Author: solarenergy
Researchers have developed a PFAS-free double-layer sol-gel and hydrophobic silica coating that repels water, dust and dirt while maintaining high light transmission for solar panels. The transparent, self-cleaning coating improved photovoltaic efficiency from 13.90% to 14.56%, demonstrating strong durability and potential for future commercial applications. March 11, 2026 Emiliano Bellini An international research team has double-layer sol-gel and hydrophobic silica coating which can significantly improve the performance of solar cells by protecting the surface against dust accumulation, light reflection, bird droppings and water films. “The double-layer coating repels water, dust and dirt without reducing the amount of light reaching the…
By Brad Kramer March 11, 2026 SiteCapture has been unveiled SiteCaptureAI for solar energya new AI-powered product designed to automate construction site documentation, quality control and reporting workflows for solar operations. SiteCaptureAI helps solar companies more efficiently manage site surveys, installations, financing benchmarks, and operations and maintenance (O&M) workflows by automatically viewing construction site photos, videos, and field reports in real-time. The core capabilities include: Photo and video intelligence Analyzes visual documentation captured in the field to detect system components, identify equipment condition, extract key text from labels and placards, generate summaries, and transcribe technician video stories. Verification of field…
German manufacturer Ehret has launched SolarSlide, a sliding shutter with integrated PV modules developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE). It provides sun protection and at the same time generates electricity for residential and commercial facades. March 11, 2026 Marie Beijer By pv magazine France German manufacturer of facade systems Ehret has introduced SolarSlide, a sliding shutter with integrated PV modules designed for building facades. The system was developed with Fraunhofer ISE and has been available in France since January. The device combines sun protection with on-site power generation. Each glass-on-glass module measures 1,000…
The new prototype is among the most advanced sodium-ion battery systems in the world. March 11, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news NanoMalaysia Berhad (NMB), an agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), has unveiled a prototype sodium ion battery with an energy density of more than 300 Wh/kg, making it one of the most advanced sodium ion battery systems in the world. The prototype was developed through the NanoMalaysia Energy Storage Technology Initiative (NESTI) in collaboration with International Battery Center Sdn Bhd. NMB said achieving this milestone is an important step towards further development, scale-up and…
The Chinese manufacturer said its new back-contact module delivers up to 545W and more than 25% efficiency in a compact roof size for residential, C&I and off-grid applications. March 11, 2026 Vincent Shaw Chinese PV manufacturer Aiko has launched its third-generation all-back-contact (ABC) 60-cell solar panel in Australia, targeting residential, commercial and industrial (C&I) and off-grid applications in a compact roof format. According to one company, the new series delivers up to 545W and features module efficiency of more than 25% in a footprint of 1,954mm x 1,134mm x 30mm. The company says the ABC design removes the front rails…
NextEnergy Solar Fund has completed a “strategic reset” of its investment strategy, which will see it focus on energy storage assets and increase project sales. As part of the reset, NextEnergy said it will increase its energy storage exposure to 30% of its gross asset value, a significant increase from the current rate of 10%. The company said the shift would “enhance the company’s existing stable revenues generated by its operating solar assets and support future revenues.” It identified energy storage projects with a duration of two hours, which it said would deliver an internal rate of return of between…
China has deployed its first 1.25 MW urban vanadium flow battery (VFB), supporting peak AC loads and providing a safer alternative amid tightening regulations for lithium-ion storage in dense urban environments. March 11, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news China has deployed its first urban underground VFB system, a 1.25 MW installation in the basement of a commercial building by Sichuan Tianfu Energy Storage Technology and Sichuan Chemical Group. The project addresses space and safety constraints that limit lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries in dense urban areas. It aims to meet the growing demand for energy storage in dense urban environments,…
The Danish company says its new product is ideal for testing small to medium-sized solar cells. It can simulate lighting conditions in the range of 390–700 nm. March 11, 2026 Lior Kahana Danish printed electronics supplier InfinityPV has introduced a compact solar simulator for testing small to medium-sized solar cells and experiments with controlled lighting. The system, called ISOSun Vis, can simulate lighting conditions in the range of 390–700 nm. “Equipped with six independently tunable LED channels (UV, blue, green, amber, red, white), it enables accurate reproduction of both indoor and outdoor spectra, including an AM1.5G setting,” the company said…
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to effectively make rooftop solar mandatory for new buildings. Changes to Wales’ building regulations will require “a system for the generation of renewable electricity” to be installed on site in any newly constructed residential building, or in any building “containing a dwelling”. In practice this will mean that in the vast majority of cases solar energy will be installed on roofs as it is the cheapest and easiest technology to install. The change will come into effect on March 4, 2027, with refined guidelines expected later this year. “This is great news for Wales…
Walk around any European industrial estate and the rooftop PV story is hiding in plain sight. Kilometre after kilometre of (nearly) flat metal roofing (warehouses, logistics hubs, stores, manufacturing) with no PV panels in sight. It is not for lack of sunshine, or policy support, or investor appetite. It is because these buildings have often been constructed decades ago and sized, for cost reasons, to meet the load and overload standards of the time, with no allowance for the additional load of a future solar PV installation. This is Europe’s rooftop solar paradox: a continent pushing hard toward 100 GW…