Manufacturing

JinkoSolar has appointed Cao Haiyun as chief executive, while PowerChina has shortlisted 26 suppliers for a 31 GW solar module tender for 2026.

German engineering firm BEC Energie Consult has developed a substructure for low-mounted agrivoltaics designed to provide cost-efficient installation while supporting crop growth and livestock management, with the potential to enhance economic viability.

Swish Solar has an AI-driven tool that optimizes solar panel cleaning schedules to reduce soiling losses and operating costs. The platform uses data analytics and forecasting models to help operators time cleaning based on financial impact.

Germany’s solar sector is reporting a surge in inquiries following the military escalation between Israel, the United States, and Iran, with E.ON citing a doubling of demand for solar installations. Other industry participants are more cautious, attributing much of the increase to seasonal patterns rather than geopolitical anxiety.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

In an interview with pv magazine, cybersecurity expert Roberto Setola describes a structural shift in cyber threats against solar energy infrastructure, where attacks now target peripheral systems like remote terminal units rather than centralized SCADA, often in coordinated campaigns amplified by AI. He also emphasized that the recent cyberattack to PV plants in Poland demonstrated how simultaneous strikes on smaller, less-protected operators can potentially trigger major disruptions, including blackouts, economic losses, and cascading grid risks.

Sandia National Laboratories conducted the first-ever blind comparison of seven commercial PV modeling software, revealing that differences in weather handling, system modeling, derates, and assumptions grow as system complexity increases. The study emphasizes that software choice should consider project complexity, workflow, and modeling features rather than relying on rankings alone.

Data from EnergyBin and Buckstop shows used solar modules made up just 1% of resale listings in 2025, as falling prices for new panels weaken reuse economics.

Researchers in Brazil have developed a weighted PV inverter efficiency methodology that accounts for country-specific solar irradiance and operating conditions. The approach is designed to address the limitations of international metrics by incorporating variables such as input voltage and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) performance.

A random malware variant affected about 800 remote monitoring devices at ground-mounted PV plants in Japan in May 2024. Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm Girasol Energy has told pv magazine what happened and how PV asset owners can protect themselves against such incidents.