Large-scale agrivoltaics come to Norway
Solar developer Energeia AS has been granted a license to build, own and operate a 46 MW agrivoltaic project in Norway, set to become the country’s largest solar site to date.
Cooling PV modules with seawater
A research team in India developed a passive solar-panel cooling method using a thin, still layer of seawater placed over the module surface. Tests showed that while a thick water layer sharply reduced energy output, a thin 5 mm layer lowered module temperatures and increased daily energy generation by up to 8.86%.
Offshore solar could achieve LCOE of less than $0.06/kWh in Thailand, Malaysia
An international team of researchers completed a preliminary techno-economic study on the global potential for offshore floating PV (OFPV). The results provide project cost benchmarking, country-specific economic assumptions, and a global assessement of offshore solar’s levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
Sicily opens €246 million tender for solar, battery storage projects of any size under new EU-aligned programme
Sicily has launched a significant funding window for companies to install photovoltaic systems and battery storage, with preliminary applications due between 15 December 2025 and 13 February 2026.
Atmospheric river cuts irradiance across Western North America
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that solar irradiance levels were well below average in western and northern United States in November, while southern parts of the country and Mexico enjoyed strong positive anomalies.
Tunisia accelerates large-scale solar as new players enter market
The Tunisian government says concession and authorization frameworks are advancing multiple PV projects, while new entrants including SoleCrypt plan additional plants, boosting capacity, self-generation, and panel imports.
SMA launches new containerized medium-voltage substation for large-scale BESS and solar plants
SMA Solar Technology announces the commercialization in Europe of its new MVPS-9200 medium voltage station in a 12-meter containerized version for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and large-scale photovoltaic power plants.
How to build giant solar plants in mountainous areas
Chinese researchers have proposed a new methodology for designing utility-scale solar power projects in mountainous regions. They simulated a 386.4 MW solar farm near Pu’er, a city in southern China located 1,037 meters above sea level.
European Commission opens third hydrogen auction
The EU’s third hydrogen auction is open for applications until Feb. 19, 2026, alongside a pilot auction for decarbonizing industrial process heat. The 2025 edition of the Net-Zero Technologies call is also underway, accepting applications until Apr. 23, 2026. Together, the three funding streams have a budget of €5.2 billion ($6.07 billion).
Vertical PV system at Japanese parking lot operating under PPA
AirWater and Suichoku Solar K. K. have launched a 178 kW vertical PV system at a Tottori parking lot, operating under an on-site PPA. The Verpa-based system, a first for the San’in region, maximizes space, avoids snow damage, and reportedly delivers power equivalent to rooftop solar installations.
