Author: solarenergy
This week, Women in Solar+ Europe gives the voice to Ilse Cappelle, Head of Marketing & E-commerce at the Dutch Libra Energy. She explains how returning from maternity leave to a leadership role showed her the company’s strong support for career growth and work-life balance. April 10, 2026 Women in Solar+ Europe Every sector benefits from diversity, because each individual brings unique talents. When we truly appreciate what each person can contribute, both within organizations and in the broader green energy sector, we become stronger and better able to achieve our goals together. For me it’s not so much about…
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences say a polymerizable, non-flammable electrolyte improves safety in sodium ion batteries while maintaining performance. April 10, 2026 Tristan Rayner By ESS news A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Physics has published a paper in Nature energy demonstrating a potentially game-changing development in sodium ion battery electrolytes that could accelerate the commercial use of sodium ion technology. The team, led by Prof. Hu Yongsheng, claimed the world’s first ‘zero thermal runaway’ in sodium-ion batteries at the ampere-hour level. The breakthrough is the development of a self-protective polymerizable, non-flammable…
A Czech team developed an IoT system using MQTT to autonomously cool PV panels, increasing daily energy yield by 7.38% with a positive net energy balance. April 10, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team from the Czech Republic has developed a new Internet of Things (IoT) architecture specifically designed for active water cooling of PV panels, active cooling of PV panels. “The architecture explicitly evaluates the net energy balance of the cooling process,” the team said. “The proposed system enables autonomous operation of individual cooling nodes while providing centralized coordination and trend-aware decision support capabilities at the fog level. This…
The TOPCon solar cells are manufactured with screen-printed, fire-through copper rear contacts and silver front contacts, using laser-enhanced contact optimization (LECO) to significantly reduce contact resistance. Optimized copper cells achieved 24.3% efficiency, comparable to Ag contact cells, with excellent stability. April 10, 2026 Emiliano Bellini A research team in the United States has fabricated TOPCon solar cells with screen-printed, fire-transmitting copper (Cu) contact on the back and a silver (Ag)-contacted boron emitter on the front via the laser-enhanced contact optimization (LECO) process. The LECO process consists of using a very intense laser pulse at the front of the solar cell…
Aggreko has unveiled plans to build what it says will be Australia’s largest off-grid renewable hybrid power plant, after signing a long-term power purchase agreement with the owner of Queensland’s largest proposed copper mine. April 9, 2026 David Caroll By pv magazine Australia Scotland-based energy solutions company Aggreko has completed a “landmark” power purchase agreement (PPA) with South African mining company Harmony Gold for the Eva copper project being developed in north-west Queensland. Aggreko said the PPA, with a minimum 15-year term, paves the way for the development of “Australia’s largest off-grid renewable hybrid power plant and one of the…
Polysilicon prices have fallen sharply in recent weeks due to continued oversupply and weaker demand. They briefly fell to low levels before stabilizing at just above CNY50 ($7.31)/kg, although they are still close to all-time lows and below production costs. OPIS analyst Summer Zhang explains pv magazine that despite policy signals and potential future regulations, unclear implementation and persistent overcapacity mean that market conditions remain weak, with further demand declines and possible production cuts or reduced sales expected in the near term. April 9, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Polysilicon prices have continued their downward trend over the past three weeks, due…
China’s Envision has launched a 12.5 MWh battery storage system and started production of a 790 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell as it advances an AI-driven storage strategy. April 9, 2026 Vincent Shaw By ESS news Envision has launched a 12.5 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) and announced the start of production for a 790 Ah storage cell at ESIE 2026 in Beijing. The company said the EN 12.5 MWh system integrates battery cells, power conversion systems (PCS), battery and energy management systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and energy trading tools under what it describes as…
The new Anker Solix Solarbank Max AC moves from balcony-scale storage with a 3.5 kW inverter, plug-in capabilities for do-it-yourself (DIY) installation ease and expandability up to 42 kWh, priced from €2,229. April 9, 2026 Tristan Rayner By ESS news Chinese battery solutions manufacturer Anker Solix has launched the Solarbank Max AC, a 7 kWh modular home battery system designed to retrofit existing rooftop solar installations, with a bi-directional 3.5 kW inverter and a capacity expandable up to 42 kWh. The modular Solarbank Max AC battery system can now handle five additional LFP battery modules of 7 kWh each. The…
Britain has saved around £7 million a day since the start of the current conflict in the Middle East, as domestic solar and wind power capacity has removed the need to import gas, the price of which has risen dramatically since the start of the war.This is the most important conclusion from Ember’s latest report. The report, ‘Clean energy strengthens Britain against gas price shocks’, published today assesses how Britain’s greater use of domestic renewable energy to meet electricity demand – and reduced reliance on importing fossil fuels from abroad, which are affected by global supply chain disruptions such as…
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has a proposed decision in the Community Solar Proceeding (A.22-05-022), which all but ensures that no community solar projects will be developed at a time when the state faces rising energy prices, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). CPUC Headquarters. Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin “With this proposed decision, which destroys any chance of a viable community solar program in the state, the CPUC has squandered a golden opportunity to help lower energy bills for Californians who desperately need relief from skyrocketing electricity prices,” said Stephanie Doyle, director of state affairs for SEIA…