Author: solarenergy
Research from Indiana University shows that concerns about the impact of solar development on U.S. agricultural production are largely overstated, with corn, soybean and wheat prices expected to rise less than 5.6% if the buildout of large-scale solar on cropland is consistent with historical patterns. May 21, 2026 Patrick Jowett Expanding utility-scale solar energy in the United States is unlikely to jeopardize food security, according to new research. Researchers Jerome Dumortier and Rafael M. Almeida, from Indiana University, used a county-level agricultural model to investigate how replacing cropland with utility-scale solar farms could affect land allocation, crop prices, agricultural production,…
From the magazine Solar glass is not intended to break on its own, but that is happening more and more often. Since about 2021, scientists, operators and testing labs have been seeing glass breakage on solar panels with no apparent cause, such as shock or extreme weather. This new mode of failure has been researched to some extent, but as the scientific name suggests, ‘spontaneous glass breaks’ still occur without warning. Spontaneous glass breakage in glass-glass modules is, according to Kiwa PVEL, the most important reliability problem facing modules today. “We are aware that this is happening in multiple countries,…
For companies with land, water, food, fiber, or commodity exposure, the supply chain may be the most practical place to turn nature from a risk into an operating asset. Your supply chain already has a nature strategy. It may be undocumented. It may live in procurement files, supplier contracts, commodity maps, and one spreadsheet nobody opens without coffee. But it exists. If your business depends on farms, forests, water, soil, packaging, rubber, timber, fibers, minerals, or food ingredients, nature is part of your operating system. The question is whether you manage that system with intent, or discover it during a…
The company’s new factory, located in the Salalah Free Zone in southern Oman, is currently producing PERC technology, with plans to transition to TOPCon before the end of the year. May 21, 2026 Patrick Jowett Solar energy manufacturer Advanced American Clean Energy (AACE) has opened its solar panel production facility in the Salalah Free Zone in southern Oman. The facility currently operates at an annual production capacity of 300 MW, with production focused on PERC technology for utility-scale and commercial applications. AACE Chief Operating Officer Khalel Khanshali and Pure International Investment Company (PII) CEO and Founder Taha Alraeeini shared pv…
The Italian manufacturer said its Gemini air-to-water heat pump is intended for commercial and industrial applications. It reportedly achieves a coefficient of performance of up to 3.28 and delivers hot water temperatures of up to 60C. May 21, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Italian heating and cooling specialist MTA Spa has launched a modular air-to-water heat pump system for commercial and industrial applications. “The Gemini heat pump is designed for applications that require flexibility, scalability and a smaller installation footprint,” the company said in a statement. “Scalable system configurations and an optional hydraulic modularity kit allow up to six units to be…
According to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy sources will be crucial to meeting rising global electricity demand, but with up to 2.5 TW of solar, storage and wind projects already in the queue globally, increased investment in grid infrastructure will be crucial. May 21, 2026 Patrick Jowett Electrification must account for 35% of global total final electricity consumption by 2035 to stay on a 1.5C-compliant path, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The agency’s latest report, “Moving away from fossil fuels: a roadmap based on renewables, electrification…
Manufacturing polysilicon for the photovoltaic industry in Europe remains a major industrial challenge, as its production relies on highly energy-intensive, ultra-high purity processes that require consistently cheap and reliable electricity, as well as deeply integrated chemical supply chains – advantages that are already well-entrenched and significantly more cost-competitive in regions such as China than within the European industrial landscape. Despite these difficulties, the CEO of Dutch startup Resilicon, Remco Rijn, is confident that Europe can still gain a competitive and strategically important foothold in polysilicon production through the use of low-carbon electricity, advances in process efficiency and a more circular,…
According to a new report from Ember, India has curtailed 300 GWh of renewable energy in the first quarter of 2026 due to transmission restrictions. May 20, 2026 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India Transmission restrictions have led to the loss of 300 GWh of clean electricity in India between January and March 2026, mainly in the northern and western regional grid pooling stations, according to an analysis by Ember. On March 30 alone, the country lost 34 GWh of clean generation, equivalent to the daily electricity consumption of about 5 million urban middle-class households. Ember estimated total renewable energy…
Research from Poland shows that the development of the country’s solar industry is likely to result in stable economic stimulation over the next fifteen years, supporting between 20,000 and 40,000 direct full-time contracts until 2040, depending on the level of investment, operation and maintenance of the PV installations. May 20, 2026 Patrick Jowett The development of PolandAccording to new research, the solar energy market will help maintain consistent employment levels in the country over the next fifteen years. A research team from the AGH University of Krakow used data from the Central Statistical Office of Poland and the Energy Transition…
By Martin McConnell May 20, 2026 D3Energyone of the largest installers of floating solar in the US, has announced an exclusive state-wide master lease with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for its solar energy projects on the water. The company has already installed the largest floating PV array in multiple states, including Utah and Ohio. With plans for further installations in the US, the Florida company has a blanket floatovoltaic deal in its home state. The scheme unlocks a potentially crucial new class of renewable energy infrastructure in the Sunshine State, D3Energy representatives say. The deal provides ample space…