Author: solarenergy
In the final article of a new series on solar energy production facilities around the world, pv magazine presents Belga Solar’s solar energy production facility in Wallonia, Belgium. April 23, 2026 Patrick Jowett Belga Solar, formerly Evocells, started as an installation company in 2007 before deciding to invest in its own production unit in 2012. The company transitioned to the Belga Solar brand in 2022 and secured a €3 million ($3.51 million) capital increase in 2024 to help accelerate the technological transition. The company’s current financial structure includes the public financial institution Wallonie Entreprendre, private investors and the company’s general…
Research from the German FernUniversität Hagen shows that the rebound effect of solar energy, caused by households increasing their total electricity consumption after installing a solar system, is currently a blind stop in the planning and reduction scenarios of the European energy system. April 20, 2026 Patrick Jowett The rebound effect of solar energy, which occurs when the adoption of rooftop solar increases household electricity consumption, could cause additional system costs of up to €23.5 billion ($27.6 billion) per year in Europe, new research shows. Mensur Delic and Michael Bucksteeg, from FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany, studied the role of the…
The refinancing of GSSG Solar and Voltaiyo’s 104 MW Jupiter Portfolio comes at a time when Japan’s first-generation feed-in-tariff (FIT) projects are nearing the end of guaranteed rates, forcing owners to reassess their revenue strategies in a changing post-FIT market. April 22, 2026 Brian Publicover Japan’s maturing solar sector is entering a decisive post-FIT phase as GSSG Solar and Voltaiyo KK secure the refinancing of a 104 MW portfolio of existing FIT projects with SBI Shinsei Bank – a deal that underlines lenders’ confidence in well-managed assets even as guaranteed rates begin to expire. The 104 MW portfolio consists of…
Peru’s Ministry of Energy has proposed market-based reforms for complementary electricity services to improve the stability of the electricity grid amid increasing solar and wind energy generation. April 22, 2026 Luis Ini By pv magazine Latam The Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mining (MINEM), through Ministerial Resolution No. 171-2026-MINEM/DM, has published a draft decree to approve regulations for additional services and to amend existing rules regarding the Law on Electricity Concessions and the Wholesale Electricity Market. The proposal aims to regulate the provision, reimbursement and supervision of complementary electricity services, as the penetration of solar and wind energy into the…
Swimsol, an Austria-based provider of floating marine solar for resorts in the Maldives, has commissioned a 2.4 MW floating array on the holiday island of Cheval Blanc Randheli, allowing the property to run entirely on solar energy during the day. The company says they are the largest floating solar panels in the Maldives. “The project is based on our SolarSea platform, which has been developed over the past 15 years through a combination of physical scale models, basin testing, 3D simulations and real-world prototyping,” a spokesperson for Swimsol’s engineering team said. pv magazine. “For long-term durability in marine conditions, we…
Taisei Corporation has demonstrated in a test facility in Yokohama that a building can run entirely on solar energy by combining PV generation with a hybrid storage system that integrates batteries and low-pressure hydrogen. An EMS-compatible setup with lithium-ion batteries and PEM electrolysis balanced short- and long-term energy supply and demand, enabling sustainable operation year-round, according to the company. April 20, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Japanese industrial and construction conglomerate Taisei Corporation has demonstrated that a building can run entirely on solar energy by combining photovoltaic generation with a hybrid energy storage system that integrates batteries and low-pressure hydrogen. The pilot…
Zwartowo’s 204 MW solar power plant is the first large-scale solar project authorized to provide balancing services in Poland. April 22, 2026 Patrick Jowett A 204 MW solar project has become the first large-scale solar power plant to go live on the Polish balancing market. The Zwartowo solar power plant, located in northern Poland, was developed and built by the German solar company Goldbeck Solar. Respect Energy, one of the leading energy trading and direct marketing companies in Poland, is, as an aggregator, responsible for the asset’s participation in the balancing market. Affan Ahsan, Head of Asset Management at Goldbeck…
The government has announced reforms at energy regulator Ofgem aimed at strengthening consumer protection. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said the “comprehensive review” will give Ofgem stronger powers to directly enforce consumer law, the ability to regulate “new areas of the market” and to ban bonuses from energy executives if they “break the rules”. Essentially, the announced reforms strengthen the regulator and expand its powers over the energy market, the first “major update” to its operations since it was established in 2000, DESNZ said. In practical terms, Ofgem will step back from its oversight of home…
Solar energy wholesaler HDM Solar has opened a new branch in Scotland, part of a wider expansion plan to build a network of distribution centers across the country. The Yorkshire-based company said it will open a new 10,000 sq ft site in Livingston on May 8, including a sales office and a “large” warehouse to supply solar installers across Scotland and northern England. The site will also feature an installer training center, called a “Renewable Training Center of Excellence,” which HDM said will offer solar installers free training directly from product manufacturers. It will include a roofing installation for installation…
Researchers in the United States reviewed claims about PFAS in solar panels and found that while fluoropolymers can be used in limited components such as backplates or coatings, there is no confirmed evidence of PFAS leaching from commercially used modules. The study highlights the widespread confusion between different PFAS types and highlights the need for clearer communication and transparency around the use of fluoropolymers in PV technologies. April 22, 2026 Lior Kahana In a perspective article, researchers write Michigan State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory investigated claims about the presence and potential leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)…