In another weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that a significant reduction in airborne pollutants has contributed to year-to-date irradiance in some parts of China being up to 30% higher than the long-term average. South Korea has benefited from a similar pattern, recording a 10% increase in irradiance from January to April relative to its long-term average.

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.

The recent blackout in the Iberian grid should not be interpreted as failure of renewables. But it did provide Europe with a sign the energy system is changing, shedding light on the necessity to govern 21st-century technologies with 21st-century control systems.

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Frank Niendorf, Vice President Europe at JinkoSolar. He says that assumptions about women’s capabilities or work-life balance can unfairly impact their career progression. “While women are primarily affected, men who value diversity and inclusion can also find themselves outside traditional leadership expectations,” he states.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, reports that TOPCon modules from China held steady at between $0.085-0.090/W. It also reveals that Europe prices for TOPCon modules of over 450 W rose by 0.96%, assessed at €0.105/W.

The government of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, is granting grid access to 10 renewable energy and energy storage sites in the new Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), while utility AGL has acquired pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) projects at the Glenbawn and Glennies Creek reservoirs.

As Texas suddenly finds itself a leader in both solar deployment and manufacturing, debate in the state legislature and US Congress could shape how much the Lone Star State once again will shape the nation’s energy trajectory.

EcoFlow’s Home Energy Management System (HEMS) and app is rolling out to the EU market, with AI functions to manage dynamic tariffs and weather for home solar+storage setups.

Additional project management and design automation tools are available on the Swiss software company’s subscription-based platform made for small and medium-sized (SME) businesses that are targeting commercial and industrial (C&I) and residential the solar PV segments.

The entire range is prepared to operate under the future 2000 V regulations, allowing them to operate in various international markets, including Europe and Latin America.

The new 300 kWp power plant in the Haute-Loire commune of Rosières, designed with a mounting system made from local wood, is part of a collective self-consumption operation that sells surplus energy to green supplier Energie d’ici in the local currency, the LIEN.

Sungrow Hydrogen has started production at China’s largest dual-tech green hydrogen project combining PEM and alkaline electrolyzers, while HNO International has partnered with Zhuhai Topower to pilot its modular hydrogen platform in China.

Despite Ohio’s intensified local opposition and restrictive solar restrictions in recent years, the state’s Supreme Court sided with the Ohio Power Siting board to allow a 350 MW project in central Ohio.

The Netherlands-based manufacturer is targeting older home PV arrays with its M-ELV product, which does not require replacement of solar inverters.

Work is underway on a 1.1 GW solar project with 100 MW/200 MWh of accompanying battery energy storage in Egypt. The first phase of the project is scheduled for commercial operation during the first half of next year.

FuturaSun and The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research will work together on advancing the design of bifacial n-type silicon solar cells, with the technology to be integrated into FuturaSun’s Silk Nova solar modules.

The SunPower M Class product portfolio offers solar panels for the residential and commercial markets featuring the company’s latest back contact solar technology. The panels are expected to reach 25% efficiency for residential applications up to 500 W and 24.4% for commercial applications up to 660 W.

The new products are available in seven versions with power output ranging from 630 W to 660 W and power conversion efficiency spanning from 23.3% to 24.4%.

Scientists from Cornell University combined quantum computing with model predictive control to manage the energy of two PV-equipped university buildings. Compared to deterministic approaches, the quantum strategy achieved a 6.8% improvement in energy efficiency and an annual reduction of 41.2% in carbon emissions.

BYD has launched its new Gen4 home battery known as HVB, and is expected to be a popular addition to the residential storage space.

At the Intersolar trade show in Munich, the startup Carbon is showcasing its first PV modules, which will be available from mid-2026 in power ranges from 445 Wp to 505 Wp. A third module, with power outputs from 615 Wp to 625 Wp, will later complete the Carbon One series.

The Qurmit battery gel lead-acid battery has expanded to the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector with a larger capacity battery, and new technology has improved the lifespan.

An international research team has developed a metallization technique for TOPCon solar cells that can reportedly reduce silver usage in the devices’ rear side by 85%. The scientists replaced the commonly used Ag fingers with intermittent Ag dashes for contact formation and Ag-free fingers and busbars for electrical conduction. 

The EcoLife series brings Longi’s back contact technology to the residential solar market with panels that reportedly offer quicker system payback and reduced power degradation over time.

Europe’s largest solar power event now fills 18 very large rooms at the Munich trade show. Intersolar predicts greater than 200,000 visitors will see the almost 5,000 unique exhibitors showing off their hardware and services.

The latest analysis from SolarPower Europe reveals that, in 2024, Europe installed 21.9 GWh of new battery energy storage systems (BESS), just 15% higher than 2023. The predictions of slower growth has come true, but the details reveal a big shift in where installations are happening.

EUPD’s 2024/25 rating assessed hundreds of PV, inverter, and storage brands active in Europe. Out of these brands, the shortlisted group went through an extensive rating process. These rated brands represent the top 2–3% of photovoltaic manufacturers globally, with slightly varying percentage thresholds for inverter and storage segments—each analyzed for their performance in financial resilience, innovation, market trust and credibility, and ESG leadership.

The Chinese manufacturer said that up to 10 battery cabinets can be connected in series to reach a total storage capacity of 2.33 MWh.

The inverter and energy storage provider posted a second straight quarter of positive cash flow as it recovers from a difficult year.

The battery unit of the Chinese PV manufacturer said its new large-scale battery has a lifecycle of over 12,000 cycles. The system has a nominal capacity of 5 MWh and a roundtrip efficiency of up to 95%.