Author: solarenergy

In the third long-term decarbonization auction, BESS bids dropped significantly due to the new rule on storage duration. However, allocated battery storage capacity remained relatively strong. May 16, 2026 Matthew Lynas By ESS news Japan’s battery storage sector has secured 1.25 GW of allocated capacity across 19 projects in the country’s latest Long-Term Decarbonization Auction (LTDA). Lithium-ion and non-lithium-ion battery storage projects were both successful in the latest capacity market auction. The Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators (OCCTO) awarded a total of 7.3 GW (reduced) to 32 projects in the FY2025 LTDA round. Of that total, 4.26 GW…

The complementarity between Spanish solar energy and Danish offshore wind energy could support a European green hydrogen market by enabling the production and export of renewable hydrogen at a cost of almost €2/kg. May 16, 2026 Pilar Sanchez Molina By pv magazine Spain An international research team has assessed a joint strategy by Spain and Denmark to develop cost-competitive European renewable hydrogen corridors, taking advantage of the seasonal complementarity between Spanish photovoltaic generation and Danish offshore wind energy. To this end, they developed a high-resolution techno-economic model to optimize the entire green hydrogen value chains – including production, storage and…

Researchers in Italy have developed a Pd/Si catalyst for upcycling silicon from waste PV panels. The system showed performance comparable to commercial silicon catalysts and stable recycling over six cycles. May 16, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team from Italy has proposed a method for upcycling silicon (Si) from PV panels at the end of life (EoL) by developing a Pd/Si catalytic system. In this configuration, palladium (Pd) nanoparticles are supported on recovered silicon, with Pd driving the catalytic activity while the silicon (Si) acts as a stabilizing, reusable support. The system targets cross-coupling reactions commonly used in the pharmaceutical…

The first 4 GWh phase of the Canadian developer’s Quinte Energy Storage Center is expected to be operational in early 2030, with subsequent phases targeting 8 GWh to 16 GWh. May 16, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news Hydrostor is developing a large-scale advanced energy storage project (A-CAES) in Greater Napanee, Ontario – “right in Hydrostor’s backyard” – as the Canadian company’s CEO and co-founder Curtis VanWalleghem said after the project announcement. The planned Quinte Energy Storage Center will deploy Hydrostor’s A-CAES long-term energy storage (LDES) technology for a 50-year lifespan. The company expects the project to be operational in…

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. May 15, 2026 OPIS Free-On-Board (FOB) Chinese TOPCon module prices remained stable for another week as manufacturer offers remained largely unchanged despite sluggish post-holiday trading activity in early May. Industry sources say top manufacturers have kept their offers steady since April, while smaller manufacturers have become more aggressive in their pricing to secure orders, leading to a widening price gap in both FOB China spot and forward-loading freights. According to the OPIS Global Solar…

Achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is achievable, with any amount of residual and unavoidable CO2 the emissions must be offset by carbon sinks, natural or artificial. Unlike carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) where CO2 is collected from fossil exhaust gas flows with subsequent storage, carbon capture and use (CCU) is often seen as an effective approach to capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and converts it into valuable products to generate an economic profit from the carbon-containing product instead of CO2 availability. However, not all CCU routes contribute to net negative emissions. With this in mind, researchers from LUT University…

When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, solar and storage stopped being simply “green technologies.” They became tools for survival. That reality shaped the creation of the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation back in April 2022 In Ukraine today, energy is no longer only about decarbonisation or market transformation. It is about whether a hospital can continue operating during missile attacks, whether children can continue learning during blackouts, and whether communities can maintain access to heating, communication, and basic human dignity when the grid collapses. I have seen firsthand how decentralized energy systems can become the difference between complete shutdown…

The OFW Solar Project in Virginia has applied to connect to power lines operated by the wrong utility, instead of a second set of nearby transmission lines, necessitating a total restart of the PJM interconnection process that could push construction back to 2032. May 13, 2026 John Fitzgerald Weaver By pv magazine USA A solar project in Mount Jackson, Virginia submitted interconnection documentation with the wrong electrical pole specified. They estimate the project will be delayed by five years. Based on the Mount Jackson City Council Agenda Report during the April 21, 2026 session, the start of construction of “OFW…

Chinese solar makers reported sharply mixed first-quarter results amid continued polysilicon and module price pressure, with production increases, weak demand-led margin compression and persistent net losses. May 15, 2026 Vincent Shaw Polysilicon maker Daqo New Energy reported revenues of CNY189 million ($26 million) in the first quarter of 2026, down 79.22% year-on-year, while net loss attributable to shareholders widened to CNY801 million ($111 million). Polysilicon production rose 74.9% to 43,400 tonnes, while sales volumes fell 84.0% to 4,500 tonnes due to weak demand. The company attributed the losses to falling polysilicon prices and inventory writedowns worth CNY680 million ($94 million).…

By pv magazine India pv magazine: India has set ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030. What do you think are the biggest bottlenecks in scaling up renewable energy projects today? Ratul Puri: We see India’s renewable sector shifting from rapid capacity expansion to more coordinated optimization at the system level. Although the country has already exceeded 50% non-fossil installed capacity, the next phase of growth will depend on execution at scale, including progress in land acquisition, leasing frameworks and forest clearing. Transmission readiness must keep pace with the expansion of generation. Delays in network construction are starting to impact parts…