hydrogen production, the country is looking at large-scale solar deployment as a key pillar of its decarbonisation strategy. However, utility-scale solar parks require vast land parcels, creating increasing competition between energy infrastructure and agriculture in a country where farming remains central to livelihoods and economic stability.
Against this backdrop, agri-PV is emerging as a promising pathway that allows simultaneous agricultural production and solar power generation on the same land parcel. The article presents key takeaways from The Energy and Resources Institute’s report, “Agri-Photovoltaics Potential in India: Pathways for Sustainable Energy-Food Solutions”, published in March 2026. It highlights how dual-use solar systems can help India expand renewable energy capacity while preserving agricultural productivity and strengthening climate resilience.
Surging energy demand and land scarcity
India’s electricity consumption crossed 1,532 TWh in 2024 and is projected to grow steadily over the coming decades. Emerging sectors such as electric vehicles, green hydrogen and data centres are expected to account for 20-25 per cent of incremental electricity demand in the near term. As per long-term projections, electricity generation is expected to increase to more than 5,000 TWh by 2050.
At the same time, the country has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2070 and has set a target of installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. Solar power is expected to contribute a major share of this transition because of declining module costs, competitive tariffs and abundant solar resources across the country.
However, the expansion of solar energy is increasingly constrained by land availability. Installed solar capacity reached around 132.85 GW by the end of 2025, but substantially higher deployment will be needed to meet long-term decarbonisation goals. Depending on different energy transition scenarios, solar deployment by 2050 could require between 14 million hectares and 93 million hectares of land. At the upper end, this would account for nearly 2.84 per cent of India’s total geographical area.
This challenge is particularly significant because agriculture already occupies close to 58.7 per cent of the country’s land area. As a result, large-scale solar deployment cannot rely entirely on converting agricultural land into conventional solar parks. Instead, integrated land-use approaches are becoming increasingly important.
Balancing food, water and energy needs
Agriculture remains central to India’s economy and resource systems. The sector supports nearly 45.76 per cent of the workforce and contributes around 15 per cent of the country’s gross value added. At the same time, agriculture consumes nearly 80 per cent of freshwater withdrawals and accounts for 17-18 per cent of national electricity consumption, primarily for irrigation.
Climate change is further intensifying pressure on agricultural systems through rising temperatures, irregular monsoon patterns, prolonged dry spells and unseasonal rainfall. These factors are affecting crop productivity and farm incomes across several regions.
In this context, agri-PV is being viewed as a solution that can address multiple challenges simultaneously. By enabling solar generation and crop cultivation on the same land parcel, agri-PV can improve land productivity, diversify farmer incomes and support energy access without reducing agricultural output.
India’s agriculture-dominated landscape makes agri-PV particularly relevant for achieving long-term renewable energy targets while reducing land-use conflicts. At the same time, deployment requires careful planning to ensure food security and agricultural productivity are not compromised.
Understanding the agri-PV model
Agri-PV systems can be designed in different configurations depending on crop type, climatic conditions and land characteristics. These include elevated solar structures that allow machinery movement beneath the panels, inter-row solar installations between crop rows, vertical solar panels and greenhouse-integrated systems.
One of the major advantages of agri-PV is the creation of beneficial microclimatic conditions. Partial shading from solar panels can reduce heat stress and water evaporation, which may improve crop performance in certain conditions. Depending on crop type and system configuration, land productivity under agri-PV systems can increase substantially compared to conventional farming or standalone solar deployment.
Globally, agri-PV has gained momentum over the past decade. Countries such as China, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea and the US have already introduced dedicated policies to promote agri-PV deployment. By 2023, global agri-PV capacity had reached around 13 GW.
In India, however, the sector remains at an early stage. There is still no nationally recognised definition or dedicated policy framework for agri-PV deployment. Existing projects have largely been developed under broader solar schemes such as PM-KUSUM, without crop-specific planning guidelines or dual-use policy provisions.
Identifying land for agri-PV deployment
A GIS-based assessment of land suitable for agri-PV deployment applied multiple environmental, agricultural and technical filters to identify areas where solar generation can be integrated with farming without compromising ecological or agricultural priorities. The assessment excluded land with steep slopes, flood-prone regions, non-productive soils and environmentally sensitive areas. Solar resource availability, slope orientation and cropland distribution were also considered in the analysis.
Around 159.75 million hectares of cropland was initially identified across India. After applying multiple screening criteria, the final “restricted cropland” area suitable for agri-PV deployment was estimated at 47.35 million hectares. This estimate remains conservative because several high-risk or environmentally sensitive areas were intentionally excluded to prioritise climate resilience and long-term sustainability. Major reductions in suitable land occurred after applying solar irradiance and flood-risk filters, reflecting the overlap between agricultural regions and flood-prone river basins.
The analysis was further refined by focusing only on crops considered suitable for agri-PV systems. Using state-wise agricultural statistics and cropping intensity adjustments, around 2.835 million hectares of land across selected crop categories was identified as capable of supporting agri-PV deployment.
Crop suitability and deployment priorities
A preliminary India-specific crop suitability matrix categorises crops according to their compatibility with agri-PV systems. The classification considers factors such as shading tolerance, crop height, irrigation requirements, microclimatic response and light intensity needs. Horticultural crops emerge as the most suitable category for agri-PV deployment. These include vegetables, fruits, plantation crops, spices, medicinal plants and flowers.
Among the most suitable crops are tea, coffee, grapes, lemon, sweet orange, cabbage, spinach, onion, potato, turmeric, coriander, ginger, medicinal herbs and several leafy vegetables. These crops are generally shade-tolerant, low-height or high-value varieties that can benefit from moderated temperature conditions under solar panels.
Moderately suitable crops include tomato, radish, carrot, chickpea, groundnut, maize, kiwi and strawberry. Meanwhile, crops such as sugarcane, paddy, coconut and palm are considered less suitable because of their high water requirements, tall canopy structures or sensitivity to shading.
The classification also differentiates between under-panel cultivation and inter-row cultivation systems. Shade-tolerant crops are more suitable for cultivation beneath panels, while high-light crops are better suited to spaces between solar arrays.
Future outlook
India’s total agri-PV potential is estimated at 1,192-2,129 GW, based on different power density assumptions ranging from 0.42 MW to 0.75 MW per hectare. Southern, western and central India offer the most favourable conditions for large-scale agri-PV deployment because of the combination of solar resources, land availability and crop diversity.
The highest potential exists in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, which together account for nearly half of the national potential. These states combine favourable solar irradiance, extensive cropland and strong horticultural activity. Moderate potential is visible in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar and West Bengal. In contrast, the north-eastern and Himalayan states show relatively lower suitability because of terrain constraints, ecological sensitivities and flood-related risks.
As of August 2025, the country has 36 operational agri-PV projects with a combined installed capacity of 37.54 MW, along with several pilot projects under development. This nascent portfolio demonstrates clear proof of concept. Going forward, dedicated policy frameworks, technical capacity building, farmer engagement, and innovative financing models will determine whether agri-PV transitions from pilot demonstrations to large-scale, commercially viable deployment. 
Agri-PV offers a pathway to combine renewable energy expansion with agricultural sustainability. By integrating energy generation, climate resilience and farmer income diversification within the same land parcel, it can help address the growing pressures emerging across India’s water-energy-food nexus while supporting long-term clean energy goals going forward. 
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China has taken another step towards building a more balanced energy system, an area where it still faces significant challenges. The world’s largest integrated solar power and green hydrogen production complex has begun operations in Jiangsu Province. The facility also includes battery storage systems designed to smooth fluctuations in solar power generation. It is regarded as one of the most advanced green energy projects in the world, setting a benchmark for others to follow, according to pv magazine.
The Guohua Rudong project, developed by CHN Energy in Rudong County, Jiangsu Province, is located in a tidal zone near Yangkou Port. The energy component of the project consists of a 400 MW coastal photovoltaic power station, a 220 kV onshore substation, and a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 60 MW/120 MWh. According to CHN Energy, the solar plant is expected to generate approximately 468 GWh of electricity annually—enough to meet the yearly power needs of around 200,000 households. The battery system is designed not only to mitigate fluctuations in solar generation but also to ensure a stable power supply for the hydrogen electrolyser.
The hydrogen production section of the complex is designed to produce 482 tonnes of high-purity green hydrogen per year. The facility has a nominal production capacity of 1,500 cubic metres of hydrogen per hour, while the associated refuelling infrastructure is capable of supplying up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day to end users. A key technical feature of the project is the direct connection between the photovoltaic plant and the electrolysers via a dedicated subsea cable. This allows excess solar power to be used directly for water electrolysis without first passing through the main electricity grid. During periods of peak solar generation, approximately one-fortieth of the plant’s hourly output is allocated to hydrogen production.
The solar power station was connected to the grid on 29 April 2025, while CHN Energy announced the completion of commissioning work across the entire facility on 10 June 2026. However, the hydrogen production unit remains in the final stages of testing and is expected to begin operations in August 2026.
In addition to its energy functions, the project incorporates environmental restoration measures. The site covers approximately 2.9 square kilometres of tidal land, while a related programme aimed at controlling the invasive perennial grass Spartina alterniflora and restoring coastal wetlands extends across roughly 4.3 square kilometres.

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Otovo to Acquire Israel’s Green Panel in USD 11 Million Deal to Expand EMEA Energy Services Platform  SolarQuarter
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Thursday, June 18, 2026
Australia’s flagship solar research program, the University of New South Wales-led Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), has secured another six years of federal funding to continue its world-leading work on foundational PV technologies and ultra-low cost solar.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) announced this week that its funding of ACAP was being extended out to 2032, to support a $220 million national research initiative that is supported by co-investment from ACAP’s seven universities, and industry partners.
ACAP says the $7 million a year of funding delivers the long-term certainty needed to deliver the next major wave of solar breakthroughs, that will make it even cheaper, more durable and more scalable than ever, while strengthening Australia’s role in the global clean-energy transition. 
“Solar is still a relatively young technology with plenty of scope to improve,” ACAP executive director Professor Renate Egan said in a statement on Thursday.
“Arena’s significant investment is ultimately about what happens next. Just as the breakthroughs of the 1980s helped create the modern solar industry, the research being funded today will help define the energy system of the 2030s and 2040s.”
“ACAP 3.0 is focused on reducing solar’s cost while improving performance, durability  and sustainability, so it can scale to the multi-terawatt levels the world requires, and  power a prosperous net zero future for Australia,” Egan says. 
ACAP’s Professor Renate Egan. Image supplied
Arena CEO Darren Miller the federal agency’s fresh commitment to Australian solar R&D continues a research story that began in the 1970s and helped  transform solar into the world’s fastest-growing energy technology.
“Australia has some of the best solar researchers in the world, and ACAP has been instrumental in turning that expertise into globally recognised breakthroughs,” Miller said this week.
“This extension ensures Australia can continue to be a leader in solar innovation, driving down the cost of manufacturing next-generation solar technologies and supporting Australia’s clean energy transition.” 
Established in 2013 with Arena support and led by UNSW Sydney, ACAP is a collaboration between the Australian National University, CSIRO, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Queensland and University of Sydney, alongside industry partners and global manufacturers.
“We have an extraordinary legacy, beginning with Professor Martin Green and his team at UNSW, whose breakthroughs in high-efficiency silicon solar cells enabled the modern PV manufacturing industry,” says Egan.
“That legacy endures in ACAP’s deep ties to global manufacturers and our world-leading researchers, ensuring ACAP’s innovations translate quickly to impact.”
Egan says that through ACAP-backed innovations like SunDrive’s copper-based solar cells and Hello Again Solar’s laser-based and chemical-free patented solar panel recycling technology have demonstrated how Australian research can translate directly into commercial opportunities. 
“Another pioneering technology receiving wide recognition and on the cusp of  commercialisation is Lab 360 Solar which is delivering advanced drone-based, daylight  photoluminescence (DPL) imaging of solar farms for high resolution diagnostics,” she says. 
“At the same time, our work in silicon materials and defect control led by teams at ANU is giving manufacturers clearer pathways to higher efficiency and yield. 
“In parallel, our research at UNSW on field performance and reliability, including  corrosion and UV-induced degradation in TOPCon technologies, is directly shaping  industry testing protocols and design approaches, ensuring solar modules deliver long term performance in real-world conditions.” 
“These advances and opportunities are underpinned by the deep skills base developed  through ACAP.” 
If you would like to join more than 29,000 others and get the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox, for free, please click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
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Developer Lightsource bp has reached financial close on the 171MWdc Glorit solar PV power plant, north of Auckland, New Zealand.
Construction of the utility-scale solar PV plant is set to begin imminently, with commercial operations targeted for the second half of 2028.
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The project is being developed through Glorit Solar P LP, the 50-50 joint venture between Lightsource bp and Contact Energy. It will connect to Transpower’s 220kV transmission network via a dedicated 1.5km connection from the site.
The facility will include provisions for a 200MWh DC-coupled battery energy storage system (BESS) to store and dispatch solar energy when grid conditions require it. However, the storage component’s capacity has not been disclosed.
Contact Energy’s February 2026 equity raise documentation described the Glorit project as expected to cost NZ$305 million (US$179 million), with the plant to be more than 70% project-financed.
The solar PV plant is located on the Kaipara Coast in Glorit, north of Kaukapakapa in the Auckland region. It is designed to strengthen generation capacity in the upper North Island, a region that has faced electricity supply constraints during periods of low hydro storage.
The financial close follows a lengthy process of consent and legal review. The Environmental Protection Authority granted resource consent for the project in October 2025, following a 150-working-day assessment under the fast-track consenting legislation.
That approval was subsequently challenged. Conservation group Forest and Bird lodged a High Court appeal in November 2025, citing concerns about the endangered tara iti, or New Zealand fairy tern, whose habitat and flight paths the group argued were insufficiently protected under the consenting decision.
The resolution of that legal process and the completion of planning condition discharge requirements have now cleared the path to financial close.
The Glorit financial close is the second time the Lightsource bp and Contact Energy joint venture has reached this stage in New Zealand.
The 168MWdc Kōwhai Park solar PV power plant at Christchurch Airport reached financial close in August 2024, backed by a NZ$267 million green financing package from Westpac, Mizuho, China Construction Bank and Intesa Sanpaolo.
As PV Tech reported earlier this week, the two companies completed module installation at the Kōwhai Park and it is now nearing energisation, with commercial operations expected later this year.
The two projects together represent approximately 339MWdc of new solar generation capacity from the joint venture pipeline.
The Glorit financial close arrives as New Zealand’s utility-scale solar pipeline is advancing across multiple developers simultaneously.
Lodestone Energy has begun construction on a 31.5MWdc solar PV plant at Ruataniwha Plains in Central Hawke’s Bay, the region’s first utility-scale solar development. At the same time, Meridian Energy received consent in May 2026 for a 120MW solar plant at Bunnythorpe in Palmerston North, which also incorporates battery storage.
New Zealand’s electricity market has provided a strong commercial case for new solar. The country experienced a prolonged dry year in 2024 that depleted hydro storage levels and drove wholesale electricity prices sharply higher, exposing the risk of a generation mix dominated by weather-dependent hydroelectric output.
In a bid to solve this and turn the country into the “simplest developed country for solar deployment”, New Zealand’s government ordered a sector review of residential and small-to-medium-scale solar installations, aiming to reduce what it describes as a “red tape nightmare” that can delay approvals for months.

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BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A massive fire involving solar panels erupted Wednesday afternoon on a commercial building in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, sending a black column of smoke into the air visible for miles.
The inferno began shortly before 2:30 p.m. at a cold storage facility in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for the immediate area surrounding the building due to hazardous materials. City officials were asking everyone who lives in those areas to get inside immediately and close all windows and doors. They also advise to turn off air conditioning units and bring all pets indoors.
At least four water-dropping helicopters responded to the scene to help put out the blaze. The Los Angeles Police Department was on tactical alert due to this fire and later went on a modified tactical alert as firefighters got the upperhand.
All nearby freeways remained open, but traffic was flowing slowly.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
As the fire at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights spread, Los Angeles Fire Department hose lines were unable to reach parts of the fire, so four water-dropping helicopters were brought to the scene to help halt the flames, dumping thousands of gallons of water onto the building.
The helicopters made a huge difference in the firefight. Video from AIR7 shortly after 5 p.m. showed only a few flames remaining with the majority of the blaze out.
Water-dropping helicopters are not a common sight in urban landscapes, especially when it comes to a building in the middle of such a densely populated neighborhood. But this is a very unusual fire that poses unusual risks and at 480 gallons per drop, these helicopters are a real lifesaver.
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City News Service contributed to this report
As crews battle a large fire at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights from the ground and air, Los Angeles city officials urge the public and their pets to stay indoors and turn off air conditioning units due to hazardous materials.
Drivers are being urged to avoid the area, especially the 5 Freeway near the 710 Freeway, as a large plume of black smoke hovers over the zone.
Smoke could be seen for miles, confusing many drivers as to what was going on, some even lowering their windows to take pictures.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, issued a statement saying, "Our office is closely monitoring the fire at the cold storage facility on the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street in Boyle Heights. We know how frightening it is to see heavy smoke in your neighborhood, especially for families, workers, small businesses, and commuters who are trying to understand what is happening and how to stay safe."
ABC7 Automotive Specialist Dave Kunz recommends drivers stuck on the freeway near the smoke to make sure your car is on the re-circulation mode so it's not sucking in air from the outside.
Freeways remain open but are moving slowly.
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City News Service contributed to this report.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory due to the massive structure fire in Boyle Heights.
The AQMD issued the following advisory Wednesday afternoon:
As LAFD continues the firefight, be aware that significant fire with smoke is impacting the area of Boyle Heights. If sensitive to health issues, go indoors. Close all doors/windows and limit outside activities. Limit exposure to outdoor air. For emergencies call 911. Monitor the situation for additional protective actions.
The fire at the cold storage facility in Boyle Heights could involve potentially hazardous materials, possibly impacting your health and air quality.
It's not exactly clear what specific chemicals are involved, but authorities are telling area residents to shelter-in-place, bring all pets and people indoors, close all doors and windows, turn off the air condition system and air purifiers if you have them.
If you're driving past the fire, it's recommended that you switch to recycled air in your vehicle.
When exposed to extreme heat, these materials can break down into hazardous fluoride gasses and vapors.
Though it's not certain exactly what chemicals are burning, these types of fumes can be dangerous to everyone – for those who are healthy and especially those who are vulnerable, like people with asthma, coronary disease. These individuals have reduced lung function, and particulate matter can go deep into their lungs, and it can be hard to get rid of.
So what can this do? It can cause inflammation, irritation and coughing. In worst case scenarios, it can land you in the emergency room.

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BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A dramatic fire involving solar panels erupted Wednesday afternoon on a commercial building in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, sending a massive black column of smoke into the air above the scene.

The inferno began shortly before 2:30 p.m. at a cold storage facility in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street.
Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters were initially in offensive mode and for a time seemed to have gotten the upper hand on the flames. The fire later flared up in a major way, however, sending the firefighters into defensive mode.
"All units were called off the roof and out of the interior," the LAFD said in a statement. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the immediate area surrounding the building due to hazardous materials. This includes:

City officials are asking everyone who lives in those areas to get inside immediately and close all windows and doors. They also advise to turn off air conditioning units and bring all pets indoors.
An advisory was also issued for areas surrounding the shelter-in-place zone.
At least two water-dropping helicopters were responding to the scene to help put out the blaze. The Los Angeles Police Department has reportedly gone on tactical alert due to this fire.
All nearby freeways remain open but traffic is flowing slowly and city officials encourage all drivers to "avoid unnecessary travel to the area."
No injuries have been reported.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
For live updates, click here.

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Für Balkonkraftwerke & PV-Anlagen: All-in-One-System startet mit RabattA few months ago, SunEnergyXT introduced the 500 Pro Series, a new all-in-one energy storage system for balcony solar systems and photovoltaic (PV) installations. Ahead of the upcoming ees Europe 2026 trade fair in Munich, the manufacturer formerly known as SunLit Solar is expanding the lineup with three additional products: the SunEnergyXT PowerBox, the SunEnergyXT 500 Pro AC Core, and the Smart Wallbox.
The new PowerBox allows three-phase operation of more than three master storage units from the 500 and 500 Pro Series. This makes it possible to operate up to nine units in parallel and distribute them across the three phases L1, L2, and L3. Total system output can reach up to 21.6 kW, making it capable of supplying even high-consumption loads such as heat pumps and EV charging stations.
In addition, when combined with a compatible Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) for automatic switching between grid-connected and island operation, the system can provide a fully functional backup power solution.
The new Smart Wallbox can, for example, be powered by the PowerBox’s output of up to 21.6 kW. It supports three-phase charging of electric vehicles at up to 11 kW (maximum 16 amps) via a Type 2 charging cable. The wallbox features an integrated RFID reader for access control and user-specific authorization.
It is also compatible with the SunEnergyXT app, enabling coordinated management of charging, energy storage, and self-consumption, while allowing charging schedules to be aligned with the availability of self-generated solar power.
The third new product is the SunEnergyXT 500 Pro AC Core. It complements the existing all-in-one solution and is a purely AC-coupled battery storage system. The home energy storage unit is well suited for retrofitting existing photovoltaic systems and can also be particularly attractive when used in conjunction with dynamic electricity tariffs.
The SunEnergyXT 500 Pro AC Core features a bidirectional inverter with 2,400 W charging and discharging power, along with 5 kWh of storage capacity. If required, capacity can be expanded to up to 30 kWh by adding up to five additional battery modules. Another noteworthy feature is that the integrated MPPTs already built into the unit for direct solar module connection are disabled only at the software level. If needed, they can be activated later for an additional fee.
SunEnergyXT

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Sunergise has completed the largest rooftop solar system currently operating in New Zealand, officially switched on a 5.3 MW grid-connected PV system mounted across Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s administration and manufacturing campus in Auckland.
Spanning approximately 70,000 m2 across two buildings and featuring 8,273 solar modules, the system is more than twice the size of the country’s previous largest rooftop array, the 2.3 MW array installed by Sunergise at Mānawa Bay shopping centre at Auckland Airport.
The Fisher & Paykel project took nine months to build and was delivered under Sunergise’s SunPlus Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), meaning Fisher & Paykel Healthcare pays only for the electricity generated, with no upfront capital cost.
The completion of the project comes with New Zealand’s solar sector growing rapidly. Industry research suggests installed solar capacity will triple from 860 MW in 2026 to more than 2,100 MW by 2031, with commercial and industrial rooftop adoption accelerating as businesses seek to reduce electricity costs and meet sustainability targets.
Sunergise Chief Executive Officer Paul Makumbe said the Fisher & Paykel project sets a new standard for what is possible in New Zealand’s energy sector and serves as a replicable model for large energy users who want to lower energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
“This is a landmark project for New Zealand. A 5.3 MW system on the rooftop of one of the country’s most recognised companies shows what’s possible when businesses commit to clean energy at scale,” he said.
The new rooftop system is expected to generate more than 6,600 MWh of clean energy per year. It will also offset more than 486 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Jonti Rhodes, vice president of supply chain, facilities and sustainability at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, said the project shows what the renewable energy future looks like, adding that shifting a significant portion of the company’s energy consumption to solar power has already proven a smart business strategy.
“Investing in renewables is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smartest business strategy to implement,” he said. “Hopefully this serves as an example to other New Zealand businesses.”
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Windmill, Columbia River Gorge. Photo: Jeffrey St. Clair.
As the petroleum-run global economy continues to implode from war, pollution, and oligarchic meddling, a localized new-energy infrastructure is being built with clean, cheap, and safe renewable energy – 85% of all installations last year – led by China’s world-leading manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, wind turbines (WTs), and electric vehicles (EVs). The global electric grid capacity is almost 10 terawatts, more than 40% of which is now renewable (3 TW solar, 1.3 TW wind), a fourfold increase in two years.
Control of oil and gas reserves dictated the economic and political order of the twentieth century. Thanks to silicon, lithium, and the rare-earth elements (REEs), the twenty-first century is being reoriented by China as sales of PV solar panels, EVs, and lithium-ion batteries are all up (the “new three”). While the United States continues to cede power to maintain a failing, petroleum-fuelled global economy, the Asian century is already here: more than 80% solar panel manufacturing, 70% REE processing, and 60% of new car sales, while almost twice as many Chinese patents were granted in 2024 than in the US.
The US-Iran War could generate more than $1 trillion in extra revenue for the oil industry in 2026 – ($90-$60)/barrel x 36 billion barrels/year – but new paths to energy independence are being established. Amid debilitating global oil price shocks, old supply models are no longer beholden to the usual petroleum exporters: OPEC, the US, and Russia. Solar and wind excludes foreign control as the world turns to local power generation to survive and compete. That and reducing energy use wherever possible as wary customers turn from brown to green.
According to the International Energy Agency, the increase in low-emission power generation last year had already outstripped electricity supply growth, almost all of which was solar and wind as coal- and oil-fuelled power generation dropped. Even more energy dominoes have begun falling since the start of the US-Iran war, aided by rising gasoline prices, as much as 30% in the US and Europe. Reaching 20 million new car sales (roughly 25%) in 2025, increased EV adoption is also putting a dent in global petroleum sales.
Although Tesla’s Model Y is still the top-selling EV at 6% of sales, the world’s top three EV selling brands in 2025 were BYD (19%), Tesla (8%), and Geely (6%). Fewer burnt hydrocarbons means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and pollution on our streets that contributes to 7 million deaths per year. A 2026 Lancet Planetary Health study using California satellite data showed that even minimal EV adoption lowers air pollution, reducing tailpipe emissions (NO₂ and PM10) – for every extra 200 EVs, NO₂ emissions drop 1.1%. A 2008 National Library of Medicine study on London traffic showed that congestion pricing reduced emissions and raised life expectancy.
Sales of e-buses are also up, following China’s lead in Shenzhen, a former fishing village and first “special economic zone,” which boasts over 16,000 zero-emission (ZE) buses. European public bus systems are all getting an electric makeover, helping to decarbonize our streets and the economy.
According to T&E, six out of ten new buses in 2025 in the EU were ZE (56% EV, 4% fuel cell), while five countries now have 100% ZE city buses (Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Slovenia) and six others 90% (the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Belgium, Lithuania, and Romania). Spurred on by the 2024 Olympics and progressive green policies of former Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who championed more green space, cycle lanes, and ZE vehicles, Paris now has over 1,000 electric city buses.
Charging anxiety is no longer an issue as performance continues to improve – lower costs, higher energy density, and longer cycle life. The world’s number-one battery maker CATL announced a 1,500-km range with its high-nickel cathode and low-expansion silicon-carbon anode Qillin battery (topping BYD’s 1,000-km-range Blade battery) and is also developing a 12,000 Wh/kg lithium-air battery (lithium metal anode and oxygen cathode) with 40 times the energy density of current Li-ion batteries that almost equals gasoline. Unethically mined cobalt is also being phased out in the latest lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Batteries aren’t only for transportation, but also provide intermittency mitigation, real-time grid resilience, and energy arbitrage. A Massachusetts vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot project will charge three dormant school e-bus batteries this summer at night and sell the stored energy back to the grid the next day, possibly covering the charging costs during the school year. Made from common sea salt, newly developed sodium-ion batteries may also be a cheaper, greener grid-storage backup than lithium-ion batteries.
It’s been a long road to electrification: Alessandro Volta (1799, electrochemical battery), Michael Faraday (1831, electromagnetic induction), Thomas Edison (1882, Pearl Street coal-fired power station) to name just three early electrical pioneers. With the help of Nikola Tesla’s electric dream, George Westinghouse built on Edison’s genius at Niagara Falls in 1895, doubling American power generation. The famous cataract transmitted electricity 22 miles to Buffalo, inaugurating the electric grid and the twentieth century. As the grid expanded, so did a global population, quadrupling to over 8 billion today.
Albert Einstein started the modern solar ball rolling as he did in so many other fields (existence of atoms, relativity, energy-mass equivalence, the laser) with the first of his four 1905 Annalen der Physik papers that described the photoelectric effect. Bell Labs did the rest, beginning in 1939 with electrochemist Russel Ohl, who generated electricity for the first time in a positive- and negative-doped, light-sensitive p-n silicon device that Walter Brattain noted was the first time “anybody had ever found a photovoltaic effect in elementary material.”
Brattain, Bill Shockley and John Bardeen built on Ohl’s solid-state p-n diode, winning the 1956 Nobel Prize for the “transistor effect,” while Daryl Chapin, Gerald Pearson, and Calvin Fuller created the first modern solar cell in 1954, which The New York Times noted was “made of strips of silicon, a principal ingredient of sand” and could realize “one of man’s most cherished dreams – the harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun.” Indeed, one hour of sunlight on earth is equivalent to global energy consumption in a year.
Change takes time, early adopters subject to the vagaries of the new before lower costs generate higher adoption, a.k.a. the “virtuous cycle.” The German SPD parliamentarian Hermann Scheer noted that “A new idea will firstly become denounced as ridiculous, secondly there are many fights against it, and finally all people were in favor of it from the early beginning.” Scheer was responsible for the 2000 German Renewable Energy Act that prioritized an avant-garde approach to energy technology via consumer subsidies, grid buybacks, and feed-in tariffs, helping to transform Germany into a world-leading solar provider in a country that averages as much sun as Alaska.
In 1956, the solar cell was so expensive, even Bell Labs couldn’t afford it ($1,650 per watt). By the time of Telstar – the first telecommunication satellite in 1962 with 14 watts in 3,600 solar modules – a solar cell cost $300/W, but would eventually become affordable in large utility-scale PV solar farms and smaller rooftop panel arrays. In 1975, 2 GW of solar cells were installed globally at $106/W; last year 3,000 GW were installed at under 10 cents/watt. Since 2010, solar panel costs have dropped over 80%, while the largest solar farm is now 5 GW, located in China’s most westerly region Xinjiang. Change is slow until it isn’t.
The US-Iran war will be remembered for two things: the United States failing to assert control over the global oil supply and the rest of the world insulating their economies from future oil shocks by turning to renewables. In the wake of another disastrous American war over oil, the global opposition grows as consumers tire of conflict and the ongoing mismanagement of government funds. Local control over everyday energy also leads to more political and economic stability as household use becomes decentralized.
Despite Donald Trump’s attempts to prop up a dying fossil-fuel industry via global instability and increased American oil and gas exports, more countries are rethinking old energy policies. On the back of its world-leading green makeover, China has reduced greenhouse gas emissions 10 years earlier than planned. Solar power plus storage can meet 90% of India’s grid because of lower battery costs. Last year, Pakistan was the second-largest importer of solar panels, while net-metering has grown tenfold in two years thanks to inexpensive PV panels.
Other developing countries are also advancing the green revolution. Indonesia wants to replace diesel power plants with a 100-GW solar plus battery energy system, beginning with a 13-GW rollout. Almost 10% of Malawi’s grid power now comes from two first-ever PV solar plants. Ethiopia plans to reach half a million EVs by 2030, starting with over 100 EV buses operating in the capital Addis Ababa.
Individual American states are also becoming greener by the day – wind power is the number-one energy producer in a number of states, led by Iowa (73%), Oklahoma (63%), Kansas (60%), and South Dakota (60%), while solar power in Texas surpassed coal for the first time in 2026. The Japanese company TOYO is planning a $375-million 1.5-GW solar-cell manufacturing plant in Texas, already a “solar manufacturing hotspot” as utility-scale solar continues to surpass fossil fuels.
Elsewhere, older wind farms are being “returbined” to increase productivity without needing new site selection, permits, or land rights, estimated at 160 GW of capacity in the US alone. In one West Virginia site, 132 WTs were reduced to 78 yet added 71 MW. Plug-in balcony solar, fences, and awnings are reimagining the way consumers generate electricity as building-integrated PV expands, while storage batteries are now following the same exponential trends as solar cells to cover intermittency and facilitate bi-directional prosumption.
As the United States looks to celebrate 250 years of independence this summer, two other events in 1776 were as far-reaching, each being tested to the limit in a dawning American democracy: Adam Smith’s capitalist handbook The Wealth of Nations and James Watt’s general-purpose steam engine that made possible the Industrial Revolution and global capitalism. However, 2039 may be a more worthy year to celebrate: the 100th anniversary of the p-n junction at Bell Labs in New Jersey. The sun shines for us all today and tomorrow!
John K. White, a former lecturer in physics and education at University College Dublin and the University of Oviedo. He is the editor of the energy news service E21NS and author of The Truth About Energy: Our Fossil-Fuel Addiction and the Transition to Renewables (Cambridge University Press, 2024) and Do The Math!: On Growth, Greed, and Strategic Thinking (Sage, 2013). He can be reached at: johnkingstonwhite@gmail.com

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Over 3,250 solar panels have been fitted to the Cardiff Stadium’s iconic roof, making it the largest such installation at any sports stadium in the UK according to the stadium. The panels are expected to generate 1.25 million kWh/year.
Solar panels generating enough electricity to power more than 50 matchdays have been turned on at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The switch-on marks a key step in the Welsh Rugby Union’s decarbonisation plans as it prepares to unveil its first sustainability strategy later this year.
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Los Angeles, CA – June 17, 2026: People cross the street at South Indiana Ave as black smoke rises from a blaze inside a massive cold storage facility in Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Genaro Molina/TNS
Clara Harter
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — L.A. fire officials said Wednesday evening that crews had gained the upper hand on a massive warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, halting the fire’s spread by 5:30 p.m.
Shelter-in-place orders were issued in the community in the afternoon as firefighters worked to combat the blaze, which involved an ammonia gas leak inside the cold storage facility.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded shortly after 2:30 p.m. to the conflagration at 1400 S. Los Palos St. that burned through solar panels on the roof of the nearly 500,000 square-foot warehouse and sent a thick black plume of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles.
The flames reached an ammonia line, causing the chemical to begin off-gassing and prompting the LAFD to order all firefighters out of the building. Ammonia is commonly used as a refrigerant in large-scale commercial and industrial settings.
Crews assumed a defensive response and three helicopters were brought in to perform aerial water drops, enabling the department to halt the fire’s spread by 5:30 p.m.
A shelter-in-place order was issued in areas east of the blaze due to the ammonia leak and heavy smoke being generated, according to the LAFD. Residents in the affected area — extending roughly from south of the 101 Freeway to Washington Boulevard, and east of Soto Street to Indiana Street — were warned of “hazardous materials nearby.”
“Get inside IMMEDIATELY and close all windows and doors,” fire officials said in an alert. “Turn off air conditioning/heating. Bring all people and pets to an inside room and close all vents until you receive more instructions.”
LAFD Fire Chief Jaime Moore urged residents to obey the order but said that the ammonia leak was not toxic to individuals unless they had respiratory issues or came into direct contact with the ammonia.
Jane Williams , executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, expressed concerns that officials were underplaying the risk, noting that this is one of the largest cold storage facilities in the state and therefore contains massive amounts of ammonia.
| READ NEXT: Beyond the NIOSH 5: We can’t ignore the elephant in the firehouse
“If this was Beverly Hills, they would be evacuating people, not telling them to shelter in place,” she said in an interview with The Times. “Anhydrous ammonia is highly toxic and explosive.”
A smoke advisory was also issued for a broad swath of East Los Angeles, with members of the public urged to limit outdoor exercise and those with health issues to go indoors.
Crews responded to the incident 2:35 p.m. when they took an offensive position battling the fire burning solar panels atop the 1,000-by-500-foot commercial building, according to the LAFD. Although crews made strong initial progress dousing the roof with water, the leak was then discovered inside the building, and several small explosions reinvigorated the flames and smoke.
Within the hour, all firefighters were called off the roof and out of the building due to the danger posed by the intense flames and the ammonia leak.
The building is owned by Lineage Logistics and provides cold storage and blast freezing inside 491,000 square feet of warehouse space, according to its website.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As the fire consumed more of the roof, LAFD hose lines were unable to reach all areas of the blaze, and three firefighting helicopters were called in and used to dump thousands of gallons from above. These drops helped reduce the amount of smoke being generated by the blaze.
Although helicopters and other firefighting aircraft are a common tactic used to combat wildfires, they are rarely deployed to structure fires. Moore said that, in his 31 years with the department, this is only the second incident he can remember where aerial water drops were used to fight a building fire.
The warehouse facility at 1400 S. Los Palos St also caught on fire in August 2024 , although that incident was significantly less dramatic. Crews quickly established hose lines on the roof and contained the blaze to a portion of the solar panels atop the structure, achieving knockdown in 48 minutes with no injuries reported, according to LAFD at the time.
L.A. City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, said her office was closely monitoring the fire and is grateful to the emergency crews working to control the blaze.
“We know how frightening it is to see heavy smoke in your neighborhood, especially for families, workers, small businesses, and commuters who are trying to understand what is happening and how to stay safe,” she said in a statement.
“Right now, the most important thing is to follow the shelter-in-place order that has been issued because of the smoke.”

Times staff writer Andrew Campa and City News Service contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .
©2026 Los Angeles Times.
Visit latimes.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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In Southeast Asia, Switching to Solar Offers Relief from Energy Crisis Caused by Iran War  The New York Times
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The race to establish a secure domestic solar supply chain is rapidly accelerating as federal incentives and tariff enforcement reshape investment strategies. The shifting dynamics of the domestic supply chain will take center stage at the upcoming pv magazine USA Solar Manufacturing USA event in Austin, Texas this September, where Finlay Colville, head of Terawatt PV Research, will serve as conference chair. Speaking on a recent Roth Capital Partners webinar, Colville detailed how the U.S. market emerging as a destination for clean energy capital.
Coville said capital is rebalancing away from historical reliance on finished imports toward localized value chain integration. Annual U.S. solar capex is projected to scale from just $150 million in 2020 to approximately $2.5 billion by the end of this year, driven by strict trade enforcement and federal incentives.
Domestic cells 
The constant threat of anti-dumping and countervailing duties has altered procurement strategies for domestic module assemblers. Relying on imported components from traditional Southeast Asian hubs is increasingly viewed as a high-risk long-term strategy, pushing capital toward domestic cell capacity. 
Terawatt’s bottom-up tracking of 30 to 40 U.S. manufacturers indicates that the 2027 forecast skews heavily toward adding cell infrastructure. The near-term expansion is driven largely by Canadian Solar, Trina Solar, and Talon PV. Together, these three entities represent a substantial share of the cell capacity expected to come online over the next 12 to 18 months, alongside another 1 GW to 2 GW of cell lines planned at existing module sites through 2028.
Despite the downstream momentum, upstream structural bottlenecks persist. Polysilicon remains a constraint for the domestic value chain, given that establishing new polysilicon refinement capacity involves significantly higher capital intensity and longer construction timelines than expanding module assembly lines. 
The domestic scaling race features several distinct manufacturing models with varying approaches to capital deployment, said Coville. First Solar stands out as one of the most successful execution models in solar history. Despite utilizing a thin film technology platform with lower absolute efficiency than competing crystalline silicon products, First Solar has sustained strong margins and market share over multiple decades through precise policy engagement and capital allocation. 
Trina Solar has emerged as a highlight of recent domestic investment, successfully ramping its U.S. module lines from a yield standpoint. The next major test relies on replicating operational efficiency at the cell level. 
Other players present wildcard strategies, said Coville. Corning maintains a capex-light operational footprint with roughly 2 GW of ingot and wafer capacity, with no near-term expansion plans on the books.  
Tesla has yet to break ground on expanded domestic solar manufacturing facilities, meaning 2027 will likely serve as a heavy spending year for equipment and facility development if it intends to meet scaling goals. 
Technology fragmentation and supply risks 
The domestic technology mix remains split roughly evenly among PERC, TOPCon, and Heterojunction lines.  
However, ongoing Section 337 patent litigation initiated by First Solar has introduced regulatory and legal risks for domestic TOPCon production, causing some new entrants to hesitate before committing capital to that pathway. Meanwhile, next-generation perovskite technology continues to attract substantial institutional funding, but it still lacks a multi gigawatt field track record and faces an extended commercialization timeline. 
On the equipment side, potential Chinese export controls on manufacturing hardware remain difficult to quantify before shipments physically leave port. Chinese equipment vendors currently face little pressure to secure U.S. factory orders. These suppliers have adjusted internal headcounts, secured substantial order books from expanding Indian factories, and shifted focus toward China growing domestic semiconductor tool market. 
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NextEra Energy’s Stonewall Energy Center in Virginia looks unspectacular from the road, but behind its fences thousands of solar panels and a growing battery system are quietly feeding the grid and testing how far large-scale renewables can really go.
Reviewed: ad hoc news Software & Services desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-18, 06:49. Details in the imprint.
From the road, the Stonewall Energy Center by NextEra Energy looks like any other fenced industrial lot, but step closer and you see ranks of solar panels and inverters quietly humming as they push clean power into the Virginia grid in near silence.
Stonewall Energy Center is one of many projects through which NextEra Energy monetizes long-term power contracts and grid services in the US.
Stonewall Energy Center is a utility-scale solar and battery project in Loudoun County, Virginia, built and operated by NextEra Energy’s renewables subsidiary. It feeds electricity into the local grid under long-term power contracts with regional utilities.
The site combines a large array of photovoltaic panels with inverters, transformers and an energy storage system, bundled as a single grid resource rather than just a solar farm. That hybrid setup lets the project offer both daytime energy and evening peak support to grid operators.
According to project documentation filed with Virginia regulators, Stonewall Energy Center has nameplate capacity in the tens of megawatts, enough to supply power equivalent to thousands of typical US homes under good solar conditions. The exact figure varies slightly across planning and permitting documents.
The plant uses rows of utility-grade solar modules mounted on metal racks with tracking frames that follow the sun for better yield. Inverters in low, container-like housings convert the DC output to AC, while step-up transformers behind them lift the voltage for transmission to the regional grid.
Unlike a simple solar array, Stonewall’s design integrates a battery component that can store surplus generation and release it later, smoothing out short-term fluctuations. This makes the project more valuable to local grid operators who must manage peaks and sudden demand shifts.
Battery storage also allows the site to shift part of its production into the evening, when home consumption remains high but the sun is already low or gone. For consumers, that translates into a steadier supply from renewables and a better match between clean generation and actual usage patterns.
On a clear midday, the panel rows at Stonewall Energy Center throw sharp, geometric shadows on the gravel corridors between them, while the inverters emit a constant, low electrical hum. You mainly hear wind in the metal structures and occasional service vehicles crunching over the site roads.
The battery containers and electrical buildings sit on their own pads, with cable runs overhead or buried in conduits. There is little visual drama, more the tidy, repeated rhythm of industrial infrastructure built to run with minimal fuss for decades.
NextEra Energy does not sell power from Stonewall on a whim but largely under long-term power purchase agreements, which secure fixed or indexed revenues over many years. Those contracts are essential for financing such capital-intensive sites and give investors clearer cash flow visibility.
On top of energy sales, the project can earn money from so-called capacity and ancillary services, helping stabilize voltage, frequency, and reserves in the regional PJM market. The battery segment, in particular, can react within seconds to commands from grid operators, a speed conventional plants cannot always match.
Loudoun County is better known for its data centers than for solar fields, yet Stonewall sits in exactly that tension between digital demand and cleaner supply. The project adds low-carbon capacity in a region where electricity consumption from server halls continues to rise.
At the same time, the visual footprint of the site remains relatively contained, with the low panel rows hardly visible from a distance compared with traditional smokestacks or large cooling towers. For nearby residents, the main perception is likely the fenced perimeter and occasional maintenance traffic.
Stonewall Energy Center is only one tile in NextEra Energy’s large development pipeline, which spans wind, solar and storage projects across many US states. The company emphasizes these contracted assets as core growth drivers in its investor communications.
Hybrid projects like Stonewall showcase how NextEra is moving from pure generation to more flexible, dispatchable clean resources that interact more intelligently with the grid. They also serve as reference sites when the company competes for new utility and corporate contracts in other regions.
As with most solar-plus-storage projects, Stonewall’s output remains dependent on weather and limited battery energy capacity. A string of cloudy days still reduces generation, even if short spikes can be balanced locally in the meantime.
Moreover, the exact terms of the power purchase agreements, the revenue split between energy and grid services, and the lifetime performance guarantees are not fully visible to the public. For outside observers, the site is a proof of concept, but the detailed economics remain partly opaque.
For NextEra Energy, Stonewall Energy Center is part of a broader portfolio that anchors its image as a leading North American renewables developer while maintaining a large regulated utility business in Florida. Shares of NextEra Energy (US65339F1012) trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker NEE in US dollars.
This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.

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Beyond higher efficiency, perovskite technology offers the potential for lower manufacturing costs.
Chinese solar manufacturer Trina Solar has unveiled a commercial-scale perovskite-silicon tandem solar panel that has set a new global benchmark for efficiency and power output, according to a report.

The newly developed module achieved a conversion efficiency of 29.2 percent and a power output of 907 watts, making it one of the most powerful solar panels ever produced for commercial applications. The achievement highlights the rapid progress being made in perovskite-based photovoltaic technology, which many experts consider the next major evolution in solar energy.
Traditional solar panels rely primarily on silicon cells to convert sunlight into electricity. While silicon technology has improved steadily over the years, it is approaching its practical efficiency limits. Perovskite materials offer a promising alternative because they can absorb different parts of the solar spectrum more effectively. By combining a perovskite layer with a silicon cell in a tandem structure, manufacturers can capture more sunlight and generate significantly more electricity from the same panel area.

The record-setting module uses an advanced tandem design that integrates a perovskite top cell with a silicon bottom cell. This configuration enables higher energy conversion rates than conventional silicon-only panels. Independent testing confirmed the panel’s performance, demonstrating that the technology is moving beyond laboratory experiments and toward large-scale commercial deployment.
China’s latest achievement also represents a significant milestone in the global race for solar innovation. The breakthrough allows the country to reclaim a leading position in solar efficiency after strong competition from manufacturers in other regions. It further strengthens China’s role as the world’s largest producer of solar equipment and a major driver of renewable energy development.

Beyond higher efficiency, perovskite technology offers the potential for lower manufacturing costs. The materials can be produced using simpler processes and require less energy-intensive manufacturing compared to traditional silicon cells. If commercial production can be scaled successfully, the technology could reduce the cost of solar electricity while increasing energy output.

However, challenges remain before perovskite solar panels become mainstream. One of the industry’s biggest concerns is long-term durability. While silicon panels can operate efficiently for decades, perovskite materials are more sensitive to environmental factors such as heat, moisture, and ultraviolet radiation. Researchers and manufacturers are therefore focused on improving stability and ensuring that the new generation of panels can withstand real-world operating conditions over extended periods.

Despite these hurdles, the latest efficiency record demonstrates how quickly the technology is advancing. Industry analysts believe that tandem solar cells combining silicon and perovskite materials could become a key component of future renewable energy systems, helping countries generate more power from limited space while accelerating the transition to clean energy.
Trina’s solar cell isn’t just any solar cell. Its record was achieved using a perovskite-on-silicon tandem design, which stacks two different solar materials on top of each other to capture a broader range of sunlight. The perovskite layer absorbs higher-energy wavelengths while the silicon layer captures light that would otherwise pass through, allowing the cell to convert more of the sun’s energy into electricity, reported Oil Price.

Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.
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NASA-Backed Electric Dust Shield Could Boost Solar Panel Output by Cleaning Dust With Electricity Photograph: (Archive)
A technology originally developed for lunar and planetary missions by NASA researchers could help improve solar panel performance on Earth by electrically removing dust, potentially reducing one of the largest sources of energy loss in solar installations in arid, dusty regions.
A study published in the journal Renewable Energy examined the use of a transparent “electric curtain” mounted on solar panels to remove dust accumulation and optimize net energy generation actively.
Dust deposition remains a major challenge for solar power systems worldwide. According to research cited in the study, solar panels can lose up to 5% of output within a day, 12–40% over several months, and as much as 40–80% over several years if dust accumulation is left unmanaged.
“Dust adhesion can significantly limit solar panel efficiency over extended time periods, particularly when operated in dry environments,” the researchers noted.
The challenge is even more severe in deserts, urban environments with high airborne particulate matter, and extraterrestrial locations such as the Moon and Mars, where rainfall is absent and manual cleaning is difficult or impossible.
The technology, often referred to as an electric curtain or dust shield, consists of an array of transparent electrodes embedded within a thin dielectric layer placed over the solar panel surface.
By applying alternating voltages with carefully controlled phase shifts, the system generates a travelling electric field wave across the panel surface. The electric field lifts and transports charged dust particles away from the solar module without requiring water, brushes, compressed air or mechanical cleaning.
The concept was originally proposed by NASA as a dust mitigation solution for lunar and Martian missions, where solar energy is often the only sustainable source of power. Researchers noted that electrostatic cleaning methods may be particularly effective in dry climates because dust particles naturally acquire electrical charges, making them easier to manipulate using electric fields.
While the electric curtain effectively removes dust, the system itself consumes electricity. The study therefore focused on determining the optimal balance between energy spent on cleaning and energy gained through improved solar generation. Researchers developed a control strategy under which the dust-removal system automatically activates when solar panel output drops below a predefined threshold and switches off once performance recovers.
The analysis found that improper operation of the electric curtain could significantly reduce overall system efficiency because the power required for cleaning can, under some conditions, exceed the additional power recovered from the solar module. To address this challenge, the team developed an optimal control framework that identifies the most energy-efficient activation and deactivation points. “A control scheme for activation and deactivation of the electric curtain is necessary to achieve optimal net energy capture,” the study stated.
The technology was initially developed to address dust-related performance degradation on lunar and Martian solar arrays, but researchers believe it could also provide significant benefits for terrestrial solar installations. The study highlights growing interest in water-free cleaning technologies as solar deployment expands across deserts and water-stressed regions.
Unlike conventional cleaning methods that require labor, water and periodic maintenance, electric dust shields could offer a fully automated solution for maintaining panel performance while reducing operational costs.
Researchers concluded that appropriate control of the electric curtain system is critical to maximizing overall energy yield, and developed a scaling framework that can help operators determine optimal cleaning parameters under different environmental conditions. The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that electrostatic dust mitigation technologies could become an important tool for improving solar plant performance, particularly in regions where dust accumulation remains a persistent challenge.
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A fire at a cold food storage facility is burning near homes in Boyle Heights. Eliana Moreno reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
A shelter-in-place order was lifted hours after a fire involving solar panels broke out at a commercial building in Boyle Heights, sending a large smoke plume over the area near downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday.
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The fire was reported at about 2:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street on the roof of the single-story, nearly 491,000-square-foot Lineage cold food storage facility, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“There is a field of solar panels on the roof. That’s really where the fire was. It was a surface fire on the solar panels,” LAFD Chief Jaime Moore told NBC Los Angeles.
Thick, black smoke rising from the roof could be seen for miles around. In the early evening, most of the smoke was blowing east toward the San Gabriel Valley, NBCLA meteorologist David Biggar said, adding that it wasn’t dissipating at a high rate due to weak winds.
At one point, firefighters were called off the roof, but video from NewsChopper4 showed LAFD personnel on top of the building as flames neared one end of the structure. Several ladder trucks were spraying water on the roof.
Three water-dropping helicopters — typically used for wildfires, not building fires — were effective in putting out the bulk of the flames and keeping the fire from spreading beyond the roof and solar panels.
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
An LAFD spokesperson said during a news conference that the blaze compromised an ammonia line, forcing the shelter-in-place order. The ammonia leak was contained by shutting valves, and testing of smoke and water runoff was showing normal levels, according to the fire department. Officials added that the chemical is not considered dangerous, except for those with respiratory issues.
The shelter-in-place order was in effect for areas near the fire, including south of the 101 Freeway to Washington Boulevard and east of Soto Street to Indiana Street. Residents and businesses were advised to close windows and doors, as well as limit outside activity. Moore said the order was not expected to expand.
“Although smoke in the area has decreased, individuals with sensitive health issues should continue to monitor the air quality, remain cautious, stay indoors, close all doors and windows to limit exposure to outdoor air,” an the LAFD said in an alert announcing that the order was lifted around 8:45 p.m.
Surrounding communities, mostly to the east, were under a smoke advisory.
The city of San Gabriel also recommended that residents shelter in place but said there was no threat to the city as of Wednesday afternoon.
Although the power was shut down, fire officials said the situation remained challenging for crews since solar panels still conduct electricity.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a city-wide tactical alert amid the fire. The alert tells on-duty officers not to leave until notified, increasing the number of available officers for tasks, such as traffic control, road closures and evacuations.
“It allows us to quickly redistribute personnel between different divisions, and move those resources to manage major emergencies, like we see today with this fire,” LAPD Capt. Mike Bland told NBCLA. “It provides us the opportunity to maintain optimal resources in order to handle emergencies in an area, but also maintain police services throughout the city.”
About 70 people were evacuated on two streets, but those evacuations were expected to be lifted shortly, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said just before 7 p.m.
There were no immediate reports of injuries. Details about a cause of the fire were not immediately available.
A spokesperson from Lineage, the food storage company, sent NBCLA the following statement on Wednesday evening:
“Lineage’s top priority is the health and safety of our employees, partners, and the communities in which we live and operate. We are aware of the incident and are working closely with local officials and first responder teams to assess the situation and provide support. This is an evolving matter, and we will provide updates as appropriate.”
More than 130 LAFD firefighters were assigned to this incident. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said it is assisting the LAFD.
In August 2024, firefighters responded to a solar panel fire on the roof of the same building, which was built in 2018. According to LAFD, that fire was extinguished in 48 minutes.

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New rules have come into effect in Nigeria for smaller C&I generators to feed excess PV production back into the grid.
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With backing from the presidency and influential diaspora networks, Algeria is investing in music, sport and culture to recast the country’s image, attract foreign investment and position itself as a more appealing tourist destination.
The French energy giant’s project, which has been on hold since 2022 and is intended to supply the country’s largest copper mine, is at last set to get underway following an agreement reached with the Zambian authorities.
Having historically opposed international missions scrutinising its human rights record, Eritrea has adapted its strategy. In Geneva, several countries echoed its talking points during the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
RocksEnergia, a company registered in the US, is launching the construction of Libya’s first antimony smelter. The project forms part of the White House’s proactive mining diplomacy strategy targeting strategic minerals.
Chinese-made Wing Loong II attack drones operated by the Nigerian Air Force have become the focus of increasingly acrimonious negotiations between state-owned aerospace group AVIC and military officials struggling to cover their operating costs.
The head of state is caught between his Somali counterpart and ally Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Galmudug leader Qoor Qoor, to whom his son-in-law is particularly close. For now, he has chosen to err on the side of caution.
France’s diplomatic body has put the finishing touches on its list of appointees to chancelleries in Dakar, Maputo and Dodoma. Still, a handful of key posts have yet to be filled.
Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.
In the government reshuffle, Denis Sassou-Nguesso has appointed Fabrice Davy Okassa as his adviser on hydrocarbons. The move underlines the Italian major’s growing influence in the Congolese oil sector.
Gabonese defence officials have just placed an order with AD Con for a vast military arsenal valued at €200m. The company is also hoping to secure new contracts in Ivory Coast.
Ruling party candidate for the election on 12 April, the finance minister has surrounded himself with a few close associates and a team under the control of the outgoing president Patrice Talon to lead his campaign. These are figures who would be part of his inner circle if he is elected.
The delicate attempt to unite Sudan’s political class around a common roadmap fell apart on the margins of talks in Addis Ababa at the start of June. Beneath the veneer of agreement on a preparatory committee, deep fault lines paralysed international mediation.
More than 20 Malagasy and foreign companies are vying to build and operate the country’s first gold-refining plant. Africa Intelligence reveals the main contenders for this strategic project.
Appointed foreign affairs minister in June 2024, he has since been handed some of Pretoria’s most sensitive missions, including his country’s G20 presidency and a bruising diplomatic row with the United States. He has relied on a tight circle of loyal officials to navigate the turbulence.
Driven by the central bank governor since 2019, the digitalisation of banking services has pushed Morocco’s three main establishments towards a new model, which has seen each bank closing around 100 branches.
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Simpler procedures for installing photovoltaic panels and storage systems
The procedures for installing photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, and electricity storage systems could be simplified. Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Budget, and Finance have examined a draft law that provides for the elimination of several administrative barriers in this field.
The legislative initiative belongs to MPs Victoria Belous and Vasile Grădinaru from the Action and Solidarity Party faction and was developed within a working group set up under the platform of the Committee on Economy, Budget, and Finance, with the participation of representatives of the Government and the business community.
According to the authors, the draft aims to accelerate the development of renewable energy generation capacities and energy storage infrastructure by reducing bureaucratic procedures that slow down the implementation of investments in the sector.
The document provides for the completion of the legal framework so that electricity storage installations are explicitly included in the category of works carried out under a simplified regime. Consequently, individuals who install photovoltaic panels and/or heat pumps at single-family houses, including duplexes or row houses, at apartment blocks or other types of buildings, on roofs or façades, will only need project documentation for the electrical component.
At the same time, the draft facilitates the installation of electricity storage systems and related infrastructure within photovoltaic parks, as well as at other energy, commercial, agricultural, and industrial facilities.
The draft law is to be examined in the plenary of Parliament.
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According to Macao Radio, the SAR government is encouraging the gradual expansion of green energy use, and has planned to install solar PV power generation systems in new public buildings and sports venues. The Environmental Protection Bureau said that a super charging station for light and heavy vehicles will be set up in the Cotai area in mid-2026, and more charging and battery swapping facilities will be added at existing or temporary public car parks and on public streets in the future, based on community needs and site conditions, to continuously enhance the convenience of using EVs.
Legislative Assembly member Liang Hongxi submitted a written interpellation concerning the impact of international energy price fluctuations on Macao and the promotion of the society’s transition from oil to electricity. In response, the Environmental Protection Bureau, after consulting the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, the Consumer Council, and the Social Welfare Bureau, said the SAR government continuously monitors the fuel supply and price stability in Macao, actively maintains close communication with the fuel industry through the interdepartmental fuel inspection team, and calls for various discounts.
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Currently, the home building and decoration industry has entered a transformation stage where the incremental growth is slowing down and the focus is on improving the quality of the existing stock. The growth of new housing is narrowing, and traditional hard – decoration sectors such as wall, floor, and indoor ceiling are caught in homogeneous competition. Price competition has compressed profits, and brands, decoration companies, and channel providers are generally facing growth pressure.
The goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, the green transformation of urban and rural buildings, and the concept of “good houses” are being continuously implemented, enriching the connotations of building value. Green and low – carbon, energy conservation and efficiency improvement, and asset preservation have become important evaluation dimensions for high – quality buildings. According to long – term observations by the New Paradigm of Home Furnishing, after the incremental dividend of the industry weakens, new opportunities are concentrated in structural upgrading and function expansion. The cross – border integration of building materials and green energy is moving from a marginal topic to a mainstream configuration.
Innovative categories represented by Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) have emerged in response to the trend. From the perspectives of product form and user perception, the value of the roof can be roughly divided into three stages: In the 1.0 stage, the roof is only used as an enclosure structure, mainly consuming costs; in the 2.0 stage, photovoltaic panels are externally installed for energy supplementation, which has problems such as visual incoordination, construction risks, and limited application scenarios; in the 3.0 stage, building materials, aesthetics, and energy are integrated. This type of product connects the four major fields of photovoltaics, building materials, home furnishings, and energy operation, giving rise to a brand – new track.
The formation of the new track is the result of the combined effects of policies, the market, and consumption upgrading. According to the New Paradigm of Home Furnishing, the greening of buildings is not a short – term hot topic but a long – term mainstream direction in the fields of building materials, home decoration, and real estate.
At the policy level, the domestic construction industry has entered the stage of “improving quality and reducing carbon emissions”. In the industry, around the discourse system of “good houses”, the implementation path is often understood from five key points: good standards, good design, good materials, good construction, and good operation and maintenance. Building photovoltaics have also shifted from optional supporting facilities to standardized and regular applications.
For a long time, the potential value of the roof has not been fully exploited. Traditional roofing materials only have basic functions such as waterproofing and heat insulation. Throughout the entire life cycle, there is only investment in operation and maintenance, with no additional income. The installation of traditional Building – Attached Photovoltaic (BAPV) requires drilling holes and installing beams, which is likely to damage the waterproof layer. Moreover, the straight – line components are difficult to match the Chinese – style sloping roofs and the features of ancient buildings, limiting their application in high – end scenarios.
On the market side, the hard – decoration track suffers from severe homogenization and a low overall gross profit margin. The industry urgently needs incremental categories. Consumers’ demands have shifted from basic living to high – quality, low – carbon, and smart living. Building energy conservation, independent power consumption, and asset preservation have become important considerations in decoration.
The changes in supply and demand have created opportunities for industrial integration. The four – dimensional integration model of “photovoltaics + building materials + home furnishings + energy operation” has gradually taken shape. The roof has been upgraded from a single enclosure structure to a composite carrier integrating decoration, protection, power generation, and asset preservation, opening up new space for the industry.
Many practitioners have difficulty distinguishing between BIPV integrated building materials and BAPV externally installed photovoltaics, and their understanding of the track and products is not clear enough. The New Paradigm of Home Furnishing believes that distinguishing between “additional equipment” and “original building materials” is the key to understanding the green power track in the home furnishing industry.
In the exterior decoration field, XBC aesthetic curved photovoltaic tiles under Jackery are standardized innovative roofing building materials that integrate architectural aesthetics and green energy, breaking through the single attribute of traditional power – generating tiles and redefining the value of the roof. The New Paradigm of Home Furnishing has learned that this product will be unveiled at the 28th China (Guangzhou) International Building Decoration Expo from July 8th to 11th, 2026. The booth is located at C03, Hall 3.1, Area A of the Canton Fair Complex.
The core parameters and application logic of XBC aesthetic curved photovoltaic tiles:
Aesthetics and Structure: They adopt a large – curvature shape of 150°, with a bending height of 35mm, replicating the shape of traditional small green tiles and having a high degree of integration with buildings. The main materials are 4mm ultra – white fully tempered glass and high – strength aluminum alloy frames. According to the product technical disclosure, they can withstand a temperature difference from – 40°C to 85°C, meet the Class A fire – protection requirements, and are suitable for a 25 – year building service life.
Construction and Protection: They use a modular snap – on installation method, eliminating the need for drilling holes and driving nails during the entire construction process, which can effectively reduce the risks of roof damage and leakage. The components combine the overlapping structure and the windproof hook design, and the waterproof performance meets high – level building standards.
Power Generation and Economy: The nominal conversion efficiency of the solar cells is > 25%, higher than the industry average of 18% – 22% for ordinary household components. A 10kW system is suitable for a roof of about 150㎡, with a daily power generation of 40 – 50 kWh. According to the enterprise’s calculation, the payback period is about 5 – 8 years.
Relying on the advantages of building material integration, the product does not simply solve the problems of “power generation + good – looking”. Instead, it enables the power – generating unit to enter the building system as a roofing material (tile), thus achieving a unified appearance in scenarios such as single – family villas, rural self – built houses, cultural and tourism towns, and ancient building renovations. This is also the structural difference from externally installed photovoltaics.
Jackery’s similar products are not involved in indoor construction but have a direct impact on the whole – house energy consumption structure: The self – generated power on the roof can supply central air – conditioning, floor heating, fresh air systems, and intelligent devices, reducing daily energy consumption; when paired with energy storage, a micro – grid can be built to improve the stability of power consumption and create a low – carbon and smart space.
In the long run, the integration of interior and exterior building decoration and the normalization of home energy will become the development trend of high – quality residential buildings. The upgrade of rooftop green power will also become an important incremental entry point for home decoration, old – house renovation, and project transformation.
The domestic green power track in the home furnishing industry has entered the transition period of technology stratification, scenario segmentation, and industry synergy from the pilot period. Combining the layouts of leading enterprises, the New Paradigm of Home Furnishing has summarized the mainstream models into three categories from the perspectives of scenario adaptation and product form. Their technical routes are complementary rather than in direct competition, jointly promoting the development of the industry.
Core Logic: Centered around the intelligent photovoltaic controller (inverter), superimposed with an energy storage system and energy management software (EMS/AI scheduling), it excels in the intelligent scheduling and active safety of the entire power generation – storage – consumption link.
Applicable Scenarios: It mainly serves the retrofit and upgrade markets of villas, self – built houses, and roof scenarios suitable for tiles.
Competitive Barriers: It has flexible power distribution, efficient energy storage linkage, and strong intelligent operation and maintenance (such as IV diagnosis) capabilities, solving the problems of stability and safety of household power consumption. Different from single – household photovoltaic systems, LONGi’s BIPV roofing system targets commercial and large – scale residential scenarios, making simultaneous efforts from the industrial, commercial, and residential ends, and enriching the application map of home green power.
Core Logic: As a leading enterprise in photovoltaic components and system engineering, relying on the HPBC high – efficiency battery platform (LONGi’s self – developed back – contact battery technology route) and the complete roofing integration ability, it provides industrial – grade standardized power – generating roofs.
Applicable Scenarios: New construction and renovation projects of industrial and commercial factories, public buildings, and large – roof residences.
Competitive Barriers: It has prominent mass – production capabilities, a high system protection level, and a perfect project quality guarantee system, and is committed to promoting the large – scale popularization of building integrated photovoltaics. Different from single – household photovoltaic systems, this BIPV roofing system targets commercial and large – roof residential scenarios, making simultaneous efforts from the industrial, commercial, and residential ends, and enriching the application map of home green power.
Core Logic: Using self – developed multi – curved silicon crystal encapsulation technology to achieve a large curvature of 150°, enabling the power – generating unit to visually blend in completely with the building style.
Applicable Scenarios: Scenarios with extremely high requirements for appearance uniformity, such as Chinese – style sloping roofs, high – end villas, cultural and tourism towns, and ancient building renovations.
Key Parameters: According to the enterprise’s public information and industry actual measurements, the nominal conversion efficiency of the solar cells is > 25%, and the measured photoelectric conversion efficiency at the tile/component level is about 17.1%; using modular snap – on installation without drilling holes, it has achieved an upgrade from “roof covering material” to “power – generating covering material”.
The New Paradigm of Home Furnishing comprehensively believes that the track will maintain a long – term parallel pattern of “energy system operation and maintenance + popularization of standardized components + upgrade of aesthetic building materials”. Market players can choose corresponding solutions according to building forms, decoration stages, and aesthetic needs to jointly build a sustainable industrial ecosystem.
Currently, the three types of products have formed a synergistic effect: Standardized components support large – scale promotion, energy systems ensure intelligent operation and maintenance, and aesthetic photovoltaic tiles fill the gap in high – end scenarios, enabling the rooftop track to be implemented in all scenarios and becoming an important new growth point in the home furnishing industry.
The industry adjustment is ultimately transmitted to the terminal. The photovoltaic – building material integration track provides an upgrade path for traditional practitioners. Compared with the increasingly involuted traditional building material market, this track has a moderate threshold, high added value, and a longer service chain.
Roof tile and waterproofing dealers are the most suitable. They are familiar with the roof structure and construction technology, and their existing teams and customer resources can be directly reused. The product is easy to install, with a single person being able to construct 20 – 30㎡ per day, and the operation and maintenance are convenient. Practitioners can transform from material sales to roof zero – carbon solution service providers.
Dealers of villa full – package decoration and door and window sunrooms can include curved photovoltaic tiles in high – end full – package decoration packages to enrich the product system and meet the needs of high – end users for low – carbon living and asset preservation. Whole – house customization stores can offer rooftop green power as a value – added service to achieve one – stop delivery of hard decoration, soft decoration, intelligence, and green power, alleviating the pressure of price competition.
Forcibly – needed categories such as ceramics and sanitary ware are restricted by application scenarios, and the suitability for entering the track is relatively low. Therefore, careful layout is required.
In terms of business models, the track features light assets and low inventory. The industry generally adopts the mode of ordering based on orders, resulting in low operating pressure. At the same time, the service cycle is longer, and the profit space can be expanded through continuous operation and maintenance, helping channels build a stable operating structure.
The focus of competition in the home building and decoration industry is gradually shifting to the exploration of roof value. The once – neglected outdoor roof is now facing an opportunity for value re – evaluation. The roof has transformed from a traditional functional surface layer into a building asset capable of power generation, energy conservation, and asset preservation, leading the industry into a new stage where space function upgrading and independent energy operation go hand in hand.
Currently, the track is still in its early stage of development. Industry standards, market awareness, and application scenarios are continuously being improved, and there is still room for improvement in terminal awareness and supporting service systems. Brands and channels that make early layouts are expected to seize the phased opportunities.
This article is from the WeChat official account “New Paradigm of Home Furnishing”, author: New Paradigm of Home Furnishing. It is published by 36Kr with authorization.
 
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Lightsource bp has finalized financing for the 171MWdc Glorit solar farm north of Auckland, New Zealand. Construction of this large-scale photovoltaic facility is about to commence, with electricity generation slated to begin in the latter half of 2028.
The project is being advanced through Glorit Solar P LP, an equally owned venture between Lightsource bp and Contact Energy. It will link to Transpower’s 220kV grid via a 1.5km dedicated line from the site. The installation will be designed to accommodate a 200MWh DC-coupled battery system for storing and releasing solar power as grid conditions dictate, although the exact storage capacity has not been made public.
Contact Energy’s February 2026 equity offering documents indicated the Glorit project would cost NZ$305 million, with over 70% of that funded through project financing. The solar plant is located on the Kaipara Coast in Glorit, north of Kaukapakapa within the Auckland region. Its purpose is to boost electricity generation in the upper North Island, an area that has experienced power shortages when hydro storage is low.
Reaching financial close followed an extended consent and legal process. The Environmental Protection Authority granted resource consent in October 2025 after a 150-working-day review under fast-track legislation. That decision was later contested by Forest and Bird, which filed a High Court appeal in November 2025 over concerns about the endangered tara iti, or New Zealand fairy tern, arguing that the consent did not adequately safeguard its habitat and flight paths. The conclusion of that legal challenge and the fulfillment of planning conditions have now enabled the financial close.
This marks the second time the Lightsource bp and Contact Energy joint venture has achieved financial close in New Zealand. The 168MWdc Kowhai Park solar farm at Christchurch Airport reached that milestone in August 2024, supported by a NZ$267 million green financing package from Westpac, Mizuho, China Construction Bank, and Intesa Sanpaolo. Module installation at Kowhai Park is complete, and the facility is approaching energization, with commercial operations anticipated later this year. Together, the two projects add roughly 339MWdc of new solar capacity from the joint venture’s pipeline.
The Glorit financial close comes as New Zealand’s utility-scale solar pipeline advances across multiple developers. Lodestone Energy has started building a 31.5MWdc solar plant at Ruataniwha Plains in Central Hawkes Bay, the area’s first large-scale solar project. Meanwhile, Meridian Energy obtained consent in May 2026 for a 120MW solar facility at Bunnythorpe in Palmerston North, which also includes battery storage.
New Zealand’s electricity market offers a strong business case for new solar. A prolonged dry spell in 2024 depleted hydro reserves and sharply raised wholesale power prices, highlighting the vulnerability of a generation mix heavily reliant on weather-dependent hydro. To address this and position the country as the simplest developed nation for solar deployment, the government ordered a review of residential and small-to-medium-scale solar installations, aiming to cut what it calls a red tape nightmare that can stall approvals for months.
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Renewable energy company Scatec ASA has achieved financial close for the 120 MW Sidi Bouzid II solar power project in Tunisia, marking another milestone in the country’s transition toward cleaner energy sources and enhanced energy security.
The project was awarded under a government-led renewable energy tender in December 2024 and has been developed in partnership with Aeolus SAS, a subsidiary of the Toyota Tsusho Group.
According to Scatec, the Sidi Bouzid II project represents the company’s third solar project to enter the construction phase in Tunisia. The development further strengthens the long-standing collaboration between Scatec and Aeolus while expanding their renewable energy footprint in the North African nation.
Commenting on the development, Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec, stated that the project reinforces the company’s position in Tunisia, a market with strong renewable energy fundamentals and significant growth potential. He added that the project highlights Scatec’s ability to scale through competitive tender-based opportunities supported by strategic partnerships and a capital-light execution model.
Tunisia currently relies heavily on natural gas for electricity generation, with approximately 95% of its power produced from gas-fired sources. More than 60% of the country’s natural gas requirements are imported. To reduce dependence on imported fuels and strengthen energy security, Tunisia has set a target of generating 35% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Once operational, the Sidi Bouzid II solar facility is expected to generate approximately 276 GWh of electricity annually. The project is also projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 107,000 tonnes per year, contributing to the country’s decarbonization objectives.
The total investment required for the project is estimated at EUR 96 million. Financing will be provided through a combination of non-recourse debt and equity, with leverage expected to reach approximately 70%. Under the ownership structure, Scatec and Aeolus will each hold a 50% stake in the project.
The project’s senior lenders include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank. Additional support is being provided through grant funding from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform and guarantees from the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus.
Scatec will serve as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor and will also provide Asset Management and Operations & Maintenance services for the facility. The EPC scope accounts for approximately 75% of the project’s total capital expenditure.
Construction is now set to move forward, with commercial operations expected to commence during the second half of 2027.

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Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world
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Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world
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A Texas solar facility was accused in a new lawsuit of selling solar energy that uses technology that infringes on a North Carolina businessman’s patent for solar trackers.
Rovshan Sade said in a complaint filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas that he informed East Pecos Solar LLC of the infringement in December 2021, but got no response.
Yet the facility has continued to willfully infringe on his patents—US Patent Nos. 9,057,546 and 9,917,546—for an “innovative single-axis solar tracker” that optimizes solar panel energy production.
East Pecos Solar wouldn’t be able to provide …
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China Resources New Energy Holdings has launched its A-share initial public offering (IPO) on the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, in what could become one of China’s largest renewable energy listings.
The company, a renewable energy subsidiary of China Resources Power, has received registration approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and is scheduled to begin online and offline subscriptions on June 22. The IPO is being sponsored by China International Capital Corp. (CICC) and CITIC Securities.
China Resources New Energy plans to issue 2.11 billion shares, representing about 16.2% of its enlarged share capital. If the 15% overallotment option is fully exercised, the offering will increase to 2.42 billion shares, equivalent to about 18.2% of the company’s post-listing share capital.
The company aims to raise CNY 24.5 billion ($3.4 billion), which would mark the largest IPO on the Shenzhen market to date. It said all proceeds will be used for wind and solar project development rather than debt repayment or general corporate purposes.
According to the prospectus, the funds will support four categories of renewable energy projects with a combined planned capacity of 7.18 GW and total investment of CNY 40.42 billion. The remaining investment will be financed through internal resources and other funding channels.
The largest allocation, CNY 10.5 billion, will be invested in renewable energy base projects totaling 2.8 GW. These include large-scale wind and solar developments linked to national ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission corridors and provincial renewable energy bases.
Another CNY 8 billion will support 2.5 GW of multi-energy complementary projects, including wind-solar-storage developments aimed at improving grid integration and local electricity consumption. China Resources New Energy will allocate CNY 3 billion to 1.31 GW of ecological renewable energy projects, including agrivoltaic, fishery-solar and livestock-solar installations. A further CNY 3 billion will fund 565 MW of integrated renewable energy projects, including distributed wind and solar generation.
Projects identified in the prospectus include the 1 GW Santanghu wind project in Xinjiang, the 200 MW Wuzhou Cangwu Liubao Phase III wind-storage project in Guangxi, the Weinan Heyang wind project in Shaanxi, and the Shenpu wind project in Yuexi County, Sichuan.
By the end of 2025, China Resources New Energy had 41.59 GW of attributable grid-connected renewable energy capacity, including 27.63 GW of wind and 13.96 GW of solar. Its portfolio spans all 31 provincial-level regions in mainland China, with projects concentrated in northern resource-rich areas and eastern coastal demand centers.
The IPO forms part of a broader asset securitization strategy by China Resources Power, which is spinning off its renewable energy business for a separate mainland listing. China Resources New Energy will remain under China Resources Power, while China Resources Group remains the ultimate controlling shareholder.
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Thursday, July 9, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, June 18, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Be part of the high-level European conference on solar and energy storage, exploring bankable BESS projects, warranties, and energy management for residential and C&I sectors
The new pv magazine Global May issue is now available!
Mountains to climb
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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
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June 23-25, 2026 | MUNICH, GERMANY

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Diamond mining company Lucara Botswana, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lucara Diamond Corp., is running a tender for a 30 MW solar project.
The solar plant will supply electricity to the Karowe diamond mine in northcentral Botswana. The mine, operated by Lucara Botswana, opened in 2012 and currently relies on grid electricity and diesel generation to support its operations.
The chosen developer will be responsible for the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the solar facility under a long-term power purchase agreement. 
The invite to tender says the project may be implemented in two phases. The first phase should cover 20 MW of grid-tied solar, while the second should encompass another 10 MW of solar integrated with a 20 MWh battery energy storage system. The project has been given a targeted commercial operation data of 2027 to 2028.
Lucara Botswana is inviting qualified developers to submit an expression of interest by July 10. Enquiries related to the tender will be accepted until July 3.
The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has tracked 184.7 MW of operational solar in Botswana to date, according to figures available in its online database, 27.7 MW of which comes from the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector. The database adds that a further 318 MW of C&I solar is in various stages of development across Botswana.
In April, a groundbreaking ceremony took place for a 500 MW solar project to be tied to 500 MWh of battery storage in northeastern Botswana, making it one of the largest hybrid solar projects under development in southern Africa.
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Thursday, July 9, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, June 18, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Be part of the high-level European conference on solar and energy storage, exploring bankable BESS projects, warranties, and energy management for residential and C&I sectors
The new pv magazine Global May issue is now available!
Mountains to climb
Available in print and digital formats.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
Showcase your brand across all our platforms: from 13 websites in 7 languages to our magazines, daily newsletters, industry events and more. Reach your audience the right way!
We are participating in Intersolar 2026 again this year! Visit us at our Booth Hall 2 A2.250 to discuss the latest trends within the photovoltaic industry with the pv magazine team.
June 23-25, 2026 | MUNICH, GERMANY

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Elementary school joins district solar push with project expected to save nearly $2 million on energy bills  Yahoo
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Posted on: June 17, 2026

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Defining agrivoltaics: Spanberger, local lawmakers celebrate bill-signing at Loudoun farm event  Rappahannock News
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Corporate funding, public market financing, and debt investments in the global solar sector experienced 131% year-over-year growth to open the first quarter of 2026, said Mercom Capital Group.
The $11.1 billion raised across 53 deals represents a substantial volume growth from the $4.8 billion secured across 39 deals in the first quarter of 2025.
Global venture capital funding for the solar sector reached $1.1 billion across 17 deals in Q1 2026, down 21% compared to the $1.4 billion raised over 14 deals in the year-ago period. However, VC funding increased 74% quarter-over-quarter compared to the $606 million raised across 20 deals in Q4 2025.
Solar downstream companies accounted for $543 million across 10 deals this quarter, down from $1.3 billion in 12 deals in Q1 2025. The largest VC deals over the period were $343 million raised by Inox Clean Energy, $165 million raised by Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions, and $150 million raised by Amarenco. Grew Solar and Radiance Renewables also secured significant rounds of $118 million and $100 million, respectively.
Public market financing in the solar sector totaled $1.1 billion in eight deals in Q1 2026, marking an increase from the $20 million raised in two deals in Q1 2025. Quarter-over-quarter, public market investments rose 24% from the $900 million raised in eight deals during Q4 2025.
Announced solar debt financing totaled $8.9 billion across 28 deals in the first quarter of 2026, a 154% increase compared to the $3.5 billion raised over 23 deals in Q1 2025. Debt financing also rose 162% sequentially compared to the $3.4 billion secured in 20 deals during the final quarter of 2025.
Corporate mergers and acquisitions activity expanded year-over-year, with 28 solar M&A transactions in Q1 2026 compared to 19 deals in Q1 2025 and 21 transactions in Q4 2025.
Large-scale solar project acquisition activity also trended upward, tracking 75 transactions in Q1 2026 compared to 63 transactions in the year-ago period. In terms of capacity, a total of 18.4 GW of solar projects changed hands in Q1 2026, up from 13.6 GW in Q1 2025. Project developers and independent power producers were the most active buyers, acquiring nearly 11.9 GW, while investment firms and infrastructure funds secured 3.8 GW. Other buyers, including industrial conglomerates and energy companies, took 1.8 GW. On the utility and manufacturing side, a utility company acquired an 830 MW project, an oil and gas firm took a 40 MW project, and a manufacturing company acquired a 20 MW project. 
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Thursday, July 9, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, June 18, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Be part of the high-level European conference on solar and energy storage, exploring bankable BESS projects, warranties, and energy management for residential and C&I sectors
The new pv magazine Global May issue is now available!
Mountains to climb
Available in print and digital formats.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
Showcase your brand across all our platforms: from 13 websites in 7 languages to our magazines, daily newsletters, industry events and more. Reach your audience the right way!
We are participating in Intersolar 2026 again this year! Visit us at our Booth Hall 2 A2.250 to discuss the latest trends within the photovoltaic industry with the pv magazine team.
June 23-25, 2026 | MUNICH, GERMANY

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Smarten to Expand Distributor Network Beyond 350 Partners in FY 2026–27, Strengthening Nationwide Reach for Power Backup and Solar Energy Solutions  SolarQuarter
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Any individual or organization that is not good at using AI tools to transform itself will be eliminated.
“We’ve reflected on it, and there’s one thing we underestimated – our understanding of the power grid wasn’t fast enough.”
When saying this, Hui Hengyu’s tone was very calm, without the deliberate solemnity of reviewing “lessons”. As a managing partner of Chaoxi Capital, he has been investing in the manufacturing industry for more than a decade. He has witnessed the “531” new photovoltaic policy in 2018, the complete cycle of lithium prices dropping from 600,000 yuan per ton to tens of thousands of yuan, as well as the booming new energy trend in 2023 and the global rise of the lithium – battery industry in the past two years. He knows that a downward trend is the norm, and an upward trend will eventually come.
In the past, when the industry predicted the installed capacity, it was always a 50% annual growth. However, hardly anyone seriously asked: Can the power grid handle the electricity generated? “New energy is not the final product; it’s just a power – generating product.” When facing this huge market worth trillions of yuan, he didn’t come up with any astonishing conclusions but corrected a industry – wide cognitive bias. This “bottleneck” was ignored by everyone when the industry was advancing rapidly. It was only when the supply – demand mismatch really broke out that people realized they might have been wrong from the start.
This pragmatism runs through Hui Hengyu’s judgment of the entire cycle. He doesn’t avoid problems or exaggerate anxiety. When talking about the invested enterprises, he said that none of them became “zombie enterprises” because of the cycle. When talking about energy storage, he said, “The market won’t converge to just three to five companies like the photovoltaic market.” When talking about internationalization, he said, “This is already a must – answer question, not an optional one.” Every sentence is supported by data and cases, without redundant rhetoric.
But he’s not the kind of person who only focuses on the present. The so – called “new energy” such as wind, solar, and energy storage in people’s traditional perception is just a small part of what he pays attention to. He closely follows AI, believing that it has opened up a new world for the development of energy and electricity. After the demand increases, the supply side will surely see new players. He also spent a long time explaining the underlying logic of “space photovoltaic + space computing power” and deduced the competition logic of ground – based new energy. “It will take at least five years to verify this space – related direction,” he said. “But we have to track it from the angel and seed rounds.”
This rhythm of “looking far ahead but not being hasty in action” might be the underlying reason why Chaoxi Capital hasn’t been caught up in the bubble or frozen by the cold winter in several cycles. Hui Hengyu put it more straightforwardly: “In the trough, you have to hold on even if you don’t have the courage – no one will take over, and the actual controller is also unable to help you exit. All you can do is stand with the invested enterprises and move towards each other.”
He doesn’t be emotional or beat around the bush. He never takes a step back when he should shoulder the responsibility. This style is somewhat similar to the manufacturing enterprises he invests in – not flashy but solid.
The following is an edited transcript of Hui Hengyu’s interview with “China Entrepreneur” (with some deletions):
In the past two or three years, the most drastic changes have undoubtedly occurred in the lithium – battery and photovoltaic industries. The lithium – battery industry started to decline at the end of 2022 and will emerge from the trough in 2025. The photovoltaic industry entered a downward trend at the end of 2023. The general consensus in the industry is that an inflection point will appear in about a year.
To be honest, since we come from an investment background in the manufacturing industry, we’re mentally prepared for the cycle. In investment, 90% of the work is done before investment – when making an investment, you have to predict whether the enterprise has the ability to resist adversity when the downward cycle comes, whether the founder has a sense of crisis, and how to pre – research and allocate the capital strategy, talent strategy, and market strategy in advance.
In our investment decisions at that time, we didn’t invest much in the photovoltaic main – material industry that relies on the expansion of production scale. In fact, since Chaoxi started to layout minority equity investments, investments related to photovoltaics have accounted for less than one – fifth.

Source: Respondent
Currently, none of the enterprises we’ve invested in have seen their value go to zero due to the cycle. However, we also have some reflections. There’s one aspect where our analysis was insufficient – the impact of new energy on the power grid came faster and more violently than we predicted.
New energy is not the final product; it’s just a power – generating product. To transform from power – generating equipment into actual electricity consumption, it has to cross the hurdle of the power grid – grid connection, transmission, and consumption. There are bottlenecks in each link. The current problem facing the global new – energy development is that intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power have impacted the power grids of various countries, while the construction cycle of the power grid is relatively lagging.
In the past, people were very optimistic about the prediction of installed capacity, with an annual growth of 30% – 50%. However, they underestimated the carrying capacity of the installed capacity. Now, on the surface, it seems to be a demand problem. In fact, it’s because the demand was estimated too optimistically, leading to a bold expansion on the supply side and a huge supply – demand mismatch. From leading enterprises to small companies, all are suffering from the pain of declining profits, operating losses, and tight cash flow.
As institutional shareholders, what we need to do is not to “step on” the enterprises during the downward period but to help them soberly navigate through the cycle: reduce unprofitable bids, not take market share as the only indicator, ensure cash flow, restrain capacity expansion, and continue to invest in new technologies.
The current relationship between new energy and the power grid, as well as the high demand of AI for stable computing power, have made energy storage even more indispensable. Last year, the industry’s installed capacity was nearly 600 gigawatt – hours, a 50 – to 60 – fold increase in five years. Even so, compared with the existing installed capacity of wind and solar power, it’s still far from enough. The existing global installed capacity of wind and solar power is nearly 4 terawatts. If 50% of it is equipped with energy storage for 2 to 4 hours, the market scale will exceed 4 terawatt – hours.
However, energy storage is fundamentally different from photovoltaics: it doesn’t rely on manufacturing attributes. Photovoltaics are basically commodities, winning by scale and cost. Energy storage is different. It’s not a heavy – asset industry but relies more on solutions – understanding the users and the power grid. The power – grid structures in different countries and regions are completely different. Is it grid – forming or off – grid support? Is it single – phase or three – phase? How to install during delivery? How to conduct subsequent maintenance? There are no standard answers to these questions.

Source: AI – generated
So, the energy – storage market won’t be like the photovoltaic market, which will eventually converge to only three to five companies. It will be a fragmented market. In the large – scale energy – storage field, the patterns of CATL, Hichen Energy Storage, and Eve Energy have been initially established. In the household – energy – storage field, MaiTian Energy, Deye Technology, and Siger New Energy each dominate in regional markets. The industrial and commercial energy – storage field has another set of strategies.
The capital market has a very high enthusiasm for energy storage and can offer a price – earnings ratio of more than 100 times. For enterprises, going public is not the end. There are two real decisive factors in energy storage: one is the in – depth understanding of the power grid, which determines how much profit you can make; the other is the internationalization ability, which determines how much market share you can capture and how far you can go.
The equipment industry is an area where we’ve invested more. Companies like Laplace, Shanghai Lianfeng, and Hefei Xinyihua… still hold leading positions in their respective fields. The characteristic of the equipment industry is that when the downstream expands, orders are full, but when it contracts, the order – confirmation cycle becomes longer, and accounts receivable are the biggest risk.
However, it’s a light – asset industry. Apart from human resources, it basically has nothing else, mainly focusing on R & D, assembly, and on – site debugging. So, from the beginning, we told equipment enterprises: They should make a platform – based layout, taking orders from a variety of sources and from different industries.
The founder of one of our invested enterprises has a very rational saying – if an equipment industry has a continuous stream of orders every day, it’s abnormal. No industry is always expanding production; it’s just a stage – by – stage phenomenon. Therefore, being prepared for danger in times of safety is a compulsory course for entrepreneurs in the equipment industry.
Microtech started to get involved in semiconductor equipment in 2020; Robotek did it even earlier, acquiring an optical – module equipment company around 2019; Shanghai Lianfeng is now engaged in helium recovery – the helium used in semiconductor memory – chip production and rocket launches; Jiangsong Technology is trying out the intelligent parking – lot business…
The advantage of the equipment industry is that the technologies are interoperable, and there’s a large space for platform – based expansion. The speed and determination of transformation depend on the entrepreneurs themselves. It’s really difficult to “go against the current” to explore new battlefields, but if they don’t expand, they’ll be very passive when the cycle comes.
An important change in the past year is that internationalization has changed from a “vision” to a “must – option”. LONGi Green Energy built its first photovoltaic – module factory in the United States. It took about a year from construction to production, and it’s profitable. Canadian Solar’s North American factory was also completed in about a year, which was unimaginable before.
Building a factory in the United States is the most complex. EPC (Design – Procurement – Construction) can’t be outsourced to Chinese people. Land acquisition, land leasing, approval, hearings, environmental protection, resident noise, and employment all have to go through a long process.
The greatest contribution of the photovoltaic industry to China is not just products and technologies but the cultivation of a large number of international talents. In the past 20 years, although some photovoltaic companies have fallen, the talents have remained around the world. They understand the social rules in the United States and Europe and can communicate seamlessly with local governments and residents.
This is the foundation of internationalization ability: It’s not about whether you can speak English but whether you have a group of talents who can be trusted by the decision – making level of Chinese companies and accepted by local society.
Energy – storage enterprises are also following this path. In the future, they need to produce, assemble, and create employment locally, becoming “citizen enterprises” in the local area to dispel customers’ concerns about supply – chain security and subsequent maintenance.
One of our invested enterprises, Hichen Energy Storage, has a saying: “Without a stable domestic market, it’s hard to stand; without an international market, it’s hard to be strong.” The domestic market still needs to be grasped, but many rules are still in the exploration stage, and there may be a temporary imbalance between cost and benefit. Although the overseas market has thresholds, the market doesn’t recognize “low price means good”.
The most certain impact of AI on energy is currently on the demand side. Global computing – power construction is driven by electricity, and these demands are currently mainly concentrated in the United States. However, the energy structure in the United States is mainly based on natural gas, so the demand for gas turbines is triggered first, followed by other energy sources such as photovoltaics. However, all power generation needs to be equipped with energy storage, so the market elasticity of energy storage is actually greater.
This is just the story on the ground. Elon Musk is promoting “space photovoltaic + space computing power”. The sunlight duration in space is three to four times that on the ground. Once the heat – dissipation problem is solved, the unit computing – power cost in space may be lower than that on the ground. However, it will take at least five years to verify this direction, requiring the mass launch of starships, the deployment of space photovoltaics, and a service life of more than 10 years.

Source: AI – generated
So, AI has opened up a new world for energy, not only expanding the demand but also presenting new technological paths. Currently, we’ll track early – stage startups that can clearly explain the first – principle and connect with the ecosystem. It’s not yet the time for large – scale investment.
AI also has a revolutionary impact on cost – reduction and efficiency – improvement on the energy supply side. For example, for the battery electrolyte formula, it used to take two to three months to conduct experiments manually, but with AI tools, it may only take a week. For equipment – debugging parameters, in the past, masters had to try one by one, but now AI fixes the best parameters, and the production – line adjustment will be very fast… Any individual or organization that is not good at using AI tools to transform itself will be eliminated.
Actually, in our internal strategy meetings in the past two years, “AI for Energy, Energy for AI” has long become a core concept that we can’t ignore. In our energy investments, the integration ratio of technology and energy is constantly increasing, which is also the unique solution of our industrial investment institution when facing the new world.
This article is from the WeChat official account “China Entrepreneur Magazine” (ID: iceo – com – cn), author: Miao Shiyu. Republished by 36Kr with permission.
该文观点仅代表作者本人，36氪平台仅提供信息存储空间服务。
36kr Europe (eu.36kr.com) delivers global business and markets news, data, analysis, and video to the world, dedicated to building value and providing business service for companies’ global expansion.
© 2024 36kr.com. All rights reserved.

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After a very long wait, Aptera’s solar car is finally rolling and ready for journalist drives. So we headed down to San Diego to check out how development is going on this unique solar electric vehicle.
If you’ve been around the EV industry for a while, you’ve probably heard plenty about Aptera.
Based in California in sunny San Diego county, Aptera is a startup hoping to make a hyper-efficient solar electric vehicle.
But it’s been hoping for a long time. A really long time.
In fact, I’ve been driving electric vehicles since 2009, which I’d say is rather early in the technology’s lifespan. And yet, the idea behind Aptera is older even than my involvement in this industry.
The company was founded all the way back in 2005. At least, its original incarnation was. At the time, they were trying to make a 300+ mile per gallon gas-powered vehicle. Then the company folded, restarted, folded again, and restarted again in 2019, with its original founders back at the head.
In this incarnation, Aptera ditched the gas engine and went fully electric, and covered the car with solar cells.
Normally, solar cells on a car are a bit of a gimmick. Cars are generally too big, heavy, and inefficient for solar to make a meaningful difference in energy usage.
That’s why experimental solar vehicles, like those you’d see at solar car competitions like the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (yes, Electrek, that’s us!), really don’t look anything like a car. They’re small, ultralight, use narrow tires, and have big flat surfaces and extreme aerodynamic designs.
That’s why, in order to make solar work on an EV, you really need to rethink what a car is, and how a car looks. Which is what Aptera has done, with a super aerodynamic shape that looks, well, somewhere inbetween those solar racers and what we traditionally think of as a car.
This does mean it’s not quite what you’d expect out of a car. It has two seats rather than four, as the tapered end couldn’t fit more people. It has a very long cargo area, but not a tall one. It has three wheels to reduce aerodynamic disturbance at the rear of the vehicle, and covered front wheel pods for the same reason.
And it took a lot of interesting engineering to get to this point, like multiple iterations on a unique suspension design and changes to motors, wiring, wheel pods, the charging system, and so on. All in service of making a car more efficient in ways that “normal” cars never really have to think of.
All that talk about engineering is interesting, and I can (and will, in another article about Aptera’s factory) go on about it forever. But what’s more important is that the car is now in a driveable state, with the first validation prototype completed in March. So since it’s driveable… how about we go for a drive?
We headed down to Aptera’s facility in San Diego county for a chat and a tour (which we’ll be writing up separately), and also to see and drive the newest version of Aptera’s prototype.
The car is still a prototype – some things are still being iterated upon, some suppliers are being switched, and some capabilities aren’t turned on. We didn’t have speakers or regenerative braking, for example, and there’s still a drivetrain tuning issue (specifically at 4mph) and some NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) work to do.
But it runs, has most of the same parts and layout as we’d expect to see out of a finalized version, and gives us a general idea of what the experience and vehicle dynamics will be like. So let’s dive in.
The first thing that greets you (behind the cool butterfly doors) is a relatively small cockpit… and you can see the whole thing in the photo above. There’s plenty of shoulder room, though headroom leaves a bit to be desired (I’m 6′ tall). The seat can be slid forward and backward, and the seat back can be tilted, both with manual controls.
It’s definitely a different seating position than most cars, so if you don’t have a low-slung sportscar (like I do…), it might take a bit of getting used to. The “dead pedal” footrest is a little close if you ask me. The yoke-style steering wheel – which I don’t normally like, but was actually quite satisfied with here – only moves up/down with a manual control, a telescoping wheel would have been nice to offer more positioning options.
Despite the small cockpit, the Aptera actually has an extremely long trunk. It’s not very tall, but can easily store long objects – some 2x4s, a surfboard (shortboard only), or a bag of golf clubs. Heck, I even managed to lay down in it, though I did have to lay a little diagonally (I’m 6′ tall).
Laying down in the trunk opens up the possibility of camping, and Aptera has floated the idea of a tent attachment. Given the car has solar built in, you could power HVAC or even some camping equipment (some sort of V2L capability is planned, but we couldn’t get many specifics on that).
Aptera even thinks there are commercial possibilities for this large amount of cargo space. A hyper-efficient vehicle could be useful for certain fleet tasks, after all. Though that’s probably a question for a more-distant future, and the focus right now is on delivering Launch edition cars.
There is also some interior storage in the cockpit. Two different-sized cupholders, a closed center console, another small cubby (which will have USB-C connectivity, but is currently filled with diagnostic cables on the prototype), and a small zip-bag under the passenger side dash, in place of a glove box, for documents like registration or owner’s manual.
Controls are handled almost entirely through a central iPad-like touchscreen. The only physical controls are the legally required button for hazard lights and thumb buttons on the steering wheel, the right button honks the horn and the left button controls stereo volume (the prototype I drove did not have a working stereo).
While many decry the lack of physical controls these days, I didn’t find it to be a problem here. The screen is simple and responsive, and you’ll probably keep it on the same main “page” of controls all the time. Since the car has fewer tech features, it also has fewer settings, which allows for a simpler interface. (Though Aptera will have over-the-air update capability, and says CarPlay/Android Auto support will come eventually, and will fill the bottom-right segment of the screen)
The few controls you’ll use are easy to access, with three sliders across the bottom of the screen for temp, fan speed and volume. The screen even controls the windows – to lower a window, you swipe down on the left or right side of the car graphic; to raise it, you swipe up. It feels very cool.
Two other displays live in the car, both functioning as mirror replacements. The rear and side view mirrors are both handled by cameras, with the rear view display sitting where it normally does high on the windshield, and the side view is in a driver display above the steering wheel (these displays are currently very hard to see with polarized sunglasses on, but Aptera is aware and this should be an easy fix).
The Aptera ships with physical side view mirrors, but they’re genuinely useless and actually intended to be removed after delivery, with cameras handling everything – since it’s technically registered as a “motorcycle,” this is allowed.
The cameras do help a lot, but they’re also necessary – there’s no rear window to look through and the side windows are partially blocked by the large structural/aerodynamic bar running across them.
Our drive experience was about 40 minutes long on wide roads in the commercial area around Aptera’s headquarters. More than a test drive, but not enough for an entirely full review.
The car feels peppy enough, but isn’t particularly powerful (we don’t have horsepower numbers, but it should be somewhere in the ~200hp range). 0-60 is a bit under 6 seconds, which is frankly more than enough for practical purposes but won’t win you any races. Front-wheel drive and a torquey electric motor means it’s easy to give it a little wheelspin, though I didn’t feel much torque steer.
The throttle is reasonably responsive, though since regenerative braking wasn’t active, it was hard to test what the eventual one-pedal driving capability might feel like.
Three wheels does make handling feel a little different, especially since the front two wheel pods lead to a very wide front track – so you might want to take turns a little wider as you get used to the car’s width. But the car actually does feel surprisingly planted for such a unique configuration, perhaps because it’s so low-slung.
HVAC was strong enough to keep two people comfortable on a warm SoCal day, and the cockpit is small enough that it cools down quickly. The HVAC is channeled mostly through vents around the screen, which is an interesting idea, though the louvers to aim the air are a bit chintzy.
But one issue with the HVAC system is that the compressor is poorly isolated from the chassis, causing a lot of vibration, and a good amount of noise echoing from the cavernous rear trunk, when it’s turned on.
Which brings up probably the biggest downside of the drive: it still needs a lot of work on Noise, Vibrations and Harshness (NVH).
I like a firm suspension, but this could stand to be loosened up a bit. Some components need better isolation, even if it costs a little more or adds a little more weight (the car is only 2,200lbs, after all, in seeking maximum efficiency). And everything needs to be tightened up a bit, as there were a good amount of squeaks and rattles.
But these are common issues to find in validation, and NVH is one of the last steps in vehicle development anyway. Aptera said it’s working on these things, and also has an idea for isolating the cabin from the trunk, which could help both with noise and HVAC efficiency.
That said, there’s a certain amount of harshness that can’t be removed. To keep weight down (and safety up), the car makes heavy use of sheet molded carbon fiber. But carbon fiber transfers vibration and noise very well, which means the car will be inherently harsher as a result. It was a little less noisy than a carbon tub car usually is, because the outboard wheels didn’t kick as many bits of asphalt up into the car’s body (unlike the Tesla Roadster I drove down in).
So in short: I’m impressed with the progress, they do actually have a working vehicle, and it does something no other vehicle does (i.e. adds significant solar power). But it still needs polishing.
The thing is, Aptera has raised somewhere on the order of $150 million. That’s a lot of money, but to put a car on the road, that’s not much at all. It usually takes more like a billion dollars to start from nothing and get a car on the road. Validating the car as a “motorcycle” helps to keep those costs down, but the process is still enormously costly.
Since when is 200hp not powerful? Prior to today’s “turbo all the things” mindset, 200hp was more than most family cars had.
So, now we’ve at least had a taste of what the Aptera is like in its current form. But there is still work to be done, and questions to answer.
The next question is: when will we see the final form? And can Aptera make it there at all? We’ll examine that in a future article about our factory tour.
Aptera is taking reservations now for $100 a pop. If you want to get in line, you can use our Aptera Referral Link for $30 off the refundable reservation fee.
If you *don’t* have solar on your car, you can always charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
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Jameson has been driving electric cars since 2009, and covering EVs, sustainability and policy for Electrek since 2016.
You can reach him at jamie@electrek.co.
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“The biggest thing for us is probably not even the power generation. It is the shade.”
Photo Credit: LinkedIn
After more than a decade of district planning, Ellwood Elementary has now joined Goleta Union’s solar-powered schools as the latest campus to make the switch.
In addition to cutting pollution, the project is expected to bring financial and day-to-day benefits. The Santa Barbara News-Press reported that it could save the district big over the years and create a cooler, shaded outdoor area for students.
District officials marked the start of Ellwood’s new solar operation on June 12. According to the News-Press, the school joins Hollister and Mountain View as the district’s three campuses now equipped with solar panels.
Money for the project came from Measure M, the $80 million bond voters approved in 2020. The News-Press reported that the measure was designed to cover campus repairs, classroom updates, internet improvements, and more renewable energy work.
Construction across the three campuses ran from January through March, district officials said, and the arrays have generated more than 27,202 kilowatt-hours since entering service in April.
Solar work is set to continue at the district office, where construction is expected to start by June 29. After that installation is finished, about one-third of the district’s electricity is expected to come from solar power.
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Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services Jordan Goines told the News-Press that the district expects nearly $2 million in electricity-bill savings over 20 years, enough for the solar systems to largely offset their own cost. 
The paper reported that the district also anticipates receiving $1.2 million from the IRS under the Inflation Reduction Act, representing 34% of its equipment spending.
For Ellwood, the benefits are not only financial. By placing the panels above the lunch tables, the school has added a cooler gathering spot for students during recess rather than having them sit on the blacktop.
“The biggest thing for us is probably not even the power generation,” Principal Ned Schoenwetter told the News-Press. “It is the shade.” 
Cleaner energy also reduces reliance on fossil fuels, helping curb the air pollution tied to a range of health concerns.
Local residents praised the initiative and its impact on the young students in the News-Press.
“Today’s kindergarteners are going to grow up in buildings that run on the sun, and they’re going to think that’s completely normal,” former board member Susan Epstein declared to the paper.
It doesn’t seem like the trend is stopping any time soon, either.
“We have schools that are ready to go saying, ‘please, us next,'” Superintendent Mary Kahn told the News-Press.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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Solar power is growing, but dust significantly reduces panel efficiency. A startup, Clear Solar, is using technology developed for Mars rovers to clean panels. This electrodynamic dust shield removes 97 percent of dust. The system is cost-effective, saving millions for large solar farms. This innovation could boost solar energy’s reliability and sustainability globally.

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Thousands of pages of documentation are generated during the development, financing, construction, and operation of a solar project. Environmental studies, engineering reports, permitting records, contracts, inspections, and compliance documentation all exist for one reason: to reduce risk.
Risk is the underpinning variable across nearly all financial decisions and is especially omnipresent in the development of power generation projects. It is striking how little risk-adjusted decision making is done when defining an end-of-life panel management strategy. 
As panels break or become obsolete, the industry is confronting a critical gap in the supply chain: a lack of transparency around what happens to panels after they leave a project site. While attention has been paid to the awareness of the need for recycling, far less attention has been dedicated to defining the pathways for ethical material traceability. 
The challenge is that the path a panel follows after collection can be difficult to wholly understand. Panels routinely cross state lines for processing, materials may be transferred between multiple facilities, and downstream handoffs are commonplace. Even worse, panels are often exported overseas with inaccurate labels that bypass export scrutiny, and then the problem “just goes away” for all involved. Or so some believe… 
The technical realities of solar recycling add another layer of complexity. While many facilities can recover easily accessible materials (aluminum frames and copper wires), nearly none possess the technical or operational expertise to decompose the laminate (key limiting factor) and cleanly recover materials from the panel itself. 
At the same time, there is no nationally harmonized framework for end of life panel traceability in the United States. Power generators must navigate a patchwork of state waste regulations, certifications, and reporting expectations. While these programs can provide value, they do not necessarily guarantee complete visibility throughout the recycling chain.
As a result, many asset managers are left asking a simple question: how do we know where our panels actually went? The answer requires an understanding of the recycling technology landscape, as well as the metal and glass supply chains that exist domestically and abroad.  
Material traceability first begins with an understanding of a company’s ownership structure. Are they a wholly or partially owned subsidiary of a foreign metal refinery, owned by private equity, or publicly traded? If owned by a foreign metal refinery, it may become more obvious where the panel materials end up. Companies with institutional ownership and public market requirements are much more likely to ensure domestic material reuse and provide certifiable attestations as to their material pathways.
Process methodology disclosure is equally important. It is not about recovering 91, or 96, or 98 percent of the value of the solar panel. It is only about ensuring all the panel materials are safely recovered in such a way that they can be domestically reused with full downstream traceability with auditable & credible companies. 
The sole variable towards the binary: can all materials be recovered and reused domestically (yes / no) is (another binary): can the technology used to recover the panel materials decompose the laminate layers?  
If, and only if, a technology can decompose the laminate layers then all materials can be safely recovered and reused in the domestic supply chain (with full traceability). It is this simple.
Finally, third-party audits provide an important layer of accountability. Independent verification, from trade associations, government agencies, or specialized auditors, help ensure that a company’s propagated statements align with the actual operational reality.
These requirements are consistent with the standards the solar industry already applies throughout the rest of an asset’s lifecycle. No investor would accept vague assurances about project performance during development or operations. End-of-life management should be no different.
For asset managers, implementing these practices starts with making traceability a procurement requirement rather than an afterthought. Expectations should be established before selecting a recycling partner, with documentation and reporting requirements built directly into contracts.
When export pathways are involved, procurement teams should require three key disclosures: where materials are being sent (and to whom), what environmental controls / standards are in place, and what the final intended disposition will be. Exporting material is inherently problematic; undisclosed exporting creates unnecessary risk, undermines transparency, and threatens the security of our national material supply chain. 
Asset managers should also build accountability mechanisms into contracts. Reporting requirements, audit rights, and documentation obligations help ensure that visibility is maintained throughout the recycling process rather than depending on voluntary disclosures.
The solution is taking institutional ownership of the verification process and codifying the standards needed to validate the absolvement of downstream risk (and associated peace-of-mind that materials are being handled with care). Asset managers have both the influence and the responsibility to drive this shift by making transparency a requirement throughout the end-of-life value chain.
As solar deployment continues to accelerate, the volume of retired panels will grow alongside it. The decisions made today will help determine whether the industry can help develop a defensible national supply-chain predicated upon environmental stewardship, ethical material handling, and transparency. 
Real due diligence does not end when a panel leaves the site. It extends through its final destination. Establishing those best practices now will help protect asset managers, strengthen industry accountability, and support the long-term credibility of solar recycling for decades to come.
Paul Harshbarger is the Director of Strategic Planning and Supply Chain Operations for Comstock Metals’ solar panel recycling business. His role at Comstock Metals is multi-faceted and spans back to the early days of the company’s operation. Paul’s previous experience includes various roles at a private equity fund, a Canadian power services company.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
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A study run by the University of Technology in Baghdad, Iraq, has tested solar tracker pneumatic actuator design for harsh environments raising average efficiency by 62.3% and 66.4% respectively on a test panel using one axis and a single actuator, and two axes and two actuators.
Sydney-headquartered distributor of pneumatic technology for industrial actuation Air Springs Supply Technical Products Manager Vinh Lam said all the advantages that the engineers conducting the study found, apply to Australian conditions.
“Air spring actuators are well suited to a wide range of urban and rural solar actuation applications, and especially well-suited to rugged isolated conditions, such as mines and outback solar farms, or to rooftop applications, where users prize maintenance-free durability and long service life,” Lam said.
Published in 2025, in Science Direct, the study, titled Design and implementation of pneumatic actuators in a dual-axis solar tracker under the harsh climatic conditions of Karbala city, aimed to design pneumatic actuators needed to drive a closed-loop dual-axis solar tracker at the lowest costs, taking into account the maximum load under the worst climatic conditions in Karbala city, including wind speed and impact angles. 
The approach relied on factors including inclination angle, actuator displacement, and required power to drive a closed-loop dual-axis solar tracker adapted to an arid desert climate, where summer temperatures peak at 45 degrees Celsius but frequently exceed 50 degrees Celsius.
The scientists explain in the study that two double-acting pneumatic cylinders were used in the tracking system as actuators to track the sun’s daily movements from east to west and seasonal movements from north to south. The inner piston diameter and cylinder stroke length are included in the design.
“Two valves and throttles were used to regulate the position of each pneumatic actuator to facilitate the movement of the cylinder. A rotating disk and chain on a slide converted the linear motion of one of the cylinders into rotational motion. The stability of the pneumatic system was also analysed by subjecting it to a PID-based closed-loop control,” they said.
The study reported three consecutive days were allocated to conduct experimental testing of the system.
“According to the findings, the average efficiency of the solar panel was raised by 62.3 % when it was moved on one axis using a single actuator and by 66.4 % when it was moved on two axes using two actuators,” the study said.
“A stability investigation of the pneumatic cylinder movement under PID control unit revealed that the system reacts satisfactorily, with steady-state error of 0.00734 %, overshoot of 0.505 %, settling time of 1.034 s, and rising time of 145.76 ms.”
Lam added that air spring actuators are designed to stroke through an arc without needing a mechanical clevis, allowing for an angular motion of up to 30 degrees.
“This is particularly useful in applications where movement is not perfectly linear, reducing complexity and wear points,” a company statement said.
Lam said the initial cost of air spring actuation can be half that of conventional pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders with similar force capabilities, and they are far simpler too than electric actuation and highly tolerant of adverse operational conditions.
“Naturally no single technology is universally ideal for all applications, but air springs have so much to recommend them for urban and rural solar that they certainly merit the engineering attention they are receiving as Australia advances into the solar era.”
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Gautam Solar’s upgraded facility is designed to conduct accelerated lifetime testing, support research and development of new module technologies, and validate product durability under India's diverse climatic conditions.
June 17, 2026. By Abha Rustagi

Integrated EPC Solutions are IB Solar’s Strongest Differentiator: Aakshi Mahajan

Transformers to Power Energy Future as Grid Modernisation Accelerates, Says Satyen Mamtora

Future of Renewable Infra Will Be Built on Resilient Structures, Not Cheapest Ones: Vedant Goel

AI, Digitalisation Will Drive Next Phase of India’s Energy Transition: Schneider’s Udai Singh

Iron-Air Batteries Can Power India’s Renewable Ambitions: Stuti Kakkar, Meine Electric

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The Sitapur Solar Project is a landmark initiative that brings together renewable energy, energy storage, and defence infrastructure for the first time in India. Developed on around 850 acres of vacant defence land in Uttar Pradesh, the project is expected to become a model for future green energy projects across defence establishments. It reflects India’s efforts to strengthen energy security while promoting sustainable development.
One of the most significant features of the project is that it is India’s first large-scale solar power project to be built on defence land. Instead of leaving large areas of land unused, the Ministry of Defence is utilizing them to generate clean electricity. This not only reduces the need for acquiring new land but also demonstrates how government-owned assets can be used efficiently to support national development and environmental sustainability.
The Sitapur project is also the first initiative of the Ministry of Defence to combine solar power generation with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Since solar energy is available only during daylight hours, the battery system will store excess electricity generated during the day and supply it whenever needed. This will help ensure a stable and uninterrupted power supply while maximizing the use of renewable energy.
Reliable electricity is essential for modern defence operations. Military facilities depend on continuous power for communication systems, surveillance networks, command centres, and radar installations. The integrated battery storage system will provide backup power during grid failures, natural disasters, emergencies, or periods of high demand. As a result, the project will strengthen India’s energy resilience and improve the operational readiness of the armed forces.
The project is an important step towards building greener and more sustainable defence infrastructure. By increasing the use of solar energy, it will help reduce carbon emissions and decrease dependence on conventional sources of electricity. It also aligns with India’s broader goals of expanding renewable energy capacity and achieving long-term energy security.
A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a technology that stores electricity for future use. It captures surplus energy generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind power and releases it when required. In simple terms, it works like a giant rechargeable battery that helps ensure a continuous and reliable power supply.
The working of BESS is simple. During the day, solar panels generate electricity. Any excess power that is not immediately consumed is stored in batteries. Later, when solar generation decreases, electricity demand increases, or the grid faces disruptions, the stored energy is released. This ensures that electricity remains available even when renewable energy production fluctuates.
As the share of renewable energy grows, energy storage is becoming increasingly important. Solar power is available only when the sun shines, while wind energy depends on weather conditions. However, electricity demand continues throughout the day and night. BESS helps bridge this gap by storing excess energy and supplying it whenever required. This improves grid stability, reduces energy wastage, enhances energy security, and supports greater use of clean energy.
Besides BESS, several other technologies are used to store energy. Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS) stores energy by pumping water to a higher reservoir and releasing it through turbines when electricity is needed. Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) stores energy in the form of compressed air, which is later used to generate electricity. Flywheel Energy Storage stores energy as kinetic energy in a rapidly spinning wheel, while Gravity Energy Storage generates power by lowering heavy masses that were previously lifted using surplus electricity. Together, these technologies play a crucial role in ensuring reliable power supply and supporting the transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
The Sitapur Solar Project is not merely a renewable energy project. It represents the convergence of national security, clean energy transition, energy storage technology, and efficient utilization of public assets, making it a significant milestone in India’s journey toward sustainable and self-reliant defence infrastructure.
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Jackery, a company best known for its portable power solutions, has unveiled four new products designed to meet the more stationary needs of many different kinds of customers, a move the company describes as a “design evolution into premium interior home power backup.” 
The company’s latest products include:
All of the new products use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells with promised lifespans of up to 6,000 cycles before hitting 70% remaining capacity.
The newly-announced product lineup is part of what company COO Steven Wang calls “essential home backup.” In an interview with pv magazine USA, Wang said the company has done extensive customer research to determine the major priorities for backup power of homeowners, its core users. 
Wang listed the five most important home backup needs as the refrigerator, router, phone chargers, lighting, and — in the summer in certain areas — air conditioning. 
The research revealed that “Jackery power stations are (a) very popular (way) to back up these essentials,” said Wang. “For the next step, we want to see, are there even more, better user experiences, form factors and products that we can create to make backing up those essentials seamless? That’s what we call ‘essential home backup.’”
Wang said Jackery is focused on not only bringing that seamless experience to its users, but also on reducing the barrier to entry for home backup in general. He asserts that the current marketplace of large, fixed battery systems places backup power out of reach of most Americans, but that DIY solutions are not currently ready to take over. 
“We see this trend towards DIY… I go on the forums, I watch the YouTube videos of the projects… It’s very exciting, and it shows that there’s demand for this type of product, but it’s still very difficult and it’s very enthusiast-driven right now,” Wang said. “For essential home backup, we’re thinking of solutions to achieve two things: Number one is bringing costs down, number two is reducing installation difficulty.”
If it all goes right, Wang envisions a time when Jackery can serve a new customer class: grid operators. 
“The more batteries we sell, the more consumers we have, the more creative we can be with, ‘how we can do a VPP that’s off-grid?’” Wang said. “Say we have one gigawatt hour, and we have enough customers whose batteries all have software to really talk with these guys. (We can) say, ‘Hey look I have this amount of batteries in the wild. We can use my coverage in order to help you solve peak shaving issues.’ We’ve had really productive talks and we’re piloting some things with some of these operators.”
Red Cross branding collaboration
In addition to its product launch, Jackery has announced the “Power the Rescuers” program — a branding collaboration with the American Red Cross. The collaboration consists of the HomePower Emergency Pro series of portable power stations, a forthcoming product line in Red Cross livery.
Jackery says it will donate mobile power equipment to first responders equal in value to 10% of the profits it receives from selling HomePower Emergency Pro units.
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The solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Menlo Park’s City Hall is now fully operational and generating renewable electricity.
The system reached commercial operation June 1, marking an important milestone in the City’s efforts to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in municipal operations.
The solar installation is expected to generate approximately 413,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each year. Over the 20-year power purchase agreement term, the project is projected to reduce City energy costs by approximately $637,000.
The City Hall installation is part of Menlo Park’s broader solar partnership with Peninsula Clean Energy to expand renewable energy generation at City facilities. In addition to City Hall, the solar project at Menlo Park Library is also operational and generating clean electricity.
Construction of solar installations at the Belle Haven Child Development Center and Arrillaga Family Gymnastics Center has been completed, and the systems will be energized this year to further expand renewable energy generation across City facilities.
Community members can view real-time performance and energy production from the City Hall solar system through the online monitoring dashboard.
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India needs around 10 GWh of battery storage immediately to stop renewable energy curtailment when the coal fleet cannot ramp down below its technical minimum, according to a new analysis by energy think tank Ember.
With solar power flooding the grid at midday, several coal-based power plants are required to operate at or even below their minimum technical loads (MTL) — the lowest levels at which they can safely operate. As a result, grid operators are curtailing clean electricity to keep coal-based power plants online for the nighttime surge in demand and to provide necessary reserves.
Ember’s analysis found that about 2.1 TWh of renewable electricity generation was curtailed in fiscal year 2025–26, running from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, equivalent to 1.3% of total renewable generation, to keep coal-fired power plants operating at their minimum technical load. The report estimates that around 10 GWh of energy storage, charged during peak midday solar generation hours, would have been sufficient to absorb this surplus renewable output, maintain coal plants above their minimum technical load, and avoid the curtailment altogether.
“Solar and wind curtailment is becoming a visible part of India’s real-time grid balancing, and the volumes are already noticeable and rising,” says the report’s author, Neshwin Rodrigues, Senior Energy Analyst at Ember. “Without sufficient flexibility, including storage, this could become a constraint on the next phase of renewable energy growth.”
The report highlights that the core issue is that coal still provides almost all of the grid’s flexibility, including its ancillary reserves. As solar capacity has grown, coal is being cycled from near-full output at night to its lowest point at midday every single day.
For example, on March 6, 2026, solar and wind reached 41% of the generation mix at midday, pushing coal generation down by around 49 GW in six hours before it had to climb back up by 51 GW in the evening as solar collapsed. “Coal was built for sustained high output, not this daily deep cycling,” says Rodrigues.
Once coal plants reach their minimum technical load — around 55% of rated capacity — they can no longer provide downward reserves, and renewable generation would need to be curtailed to keep the fleet at this technical minimum. By April 2026, coal was breaching that floor in more than half of all midday dispatch intervals. Renewable curtailment met 37% of down-regulation that month, up from near zero a year earlier.
“This is curtailment required purely to keep coal plants at their MTL,” Rodrigues said. “Before the system even considers reserve requirements or grid constraints, renewable generation is being cut simply to make space for coal to remain operable. The constraint is structural.”
With solar capacity on the rise, the report highlights that curtailment of clean electricity is increasing in the absence of the country deploying alternatives like battery storage for grid flexibility. India added around 24 GW of solar capacity between October 2025 and April 2026, reaching approximately 154 GW. Peak-hour curtailment had returned to 4% of solar and wind generation by April 2026, comparable to the most constrained months of late 2025, despite April falling outside the worst seasonal window.
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Middle East Conflict Accelerates Southeast Asia’s Solar Shift Amid Rising Energy Costs—Report  SolarQuarter
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This shift could eventually mean lower electric bills and less pollution from the power sector.
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For the first time, solar produced a larger share of U.S. electricity than coal over the course of a single month, The Associated Press reported.
These sorts of changes are occurring across the country, and The Nevada Independent piggybacked on the report by detailing how the changing energy mix is transpiring in the state.
May’s numbers from Ember, released alongside a Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie report, showed solar trailing only natural gas and nuclear among U.S. power sources, the AP said. 
Per the analysis, solar reached 12.8% of generation for the month, just ahead of coal at 12.2%. That crossover arrived as President Donald Trump has kept championing coal and undoing some federal backing for clean energy, as the AP noted.
He reinforced that stance last week by proposing nearly $700 million for coal plants and exports as the outlet  recounted, saying that “coal’s a great business” and that “in terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.”
But the market is heading another way. SEIA and Wood Mackenzie said solar and battery storage made up 91% of new generating capacity in the first quarter in the report.
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Nevada offers a local example, as the Nevada Independent revealed. The state energy provider NV Energy says solar already represents roughly one-fourth of its utility mix in Northern and Southern Nevada, and it is planning thousands of megawatts more in solar and battery storage.
Meanwhile, the state is also getting ready for a sharp rise in demand from data centers.
This shift could eventually mean lower electric bills and less pollution from the power sector. Cost is a big reason for the shift, Sean McKenna of the Desert Research Institute told the Nevada Independent. 
“Leveled cost of electricity from solar is now the cheapest generation of electricity in many states,” he told the paper. 
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As electricity demand climbs with artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and electrification, solar remains one of the fastest resources to bring online. States like Nevada are also ramping up natural gas production, per the Nevada Independent. 
Still, Nevada mirrors the rest of the country with solar and battery storage dominating future projects that hope to contend with skyrocketing power needs. 
Ember analyst Nicolas Fulghum characterized the shift as years in the making to the AP.
“For years solar power has risen in the U.S. electricity mix,” Fulghum told the outlet. “At the same time, coal power has lost its status, first as the largest source in the U.S. mix, and then gradually over the years has fallen even further.”
The White House rejected that argument in comments to the AP. 
“The President has reversed the Left’s devastating policies, saved the American coal industry, prevented the retirement of more than 17 gigawatts of power, and saved lives during heightened demand periods,” spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told the outlet.
SEIA’s Darren Van’t Hof ripped the Trump administration’s moves to stifle clean energy in a statement provided to the AP.
“Impeding the only sector that is actively building new power is a reckless gamble that will only drive electricity bills higher,” he said, per The Nevada Independent.
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