Solar Now

VPP experts share insight on how to design a program to benefit all, regardless of income.
Image: Clean Energy States Alliance
Virtual power plants (VPPs) ae advantageous to all ratepayers, but especially to low- to middle-income households who stand to benefit from dependable energy, lower electric bills and a healthier environment.
VPPs are aggregations of small-scale distributed energy resources including solar energy systems, electric vehicles (EVs), EV chargers and demand response devices such as water heaters, thermostats, appliances and more. A recent webinar moderated by Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA). The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA)  VPP Acceleration Initiative conducted a webinar that explored the reciprocal relationship between VPPs and energy justice .
Participating in VPPs may be out of reach of lower-income ratepayers because of the costs of purchasing energy-saving components. However, many states such as Vermont, have programs that offer batteries at low or no cost
Lisa Morris, energy services planner at Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC), described the utility’s recent Vermont Income Qualified Residential Battery Storage Program, which aims to help low-income customers as part of a VPP program.
The Vermont program has funded the installation of 45 Tesla Powerwalls for low- to moderate-income members, and those members agree to allow VEC to use their home battery as part of its VPP program. VEC basically accesses the storage in the batteries a limited number of times a year when it is anticipating peak demand.
Morris emphasized that both parties benefit: the members receive battery backup when they need it and VEC gets about 450 kW of peak shaving capacity. She said key to the energy justice aspect of the program is the targeted outreach to lower income members as well as those on a medical alert list or those in areas with less reliable service.
Adam Warren, former Director of the Accelerated Deployment and Decision Support Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said in the webinar that it’s important that VPPs not create “a new energy elite,” and the importance of informed consent.  He noted that “energy poor” households often have less ability to absorb bill volatility, so it’s important that VPPs are designed with transparency.
Warren presented five design principles that ensure that VPPs help accelerate the energy transition while addressing energy justice.

Another reciprocal benefit to VPPs is that, not only do they offer battery backup to ratepayers and help utilities and electric co-ops manage peak energy use periods, but they can also reduce use of peaker plants; thus, improving the health of the communities they serve.
Once programs are implemented that serve lower income populations, equity outcomes must be measured, Warren said. Enrollment and retention must be tracked, along with bill impacts and “comfort outcomes” across demographic groups.  Comfort outcomes can include keeping the heat on during ice storms, the power on for needed medical devices, water pumps operating for cooking and sanitization and air conditioning during hot spells.
Read more about the 50 states report here.
In the CESA webinar, Warren mentioned other states with successful programs with energy justice components. Puerto Rico’s battery energy demand response, for example, is meeting the needs of lower-income residents by keeping the lights on during storms.
According to 50 States of Virtual Power Plants and Supporting Distributed Energy Resources: 2025 State Policy Snapshot,35 states and the District of Columbia advanced VPP and distributed energy resource (DER) aggregation policies in 2025. The report cites regulatory and utility actions taken over the last year that established formal VPP programs, demand response initiatives and active managed charging for EVs.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 2023 “liftoff” study found that scaling VPPs three to five times by 2030 to reach 80 to 100 GW of enrolled capacity could serve 10% to 20% of peak load and save power systems $10 billion per year. Jigar Shah, former director of the DOE’s Loan Programs office, said in a recent report that scaling VPPs is the quickest way for state leaders to stabilize electric rates.
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An existing solar farm in Louisiana.
An existing solar farm in Louisiana.
The Louisiana Public Service Commission greenlit plans last week for a near-$300 million solar farm that would be owned and operated by Entergy in Iberville Parish.
The site, named Cypress Harvest Solar, would sit on roughly 1600 acres of former sugarcane fields about 5 miles southwest of Plaquemine, between Milly Plantation and Derick Road, near Belleview Drive.
It has the capacity to generate 200 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power about 30,000 Louisiana homes a year.
That electricity would be spread out across Entergy ratepayers statewide, and is part of the company’s goal to improve grid resiliency and diversify into renewable energy. 
“Solar is one of the largest ways that Entergy is making clean energy accessible in our region,” Entergy representative Kristin Zatta told Iberville’s Parish Council during a meeting on Tuesday.
The project comes on the heels of another major energy infrastructure investment in the area. Magnolia Power Station, a $750 million power plant in Iberville, came online in February.
“All this is going to allow the region to continue to have investment,” said Parish President Chris Daigle.
If additional permitting, contracting and engineering procedures go according to plan, Entergy says it will break ground on the Cypress Harvest site in September of 2026, and plans to have it fully operational by September 2028. It would be the first and only solar farm in the parish.
The project will cost around $297 million, bring 201 jobs at the peak of construction, and four full-time jobs, according to Entergy. It is also estimated to bring in $7.8 million in sales tax revenue during construction and $2.9 million in annual property tax revenue.
Natural gas currently powers about 73% of Louisiana, according to District 3 Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis. Although the 200 megawatt facility won’t exactly move the needle for Louisiana’s energy portfolio, he said it is still a significant upgrade to the grid.
“It’s moving Louisiana forward in its diversification,” he said. “Bringing energy that could help us in times of natural disaster or peak demand.”
Just last year, plans for a 2,000 acre solar farm in White Castle were nixed after facing fierce opposition from local residents over fears the solar panels would undermine property values and tarnish the rural appeal of the community.
Florida-based NextEra Energy was behind the development of that project, and Entergy was expected to sign a 20-year contract to purchase power generated by the farm. Another solar farm in neighboring West Baton Rouge faced similar pushback years earlier.
District 12 Council member Matthew Jewell said the Cypress Harvest Solar project is different because the site is not easily visible from any major roads or communities. Because Entergy would own and operate the solar farm, he’s also confident representatives will be able to relay local concerns more easily.
“It’s a better fit for Iberville Parish,” he said. “It’s off the road a bit, and it’s not gonna affect the people in that area. We also felt like we could get a hold of Entergy much better than a third-party company.”
Jewell added the land Entergy purchased was owned by a pair of aging families — EJ Gay Planting and A. Wilbert’s Sons — who had farmed the acreage themselves, and did not lease to tenants.
“No leases were being terminated, no one was losing their jobs,” Zatta added. 
Entergy’s lease from the private landowners has terms for up to 40 years. There is already a high-voltage substation on the property, and Entergy plans to build a battery storage system there.
“All Entergy Louisiana customers are going to benefit from this type of generation. It’s not something that can be directly benefited from those residents right there,” said Zatta.
Project Manager David Wilcox said construction will mostly be funded through contracts with larger industrial or commercial customers, who agree to purchase the power generated in exchange for the ability to claim credit for renewable power use.
Those contracts theoretically help defray the cost of construction being passed onto ratepayers, Wilcox said, though by how much is unclear. Jewell thinks customers might see a few extra cents on their energy bills in the near future.
“If I had to bet my right arm, they are going to add something to that bill,” he said.
Entergy will hold a public meeting to educate and receive feedback from Iberville residents about the project on Tuesday, April 28 at the Carl F. Grant Civic Center in Plaquemine from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
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A decision to refuse plans for a new countryside solar farm has been overturned by the Planning Inspectorate.
Durham County Council (DCC) turned down the application for land near Burnhope, County Durham, after hundreds of objections and a High Court appeal in July last year.
Councillors voted against the plan by Lightsource bp for the 92-hectare (227-acre) site, due to the size and scale of the proposed solar farm and the loss of landscape.
Overruling that vote, the inspectorate said the need to tackle climate change and achieve Net Zero targets outweighed the concerns.
The plans were initially approved by DCC in 2023, but a campaign group won a judicial review of the decision, which was quashed by a high court judge.
Lightsource bp resubmitted its application in 2024 and said it had improved landscaping to minimise visual impacts, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Up to 14 fields near Burnhope would be overlaid with panels, including areas near a nature reserve, the plans said.
Lightsource bp said the project would provide £500,000 in community benefits and millions in business rates.
The inspectorate report said: "The adverse landscape impacts identified would be temporary, reversible and highly localised.
"There would be major adverse landscape character changes within the site boundary, which would endure for the life of the development.
"However, given the high degree of physical containment this site displays, harm to landscape character beyond the site would be limited."
Villagers previously warned the development would harm the future of Burnhope.
The inspectorate said it understood residents' frustrations and despite concerns being "eloquently and passionately expressed", it said it had to operate objectively.
The report said: "The imperative to tackle climate change, achieve net zero targets and contribute to energy security as recognised in legislation and energy policy, and the other benefits of the scheme clearly outweigh those harms."
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Police say Sweet Trap, in Shotton Colliery, became a "focal point" for large groups of youths.
Hamsterley residents believe Durham County Council does not consider fixing the road "a priority".
Internal works at The Light in Durham can now begin ahead of its reopening in the summer.
Durham County Council is due to review the licence of the Sweet Trap, after it was shut by police.
Tourism bosses are told more needs to be done to promote the "beautiful county" so visitors will stay longer.
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The Dominican Republic is preparing a new series of tenders for operating solar photovoltaic parks and new developments with energy storage, in a package of opportunities that could exceed 800 MWh of additional capacity in the short term.
Edward Veras, Executive Director of the National Energy Commission (CNE), and Andrés Astacio, Superintendent of Electricity, detailed the scope of upcoming tenders and regulatory definitions during an exclusive networking breakfast at Future Energy Summit (FES) Caribbean.
“Following the success of the 600 MW tender, the Unified Council of Distribution Companies (CUED) will launch a tender for arbitrage involving existing solar projects as a way to foster greater competition,” Veras said.
“What does this represent for the sector? From the perspective of arbitrage for existing contracts alone, it will surpass the installation of 800 MWh. And if we put figures to what we are seeing from transmission for system security, we are talking about around 1,200 MWh,” Astacio added, revealing further details of the call.
The definition also reinforces a signal previously given by Deputy Minister Ricardo Guerrero during the opening of FES Caribe, when he indicated the Government was working on a new process to add battery energy storage systems (BESS) to existing projects.
Officials from the National Energy Commission and the Superintendency of Electricity also agreed that upcoming renewable energy projects will be hybrid developments with storage, or alternatively stand-alone BESS, with regulators continuing to “generate incentives to mobilise the market”.
“What lies ahead is an aggressive policy to create incentives for installing storage infrastructure that will allow continued development of the energy system,” Andrés Astacio stated.
As a reference for scale, Veras added that 238 MW of four-hour storage is already in the pipeline and projected that by 2027 the country could have between 300 and 400 MW of operational BESS, a figure that could rise further if both the new arbitrage tender and transmission investments advance.
Meanwhile, in the short term, the main regulatory milestone will be the approval of regulations for electrical works and battery installations (currently under public consultation), which is expected “within the next 30 days”.
It is worth recalling that these technical criteria are essentially the same as those required from participants in the recent 600 MW tender.
As background, the International Public Tender EDES-LP-NGR-01-2025 with BESS reportedly left eight projects preliminarily awarded for 605.1 MW, among bids exceeding 1,500 MWp and nearly 1,300 MWh, with average prices around USD 0.108/kWh. The possible expansion beyond the initial threshold explains why the process has yet to be formalised.
Regarding that process, the Superintendent said that “the efficiency achieved through investor appetite has exceeded expectations”, while Veras left open the possibility of announcements linked both to contracts arising from that call and private storage investments for transmission before the end of the half-year.
But authorities made clear that expansion does not depend solely on new tenders, but also on resolving structural constraints in the system. At this point, Veras introduced one of the most sensitive topics of the meeting: bottlenecks.
“The electricity system is a funnel; we are a small system,” Veras warned, explaining that expansion is already reaching limits in certain parts of the grid. As an example, he noted that the north-west transmission line is operating at 100% capacity, which is why the CNE is analysing a reconfiguration of the expansion plan, prioritising projects below 20 MW, which currently would have greater integration prospects.
by Lucia Colaluce Keep reading
The mechanism incorporates four products, refines guarantees and for the first time creates dedicated space for storage and hybrid projects, while the award process scheduled for July reactivates renewable contracting in the country.
by Emilia Lardizabal Keep reading
The Government of Mexico has issued three regulatory instruments that reshape power generation, energy storage and the migration of electricity contracts. The new provisions establish criteria for cogeneration based on thermal demand, enable the integration and participation of energy storage systems with dedicated services to the power grid, and define a voluntary scheme for migrating permits into the new market under contracts with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), the state-owned utility.
by Emilia Lardizabal Keep reading
New grid access capacity maps published by Spain’s CNMC reveal mounting constraints in both demand and generation connections. While the tool improves transparency, industry experts warn the congestion reflects stalled projects and structural bottlenecks that are already shaping investment decisions and threatening the pace of renewable energy deployment.
by Lucia Colaluce Keep reading
The mechanism incorporates four products, refines guarantees and for the first time creates dedicated space for storage and hybrid projects, while the award process scheduled for July reactivates renewable contracting in the country.
by Emilia Lardizabal Keep reading
The Government of Mexico has issued three regulatory instruments that reshape power generation, energy storage and the migration of electricity contracts. The new provisions establish criteria for cogeneration based on thermal demand, enable the integration and participation of energy storage systems with dedicated services to the power grid, and define a voluntary scheme for migrating permits into the new market under contracts with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), the state-owned utility.
by Emilia Lardizabal Keep reading
New grid access capacity maps published by Spain’s CNMC reveal mounting constraints in both demand and generation connections. While the tool improves transparency, industry experts warn the congestion reflects stalled projects and structural bottlenecks that are already shaping investment decisions and threatening the pace of renewable energy deployment.
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Fraunhofer ISE’s ShadeCut technology debuts at Intersolar Europe 2026 using butterfly-inspired coatings
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Traditional black solar panels clash with your home’s architecture like wearing gym shoes to a wedding. German researchers at Fraunhofer ISE just solved this decades-old problem with ShadeCut technology—solar panels that perfectly mimic roof tiles, masonry, or custom patterns while retaining 95% of their original power output. You no longer have to choose between clean energy and curb appeal.
The breakthrough builds on MorphoColor coating, inspired by the iridescent wings of Morpho butterflies. Instead of using traditional pigments that block sunlight, microscopic 3D photonic structures manipulate light to create vivid colors. Think of it as solar panels wearing camouflage that actually works—your neighbors might never realize you’ve gone solar.
The technology works by structuring and cutting specialized color-producing films that embed directly into photovoltaic modules. Multiple layers with precision cutouts can create intricate patterns or additional color effects, transforming utilitarian solar equipment into architectural elements.
Dr. Martin Heinrich from Fraunhofer ISE explains the technology is “particularly interesting for modules intended for integration into facades, roof-integrated PV, or even railings, especially on historic buildings.” Historic preservation boards that once banned solar installations outright may finally approve systems that blend seamlessly with period architecture.
The customization possibilities extend beyond simple color matching. Dr. Marco Ernst, who developed ShadeCut, notes the team can embed “color effects and complex patterns directly into solar modules and facades” by structuring and cutting specialized films. Panels can perfectly replicate slate, terra cotta, or even custom brick patterns specific to regional architectural styles.
ShadeCut enters a competitive landscape where companies like Paxos Solar already offer glass-glass photovoltaic tiles generating 44 watts per tile, while the EU-funded TilePlus project promises roof tiles with embedded PV technology. Each approach tackles the same fundamental challenge—making solar generation invisible.
The technology debuts at Intersolar Europe 2026 in Munich, the solar industry’s premier showcase. Unlike competitors focused solely on tile replacement, ShadeCut’s pattern-cutting approach works with existing panel formats while maintaining near-standard efficiency levels.
You’ve probably driven through neighborhoods where solar panels stick out like digital billboards on historic buildings. ShadeCut eliminates this visual friction by making renewable energy generation architecturally neutral—or even enhancing existing design elements.
The 95% efficiency retention means you’re not sacrificing meaningful power output for appearances. For homeowners in design-conscious communities or historic districts, this technology transforms solar from an aesthetic compromise into an invisible upgrade that actually works.
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FILE PHOTO: Workers clean photovoltaic panels inside a solar power plant in Gujarat, India, July 2, 2015. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
April 23 : The U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday announced preliminary antidumping duties on solar cells and panels imported from India, Indonesia and Laos, the latest in a string of tariffs imposed over a decade on cheap solar imports from Asia.
According to a fact sheet posted on the Commerce Department’s website, the agency calculated preliminary duty rates, known as dumping margins, of 123.04 per cent for imports from India, 35.17 per cent for imports from Indonesia, and 22.46 per cent for imports from Laos.

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U.S. scientists have developed a method to forecast solar irradiance at any location using a single high-resolution hemispherical image captured on-site. By extracting sky, sun, and surrounding scene information from visual cues, the approach enables accurate long-term energy prediction without relying on detailed 3D city models.
Image: Nayar Lab/Columbia Engineering
From pv magazine Global
Researchers at Columbia University in the United States have create a new technique to measure solar irradiance at any location by using a single equirectangular image.
The method uses a single hemispherical image taken at the panel location to infer scene geometry, sky visibility, and illumination conditions, which are then used to forecast future solar irradiance over time.
“Our method can be used in two settings,” corresponding author Shree K. Nayar told pv magazine. “First, prior to installing a panel at a specific location on a rooftop or a vertical wall, the method can be used to determine the annual energy the panel would produce. Second, in the case of a panel that is pole-mounted in an urban canyon, we can determine what the best orientation of the panel would be.”
Nayar explained that the only other way to obtain energy forecasts for solar panels is by using 3D city models. In this case, graphics simulations are used to estimate the energy received by a panel.
“Unfortunately, these 3D models are simply not accurate enough to provide precise energy estimates,” he went on to say. “This is because the reflections and shadows cast on a panel are not just affected by large buildings but also small objects such as signs, HVAC vents, parapets, and window sills, which are often missing in 3D scans of cities. A small vent close to a panel could have the same effect as a large building across the street.
The novel approach uses a 360° high resolution, high dynamic range image captured on-site, which reportedly enables to capture details of the surrounding structures, small and big, while also providing useful cues related to the reflectances of the structures around the panel.
Since inertial sensors (IMUs) are unreliable in urban environments due to magnetic disturbances, this method instead relies on visual cues. These are observable features in an image—such as shadows, edges, textures, lighting patterns, and structural lines—that provide information about a scene’s geometry, orientation, and illumination.
The proposed technique relies on a neural network that is trained to predict both sun and gravity directions from the image. Training is performed on large-scale synthetic hemispherical images and fine-tuned on real urban datasets. Once sun and gravity vectors are estimated in camera space, they are matched to their Earth-frame counterparts computed from time, date, and GPS.
The method forecasts solar panel irradiance by modeling both sky and scene illumination over time. This allows prediction of how sky contribution changes with future sun positions and weather conditions. The sun’s contribution is computed geometrically based on whether it falls within the visible sky aperture.
In parallel, irradiance from surrounding buildings is modeled separately, leveraging the insight that scene illumination varies smoothly and is scale-invariant. Finally, the total irradiance is obtained by summing sun, sky, and scene components across time.
“One of the interesting aspects of our algorithm for estimating the irradiance incident on a panel is that it not only computes the contribution of the sky, but also the contribution of the structures around the panel,” Nayar emphasized. “We refer to the latter as the scene irradiance component and have found that, on average, it represents about 12% of the energy received by the panel.”
The method was validated in four urban environments using a single hemispherical image per site and ground-truth measurements from a pyranometer. Across rooftops and deep urban canyons, the model was found to “accurately” track daily irradiance under clear, partly cloudy, and overcast conditions. It “correctly” captured sharp changes caused by the sun entering or leaving the sky aperture, especially when the sky is unobstructed, with errors remaining low overall, though they increase slightly in more complex lighting conditions.
“This technology is inexpensive and portable, making it usable by both homeowners as well as large companies during the planning stage of a solar project to maximize the return on their investment,” Nayar said. “Right now, that process is slow, expensive, and approximate at best.”
“Our approach can also be used to assess panels mounted on vertical walls. Facades of tall buildings represent a major opportunity as they have far larger surface areas than rooftops. The sides of tall buildings often receive more direct sunlight than the roof,” he concluded.
The new methodology was presented in “Forecasting solar energy using a single image,” published in Solar Energy.
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Sounds just like the Solar Pathfinder that has been around for some 20 years. Just a different way of doing the same thing.
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The Mamdani administration is celebrating a sweeping effort to install solar panels across New York City’s public school system on Thursday with the completion of the city’s 130th installation at Marie Curie High School in the Bronx.
The project builds on the city’s ongoing NYC Solar Schools Program, which to date has helped generate 27.5 megawatts of renewable energy capacity atop the city’s educational institutions, but Mamdani said it’s not done yet.
“Expanding clean energy is about building a city where every New Yorker can actually live, breathe, and thrive,” Mamdani told amNewYork in a statement. “Across our neighborhoods, we’re pushing for creative, community-driven ways to cut emissions while bringing down the cost of energy. With 130 solar installations already completed and many more on the way, the NYC Solar Schools Program shows what’s possible when we commit, unapologetically, to a just and sustainable future for all of us.”
At an April 23 ribbon-cutting ceremony on the roof of the high school, officials announced that 86 more public school solar panel projects are in the pipeline to be completed over the next few years, adding another 17.2 megawatts of solar power capacity to the city’s portfolio.
“As we power ahead with these efforts alongside climate education, we’re empowering our young learners to see themselves as responsible stewards of their generation while equipping our schools with the tools to lead the way,” Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said. “Today, we’re not only reducing our environmental impact but driving lasting change.”
The huge undertaking to transform the city’s schools into hubs of clean energy stemmed from a partnership between NYC Public Schools and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), which is tasked with leading the city’s charge to reduce its carbon footprint. The New York Power Authority also collaborated on some 40 of the completed projects and promises more.
DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei, called the milestone a “major step forward” toward meeting the city’s ambitious climate goals.
“Expanding solar across our public schools is an impactful way to reduce emissions and a direct investment into our communities,” said Kitasei.
Once they’re up and running, the solar panels will help advance the city’s 2024 mandate to generate 100 megawatts of solar energy on city-owned property by 2030 and 150 megawatts by 2035. The public school system represents a massive portion, around 80% of the city’s solar energy, according to NYC Public Schools.
But not all aspects of New York’s sustainability goals are going as well. At the state level, Governor Hochul last month pushed to stall the 2019 Climate Law that mandated the state reduce its carbon emissions by 70% from 1990s levels.
Hochul argued that due to geopolitical realities and a White House that is “hostile” to green initiatives, the cost of achieving the law’s emission goals would be detrimental to everyday New Yorkers. 
Regardless of decisions coming out of Albany, the city and the state were not on track to meet their 2030 emissions-reduction targets anyway. Reports and analyses from the comptroller’s office, along with warnings of rising energy demand from the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), a grid-monitoring not-for-profit, indicated that the state’s environmentally conscious efforts have been set back in a big way.
But the city is still making progress, and the Solar Schools Program, the largest of its kind in the U.S. is aimed at informing and mobilizing young New Yorkers to think of sustainability, not as a goal, but as an imperative. The program emphasizes climate education and generates interest in green jobs and careers focused on climate justice. 
Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said that the investment will have ripple effects beyond the classroom and the public school system.
“The ‘Solar in Schools’ program helps put every inch of our city to work in advancing our green future,” Kerson said. “This is a major milestone toward modernizing our energy sources and investing in our public schools, and we’re only just getting started. We are committed to improving the everyday lives of New Yorkers, from our city streets to the very air we breathe.”
Sadie Brown is a general assignment reporter at amNY, joining the newsroom after covering the city’s northernmost borough for the Bronx Times starting in 2024. She graduated from the CUNY Craig Newmark School of Journalism in 2022. After a stint in international—then national news—Sadie found her calling in local journalism. Originally from Texas, she’s a proud barbecue snob and Topo Chico evangelist.
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Small Voltacon 425W – Renesola Monocrystalline, All Black, 22% Efficiency, Half-Cut Cell Solar Panel  ruhrkanal.news
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US sets preliminary antidumping duties on solar imports from India, Indonesia and Laos  Reuters
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Renewable Energy Is Booming Again. The Iran War Has Scrambled Markets.  Barron’s
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Scientists at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have created a film-based system that applies color patterns and cutouts to PV modules using the institute’s MorphoColor technology, enabling modules to imitate roof tiles, masonry, and facades with around 5% efficiency loss.
Image: Marco Ernst, Fraunhofer ISE
Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed a technique for applying colored films with transparent cutouts to solar modules, enabling complex visual patterns while retaining approximately 95% of the power output of an uncoated module.
The ShadeCut technology uses laser or CAD-controlled processes to cut patterns into films carrying MorphoColor coating – a structural color system developed at Fraunhofer ISE that produces color through low-loss optical interference rather than pigmentation, inspired by the microstructure of Morpho butterfly wings. The coating is applied to the back of the module’s cover glass via vacuum process, or to flexible encapsulation film or backsheet.
“Through targeted structuring and cutouts on a color-producing film, we can integrate color effects and complex patterns directly into solar modules and facade elements,” said Marco Ernst, developer of ShadeCut and a researcher at Fraunhofer ISE. Additional film layers can be added to create further structural complexity or additional colors.
The technology is applicable to standard PV and solar thermal modules. Dr. Martin Heinrich, group leader for encapsulation and integration at Fraunhofer ISE, said the system is particularly suited to building-integrated PV applications including facades, roof-integrated modules, and railings, including on historic buildings.
“Modules with ShadeCut can look like masonry or roof tiles and blend in perfectly in terms of color,” he said.
Independent measurements confirm the 95% power retention figure. Fraunhofer ISE will present modules equipped with ShadeCut film patterns in June 2026 at The Smarter E/Intersolar 2026, booth A1.440.
In February, Fraunhofer ISE announced efficiency records for III-V tandem modules, including a 34.2% efficiency III-V germanium PV module. In January, the institute said solar module efficiency could exceed 35% by 2050 through tandem PV structures.
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The system integrates a battery, hybrid inverter, and home energy management system into a single device. It supports the integration of additional appliances, including heat pumps via SG-Ready interfaces. A connection to Tesla’s proprietary wallbox is also planned.
Image: Tesla
Tesla is expanding its offering in the residential energy storage market with a new three-phase system. The Powerwall 3P  system is now available and integrates a battery, hybrid inverter, and home energy management system in a single unit.
The new product has a storage capacity of 13.4 kWh and delivers up to 15.4 kW of AC power, with peak output reaching 21 kW for one second. This makes it suitable for more demanding household applications, such as heat pumps or EV charging, the company said.
Four MPPT trackers are integrated for connecting photovoltaic systems, enabling flexible system design for complex roof layouts. The connected PV array can reach a maximum capacity of 20.3 kW. Input voltage ranges from 60 V to 1,000 V, with a maximum input current of 16 A per MPPT and a short-circuit current of 21 A.
Battery capacity can be expanded with additional units. According to the manufacturer, up to four systems can be combined to provide 61.6 kW of output and 94.5 kWh of storage, making the solution suitable for small commercial applications.
The enclosure is rated IP67 for outdoor installation. A die-cast aluminum housing also functions as a heat sink, and integrated cell heaters enable operation in low-temperature environments.
A home energy management system is included and does not require a subscription. The system uses local processing, with optimization functions running on the device rather than in the cloud. According to the manufacturer, it incorporates electricity price signals, weather data for PV yield forecasting, and user consumption patterns to optimize self-consumption. Artificial intelligence is also used in this process, with access to external data sources for weather and pricing.
The system is designed to maintain operation during power outages, even without an internet connection. It provides full three-phase backup power and can compensate for unbalanced loads in backup mode.
It supports integration of additional loads, including heat pumps via SG-Ready interfaces. Compatibility with Tesla’s wallbox is planned.
Installation is limited to certified partners. The system is delivered pre-assembled and pre-wired. The 138 kg unit is wall-mounted, and Tesla offers a dedicated transport dolly as an installation aid, which must be purchased separately.
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Independent power producer Lydian Energy has completed the acquisition of a 1.5GW solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system portfolio in North America, as reported by PV Tech. The portfolio, known as Atlas North, was purchased from developer Hanwha Renewables and consists of four late-stage projects.
The Atlas North acquisition includes over 1GW of solar PV capacity along with 450MW of battery storage capable of 1,800MWh of energy capacity. All projects are situated within the California Independent System Operator grid and will interconnect via the Cielo Azul Switchyard and the Ten West Link transmission line, utilizing a 500kV generation-tie transmission line.
Lydian Energy, which launched in 2024 and is backed by renewable energy investment firm Excelsior Energy Capital, stated that the majority of the electricity and capacity from the portfolio is under long-term offtake agreements with Californian utilities. The company described Atlas North as its largest investment to date, with its CEO noting the projects will deliver much-needed renewable power to the region.
This acquisition expands Lydian Energy’s overall portfolio, which now includes 18 solar PV and energy storage projects totaling 4.4GW of capacity.
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Home – Energy – Solar energy breaks through a barrier that seemed impossible and opens the door to panels much more powerful than expected
Solar panels keep getting cheaper and more common, but even great hardware still leaves a lot of sunlight unused.
What if a cell could squeeze more charge out of the same photons, the tiny packets of light hitting your roof? On March 25, 2026, researchers from Kyushu University in Japan and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany reported a lab result that pulls more energy carriers out of light than the number of photons absorbed.
Their setup reached about 130% quantum yield, meaning roughly one point three usable excited states were captured for every photon taken in. Associate Professor Yoichi Sasaki said, “We therefore needed an energy acceptor that selectively captures the multiplied triplet excitons after fission,” describing the bottleneck that has slowed this field for years.
The collaboration began when exchange student Adrian Sauer brought in materials long studied in his home lab, a reminder that science can move forward through unexpected connections.
A classic solar cell is built around a single junction inside a semiconductor, which is the part that separates charges so electricity can flow. In 1961, William Shockley and Hans Queisser laid out a theoretical ceiling for that kind of design, showing how fundamental losses keep an ideal single junction from turning all sunlight into power.
Under their assumptions, the best possible efficiency worked out to about 30%, even before you add real-world imperfections.
The reason is simple once you picture sunlight as a mix of energy packets. Low-energy infrared photons usually cannot push an electron into motion, while higher-energy photons shed their extra energy as heat after the useful part is taken. That waste helps explain why a roof needs a lot of panel area to make a serious dent in an electric bill.
When light lands on certain materials, it can create an exciton, a temporary bundle of energy shared by an electron and the “hole” it leaves behind. In singlet fission, one high-energy exciton splits into two lower-energy triplet excitons, which can potentially become two charge carriers. If both carriers are collected, one photon can do more than one unit of electrical work.
This idea is not brand new, and earlier devices have already hinted at what is possible. A 2013 report showed external quantum efficiency above 100%, meaning the device produced more than one charge carrier for some photons that hit it, and later work paired singlet fission layers with silicon in tandem setups that also crossed 100% at specific colors of light.
The hard part is that triplet excitons can be slippery. They often do not emit light easily, and they can vanish before a device can guide their energy into an electrical circuit.
In many experiments, the energy takes a shortcut that ruins the payoff. Instead of splitting cleanly and being harvested, excitation can hop between molecules in a competing pathway, cutting multiplication short.
Chemists call this shortcut Förster resonance energy transfer, or FRET, which is a non-radiative handoff of excitation between nearby molecules. It can happen without emitting light, so it quietly drains energy away from the process you actually want.
The new work centers on a metal complex, a molecule built around a metal atom that can be tuned like a custom tool. In this case, molybdenum helps create a “spin-flip” emitter that can absorb and emit near-infrared light, the kind just beyond red that our eyes cannot see, after an electron flips a quantum property called spin.
In plain language, it is designed to accept energy stored in triplet states that other materials struggle to use.
By matching energy levels across the system, the researchers steered energy toward triplet capture instead of the unwanted handoff that steals it. That tuning is what let the multiplied excitons move into a usable excited state, rather than fading away as wasted heat.
The tests were done with tetracene-based materials dissolved in a liquid, which makes it easier to mix molecules and watch energy move between them. It is a controlled environment, more like a chemistry beaker than a rooftop panel.
A number above 100% can sound like a free lunch. It is not, and the key is that quantum yield counts events, not total watts. Here, about 130% quantum yield means the system ended up exciting about one point three of the molybdenum complexes per photon absorbed.
Energy is still conserved because one higher-energy photon can be converted into two lower-energy excitations, so you are splitting one packet into two. Think of it like breaking a bigger bill into two smaller ones. The theoretical ceiling for this style of multiplication can reach 200%, but real devices will be limited by imperfect transfer and material losses.
The result is still early-stage, and the team describes it as a proof of concept rather than a finished solar cell. Right now the measurements come from solution experiments, and the next step is solid-state versions where the materials sit together in stable layers. That shift matters because real devices must survive years of sun, heat, and weather without falling apart.
For now, no one should expect 130% efficient panels at the store. But the work is a reminder that solar progress is not only about better manufacturing – it is also about rewriting how light energy is handled. If that eventually translates to more watts per square foot, your electric bill could feel it.
The main study has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

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MANILA, Philippines — FDC Utilities Inc. (FDCUI), the utility arm of the Gotianun family, has received the green light to start selling electricity from its 20.7-megawatt-peak solar power plant in Misamis Oriental.
The Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a certificate of compliance for the ground-mounted solar facility, confirming its readiness to operate and supply power to the Mindanao grid.
“The ongoing energy crisis has underscored the need for reliable and sustainable power solutions,” said Juan Eugenio Roxas, president and CEO of FDCUI and subsidiaries.
Developed by FDCUI unit FDC Green, the project is projected to generate around 30.2 million kilowatt-hours of clean power annually.
This comes at a crucial time as the Philippines faces an energy emergency triggered by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which have once again heightened pressure on the power supply.
“In an environment where global fuel markets are increasingly unpredictable, projects like this highlight the importance of investing in indigenous and renewable energy sources,” Roxas said.
The Misamis project is a strategic investment aligned with the Filinvest Group’s target of tripling its power generating capacity by 2033, with renewables at the forefront of the expansion.
Currently, FDCUI’s capacity stands at over 400 megawatts.
Upon its commercial operation, the solar facility is poised to boost the stability and reliability of the Mindanao grid.
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PR Newswire Apr. 23, 2026 21:46

DAEGU, South Korea, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Amid growing demand in Korea for efficient, reliable, and advanced cell technologies, Tongwei Solar appeared at Green Energy Expo 2026. On April 23, the company held an on-site presentation on advanced cell technologies, highlighting its TNC series high-efficiency cells and the latest progress of the TNC 3.0 multi-cut cell in product performance, technology advancement, and value delivery.

Tongwei Solar Highlights Advanced Cell Technologies and TNC Product Value at Green Energy Expo 2026 in Korea
Responding to the Korean market’s focus on high-efficiency generation, stable mass production, and application value, Tongwei Solar delivered an "Advanced Cell Technology Overview" presentation at the exhibition venue, sharing the technology pathway, product capabilities, and application potential of its TNC series high-efficiency cells.
As a key focus of the exchange, Tongwei Solar introduced the product evolution of its TNC 3.0 multi-cut cell. Integrating TPE, multi-cut, and Poly Tech technologies, and moving relevant optimization steps forward to the cell side, the product further reduces loss and enhances performance to support downstream value delivery. Through this coordinated approach, the TNC 3.0 multi-cut cell delivers module power gain of 10W+, bifaciality boost of 5%, and conversion efficiency of over 26.3%, creating greater value for high-efficiency modules.
Tongwei Solar, a core subsidiary of Tongwei Co., Ltd., focuses on the R&D and manufacturing of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells. The company has over 150GW of cell production capacity, more than 400GW in cumulative shipments, and has ranked No. 1 globally in cell shipments for nine consecutive years, according to InfoLink Consulting. Backed by the Tongwei Global Innovation R&D Center, Tongwei continues to advance solar cell technology and drive PV innovation.
In September 2025, Tongwei Solar’s Meishan company was recognized as the world’s first Lighthouse Factory in the photovoltaic cell industry. Supported by lighthouse-level intelligent manufacturing, cell-level traceability, and full-process quality control, Tongwei Solar continues to strengthen product stability and reliability while providing rapid response, technical exchange, and application support to overseas customers.
With strengths in products, R&D, manufacturing, and quality, Tongwei Solar is bringing the Korean and global markets a more efficient, reliable, and long-term solar choice.
For more information, please visit:
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 Article | 04.23.2026
Solar and agriculture have long been cast as competitors for land. But a growing number of farmers, grazers, and land conservation advocates across the country are proving that the two can coexist. In fact, putting solar and agriculture side by side, or even one on top of the other, can be one of the most powerful tools available to help keep American farms alive.
Joe Czajkowski is a third-generation farmer in the town of Hadley, Massachusetts. Czajkowski Farm provides produce for local restaurants, universities, schools, and even major retailers like Trader Joe’s. He first developed an interest in agrivoltaics after installing solar panels on the roof of his carrot packing facility. With the additional savings from the panels, Czajkowski transformed the facility from a building used only six months a year into a year-round financial benefit.
Now, Czajkowski says the 445 kilowatts of solar that rise above his broccoli field have not changed the way he tends to and harvests vegetables, but they have changed his life. Ever since the agrivoltaics array designed by local solar developer Hyperion Systems became operational in 2024, Joe has enjoyed cost savings and additional income from leasing his land to the developer.
These solar energy projects have been a worthwhile investment for Czajkowski. Now he is working with Hyperion to add solar to two more fields on the farm. The pressure is on this year to begin construction at both sites, as Czajkowski plans to take advantage of the federal Investment Tax Credit before it is phased out completely for solar projects. And in Massachusetts, he can take advantage of an additional incentive program called SMART. Through the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program, solar system owners receive monthly payments for the electricity their solar panels produce. Agrivoltaics systems can qualify for an additional incentive under the program. 
Czajkowski recognizes that issues such as land constraints and nearby transmission capacity are determining factors in what is feasible for solar installations, but he advises his neighbors and other farmers to go for it. He believes agrivoltaics is a solution that far outweighs the alternatives — power imported from far away, and farmers selling their land to real estate developers. 
“I would rather see the power come from your neighboring farmer. The money stays right in the neighborhood. And that’s a good thing, too.” – Joe Czajkowski
Across the country, farms are operating on razor-thin margins. Czajkowski puts it plainly: “A lot of farms, if you follow the news, are working with negative margins right now on crops, and they have been for about four years.”
For those farmers, the rental income from a solar lease can be the difference between staying afloat and selling. According to Czajkowski, the per-acre returns from electricity generation are eight to ten times what a corn field might gross. 
“We get the rent, which is, you know, sizable per acre. On a field of corn, you’re lucky to gross $750 an acre, maybe $1000 at the most, and from the electricity, you’re going to get eight to ten times that. So it’s pretty wonderful.” – Joe Czajkowski
The financial picture isn’t without complications. Installing solar panels is expensive, and without the now-paused REAP grants that provide funding to farmers and rural business owners for renewable energy projects and energy efficiency upgrades, the math doesn’t always work out. Particularly for older farmers wary of taking on debt, solar might seem unattainable. The federal Investment Tax Credit is still available, but timing is crucial now that the federal government has accelerated the incentive’s phaseout: some incentives may change after 2027, which is why farmers like Czajkowski are racing to get new projects in the ground now.
For agricultural communities in Virginia, the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is leading the way in increasing access to agrivoltaics. An environmental group dedicated to building more sustainable communities in the Virginia Piedmont region, PEC completed Virginia’s first crop-based agrivoltaics project in the fall of 2025. The organization acquired a 170-acre plot of land originally slated to become a shopping center and turned it into Roundabout Meadows Community Farm. With the help of three full-time staff members and many volunteers, the farm produces over 50,000 pounds of produce annually, and donates almost all of it to food-insecure communities and local food pantries. 
Giving back to the community is central to PEC’s work on the farm. The process of adding solar was no different. Their agrivoltaics pilot project, which sits on a quarter acre, was designed to reframe the conversation around renewable energy and agriculture in the state. By co-locating solar and vegetable crops, PEC has the opportunity to show rather than tell, bridging a gap and strengthening connections with agricultural community members and local government officials. 
“Agriculture is really important in Virginia. We need to make sure that we develop these projects in a way that listens to that community and incorporates their concerns, and they have to be at the table.” – Ashish Kapoor, the Senior Energy and Climate Advisor at The Piedmont Environmental Council
Originally, PEC was looking to add solar to the roof of a barn on the property. Research for that project led Kapoor to the National Laboratory of the Rockies’ Energy to Communities program, which provided a technical assistance grant that helped PEC design its agrivoltaics system. The program guided key decisions, such as spacing the panels to allow light penetration, positioning raised beds and in-ground planting to test different growing configurations, and adding battery backup so the farm can operate independently during power outages.
“It’s not like you have to do this because it’s Richmond’s agenda or Washington’s agenda,” Kapoor explained. “This is a way for you to save money on your electric bill, keep agricultural land in production, and have energy backup in the event of an outage.” 
That energy independence framing resonates with agricultural communities in ways that other, climate-focused messaging hasn’t.
PEC’s installation was completed with Tiger Solar, a Virginia installer that gained new expertise in agrivoltaics through the project. In its first partial growing season, the farm has already produced kale, lettuce, beets, and turnips under and around the panels, with promising early results. A full growing season’s worth of data is still to come, but PEC is already planning regular public tours to let farmers, local officials, and curious neighbors learn about agrivoltaics firsthand.
Katie and Brad Carothers opened their first farm in Ohio with zero experience: neither of them came from a farming family or grew up on large tracts of land. At first, the thought of making a full-time living from farming cut flowers and sheep felt unbelievable — until a flyer from a neighbor appeared in their mailbox. 
“I was just flipping through the mail, as you do, and came across a flyer,” Katie said. It was from a neighborhood community group, warning residents about an incoming solar development. Rather than alarm, Katie saw an opportunity. She turned to her husband and said, “I wonder if we could graze it.”
Katie found the solar farm developer through a well-connected neighbor, and the Carothers’ land management business, New Slate Land Management, was soon hired as a consultant on the project. From there, an opportunity emerged to move to Kentucky and begin grazing at an already operational site for Silicon Ranch, a major solar developer with whom the Carothers had already built a relationship through their seedstock flock. The business grew quickly, largely because of a partnership with Dr. Camren Maierle, a PhD sheep scientist from Ohio with generations of farming experience. Now, the Carothers graze sheep on roughly 1,500 acres of solar sites in Kentucky, working full-time in a business they built from scratch. 
“Find a partner that addresses where you’re weak,” Katie advises. “A lot of times in agriculture, everyone seems to be on their own island. Working together is a little foreign. But not being afraid to do it is really important, especially when you’re trying to build something fast.”
For the Carothers, the solar grazing model has unlocked what conventional sheep farming couldn’t: access to land. Without owning any acreage or inheriting a farm, they are now paid to manage more than 1,000 acres by grazing their sheep on Silicon Ranch. Local land management businesses also benefit from the arrangement, and this arrangement also creates opportunities to employ local mowers and buy local equipment, feed, and livestock.
One of the most common concerns raised about agrivoltaics is yield. If the panels shade the crops, won’t the crops suffer? The answer, according to both the data and the farmers living it, is nuanced — and encouraging.
Katie Carothers found that the microclimate beneath the solar panels sustains cool-season grasses such as orchardgrass, clover, and fescue well into the summer, even as the same species burn out on open ground. The shade under the panels retains moisture and moderates temperature. For sheep bred to thrive in these environments, it’s a natural fit that extends the grazing season.
“It almost feels too perfect sometimes. It’s like it was made for sheep under here.” – Katie Carothers, New Slate Land Management
Joe Czajkowski reports about 80 percent of the yield he would get in an open field, with the only real reduction coming in the spots where posts are planted in the ground. Between those posts, the yield is comparable to open-field production. In fact, last summer— when Massachusetts saw 27 days over 90 degrees — the panels’ shade actually helped. 
“A plant has to work harder when it’s really hot,” Czajkowski explained, “to transpire water from the roots through the vascular system into the leaves to protect them from burning up.”
Research from Europe has reinforced this idea. In France, growers have reportedly seen higher berry and fruit yields under panels than in open fields. Czajkowski has also experimented with broccoli, sweet corn, and cilantro, all of which performed well. He’s eyeing blueberries, asparagus, and even mushroom logs as future possibilities for the spaces between the posts — crops that welcome shade rather than just tolerating it.
In Virginia, PEC has taken a legislative approach to advancing agrivoltaics as a win-win solution to some of the problems plaguing farmers. Working alongside the Virginia Farm Bureau, PEC helped draft a bill to formally define agrivoltaics in state law and to establish a stakeholder working group comprising farmers, solar developers, utilities, and local officials. The Virginia General Assembly passed the bill in early March. The bill received a notable endorsement from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, who has identified it as a priority for her administration. The working group will spend the year producing a report for the General Assembly that can form the foundation for future incentives and permitting reforms.
Kapoor is careful not to overstate the power of policy alone. The harder work, he says, is building trust and understanding in the community.
“A lot of times with renewable energy development, that conversation doesn’t happen except at the planning commission meeting and the Board of Supervisors, and then it’s contentious,” he said. “We need to set the table in a more proactive and productive way.”
Czajkowski has encountered his fair share of resistance, particularly from neighbors concerned about the visual impact of solar panels on the landscape. Over time, they mellowed. Czajkowski points to Massachusetts’ Chapter 40A protections, which bar unreasonable restrictions on solar projects, as an example of state law that gives farmers real standing when neighbors or local officials push back. He’d like to see similar protections elsewhere, along with more research on optimal crop selection and greater recognition of landowners’ rights.
He also points to the economic justification: the revenue from agrivoltaics stays local. A farmer who spends solar rental income at local stores and supports local schools is a neighbor, not a distant utility or foreign oil producer. 
“I’d like to see a little bit more open-mindedness on this,” Czajkowski said.
Katie Carothers has found that being visibly present as an agricultural producer tends to defuse tension quickly. 
“If someone doesn’t already have a very passionate opinion about whether solar is good or bad, and I tell them what I’m doing, it usually brings them around,” she said. “Here’s the truth: I work on the site all the time. I’ve never been poisoned or electrocuted.”
Ashish Kapoor sees the future of agrivoltaics in mathematical terms. Virginia has 40,000 farms, averaging under 200 acres each. The state needs to more than double its electric grid in the next 15 years. If even five percent of those farms put a megawatt of solar on their land, the contribution to the grid would be enormous — reducing the pressure on pristine agricultural land and forests from large-scale utility projects.
“You put a megawatt on each farm, that’s 40 gigawatts,” Kapoor said. “Obviously unrealistic, but if you took a few percentage points of that, it’s a viable solution. It’s not just some utopian thing. It’s: how do we get more of it?”
Agrivoltaics might not save every farm or solve every energy problem. But in the fields of Hadley, Massachusetts, on the hillsides of Loudoun County, Virginia, and on a Kentucky solar site where sheep graze in the shade of a summer that would otherwise scorch the pasture, something real is growing: A future powered by the sun, tended by farmers, and built on the idea that land can do more than one thing at a time. On Thursday, March 12, SACE hosted “Agrivoltaics 101,” a webinar exploring how solar energy and agriculture can work together to support farmers, protect working lands, and advance clean energy goals across the Southeast. Speakers Greg Plotkin, Senior Manager for Smart Solar Outreach and Engagement at American Farmland Trust (AFT), and Mike Storch, Associate Director of Sustainability and Community Impact at Cypress Creek Renewables, shared practical insights and real-world examples of this growing practice.
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The modules will be showcased at Intersolar 2026 in Munich.
German researchers have developed a technique for applying realistic designs to photovoltaic (PV) modules that allow them to imitate roof tiles, and blend more seamlessly into buildings.
The new method, called ShadeCut, was invented by a research team at Freiburg’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), one of the largest solar energy research institutes in the world.
It enables complex visual patterns while also retaining approximately 95 percent of the power output of an uncoated module. The novel approach builds on the institute’s MorphoColor technology, a bio-inspired coating for solar panels.
It produces color through microscopic structures rather than traditional pigments, and uses specially colored films with transparent cutouts to build designs that can resemble roof tiles, masonry or even custom graphics.
“The technology is particularly interesting for modules intended for integration into facades, roof-integrated PV, or even railings, especially on historic buildings,” Martin Heinrich, PhD, a researcher at Fraunhofer ISE, as well as group leader for encapsulation and integration of photovoltaics, said.
Driven by the iridescent wings of the Morpho butterfly, the MorphoColor method uses 3D photonic structures that manipulate light to generate vivid, angle-stable colors with minimal energy loss.
Marco Ernst, PhD, a researcher at Fraunhofer ISE and developer of the ShadeCut concept, emphasized that by structuring and cutting a color-producing film, the team can embed color effects and complex patterns directly into solar modules and facades.
“Additionally, there is the option to add further layers with cutouts to create structures or additional colors,” Ernst continued.
Following this biological model, scientists at the institute have also succeeded in applying a similar surface structure to the back of the cover glass of photovoltaic modules using a vacuum process.
Elaborating on the technology, Heinrich noted that ShadeCut uses laser or CAD-controlled processes to cut patterns into films carrying MorphoColor coating 
Heinrich explained that ShadeCut modules can mimic masonry or roof tiles and match surrounding colors seamlessly. “It also allows for the customization of PV systems, for example with logo lettering or patterns,” he added.
According to the team, the MorphoColor technology has surpassed its biological model in performance. Independent tests have shown that such coatings retain about 95 percent uncoated panels’ power. This makes the technology superior to comparable solutions on the market.
It moreover makes it attractive for applications where aesthetics have traditionally limited the adoption of solar panels. The scientists can apply the films to standard photovoltaics and solar thermal modules.
“Depending on the microstructure, cover glasses can thus be produced in various colors,” the researchers revealed in a press release.
Such adaptability could help expand the role of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), where solar panels are used directly into the structure of a building rather than just mounted on top.
In addition, traditional black or blue panels often face resistance in historic areas or design-conscious projects. Color-matched or patterned modules could make solar installations more acceptable, and even desirable.
The ShadeCut modules will be showcased at The Smarter E / Intersolar Europe 2026 in Munich, the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry. It will be held between June 23 and 25.
Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.
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April 23, 2026 
By EB Staff
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has awarded two 20-year co-ownership contracts to global renewable energy developer and operator Neoen, in partnership with local First Nations communities, for two solar farm projects in Northern Ontario.
Neoen’s first partnership is with Garden River First Nation, with the co-owned solar farm be located east of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. Upon completion, it is set to be the largest solar farm in Ontario at 253 MWp. The second contract will see Neoen partner with the Matachewan First Nation for a 65 MWp solar farm project located in Northeastern Ontario’s District of Temiskaming.
Both Neoen and each First Nation partner will share a 50 per cent equity partnership through these co-ownership agreements, with both including a 20-year solar contract awarded to Neoen and the respective First Nations stakeholder by the IESO through its Long-Term 2 Energy Supply procurement process.
The Garden River First Nation project is expected to begin construction in 2028, with a target in-service date of 2030. When operational, it will provide 380,000 MWh of annual emissions-free energy to the provincial power grid. The farm will be located 55 km east of the City of Sault Ste. Marie.
The Nation has pursued solar projects since the first iteration of its Indigenous Community Energy Plan in 2017, with this solar farm marking its first utility-scale renewable energy project. Garden River First Nation’s 50 per cent ownership stake is also anticipated to bring increases in employment opportunities and local spending to the area, a press release said.
“For Garden River First Nation, this project represents more than energy production. It reflects our responsibility as Anishinaabe people to care for the land while creating meaningful opportunities for our community and future generations,” said Garden River First Nation Chief Karen Bell. “We enter this work with a clear vision grounded in respect for our lands, our people, and the generations yet to come.”
Construction on the Matachewan First Nation solar farm is expected to begin in 2028, with a target in-service date of 2029. The farm will be located approximately 20km southeast from the City of Temiskaming Shores, and when complete will provide nearly 100,000 MWh of annual emission-free energy to Ontario’s power grid. This project also marks the Nation’s foray into the utility-scale renewable energy space.
“As President of the Matachewan Limited Partnership, I am pleased to have worked with Neoen to achieve this contract award with Ontario through IESO,” said Jason Batise, President, Matachewan First Nation Limited Partnership. “We realize we are in the beginning stages of our solar energy project journey with our partners, and we look forward to the opportunities this initiative will provide for Matachewan First Nation.”

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Universal model sets standards for perovskite solar cells  Tech Xplore
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Solar Power World
By Billy Ludt | April 23, 2026
Pisgah Energy, a commercial solar contractor, completed rooftop solar PV systems built across six buildings for AAR’s Airframe facility at Piedmont Triad International International Airport in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Credit: Pisgah Energy
“It was an honor supporting AAR’s efforts to make a significant and positive impact on their carbon footprint. The Greensboro staff was highly engaged throughout the process and made building our largest project to date feel relatively easy,’ notes Evan Becka, senior project developer and president of Pisgah Energy. “What’s more, collectively, these systems represent Guilford County’s largest rooftop solar installation. As a Greensboro native, it’s a real point of pride for my company to have played a part in that achievement.”
These systems, totaling 4.6 MWDC and composed of 7,770 QCells 590-W panels and 25 SolarEdge inverters, will serve as on-site electrical generation and produce over 5,900 MWh of renewable energy annually. This is Pisgah’s largest completed solar project yet.
“Completing a large commercial solar project at a busy airport is no easy feat. The Pisgah Energy team met this challenge with innovative ideas that maximized solar production while remaining on schedule and under budget. The solar panel system enables AAR to offset carbon emissions, power our facility, and return excess energy to the grid. We are grateful for Pisgah Energy’s expertise and collaboration on this sustainability-driven project,” said Brett Houser, director of EHS at AAR’s Airframe MRO – Greensboro location.
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Billy Ludt is managing editor of Solar Power World and currently covers topics on mounting, inverters, installation and operations.

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A solar project powered by carbon-free Microsoft contractors completed in Anson County.
On April 21, Ever.green announced the completion of Baron, a 5-megawatt solar project in Anson County developed by Headwater Energy, which will own and operate the site. Ever.green is a clean energy marketplace that enables businesses of all sizes to engage in energy transition.
Ever.green serves as a single point of contact for the project, so the developer doesn’t have to work with five or six different companies or legal groups, Cris Eugster, co-founder and CEO of Ever.green, told the Carolina Journal. 
“We make that all easy for the developer,” said Eugster. “We are the one optic, then what we do is we fractionalize that to the Microsoft supplier community, and whatever they want, if they want to have five RECs [renewable energy credits], or they want to have 500, or 5000, we can size it to whatever they need. And so we make it easy on both sides to do that, credit is obviously another. These are long-term contracts.”
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According to Microsoft’s Supplier Code of Conduct, large-scale Microsoft contractors are expected to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity (CFE) for goods and services provided to Microsoft by 2030. Microsoft suppliers, including Slalom Consulting, Centific Technologies, ImagiCorps, BDA, Eleven 11 Solutions, TASA Analytics, and Visionet Systems, signed long-term contracts for renewable energy certificates to support Baron, the Anson County solar project, in reaching its financial close and delivering on Microsoft’s CFE expectations.
With the recent cancellation of offshore wind development by the Trump administration and significant momentum behind moving towards nuclear energy in North Carolina, some energy experts see the concept of renewable energy credits as outdated.
“This project exists to sell power to the Pee Dee Electric cooperative and, more lucratively, to sell what are called renewable energy credits (RECs) to companies doing business with Microsoft,” Jon Sanders, director of the Center for Food, Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told the Carolina Journal. “Microsoft wants to be able to boast of doing business only with suppliers powered with ‘carbon-free’ electricity (meaning free of carbon dioxide emissions). As everyone knows, that is practically impossible without using nuclear, which doesn’t count for some reason.”
But Eugster thinks the future of solar is bright.
“I think solar is in a good state,” he said. “The technology is relatively readily deployable, unlike some other technologies, such as wind or offshore wind. You know, solar can be done much more as part of the fabric of the community. It can be done in small quantities; you can put it on your rooftop. You can’t put a wind turbine on your roof. You can, you can do community solar. You can build large utility-scale solar farms. I think solar is unique in that it can really match the load at different volumes. The other thing is, solar coincides with a lot of the Southwest and the South in general. You know, usage is highest when the sun is out, and things are hot, and air conditioners are running. So, there’s a nice match. And the profile there with solar. Solar can be combined with storage to extend that profile to the evening hours.”
While Microsoft has definitely taken the lead on this, there are other collaborative energy operations similar to this across the country, according to Eugster. He said Microsoft has effectively put together a playbook for its suppliers on how to go carbon-free. 
But Sanders says the entire paradigm is misguided.
“Here’s how the RECs scheme works,” said Sanders. “The short answer is, not unlike the medieval practice of buying indulgences on the belief it frees a loved one from purgatory. The suppliers obtain electricity as usual, but then they ‘offset’ it by buying the RECs. They get ‘credit’ for the production of renewable energy sold elsewhere, the solar facility profits, the companies’ regular consumption of electricity continues (emissions and all), they and Microsoft say it counts as ‘carbon-free,’ and media dutifully report it as such.”
According to Eugster, if a supplier ceases to be in business, they are still contractually obligated to procure from that solar farm for the duration of the contract. Microsoft requires these suppliers to sign long-term contracts. Ever.green helps facilitate this process by thinking through credit issues and mitigating the risks of a long-term, complex financial agreement for both the developer and the Microsoft supplier.
“Microsoft contractors power opening of Anson County solar project” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.

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India's clean energy ministry is reviewing a June mandate for domestic solar cells, facing warnings of a major supply shortage. Current domestic capacity (25.6 GW) is less than half of the 50 GW annual demand, meaning imports are still crucial. Developers fear higher module costs and project delays, highlighting a clash between self-sufficiency goals and current market needs.
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India's clean energy ministry is reviewing petitions regarding a June mandate that requires solar power projects to use only domestically manufactured solar cells. This policy, aimed at strengthening India's clean energy supply chain, risks causing a significant shortage and could delay renewable energy targets while driving up costs.
The nation's domestic solar cell manufacturing capacity is currently around 25.6 GW, far below the estimated annual demand of roughly 50 GW. This shortfall has traditionally required heavy reliance on imports, with China supplying over 90% of India's solar cells. The upcoming mandate, intended to boost local production, could create a scarcity of compliant cells. Industry groups warn that immediate enforcement could disrupt India's 170 GW solar module manufacturing capacity and delay renewable projects. They also note that about 55% of locally produced solar cells use older technologies.
India's push for local sourcing is central to its strategy for building strong domestic clean energy supply chains and meeting its 2070 net-zero emissions goal. Schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) have helped expand solar manufacturing capacity. India's module manufacturing capacity is set to reach about 210 GW by December 2025, but cell production capacity is projected to lag at around 27 GW by the same period.
Global solar panel prices are also expected to rise in 2026 due to factors like geopolitical tensions, higher energy and logistics costs, and China's tighter supply control. Additionally, China's decision to cut its VAT export refund on solar PV modules from 9% to 0% starting April 1, 2026, will impact global pricing. India's domestic mandate could worsen these price pressures for developers.
Previous attempts to require local content in India have drawn criticism. Studies show these policies can increase solar PV power costs by approximately 6% per kWh and have made Indian solar panels pricier than global options, without necessarily boosting exports or technology.
The current mandate for solar cells, though driven by energy security and growth goals, carries similar risks of higher costs and trade issues.
Developers are asking for a phased rollout or a delay of about nine months. This would allow around 50 GW of new domestic solar cell capacity, currently under construction, to come online, potentially easing immediate supply issues. The ministry's decision will significantly affect the pace and cost of India's green energy transition.
India is set to become a major player in the global solar market, projected as the world's second-largest by annual installations in 2026. The industry's request for a reprieve or staggered implementation highlights the challenge of matching manufacturing growth with policy deadlines. The government's decision will determine if India can overcome this hurdle and maintain its rapid deployment towards its 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030.
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By Tony Di Domizio
Managing Editor
Thursday, April 23, 2026

Firefighters from at least three area companies were called to a residential fire in Warrington Township just after noon Thursday after flames broke out on the roof of a home equipped with solar panels.
The incident was reported at 12:01 p.m. in the 100 block of Equestrian Court, where crews arrived to find visible flames coming from the roof of a two-story Colonial-style home.

Reports from the scene noted the fire was confined to the solar panel system and the ridgeline of the roof, with reports of no immediate extension into the interior of the house.
According to initial reports, the home has 22 solar panels installed across three rows, with the top row of eight panels involved in the fire. 
Warrington Fire Company responded to the scene and worked to contain the blaze, assisted by Doylestown Fire and Horsham Fire companies. 
No injuries were immediately reported, and further details on the cause of the fire were not available.
Tony Di Domizio is the Managing Editor of NorthPennNow, PerkValleyNow, and CentralBucksNow. Email him at [email protected].
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Walt Disney World solar power now has the potential to cover 100% of the resort’s daytime energy needs on a sunny day.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

Walt Disney World’s solar footprint just got bigger. A new 74,500-kilowatt facility spanning 484 acres in Levy County, Florida, is now supplying clean electricity to the resort. Built and operated by Bronson Solar in collaboration with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the site adds another source of renewable power to the resort’s energy mix.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

If you’ve heard of the Hidden Mickey solar array near EPCOT, it’s exactly what it sounds like – a 5,000-kilowatt solar installation shaped like Mickey Mouse. It’s one of the most recognizable renewable energy projects at any theme park in the world, and it’s been generating clean power for years.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

Four solar projects combined can now generate enough power to run the entire Walt Disney World resort – four theme parks, two water parks, and dozens of hotels – during daylight hours. Over the course of a year, that output translates to some significant numbers:

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

Walt Disney World isn’t alone. Solar energy is now a fixture across multiple Disney destinations.
At Disneyland Resort in California, 60% of the resort’s electricity now comes from renewable energy through the Anaheim Public Utilities Green Power Program. Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure is powered by 1,400 solar panels. The resort has also built out EV charging infrastructure, and one in six fleet vehicles is now electric — saving roughly 50,000 gallons of gasoline per year.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

In December 2023, Disneyland Paris completed Europe’s largest solar canopy plant – a multi-year project covering more than 11,200 guest parking spaces with over 80,000 panels across 20 hectares. It produces 36 GWh of electricity annually, enough to power a town of more than 17,400 people.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

Hong Kong Disneyland recently finished phase two of Hong Kong’s largest solar car park canopy. Nearly 400 bifacial solar panels – which capture sunlight from both sides – now cover 80 parking spaces in a backstage area, generating more than 200,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

As of late 2025, solar panels cover all applicable backstage rooftops and facades at Shanghai Disney Resort. Combined output has reached approximately 5.2 GWh of green electricity, cutting carbon emissions by more than 2,500 metric tons.
Tokyo Disney Resort has installed solar panels at 10 rooftop locations, with a combined capacity exceeding 1,500 kW, and plans to keep expanding year by year.

Solar Power at Disney Parks: Around the World in Panels

Both Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point have on-site solar arrays generating power for the island destinations.
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A photo of Huawei’s smart photovoltaic (PV) controller, SUN2000-150K-MG0 / Courtesy of Huawei
Huawei is showcasing its latest smart solar inverters at the 23rd International Green Energy Expo, which opened Wednesday and runs through Friday in Daegu.
At the event, the company unveiled a new model from its SUN2000 series — a 160-kilowatt smart photovoltaic (PV) controller, SUN2000-150K-MG0. The inverter features a suite of advanced safety technologies, including an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) to cut off circuits to prevent fires when sparking is detected in the power lines. The inverter automatically isolates a string when it detects electrical faults in the circuit and smart connector-level detection (SCLD) monitors connector temperatures and prevents failures.
The company noted that the SUN2000 series is built for reliability, backed by rigorous quality controls. Products undergo aging tests under simulations of extreme conditions to prove durability during the manufacturing process, ensuring stable performance even in harsh environments such as coastal or desert regions.
The utility‑scale SUN2000‑330KTL‑H1 model offers an expanded maximum power point tracking (MPPT) range to improve site flexibility and incorporates smart I‑V curve diagnosis to streamline maintenance.
The company is offering a hands-on demo kit at its booth, allowing visitors to experience the inverter’s autonomous detection and mitigation of electrical risks in real time.
They are also offering daily technical seminars to share insights on the latest energy technology trends. Sessions cover the key features of the company’s inverters and discussions on solutions for grid saturation challenges, such as grid‑forming technology that stabilizes renewable power in networks, as well as the latest energy storage system (ESS) trends.
“In step with the global shift toward renewable energy, we aim to contribute to higher-quality industry growth by delivering solutions that fuse advanced digital technologies with power electronics,” Huawei Korea CEO Balian Wang
said.
“We hope this exhibition provides a valuable opportunity to explore our utility and commercial solutions firsthand and exchange insights on industry trends.”
Huawei Korea’s digital power business focuses on advancing energy digitalization by integrating digital and power electronics technologies. The unit delivers intelligent low-carbon solutions across clean power generation, electrified mobility and green ICT power infrastructure in more than 170 countries and regions worldwide, supporting global carbon neutrality goals.

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Booth No: K-450
DAEGU, South Korea, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TCL Solar is currently exhibiting its latest photovoltaic solutions at the Korea Green Energy Expo, reinforcing its commitment to advancing South Korea's renewable energy market. As South Korea is poised to become a key global player in the solar energy sector, the country is on track to achieve a cumulative installed solar capacity of 55.7GW by 2030, with over 5GW set to be installed annually. Among the growing demand, distributed and floating photovoltaic systems are driving significant market expansion.

The TCL Solar booth was bustling with visitors throughout the event.

TCL Solar is showcasing its T5 Pro TOPCon Multi-Cut Product, which utilizes advanced TOPCon technology with overlapping cell architecture, offering a maximum power output of up to 670W、755W. This cutting-edge solution represents the pinnacle of high-efficiency solar energy.
Additionally, the C2 BC Module, powered by Back Contact technology, delivers significantly higher energy yields, making it perfect for complex applications with high BOS costs, low ground reflectivity, limited land availability, partial shadow scenarios, or aesthetic requirements.
The BC module with its no busbar design and no front metal lines present a more visually appealing aesthetic, meeting Korean architectural requirements. Offering a power output 20W higher than TOPCon modules, it also maintains significantly better hot spot resistance and a degradation rate of just 0.35%.
Additionally, the company introduced the lightweight modules (5.4kg/m², reducing weight by 49%) that are particularly suitable for low-load rooftops of aging factories in Korea.
Besides, the company proudly congratulate Prana Solution Co., Ltd. on winning the 2025 TCL Solar Top Sales Award on site. This remarkable achievement highlights the strong partnership between Prana Solution and TCL Solar, built on a shared commitment to innovation and sustainable energy.
Backed by TCL Zhonghuan's (TCL Solar parent company) advanced manufacturing capabilities including the launch of the industry's first 4.0 silicon wafer factory in 2020, TCL Solar guarantees excellent quality and technical support. TCL Solar will continue to collaborate with local partners to help South Korea achieve its renewable energy goals, while advancing its global expansion through partnership with the Korean market for mutual growth.

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April 22, 2026 11 Views
By Mark Reaman
After several months of sitting idle while waiting for some final parts after most of the construction was completed, the Oh Be Joyful solar farm located south of Crested Butte started producing power last week. Employees of the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA), Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, and the Paradise Power Company were there last week to do final testing and commissioning. The switch was then flipped to the on position.
“The OBJ array was energized and commissioned last Wednesday (April 15) and is now generating as the sun shines!” reported GCEA strategy, execution, technology and member experience manager Matt Feier. “The longer than anticipated delay in energizing came from a supply chain delay for the metering equipment. You may still see some GCEA line workers and Paradise Power Company staff around the array this week making a few fine-tuning adjustments, but the array is on and operating as planned. We are very excited for this to start producing electricity. We initiated planning for this project in 2020.”
The solar farm will generate 2,609 megawatt hours per year on average. Feier said that equates to roughly enough electricity to power 334 average GCEA served homes per year.
The towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte, Vail Resorts, the Adaptive Sports Center, the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory and Crested Butte South POA are all purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from the array’s production. Feier explained that will offset their electricity use with the local, renewable, non-carbon emitting energy produced from the array. “These RECs commitments have allowed the array to be developed without needing a rate increase (for the GCEA membership as a whole) to pay for the array’s development,” he said. “GCEA is also seeking a 40% federal credit through the Inflation Reduction Act for the array’s construction.”
Paradise Power Company is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction that GCEA worked with to develop the OBJ array. As an FYI aside, when asked who will shovel off the solar panels in a real winter with real snowfall, Feier said no one. “We have budgeted for power production loss due to snow coverage,” he explained. “There will be a longer article that addresses this in the upcoming Colorado Country Life. The panels are bifacial, so even when they are covered by snow, there will be some production from light reflected off the ground and snow.”
Feier relayed that the, “GCEA is also planning to energize the Gunnison River Solar array soon, pending the delivery and installation of the solar switchboard…which has been subject to the solar industry’s current supply chain challenges.
“Further, GCEA is working to partner with other cooperatives on a larger regional solar project located in another part of Colorado through Tri-State’s Bring Your Own Resource program,” Feir continued. “If achieved, this solar development will save money and lower the carbon intensity of the energy GCEA supplies.”
April 22, 2026
April 22, 2026
April 22, 2026
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This story was originally published by Grist in partnership with the Associated Press.
Over the past few years, Kentucky sheep farmer Daniel Bell has been expanding his flock. Eventually, that meant he needed to build a new barn. His land is far from the power lines he’d need to heat it, so he figured rooftop solar would be ideal.
To help pay for it, he wanted to apply for a renewable energy grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP — only to find that the Trump administration had effectively halted grants through the program. Bell said that made it impossible to proceed with the idea on his land.
“For me, it’s just been about freedom. Freedom to lower bills, freedom to control my own assets,” he said.
Many farmers work on the thinnest margins, fighting to stay profitable. Some, looking to cut costs on electricity, turn to the federal government for a little extra cash to help them install solar panels on top of barns, grain elevators, or offices. Others turn to commercial renewable energy leases as both an alternative income stream and a way to put fallow land to work.
Within the first year of President Trump’s second term, two federal programs critical to the growth of solar energy production — REAP and the clean energy tax credit — have been rolled back. To document how those policy changes are affecting farmers, The Associated Press and Grist analyzed data on both commercial-scale solar projects and small-scale rural energy development across the country.
They found that, so far this fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture hasn’t awarded a dollar in rural energy grants or loan guarantees. Reporters contacted roughly a quarter of the nearly 300 developers that have proposed projects on agricultural land in the last two years, and found that they are either preparing their businesses to do future projects without federal support, or have already lost millions in investment because of the administration’s new tax credit policies.
Bell, for his part, decided to go a different route: Instead of building on his own property, he asked to build two new temporary barns on land owned by a commercial solar operation where he’s paid to graze his sheep beneath solar panels to keep the grass down. If the business approves his request, the barns could draw cheaper power from their operation. But not every farmer has that opportunity.
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The effects of these policy shifts are uneven. Some solar projects are stalled because of permitting hangups. Some are right on schedule. And some are moving faster than anticipated, as developers race to break ground before tax credits expire. But, taken together, the findings reveal how the collapse of federal support for solar has spread across American agriculture from major corporations to family farms. 
The Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed by President George W. Bush, enacted a 30 percent investment tax credit for large-scale clean energy projects, boosting the solar industry. The tax credit was extended for eight years under President Obama and later extended under President Trump in 2020.
When President Joe Biden signed the 2022 landmark climate bill, the tax credit was extended again through 2032 or when specific emissions targets were reached. Last July, when Congress passed President Trump’s tax bill, the timeline for the clean energy tax credits was again reset — in reverse. Now, commercial solar projects must be under construction by July 2026 or placed in service by the end of 2027 to remain eligible for the credit. 
At least 126 solar projects proposed since the beginning of 2024 are awaiting regulatory approval, according to a Grist and Associated Press analysis of the latest information developers supplied to the Energy Information Administration. Each is located near or on agricultural land, with at least one-fifth of the surrounding area used for grazing fields or crops, and would together supply about 20 gigawatts of electricity if built. That’s enough renewable energy to power about 4.5 million homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
The new timeline, though, has prompted some developers to abandon projects after concluding they couldn’t move fast enough to meet the new tax credit cutoff.
Bogdan Micu, CEO of the German solar developer Alpin Sun, said it had to abandon projects representing about $6 million in investments in about 1,000 megawatts in the U.S. Northeast. “Well. We lost our projects,” Micu said.
“There was no way for us to speed up that process” to meet deadlines, he said.
Through REAP, the USDA issues grants and loans to farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses interested in renewable energy — like installing solar to lower utility costs. According to Richa Patel, a policy specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, REAP has funded more than 19,000 grants totalling more than $1.8 billion since its inception nearly two decades ago, and backed tens of thousands of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects across the country in that time. The program was supercharged by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and up until then, when some congressional Republicans began to question the grant structure of the program, was largely supported by both parties. But for many of the farmers whose awards or applications were affected as Trump took office again, the past year has made farm country’s already-dire economic landscape even more difficult to weather.
Elisa Lane, a flower and fruit farmer in Hampstead, Maryland, will never forget the anxiety she felt last February when she heard the Trump administration had frozen the $30,576 REAP grant she’d been awarded in 2024 to install solar panels — with no explanation. 
“Man, was that so stressful,” said Lane, who spent months worried she’d be “on the hook” for the amount that she’d already contracted a solar company to install. It was supposed to alleviate the stress of her energy bills, which she said ran around $500 a month before getting solar. Read Next
In March 2025, the agency announced it would release already-awarded grants and loans — but there appeared to be some fine print. The USDA invited recipients to voluntarily revise their proposals to align with Trump’s executive order by “eliminating Biden-era DEIA and climate mandates embedded in previous proposals.” 
Although she was anxiously waiting on the funds, Lane decided not to revise her proposal after a local USDA representative advised her to proceed with her project without revising. (The representative assured her she would receive the payment, according to emails seen by Grist and the AP.) Later that spring, she heard from the USDA that the payment would be released and she could move forward with construction. So she did, putting up the full $70,000 it cost to install the panels. By August, they were up and running on her land. By September, she received her reimbursement check covering about half of the project fee from USDA — more than half a year after the funding was first frozen.
In the span of roughly seven months, the USDA froze the program’s grant funding, invited grantees to reapply without climate and DEI language, imposed sweeping new restrictions on solar on farmland, and closed future application cycles. 
“It was so disruptive,” she said. “I just want to have a farm and be able to focus on my business.” 
Now, she’s doing just that. The panels, to Lane, represent a long-term investment into bringing down her farm’s enormous energy bill. 
Although things eventually worked out for Lane and other recent REAP grantees, the Grist and Associated Press analysis of USDA Rural Development data found the program has not committed a single dollar in renewable energy development since September. Even though the agency said it anticipated it would do so last October, USDA never reopened REAP’s grant application cycle. Its loan guarantee program — geared toward larger farm and rural business projects — has remained open, though the analysis found that the agency has awarded no new agreements this fiscal year. 
Then, on March 31, the USDA announced a suspension of all REAP grant awards so the agency may update regulations within the program to comply with an executive order issued by the president last July. The agency noted that it “will not be making further grant awards until the new regulations are in effect,” but added that REAP guaranteed loans “will continue to be awarded in this time.” 
In response to a request for comment, a USDA spokesperson said the “suspension of REAP grant awards is temporary,” but did not provide further details on how long grants will be paused. When asked why the USDA has not yet issued any loans this fiscal year through the program, the spokesperson said the agency “continues to administer REAP in accordance with current guidance” and is “prioritizing program integrity and alignment with Administration direction as it conducts its review.” 
Robert Bonnie, the former undersecretary for farm production and conservation at the USDA under the Biden administration, said any loss in the program’s funding is going to be felt throughout rural America. Part of the USDA’s role over the long term, he said, has been to channel investment into rural parts of the country while making rural prosperity part of the climate agenda. 
“In places like Iowa and Texas, renewables matter — not just for additional power and lower power bills and clean energy, but also matters for farmers’ pocketbooks,” said Bonnie. “Anything you do to pull back on that is hugely problematic.” 
For RIC Energy North America, a renewable energy developer based in New York City, the changes to the solar tax credits triggered an all-out sprint to advance every project in the pipeline, said CEO Jon Rappe. But new projects after that will essentially stop, he said.
The company has about 150 solar projects in its North American portfolio, with the bulk of those developments on fallow land, hayfields, and former farmland. “Now, some companies are probably going to go out and continue to sign sites, and take some risks, in case there’s an extension of tax credits or something like that,” Rappe said. “But the next generation of projects is not going to happen unless there’s some change at the federal level.”
One of RIC Energy’s projects is to develop 15 acres of solar on Tim Covert’s land in the primarily agricultural town of Sheridan, New York. The community solar project, where small-scale arrays would allow low-income residents to subscribe to get monthly credits on their utility bill, offers a new source of steady revenue for Covert, a former dairy farmer who has been battling cancer over the last year and struggled to work as a result. 
“I’m 100 percent cancer-free, but with the treatments, there’s some side effects that take a little while to get rid of,” he said, which include brain fog, muscle soreness, and depleted energy. ”So it would be great if they did have it done by fall, and I started getting money.”
Under the agreement, the bigger payout, which Covert said equals roughly a quarter of his income as an electrical contractor, won’t start until the project is completed and online — and Covert isn’t sure when that will happen amid the shifting federal landscape. At the moment, he’s getting a small stipend simply for leasing his land. He’s been told that construction could start as soon as the end of May, though “it seems to be changing a lot.” RIC Energy, for its part, told Grist and the AP that the construction is slated to begin late summer to early fall. 
“I don’t think they’re going to stop now, because they have quite a bit of time and money invested in this thing already,” he said. “So I don’t see them pulling the plug.” 
Even amid the shifting policies, some clean energy developers say they are winning out. Solar energy is still one of the cheapest forms of energy out there, and energy is in higher demand than ever, partly due to AI data center construction. What’s more, tax equity sometimes made financing projects more complicated, so in some ways losing the tax credit also broke down a barrier to getting things done, said Nick Cohen, president and CEO of Doral LLC, a large-scale solar energy and battery storage developer with about 450 megawatts in operation and about 16,000 more planned or in construction.
It’s “a very exciting time if you’re a large enough developer that was in the right place at the right time doing large projects,” he said. 
“All the new rules really favor the big guys like us.” 

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by GOOD MORNING WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, DC (7News) — As Earth Day arrives, many homeowners across the D.C. region are looking for simple ways to reduce their environmental impact while also cutting costs.
One solution gaining momentum is solar energy, which continues to grow in popularity for both its financial and environmental benefits.
According to Wyatt Everhart, Meteorologist and Advisor with Solar Energy World, the biggest driver for homeowners considering solar is often the long-term savings. With utility costs continuing to rise, generating power at home can provide significant financial relief over time. But beyond the savings, Everhart emphasizes that solar energy also plays an important role in improving local air quality.
In the D.C. area, warmer months often bring concerns about smog and ozone alert days. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, solar energy helps decrease emissions that contribute to poor air quality. “If we can produce more of our energy locally with solar, it can make a real difference in the air we breathe,” Everhart explains.
In addition to environmental benefits, companies like Solar Energy World are also expanding their impact through partnerships. Initiatives with organizations such as GivePower help provide clean, solar-powered water systems to communities in need, while partnerships with Veritree support reforestation efforts by planting trees for every new solar customer.
As Earth Day highlights the importance of sustainability, solar energy offers a practical way for homeowners to make a meaningful difference. By combining cost savings with cleaner energy production, it’s a solution that benefits both households and the planet. For those interested in learning whether solar is the right fit for their home, consultants are available at 877-SOLAR-TV, or homeowners can visit solarenergyworld.com to schedule a consultation. As energy costs continue to rise, planning ahead today could mean significant savings tomorrow.
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The global expansion of solar photovoltaic farms is on a collision course with severe convective storm risk, as many of the regions best suited for solar development are also among the most exposed to damaging hail, according to a new white paper from Gallagher Re and AXIS.
Severe convective storms accounted for at least 47% of global insured catastrophe losses in 2025, totaling $60 billion, and hail damage to solar infrastructure is a fast-growing segment of that exposure. When analyzing closed solar PV claims reported between 2019 and 2025, AXIS found that hail accounted for 27% of natural catastrophe and extreme weather losses globally by total claim amount, with more than a million PV modules damaged and $342 million in accumulated gross claims.
Global renewable power capacity is expected to double between now and 2030, with solar PV accounting for about 80% of that growth, according to the International Energy Agency. Yet many of the areas where solar farms are being built — Texas, parts of South America, Australia and South Africa — sit squarely in hail-prone corridors, the report said.
Texas illustrates the tension clearly. The state is the fastest-growing in the U.S. for solar generation and second only to California in total installed capacity, but its open landscapes and proximity to mountain ranges create ideal conditions for hail-producing storms, the report said. AXIS found that Texas has the highest total gross claim amount for solar PV hail losses in the U.S., an order of magnitude greater than Nebraska, the second-highest state.
Recent advancements in PV module technology have inadvertently increased vulnerability, according to the report. Most projects now use larger modules with thinner, heat-strengthened glass for weight and cost savings. However, claims involving heat-strengthened glass modules are $50,000 per megawatt higher on average than those with thicker, fully tempered glass, AXIS found.
To address the underwriting challenge, Gallagher Re has developed a proprietary probabilistic hail model for South Africa — one of the most hail-exposed regions globally — that quantifies risk at two-kilometer resolution across more than 390,000 cells.
The model uses NASA satellite observations of “overshooting tops,” a meteorological feature most likely to produce damaging hail, to map exceedance probabilities and return periods for a range of hail sizes, the report said. The firm has also created hail risk score maps that classify locations from very low to extreme exposure, combining hazard intensity and vulnerability to estimate relative financial risk.
On the mitigation side, AXIS identified three pillars of risk reduction for solar PV farms: accurate weather forecasts, appropriate hail-resistant technology and a well-informed operational strategy, the report said.
One of the most effective protective measures is high-tilt stow — rotating panels to 60 degrees or above during hailstorms so that hailstones glance off at an angle rather than striking directly. Testing cited in the report found that breakage probability could be reduced by 83% by moving from a 30-degree angle to a 75-degree stow angle. AXIS claims data showed that the average cost of a solar PV hail claim is roughly halved when panels successfully stow compared to claims where stow failed or was not attempted.
Looking ahead, changing weather patterns are expected to increase both the frequency and intensity of severe convective storms globally, the report said. Research suggests that warmer near-surface temperatures and higher humidity will create more days with conditions favorable for SCS formation.
In regions like South Africa, stronger convective updrafts in an environment of enhanced moisture may produce larger hailstones that resist melting, according to the report. While significant uncertainty remains in modeling future SCS risk, scientists generally agree that the potential for more frequent large hail reaching the ground is increasing worldwide.
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The insurance claims landscape is rapidly transforming. Artificial intelligence is automating processes, plaintiff attorneys are deploying sophisticated data analytics to gain an advantage, and expectations around responsiveness and insight have never been higher.
Yet amid these technological shifts, a crucial question remains: How do insurance professionals maintain the human relationships that build trust and deliver genuine value?
Ron Morrison, Chief Claims Officer at MSIG USA, has spent his career navigating this balance. His approach reflects a clear philosophy: technology may change how claims are handled, but it does not replace the need for thoughtful decision-making, strong relationships, and consistent execution.
Ron Morrison, Chief Claims Officer, MSIG USA
Every insurance carrier promises exceptional claims service. What separates the exceptional from the ordinary is how consistently that service is delivered and how well it integrates with the client’s broader risk management strategy.
“My whole philosophy centers on integrating our culture with our insureds and providing next-level service,” Morrison said. “Every carrier says that, but how we differentiate is through our execution.”
Morrison’s vision is for MSIG USA’s claims team to operate as a natural extension of the client’s organization, aligned not only to the claim itself, but to the client’s broader objectives and operating environment.
This integration starts internally. “It begins with creating a positive culture for our people so that the exuberance to provide customer service comes through in every interaction,” Morrison explained. That servant-based approach translates directly to how insureds experience the relationship.
This approach emphasizes alignment, communication, and pacing. Morrison noted that his team works with clients to ensure decisions are made deliberately and in line with their priorities.
“We want to match your efforts to move this at the pace you want to control,” he said.
Brokers and carriers consistently report that this approach resonates. “We hear consistently from brokers and carriers that clients feel we’re an extension of their team — integrated so thoroughly that we function as if we’re in-house,” Morrison said.
MSIG USA’s approach to claims is becoming even more critical as the operating environment continues to evolve, particularly as technology reshapes how claims are initiated and managed.
In Casualty claims, for example, plaintiff attorneys are leveraging AI-enabled tools to generate large volumes of demand packages, increasing pressure on insurers and insureds alike.
“The plaintiff bar is using AI tremendously effectively,” Morrison noted. “There are tech companies generating close to 10,000 demand packages a week from the plaintiff bar, which can overpower the insurance industry.”
For insurers to remain competitive, investment in AI infrastructure is no longer optional. However, Morrison cautions against viewing technology as a singular solution.
“The key for AI integration and utilization is to enhance how we operate and how we form relationships,” Morrison said. “AI will help drive efficiency and enable claims professionals to build more dimensional relationships in their claim handling than before.”
MSIG USA has invested in AI tools that generate offer packages proactively, matching the plaintiff bar’s technological sophistication. But Morrison stresses that this technology only levels the playing field — it doesn’t guarantee victory.
“AI can get you to a level playing field,” he explained. “But if my adjusters aren’t great negotiators, I’m still losing the edge.”
The real competitive advantage lies in combining technology with talent development. “The reinforcement has to be this: Invest enough in AI to keep up and be modern, but don’t forget to invest in technical and fundamental skills,” Morrison said. “That way, your people are as sharp as anyone in the industry, you get ROI, and you’re ahead of the game in terms of ultimate economic outcome.”
As technology levels the playing field, differentiation increasingly comes from how carriers approach complexity itself.
Claims are becoming more visible and more consequential for clients. In parallel, the broader litigation environment continues to evolve, particularly as the plaintiff bar becomes more sophisticated in how cases are developed and advanced.
“Plaintiff attorneys are highly informed and very deliberate in how they approach litigation,” Morrison said. “They understand how cases develop and where pressure points exist.”
In this environment, Morrison believes success depends less on any single tactic, and more on how consistently carriers apply judgment, alignment, and perspective throughout the lifecycle of a claim.
“At the highest level, complex claims are not just about reacting to litigation,” Morrison said. “They are about understanding how a situation is likely to evolve, how it may be perceived, and how to position our insured accordingly from the outset.”
This perspective shapes how claims are approached from day one.
Rather than viewing claims as a linear process, MSIG USA emphasizes continuous evaluation, alignment, and communication across all stakeholders involved.
“It’s about being deliberate early,” Morrison explained. “Ensuring you are evaluating the full picture and aligning on a strategy that supports both the legal outcome and the client’s broader objectives.”
This approach places a premium on judgment. It means moving beyond standard processes and considering the specific dynamics of each claims, including how early decisions may influence outcomes over time.
It also reinforces the importance of coordination. Close alignment between claims professionals, counsel, brokers, and insureds supports more informed decisions and a more cohesive path forward.
“Ultimately, our role is to bring clarity and confidence into what can be a very uncertain process,” Morrison said. “Because we combine experience, strong relationships, and a disciplined and strategic approach, we are better positioned to navigate complex claims.
Looking ahead, Morrison expects continued acceleration in how claims are managed, driven by technology, data, and rising client expectations. But at the center of that evolution is not automation alone, it is how effectively carriers translate speed and insight into better outcomes for their clients.
“Technology is changing how quickly we can process information and move a claim forward,” Morrison said. “But what matters most is how that speed translates into clarity, confidence, and better decision-making.”
As clients become more informed and engaged in the claims process, the role of the carrier continues to evolve. Clients expect a partner who can help them navigate complex and often high-stakes situations. For MSIG USA that means maintaining a data-driven, consistent approach while staying closely aligned with client priorities throughout the lifecycle of a claim.
“Our clients are looking for more than an outcome. They want to understand the path we are taking to get there,” Morrison said.
The balance of responsiveness and judgment is what Morrison believes will define leading claims organizations in the years ahead.
The path forward requires organizational nimbleness, ongoing investment in both talent and technology, and an unwavering commitment to the relationships that define great claims service.
“At the end of the day, this business is built on trust,” he said. “If we are delivering insight and consistently acting in a way that reflects our clients’ priorities, that’s what strengthens relationships and defines long-term success.”
To learn more, visit https://www.msigusa.com/.


This article was produced by the R&I Brand Studio, a unit of the advertising department of Risk & Insurance, in collaboration with MSIG USA. The editorial staff of Risk & Insurance had no role in its preparation.

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Posted April 22, 2026 10:20am by Stan Maddux
(La Porte County, IN) – A proposed solar energy farm in La Porte County was not considered as scheduled last night.
 
Hoosier Solar is seeking a special exception to current zoning laws to put up solar panels in the area of State Road 104 near the St. Joseph County line.  The La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals was scheduled to hear the request, but the meeting lasted only six minutes.
 
The meeting was adjourned after BZA attorney Andrew Voeltz said the board was not assembled correctly because a member of the La Porte County Planning Commission was not appointed to the board by the La Porte County Commissioners in January as required by state law.
 
“It is my position as the attorney that the board is insufficient and improperly constructed,” he said.
 
Voeltz said the BZA is supposed to have three citizen members appointed by the commissioners including one that is a member of the planning commission.  Since no planning commission member is on the board, Voetz said it was his opinion the situation has to be corrected for the BZA to legally meet.
 
The county commissioners will take up the matter at its next meeting on May 4.
 
Commission President Steve Holifield said he will research the matter because he’s not totally sold the current make-up of the board violates state requirements.  In his opinion, Holifield said he suspects the matter was brought up to give some sort of an advantage to the company seeking permission for putting up solar panels.
 
“I smell a rat here,” he said.
 
In response, Hoosier Solar CEO Steven Lichtin said his company had no role in the make-up of the BZA and supports the BZA's commitment to operating in full compliance with the law.
 
"We remain committed to community engagement and transparent participation as our Yellowstone project moves through the local permitting process to obtain a special exception for a permitted use of land. Our Yellowstone project exceeds all state and local standards and will be the smallest commercial solar project in the region," he said 
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Solar power plays a major role in efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and address climate change. The Sun delivers an immense amount of energy to Earth every moment, yet modern solar cells capture only a small share of it. This limitation is due to a long-standing "physical ceiling" that has been difficult to overcome.
In research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on March 25, scientists from Kyushu University in Japan, working with collaborators at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Mainz in Germany, developed a new way to push past this barrier. They used a molybdenum-based metal complex known as a "spin-flip" emitter to capture extra energy generated through singlet fission (SF), often described as a "dream technology" for improving light conversion.
With this approach, the team achieved energy conversion efficiencies of around 130%, exceeding the traditional 100% limit and pointing toward more advanced solar technologies.
How Solar Cells Work and Why Energy Is Lost
Solar cells produce electricity when photons from sunlight hit a semiconductor and transfer energy to electrons, setting them in motion and creating an electric current. This process can be compared to a relay, where energy is passed from one particle to another.
However, not all photons are equally useful. Low-energy infrared photons do not have enough energy to activate electrons, while high-energy photons such as blue light lose their extra energy as heat. Because of this, solar cells can only utilize about one-third of incoming sunlight. This constraint is known as the Shockley-Queisser limit and has remained a major challenge.
Singlet Fission Offers a Way To Multiply Energy
"We have two main strategies to break through this limit," says Yoichi Sasaki, Associate Professor at Kyushu University’s Faculty of Engineering. "One is to convert lower-energy infrared photons into higher energy visible photons. The other, what we explore here, is to use SF to generate two excitons from a single exciton photon."
Under normal conditions, each photon produces only one spin-singlet exciton after excitation. With SF, this single exciton can split into two lower-energy spin-triplet excitons, which could effectively double the available energy. Although certain materials such as tetracene can support this process, capturing these excitons efficiently has proven difficult.
Overcoming Energy Loss From FRET
"The energy can be easily ‘stolen’ by a mechanism called Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) before multiplication occurs," Sasaki explains. "We therefore needed an energy acceptor that selectively captures the multiplied triplet excitons after fission."
To address this issue, the researchers turned to metal complexes, which can be precisely engineered. They identified a molybdenum-based "spin-flip" emitter as an effective solution. In this system, an electron changes its spin during absorption or emission of near-infrared light, allowing it to capture the triplet energy generated by SF.
By carefully adjusting the energy levels, the team minimized losses from FRET and enabled efficient extraction of the multiplied excitons.
Collaboration and Experimental Success
"We could not have reached this point without the Heinze group from JGU Mainz," Sasaki says. Adrian Sauer, a graduate student from the group visiting Kyushu University on exchange and the paper’s second author, brought the team’s attention to a material long studied there, leading to the collaboration.
When combined with tetracene-based materials in solution, the system successfully harvested energy with quantum yields of about 130%. This means that roughly 1.3 molybdenum-based metal complexes were activated for every photon absorbed, exceeding the usual limit and demonstrating that more energy carriers were produced than incoming photons.
Future Solar and Quantum Technology Applications
This research introduces a new strategy for amplifying excitons, although it is still at the proof-of-concept stage. The team aims to integrate these materials into solid-state systems to improve energy transfer and move closer to practical solar cell applications.
The findings could also encourage further research combining singlet fission and metal complexes, with potential uses not only in solar energy but also in LEDs and emerging quantum technologies.
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Led by solar growth in China and India, renewable energies overtook global electricity demand last year  Canada’s National Observer
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Thursday, April 23, 2026
The US-Israel war with Iran has had a major impact on global energy markets, mainly through driving up oil prices – and destabilising supply – enough to result in a major boost to electric vehicle sales and a major rethink on diesel fuel use up and down global industrial supply chains.
But new data has this week revealed that solar is also benefiting from the impact of the current energy crisis, with exports from global PV producing powerhouse, China, hitting a record 68 gigawatts (GW) in March, double the previous month. 
According to new analysis from Ember, based on data from the Chinese customs authority, solar exports equivalent to Spain’s entire installed capacity were dispatched from China over the month of March, surpassing the previous record set in August 2025 by 49 per cent. 
The data shows all-time records for solar imports from China were also set by 50 countries in March, Australia included, buoyed by China’s April 01 abolition of export tax rebates, which has added 9 per cent to solar panel costs.
Exports to Africa, for example, rose by 176 per cent compared to February 2026 to reach 10 GW in March 2026, while exports to Asia doubled to reach 39 GW – both new all-time records and  the two regions, combined, making up three-quarters of the boost in exports.
“Elsewhere,” says Ember, “records were reached in other markets acutely affected by high oil and gas prices, including Japan, Australia, and the EU.” 
India was on top of chart for record solar imports in March, with 11.3 GW, followed by Indonesia with 6.2 GW. Australia comes in at number 19 on the list, with just under one 1 GW of imports for the month, at 0.95 GW – an all-time record.
A further 60 countries imported their highest levels in six months. 
And it is not necessarily solar modules that China is exporting at record rates. Ember notes that exports of PV cells and wafers have been soaring – in fact, at a rate overtaking panel exports in October 2025, with panels increasingly being assembled outside of China. 
“As well as installing more solar domestically, many countries in Asia and Africa are moving further up the solar value chain, building growing solar manufacturing and assembly capabilities,” the Ember analysis says.
According to the data, solar panel exports rose 91 per cent from February levels to reach 32 GW in March 2026, while exports of solar cells and wafers rose by 108 per cent to 36 GW. 
“Fossil shocks are boosting the solar surge,” says Euan Graham, senior analyst at Ember. 
“Solar has already become the engine of the global economy, and now the current fossil fuel price shocks are taking it up a gear.
“Countries are importing solar panels at record levels, and building up their own domestic assembly and manufacturing capabilities to address surging global demand.”
If you would like to join more than 29,000 others and get the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox, for free, please click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
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Kosol Completes 142 MW Solar Project For Coal India In Gujarat Photograph: (Archive)
Indian solar EPC and module manufacturer Kosol Energie has completed a 142 MWp ground-mounted solar project for Coal India Ltd in Gujarat, the company said.  The project, located at Bhadramali village in Banaskantha district, was part of a previously stalled and re-tendered contract that Kosol took over and completed within nine months, navigating challenges such as land acquisition delays, legacy execution gaps and transmission right-of-way constraints. 
The installation uses 610 Wp monocrystalline bifacial TOPCon modules and forms part of Coal India’s broader push to diversify into renewable energy as it seeks to reduce dependence on coal-based power.  Kosol said the modules incorporate POE–POE encapsulation technology to enhance durability and minimise degradation.
The design offers resistance to potential-induced degradation (PID), light-induced degradation (LID) and light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID), supporting long-term performance over a projected lifespan of more than 30 years.  The project is expected to contribute to India’s renewable energy targets and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 4.77 million tonnes over a 25-year period, according to the company.
Kosol said it deployed local manpower and construction equipment for the project, generating employment during the execution phase and creating potential long-term opportunities in operations, maintenance and site security.
The company has been expanding its footprint in the utility-scale segment, with ongoing projects including a 250 MW solar installation for NLC India Ltd in Tamil Nadu and a 145 MW project for Coal India.  Kosol said the completion of the Gujarat project underscores its ability to execute complex solar developments and supports India’s transition towards cleaner energy sources.
Speaking on the progress of the project, Kalpesh Kalthia, CMD of Kosol Energie, said, “Taking over and advancing a complex, partially completed project of this scale reflects our core strengths in execution, resilience, and technical expertise. At Kosol, we are committed to delivering projects that not only meet but exceed client expectations, even under challenging conditions. This project for Coal India Limited is a testament to our capability to drive large-scale renewable energy transformation while creating value for local communities and contributing to India’s sustainability goals.”
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Indian renewable energy firm Inox Clean Energy plans to acquire US-based Boviet Solar. This strategic move aims to expand Inox’s footprint in the American solar market. The deal values Boviet Solar at approximately $750 million. Boviet Solar is a significant player among US solar equipment makers.
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Lancaster facility receives authorization from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to process 600,000 solar panels annually.
Posted by Chris Sweeney, Managing Editor
Clean Earth has launched its solar panel recycling services at its facility in Lancaster, Texas, which recently received approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
The permit authorizes the site to receive and recycle solar panels alongside its enhanced electronic scrap recycling operations. Clean Earth, a division of Enviri Corp., says the expansion marks a significant milestone as Clean Earth continues to focus on recycling solutions for the renewable energy market, providing critical services and technologies for the lifecycle of sustainable power.
The Lancaster facility has served as a key hub for Clean Earth’s electronics recycling operations, and the new TCEQ authorization extends those capabilities to include end-of-life solar panel management.
"Grouping our electronics recycling operations in Lancaster is a direct response to what our customers and the broader renewable energy market needs, one trusted partner who can efficiently and cost-effectively manage the full life cycle of their solar waste without the complexity of juggling multiple vendors," Clean Earth President Jeff Beswick says.
Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Clean Earth says the Lancaster facility can process about 600,000 solar panels per year at full capacity. This is equivalent to 20 million pounds of material from sources including damaged panels at delivery, construction materials generated during installation, balance-of-system material and end-of-life panels at decommissioning.
Clean Earth applies material assessment, waste profiling and regulatory insight to determine the most responsible and compliant outcome for each panel and component, providing recycling and reuse options based on material composition and applicable regulatory requirements.
The firm says Lancaster’s expanded capabilities support existing and emerging materials management requirements, including recent Texas legislation that requires new solar facilities to undertake additional recycling activities, including the collection, reuse, recycling or shipping for recycling of all recyclable facility components.
"Texas is one of the fastest-growing markets for solar and electronics development in the country, and having the people, the permits, and the processes all under one roof means our customers can move faster, stay compliant and do right by the environment at the same time," Beswick says.

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Hindustan Power, one of India’s leading integrated energy companies, has secured a 100 MW AC solar power project from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), to be developed in Punjab. A project of this scale may require the installation of approximately 140-150 MWp of solar capacity. The project was awarded through a tariff-based competitive bidding process, followed by a successful e-Reverse Auction conducted on the ETS portal.
Under the terms of the project, Hindustan Power will enter into a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, providing long-term revenue visibility while supporting the supply of clean energy to the state. The project is expected to be commissioned within 24 months from the effective date of the PPA. 
Commenting on the development, Ratul Puri, Chairman, Hindustan Power, said:“ This project reflects our continued focus on participating in competitive bids where we see a clear alignment between pricing discipline and execution capability. It allows us to add high-quality assets to our portfolio while maintaining our approach to long-term value creation.”
“Punjab remains an important market for us, with steady demand for reliable and clean power. Through this project, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the state’s energy mix while further strengthening our operational footprint in the region,” added Ratul Puri.
“The long-term PPA provides a stable foundation for investment and enables us to plan execution with greater certainty. Our priority will be to deliver the project on schedule and ensure consistent performance over its lifecycle,” Ratul Puri further said.
Hindustan Power is an integrated power generation company in India with a focus on renewable and transitional energy generation.
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