Author: solarenergy
Chinese researchers have demonstrated a one-step submicron structured surface texturing process that improved the absolute efficiency of a TOPCon solar cell by 1% through broadband anti-reflection and lower electrical resistance. Cell-level performance was validated in laboratory and outdoor tests. February 4, 2026 Valerie Thompson A research group led by Jiangsu Ocean University in China has demonstrated a one-step surface texturing process that can reportedly increase the absolute efficiency of tunneling oxide-passivating contact (TOPCon) silicon solar cells by 1%. Cell-level performance was validated in laboratory and outdoor tests. “This study introduces a new rapid one-step method for fabricating dense silicon submicron…
The 100MW/200MWh battery energy storage project in Kiisa started as planned on February 3 – just two weeks after a testing error at the facility caused the biggest disruption to the regional electricity grid since Estonia’s desynchronization with Russia’s electricity system. February 4, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news Brick-and-mortar renewable energy developer Evecon, together with French independent energy producer Corsica Sole and international investment fund Mirova, opened one of the largest battery energy storage facilities in the Baltics on February 3 in the Estonian parish of Kiisa, just south of Tallinn. The 100 MW/200 MWh Hertz 1 project is…
After separately launching drone-based cleaning agents and solutions for agrivoltaic systems last year, the next step for Chemitek Solar is to unveil a cleaning solution that is safe for agrivoltaic systems and can be applied by drones. Chemitek has developed its Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent and will officially launch it at Intersolar Europe 2026 in June. Agrivoltaic systems pose unique operational challenges, including the accumulation of organic pollution, agricultural residues, particulate matter, limited accessibility and coexistence with crops. These conditions often limit or make conventional cleaning methods impractical, creating the need for advanced, drone-compatible chemical solutions that ensure effective cleaning…
Powering data centers with renewable energy and storage presents a range of technical and economic challenges that independent power producers, EPC contractors and investors have only recently begun to address. In this context, large-scale batteries are expected to play a key role, providing the active energy needed during peak demand and coordinating energy flows between generation, storage and data center loads. Yet it remains unclear whether current battery technologies can perform these tasks efficiently, casting doubt on the solar-plus-storage industry’s ability to meet growing data center electricity demands in the near term. To investigate this, an international research team investigated…
The Commerce Department would release its provisional anti-dumping/countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariff amounts for Indian, Indonesian and Lao imports of solar cells and panels before the end of 2025. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined in August that the U.S. industry has been materially harmed by imports from the three countries, and Commerce was expected to announce its tariff amounts by December. But due to the 43-day government shutdown in October and November, the research deadlines have been pushed back. Now the original submitter of the AD/CVD study, the Alliance for American Solar Energy Manufacturing and Tradeis asking the Commerce…
Researchers led by Guido Pagano of Rice University used a specialized quantum device to simulate a vibrating molecule and track how energy moves within it. The work, published December 5 in Nature Communications, could improve understanding of the basic mechanisms behind phenomena such as photosynthesis and solar energy conversion. The researchers modeled a simple molecule with two locations, where one part provides energy and the other part receives, both shaped by vibrations and their environment. By tuning the system, they could directly observe energy moving from donor to acceptor and study how vibrations and energy loss affect that transfer, providing…
The Chinese PV equipment supplier said the result was certified by the German Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH). The cell was fabricated using Maxwell’s in-house equipment for heterojunction production lines and end-to-end process flow. February 4, 2026 Vincent Shaw China-based PV equipment supplier Suzhou Maxwell Technologies Co., Ltd. has announced that it has achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 26.92% for a heterojunction (HJT) solar cell. The result was independently certified by the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) in Germany. The cell also recorded an open-circuit voltage of 951.7 mV, a short-circuit current of 9.112…
Indian solar manufacturer Loom Solar has launched a 125 kW/261 kWh CAML battery energy storage system (BESS) for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications. The BESS is scalable up to 1 MWh. February 4, 2026 Uma Gupta By ESS news Indian solar manufacturer Loom Solar has launched a 125 kW/261 kWh CAML battery energy storage system (BESS) for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications. The company says the system is designed as a cleaner and quieter alternative to conventional diesel generators to provide uninterrupted power and reduce production losses due to grid disruptions. The BESS is scalable up to 1 MWh. According…
German inverter and battery manufacturer SMA Solar Technology AG has unveiled a modular lithium iron phosphate battery system for commercial and industrial applications, with capacities ranging from 89 kWh to 197 kWh and integrated cybersecurity features. February 4, 2026 Marian Willuhn German inverter and battery manufacturer SMA Solar Technology AG has introduced a new commercial energy storage solution, the SMA Storage XL Package, aimed at commercial and industrial solar installations. The system is expected to be launched in Germany and other European countries in the second quarter of 2026. The Storage XL Package consists of a battery cabinet with a…
This is evident from a national poll conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & AssociationsRepublicans and voters who supported President Donald Trump approve of solar energy. The survey was conducted on behalf of the American solar panel manufacturer First solar energy. Fabrizio, Lee & Associates surveyed 800 Republicans, Republican Independents and Trump Supporters (GOP+) and found: They favor the use of utility-scale solar by a margin of more than 20 points, with 51% in favor. If the panels used for solar energy are American-made and have no ties to China, support for solar energy increases even further. Those in favor rise to…