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OMRO, Wis. (WBAY) – Gov. Tony Evers visited a nonprofit in Omro this week to tout renewable energy.
“They’re putting solar on the roof. They have put it on, and looks like it’s gonna work well, save them significant money,” he said at Casa Esther, an advocacy for immigrants in the area.
As of this past spring, more than $3 million was awarded in grant money to support solar investments for 270 different projects.
Casa Esther recently received a $5,000 grant towards its new solar panels. It was part of a larger push, “Renew Wisconsin,” splitting $30,000 among six organizations. Together, the six projects are adding more than 300 kilowatts of solar energy.
Copyright 2026 WBAY. All rights reserved.

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Can’t install plug-in solar panels? No problem — I’ve hand-picked 12 solar-powered gadgets to brighten your home and save you money anyway  TechRadar
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Welcome to the PV Chart of the Week produced in partnership with our colleagues at PV Tech Research. This week, we look at the forecast domestic solar PV supply chain in the US until 2027.
After exploring the imbalance between solar cells and modules earlier this month, this week’s chart highlights how wafer supply is actually the weakest link in the US.
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As the chart shows, 2026 and 2027 are both forecast to see an uptick in US cell production, to some extent closing the gap that has opened up between module and cell capacity in the past couple of years.
However, the biggest problem is the scarcity of US-made wafers (just over 10GW by 2027) to supply the more than 30GW of solar cells forecast to be in production by 2027. Currently, there are only two manufacturers, Corning and Qcells, that have either operational or planned wafer capacity in 2026.
In the case of Corning, the wafer manufacturer began production in the third quarter of 2025, while Qcells started producing solar cells at its 3.3GW vertically integrated facility in Georgia in June of this year and expected to reach full production, wafers and ingots included, in Q3 2026.
A third company, Graphene & Solar Technologies’ (GSTX) subsidiary, The Quartz & Silicon Materials Company (QSM), also aims to build a 10GW silicon wafer plant in Chula Vista, California and a monocrystalline silicon ingot manufacturing plant in California’s Imperial Valley. The company expects to begin production at the wafer facility in early 2027.
In the coming weeks, our colleagues at PV Tech Research will publish a series of articles on PV Tech covering the US manufacturing landscape.
The state of the US solar supply chain will be explored in detail at our annual PV CellTech USA conference in San Francisco on 13-14 October 2026. For full agenda and booking details, click the link above.

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Thailand is moving crystalline-silicon photovoltaic modules from a voluntary industrial standard to a mandatory market-access regime. Consultations, industry training and certification preparations are under way, but the final ministerial regulation and legally binding effective date had not been officially published as of August 27, 2026.
The distinction matters for China-based module manufacturers and Thai importers. The measure is not a new tariff: it introduces product testing, factory-site inspections, importer licensing, model-scope controls and ongoing surveillance. Because certification is generally tied to the actual manufacturing site, a regulatory start date that precedes approval of major supply bases could create a temporary gap in compliant supply.

Mandatory market access has not yet taken effect
Thailand introduced the updated TIS 61730 Part 2-2567 standard in 2025. It took effect as a general industrial standard on June 13, 2025, but that date did not require every module imported into or sold in Thailand to hold a TISI license.
Mandatory status requires a ministerial regulation and related implementation procedures. The policy direction is clear, and September 2026 has been identified as the target window, but it should not be presented as a confirmed statutory date until the final regulation is published.
Companies therefore need to keep two dates separate. June 13, 2025 marked the implementation of the updated technical standard; September 2026 is the government’s target window for compulsory market access. The final effective date, any transition period, and treatment of goods already imported or in transit remain open questions.
The proposed rule targets safety—not tariffs or module performance
The proposed compulsory regime centres on TIS 61730 Part 2-2567, which is aligned with IEC 61730-2:2023. It addresses safety risks involving electric shock, fire, mechanical and environmental stress, component failure and personal injury.
TIS 61215 serves a different purpose. It focuses on design qualification, performance retention and environmental reliability, while TIS 61730 covers electrical, mechanical and fire safety. Earlier policy discussions referenced both standards, but the latest compulsory-control process focuses on TIS 61730 Part 2-2567. It would be inaccurate to state that both standards are already mandatory.

The measure is a safety and quality market-access requirement, not an anti-dumping duty, import tariff or local-content rule. Certification can raise the minimum threshold for product safety and traceability, but it does not by itself establish module efficiency, lifetime energy yield, long-term degradation or project bankability.
The current draft primarily covers crystalline-silicon PV modules. Modules incorporated into other industrial products are outside the draft’s direct scope. The treatment of thin-film, building-integrated, floating, offshore, vehicle-mounted and other specialised modules will depend on the final regulation and subsequent implementation guidance.
Factory-by-factory audits are likely to be the main bottleneck
For imported products, the Thai importer will generally act as the license applicant. The manufacturer must provide technical files, test reports and quality-management documentation, and must support on-site factory inspections and subsequent surveillance.
The process normally covers application preparation, product-family definition, testing or assessment of existing IEC reports, factory inspection, corrective action, technical and administrative review, import and marking controls, and post-approval surveillance. A license is not linked to a brand name alone; it is associated with the applicant, production site, product family, technical construction, bill of materials and declared power range.

The factory inspection is the most easily underestimated timing variable. Inspectors need to verify the actual production site rather than only the corporate headquarters or brand owner. If one supplier intends to serve Thailand from several factories, those sites will generally need to be included separately within the approved scope. Approval of one plant should not be assumed to cover every facility within the same group.
Site inspections typically review production processes, incoming-material controls, in-process and final inspection, key materials and suppliers, equipment calibration, non-conforming product controls, model and BOM changes, traceability records, insulation testing and ground-continuity checks. An ISO 9001 certificate or group-wide quality manual may support the application, but it does not replace verification of the operating factory.
For manufacturers with plants in China and other jurisdictions, travel coordination, inspector availability, factory scheduling, corrective actions and follow-up reviews can extend the process. A surge in applications around the implementation date could create a queue for both testing and factory inspections. Even with a valid IEC report, modules from a production site that has not completed the required inspection and license coverage may be unable to enter the Thai market under the new regime.
IEC reports can shorten the process, but they do not become TISI licenses automatically
An IEC 61730-2:2023 report can form an important part of the application, but it cannot be converted automatically into a Thai license. The report must meet requirements relating to the applicable standard version, age, laboratory competence and product consistency, and it must cover the factory, model, materials and power range included in the application.
Reports are generally expected to be issued by a qualified ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory and, under current preparation practices, to remain within the accepted validity window. A version mismatch, an older report, a laboratory-scope issue, or differences between the tested sample and the product to be supplied may trigger supplementary testing or a new sample submission.
A valid factory-inspection report may be reusable for another Thai importer when the plant and product scope are identical and the report remains valid. The importer’s license itself is not transferable, however: each importer must complete its own licensing and import-control requirements.
There is also no official fixed “six-to-eight-month” certification period. Some companies use that range for planning a first full application because it may involve test scheduling, a foreign-site inspection, corrective action, document translation and a concentrated review queue. A well-prepared plant with current reports, stable product families and an experienced importer may complete the process faster; a first-time applicant with complex models or factory remediation may take longer.
A compliant-supply gap could affect deliveries before it affects underlying demand
The current draft does not clearly provide a statutory three-, six- or twelve-month transition period. If the regulation takes effect before some production sites complete inspection, corrective action and licensing, Thailand could face a period in which project demand remains intact but the range of products legally available for import and sale is temporarily limited.
The size and duration of that gap would depend on the number of factories approved in the first wave, the power ranges covered, the progress of Thai importer licenses and the amount of compliant inventory already in the country. It would not be determined by a single standard certification timeline.
Mandatory certification will also add costs for testing or retesting, samples and international freight, factory inspections and travel, importer applications, document preparation, ongoing surveillance and model extensions. These are primarily market-access costs. They become manufacturing costs only where the supplier must change module design, critical materials, testing equipment or factory controls.
As of August 21, SMM assessed the weekly average CIF Thailand prices for M10, G12 and G12R TOPCon modules at $0.111/W, $0.112/W and $0.112/W, respectively. The three benchmarks remained about 1.8%, 2.6% and 1.8% below their July 10 levels. Prices recovered slightly from early-August lows, but the market had not yet established a clear, broad-based TISI compliance premium.

SMM data also show that China’s module exports to Thailand fell to 0.37 GW in July from 0.58 GW in June, a month-on-month decline of about 36.2%. This means the ability to pass certification costs through to buyers will still depend on project procurement, local inventory and supplier competition.
If several approved suppliers enter the market at the same time, compliance expenses may not translate fully into higher module prices. If factory inspections and testing queues restrict the range of approved models, however, a temporary premium could emerge. In that case, the price effect would come not only from certification expenses but also from a short-term contraction in compliant supply.

Manufacturers with several production bases will need to prioritise which plants should be approved first. Certifying every factory simultaneously may increase coordination and remediation complexity; certifying only selected plants requires enough compliant capacity to cover Thailand’s core demand. Switching an order to another factory without confirming that the site is included in the license scope could delay an otherwise valid contract.
Outlook: execution details will matter more than the headline date
Thailand is also preparing standards and compulsory controls for inverters and power-conversion equipment, low-voltage circuit breakers and switchgear, PV fuses, 1.5 kV DC PV cables and lithium batteries used in energy-storage systems. These products are not all at the same procedural stage, and the September target should not be interpreted as a single automatic effective date for every category.

References to early 2027 relate to a broader solar-system standards roadmap covering equipment, design, installation, testing and storage. They do not constitute a fixed transition period for crystalline-silicon modules.
SMM will monitor seven implementation issues: publication and effective date of the final ministerial regulation; transition arrangements for imported, in-transit and contracted goods; final product scope; acceptance criteria for IEC reports and product-family grouping; factory-by-factory inspection schedules and report reuse; treatment of model and critical-material changes; and coordination with standards for inverters, cables, fuses and storage batteries.
In the near term, suppliers with approved factories, disciplined product-family management and strong coordination with Thai importers will have a timing advantage. If major production bases remain in the inspection queue when the regulation takes effect, the resulting compliant-supply gap could amplify delivery and price volatility. Whether that produces a lasting premium will still depend on demand, inventory and the pace of project procurement.
SMM will continue to track the final TISI regulation, implementation dates, testing and factory-inspection practices, and their effects on Chinese module exports, product availability and pricing in Thailand.
Written by:
Ryan Tey Tze Yang | SMM PV Analyst
+60 127179370 | ryan.tey@metal.com
Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.
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These small systems are no substitute for full rooftop solar, but they could open the door to renters, flat owners and households, says Jeff Meyer
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Solar panels have traditionally been seen as a home upgrade for those with the right property, a suitable roof, the money to cover the upfront cost and the willingness to take on a full installation. That leaves plenty of households out of the equation.
However from 27 August, UK homes will be able to buy plug-in solar panels from retailers like Amazon and B&Q. It’s easy to focus on the novelty of Lidl and other high-street retailers putting plug-in solar panels in the middle aisle alongside everyday household buys. But it shows that solar is beginning to become smaller in scale, not in ambition, but more compact, affordable and straightforward, potentially opening it up to people who have traditionally been left out of the conversation.
For years, rooftop solar panels have largely been an option for homeowners with a suitable roof, a sizeable budget and the willingness to go through a full installation. If you had a south-facing roof, planned to stay in your home for the long term and could afford to spend thousands upfront, solar could be a smart investment. But despite its benefits, traditional rooftop solar has often felt more like a solution for a relatively small group of households than something genuinely accessible to everyone.
Read more: Best solar panels for UK homes
In practice, the usual solar conversation has excluded lots of people: renters, flat owners, those with small outdoor spaces but no real roof to work with, and households that like the idea of generating some of their own electricity, but have never been in the market for a full system. For them, solar has often felt less like a practical option than a sensible thing other people do. Plug-in solar could begin to change that.
That doesn’t mean it will transform the economics of home energy overnight. It will not. The systems now being discussed for the UK are small in terms of their output capability, and hence so are the likely savings. Anyone hoping for a plug-in miracle that wipes out a chunk of their electricity bill is likely to be disappointed. Amid all the excitement, we should be clear that these devices are not a substitute for a full rooftop system, and they are certainly not a substitute for wider action on energy bills, insulation or the cost of heating homes.
But I do think plug-in solar panels represent something important all the same.
For one thing, they make solar look less like a renovation project and more like a normal consumer purchase. And that is an important cultural shift. Heat pumps are still a major decision. Full solar installations are still a major decision. Home batteries, for most households, are still a major decision. They all involve quotes, installers, disruption and big upfront sums. Plug-in solar hints at a different kind of energy technology that’s smaller, cheaper, lower-commitment, and perhaps easier for more people to imagine themselves actually buying.
Read more: Where to buy plug-in solar panels in the UK
That shift in perception is not trivial. Technologies often change the market long before they transform the numbers. Sometimes the big breakthrough isn’t a product becoming dramatically more powerful, but rather it becomes more familiar, affordable and ordinary so people stop seeing it as something specialist.
That is why I think the democratising case for plug-in solar is real, even if the headline savings are modest.
If you rent a home with a balcony or own a flat with some usable outdoor space, the appeal is obvious. A smaller setup that lets you generate at least some of your own electricity is a very different proposition. It lowers the barrier to entry and offers a version of self-generation that feels less exclusive. This resonates with people because the energy transition has not always felt especially democratic.
Too often, the technologies that make homes cheaper to run are the ones that require the most money, control and permanence to install, and the households that would most benefit from lower bills aren’t always the ones with the easiest route to solar, batteries or deep retrofit work. This is perhaps the biggest reason why public enthusiasm for green technology can feel uneven. People are often asked to get excited about systems that are plainly out of reach for most of us.
Read more: Plug-in vs installed solar panels
Plug-in solar does not solve that problem, but it does at least point in a better direction. It’s a first step and suggests a world in which home energy technology isn’t only for people embarking on expensive projects. It opens up a new market in which smaller, simpler products can coexist with full installations and give millions of people the confidence that self-generation is something ordinary households can join in with, even on a small scale. But the caveats all apply.
The UK should be careful not to oversell this. Plug-in offerings will not make every home suitable for solar. It will not deliver the same savings as a larger rooftop array. Not every property will have the right outdoor space, sunlight or permissions. And there is always a risk with new consumer energy products that the hype runs ahead of the practical reality.
That is especially true with anything presented as cheap and easy. In energy, cheap and easy can quickly be mistaken for universally useful. But home energy is rarely that simple. What works well in one property may be pointless in another. The best way to think about plug-in solar is not as a universal answer, but as a new option for homes that have previously had very few.
That, to me, is what is most significant about this news. It presents an opportunity to widen access to a technology that has so far been shaped around a relatively narrow vision of who the energy transition is for. And in the long run, that may prove just as significant as the number of kilowatt-hours it produces.
Find out how plug-in solar panels actually work
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When it comes to energy production, few things are as dirty as coal. That’s why CBS is now reporting that a coal mine in Colorado, owned by a beer manufacturer, has been converted into a solar power plant to produce significantly cleaner energy.
In total, the decommissioned mine now has 19 hectares (think 26 soccer fields) of solar cells, 16,000 of them, producing seven megawatts. This provides Molson Coors International with seven percent of its energy needs, and CEO Jim Crawford comments:
"For the last 150+ years of Golden Valley’s history, we’ve been focused on efficiency, on seeking opportunities for improvement and sustainability."
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A solar-plus-storage facility, described as the first in Africa to provide round-the-clock renewable electricity, has started operations at a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The project, developed by independent power producer CrossBoundary Energy, reached commercial operation on 25 August, according to an announcement made earlier this week.
The hybrid facility, comprising 233MWp of solar PV and a 123MVA/526MWh battery energy storage system, supplies 30MW or more of dispatchable baseload power to the Kamoa Copper mining complex, which spans nearly 400 square kilometres. The complex is thought to be Africa’s largest copper mining operation, with two mines currently in production and additional areas under exploration.
While the performance guarantee ensures 30MW of firm power, CrossBoundary Energy noted that in early operation the PV plant has already provided more than 150MW, with 50MW supplied directly to the mine network and the remainder charging the batteries. The maximum expected output is 180MW.
CrossBoundary Energy’s development director for the DRC, Gracia Munganga, said the start of operations was a significant step toward mainstreaming round-the-clock renewable power. The company added that the adoption of 24/7 renewable energy will reduce the mine’s carbon emissions and lessen its exposure to diesel fuel cost volatility and supply chain risks. The hybrid plant operates at a 95% availability factor, according to a project fact sheet.
The power purchase agreement between CrossBoundary Energy and Kamoa Copper was signed in the second quarter of 2025. At that time, the company said the fuel offset would result in an annual reduction of 78,750 tonnes of CO2 emissions. CrossBoundary Energy noted that while solar and storage installations are becoming more common at mines, a fully round-the-clock power guarantee is rare due to the variable nature of renewable generation. The increasing efficiency of solar PV and declining battery storage costs made the project feasible at the Kamoa Copper site.
Kamoa Copper is a joint venture between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, China’s Zijin Mining Group, and the DRC government. The mine began producing copper concentrates in 2021, and in 2025, Africa’s largest copper smelter was commissioned at the complex. Prior to the CrossBoundary deal, the joint venture collaborated with the DRC’s state-owned electricity company, SNEL, to build a hydroelectric plant. The Mwadingusha hydropower station opened in the same year as the mine, and additional hydro capacity was added in 2025, providing a total of 250MW of clean power for the mine and the grid.
CrossBoundary Energy also highlighted the project’s rapid execution. More than 350,000 solar modules, 513 PV inverters, 90 BESS power conversion systems, 180 BESS enclosures, and other equipment were delivered, installed, commissioned, and put into commercial operation within 16 months of the PPA signing. Kamoa Copper project manager Auguy Bakome said the speed of delivery demonstrates how quickly renewable energy can be deployed at scale to support remote mining operations.
In a related note, Ivanhoe Mines’ sister company, Ivanhoe Electric, is the majority owner of VRB Energy, a vanadium redox flow battery technology company. Both companies are part of the Ivanhoe Capital group, led by Robert Friedland.
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Plug-in solar panels can legally go on sale in the UK from today
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Plug-in solar panels can legally go on sale in the UK from today, 27 August, giving households a new way to generate electricity without paying thousands of pounds for a conventional rooftop solar installation.
The rule change allows compliant systems with an AC output of up to 800W to be connected directly to a suitable household socket. Unlike a traditional solar array, these smaller systems can be installed by the homeowner and positioned in a garden or, where the rules allow, on a wall or balcony. However, only products that meet the government’s new plug-in solar device interim product specification qualify under the new rules.
And, for the first time, there are now compliant products that you can actually order. UKSOL has secured compliant listings on the Energy Networks Association’s Connect Direct register for its plug-in solar pro range. Retailers such as City Plumbing have begun listing its first ground-mounted systems.
Other big-name retailers, including B&Q, Currys, Amazon and Lidl, have been working with the government on the introduction of plug-in solar, although they have yet to announce complete ranges of their own.
We’ll be covering the plug-in solar launch live throughout the day, bringing you the latest product announcements, prices, retailer availability, safety advice and reaction as it happens.
Read more: The best plug-in solar panels
The first compliant plug-in solar systems are beginning to appear online. Argos is the first UK retailer to sell plug-in panels online, with prices from £599. It has listed five models that meet the full requirements for the new plug-in solar compliance, all from UKSOL. These kits come complete with everything you need to get started; you just need to set them up and plug them into a standard AC socket.
The cheapest kit currently available to buy at Argos is £599 and is the UKSOL 515W pro compact plug-in solar with hybrid mount bundle. It offers a 515W single solar panel system with adjustable mounting options. The panel then plugs into the 800W microinverter, which can connect via wifi or Bluetooth to the monitoring app on a mobile device. The small microinverter is IP67-rated, so you can leave it outside and run the supplied 4m cable into the house or apartment to plug in.
Aside from Argos, City Plumbing currently lists UKSOL kits, and the brand is also selling systems direct. Other specialist retailers are beginning to list UKSOL systems too. Green2Go, for example, is taking orders for an 890W UKSOL system for £849 and quotes delivery in early September.
Before buying, you should check that the exact product and model number appears as compliant on the ENA Connect Direct register. A similar-looking solar panel, microinverter or European balcony solar kit is not automatically covered by the new rules.
Read more: Plug in vs installed solar panels
Ministers say Britain’s new plug-in solar safety specification is more stringent than the rules in Germany, where balcony solar is already well established. The government says the UK regime was developed following independent testing of the key electrical components, with only compliant products permitted under the new plug-in rules. Germany, meanwhile, added around half a million new plug-in solar devices last year alone.
The most important thing is to check that the exact plug-in solar system you are buying is approved for the new British plug-in solar route.
Manufacturers must have their complete product assessed against the government’s Interim Product Specification and registered through the Energy Networks Association’s Connect Direct system. Shoppers should therefore check the exact manufacturer and model rather than assuming a product is compliant simply because it has a UK three-pin plug or is advertised as “G98 compatible”.
This is particularly important when shopping through online marketplaces. Balcony solar systems are already widely available elsewhere in Europe, but a European kit can’t be connected legally to a British household socket. Adding a travel adaptor or UK plug to an imported system does not make it compliant.
You should also check where the system can safely be positioned, whether your electrical installation and socket are suitable, and whether you need permission from a landlord, freeholder or managing agent. Extension leads, multi-way adaptors and plug-in RCD adaptors should not be used in place of the manufacturer-supplied connection.
The current G98 rules also limit households to one plug-in solar device, even if the property has several separate electrical circuits. Householders must notify their Distribution Network Operator after connecting a compliant system.
Plug-in solar launches against a backdrop of record demand for home renewables. Almost 150,000 certified solar installations were completed in the first half of 2026, according to MCS figures cited by the government, up 17 per cent on the previous record start to a year and equivalent to one installation every 74 seconds. Battery installations have also almost doubled year on year, reaching around 36,000 over the same period.
There is perhaps some confusion right now as people try to understand what counts as “plug-in solar” under the new rules. Shoppers may have already come across compact solar kits marketed as “balcony solar” or “plug and play”, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they qualify as plug-in solar under the new rules that came into force today. Some systems can legally be sold and used in Britain but still need to be hard-wired into the home’s electrical system by a qualified electrician, rather than connected directly to a suitable household socket.
EcoFlow’s STREAM Balcony Kit is one example. The company sells the system on its UK website, but its UK installation guidance says the STREAM Microinverter must currently be connected to the distribution board by a professional installer or electrician. EcoFlow also states in its own guidance that its current products do not meet the exact requirements to be classified as true plug-in solar under the new framework.
Under the new rules, compliance applies to the complete system rather than just the solar panel or inverter. If you’re unsure whether a product qualifies, check the exact make and model on the Energy Networks Association’s Connect Direct register before buying or connecting it.
Hard-wired systems like the EcoFlow STREAM Balcony Kit are perfectly legitimate and powerful systems that can save you money on your energy bills. They just don’t benefit from the new DIY three-pin-plug exemption. So it’s important to read the fine print and know what you’re buying.
Some of the new plug-in solar kits now on sale are labelled 890W, 1,030W or even 1,260W, despite the new rules limiting plug-in solar systems to 800W. Some readers may be wondering how that’s possible. It’s because the larger figure refers to the combined generating capacity of the solar panels, while the 800W limit applies to the AC power the system can feed into the home.
A kit might therefore use more than 800W of panel capacity but pair it with an 800W microinverter, which caps the output before it reaches the household circuit. Oversizing the panels can also help the system produce closer to its 800W maximum for longer periods when sunlight is weaker.
In England, planning rules also changed on 27 August 2026 to expressly include plug-in solar within existing permitted development rights for domestic solar panels. This means many systems can be installed without making a full planning application, provided they meet the relevant conditions.
However, the rules are not unrestricted. Among the new conditions, plug-in solar cannot be attached to a wooden wall, balcony or other wooden enclosure, or to parts of a building clad in timber. Similar restrictions apply to wooden fences, gates and other boundaries where panels are positioned within a garden. The usual restrictions affecting listed buildings, conservation areas and other protected locations can also apply.
Planning rules differ in Scotland and Wales, so people outside England should check the requirements where they live. Renters and leaseholders should also obtain any permission required by their tenancy agreement, lease, landlord or freeholder before installing panels.
Not every solar panel sold with a three-pin plug is automatically legal to connect under the new rules. Buyers should check that the exact system is listed as compliant on the Energy Networks Association’s Connect Direct register and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
The revised network rules also limit homes to one plug-in solar device, and people must notify their Distribution Network Operator after connecting it.
Argos has launched a dedicated plug-in solar range on the day the technology becomes legal in Great Britain. The retailer is currently listing five UKSOL plug-in solar kits, with prices starting at £599 for a 515W Pro Compact hybrid-mount system and rising to £989 for a 1,260W Pro Max kit.
The £599 model includes a 515W bifacial solar panel, an 800W microinverter, mounting frame and the connections needed to plug into a suitable outdoor socket. Argos says estimated delivery for the £599 kit is late October.
OVO has joined the growing list of energy companies entering the plug-in solar market. The supplier says it will launch a full plug-in solar offer for customers in the coming months and is marking today’s rule change by giving away five plug-in solar kits to members of its Beyond rewards programme. The free prize draw runs until 17 September, while further details of OVO’s commercial offer are expected later this year.
British solar manufacturer UKSOL already has compliant plug-in systems available to order. Its 460W Compact ground-mount kit costs £699 for click and collect or £849 with UK mainland delivery, while the 890W Duo costs £1,089 for collection or £1,199 delivered. UKSOL has secured compliant listings on the Energy Networks Association register for a number of systems in its Plug-In Solar Pro range.
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It turns out that a feature designed to make power interruptions less noticeable could actually be creating the issues.
Photo Credit: iStock
A homeowner who relied on an EG4 backup setup during a five-hour outage said the system worked flawlessly, but now, with it switching on during seemingly normal operations, they are questioning whether there is a deeper issue.
In a post on Reddit’s r/solar, the homeowner said the long outage passed almost unnoticed, but routine brief grid flickers were followed by visible interruptions and the Flexboss dongle dropping offline for roughly half an hour.
It turns out that a feature designed to make power interruptions less noticeable could actually be creating the issues.
According to the post, the setup includes an EG4 FlexBOSS 21, a GridBOSS, and one all-weather wall-mount battery. Even with that battery backup in place, the owner said short utility disturbances still came with “noticeable” flickers, despite the system reporting no errors and otherwise appearing to work normally.
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
A commenter pointed to a surprisingly simple yet very unintuitive troubleshooting step: turn off Seamless EPS Switching.
“In my experience that setting makes the system too sensitive to little grid variations that it should just ignore and ride through,” the commenter wrote. “Because of that, it gets ‘twitchy’ and can cause little flickers.”
Given that the system’s point is to be seamless, the naming convention in that setting can cause a great deal of confusion. However, that promising comment ultimately proved not to be the fix.
Backup systems are often expensive and generally expected to smooth over short disturbances rather than respond to them. If a setting is causing nuisance switching, adjusting it could help owners get the reliability they expected.
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This is an advanced setup, and that usually comes with extra troubleshooting. Regardless, going solar is also one of the best ways to save money on home energy over time. If you’re weighing a system or trying to optimize one you already have, it can help to explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Battery-backed systems are often sold under the idea of peace of mind during outages, storms, and grid instability. When a long outage passes without issue but smaller flickers cause strange behavior, homeowners may be left unsure whether they are seeing normal operation, a settings problem, or an early sign that something is off.
The Reddit poster said EG4 support had not yet provided an explanation and asked for wiring photos to confirm the installation was done correctly. That suggests the problem may not have a simple fix, especially when connectivity hardware, such as a dongle, is involved.
Documenting exactly what happens during each flicker could help narrow down the cause. Noting whether a light blinks, whether internet service drops, how long the dongle disconnect lasts, and whether any error logs appear can all be helpful. An installer or support team could also review settings such as Seamless EPS Switching, firmware status, and wiring.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
EnergySage’s free services can also help homeowners make smarter decisions before they spend more money on solar equipment. With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. Meanwhile, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. It can also give homeowners more control when the utility supply becomes unreliable. If you’re comparing options, EnergySage offers information about home battery storage choices, including competitive installation estimates.
The homeowner wrote, “We are deep into hurricane season now and I am getting paranoid about whether the system will function properly in a grid down situation.”
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Finland’s solar pipeline has moved well beyond the early planning stage, with 77 projects already permitted
Satakunta has emerged as the country’s largest solar development region
A proposed 50-hectare zoning threshold could become an important factor for larger projects
Finland’s utility-scale solar pipeline has expanded to 26.6 GW across 300 projects, with a growing share of developments reaching stages where construction could move ahead relatively quickly.
Finland had nearly 18 GW of renewable energy capacity installed by the end of 2025, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Solar PV accounted for an estimated 1.56 GW, while wind power exceeded 9 GW and hydropower stood at 3.2 GW. The Renewables Finland project database points to further growth in solar capacity in the coming years.
The latest data from Renewables Finland covers projects reported through June 2026. It covers industrial-scale solar projects, with the smallest project in the database at 1.5 MW and the largest at 770 MW. The average project size is 87 MW.
Of the total pipeline, 77 projects totaling 4.67 GW have received building permits. Another seven projects, with a combined capacity of 320 MW, are already under construction.
A further 196 projects, representing 18.58 GW, remain in permitting or study phases. Twenty projects totaling 3.03 GW have been identified, but are at an earlier stage of development.
Renewables Finland, the English name of the Finnish industry association Suomen uusiutuvat ry, said the capacity of permitted projects has risen by more than 1 GW in six months. It also noted that not every project currently being developed is expected to be built, but the number of advanced projects points to a substantial pipeline that could be delivered on a relatively short timeline.
Solar development is spread across several parts of Finland; however, the association identifies Satakunta as the leading region with 29 projects representing a combined planned capacity of about 3.39 GW.
South Ostrobothnia follows with 2.71 GW across 21 projects, while North Ostrobothnia has 2.68 GW across 28 projects. Uusimaa has 27 projects, with total capacity of about 1.76 GW, while Southwest Finland has 27 projects totaling 1.51 GW.
At the municipal level, Kauhajoki has the largest planned capacity at 942 MW, followed by Kouvola at 900 MW, and Lappeenranta at 854 MW. Kankaanpää, Toholampi and Säkylä also have planned capacity of more than 690 MW each. Loviisa has the most projects, with eight developments. Kankaanpää, Kokemäki and Orimattila each have six projects.
The growth in the project pipeline comes as proposed changes to Finland’s Land Use Act could introduce additional zoning requirements for larger solar plants. Under the proposal currently before Parliament, solar power plants covering more than 50 hectares would require zoning. 
Renewables Finland criticizes the proposed threshold, arguing that it could increase administrative work and slow projects, including those planned for remote wasteland and former peat production areas.
Renewables Finland CEO Anni Mikkonen said, “Renewable energy investments are not accelerated by adding bureaucracy,” adding that the proposed threshold runs counter to efforts to streamline permitting. Mikkonen also pointed to the government’s stated aim of making solar development on wasteland easier, saying that conflicting requirements could make investment planning more difficult. The proposed Land Use Act awaits Parliament’s green signal.
Solar projects increasingly form part of hybrid developments. The project data also shows that solar is being developed alongside other energy technologies.
Renewables Finland’s database includes 300 solar projects, as well as hybrid projects combining solar with batteries, wind or both. It lists 67 wind-plus-battery projects (11.98 GW), 111 solar-plus-battery projects (15.05 GW), 17 wind-and-solar projects (3.11 GW), and 36 projects combining wind, solar and battery storage (10.26 GW) in the project development pipeline.
An earlier study by LUT University found that solar PV in Finland has a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) than wind power. It said Finland could technically and economically meet the continuous electricity needs of data centers using only renewable energy, at an estimated production cost of €103-121/MWh (see LUT Study: Solar, Wind Can Power Data Centers 24/7).
Among project developers in Renewables Finland’s database, Neoen Renewables Finland has the largest cumulative solar project capacity, at 2.27 GW. Forus follows at 1.90 GW, while Ilmatar Energy has 1.39 GW. OX2 and SAJM Holding have 1.24 GW and 1.01 GW, respectively.
Renewables Finland said it will next update its project database in early 2027.
TaiyangNews 2024

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ArMee Infotech Ltd, an integrated technology infrastructure and renewable energy company, said today it has received Letters of Award (LoAs) from Bondada Engineering Ltd for EPC balance-of-system (BOS) packages for a 600 MW solar project in Fatehgarh, Rajasthan.
The total contract value is around INR 740.97 crore, including GST.
The company has been awarded the EPC BOS scope for Block-1 (300 MW AC) with a contract value of INR 375.18 crore, and Block-3 (300 MW AC) with a contract value of INR 365.79 crore.
The orders cover a combined capacity of 600 MW AC.
ArMee Infotech’s scope of work includes comprehensive engineering, procurement, manufacturing, supply, erection, installation, testing, and commissioning of the Balance of System (BOS) works for the solar power plants, along with associated power evacuation infrastructure. It also includes three years of operation & maintenance (O&M) and annual maintenance contracts (AMC) for designated plant equipment in accordance with project specifications and quality standards.
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US-based SolarWindow Technologies has announced the commercial launch of ElectroFlex, an ultra-thin, flexible solar product designed to generate electricity on flat and curved surfaces.
The product targets applications where conventional PV modules face limitations due to weight, rigidity, or mounting requirements.
The company describes ElectroFlex as a “peel-and-stick” solution that can be applied directly to various surfaces without frames, rigid glass, or conventional support structures. Its size and color can be customized to meet customer specifications.
The new product consists of a five-layer composite laminate measuring 0.85 mm in total thickness. The stack comprises a 0.10 mm front encapsulant, 0.16 mm high-efficiency solar cells, a 0.04 mm copper cell backing, a 0.30 mm composite laminate and a 0.25 mm rear substrate.
ElectroFlex is 0.85 mm thick and integrates interdigitated back-contact (IBC) cells with a power conversion efficiency of 24.4%, according to the manufacturer. It has a power-to-weight ratio of approximately 73 W/kg.
SolarWindow said it also supplies wiring, harnesses, electrical systems, and power-balancing components needed to integrate the product and deliver the electricity it generates.
The company is targeting applications in the transportation, marine, aerospace, architecture, agriculture, infrastructure, utility, and specialty vehicle sectors.
Potential applications include data centers and buildings, roofs of commercial trucks and fleet vehicles, curved train surfaces, and drone and aircraft structures, according to the manufacturer.
ElectroFlex is initially available to Tier 1 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the United States. SolarWindow said it plans to expand sales to selected markets in North America and Asia over the coming quarters.
The company is also developing LiquidElectricity, a transparent coating designed to turn glass and plastic surfaces into electricity-generating elements. SolarWindow claims the technology, which remains under development, could generate electricity from natural and artificial light, as well as low-intensity, shaded, and reflected light.
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Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
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.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
5:30 am – 6:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its third multi-day virtual event on advancing U.S. solar and energy storage markets, covering financing, supply chains, and distributed energy’s role in grid resilience.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
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Europe’s new renewable-energy champion is a surprise  The Economist
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FAW Hongqi made the industry’s first solar sunroof prototype with the integration of a perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology. It was installed on the Hongqi EHS7 electric SUV, achieving 300W of real-time power generation. This technology can produce 400 kWh of energy annually. In the future, it will provide Hongqi EVs with 80 km of clean BEV range per day.
The idea of placing solar panels on vehicles’ roofs comes from the 20th century. Such elements are already being integrated into some mass-produced vehicles, despite questionable effectiveness. On August 27, the oldest Chinese passenger car brand, Hongqi, shared that it successfully produced the new PV sunroof prototype.
Hongqi managed to integrate PV elements into the car’s panoramic sunroof. The R&D staff moved away from using traditional crystalline silicon, as it is fragile and has low efficiency. Instead, Hongqi used a specific calcium titanium oxide mineral called perovskite. The perovskite-made PV elements are lightweight, thin, and flexible. They reportedly have high photoelectric conversion efficiency, come in various colors, and are low-cost.
Hongqi officials underlined that its R&D center faced some challenges of fitting perovskite materials to a car’s sunroof, as they are vulnerable to water, oxygen, and ultraviolet radiation. Another issue is the curved surface of the glass. The PV sunroof prototype was integrated into the Hongqi EHS7 crossover, which sells domestically under the Hongqi Tiangong 08 name. It is a large five-seater with dimensions of 4925/1950/1680 mm, a peak power output of 253 kW (339 hp), and 475 km of WLTP range.
FAW Hongqi representatives shared that the full-size perovskite PV sunroof achieves 300W of real-time power generation under “sufficient sunlight.” It is suitable for producing approximately 400 kWh of clean energy annually. It is enough to satisfy the needs of low-voltage loads, including air conditioning, refrigerators, and sentry mode.
In the future, Hongqi plans to integrate perovskite PV elements into other body parts of the car, including the hood. It will allow a car to generate 10 kWh of electricity per day, suitable for up to 80 km of daily range. It covers over 85% of the daily travel needs of Chinese car users, according to Hongqi data. However, Hongqi didn’t provide any timeline for this technology integration.
Hongqi is the oldest Chinese passenger car brand. However, it aims to enhance its market position in the BEV segment. Therefore, this automaker pushes tech development. Previously, CarNewsChina reported that the next-gen Hongqi cars will feature BYD’s flash charging technology, allowing charging the battery from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. Moreover, the company started testing the 380 Wh/kg solid-state battery prototype. According to China EV DataTracker, Hongqi delivered 15,445 units in July 2026, domestically.

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US-based solar cell manufacturer Nextnova Solar has unveiled plans to build a 2GW n-type solar cell manufacturing facility in the US state of Oklahoma.
The company expects to inaugurate the facility later this year in November and begin mass production in March 2027, with the possibility of expanding the annual nameplate capacity to 5GW at the same facility.
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Details on the new facility were outlined on a LinkedIn post, which was in turn promoted by executives from US-based module manufacturer, Thornova. When contacted by PV Tech, a spokesperson for Thornova said: “Nextnova is a separate company and not a subsidiary of Thornova Solar. However, Thornova Solar is a close partner to Nextnova and one of their first buyers.”
PV Tech has reached out to Nextnova for additional comments on the new facility, and will update this article with any new information. A newly launched website for Nextnova provides no additional details about the company’s activities beyond the LinkedIn post.
Cell production in the US has become a key area of supply chain activity this year. While annual module nameplate capacity in the US has quickly grown over the past two years, available domestic solar cell capacity still remains scarce in the US. As covered earlier this month, our colleagues at PV Tech Research forecast that by 2027, there will be 96GW of annual module nameplate capacity versus a little bit over 50GW for solar cells. New solar cell capacity announcements, such as Nextnova’s, will help reduce the gap between module and solar cell nameplate capacity in the US.
A recent report from clean energy financing platform Crux highlighted that investment in solar manufacturing increased by 30% between the first and second quarters of 2026 to US$893 million. At the same time, new manufacturing project announcements increased on a quarterly basis, with a valuation of US$10 billion, the highest value in announced projects reported since the first quarter of 2024.
The state of the US solar supply chain will be explored in detail at our annual PV CellTech USA conference in San Francisco on 13-14 October 2026. For full agenda and booking details, click the link above.

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A proposed 12-17 MW solar farm, located 393 kilometres southeast of Auckland, is to be built on a 24-hectare parcel of airport land northwest of the runways, with estimated generation capability equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 3,000 Hawke’s Bay households, the Airport said.
Hawke’s Bay Airport Chief Executive Officer Nick Flack said the solar farm will enable the airport and the region’s sustainable growth.
“It will ensure we can continue to serve the changing needs of airlines flying people in and out of our region. And in the meantime, it will support our region’s transition to a more resilient energy future,” Flack said.
The EOI announcement follows a mutual decision by Hawke’s Bay Airport and gentailer Manawa Energy, now owned by Wellington-headquartered gentailer Contact Energy, not to pursue a much larger 45MW solar development.
“After exploring the options with Manawa, both parties agreed the best path forward was for the airport to continue developing plans for a smaller, fit-for-purpose solar farm that better aligns with our long-term requirements,” Flack said.
No final investment decision has been made for the proposed development, however feasibility work supports progressing the project to the EOI stage to inform the airport’s preferred delivery, ownership and investment model.
The work will happen over the next 12 months, alongside consenting, engineering, cultural and community engagement workstreams.
“An important part of this next phase is understanding the market’s appetite and capability, including construction delivery, operations and maintenance, and potential co-investment options,” Flack said.

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The Government has announced a major milestone for solar energy in Ireland, with solar capacity passing a 3 gigawatt milestone for the first time.
Across the country, the rollout of solar energy continues at an accelerated pace; this includes rooftop solar and utility-scale solar farms.
A recent milestone of a new record of peak output from utility-scale solar farms was set on the national grid. This Monday, generation from these solar farms on the grid surpassed 1.3 GW; this meant that it supplied one third of the country’s total dispatchable electricity.
In general, solar uptake across Ireland has been strong since the first grid-scale solar farm was energised in April 2022. Over 200,000 homes across Ireland have installed solar panels, many of them with SEAI support.
Free solar panels have also been supplied to 2,000 schools across Ireland, giving vital support as energy prices climb higher.
The Minister for Climate, Energy, and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, said:
“This week we have seen two major milestones for utility-scale solar – reaching 3 GW (Gigawatts) of installed solar capacity and establishing a new record for peak utility-scale solar farm generation [1.3 GW] at a given time on the grid. At times on Monday of this week, we saw utility-scale solar energy exceeding a third of the total electricity mix on the national grid. These milestones highlight just how rapidly solar energy, including the growing rooftop revolution, is becoming a major part of our energy system.
“With continued investment in solar – across homes, farms, businesses and large grid-scale projects – Ireland is building a growing source of homegrown, clean electricity, and strengthening our energy security.”
Nicholas Tarrant, Managing Director at ESB Networks, added: “This milestone underlines the growing role solar energy is playing in Ireland’s journey to a low-carbon future. The contribution of both domestic solar panels and major renewable developers delivering large-scale projects has been instrumental in passing the 3 GW threshold.
“ESB Networks is currently delivering a major programme of investment in the Irish electricity network under Price Review 6 to enable the further growth of renewables and support Ireland’s transition to a clean electric future.”
Minister Darragh O’Brien continued: “The successful solar growth in Ireland has been underpinned by clear Government policy and targeted support schemes and measures. Through initiatives such as the Solar PV grant, and our various renewable electricity support schemes, solar deployment is supported at every scale. We are committed to funding the Solar PV grant for the lifetime of this Government, up until 2030.
“Looking at renewable electricity as a whole, we now have over 8 GW (Gigawatts) of generation capacity connected to the network. To put that into perspective, we have added approximately 5 GW (Gigawatts) of new renewable electricity generation capacity in just ten years. That includes a doubling of our wind energy capacity, along with establishing a strong solar energy supply. Just over 10 years ago, there were 2 MW (MegaWatts) of solar in Ireland. Now there are over 3,000 MW (MegaWatts).”
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A solar panel that rolls up, from a laboratory at IISc  YourStory.com
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US engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm Burns & McDonnell has partnered with Gritt to deploy AI-powered robotics technology for utility-scale solar construction.
The companies have spent the past year evaluating Gritt’s robotic solar installation technology at multiple utility-scale project sites, testing its performance in real-world construction environments. They said it could focus on safety, project predictability and labour challenges.
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Gritt’s platform combines AI software with robotics systems that can be attached to conventional construction equipment. The technology is designed to automate labour-intensive tasks including solar array placement and assembly, concrete pouring and rebar installation.
“Solar construction is very repetitive work, lifting 80-pound modules day after day,” says Adam Bernardi, renewables business line director at Burns & McDonnell. “As solar installations continue to grow in scale, we have an opportunity to leverage technology in ways that help our teams work safer, faster and smarter. By helping crews handle some of the most repetitive and physically demanding tasks, Gritt offers a solution that can improve safety while helping us deliver projects more predictably.”
Unlike robotics developed for controlled factory environments, Gritt’s systems are designed for outdoor construction sites, where terrain, weather and site conditions can vary. the company said. The technology is intended to support crews with repetitive and physically demanding tasks while adapting through data gathered during field deployments.
According to the companies, the technology is intended to complement construction workers rather than replace them, reducing exposure to repetitive tasks and allowing crews to focus on higher-value activities.
Gritt’s systems can continue to learn from deployments, using experience from changing weather, terrain, site logistics and construction workflows to improve performance.
Burns & McDonnell and Gritt said the partnership could eventually support wider adoption of AI and robotics across infrastructure construction.
Burns & McDonnell has provided EPC services on several utility-scale solar projects across the US, including Alliant Energy’s two Iowa solar projects totalling 200MW and Geronimo Power’s 250MW Portage Solar project in Wisconsin.
The company also spoke to PV Tech about the growing importance of eBOS in utility-scale solar [subscription required], with Burns & McDonnell’s solar preconstruction manager Grant Reasor saying the focus is increasingly on “consistency in the field and repeatability” as developers seek to reduce construction labour and complexity.

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Want a plug-in battery to go with your new solar panels? Read this first to avoid disappointment  Yahoo Tech
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New Georgia recreation center getting solar panels in effort to save taxpayer money  Yahoo
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Ireland has passed 3 GW of installed solar capacity, according to Irish PV association Solar Ireland. This comes from both large utility-scale sites and rooftop installations, according to the industry association.
“Three gigawatts is a big moment for Irish solar,” said Ronan Power, CEO, Solar Ireland, pointing out that a lot of progress has been made in a relatively short time as Ireland’s first utility-scale solar farm was connected to the grid in 2022.
“Four years later, we have more than 200,000 homes with solar on their roofs, businesses generating their own electricity and solar power plants capable of supplying more than a third of national electricity demand at peak,” said Power.
“There has been huge investment and commitment behind that growth from Government, industry, communities and everyone involved in getting these projects connected,” he added.
The few hundred megawatts required to take Ireland to the 3 GW mark were only realized in the past few weeks as the last official statement from the government on installation numbers put the figure at 2.6 GW and this was in June.
According to Central Statistics Office figures, grid-scale solar farms generated 1.1 GWh of Ireland’s electricity in 2025 – a 51% increase compared to 2024.
The country’s solar industry remains set on the 2030 target of 8 GW of installed solar capacity. Developers are preparing for the sixth renewable energy auction, RESS 6, due in December. It is the first auction to incorporate the European Union’s new rules around non-price criteria under the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA).
Speaking to pv magazine this week, Solar Ireland’s policy manager Leanne Donovan said solar is expected to compete well, but it is too soon to predict how things will turn out.
The organization is lobbying the government to ensure solar, battery energy storage and grid updates are included in the upcoming national budget for 2027.
Power said Budget 2027 needs to unlock the full value of the solar that Irish developers have spent the past few years building.
Following the 3 GW announcement, Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, pledged to continue investing in solar.
“With continued investment in solar – across homes, farms, businesses and large grid-scale projects – Ireland is building a growing source of homegrown, clean electricity, and strengthening our energy security,” he said.
The distribution systems operator, ESB Networks, is delivering the government’s investment program of grid infrastructure upgrades.
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Our special edition for Intersolar South America 2026 is here!
Discover the latest insights into the Brazilian solar market – in Portuguese.
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.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
5:30 am – 6:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its third multi-day virtual event on advancing U.S. solar and energy storage markets, covering financing, supply chains, and distributed energy’s role in grid resilience.
Thursday, October 7, 2026
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Solar panels are becoming hot property, after 53% of prospective buyers say they would actively seek out a home with panels already installed.
In a fairly stagnant housing market they might just be the ticket to getting your house sold, or if you’re worried about global warming, installing solar panels could help you to feel you’re doing your bit.
The thought might have crossed your mind given a Switch Together survey of 2,300 energy consumers across England and Wales found that 56% of households without solar would consider installing it.
And from today August 27, plug-in solar panels can be sold widely across the UK. It’s expected they’ll become available in stores like Lidl and Iceland, as well through online stores like Amazon.
Not to mention, nearly two million UK homes already run on solar power and it’s only going to get more popular.
Either way it seems like a win, right? Well it turns out there’s a bit more to it than that.
Firstly, you need to choose which type of solar panels are going to work best. You can either have them installed on your roof, or have plug-in solar panels which can be mounted in gardens, on walls, or on certain balconies.
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Getting standard 4.5 kilowatt-peak (the optimal energy production of the panels in ideal lab conditions, meaning actual output will be a bit lower) PV solar panels installed on your roof will cost you an average of £7,600, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
It will take you about 10 years to break even but Charlotte Snelgrove, head of low carbon tech at Octopus Energy tells Metro the average homeowner could save around £500 per year on energy bills this way.
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‘You’ll need to own your home, a pitched (non-flat) roof with enough clear space to fit at least two solar panels and a roof with concrete or clay tiles,’ she says. ‘It also requires safe access for scaffolding.’
South-facing roofs are best as they get the most sunlight, and according to Money Saving Expert, your roof should also be in direct light from 10am to 4pm. But east or west-facing roofs will also work. North-facing means solar may not be your best option.
You’ll need to pay for a roof inspection to make sure it can hold the panels, which will set you back around £250, according to Checkatrade.
The Government’s Planning Portal suggests you don’t typically need planning permission for solar panels, but if you have a listed property or you’re in a conservation area you’ll need approval, so just double check with your council.
It’s also important to note these panels typically have a lifespan of 25 years or more, but their efficiency will begin to decline after around two decades.
The lower-cost option is plug-in solar panels which can be placed outdoors on balcony railings, garden fences, patios or shed roofs.
You’ll buy them for about £400, and plug them in to your mains electricity, which means you can take them with you if you move home, and they’re great for people in flats.
These are only just about to become available on August 27, with the UK previously barring them due to safety regulations.
Before you plug them in you’ll need to jump through some hoops. It can be a potential fire-hazard, so an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) from a qualified electrician is recommended to check your wiring can handle it. This will add between £100 and £250 to your total, according to Checkatrade.
You’ll also need a weatherproof, dust-resistant outdoor socket which costs about £140 to £260 to get fitted. You absolutely cannot use a standard extension cable to connect your panels to the socket, instead get an MC4 extension cable if needed.
If you’re renting, you’ll also need your landlord’s permission to get these solar panels, or you risk losing your deposit.
Then, anything in your home will automatically use this free solar power before using electricity from the National Grid, which you pay your energy supplier for.
The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero estimates savings of £70 to £110 per year on energy bills, meaning you’ll break-even in four to six years.
If you’re not someone who is at home during the day, solar panels could be a bit of a waste.
When it comes to roof panels, you’ll need to buy a battery, as well as the panels, to store the energy generated throughout the day so you can use it later.
With a provider like Octopus Energy, installations start from £6,663 for a two-panel system without a battery and from £8,623 for eight panels with a 5kWh essential battery. The most popular system is a 12 panel installation with a 10kWh smart battery which costs £11,115.
With plug-in solar you won’t be able to store the electricity. George Penny, solar panel installer and director at The Solar Co, says: ‘Homeworkers, retirees and families regularly using electricity during daylight hours benefit most.
‘This is because plug-in solar systems don’t currently include battery storage, meaning the electricity should be used as it’s generated to ensure maximum savings on energy bills.
‘Any surplus the household cannot use may flow into the grid, and consumers should not assume they will be paid for it.’
Basically if you use most of your electricity after sunset when you get home from work, it’s going to take you a lot longer to recoup your costs.
A quarter of people who already have solar say they almost didn’t go through with installation because they weren’t sure who to trust.
So, if there’s one thing you need to look for when choosing a provider, it’s the MCS certification.
John Collett, director at Quantum Renewables tells Metro: ‘The Microgeneration Certification Scheme is the industry standard for solar installers in the UK and you cannot access government incentives such as the Smart Export Guarantee without using an MCS-certified installer.
‘Check the installer’s MCS number on the official MCS database at mcscertified.com before signing anything.
‘Beyond that, look for membership of trade bodies such as NAPIT or RECC, check Google and Trustpilot reviews independently.’
Money Saving Expert warns that while some installers let you buy solar panels on credit, through finance agreements, just make sure the loan is interest-free (many are).
Consumer champion Jane Hawkes, founder of the Lady Janey website tells Metro that you should never assume the headline price is the final price.
‘Ask for a written quotation that clearly sets out everything you will pay, including installation, scaffolding, electrical work, cabling, roof repairs, certification, monitoring equipment and any battery or inverter costs,’ she says.
‘It’s also worth asking whether there could be additional charges if the installation takes longer than expected or your property needs extra work.
‘Check whether maintenance, warranties and call-out costs are included, and understand the cancellation terms before signing. If a salesperson won’t provide a clear, itemised price, that should be a warning sign.’
Once you’ve chosen your provider, Charlotte says roof solar panels are installed in three stages.
‘First, the system is designed remotely using photos of the property and a consultation with a solar specialist,’ she says. ‘The provider should handle any required grid approvals and arranges scaffolding ahead of installation.
‘Then, engineers fit and connect the panels and any battery, test the full system, making sure everything is working properly.’
This solar and battery installation can take anywhere from two to four days, so it’s a fairly quick job.
Jane Hawkes explains that if your panels aren’t working properly, you can start by going back to the installer and keep a written record of all correspondence, photographs, invoices and problems.
‘If the company is MCS certified, there are complaints and dispute-resolution routes available through the scheme.
‘Consumers can also contact the Citizens Advice consumer service for practical advice, and concerns about unfair or potentially illegal trading can be passed to Trading Standards.’
She adds that unfortunately getting your money back depends on the circumstances but you have rights if the goods are faulty.
If your solar panels have an MCS certificate, you’ll be able to sell your electricity you generate to the National Grid via The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).
This doesn’t happen automatically, you need to sign up. Any energy supplier with more than 150,000 customers is required to offer a SEG tariff and these can be a fixed or variable rate.
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You’ll be able to earn around 15p to 25p per kWh for each unit of electricity, but you’ll need to install a smart meter to monitor your exports.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
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Aptera’s solar car delivered roughly 47 miles of estimated range with its hatch angled at the sun  Stock Titan
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California solar owner builds iOS tool to predict electric bills before annual true-up shock  Yahoo Tech
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The plant was inaugurated in the Abbas Abad Industrial Park in Pakdasht County in the presence of Shina Ansari, head of Iran’s Department of Environment.
Built with 10,000 domestically produced solar panels at a cost of more than 3 trillion rials, the facility generates enough electricity to meet the needs of around 4,000 households.
According to estimates, the plant’s environmental benefits are equivalent to planting 280,000 trees.

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Broken glass can cut performance and shorten the panel’s usable life.
Photo Credit: iStock
After a homeowner received a solar panel that was so damaged it looks like a golf ball hit it, they took to the internet to ask whether it was salvageable.
The person who bought the 430-watt Epoch panel, which arrived with spiderweb cracking across its face, was frustrated over receiving the damaged product.
Despite being damaged, however, it was still generating electricity. That left the buyer questioning whether the reduced output was good enough or if the panel was doomed. They took the issue to Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community and asked, “If the panel is cracked, is it just a matter of time before it’s finished?”
The original poster added: “It still produces power, decent power. It’s supposed to go back tomorrow. … If it weren’t cracked, it would be solid. Anyone else have experience with these panels?”
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Commenters were not optimistic.
One said the damaged surface meant the panel was already sacrificing energy. They also gave a direct answer to the longevity question, writing: “Yes: It is just a matter of time before it’s finished. … And cleaning it would risk one of the glass chips coming loose and going somewhere unexpected.”
Another Redditor said some people try to keep cracked panels in service by sealing them but warned that the practice was “fraught with safety risks.” Someone else was even more blunt, calling the panel “definitely a goner.”
The problem with a cracked panel is not just cosmetic.
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Solar modules are built to keep moisture out and allow as much sunlight through as possible, so broken glass can cut performance and shorten the panel’s usable life.
If a 430W panel is producing only a fraction of its rated output, the owner could lose meaningful generation, especially in an off-grid or backup power setup wherein every watt matters.
For homeowners looking beyond portable or DIY gear, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you’re comparing options, EnergySage lets you get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. Those who use EnergySage’s free services can save up to $10,000.
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A mismatch can leave consumers with equipment that simply will not charge, even if the specs are close on paper.
Photo Credit: iStock
Rolling blackouts are forcing households to piece together backup power solutions on short notice, but what looks like a budget buy can become a frustrating technical problem.
That was the situation facing one family trying to keep their laptops charged during long outages.
The original poster shared a thread in Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community, noting outages in their area sometimes lasted 10 to 12 hours and that their household had bought a 288-watt-hour power station. 
“Since the rolling blackouts started in our area, we decided to get a beefier power bank,” they wrote. “… Searching for the options within our budget, we came across a very reasonably priced power station instead (thanks to my wife’s coupons). So suddenly, we ended up with a solar option.”
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
The OP noted that the power station required a 100W maximum panel with input of 20-30V. “Practically, such panels do not exist,” they added. “I mean they do, if you are willing to get one of those very expensive portable ones with this rare voltage range. The other option is to get a 200W panel (at almost double the price of a 100W).”
They wanted to know their options, wondering if they could set up a 100W, 18V solar panel.
One commenter pointed out an inconsistency in the post, writing, “I don’t understand why you want an 18V panel if the power station only works with solar input of 20-30V.” 
The OP responded: “There is only one reason for going after an 18V panel: I cannot find a reasonably priced 20V+ one. Practically every 100W hard panel I can find is 18V. For some reason the station’s minimum input voltage is 20V, extremely narrowing the panel options.”
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
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Another commenter said: “The 200W one should be fine. Meet the voltage requirements first. Amps will be throttled by your MPPT unless it’s a total total total piece of crap.”
For homeowners, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, especially when outages make dependable backup power even more valuable. 
But the discussion showed how easy it is to run into trouble when shopping by wattage. In this case, the family was trying to save money without buying a pricy specialty panel or moving up to a 200-watt option that was hard to justify for a small backup setup.
A mismatch can leave consumers with equipment that simply will not charge, even if the specs are close on paper. For households dealing with long scheduled outages, getting the voltage right can mean getting use out of a small battery instead of spending more on gear they may not need.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Readers looking into bigger long-term savings can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates, more information and guidance, and compare quotes. Those who do can save up to $10,000.
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JAKSON Engineers Ltd, part of energy and infrastructure conglomerate JAKSON Group, has appointed Ivan Saha as managing director. Saha will lead the company’s integrated solar manufacturing business, overseeing technology, manufacturing operations and business growth.
Saha brings more than 31 years of experience across the semiconductor, solar and sustainable energy sectors, including leadership roles in renewable energy and photovoltaics. Before joining JAKSON, he served as CEO of Reliance Infrastructure’s renewable manufacturing business. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Vikram Solar. He has also served as chief technology officer at ReNew Power and held leadership roles at Moser Baer Photovoltaic and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Saha’s appointment comes as JAKSON expands its manufacturing footprint and advances plans for large-scale backward integration across the solar value chain.
“JAKSON has always taken a long-term view while building businesses that address evolving energy needs. Ivan’s experience will support our continued investment in advanced manufacturing and contribute to the Group’s growth,” said Sameer Gupta, Chairman, JAKSON Group. 
Sundeep Gupta, vice chairman, JAKSON Group, said, “As solar manufacturing becomes more integrated and digitalised, process control, quality and cost efficiency will increasingly shape competitiveness. Ivan’s relevant experience in these domains will be valuable as JAKSON advances its manufacturing plans.” 
Commenting on his appointment, Ivan Saha, managing director, JAKSON Engineers Ltd, “I am excited to join JAKSON and work with its experienced leadership team as the company expands its solar manufacturing capabilities and undertakes an ambitious backward integration journey. I look forward to contributing to this next phase of manufacturing scale up, with a continued emphasis on technology, quality and operational efficiency aligned with the nation’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission.” 
Established in 1947, JAKSON Group has evolved from specializing in diesel generator manufacturing to becoming a multifaceted energy and infra solutions provider. The company operates across distributed energy, solar power, renewable energy, green molecules, alternative fuels, and energy storage systems, along with renewable, metro, electrical, water and civil EPC services. With six manufacturing facilities, over 30 sales offices, and 12 international offices, JAKSON has built a strong footprint across India and global markets.
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ART-PV is stacking two solar cells on top of each other to push past silicon’s limit  YourStory.com
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AmpereHour builds the battery systems that let a grid store what its solar farms generate  YourStory.com
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SA Power Networks, the electricity distribution network operating in the state of South Australia, has announced its annual curtailment test will take place next Tuesday (August 25).
A statement published on the network’s website describes the annual test as “like a fire drill for the grid” that ensures its ability to temporarily curtail rooftop solar generation.
“[The test] simulates a rare but urgent situation so we can confirm that all systems and people are ready to respond if an actual emergency occurs,” the statement adds.
Around 100,000 customers are expected to be impacted on the day, with the curtailment expected to last less than an hour. SA Power Networks says solar systems will ramp down to 0 kW before ramping back up, with customers expected to miss around 1.5 kWh of generation on average.
The network’s update explains that the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) can direct it to use curtailment to help keep the electricity system stable during a system security emergency. 
“AEMO monitors grid stability nationally and works to maintain system security – balancing electricity supply with demand,” the statement continues. “In South Australia, that balance can be challenging because we have more rooftop solar per capita than almost anywhere in the world.”
The government of South Australia passed legislation in 2020 requiring all solar systems installed after September that year to be able to be remotely disconnected during a system security emergency.
Curtailment is considered as one of the biggest challenges facing the development of Australia’s solar market, across all market segments. Analysis from February found South Australia typically sees relatively moderate curtailment through autumn and winter followed by a sharp escalation in spring and early summer.
Earlier this year, the Australian Energy Market Commission unveiled plans to modernize its distribution network planning, which it says will help to lower curtailment of rooftop solar.
According to figures shared by the International Solar Energy Society, the number of dwellings with rooftop PV in South Australia has now passed 50%.
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Canadian Solar Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results  Yahoo Finance Singapore
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A solar and battery boom in Australia is helping home owners cut their electricity bills and feed power into the grid.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Prashant Mehra
Published Aug 24, 2026, 06:00 AM
Updated Aug 24, 2026, 12:05 PM
AI generated
SYDNEY – For Sydney resident Ken Enderby, energy bills are a thing of the past. In fact, his power retailer owes him about A$600 (S$550) in credit.
The former teacher estimates he is saving more than A$5,000 a year after installing a 10.5-kilowatt rooftop solar system and a 13.5 kilowatt-hour Tesla Powerwall battery at his suburban home. The solar panels and battery easily meet most of the electricity needs for his home and electric vehicle (EV).
He has spent a total of A$2.87 to run his EV over the past 2½ years, plus A$345 in maintenance.
Soon after installing his battery, Enderby joined a virtual power plant (VPP), which allows his energy retailer to automatically manage when the battery charges and discharges, including sending electricity back to the grid when prices are high.
He retains the ability to override the system. In 2025, he made nearly A$800 from exporting electricity. He is now looking to add a second battery and another 5kW of solar, mainly to cover additional usage in winter.
“I was selling quite a lot of power into the grid… but I couldn’t get my hands on the savings that I was making, I couldn’t cash it out,” he said. “The only way you could do that is to join a virtual power plant.”
Sydney resident Ken Enderby standing next to his Tesla Powerwall battery at his home. The former teacher estimates he is saving more than A$5,000 a year after installing a solar system and battery.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KEN ENDERBY
Enderby’s experience is far from typical but points to a bigger change under way in Australia’s electricity market.
One in three homes – or 4.3 million – has rooftop solar, the highest per-capita rate in the world. The combined capacity of these solar systems is 28.3 gigawatts – or more than twice Singapore’s total installed power generation capacity. Even farmers are turning to solar.
Now, a proliferation of batteries is turning those homes into miniature power plants. During the day, batteries charge up via solar panels; at night, that stored energy powers the house or gets sold back to the grid, cutting peak evening power bills.
Battery installations have been turbocharged by a federal subsidy under the government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Programme through which households, businesses and community organisations can get a discount of about 30 per cent on the upfront cost of installing battery systems. Depending on the type and size, these can cost A$9,000 to A$14,000 after the subsidy.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced on Aug 14 that the federal battery programme crossed 500,000 installations nationwide, taking total battery capacity to 14,000 megawatt-hours, barely a year after its launch.
That is roughly the amount of power to run 2,300 homes for a full year, or enough to run 6,400 EVs for an entire year.
Bowen noted that Australia has more home batteries than the United States, which has total battery capacity of 9,000 megawatt-hours.
But beneath the headline numbers lie some key questions: Can these batteries, scattered across neighbourhoods, be knitted together to behave like a coordinated source of grid capacity? And will home owners let energy retailers control their batteries?
Although large amounts of battery capacity now sit in homes, only about 24 per cent of battery owners participate in VPPs, according to latest data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
That is well short of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) forecast of a 50 per cent long-term participation rate. Achieving that level could avoid A$7.2 billion in additional generation and network investment.
For consumers, the financial case appears attractive: ACCC data shows customers with solar-and-battery systems saw median annual bills that were 20 per cent to 52 per cent lower than those of regular customers, while those participating in VPPs saw bills 57 per cent to 63 per cent lower.
Most retailers, including Origin Energy and AGL, run VPP schemes, while Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, offers households up to A$1,000 for signing up. Despite this, persuading home owners to hand over control of an asset they have just spent thousands of dollars on has proved difficult.
“Consumer energy decisions tend to be quite complex already, a lot of consumers struggle to engage with energy plans,” said Jay Gordon, energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
“If you add to that, having a battery and VPP offerings, it can tend to be quite confusing. A lot of consumers also don’t have trust in their energy retailers.”
Brisbane home owner David King knows the feeling. He installed solar panels and an 8 kilowatt-hour battery in July 2025 under the federal scheme, cutting his monthly bill from about A$80 to between A$10 and A$20. Since then, he has not needed to draw electricity from the grid during the evening peak.
But he has resisted joining a VPP. “I’m not so keen on the VPP yet, because I would lose control of some of that timing of when things will be taken out of a battery,” he said. King is open to the option if he gets more storage capacity installed and is confident enough reserve capacity will remain for his own needs.
That highlights a central challenge for VPP operators: giving home owners confidence they will retain enough control over a battery they have paid for.
Some do this by putting limits on battery discharge, leaving 20 per cent to 25 per cent capacity reserved for the home owner.
Brisbane home owner David King installed solar panels and an 8 kilowatt-hour battery in July 2025, cutting his monthly bill from about A$80 to A$10 to A$20.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF DAVID KING
But the problem is also financial: VPPs generally automate battery dispatch to maximise electricity trading returns – for instance, selling power in the evenings when demand and wholesale prices spike.
“The traditional VPP model is… automate for the retailer and keep the majority of the spoils, sharing a little bit with the customer. That little bit has not been well received,” said Tim Barson from Amber Electric, an energy retailer.
The issue is that retailers can profit by tapping stored battery energy and selling it when electricity wholesale prices spike, without sharing that profit fully with battery owners.
Amber charges a flat A$25 monthly fee on its VPP plan, passes on the wholesale energy price without taking a cut, and allows customers to intervene and retain manual control of their battery.
Asked what customers want from their batteries, Barson has a blunt answer: “No more power bill.”
Even without widespread VPP adoption, the impact on Australia’s energy system is already profound. AEMO chief executive Daniel Westerman noted in June that consumers with full control over their batteries deliver enormous benefit to the grid by reducing evening peak demand.
The shift is measurable: Gas-fired electricity generation in Australia recently hit its lowest level since 2003, partly because grid-scale and household batteries are covering power demand after sunset.
Analysts say batteries operating passively are reducing peak demand more than expected.
The coordinated use of VPP lets retailers charge thousands of batteries when power is cheap and draw on them when demand spikes, giving the network greater visibility over distributed storage and reducing the need for expensive generation and network investment.
The challenge is convincing home owners the trade-off is worth it – a problem that is partly economic, but also one of trust and transparency.
Heidi Lee Douglas, chief executive of consumer advocacy group Solar Citizens, said households need clearer pricing, stronger consumer protections and more transparent VPP offers to unlock the value of their batteries for the wider system.
One potential answer is to make the financial reward more obvious. Currently, households might pay 15 Australian cents per kilowatt-hour to import power while receiving only four Australian cents for exporting the same amount.
Douglas said her group is pushing for symmetric tariffs – paying households the same rate for exporting as importing at any given time – alongside clearer signals so consumers feel confident that sharing their stored power will be properly rewarded.
Moreover, about a third of Australians cannot install batteries because they live in rented accommodation or apartments. For them, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which turns electric vehicles into mobile batteries, may be the most viable path. Solar Citizens is proposing that V2G inverters be covered under a federal rebate.
Amber’s Barson agrees V2G is the next frontier, opening savings to EV owners who cannot install a home battery.
Singapore, where most people live in apartments, offers a useful counterpoint to where Australia might be headed.
Douglas points to a workaround already in motion: Australia will expand its small-scale renewable energy scheme from October to cover commercial and industrial rooftops, enabling shared power arrangements that apartment dwellers could plug into.
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JAKSON Engineers Limited, part of JAKSON Group, an energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has appointed Ivan Saha as its new Managing Director. He will lead JAKSON’s integrated solar manufacturing business, overseeing technology, manufacturing operations, and business growth.
Saha brings extensive leadership experience in the renewable energy and photovoltaic sectors. Prior to joining JAKSON, he served as CEO of Reliance Infrastructure’s renewable manufacturing business. Before that, he had worked with Vikram Solar as well as ReNew. 
With over 31 years of experience across the semiconductor, solar, and sustainable energy sectors, Saha brings deep technical, operational, and business expertise. Sharing the news of his appointment, JAKSON said the leadership change would strengthen its manufacturing footprint and advance its large-scale backward integration plans across the solar value chain.
Earlier in his career, he was Chief Executive Officer of Vikram Solar, having previously held the positions of Chief Technology Officer and Head of Manufacturing at the company. He also served as Chief Technology Officer at ReNew Power and held key leadership roles at Moser Baer Photovoltaic and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Saha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ceramic Technology from the University of Calcutta and a Master of Technology degree in Materials Science from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt from Motorola University.
A member of the World Solar Congress Advisory Board, he has also authored more than 65 research papers and filed over 10 patent applications in photovoltaic technology.
Welcoming Saha, Sameer Gupta, Chairman, JAKSON Group, said, “JAKSON has always taken a long-term view while building businesses that address evolving energy needs. Ivan’s experience will support our continued investment in advanced manufacturing and contribute to the Group’s growth.”
Sharing his perspective on the sector, Sundeep Gupta, Vice Chairman, JAKSON Group, said, “As solar manufacturing becomes more integrated and digitalised, process control, quality, and cost efficiency will increasingly shape competitiveness. Ivan’s relevant experience in these domains will be valuable as JAKSON advances its manufacturing plans.”

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The latest round of the Australian government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) is officially open, providing renewable energy project developers with the opportunity to register and bid for underwriting contracts for generation projects in Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM).
CIS Tender 11 is seeking about 1.8 GW of renewable energy generation capacity with projects supported through the tender expected to be operating by 2030. Registrations for the tender are already open with bids opening on 27 August alongside the release of the tender guidelines.
Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the tender will be the first to require participation in the government’s new Developer Rating Scheme (DRS), that is designed to give landholders and local communities greater transparency about the track record, capability and conduct of renewable energy developers and transmission companies
“Western Australia needs more power as its economy and population grow, and this tender will bring forward another 1.8 GW of new generation to help deliver it,” Bowen said.
“We’re also lifting the bar for developers – if you want Commonwealth backing through this tender, you need to show you’re serious about working properly with communities and landholders.”
The DRS is run independently by data, analytics and technology company Equifax. It looks at areas such as community engagement, commercial capabilities and financial capacity. To bid in Tender 11, developers must have commenced the DRS assessment process.
The new tender also includes a 180 MW First Nations Equity and Revenue Sharing Set Aside. It is for projects that commit to 5% or higher First Nations equity participation, or a similar revenue-sharing arrangement.
Federal Assistant Energy Minister Josh Wilson the tender will also place a stronger emphasis on projects being ready and able to deliver, including their ability to attract financing. 
“By placing a stronger emphasis on deliverability and financing capability, we’re ensuring projects supported through the Capacity Investment Scheme are well positioned to be built and provide energy when it’s needed,” he said.
“This tender will help bring forward the generation capacity needed to support the state’s growing economy and population.”
The launch of Tender 11 builds on recent CIS investment in WA. Earlier tenders announced this year supported 1.9 GW of renewable energy generation and 482 MW of battery energy storage across 10 projects.
The government said Tender 11 is likely to be the final CIS tender in the WEM, provided generation and dispatchable capacity targets are met.
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Home > Business > Sustainability

Plug-In Solar Panels Legalised Across Great Britain

Graham Turner
27 August 2026, 11.13am
Plug-in solar panels can now be used legally across Great Britain, with the government estimating the technology could save households up to £110 a year on their energy bills.
The changes, which come into effect today (27 August), mean households can use easy-to-install solar panels that plug directly into their homes to generate electricity.
Each plug-in solar kit can produce up to 800W of power, which the government says is enough to provide up to 20% of an average household’s electricity use.
When sufficient sunlight is available, the panels could generate enough power to simultaneously run appliances and devices including a typical fridge, television, Wi-Fi router, laptop, phone charger and Xbox Series S without drawing electricity from the grid.
Unlike conventional rooftop solar systems, the plug-in devices do not require professional installation and can be positioned in outdoor spaces or on some balconies.
The legal changes follow independent safety testing covering the key electrical elements of the technology. According to the government, compliant systems are safe and compatible with UK household wiring.
The UK safety specification is also said to be more stringent than the requirements in Germany, where plug-in solar is already widely used and around half a million new devices were installed last year.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Plug-in solar is a simple, affordable way for households to take control of their energy bills and start saving straight away.
“From this summer, we’re giving more families the ability power their homes with clean homegrown energy.”
Retailers including Amazon, Argos, B&Q, Currys, Screwfix and Wickes are expected to stock plug-in solar products both online and in stores.
People considering installing the devices have been advised to check whether permission is required for their property beforehand. Depending on the property, this could include approval from a landlord, building owner or freeholder, as well as planning permission or listed building consent.
Decisions over individual requests will remain a matter for landlords, freeholders and local councils.
The move comes amid growing demand for household solar power across Britain. Recent MCS figures showed almost 150,000 certified solar panel installations were completed during the first six months of 2026, representing a 17% increase on the previous record start to a year in 2025.
That equates to approximately one solar installation every 74 seconds.
Battery uptake has also increased, with 36,000 certified installations recorded over the same period, almost double the figure from the corresponding period last year.
The government said legalising plug-in solar would broaden access to domestic renewable energy, including for people living in flats or rented properties where conventional rooftop systems may be less practical.
Homeowners with conventional rooftop solar can already make estimated savings of up to £480 per year.
The change also forms part of wider government efforts aimed at reducing household energy costs. In July, the Prime Minister announced plans to cut VAT on energy bills this winter, following £150 of costs being removed from energy bills in last year’s Budget and the expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount to around six million households.
Trevor Hutchings, CEO of the Renewable Energy Association, said: “From today, with little more than a trip to the shops, people in Britain will be able to harness the energy of the sun to power their households.
“The arrival of plug-in solar is a huge step forward in democratising renewable energy and giving everyone the access they deserve to clean, cheap, homegrown power. Plug-in solar saves money – up to £100 a year – and it’s only right that this benefit should be felt by renters and flat-owners as well.
“Our electricity prices are some of the highest because of our exposure to volatile international gas markets. Innovations like plug-in solar and the wider renewables roll out will help us bring down bills and strengthen our energy sovereignty.”
Graham Turner
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2026 August 26   11:03
shipbuilding
Chinese owner Shandong Shipping’s 250,000-dwt ore carrier Shandong Hexie has received what is claimed to be the world’s first Solar Photovoltaic System class certificate, according to China Classification Society (CCS).  
The photovoltaic power-generation system uses three-phase micro-inversion technology and can cut annual fuel consumption by 33 tonnes and carbon emissions by 102.8 tonnes.  
The certification builds on a wider efficiency programme for the vessel. CCS said Shandong Hexie’s energy-efficiency design incorporated measures capable of reducing fuel consumption by about 25%.  
Its high-voltage shore-power system was also approved and certified by CCS, allowing the vessel to operate with zero emissions during port calls.
The ship was subsequently selected as a national-level shore-power demonstration project.  
Shandong Hexie was delivered on 18 November 2014 by Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. to Shandong Shipping Corporation.
Designed by China Ship Design & Research Center Co., Ltd., it was the first 250,000-dwt ore carrier independently designed, built and classed in China.  
The vessel operates scheduled iron ore voyages between China and Port Hedland, Australia.  Its design required solutions for large cargo-hold openings, high stress concentrations and heavy and partial-load conditions.
CCS developed dedicated technical standards and a structural safety assessment system and carried out global structural-strength, fatigue and buckling calculations.  
The class society also surveyed the ship throughout construction, including steel cutting, block fabrication, erection, mooring tests and sea trials.  
Shandong Hexie won First Prize in the Chinese Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers’ 2016 Science and Technology Award. Sister ship Shandong Zhengtong was included in the Royal Institution of Naval Architects’ Significant Ships of 2015.  
China Classification Society is a Chinese ship classification organisation.
Shandong Shipping Corporation is a state-owned enterprise of Shandong province active in marine transportation, logistics and ship management.
Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. is a Chinese shipbuilding company.
China Ship Design & Research Center Co., Ltd. is a Chinese ship design and marine engineering company.
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Canadian Solar announced Q2 2026 financial results with net revenues of $1.2 billion, hitting the high end of guidance, and a gross margin of 13.9%. The company opened the first phase of its HJT solar cell factory in Indiana, aiming to expand US manufacturing capacity to 6.3 GWp by mid-2027. Energy storage shipments rose 82% quarter-over-quarter to 3.7 GWh, supporting utility-scale projects globally. Despite a net loss of $77 million due to tariff refund absence and ramp-up costs, Canadian Solar expects revenue growth and stable margins in Q3 2026, driven by increased US solar and storage shipments and project sales.
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PV cell and module manufacturer Runergy has announced that its independently developed TOPCon 3.0 large-area module achieved a conversion efficiency of 25.9% in testing and certification at the US National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR). The company said the result sets a new efficiency record for crystalline-silicon modules, excluding HBC modules.
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Runergy introduced its next-generation TOPCon cell with a certified conversion efficiency of 26.9% at Intersolar Europe 2026 (see Runergy Introduces TOPCon Cell With 26.9% Conversion Efficiency).
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PV and aerospace optoelectronic testing equipment provider Delicacy Laser has launched an AAA-rated AM0 steady-state solar simulator, primarily designed for I-V testing of space-grade gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells and irradiation-aging tests of space optoelectronic materials. The simulator achieves 100% spectral coverage (SPC 100%) across the 300-1,800 nm range, while its spectral match, irradiance non-uniformity, and temporal instability all meet Class A requirements.
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China Energy recently announced the results of its 2026 centralized procurement of 30 GWh of LFP ESS and battery cells (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Silicon materials manufacturer Hoshine Silicon reported revenue of RMB 10.16 billion for the first half of 2026, up 3.94% year on year. The company recorded a net profit of RMB 324.5 million, but an adjusted net loss of RMB 30.2 million, although the loss narrowed from a year earlier. Last month, Hoshine forecast its H1 2026 net profit to range between RMB 320 million and RMB 380 million, and its adjusted net loss between RMB 28 million and RMB 33 million (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
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TaiyangNews 2024

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India's solar manufacturing industry is entering a structural upcycle, driven by rapid growth in domestic solar installations, supportive government measures and rising localisation across the solar PV value chain, according to a report by SMIFS. The report said India is likely to see significant capacity additions in modules, cells, ingots and wafers as it looks to reduce import dependence and build a globally competitive solar manufacturing ecosystem.
SMIFS said the growth outlook is tied to a sharp rise in solar capacity in the country. India's installed solar capacity has increased from around 12 GW in FY17 to around 150 GW in FY26, and is expected to reach around 370 GW by FY31.
With solar likely to contribute the largest share of incremental power capacity, SMIFS said demand for solar modules and cells should remain strong over the medium to long term, prompting leading manufacturers to expand module and cell capacities while also investing in ingots and wafers.
The report said upstream localisation offers a major opportunity for domestic manufacturers, particularly as India currently imports more than 99 per cent of its wafer requirements. SMIFS said the shift towards an integrated ingot-to-wafer-to-cell-to-module ecosystem should improve supply-chain resilience, reduce reliance on imports and favour companies with scale and technological capability.
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At the same time, SMIFS said rapid manufacturing capacity expansion could intensify competition, especially in module assembly. As the sector moves towards higher-efficiency technologies and deeper backward integration, the report said scale, cost leadership, technological capability and vertical integration will be key drivers of long-term profitability.
Integrated manufacturers are likely to gain market share, while smaller module-only players could face margin pressure and consolidation. SMIFS said it remains structurally positive on the sector, but added that selectivity will be important as rapid additions may create module oversupply and pressure realisations.
It said companies with large-scale capacity, backward integration into cells, ingots and wafers, TOPCon technology, strong balance sheets, high DCR exposure and export capability are likely to be better placed. Its positive stance is underpinned by strong order books, rapid capacity additions, policy-led localisation and increasing backward integration across the solar value chain.
Based on the current valuations and growth outlook over FY26E-28E, we have assigned 'buy' ratings on Waaree Energies Ltd (target price: Rs 3,590), Premier Energies Ltd (target price: Rs 1,344), Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Ltd (target price: Rs 418) and Vikram Solar Ltd (target price: Rs 220), suggesting 26-36 per cent upside potential in these stocks.
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Britain’s new rules make it possible to generate power for your home with a simple DIY plug-in solar panel kit
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There’s been plenty of hype around plug-in solar kits since the government announced plans to make the technology easier to use in British homes – and they become legal to buy and fit on 27 August.
The new compliant plug-in solar kits enable you to harness the power of the sun, turn it into electricity and feed that power into your house through a standard wall socket, without the need for any additional wiring. They are simple plug-and-play units, and they’re complete. You unpack, mount the solar panel (up to 2000W) on a ground-mounting system or other fixing, place a small box, known as a microinverter, near an AC wall socket, and plug in.
While solar systems already exist, they require professional installers, changes to your home’s wiring, and permissions. You also need a house with a roof, so if you rent or live in an apartment or flat, fixing a permanent array of panels to the roof likely isn’t an option. So these inexpensive plug-in solar kits seem like a great way to save money as bills continue to rise.
And the government is keen to promote them, highlighting the success Germany has seen in the last year, with more than half a million of these devices plugged into homes and saving the population money on their electricity. Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has said, “Plug-in solar is a simple, affordable way for households to take control of their energy bills and start saving straight away.” And “From this summer, we’re giving more families the ability to power their homes with clean homegrown energy.”
But where to start? For this guide, I’ve looked at what’s been labelled as compliant, what’s coming up and some more traditional options to find the best plug-in solar kit at present. I’ll be updating information and reviewing the kits as they become available.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
The energy a plug-in solar kit generates depends on the size of the panels you buy. The new system is designed to produce up to 800W of power, which the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has said can save you up to £110 a year. Essentially, it will run all the basics in the house throughout the day, such as the fridge, wifi router, phone chargers and TV.
According to Joanna O’Loan, knowledge manager for the Energy Saving Trust, “the savings will vary from home to home”, but “plug-in solar panels will give more people greater control over their energy use and costs. As these products become more widely available, access to clear and reliable information is essential to help people make informed choices”.
Read more: Plug-in solar vs installed arrays
Plug-in solar panels don’t require any modifications to your house’s wiring.
The electricity generated by the solar panels is fed into the microinverter and into your mains electricity at a maximum of 800W, helping power your household devices and reducing your draw from the national grid. Less dependence on drawing power from the grid and more use of self-generated power means that you save money. Although this is a new system, prices are expected to be less than £1,000 and likely much cheaper, meaning you’ll start saving money instantly.
While Europe has been using these systems for several years, England, Wales, and Scotland are only just passing legislation to allow the use, and there are tight criteria for the models to be ENA-compliant. However, there is a caveat: when I asked an ENA representative directly, they answered, “ENA does not ‘approve’ products in general terms; instead we assess them for compliance with network requirements.”
Alongside the plug-in kit, you’ll also need to fill in a G98B form; more on that below. However, David Boyer, director of electricity systems at Energy Networks Association, has been quoted as saying, “This is a major step forward for incorporating microgeneration safely and efficiently onto the UK’s energy grid. Network operators will continue to work closely with Government, Ofgem and manufacturers to ensure the registration process for micro-generation evolves to meet consumer demands.”
If you are in rented accommodation, check with your landlord, building owner, or freeholder to confirm you have permission to use these; you may also need to check with planning or obtain a building consent. You also need to inform your local Distribution Network Operator.
Read more: How plug-in solar panels work, from setup to saving on energy bills
The government has been working closely with retailers including Currys, B&Q, Screwfix, Argos, Wickes and Amazon, who have committed to stocking these systems after 27 August, with many other retailers expressing interest.
Argos will be the first UK retailer to sell plug-in panels this week, with prices expected to be between £400 and £500.
At present, only two models meet the full requirements for the new plug-in solar compliance, both from UKSOL. These kits come complete with everything you need to get started; you just need to set them up and plug them into a standard AC socket. At present, the two available models use a ground mounting system.
The UKSOL plug-in solar pro compact 460W is one of only two systems presently awarded compliance status in the UK. It offers a 460W single solar panel system that can be secured with a ground stand and ballast, essentially something to weigh it down. At present, this system is only offered as a ground-mounted system. However, other mounting options will be available soon, but it’s not suitable for balcony mounting.
The panel then plugs into the 800W microinverter, which can connect via wifi or Bluetooth to the monitoring app on a mobile device. Then all you need is to insert the standard AC plug into a spare wall socket.
The small microinverter is IP67-rated, so you can leave it outside and run the supplied 4m cable into the house or apartment to plug in. Ballast is not included, and it’s not suitable for balconies. It also requires an outdoor socket to be installed and certified by a qualified electrician.
Once everything is connected, you can refer to the app to see how much electricity the panels are generating and feeding into the electrical system. I’ll bring you my full review soon.
The UKSOL plug-in solar pro duo 890W is the larger of the two plug-in solar options that currently meet the compliance standards. It offers two 445W panels and again utilises a ground-mounted system rather than a balcony. You can secure this mount to the ground using a ballast of your choice.
Again, an 800W microinverter with full wifi and Bluetooth connectivity lets you monitor energy generation live. As this system essentially follows the same, the panel and microinverter are both IP67-certified, meaning they can be left outdoors in the rain. Ballast is not included, and the two 25.5kg panels require careful handling. They are also not suitable for balconies
I suggest plugging it into a professionally installed exterior plug. Once done, you can monitor its use through the app. I’ll bring you my full review soon.
The market is moving quickly, and both Anker and EcoFlow have models being announced or developed. At the same time, these are not yet compliant, but that should all change soon.
Anker Solix’s solarbank 4 E5000 pro looks like an interesting option, but full details of a UK-compliant version haven’t been released yet. The main sticking point here is that it has expansion potential, and anything sold in this sector at present must be a complete kit out of the box.
Anker is one of the big players in the solar battery storage market, so it would be a surprise if they didn’t adapt this for the UK market, especially with the marketing and website hints that something will be launched soon. Again, with little additional detail at present, I’ll bring you an update and review soon.
EcoFlow is another big name in the battery storage market and has been working with the UK Government on the latest innovations for plug-in solar. Their system is nearly complete and will be available soon in multiple kits.
EcoFlow is one of the few companies to list full kits for a variety of scenarios, meeting the requirement that these kits be sold complete. One example is the EcoFlow stream roof kit, designed for flat roofs.
This includes two 450W rigid panels and flat roof brackets. The 900W of panels connect to an 800 VA microinverter that then plugs directly into the mains. Again, as with the other units, a featured app lets you monitor energy generation. However, roof installation is more involved than a ground-mounted kit. Complete details are yet to be announced.
Key specifications
While the new plug-in solar kits are hitting the headlines, when you actually look at what’s already available, there’s a really good selection. My top picks are the Zendure solarflow 2400 pro and the Marstek Venus E 3.0, both available in the UK from Certus Energy. The first is a future-proofed system and should soon join the ranks of compliant plug-in solar systems, while the latter is a better option to connect to an existing set of solar panels. Both need a professional fitter; costs vary but are lower than you think.
The Zendure solarflow 2400 pro is one of two more traditional plug-in solar systems that I’ve looked at in the run-up to the release of the true plug-and-play solar kit options. These are more substantial and do require professional fitting and permissions; however, the base premise is similar, and they’re the halfway between a full roof system and the lighter-weight plug-in solar kits that have just been made legal. This model offers four MPPT inputs for solar power, meaning that you can hook up to 3000w of solar input; this is 1000W over the new compliance guidelines.
The solarflow 2400 pro also features a 2.4kW battery, so you can store the power you gather during the day and use it at night. These units are also substantially larger and heavier than the new Plug-in solar kits, but expect a lighter-weight Zendure version in the near future.
Full 2,400W grid output is subject to the applicable UK connection/installation requirements.
Key specifications
The Marstek Venus E 3.0 is the second of the more traditional systems that I’ve looked at in this initial test. This unit is far larger, yet at the price, it offers a substantial solution to solar energy capture and storage. Again, you will need permissions and professional installation, but this is the step up from the new plug-in solar kits and full-blown rooftop solar systems.
Backed by a fully featured app, you can monitor the energy captured and the amount stored in the large 5.12kWh LiFeP04 battery. Considering that your average 3-bed household uses around 10kWh a day ,this could potentially,during the sunny summer months, harness all the power you need for your home’s electrical needs
While this unit might not meet the requirements for the new compliance, it’s well worth a look if you want something that doesn’t cost much more for the hardware but will let you make the most of the sunny summer months.
Key specifications
At present, the field is a little sparse, with only the two UKSOL plug-in solar kits meeting the requirements. The other slight issue is that both are ground kits, meaning you’ll need to install them on a flat surface such as the lawn and weigh them down with your choice of ballast. This also means that if you do have a balcony, you’ll be able to position these on the balcony floor, but not currently over the balcony itself.
However, these are early days, and that will all change very soon. While both kits are available now, it won’t be long before other players enter the market. Several companies are close to gaining compliance, and then we should see prices fall and options increase. I’ll bring you an update on each as and when they arrive.
Plug-in solar panels are small solar photovoltaic systems designed to connect to your home through a standard domestic socket, rather than being wired into your property by a professional installer.
A typical kit includes one or two solar panels, a microinverter and mounting equipment. The panel generates direct current electricity, the microinverter converts it into alternating current, and the power is then fed into your home’s electrical system. For more about this process, see our guide to how solar panels work.
Plug-in solar panels are sometimes referred to as balcony solar panels, plug-and-play solar panels, mini solar systems or balcony power plants. The concept is already popular in parts of Europe, particularly among people living in flats or rented homes.
Unlike a full rooftop solar installation, plug-in solar panels are not designed to generate a large share of a household’s annual electricity. Instead, they are intended to offset some of the electricity being used in the home at the time the panels are generating it.
That might mean helping to power a fridge, router, laptop, television, washing machine or other appliances running during daylight hours.
The legislation is strict: when you buy a balcony solar system, it needs to be a complete kit. You buy it, get it home, unpack it, mount the solar panel, and plug it in; no professional installation needed, and everything you need is in the box.
In total, five things make a plug-in solar system compliant: the inverter’s continuous output does not exceed 800VA and 3.5A. The solar panel capacity is less than 2,000W, and the system has no battery. The plug on the inverter that plugs into the mains is factory-fitted British Standard BS 1363 type with a 5A fuse. Finally, the complete kit must appear on the ENA Type Test Register marked compliant.
There’s a full list of plug-in solar panels that meet the requirements on the ENA Type Register. Once you’re on the page, click the type drop-down and select plug-in solar.
Not at the moment; the new legislation only covers England, Wales, and Scotland from 27 August 2026. Northern Ireland is under separate legislation. The legislation updates BS 7671 wiring regulations.
Unlike traditional solar panels that connect directly into your mains junction box and require a professional to fit, these balcony systems don’t need approval. However, you do need to notify your local Distribution Network Operator (LDNO) (G98B notification) that you intend to use one of these devices; you can find out how to register online. At the time of writing, and based on my LDNO (SSE), the G98B form is a downloadable Word document that has to be filled in and sent back to them.
This is a form you need to fill in and send back to the LDNO to tell them that you have a plug-in solar kit. They then issue you with a commission document. If you go for one of the professionally wired-in kits, then as long as the battery is under 3.68kW then you still only need the G98B form. Anything above and the full G98 application needs to be made.
You can connect up to 2000W of panels across a maximum of four panels. However, the microinverter is capped at 800VA, which applies to the amount of power you’re actually feeding into your electrical system.
No, for now the kit must be used as purchased, and you cannot add additional panels yourself. Likewise, you cannot add a battery to store energy during the day for use at night, although this is likely to change. However, there are kits with a battery – as long as these are fitted by a professional and the capacity is less than 3.68kW, you only need to fill in the G98B form.
Unlike larger wired systems, where you get paid for the surplus, any additional energy you generate will feed into the grid for free, as there’s currently no facility for smart export.
No, the idea here is that they are DIY; you simply install and plug in. You will need to inform your LDNO; this is not your supplier, and you can do this for free online. The tools for this are presently being put in place.
Before buying a plug-in solar panel, ask:
The cheapest kit will not always be the best value. A safer, better-supported product with clear instructions, a good warranty and proper mounting hardware may be worth paying more for.
This is the area where buyers need to be careful. Plug-in solar panels may sound simple, but they still interact with a home’s electrical system. That means safety standards are critical.
You should avoid buying grey-market kits designed for other countries unless they clearly meet UK safety and connection requirements.
There are also property issues to consider. Renters may need landlord permission. Flat owners may need freeholder or managing agent approval. Anyone installing panels on a balcony, wall, fence or shed should make sure the mounting system is secure and suitable for wind, rain and the weight of the kit.
Home insurance is another consideration. Before buying, it is worth checking whether installing a plug-in solar system affects your policy or needs to be declared.
Read more: Best solar panel installers, explained
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In collaboration with industry partners, Flinders University researchers are developing a zinc-iodine battery storage system prototype based on their aqueous zinc-iodine battery (AIZB) design that can charge and discharge over 60,000 cycles.
Aiming to establish an alternative to large-scale lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, the researchers said their battery design uses a low-cost organic cyclodextrin-based polymer that helps store and control key chemicals, allowing it to charge quickly while maintaining performance.
“When fully charged in seven minutes, it can operate at 1.3 to 1.4 V with a capacity of 200 mAh/g over 8,000 cycles or charged in just three minutes and last for more than 60,000 cycles at 150 mAh/g,” they said.
Used in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic ingredients, the structure cyclodextrins acts like a cage, locking iodine compounds in place and preventing them from disrupting the battery’s operation.
Flinders University College of Science and Engineering Matthew Flinders Fellow and Associate Professor in Chemistry Zhongfan Jia said iodine is one an effective rechargeable battery materials with the potential to store a high amount of energy relative to its weight – around 211 mAh/g (milliampere-hours per gram).
“However, one of the biggest challenges with this new battery technology is stopping iodine species from moving to places it shouldn’t inside the unit,” Jia said.
“The system offers a new approach to mitigate polyiodide shuttling by using polymers derived from inexpensive, biodegradable materials. It enables sustainable and long-lasting aqueous zinc-iodine batteries.”
The world’s largest zinc reserves account at 20%-28% are found in Australia enabling AZIBs to answer global resource shortages and supply costs related to an increasing demand and consumption of Li-ion batteries, with a low-cost and widely available material.
“As a top global producer and exporter, we can use these zinc resources for safer energy storage, which is important for energy manufacturing in Australia,” FU Sustainable Polymers for Energy and Environment PhD Student and first co-author on the research’s paper, Shangxu Jiang said.
The Caging polyhalide anions in polycyclodextrin for long-lasting aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (2026) article by Shangxu Jiang, Zhipeng Pei, Yanlin Shi, Kai Zhang, Justin M Chalker, Sara J Fraser-Miller, Michelle L Coote and Zhongfan Jia has been published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

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Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
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A solar-plus-storage project, claimed as the first of its kind in Africa to deliver 24/7 renewable electricity, has come online at a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Developer and independent power producer (IPP) CrossBoundary Energy announced earlier this week (25 August) that its 233MWp solar PV and 123MVA/526MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) hybrid resource facility for mining company Kamoa Copper has reached commercial operation.
The combination of solar generation and battery storage enables the supply of 30MW or more in dispatchable baseload power to the Kamoa Copper mining complex, which spans nearly 400 square kilometres of land.
Thought to be Africa’s largest copper mining complex, it includes two mines currently in production, which further areas under exploration and development.
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In fact, while the solar-plus-storage plant’s performance guarantee ensures the dispatchable supply of 30MW firm power, CrossBoundary Energy said that in early operation, the PV plant has already been providing more than 150MW of power.
Of that, 50MW has been supplied directly to the mine network, while the remaining power charges the batteries. Its maximum expected output is 180MW.  
CrossBoundary Energy’s development director for the DRC, Gracia Munganga, claimed the project’s start of operations was a “significant step to mainstreaming round-the-clock renewable power.”
As well as reducing the site’s carbon emissions, the adoption of round-the-clock (RTC) renewable energy will reduce the mine operator’s exposure to diesel fuel cost volatility and supply chain risk, CrossBoundary said.
According to a project fact sheet sent to media, including Energy-Storage.news, the RTC hybrid plant operates at a 95% availability factor.  
The IPP and Kamoa Copper signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project in Q2 2025, as reported by Energy-Storage.news. At the time, CrossBoundary Energy said the fuel offset would amount to an annual 78,750-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions.
The company also said then that while solar PV and BESS installations are becoming increasingly common at mines, a fully 24/7, RTC power guarantee was rare due to concerns over the variable nature of renewable generation.
The increasing efficiency of solar PV and the declining costs of battery storage made it possible at the Kamoa Copper site, CrossBoundary Energy had said. The IPP owns and operates the plant and sells the power to Kamoa Copper via the PPA.  
Kamoa Copper is a joint venture (JV) between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, China’s Zijin Mining Group and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their mine began producing copper concentrates in 2021, and in 2025, Africa’s largest copper smelter was fired up at the complex.
Prior to the CrossBoundary deal, the JV company collaborated with DRC’s state-owned electricity company, Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), to build a hydroelectric power plant.
Mwadingusha hydropower station opened in the same year as the mine, and Kamoa Copper and SNEL also added new hydroelectric generation capacity at an existing plant in 2025, with the hydro facilities providing a total 250MW of clean power for the mine and the DRC grid, according to Kamoa Copper’s website.   
CrossBoundary Energy also claimed that the project’s speed of execution is notable.
The 350,000+ solar modules, 513 PV inverters and 90 BESS power conversion systems (PCS), 180 BESS enclosures and other equipment, including transformers, that comprise the hybrid PV plant and associated infrastructure were delivered, installed, commissioned and put into commercial operation within 16 months of the PPA’s signing.
“The speed at which this project was delivered demonstrates how quickly renewable energy can be deployed at scale to support remote mining operations,” Kamoa Copper project manager Auguy Bakome said.
As an interesting aside, Kamoa Copper JV partner Ivanhoe Mines’ sister company, Ivanhoe Electric, is the majority owner of VRB Energy, a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) technology company. The companies are part of the Ivanhoe Capital group, led by Robert Friedland, a financier and renowned figure in the mining and exploration world.  

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IMPARTIAL NEWS + INTELLIGENT DEBATE
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Electrical expert Matt West says the £600 system he installed earlier this summer is working ‘better than expected’
The plug-in solar panel revolution has finally arrived in the UK, as self-install kits go on sale from Thursday.
Argos and other retailers are selling £699 solar panel kits that let consumers plug the device into British three-pin sockets.
The Government hopes that its updated regulations – aimed at allowing consumers to easily install the devices – will spark a boom in home renewables.
HEALTH
Cases of a type of liver disease linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes have risen five-fold in a decade, a study has found.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) happens when fat builds up in the liver and is left undiagnosed, researchers said.
The study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Glasgow found that 2.4 per cent of adults – 283,762 people had the disease in 2022, up from 0.02 per cent (1,300 people) in 2003.

5 min read
Analysis
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The diagnostic gap remains large compared to expected rates. At-risk groups such as those living with type 2 diabetes and obesity should be identified and case-finding actively pursued
A vaccine that targets specific cancer’s mutations could soon exist. In the first large scale trial of this kind of vaccine against skin cancer, the treatment, called “Intismeran”, meant fewer people had their cancer return after surgery. But, we’ll have to wait for the manufacturers to announce their full results to know exactly how much the recurrence fell by. #cancertreatment #vaccine
WEATHER
Flooding has hit part of the West Midlands as thunderstorms are expected across large areas of England and Wales.

A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued from 5am until 10pm on Thursday.

The yellow warning covers swathes of the country, from Norwich and London to Cardiff and Manchester.
Some areas could see 50-75mm of rainfall on Thursday, as well as lightning and hail, which could cause disruption.
Warm temperatures with highs of 27°C or 28°C are expected, and there is a small chance some areas could see more than 75mm of rainfall.
There has been significant flooding in Birmingham. A flood warning was issued for the Perry Barr area on Wednesday night due to rising river levels.

The Environment Agency has issued 22 flooding alerts – meaning flooding is possible – in the Midlands and South East.
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Explained
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WORLD
Kieron Monks
Foreign News Writer
More than 160 people have died and hundreds are missing, including dozens of British citizens, after a devastating flash flood on the Nepal–Tibet border.
Among the 33 Britons missing, 12 were with one tour company. Ram Kumar Adhikari, manager of Alpine Eco Trek, said the group included a 13-year-old girl, with the oldest member aged 65.

He said they had passed Chinese border controls to enter Tibet.

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news
New rules mean that people can now buy plug-in solar panels online and in shops.

Retailers will begin selling them from Thursday, meaning solar power can run into the home network using an ordinary plug.
A kit can produce up to 800W of power, enough to generate up to 20 per cent of an average home’s electricity, officials say.

This should equate to savings of around £110 annually on bills. As they appear on shelves, ministers say prices could start off higher, but they expect them to average out at around £400-£600.

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Argos has confirmed it will sell the kits from Thursday and Amazon is expected to follow suit soon.
Other retailers, including Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes have committed to stocking the plug-in panels.
The sale of the technology was previously restricted because of safety and wiring standards.

The legal change follows rigorous, independent safety checks which show the panels are safe, according to officials.
It depends on your property and its rules. You may still require consent from landlords, building owners, councils, freeholders, planning permission or listed building consent.
world
The make-up of Donald Trump‘s inner circle has come under scrutiny after US Senator Jon Ossoff remarked on the President’s close relationship with his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.

The episode has highlighted how Trump has surrounded himself with young, perfectly groomed Maga women in the White House.
Leavitt has been perhaps the most prominent of these women as White House press secretary. She recently announced she would step down at the end of August to focus on her family.
Martin, communications adviser and special assistant to Trump, has been tipped as a possible replacement for Leavitt. She is the President’s leading content creator, often posting photo dumps and reels of events she has attended with Trump.
She was accused of “whitewashing and sanitising” Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin by Azza Cohen, Kamala Harris’s official White House videographer.
Kelly is also in the running to replace Leavitt, who she has worked under as White House deputy press secretary.

The 29-year-old is a former beauty queen with a master’s in political management, and has followed Leavitt in attacking journalists and defending Trump.

4 min read
The President and Harp have a very close working relationship.

Harp has long been infatuated with the President and credits him with saving her life, after he enabled the use of experimental drugs which she used to treat her bone cancer.

She also reportedly left him notes saying, “you are all that matters to me” and, “I want to bring you joy”.

Ossoff made his comments after it emerged that Harp was one of the few aides who went with the President when he secretly switched planes after a Nato summit in Turkey last month, because of a possible Iranian threat.

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Since 2022, there have been nearly 190,000 lab-confirmed cases of mpox, but a fresh outbreak in the small West-African nation of Guinea-Bissau means the virus is back on the global agenda.
Cases had not been reported in Guinea-Bissau before the latest outbreak, with 23 of the 46 reported cases being children under the age of 15.

The confirmed cases do not appear to be linked, suggesting the virus is circulating more widely and there are unidentified cases.
Big Read
4 min read

3 min read
In the last major global outbreak in 2022, mpox appeared to undergo changes which meant it spread more efficiently from person to person, passing via close contact.
The WHO recommends two vaccines, but the issue of availability is particularly pressing in poorer nations.

A new global stockpile is set to be launched within weeks, meaning vaccines can be deployed more quickly to stop outbreaks.

But they do not stop outbreaks alone, with experts calling for better contact tracing, early detection, strong public health surveillance and supportive care.
Ministers expect that plug-in solar users will be able to save between £70 and £110 a year on their energy bills.
Some experts have already assembled their own systems and taken advantage of this summer’s weather to begin cutting their bills.
Matt West, an electric vehicle (EV) expert with a background in electronics and engineering, set up plug-in solar panels in his garden at the start of July.
West, who runs the Matt Goes Electric YouTube channel, told The i Paper that he was on course to save around £300 a year – higher than Government estimates.
“Reading about how the Government wanted to make this more widespread, I was curious about what plug-in solar could do,” said West, who formerly sold second-hand EVs.
“I wanted to save money on energy bills. And I’m the sort of person that’s curious about how it all works.”
The Government has amended regulations so that from 27 August, solar products already being sold in other countries can be made compliant with UK plug and socket rules.
Until now, Britons have been able to go online and buy plug-in solar devices created for markets in Europe or elsewhere.
The expectation has been that an electrician should attach a UK plug and install the devices safely.
Ministers wanted to make sure anyone could buy a “plug-in-and-play” kit without the need for an electrician.
So they have created a new regulatory framework to make sure all devices sold to UK consumers come with compliant UK plugs.
West said he bought four 465W solar panels – the type typically installed on rooftops – for £93 each at the start of summer. The electrical expert also bought an 800W microinverter through Amazon for £122 and attached a plug himself.
West spent another £100 to build his own frame for the solar panels, taking his spending to around £600.
The microinverter is the key bit of kit that allows the solar panels to start generating power in a household’s electricity circuit – but it caps the amount at a certain level.
The amount of power users can generate has been limited to 800W by the Government.
“I was slightly cynical – I thought 800W wouldn’t be enough to run a kettle and a toaster. But it works so much better than expected,” said West.
The system has been able to generate around £13 worth of energy a week over the past two months of summer sunshine, said West.
However, around 50 per cent of the power generated is going out of his home and to the national electricity grid – leaving him with savings of around £6.50 a week.
Even with so much of the energy going to the grid, West estimates that he is still on course to save £338 a year.
Households are set to pay around £60 more for their energy bills as Ofgem raises its price cap to £1,723 per year.
West deliberately bought four panels to help him absorb as much sunlight as possible during the overcast winter months – hoping it can keep him something close to the maximum of 800W all year round.
“One or even two panels will never produce maximum generation throughout the year,” he explained. “I’m hoping I can make it work well in the winter.”
Despite being pleasantly surprised by how well the system works, West said he was “shocked” to see so much energy leaving for the grid.
“The only issue is that you can’t use all the power generated without a battery,” he said.
West and other renewable energy enthusiasts would like Labour ministers to turn their attention next to plug-in batteries.
Regulating the market for these devices would allow Britons to store the energy they generate. Existing wiring regulations are not designed for such appliances.
“I hope the Government can look at encouraging plug-in batteries and creating straightforward rules for those. That will make a big difference.”
West thinks he might be able to save £600 a year if he was able to store all the solar power generated with a plug-in battery.
The electrical expert is enthusiastic about this week’s launch of self-install plug-in solar kits. “If they’re more readily available, it’s a good thing,” said West.
“I can’t see electricity prices coming down. So the advantages of solar is getting more and more attractive all the time. Unfortunately, this roll-out is happening at the wrong time of year, now that the sun is going. It may be that a lot of people won’t think about it seriously until next spring.”
Argos and City Plumbing, a builders’ merchants with 350 branches, confirmed that £699 UKsol plug-in solar kits will be available for households to buy from Thursday.
Major retailers, such as Wickes, Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Amazon, are all expected to have plug-in solar kits available to purchase in stores and online soon.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said plug-in solar was “a simple, affordable way for households to take control of their energy bills and start saving straight away”.
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