Author: solarenergy

Renewable energy developer BayWa re has sold two of its UK solar farms to Capital Dynamics, an independent global asset management company.The sale includes the 49.9MW Clump Farm solar power station in Leicester and the 40MW Yanel development in North Somerset. Both were developed in a joint venture with Grüne Energien Solar and both projects have a building permit.Although Baywa re operates as an independent power producer (IPP), it is part of its business model to develop projects before they are delivered. Baywa COO Daniel Gaefke said the sales of Clump Farm and Yanel Solar Farm “build on a series…

Researchers from Fraunhofer ISE have developed a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell using a TOPCon bottom cell with standard structured front surfaces. Their results show that TOPCon bottom cells can perform comparably to heterojunction cells in tandem devices in terms of shunt resistance, supporting scalable, cost-effective industrial production. December 4, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) have fabricated a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell that relies on a bottom-mounted PV device with a TOPCon design and high passivation quality. “We have built the first perovskite-silicon tandem device that integrates a TOPCon bottom cell with…

AirWater and Luxor Solar KK have launched a 178 kW vertical PV system in a Tottori car park, operating under an on-site PPA. The Verpa-based system, a first for the San’in region, maximizes space, avoids snow damage and is said to provide power equivalent to that of rooftop solar installations. December 4, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Japanese medical equipment supplier AirWater and Luxor Solar KK, the Japanese division of German solar panel manufacturer Luxor Solar GmbH, have announced the completion of a 178.5 kW vertical PV system on a parking lot owned by a Japanese telemarketing company JP Two-Way Contact Co.,…

Perovskite solar cells are in development as candidates for next-generation photovoltaic modules, but commercial use remains limited by long-term instability caused in part by migrating ions in the absorber layer. A team from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the University of Potsdam has now measured the ion density in four commonly used perovskite compounds and found substantial differences between lead- and tin-based materials. Over the past decade, perovskite research has mainly focused on organometallic compounds in which lead occupies the B-position in the ABX3 crystal structure. Lead-perovskite solar cells have achieved energy conversion efficiency that has increased from about 4 percent…

A report from the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators shows that the average cost of renewable hydrogen remains around €8 ($9.33)/kg, about four times higher than that of conventional hydrogen from natural gas. A drop in natural gas prices has widened the price gap since the agency’s last hydrogen market report. December 3, 2025 Patrick Jowett Renewable hydrogen remains four times more expensive than conventional hydrogen produced from natural gas, according to a report by the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). That of the intergovernmental organization Monitoring report European hydrogen market 2025…

Enphase announced the first production shipments of its next-generation IQ EV Charger 2 to customers in the United States. Designed in a modern black form factor, the IQ EV charger 2 gives home charging a premium aesthetic and is designed to work seamlessly with Enphase solar and battery systems or as a powerful standalone charger. The IQ EV Charger 2 uses solar-aware charging that captures excess solar energy and adjusts charging in 1-amp increments to maximize the use of clean energy. A single SKU that supports a circuit breaker up to 60 amps simplifies inventory for installers. RFID access control…

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says battery storage capacity grew by 13,809 MW over the past twelve months and is expected to increase by another 22,053 MW as solar energy continues to dominate new utility-scale applications. December 3, 2025 Tristan Rayner Image: Arizona Public Service By pv magazine USA EIA figures show that battery energy storage and solar are dominating capacity additions, while fossil fuel capacity continues to decline. Another 22 GW of storage is expected for the coming year. U.S. battery energy storage capacity expanded by 13,809 MW in the past year, an annual growth rate of 59.4%,…

Dongkuk CM has introduced an ultra-high reflectivity colored steel sheet designed to improve the performance of dual-sided rooftop PV systems, increasing solar reflectance to 80-85. The new material also offers improved corrosion resistance, long-term durability and additional cooling benefits thanks to its advanced plating and dual-layer design, according to the manufacturer. December 2, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Dongkuk CM, a unit of South Korean steel manufacturer Dongkuk Steel, has launched new colored steel sheets for roof applications with dual-sided PV systems. Colored steel sheets, also called pre-painted or color-coated steel, are durable, visually versatile building materials widely used in roofing, wall…

The Italian PV industry expressed concerns about new regulatory measures and budget cuts when Gestore dei servizi Energeci (GSE) published the results of the FER December 3, 2025 Sergio Matalucci and Massimiliano Tripodo The Italian PV sector is in a period of transition as it faces regulatory changes and needs new investments to strengthen the production system and supply chain in response to the opportunities under the Net Zero Industry Act, the European Union’s strategy to strengthen industrial competitiveness for decarbonization. This was the main message of the tenth forum of Italia Solare, Italy’s leading PV association, held this week…

NextEnergy Solar Fund has seen a decline in net asset value and an increase in portfolio generation compared to budget in the second and third quarters of 2025. The dedicated solar and energy storage asset management fund said its project portfolio outperformed its expectations by 7.6% between April 1 and September 30, generating around £2.5m of additional cash, despite the impact of weather variability and distributed network operator (DNO) outages. The fund has 101 assets: 90 in Great Britain, eight in Italy and one each in Spain and Portugal, with a total installed capacity of 939 MW. These assets generated…