Author: solarenergy

A German research team has developed a semiconductor-based security concept, tailored to sustainable energy systems, that forces a permanent short circuit in less than 1 millisecond in the event of a fault. The generated short circuit remains intact during the fault and reliably protects the components against overcurrent. October 28, 2025 Ralph Diermann Fraunhofer IMWS office in Halle, Germany Image: Fraunhofer IMWS by pv magazine Germany. A joint research project between the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, Infineon Bipolar and the Technical University of Dresden has developed a semiconductor-based protection concept tailored to the specific requirements…

Enphase Energy has announced support for complete off-grid system configurations which can operate without an electricity connection if necessary. The system requires the IQ Battery 5P with built-in grid shaping microinverters, IQ8 series microinverters with Sunlight JumpStart capability, and a third-party standby AC generator, all working together to power the home. Enphase’s comprehensive off-grid solution is designed to meet the unique energy needs of homeowners. For off-grid use cases, the Enphase Energy System components work together to power loads and charge batteries efficiently, with intelligent software that optimizes generator use when needed and prevents generator damage from feeding back power.…

Enphase Energy has introduced a complete off-grid solar and storage system that integrates batteries, microinverters and generator control, with an international rollout set for 2026. October 28, 2025 Lior Kahana Enphase Energy, a California-based provider of solar inverters and energy storage systems, has announced a new, complete off-grid solar and battery solution. The system is currently available in the United States and will be expanded to other markets in 2026. “With the launch of our off-grid solution, we are offering homeowners a reliable path to complete energy independence,” said Nitish Mathur, SVP of customer experience at Enphase Energy. “Today there…

Ampt and Hiringa Energy plan to deploy a 27 MW (DC) solar panel with 30 MWh battery storage to produce green hydrogen and ammonia for a low-carbon cotton company in Australia. October 28, 2025 Ev Foley By pv magazine Australia The American Ampt is working with the New Zealand green hydrogen company Hiringa Energy on an initiative for the production of low-carbon cotton. Ampt’s string optimizer technology will support a solar plus storage system for the Hiringa hydrogen and ammonia plant, part of the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) project near Moree, eastern Australia. The project includes a…

U.S.-made perovskite tandem cells from Swift Solar were used in a U.S. Department of Defense hybrid microgrid as part of a recent cybersecurity demonstration. October 28, 2025 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA Swift Solar, a US manufacturer of perovskite tandem solar cells, has revealed that its technology has been deployed in a US Department of Defense cybersecurity demonstration, marking one of the first operational deployments of perovskites. The perovskite solar cells were integrated with the Rapid Deployment Hybrid MicroGrid (RDHM), developed by Resilient Energy & Infrastructure. The modular microgrids are designed for rapid installation and movement and are built…

Saudi Power Procurement Co. (SPPC) has concluded the sixth phase of the country’s National Renewable Energy Program with the award of four solar projects and one wind farm. This includes the 1.4 GW solar power plant in Najran, which has the second lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar energy to date. October 28, 2025 Patrick Jowett SPPC has awarded contracts for four new solar energy projects in Saudi Arabia with a combined capacity of 3 GW. The project awards are under the sixth phase of the country’s National Renewable Energy Program, which is supervised by the Saudi Ministry…

A bipartisan group of more than a dozen governors released a message package of reform priorities to improve federal permitting and regulatory processes for critical energy infrastructure projects. In a letter to congressional committee leaders, the National Governors Association, co-chaired by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, called on Congress to enact reforms to ensure that federal permitting processes are streamlined and managed in a technology-neutral and apolitical manner, allowing all types of energy projects to progress. “This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. Every American needs to heat their home and power their vehicle,” said…

DGIST’s research team promotes the environmentally friendly efficiency of solar cells using rapid temperature control Research led by Dae-Hwan Kim and Kee-Jeong Yang of DGIST, in collaboration with Junho Kim of Incheon National University, has developed a technique to improve the efficiency of antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) solar cells. The method involves increasing the heating rate during thermal processing of materials, producing more uniformly aligned crystals and promoting efficient charge transport. Antimony selenide is composed of antimony and selenium, making it an environmentally safe choice for solar cell production. Traditional devices using this material face efficiency limitations due to defects and…

Algeria’s draft 2026 financing law includes a reduced customs tariff of 5% on products intended for the production of solar panels, as well as an exemption for electrolyzers necessary for hydrogen production. October 28, 2025 Gwénaëlle Deboutte Zergoun solar panel production plant in Ouargla, Algeria Image: pv magazine France by pv magazine France The Algerian government’s draft Financing Law (PLF) for 2026 includes several measures favorable to the development of renewable energy, including the reduction of customs duties on solar panel components. Article 128 of the bill provides that imports of products intended for the manufacture of photovoltaic solar panels,…

Installing solar panels over car parks at 151 UK petrol stations would generate around 124 GWh per year, a £19 million opportunity.This was the conclusion of a study conducted by RenEnergy, which showed that 46,153 parking spaces at gas stations would be suitable for the installation of solar carports. Solar carports are located above parking spaces and generate energy from solar panels on the canopy, which can be fed back to the business or used to charge electric vehicles on any space, while providing shelter and shade for vehicles.Norwich-based RenEnergy, a company that provides sustainable energy solutions including solar carports,…