Author: solarenergy
Renewable energy recorded the highest share of electricity in the month of February, with a share of 48.1%.According to the latest data from state transmission system operator (TSO) EirGrid, renewable energy generation also increased by nine percentage points compared to the previous month, when January recorded 39% of electricity from renewable sources.Wind generation accounted for the majority of the share with 41.1% or 1,245 GWh of wind generation, while solar generation increased from 0.8% in January to 1.2% in February, as shown in the chart below.The remainder of February’s electricity generation came from gas, at 37.7%, and from imports via…
As solar energy becomes the norm fastest growing resource of the United States energy sector has evolved from a growth-oriented industry to one that seeks to balance growth with life-cycle responsibility. This year, several trends are coming together to create a solar panel recycling landscape never seen before. How the industry, especially solar panel producers and those who want to recycle, responds now will determine whether we move towards a truly circular economy, or get pulled off course. Repowering accelerates the tsunami of panels Solar panels ready for decommissioning. Credit: Comstock Metals To meet our nation’s growing energy demands, large-scale…
A study by Forum Ökological-Soziale Marktwirtschaft (FÖS), commissioned by Green Planet Energy, shows that electricity from gas-fired power stations can reach €0.67 per kWh, largely due to external costs, while renewable-based backups remain much cheaper. March 10, 2026 Jochen Siemer By pv magazine Deutschland For a built gas-fired power plant with a capacity of 500 MW and 1,000 full load hours – a realistic assumption for backup operation – the levelized electricity costs are approximately €0.192/kWh, of which €0.068/kWh relates to gas, the most volatile component. If we add €100 per tonne of CO₂ in the context of emissions trading,…
The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, with back-contact technology and an efficiency of up to 24.8%. The company says the module adds improved fire safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing. March 10, 2026 Vincent Shaw Chinese solar panel manufacturer Longi launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module on March 9 at the 19th China International Solar Utilization Conference and Exhibition (SUCE). According to the company, the module is based on LONGi’s Hi-MO X10 platform, which uses second-generation hybrid passivated…
Joint US-Israeli attacks in Iran and the resulting conflict in the Middle East have sent oil and gas prices soaring, something many fear will hit Britain disproportionately.The UK government’s pledge is that achieving its renewable energy generation targets will ensure energy security and reduce domestic and industrial energy costs.The conflict in the Middle East may test this promise in advance, with parallels to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to the energy crisis from which domestic and industrial energy prices continue to fall. This makes this a crucial point for the government to prove the effectiveness of its approach.It has…
Researchers from Nanchang University and Trina Solar found that TOPCon solar panels exhibit metastable “degradation recovery” under UV exposure, where light drenching fully restores performance and has no impact on actual energy output. Their findings highlight the need to refine UV testing standards to better reflect field performance and guide PV reliability assessments. March 10, 2026 Emiliano Bellini A group of researchers from China’s Nanchang University and solar module manufacturer Trina Solar conducted a series of experiments to assess the impact of ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) on the performance of TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivating contact) solar panels and found that this…
Qcells says it has resumed production of solar panels at its manufacturing facilities in Georgia after U.S. Customs and Border Protection released seven solar cell shipments from South Korea that had been held under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), furloughing 1,000 workers and temporarily halting production at the second-largest module factory in the United States. March 9, 2026 Ben Zientara By pv magazine USA Qcells, the U.S. solar manufacturing arm of South Korea’s Hanwha Solutions, said it has officially returned to normal solar panel production at its manufacturing facilities in Georgia. The increased production volume closes a chapter…
Researchers in Sweden have developed an air-based photovoltaic-thermal system that can preheat ventilation air and domestic hot water, reducing district heating demand by as much as 16% for ventilation and 7% for hot water, while also reducing peak heating loads in cold Scandinavian climates. March 9, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team led by scientists from Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology has investigated the use of air-based photovoltaic thermal (Air-PVT) technology in Scandinavian climates. “In a first phase, we are investigating Air-PVT, which is an unconventional solar technology to begin with. We wanted to show how upgrading from standard…
A team from the Institute of Materials Sciences of Seville, a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Seville, has developed a hybrid energy harvesting device that can simultaneously generate electricity from both sunlight and rain. The concept is based on a thin multifunctional film that protects perovskite solar cells from harsh environmental conditions, while a triboelectric nanogenerator can capture the kinetic energy of raindrops as electrical output. The work focuses on halide perovskite solar cells, which are photovoltaic devices made of synthetic materials with a crystalline structure and strong light-absorbing properties. While silicon remains…
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) voted unanimously last week to repeal the state’s Renewable Energy Standards and Rates (REST) rules. In 2006, the state adopted a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that required utilities to obtain 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025, with 30% of that from distributed energy technologies. The ACC stated that the REST rules had served their purpose of expanding renewable energy production in Arizona and that the mandates were no longer necessary. Over the past two decades, ACC said utilities APS, TEP and UNSE have collected more than $2.3 billion in REST surcharges from…