By embedding quality benchmarks into procurement and manufacturing incentives, policymakers are ensuring that India’s energy transition is durable, not disposable. The focus has moved from rapid installation to long-term reliability — a sign of sectoral maturity.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Iualia Meirosu, Group CFO & Board Member at Romania’s Enexus. She says that Romania’s renewable energy sector is no longer just for engineers – it’s a space where women and men can thrive across operations, finance, strategy, and project management.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that most of Australia experienced above-average solar irradiance in January 2026 due to a hot, dry airmass and clear skies, boosting PV generation despite operational challenges from elevated temperatures, bushfire smoke, and dust. In contrast, northern Queensland and far northern regions saw significant irradiance deficits from persistent monsoonal clouds and Tropical Cyclone Koji, causing widespread rainfall and localized power outages.

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.

Europe’s residential solar market is shifting from rapid rooftop PV growth to a more selective phase, with declining new installations but rising demand for upgrades like storage, smart energy management, EV integration, and balcony systems. Rather than retreating, households are reinvesting in complementary technologies that enhance flexibility, reliability, and self-consumption, redefining residential demand around integrated, intelligent energy solutions.

A global study finds climate change will sharply increase high-temperature risks, accelerate degradation, and raise costs for rooftop PV, with economically disadvantaged regions hit hardest. Researchers warn current IEC standards underestimate future risks, urging urgent updates to avoid stranded assets and rising electricity costs.

A record five large-scale renewable energy generation projects totaling 1.2 GW reached financial close across Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) in the last quarter, but industry figures say more needs to be done to ensure investment momentum continues.

On Feb. 1, California’s batteries bridged the solar gap with seamless precision. After discharging through the night until sunrise, they spent the daylight hours charging, then pivoted back to exporting power well past midnight – effectively sustaining the state on solar energy for a full 24-hour cycle.

Swiss analytics firm Pexapark finds January recorded roughly half the deal count and volume in new European power purchase agreements than the month prior.

Fraunhofer scientists have announced two efficiency records for III-V tandem modules. The team says its 34.2% efficiency III-V germanium PV module is the most efficient solar module in the world, while its 31.3% efficiency III-V silicon PV module is a record in its class.

The first phase of the MTerra solar project in the Philippines, set to be the world’s largest solar-plus-storage site once completed, has achieved initial synchronization and energization to the Luzon grid. Project developers are anticipating the project to being exporting power by the end of the month.

Slovenia installed less solar in 2025 than in 2024, largely down to a sharp drop in residential installations. The country’s cumulative solar capacity now stands at 1.57 GW.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

Guatemala’s Generation Expansion Plan 5 (PEG-5) tender has drawn 51 bids totaling nearly 4.7 GW – more than triple the 1.4 GW sought – with around 2 GW of solar projects, including hybrids with storage, competing for long-term supply contracts starting between 2030 and 2033.

An international research team used high-resolution electroluminescence imaging to quantify type-C cracks in 100 PV modules after 11 years of operation, linking crack distribution to real-world power loss. Concentrated cracks within individual cells were found to cause disproportionately high losses, highlighting the importance of cell-level crack analysis for effective PV maintenance.

The new compressor is described as the world’s most powerful single-unit compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, with a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and an efficiency of 88.1%.

The U.S.-based metrology equipment manufacturer has launched a non-contact photoluminescent imaging system to reveal defects and other non-uniformities in silicon, thin film, and III-V multijunction PV devices.

Rising silver prices are putting pressure on solar manufacturers, prompting greater focus on copper and other alternatives to reduce costs. Heraeus says it expects silver demand from photovoltaics to decline this year despite stable global installations.

The silicon batteries developed by the Spanish startup Silbat are spearheading the Research and Analysis of Long-Duration Energy Storage for Operational Resilience in Critical Military Infrastructures (ARMIC) project, covering Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7 to 8.

PvPilot has introduced a home energy management system (HEMS) designed to be compatible with all major brands of solar equipment, targeting France’s fast-growing residential self-consumption market.

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) says wafer, cell and module prices remain stable, while industry operating rates are edging lower across leading and integrated manufacturers.

High-resistivity silicon wafers offer superior efficiency potential but are highly sensitive to edge recombination and mechanical damage, limiting their commercial use compared to more robust standard wafers. Researchers from Longi and Sun Yat-sen University demonstrated that integrating in-situ edge passivation unlocks this potential, significantly boosting back-contact solar cell fill factor and efficiency.

The Chinese manufacturer said its 15 kW three-phase low-voltage hybrid inverter is paired with the stackable BP5000 5 kWh battery supporting up to 120 kWh. It features three MPPTs, 150% oversized PV input, and smart load management for optimized self-consumption.

Researchers in Saudi Arabia conducted a year-long simulation of fixed-tilt PV panels at different azimuth angles, finding that south-facing panels (180°) maximize energy production, while up to 45° eastward shifts cause minimal losses.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) says second-life PV modules have the potential to reduce waste and extend the value of solar assets, but their market today remains underdeveloped and requires advances in technical qualifications, scalable reuse infrastructure and supportive policy frameworks.

An international research team has reviewed emerging solid-state and gas-cycle heat pumps capable of reaching temperatures of up to 1,600 K, assessing their challenges, applications, scalability, and technology readiness levels. The researchers say these systems could outperform conventional high-temperature heating technologies by achieving coefficients of performance above 1.

Brazil has opened consultations on its PDE 2035 energy plan, which projects 107 GW of solar by 2035 – including 78 GW of distributed generation – with battery storage reaching 7 GW, or 2% of the power mix.

Research exploring off-grid practices in South Africa has defined three forms of off-gridding, with reasons for being off-grid varying depending on income background, in turn highlighting that decentralized energy transitions can reproduce existing inequalities.

Hydrostor has secured a 50 MW/400 MWh offtake agreement with California Community Power (CC Power) for its Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, providing firm capacity to six of CC Power’s community choice aggregator members.

Risen Energy says its new 131 kW/261 kWh commercial storage unit uses silicon carbide and full liquid cooling to improve efficiency, maintain output in hot conditions, and speed up installation.