Author: solarenergy

Algeria should look to open its energy market to international players to achieve its solar energy goals, according to a webinar on the country’s solar energy market held by Solarabic and the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA). The webinar focused on Algeria’s evolving solar market and the work and regulations the country needs to achieve its target of deploying 15 GW of solar power by 2035, as announced by the government earlier this year. A 3.2 GW solar development plan is already underway, which aims to roll out 20 large-scale solar projects in 12 provinces of the country. Ghazi…

By Martin McConnell July 8, 2026 California Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) is dramatically overhauling its energy infrastructure, thanks to some help from ForeFront Power. The project aims to meet the district’s needs for energy, grid resiliency and electricity costs and includes a 763 kW carport solar panel, 408 kW / 1.63 MWh battery storage system and on-site microgrid capabilities. The neighborhood will be able to completely detach itself from it Southern California Edison’s the main grid when necessary, with all power drawn from the on-site solar installations. In total, the project should be able to offset about 80% of…

Solar energy and energy storage project developer Reccurent Energy has appointed a new CEO from parent company Canadian Solar.Dylan Marx, the current Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Canadian Solar, will take on the CEO role at Recurrent Energy effective immediately, replacing outgoing head Ismael Guerrero. Marx has been president of Recurrent’s energy services division since 2023.Guerrero will continue in a non-executive advisory role until the end of 2026, Canadian Solar said, to “ensure a seamless transition.”“Canadian Solar remains fully committed to supporting Recurrent Energy and working with our partners and stakeholders to drive long-term value,” said Colin Parkin, CEO of…

According to ICRA, about a third of India’s newly commissioned renewable energy capacity is facing grid curtailment as transmission infrastructure expansion lags behind renewable energy capacity expansion. The rating agency said around 33% of the 54.8 GW of recently commissioned renewable energy capacity was evacuated through the Temporary General Network Access (T-GNA) route as of May 2026. Curtailment under T-GNA is highest during solar energy generation hours, ranging from 50% to 60%. ICRA said the curtailment of solar power is most pronounced in Rajasthan and Gujarat, while in southern India it remains limited even during peak solar power generation hours.…

By Brad Kramer July 8, 2026 The federal policy turmoil has not slowed down the distributed solar generation (DG) market, but has actually accelerated it. In the cover story of the Q2 2026 issue of Solar builderI spoke with industry leaders to explain why the “middle market” of solar energy – too big for rooftops, too small for utilities – is becoming the most dynamic segment of the industry. The recently passed safe harbor deadline, coupled with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), has compressed margins and extended deal timelines from 60 days to 7-8 months as developers recalibrate…

Administrative strike prices for renewable energy projects supported by the UK government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) program have been confirmed for the upcoming allocation round 8 (AR8).Unchanged from AR7, the administrative strike price (ASP) for solar PV installations is £75/MWh, expressed in benchmark prices for 2024. It is the cheapest technology, after onshore wind at £92/MWh, offshore wind at £113/MWh and floating offshore wind at £271/MWh.ASPs are the maximum bid generators can place at auction, and historically the final strike prices that are successful at auction are 15-20% lower than ASPs.If previously confirmedAR8 runs with slightly adjusted conditions compared to…

Planning reforms have been approved in the UK that are expected to reduce the application timelines for large-scale solar by 12 months, reducing red tape for projects in England and Wales. From 24 July, the UK government will remove mandatory pre-application consultation requirements for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), a move that will streamline the planning process for solar projects with a capacity of more than 100 MW in England and 350 MW in Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate planning regimes. Energy generating projects above these thresholds must apply for planning through the centralized NSIP process, rather than…

By Martin McConnell July 7, 2026 A new solar installation near the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in Massachusetts is presenting a new energy model, the developer says, that intersects commercial solar with community benefits. Developed by Power Options Connect with help from Vineyard power and the Massachusetts Center for Clean Energythe new 138 kW installation is located in the hospital’s staff housing. The project is expected to generate more than $550,000 in energy bill savings for “income qualified island households” over the next 25 years. “This project reflects our commitment to both our staff and our community,” said Michael Cosgrave, chief…

UK battery storage developer Pulse Clean Energy has selected original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Envision Energy to supply a 129 MW/310 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) for its project in Wolverhampton, UK.The project was originally designed as a 2-hour system, but has been reconfigured to provide a 2.4-hour storage duration. Envision will provide a system-level solution that integrates the Gen 7 BESS platform, battery technology and network-building capabilities, increasing energy capacity to 310 MWh. Envision said the change reflects changing UK grid requirements.Envision added that its UK engineering team will oversee network integration and balance-of-plant work for the project.According to…

The global solar industry is entering another challenging period, with photovoltaic installations expected to decline this year and possibly remain flat through 2027, according to Frank Niendorf, vice president at JinkoSolar. In response, the company is placing greater emphasis on integrated energy solutions and accelerating the expansion of its energy storage business. “We are in the third consecutive year of consolidation in the solar industry,” Niendorf said pv magazine in an interview at The smarter E Europe in Munich, noting that while all photovoltaic manufacturers continue to report losses, the main players remain active in the market. Last year, Niendorf…