Renewable generation supplied more than half of Australia’s electricity in the fourth quarter of 2025, driving wholesale power prices down by nearly 50% and coinciding with record battery output, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Coal-fired generation fell 4.6% year on year to a record quarterly low, while gas-fired output dropped 27% to its lowest level in 25 years.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Alba Sande, lawyer at Spanish law firm ASande Legal. She states that, despite progress, women remain underrepresented in the renewable energy industry. “As a woman and a mother, I have often encountered the unspoken assumption that professional ambition must take a backseat to family life, a bias rarely applied to men,” she says.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that in January most of East Asia experienced normal to above-average solar irradiance, with southeastern China seeing surges due to reduced clouds and low aerosol levels under lingering La Niña effects. In contrast, the Philippines faced below-average irradiance from early Tropical Storm Nokaen, while other regional cities like Seoul, Tokyo, and Taipei recorded modest gains.

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 a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reveales that last year extreme Canadian wildfires drove aerosol levels around 30% above normal, sharply reducing solar irradiance across Canada and even impacting Europe, while the Congo Basin also saw worsening aerosol conditions. In contrast, China and South America experienced unusually low aerosol levels, supporting stronger solar irradiance due to cleaner air, reduced fires, and favorable climate and policy conditions.

Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation and India’s Carbon Resources Private Limited have agreed to collaborate on new solar and hydropower projects in Bhutan with capacities between 100 MW and 250 MW.

UL Solutions has published new technical guidance and a proposed certification pathway for plug-in balcony solar systems, outlining safety risks and design requirements as several US states move to legalise the technology.

CNESA says China’s non-pumped storage technologies hit 144.7 GW in 2025, with 66.43 GW added.

A report from LevelTen Energy finds solar PPA prices in North America rose 3.2% in Q4 2025, marking a nearly 9% year-over-year increase as developers and buyers navigate a complex “post-OBBBA” regulatory environment.

Wuxi DK Electronic Materials is pursuing two patent infringement cases against domestic competitors, seeking injunctions, equipment destruction, and combined damages of CNY 400 million ($57.5 million).

Repsol and Sunfire are advancing 200 MW of renewable hydrogen projects in Spain, while new collaborations and funding across Europe and India aim to accelerate electrolyzer development and hydrogen infrastructure.

Scientists have grown organic romaine lettuce under 13 different types of PV modules, in an unusual hot Canadian summer. Their analysis showed lettuce yields increased by over 400% compared to unshaded control plants.

Researchers at SUPSI found that six Swiss PV systems installed in the late 1980s and early 1990s show exceptionally low degradation rates of just 0.16% to 0.24% per year after more than 30 years of operation. The study shows that thermal stress, ventilation, and material design play a greater role in long-term module reliability than altitude or irradiance alone.

Cubenergy has launched FlexCombo 2.0, a scalable battery energy storage system for utility, commercial, and industrial applications, offering up to 16 MWh capacity with LFP batteries. Its modular design, advanced BMS, and cloud-based operations enable easy installation, seamless expansion, and efficient grid integration, according to the manufacturer.

Sweden deployed less solar in 2025 than the year prior despite record growth in the large-scale segment. Solar association Svensk Solenergi predicts last year was likely the bottom of Sweden’s installation curve.

Researchers in Iraq have developed biomimetic leaf vein–inspired fins for photovoltaic panels, with reticulate (RET) venation reducing panel temperature by 33.6 C and boosting efficiency by 18% using passive cooling. Their study combines 3D CFD simulations and electrical evaluations to optimize fin geometry, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional cooling methods.

The Finnish start-up says its sand battery technology is scalable from 20 to 500 MWh with charging power from 1 to 20 MW, depending on industrial needs.

Dutch utility Eneco is testing low-noise air-to-water heat pumps from startup Whspr in around 20 homes, aiming to ease installation constraints near property boundaries. The systems reportedly achieve coefficients of performance of up to 5 and show up to 80% noise reduction in laboratory testing.

The new Tesla Solar Panel and mounting system pairs with the company’s inverter, Powerwall battery, EV charging and vehicles, creating an all-Tesla residential solar offering for the first time.

The UK-based perovskite solar PV specialist has announced a new metrology research project with Swansea University and a new development agreement with Renolit, a German plastic films, sheets and polymer solutions company.

Researchers in South Korea improved the performance of tin monosulfide (SnS) solar cells with a potassium fluoride-assisted post-treatment and a vapor transport deposition process. The treated solar cells had a power conversion efficiency of 4.10% and reduced recombination sites, compared to 3.42% for untreated devices.

Silver hit a new all-time high of $117.66/oz, climbing over 40% in the past month and 275% in the past year, driven by dollar weakness, geopolitical tensions, and gold’s strong momentum. Silver analyst Matthew Piggott tells pv magazine the metal may reach $130/oz within a couple of weeks.

The Ariya demonstration vehicle features 3.8 m² of Lightyear’s custom solar panels integrated across the hood, roof, and tailgate. Testing showed that the car could generate 0.5 kWh of solar energy during a 2‑hour, 80 kilometer trip, delivering up to 3 kilometers of range at no extra cost or charging time.

The largest single-unit rooftop solar power plant in Europe, developed by French independent power producer Urbasolar, is under construction on the Delta 3 multimodal logistics platform in Dourges, in France’s Hauts-de-France region.

GIST researchers have developed a perovskite mini-module with 22.56% efficiency by improving the SnO₂ electron transport layer with PEI, reducing defects and electron loss. The module retained 94% of its performance after 500 hours, highlighting potential for scalable, stable perovskite solar cells and modules.

The South Korean giant said its new EHS All-in-One provides air heating and cooling, floor heating, and hot water from a single outdoor unit. It can supply hot water up to 65 C in below-zero weather.

Envision Energy has launched a fully integrated energy storage solution combining hardware, software, and market-facing AI to optimize performance, safety, and trading. Its “Physical AI” platform embeds intelligence across cells, systems, and operations, enabling predictive maintenance and real-time market participation.

During testing at Estonia’s 100 MW Kiisa battery park, both EstLink 1 and EstLink 2 tripped, triggering the most severe disturbance to the regional power grid since desynchronization from the Russian electricity system. As a result, nearly 1 GW of capacity was lost within seconds. The park’s owner has since publicly pointed to the battery manufacturer.

The Dutch start-up, founded by former Tesla leaders, is taking a novel approach to sodium-ion battery technology, optimizing it for integration with solar power plants. Its technology is set to be deployed for the first time in a Dutch solar-plus-storage project later this year.

Iberdrola has commissioned Spain’s first utility-scale batteries at Alarcón, while Spain’s battery pipeline grows as major utilities develop new projects amid negative electricity prices.