Author: solarenergy

Researchers in China found that PV installations in arid regions create a measurable cool island effect that varies widely depending on season, location and plant design, affecting surrounding vegetation in complex and spatially uneven ways. They showed that cooling intensity and distance between locations differ greatly and are mainly determined by plant morphology. April 14, 2026 Lior Kahana Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have investigated the photovoltaic plant-induced cool island effect (CIE) in arid areas and found that it significantly affects surrounding vegetation, with the direction and magnitude of impact determined by geographical context and seasonal factors.…

The 20 MW Loukkaanaro solar farm received €2.35 million ($2.7 million) from the EU’s first cross-border renewable energy tender. It is billed as the largest operational solar project in Northern Finland. April 13, 2026 Patrick Jowett A 20 MW solar project in Finland, supported by the EU’s cross-border renewable energy programme, is now operational. According to the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and the Environment (CINEA), the Loukkaanaro solar park is the first commissioning of a project supported by the EU Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (RENEWFM). This mechanism allows sustainable energy projects to be developed through cooperation between contributing…

The St. Kitts Electricity Company is launching a tender for a 50 MW solar plus 30.5 MWh battery storage project on the island. Interested developers are asked to register on the utility’s bidding portal to receive the request for proposals document. April 13, 2026 Patrick Jowett Aerial view of St. Kitts and Nevis Image: Holger Woizick/Unsplash The St. Kitts Electricity Company (SKELEC) has issued a tender for the island’s first large-scale solar-plus-storage project. An update on the utility’s website says the Basseterre Valley project will include 50MW of solar, coupled with 30.5MW/30.5MWh of battery energy storage. The valley is located…

Man-in-the-middle (MITM) cyber attacks are a special type of cyber threat that targets a wide range of digital and cyber-physical systems where two parties communicate over a network, especially if the communication is not highly authenticated or encrypted. In these attacks, an attacker intercepts communications between a sender and a receiver by splitting the original channel into two: one between the sender and the attacker, and another between the attacker and the receiver. As a result, the recipient does not have direct access to messages from the sender. MITM attacks can also target PV systems and solar power plants connected…

An international research group has developed a new passive cooling system for solar panels that integrates three-dimensional oscillating heat pipe (3D-OHP) with various combinations of nanofluids based on hybrid graphene oxide (GO) and a two-dimensional titanium carbide, known as MXeen (Ti3C2Tx). MXeen compounds take their name from their graphene-like morphology and are made via selective etching of certain atomic layers from a bulk crystal known as MAX. Recently, these materials have also shown promise for use in PV technology due to their unique optoelectronic properties, such as their high charge carrier mobility, excellent metal conductivity, high optical transmission, and tunable…

Utility and energy company SSE has fully commissioned its Littleton Solar Farm in Worcestershire, the company’s first solar PV project. Construction of the 31MW project in England started in December 2023covered by Solar energy portal at the time (although reported as starting in August). Grupotec was the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project. The Littleton Solar Farm included a wide range of measures across its 77 hectare site to protect and enhance local biodiversity, SSE said. This includes maintaining existing hedges, planting new trees and hedges with locally produced species, and creating wildflower margins to support…

Researchers in Austria discovered a wasp nest in the junction box of a 1998 rooftop PV module, illustrating how insects can exploit even sealed electrical components. The affected module showed significant degradation and partial failure, although the overall results confirmed the surprising durability of older PV module designs. April 13, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Wasps are known to build nests in a wide variety of sheltered, dry and protected environments. Common nesting sites include outdoor locations such as under eaves and overhangs, in attics or loft spaces, wall cavities accessed through small openings or vents, as well as in sheds, garages…

The UK energy price ceiling fell 7% to £1,641 today, although analysts predict a significant rise is “inevitable” when the new level is set in July. Ofgem lowered its energy price cap from today until June 30 as a result of government measures Fall budget. In November, before the war in Iran caused a global energy shock, Rachel Reeves unveiled plans to remove most of the Renewables Obligation (RO) levy from consumers’ energy bills. Ahead of the reduced price cap, Energy Consumers Minister Martin McCluskey said: “The action this Government has taken on the bills will ensure that the energy…

This article has been updated since publication after we were told that Octopus Energy Generation will be taking on the day-to-day management of RPC’s portfolio. A deal appears to have been struck between energy company Octopus Energy Generation and developer Renewable Power Capital (RPC), after the latter’s directors and headquarters officially changed to those of Octopus Energy Generation. On March 31, a raft of executives at both Renewable Power Capital Limited and Renewable Power Capital Spain Holdings Limited ceased to be company directors and were replaced by executives from Octopus Energy Generation, documents at Companies House show. (RPC has registered…

An ongoing collaboration between Australia’s Halocell Energy and US-based Sofab Inks shows that perovskite modules incorporating Sofab’s Tinfab electron transport layer retain approximately 100% of their normalized efficiency after 1,300 hours under accelerated combined light and moisture-heat tests. April 13, 2026 Patrick Jowett Australian solar cell developer Halocell Energy and US startup Sofab Inks have found that perovskite devices incorporating Sofab’s new metal oxide nanoparticle inks exhibit high levels of durability. Halocell and Sofab Inks announced a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in perovskite PV technology in mid-2025, coinciding with the launch of Halocell’s Ambient Module series. The partnership will…