Author: solarenergy

The British Army has commissioned a new ground-mounted solar PV installation at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire, which is expected to generate around 1.7 GWh of electricity annually.The installation covers 2.5 hectares and includes more than 4,000 PV panels. The excess electricity will be exported via a private wire network serving Bulford, Tidworth and Perham Down military camps.Major General AJ Smith CBE, Director of Bases & Infrastructure and Army Sustainability Champion, said: “This project shows what is possible when we invest in practical, scalable renewable energy. By increasing our green energy supply, we are building an Army estate that is more…

Chinese battery integrator HyperStrong has signed an agreement with CATL for the supply of 60 GWh sodium-ion battery cells over three years. This represents the largest deal yet for the emerging battery technology. pv magazine spoke with HyperStrong Chairman and CEO Jianhui Zhang to discuss the company’s plans for the implementation of sodium-ion battery systems. HyperStrong recently signed one of the first supply agreements for gigawatt-scale sodium-ion batteries – what can you tell us about this deal?? This agreement with CATL, which includes 60 GWh sodium ion batteries over the next three years, is a significant milestone for both companies…

By Martin McConnell July 20, 2026 Dallas energy supplier Janta power made a name for itself at the FIFA World Cup 2026says the company, which provides power to fan gatherings in Dallas and Houston with its three-dimensional solar tower systems. The world’s biggest sporting tournament ended on July 19, with Spain securing its second World Cup fixture with a 1-0 win over Argentina. Along the way, both finalists played at least one game at the Dallas Metroplex’s AT&T Stadium, one of the venues equipped with Janta’s solar towers. Janta Power founder and CEO Mohammed Njie says the World Cup is…

Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Fidra Energy has reached financial close on its 500 MW/1.1 GWh West Burton C battery energy storage system (BESS).The Nottinghamshire project is on the site of the former West Burton coal-fired power station. Construction will begin later this year, Fidra said, and the project is expected to be fully operational in 2028.A group of international lenders have committed loan facilities of £231 million, combined with support from the EIG Fidra Energy foundedand the UK National Wealth Fund (NWF).When Fidra reached financial close on its 1.4 GW/3.1 GWh Thorpe Marsh BESSthe largest such project in…

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is introducing a temporary framework that will tighten the rules surrounding new permit applications for solar parks near airports. In a letter to the House of Representatives, Minister Vincent Karremans of Infrastructure and Water Management explains that there are currently no specific regulations in the Netherlands in the field of aviation safety with regard to solar park installations near airports. He added that the framework will provide authorities and stakeholders “with guidance to help them make informed decisions within their respective areas of responsibility.” The move follows an incident in March 2025 that…

By Martin McConnell July 20, 2026 This week on Projects Weekly, California’s Foothill Medical Center Association has energized its rooftop solar project, complete with a full roof renovation. Also in the Golden State, Avantus and the Clean Power Alliance have signed a PPA for the Rexford 2 project throughout southern California. In Illinois, Aligned Climate Capital has acquired a new community solar project in Collinsville Township, and Sol Systems has closed financing on a full suite of community solar projects throughout the state. The North Star State’s solar scene is in the news as well, with the Minnesota Public Utilities…

Avisford Park Hotel has invested £300,000 in a solar and storage installation on its site, in response to rising energy prices and growing guest expectations for sustainability.Novalux Solar designed, supplied and installed the system, which consists of 308 DAS Solar 590W N-Type Bifacial panels, ground-mounted on an unused tennis court, with a rated power of 163.24 kWp.It also uses two Solis S6-EH3P50K-H-EU hybrid inverters and two Dyness BF100-C100 outdoor battery cabinets, which provide a storage capacity of 200 kWh.The hotel’s peak electricity consumption times do not match the peak solar hours, so the integration of an energy storage system maximizes…

The European Commission published its electrification action plan on Friday, which aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported fossil fuels – a key driver of higher energy prices for households and industry in recent years. Although renewable electricity now accounts for 70% of the EU’s energy mix, electrification of final energy demand has remained at 23% over the past decade. “We must therefore accelerate the electrification of energy-consuming sectors, especially industry, transport and buildings,” the European Commission said. As part of the post-2030 Energy Union package, the Commission will set an indicative electrification target of 46% by 2040. It estimates…

South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) has unveiled a tender for around 1 GW of new solar capacity. The tender, which offers winning bidders a fixed-price contract, has been awarded a bid ceiling price of KRW 147,686 ($99.46)/kWh, about 5% lower than last year’s 1 GW solar tender. The tender also includes preferential prices for solar panels with a lower carbon footprint, taking into account their contribution to the domestic industry and supply chain, according to MCEE. The preferential price adds an additional KRW 16/kWh for the use of Class 1 certified modules, with the lowest CO2…

China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) has announced that photovoltaic cells will be subject to a 2% consumption tax from April 1, 2027. The tax rate will increase to 4% from April 1, 2028. The tax is expected to accelerate capacity rationalization in China’s solar industry by increasing cost pressure on manufacturers with already low margins and making inefficient production facilities increasingly unviable. While a 2 to 4 percent consumption tax may seem modest, it could further pressure profitability for manufacturers operating on tight or negative margins, potentially hastening the retirement of aging capacity and the departure of less competitive players.…