Author: solarenergy

By Brad Kramer March 19, 2026 A new report shows that Minnesota Accessible community solar garden program for low and middle income earners (LMI Accessible CSG Program) benefits residents as intended. In effect, the program acts as a kind of “price shield” for energy consumers in a volatile market, said Logan O’Grady, executive director of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA), which helped design the solar program. “With a community solar project, you lock in your energy costs, so you’re a little bit immune to the volatile electricity prices, and we’re certainly seeing that now,” he explains. “If you…

The Silicon and New Concepts for Solar Cells (SyNC) research group of the Institute of Solar Energy (IES) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) has produced highly efficient two-dimensional solar cell prototypes using the “hot-pick-up” technique, with simulations suggesting that the cells can cover up to 30% of a building’s energy needs when applied to facades. March 19, 2026 Pilar Sanchez Molina By pv magazine Italy Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Madrid have studied two-dimensional PV materials that are thin enough to be considered effective without a third dimension, yet still capable of absorbing significant amounts of light.…

Researchers in Brazil have developed a weighted methodology for PV inverter efficiency that takes into account country-specific solar radiation and operating conditions. The approach is designed to address the limitations of international metrics by incorporating variables such as input voltage and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) performance. March 19, 2026 Alessandra Neris By pv magazine Brazil A recent study conducted in Brazil proposes a new approach for evaluating the efficiency of grid-connected photovoltaic inverters. The methodology is based on the observation that commonly used weighted efficiency models do not adequately reflect the climatic and operational conditions of a specific country.…

The Nexis solution combines a flexibly configurable hybrid inverter with a modular high-voltage battery that offers a charging capacity of up to 14 kW per stack. The inverter delivers 8–20 kW AC power, supports up to 200% DC oversizing and features an IP65-certified design with integrated backup power. March 19, 2026 Marian Willuhn Israel-based inverter and battery manufacturer SolarEdge has launched Nexisa new residential solution that combines a flexibly configurable hybrid inverter with a modular high-voltage battery. The Nexis The inverter follows what the manufacturer calls a multi-range concept, designed to simplify logistics for installers: instead of multiple device models,…

An international research team has improved the performance of triple-junction solar cells by improving the growth of perovskite crystals, increasing light absorption in the center cells and adding reflective nanoparticles. March 19, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from the The Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) and the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) claim to have achieved energy conversion efficiency of more than 30% for three-junction solar cells that combine two thin-film perovskite cells and one silicon cell on one device. The scientists said the new result represents a world record for this cell technology, beating the previous record…

The European Union’s NIS2 directive forces PV operators to strengthen both cyber and physical security, with solar assets considered critical infrastructure. It also highlights the need for stronger physical protection measures such as site surveillance, access control and perimeter security to prevent tampering and burglary. March 18, 2026 Sergio Matalucci The European Union’s NIS2 Directive, in force since January 2023, has significantly increased security requirements for operators of critical infrastructure, including energy systems such as photovoltaic installations. Under these provisions, PV plant operators are required to implement robust cybersecurity risk management in both IT and operational technology (OT) systems, including…

A 620 MW solar project to be built in South Africa’s Free State has reached financial close. The milestone follows the signing of a more than 20-year multi-offtaker wheeling agreement with commercial and industrial customers. March 18, 2026 Patrick Jowett South African independent power producer Anthem has announced financial closure of its Notsi Solar PV project in the South African Free State. With a planned capacity of 620 MW (475 MWac), it is billed as the largest solar project in the country to date. The Notsi project will cover more than 1,000 hectares and have more than 860,000 solar panels.…

India has added 119 GW of solar panel capacity and over 9 GW of cell capacity by 2025, bringing the total capacity to approximately 210 GW and 27 GW respectively, according to Mercom India. Growth was driven by strong project demand and policy support, although a supply-demand match is expected later in 2026 as domestic cell production increases. March 18, 2026 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India According to a new report from India, India will add 119 GW of solar panel production capacity and over 9 GW of cell capacity by 2025. Mercom India. The report attributes the capacity…

Lithuania-based Refra has launched its Oasis range of water-to-water heat pumps and chillers, with capacities from 34 kW to 600 kW for small to large commercial and industrial applications. With propane refrigerant, inverter-driven compressors and a modular multi-circuit design, the units can achieve a coefficient of performance of up to 5.1. March 18, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Lithuania-based refrigeration and HVACR equipment manufacturer Refra has launched a water-to-water heat pump for medium-capacity commercial and industrial applications that require improved reliability and operational flexibility. “With heating capacities from 112 kW to 303 kW and cooling capacities from 90 kW to 238 kW,…

Researchers from TU Delft propose to use 2D carbon selenide as an anode for a sodium-ion battery, offering a theoretical capacity of 589 mAh/g with minimal volume expansion. Computer studies confirmed the material’s structural and thermal stability, as well as its tunable electrochemical properties, making it a promising candidate for large-scale renewable energy-linked energy storage. March 18, 2026 Emiliano Bellini By ESS news A group of researchers from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands have proposed using this 2D carbon selenide (β-CSe) as an anode material in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) in an effort to improve device performance…