Author: solarenergy

Bedford Borough Council has granted planning permission for a 49.9MW PV facility to be built alongside a previously approved battery energy storage system (BESS).The Thurleigh Road Solar Farm in Bedfordshire will share grid infrastructure with the 69MW/138MWh Thurleigh Road BESS, both developed by UK-based international developer of large-scale solar and battery storage projects, Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE).PACE said the two projects will provide flexibility and reduce network management costs in the long term, “creating efficiencies for the grid operator and ultimately helping to reduce costs for consumers”.With grid connections difficult to come by in Britain, such as reforms to the…

In utility-scale solar, the industry’s data maturity has reached a tipping point. It is no longer sufficient to simply measure irradiance; the standard now is to be able to understand and continuously optimize data quality so that production forecasts, performance ratios and financial models accurately reflect reality. For developers who also own and operate their assets, this shift is not theoretical, but a practical reality. As monitoring systems become more capable, the accuracy of radiation data is critical for evaluating performance and protecting long-term revenues. When “bankable” depends on the sensor Solar radiation data is inherently complex. Even when high-quality…

Taiwanese authorities have also introduced a repowering mechanism intended to encourage the replacement of aging PV equipment. February 23, 2026 Patrick Jowett TaiwanThe Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has announced its Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) for the country’s fiscal year 2026. The FiTs for solar energy remain unchanged compared to the second half of 2025. The highest available solar rate is TWD5.63 ($0.18)/kWh, for rooftop solar with a capacity between 1 kW and 10 kW. Rates decrease as installation size increases, with an array over 500 kW receiving a FiT of TWD3.89/kWh. Ground-mounted solar installations above 1 kW can benefit from…

Researchers from TU Delft developed a new micro-textured hexagonal glass that improves light scattering by up to 50%, improving optical performance in thin-film silicon solar cells. The technology is promising for multi-junctional, flexible and energy-efficient solar energy applications. February 23, 2026 Valerie Thompson Researchers from Delft University of Technology have investigated the application and properties of a new hexagonal glass texturing process in a superstrate configuration for thin-film silicon solar devices. “Our research has shown up to 50% light scattering, even at near-infrared wavelengths, with honeycomb textures on glass. These high-performance glass structures could benefit thin-film multijunction cells,” Govind Padmakumar,…

British energy supplier Octopus Energy will invest ‘almost’ $1 billion (£740 million) in California’s clean energy sector.The announcement was made as California Governor Gavin Newsom visited the United Kingdom and signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Britain and California to “drive innovation, scale up clean energy technologies and connect businesses and researchers in both economies,” according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).The Octopus investment includes a solar energy and battery energy storage system (BESS) project, which will begin commercial operation in July.Octopus did not specify the capacity of the solar-plus-storage project, nor how much of the…

India can leverage its growing renewable energy base to drive AI-driven data center growth, but grid readiness, transmission upgrades and coordinated policy reforms will be key, according to a Deloitte Asia Pacific report. February 23, 2026 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India India’s growing renewable energy and clean energy base can play a central role in supporting the next phase of data center growth, supported by smarter energy sources, stronger grid readiness and coordinated policy action to ensure reliable and sustainable energy at scale, says a new report from Deloitte Asia Pacific. The report titled ‘Powering Asia Pacific’s Data Center…

Calibrating energy will build, own and operate a 23 MWh battery energy storage system at Iron Mountain’s data center in New Jersey. The project integrates large-scale storage with the facility’s existing 7.2 MW rooftop solar array, creating a resilient energy ecosystem that supports Iron Mountain’s 24/7 carbon-free energy deployment. New Jersey’s data center. “This is what the future of powering large loads looks like,” said Phil Martin, CEO of Calibrant Energy. “Customers can grow and control costs while strengthening the grid, proving that major power consumers are part of the energy solution rather than a burden.” Using advanced real-time controls,…

New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has selected 32 farms for its Solar on Farms program to test solar and battery systems in key sectors. February 20, 2026 Ev Foley Image: New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority By pv magazine Australia New Zealand’s EECA has officially announced the first 32 demonstration farms to participate Solar energy on farms program; to test how solar energy and batteries perform in key sectors. Working with the farms, the EECA is working to install solar panels, smart inverters and batteries to demonstrate the viability of the technology and share insights with…

Distribution intelligence company ProEnergy Supply (PES) has officially launched its proprietary and AI-driven transactional gateway, bridging the gap between solar energy system design and distributors’ ERP systems. By partnering with OpenSolar, PES enables distributors to sell equipment directly within the new OpenSolar “Shop” platform. “Live” inventory can be viewed and purchased now by more than 28,000 active solar professionals at the exact moment they are designing solar energy systems or viewing the automatically calculated bill of materials of a system sold. “We’re not asking distributors to change the way they operate,” said Brian C. Boguess, CRO and co-founder of ProEnergy…

Estonia has completed its largest thermal storage facility, started construction of its largest solar-storage hybrid project, and is preparing to build an 800 MWh battery park in Valga province, which will be the largest in the Baltics. February 20, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news French investment fund Mirova and Estonian renewable energy developer Evecon have announced a series of milestones to support the acceleration of Estonia’s energy transition. Through their joint Baltic Renewable Energy Platform OÜ (BREP), the partners have delivered the country’s largest modernized battery energy storage system, executed the first Flexibility Power Purchase Agreement (FPPA) in the…