Author: solarenergy

Researchers in Spain tested the erosion resistance of common galvanized coatings using both free-fall sand and forced sand impact methods. The study found that continuously galvanized steel coatings exhibited the lowest erosion rates and outperformed HDG and Zn-Al-Mg coatings. January 21, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team led by scientists from Spain’s National Center for Metallurgical Research (CENIM-CSIC) has investigated the erosion resistance of commonly used galvanized coatings in large-scale PV mounting systems. “Although the degradation of PV panels and the corrosion of structural elements have been well studied, limited research has focused on the specific impact of sand erosion…

With silver prices rising, more major solar manufacturers are expected to switch to copper for cell metallization. Radovan Kopecek from ISC Konstanz explains pv magazine which he expects the entire sector to follow. Ning Song of the University of New South Wales says a small efficiency trade-off may be acceptable if the cost savings are significant and do not introduce new reliability risks. January 23, 2026 Lior Kahana The recent rise in silver prices has subsided somewhat, with the price per troy ounce now just below the all-time high of over $94 per troy ounce reached earlier this week. Following…

In a new weekly update for pv magazineOPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a brief overview of the major price trends in the global PV industry. January 23, 2026 OPIS Chinese TOPCon module prices rose for the third week in a row as market participants continued to digest the impact of the loss of export discounts and higher cell prices. In addition to spot prices, prices along the forward curve have also increased, reflecting expectations that recent policy shifts could feed into forward pricing. According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released on January 20, the Chinese Module Marker…

Over the centuries, humanity has decided to devote significant amounts of available productivity to special monumental projects. Controlling climate change and rebalancing within planetary boundaries is one such activity. The enormous energetic productivity of solar energy can evolve as the central pillar for creating a sustainable civilization. January 23, 2026 LUT University Since the existence of civilizations, monumental projects have been undertaken such as the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Gothic cathedrals or the Apollo program. Significant labor and resources were invested in such projects, ranging from 0.5% to 10% of the available productivity in the…

The Ministry of Energy announced on Thursday that it is pulling the plug on $83.6 billion in Biden-era loans earmarked for clean energy projects. This is the latest action the Trump administration has taken to reprioritize federal support for fossil fuels. Credit: NextEra Energy Of the affected loans, $9.5 billion, originally issued for solar and wind energy projects, will be reinvested in natural gas and nuclear energy projects. These loans were issued by the DOE’s Loan Programs Office under the Biden administration, which has been replaced by the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF). The Trump administration has withdrawn $29.9…

Scanifly, a PV design and field operations software, is integrative design of IronRidgean old supplier of solar racks and installation. Scanifly and IronRidge The integration automatically transfers Scanfly design data and panel placement directly to IronRidge’s Design Assistant. The direct API (application programming interface) integration connects Scanifly’s design environment with IronRidge’s racking, bill of materials (BOM) and technical document capabilities. Solar contractors can now select mounting equipment and generate bill of materials with just a few mouse clicks without having to recreate array layouts. Scanifly’s drone-based technology produces scaled 3D models with measurements flowing directly into the IronRidge Design Assistant.…

Longi and Tongwei have forecast steep losses for the full fiscal year 2025, as persistent oversupply and falling solar panel prices continue to pressure margins in China’s PV manufacturing sector. January 23, 2026 Vincent Shaw Image: 钉钉, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Tongwei expects to post a net loss of CNY9 billion ($1.29 billion) to RMB10 billion for the full fiscal year 2025. The polysilicon and module manufacturer said this loss is largely due to persistently low prices across the solar value chain, which have eroded margins, rising costs for key raw materials and a persistent supply-demand imbalance in the…

The European Commission is promoting market matching for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen by inviting European buyers to signal interest in supply under the hydrogen mechanism, while Germany’s electrolysis rollout is lagging behind official targets despite new EU-backed financing schemes. January 23, 2026 Sergio Matalucci The European Commission said it invites European buyers to express interest in supply offers under the hydrogen mechanism, add that the current phase will run until March 20, 2026, under the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform that connects buyers with suppliers of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives, including ammonia, methanol, e-methane and electro-sustainable jet…

Solar Energy Expo 2026, Poland’s flagship PV-plus-storage trade show, returned this month with a small footprint on the show floor, but a sharp focus on flexibility and market reforms, as well as on the storage, inverter and grid-forming technologies shaping the country’s next phase of grid integration. January 23, 2026 Brian Public Solar Energy Expo 2026 open to visitors from January 13 to 15 Ptak Warsaw Expoan exhibition center in the southwestern suburbs of the Polish capital. The sprawling complex – bordered on one side by a highway and on the other by dense forest teeming with wild boars –…

By Martin McConnell January 22, 2026 A new report from research agency Wooden Mackenzie notes that solar energy has a big year in store for it in 2026, positioning itself as the “foundational technology for growing new energy demand.” The report, titled ‘Global solar energy: three things we should pay attention to in 2026’ says cumulative solar capacity installed worldwide is advancing for 2026 and beyond. With capacity set to more than double, to almost 8 TWdc over the next eight years, Wood Mackenzie says the near-term forecast looks good for the solar industry. “Looking ahead to 2026, our predictions…