In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that February saw a stark contrast in solar conditions across Europe, with eastern regions benefiting from strong irradiance while western and southern areas faced setbacks due to storms and persistent cloud cover.

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 solar energy industry continues to push the boundaries of efficiency and reliability. However, as innovative photovoltaic cell and module technologies emerge, they also bring a new set of challenges in durability and performance. A new report from IEA PVPS Task 13, titled “Degradation and Failure Modes in New Photovoltaic Cell and Module Technologies,” offers a comprehensive analysis of degradation and failure mechanisms in current photovoltaic technologies.

Taking inspiration from the 3D photonic structures on a Morpho butterfly’s shimmering blue wings, scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed colored solar panels that can be incorporated into a building’s exterior practically invisibly while maintaining high efficiency.

High-efficiency solar modules are becoming scarce, prompting some retailers to stockpile in anticipation of rising prices, says Martin Schachinger, founder of pvXchange.com. He expects module prices to climb moderately but steadily until at least early next quarter.

Innomotics, Eneco, and Johnson Controls have energized a large-scale heat pump at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The system has four heat exchangers, each equipped with two compressors.

Retail electricity prices in Europe are falling but remain above pre-war levels, according to energy market analyst Enervis. PV capture rates are also dropping sharply, with negative pricing hours expected to persist in the short term.

Deepak Pahwa, chairman of Pahwa Group and managing director of Bry-Air, tells pv magazine that the company has developed an air-to-water generation prototype for a green hydrogen project in the Indian desert, with plans to scale up to 500 units for large-scale hydrogen production.

AleaSoft Energy Forecasting’s latest analysis found electricity prices fell across the major European markets last week due to a drop in gas allowances prices and electricity demand. Meanwhile, Germany, Italy and Portugal broke their solar production records for a day in February.

Quidnet Energy has demonstrated its long-duration geomechanical energy storage (GES) at the megawatt-hour scale. The tech stores excess grid electricity by pressurizing water underground, later releasing it to supply reliable power.

Researchers have investigated the aerodynamic performance of a single floating PV setup of 16 panels, as well as an array that combined 15 such setups. They found that drag coefficient distributions and wind pressure effects on PV systems vary by inlet angle. They have also identified cost-saving opportunities through material optimization.

The Irish government is appealing to schools to apply for the second round of its solar for schools program before the March 7 deadline. More than 750 schools have been approved for funding in this phase to date.

TelOne Zimbabwe says it is seeking bids to finance and deploy solar and lithium-ion storage projects at its exchange sites.

A research team has analyzed the effects of different substrates on PV module performance and has found that ground soil achieves the highest efficiency at 21.1%, followed by grass (19.6%), wood (17.95%), concrete (16.2%), roof tiles (14.3%), and iron sheets (11.5%).

Serbia has allocated 645 MW across 10 wind and solar projects in its second renewables auction, setting average prices at €0.0509 ($0.0533)/kWh for solar and €0.0535/kWh for wind. The government said the rates are well below market levels.

The Chinese manufacturer has joined the energy density race with the release of its latest utility-scale battery energy storage system and high-capacity cells.

The Austrian manufacturer has launched its first battery system using LFP cells. A total of up to four units can be connected in parallel for a capacity of 63 kWh.

The Italian research agency has tested new UV aging tests on solar PV mini-modules made with UV-transparent polyolefins encapsulants and has found that thermal and chemical stability benefits in thermoplastic polyolefin-based (TPO) compared to EVA encapsulants.

The Chinese manufacturer said that its new glass-backsheet Windproof module utilizes a zinc-aluminum-magnesium surface alloy technology and a high-strength steel substrate. It features a power conversion efficiency of up to 23.03%.

The 15 kWh aPower 2 battery can store input from solar, grid, generator and EV.

First Solar delivered 14.1 GW of thin-film solar modules in 2024, driving $4.2 billion in revenue. The US cadmium telluride panel maker now faces global policy uncertainty.

The global solar module industry is expected to regain a sustainable balance in the next six months, Yana Hryshko, head of Solar Supply Chain Research for Wood Mackenzie, told pv magazine. She explains why solar module prices may increase soon, suggesting that Tier 1 modules prices could reach $0.14-$0.15/W by the end of this year, and discusses how consolidation is materializing within the global PV industry.

First Solar has sued JinkoSolar in a US federal court in Delaware, claiming that the Chinese manufacturer infringed upon US Patent No. 9,130,074, which is related to tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar technology.

A new survey shows that most Australian solar installers are not concerned about solar panel and battery brands, but have a clear preference when it comes to inverters.

An international team investigated repeated thermal stress on metal-halide perovskite solar cells and has proposed strategies to boost resistance to degradation effects of diurnal cycles or geographical conditions.

LevelTen says its new Asset Marketplace Listings platform will streamline the buying and selling of renewable energy assets. The platform covers projects of all sizes across Europe, including storage.

Researchers in Japan have demonstrated solar-powered mobile homes including a bedroom and living room with an integrated kitchen, bathroom, restroom, and lavatory. Their work demonstrates how renewable energy can enhance resilience in temporary housing solutions, reducing reliance on external power sources.

An Iraqi-Canadian research team has created a new algorithm that can detect direction change in the line current of renewables-based microgrids. The novel approach can be applied to both grid-forming and grid-following infrastructures.

A draft ministerial decision envisages the installation of 3.55 GW of standalone battery energy storage systems which will be granted priority connection to the transmission or distribution grid and operated on a merchant basis without subsidy support.

Air Products is pulling out of three US projects due to unfavorable economics and regulatory changes. The company says it remains focused on its Neom green project in Saudi Arabia and the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex