Author: solarenergy

Scientists in China have developed a new deep learning model based on the so-called ‘You Only Look Once’ algorithm, which requires only one forward propagation pass through the neural network to make predictions. November 10, 2025 Lior Kahana Researchers in China have developed a new deep learning model to detect defects in photovoltaic panels. The approach uses high-resolution visible light imaging to identify defects using an algorithm based on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) deep learning framework, which makes predictions with just a single forward pass through the neural network. The new method also includes a hybrid attention transformer…

By Contributing Author November 10, 2025 Freeport Oil Company Limited (FOCOL), a leading energy supplier in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, expanded into renewable energy sources through its subsidiary Bahamas Solar & Renewables (BSR). With the mission ‘Fueling Growth for People’, BSR wanted to strengthen its communities through clean energy. The company took an unconventional path, bypassing a traditional EPC and instead hiring local contractors for civil and electrical work to maintain economic benefits within the community. However, building solar on an island comes with unique challenges. High winds, complex underground conditions and difficult logistics increase the risk.…

Manufacturer of solar panels Qcells announced on Friday that it would lay off a third of its workers at its two factories in Georgia. The 1,000 employees will temporarily see reduced wages and hours due to increased U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehensions of solar cells and other upstream panel components. Qcells will also lay off 300 agency workers at the two factories. Qcell’s 1.7 GW module factory in Dalton, Georgia The federal government has stepped up enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which bans Chinese goods made with forced labor from entering the United States.…

The PPA price for pure photovoltaic projects has fallen by 20% in the past year, making such contracts less competitive. However, clear structures for profitable hybrid PPAs are now starting to take shape, says Pieter van der Mullen, Senior Account Manager at LevelTen Energy, in an interview with pv magazine. November 10, 2025 Michael Fuhs pv magazine: Do you think pure PV PPAs will remain an attractive segment in Germany? Pieter van der Meulen: Pure PV PPAs are becoming less competitive in markets such as Germany, where the rapid growth of solar energy has led to significant price cannibalization and…

Qcells says shipments of components delayed under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) have led to temporary production cuts at its Georgia solar plant. November 10, 2025 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA Qcells, the U.S. solar manufacturing arm of South Korea’s Hanwha Solutions, said it is laying off about 1,000 factory workers and reducing hours at its facilities in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia. The company is also cutting about 300 employees employed through temporary employment agencies. The move comes months after Qcells reported that certain shipments of solar cells and polysilicon – intermediates originating from allied countries such…

In total, 43.4% of Ireland’s electricity demand was met by renewable energy generation in October.Figures from Irish grid operator EirGrid show that electricity demand in October was 2,969 GWh, compared to 2,715 GWh in September. Grid-scale solar covered around 2% of this, the operator said, with the majority of the renewable share of electricity coming from wind power plants, which accounted for 36% of Ireland’s electricity consumption.In October last year, when demand was slightly lower, EirGrid metrics show that 41.5% of the electricity mix was generated from renewables, of which only 1.1% was from grid-scale solar.Unsurprisingly, solar power generation was…

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) says its new solar panel testing laboratory in Dhaka marks an important step towards enforcing quality standards and supporting the country’s export ambitions. November 10, 2025 Syful Islam Bangladesh has opened a testing laboratory to ensure quality and set standards for both domestically produced and imported solar panels. The facility has been set up at the BSTI headquarters in Dhaka and is equipped with German technology. The laboratory has a high-precision standard solar simulator that can test solar panels up to 2,700 mm x 1,600 mm and measure the performance efficiency of the…

In this contributed article, Yayu Yang, product manager at GridBeyond, a technology platform for managing distributed and flexible energy resources, covers the launch of Ireland’s planning and dispatch program in the energy storage market.The Irish electricity market is entering a new era with the launch of the Scheduling and Dispatch Program (SDP) from November 11, 2025, a major initiative led by Ireland’s two Transmission System Operators (TSOs). EirGrid and SONI, to modernize the way energy generation and grid flexibility are managed.For the first time, batteries will be able to participate directly in the Irish wholesale electricity market. This reform represents…

EFT Energy Solutions says its new Industrial Flex system, built around BYD lithium iron phosphate modules, applies residential-level standardization to the commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage market. November 10, 2025 Jochen Siemer Image: EFT Energy Solutions By ESS news EFT Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the EFT Systems Group and European service partner for BYD battery storage systems, has developed the Industrial Flex platform to simplify implementation for C&I users. The system is based on BYD’s MC Cube battery modules and features an integrated control cabinet that houses a power conversion system developed by EFT. The operation of the…

The German company said its new device has a DC input that supports up to 3 kW of photovoltaic energy. The heating power can be infinitely adjusted between 0 W and 1,000 W. The heating element costs €549 including VAT and is designed for hot water tanks with a capacity of up to 500 liters. November 10, 2025 Sandra Enkhardt By pv magazine Germany Fothermo System has introduced the ROD-1000, a new photovoltaic immersion heater designed for PV-powered domestic hot water production. The device features a DC input that supports module outputs up to 3,000 W, with heating power infinitely…