Author: solarenergy

A new automated platform enables commercial and industrial rooftop solar developers to receive medium-voltage connection assessments from grid operators in 15 minutes. February 27, 2026 Ev Foley Image: Smart commercial solar By pv magazine Australia British network monitoring company VisNet, part of EA Technology Group, has launched an enhancement to its connectivity platform aimed at accelerating the approval of medium-voltage assets. The tool allows owners of commercial and industrial rooftop solar and battery projects to determine online whether requests for medium-voltage connections are likely to be approved by distributed network service providers within 15 minutes. The platform supports new demand…

Renewable energy developer Elmya has started construction of a 30MWp solar PV power plant with a 20MW/40MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kinglassie, Scotland.The Kinglassie site, located in FIFA, will combine solar power generation with battery storage technology to provide network stability services and optimize energy distribution during peak periods.Elmya confirmed that this will be the first project developed by Elmya Energy and built by Elmya EPC in the UK.The project scope includes the execution of ‘Lite’ engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) on the solar PV side, the BESS balance of system (BOS) and interconnection works as an accredited…

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) says polysilicon production has fallen to 32% of capacity, maintaining oversupply, while wafer prices are weakening as demand fails to recover after Chinese New Year. February 27, 2026 Vincent Shaw The CNMIAChina’s Silicon Industry Division said polysilicon prices continue to decline, with limited transactions and subdued purchases after the Chinese New Year holidays. Business rates among manufacturers fell to 32%, but oversupply remained. Wafer prices also fell, with n-type G10L averaging CNY1.10 ($0.15) per piece, down 8.33%; G12R at CNY 1.20, down 4.76%; and G12 at CNY 1.40, down 3.45%. The trade association…

Gore Street Capital and Trina Storage, Trinasolar’s energy storage unit, have formed a partnership that commits Trina to invest in Gore Street’s EU-focused private BESS fund.The two revealed the partnership during the Energy Storage Summit 2026 in London this weeka month after the GS EU Fund SCSp and its key investors were first announced by Gore Street.Trina Storage will contribute its systems expertise, execution capacity and long-term technical delivery, the announcement said.The announcement also revealed that the company is targeting a total size of €1 billion (£874.92 million), including primary commitments and co-investments, by the end of 2026. In terms…

China is bringing online a 300MW/1,200MWh network-forming energy storage facility in Inner Mongolia, integrating lithium-ion and vanadium flow battery technologies. February 27, 2026 Tristan Rayner By ESS news A 300MW/1,200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, has been put into commercial operation after completing performance validation testing. The project uses a combination of lithium iron phosphate and vanadium flow batteries, with the aim of combining fast response batteries with longer duration storage in a hybrid configuration. It uses grid-forming energy conversion systems supplied by Sineng Electric, each with a capacity of 1.25 MW. The system can provide…

Unsurprisingly, EnergySage’s solar market saw significantly increased traffic in the second half of 2025, following July’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which eliminated residential tax credits on December 31, 2025. EnergySage saw a 205% year-over-year increase in the number of homeowners actively working with installers and a record number of customer inquiries over the previous 30-day record. Most installers reported that they would reach annual capacity by October 2025, creating supply constraints and forcing both installers and homeowners to make atypical decisions. These details and more were revealed on the 22nd “EnergySage Intel: Home Electrification Marketplace Report,” released today.…

Google plans to deploy a 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Minnesota under an agreement with Xcel Energy, along with 1.6 GW of new wind and solar power. February 25, 2026 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA Google has reached a definitive agreement with Xcel Energy to deploy a massive 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Pine Island, Minnesota. The project, which uses technology from Form Energy, will be the largest battery system announced worldwide in terms of energy capacity. It will provide a blueprint for how Big Tech plans to boost intermittent renewables to meet the relentless…

Night time in solar PV systems lasts an average of 16 hours, requiring significant storage or alternative generation to meet demand. Hydropower plants and batteries are critical, with hydropower plants providing long-term, cheap storage for cloudy or windless periods. Complementary strategies include wind, load shifting and dispatchable generation, while the high penetration of solar and wind is reshaping grid operations and pricing. February 25, 2026 International Solar Energy Association (ISES) From a solar perspective, the night lasts an average of 16 hours, longer in winter and shorter in summer. How can we cover night-time electricity demand in a sustainable energy…

The Department of Commerce has done that issued the provisional countervailing duty (CVD) amounts in an investigation into imports of solar cells from India, Indonesia and Laos. India has an overall subsidy rate of 125.87%, Indonesia’s overall subsidy rate is 104.38% and Laos received a subsidy rate of 80.67%. CVDs are placed on imports to eliminate subsidies to producers in and through the exporting country. In this case, the trade decided that solar panel manufacturers in all three countries were incentivized by their own markets to make solar panels for the US market. These provisional duties will be enforced by…

The Chinese manufacturer said its new airMono indoor monoblock heat pump is tailor-made for urban renovations with limited space, providing heating, cooling and domestic hot water without an outdoor unit. The system’s coefficient of performance ranges from 2.5 to 4.1, while the seasonal coefficient of performance is 4.5 to 4.7. February 25, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Chinese heat pump manufacturer Phnix has launched airMono, an indoor monoblock heat pump designed for urban renovations with limited space and multi-storey residential buildings. The system is built entirely indoors, so no outdoor unit is required. It provides heating, cooling and hot water for domestic…