PV systems and distributed energy assets require stronger cybersecurity and controllability, but measures to protect critical infrastructure should be based on careful, expert assessment rather than rushed policy decisions.

Josef Daniel-Ivad from the Zinc Battery Initiative updates the current scaling of zinc battery manufacturers and technology.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Yuliana Onishchuk, founder and CEO of the Charitable organisation Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation. She explains how Russia’s full-scale invasion transformed solar energy in Ukraine from a green technology into a vital tool for survival, powering hospitals, schools, and communities during blackouts and attacks. Through the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation, decentralized renewable energy and women-led initiatives are helping build resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and shape a more secure and sustainable future for Ukraine.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that a persistent high-pressure system over the North Sea created a major April solar irradiance surplus across western and northern Europe by suppressing clouds and boosting GHI well above average. At the same time, displaced storm tracks reduced irradiance in the eastern Mediterranean and parts of Eastern Europe, producing deficits in Greece, Turkey, and Ukraine while maintaining a sharp west–east contrast.

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.

Toyo Co. says a new anti-circumvention petition targeting its Ethiopian solar cell facility is “riddled with misinformation.” The Japanese manufacturer tells pv magazine that the site reached 4 GW of capacity last year and that it is planning a U.S. onshore cell plant.

Romania is not planning to run a grant scheme offering non-repayable funds for home solar installations for a second year running, instead aiming funds at existing solar prosumers looking to install battery storage systems. The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association expects strong growth in Romania’s rooftop PV market to continue despite the absence of solar-specific installation grants.

Taoyuan’s Department of Economic Development says its new guidelines for solar projects are designed to make photovoltaics “reliable and trustworthy neighbors.” Solar operators will be required to inspect environmentally-sensitive areas during the planning of future projects and prepare plans for storing damaged solar panels as a result of any natural disasters.

A research from Switzerland has compared how France, Italy and Spain integrate biodiversity into renewable energy planning, spatial policy, and ecological impact monitoring under the European Green Deal. The findings show France and Spain have more advanced frameworks, while Italy remains more regionally fragmented, with major gaps in cumulative impact assessment across all three countries.

GCL Technology is expanding into lithium-ion battery storage based on LFP materials as part of a shift toward a “multi-product” new energy platform.

The new propane heat pumps support water flow temperatures of up to 70 C and achieve a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 5.2 according to the UK-based manufacturer.

Utility-scale solar power is projected to surpass coal-fired generation in the ERCOT grid this year as massive capacity additions continue to reshape the state energy mix.

The $220 million project has a capacity of 305 MW and is located in the province of Mendoza, in the sunny Cuyo region.

Fraunhofer ISE, in collaboration with Irishi energy company ESB, developed a methodology showing that Ireland is a competitive location for renewable power-to-X and green hydrogen production with costs comparable to Morocco, South Africa, and Brazil, supported by strong wind resources, policy backing, and infrastructure potential.

The research project combines LiDAR measurements with advanced meteorological simulations to assess the climatic impacts of large-scale photovoltaic installations in desert regions.

Researchers from University of New South Wales and Jolywood found that corrosion-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells is primarily governed by glass frit chemistry in low-aluminum silver metallization. Their findings show that barium-zinc-modified frits significantly improve resistance to acetic-acid and damp-heat stress, enabling more stable silver-silicon interfaces and reduced module-level power loss.

Researchers in Italy have developed a Pd/Si catalyst for upcycling silicon from end-of-life PV panels. The system showed performance comparable to commercial-silicon catalysts and stable recycling over six cycles.

HY Solar has launched the HT3.0 quad-cut module at its Jiangyin base, marking an upgrade to its n-type portfolio built on TOPCon 3.0 cell technology with up to 27.5% cell efficiency. The manufacturer said the new product features PSP quad-cut architecture, high bifaciality and low degradation.

Researchers at the German institute built a photovoltaic water electrolysis system based on micro-concentrator photovoltaics coupled to proton exchange membrane electrolysis. Outdoor testing demonstrated a record solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 31.3%, achieved by a four-junction CPV system driving two PEM cells in series under real operating conditions.

Research from Lund University has explored how Sweden is building out utility-scale solar in the absence of an overarching national strategy. The researchers told pv magazine that without clearer national direction, projects will cluster in areas with favorable conditions while stalling elsewhere.

Chinese solar manufacturers reported sharply mixed Q1 results amid ongoing polysilicon and module price pressure, with output increases, weak demand-driven margin compression, and continued net losses.

Through this million asset purchase, Inox Clean acquires 3 GW of operational TOPCon solar module manufacturing capacity in the United States, aligning with the “Make in America, For America” initiative.

Eight US solar manufacturers have filed an anti-circumvention complaint with the US Department of Commerce, alleging that solar cells and modules assembled in Ethiopia using Chinese-origin components are evading existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Chinese solar products.

A High Court in South Africa ordered the country’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy to deliver full documentation relating to three solar tenders awarded in 2021 and 2022 to local solar manufacturer ARTsolar, after the company questioned if the preferred bidders had followed local content requirements for PV modules set out in the tenders. ARTsolar told pv magazine its legal team is currently reviewing the documentation it has received.

U.S. researchers have developed an IR-CW laser-based method to remove backsheets from end-of-life silicon solar modules without damaging the glass or wafers, using controlled heating of the silicon–EVA interface through the front glass. The process enables clean mechanical delamination with preserved device performance and offers a lower-energy, lower-cost alternative to conventional thermal or chemical recycling methods.

The first 4 GWh phase of the Canadian developer’s Quinte Energy Storage Centre is expected to be operational in the early 2030s, with subsequent phases targeting 8 GWh to 16 GWh.

Third long-term decarbonization auction sees significant drop in BESS bids due to new rule on storage duration. However, awarded capacity for battery storage remained relatively strong.

Mitsubishi has expanded its Hydrolution EZY R290 heat pump series with two models with capacities of 10 kW and 14 kW. The new products use R290 refrigerant and can deliver up to 75 C flow temperatures.

Hourly ENTSO-E data show the summer midday-to-evening gap in French nuclear output has grown nearly eightfold since 2019. The reactors have adapted. The rest of the European power system has some catching up to do.

After a significant decline in 2024, revenues for energy storage companies based in Germany grew substantially last year and are expected to rise further this year, according to market analysis from BVES. However, industry uncertainty continues to rise.