Author: solarenergy

The latest round of the German PV tender program was largely oversubscribed. May 12, 2026 Ralph Diermann By pv magazine Germany Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has allocated 2,295 MW of PV capacity in the country’s latest tender for utility-scale solar energy. It has the capacity spread over 268 bids. The new allocations exceed the capacity that the Bundesnetzagentur initially wanted to distribute. The tender was oversubscribed, with 532 project proposals for a total amount of 5.62 GW. The average price came to €0.0494 ($0.0580)/kWh, with final prices ranging from €0.0399/kWh to €0.0510/kWh. From a regional perspective, the largest allocated…

Chinese researchers developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell using a non-contact laser polishing strategy that reduces surface defects and improves charge extraction in lead-tin perovskite films. The device achieved tandem efficiency up to 29.80%, with the bottom cell improving from 19.64% to 24.07% and showing strong operational stability under continuous illumination. May 12, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China have developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell using a non-contact laser polishing strategy that reportedly improves the surface morphology of perovskite films and improves device performance. The scientists explained that although all-perovskite tandem photovoltaic…

The automotive giant has formally unveiled Ford Energy, its new battery energy storage subsidiary, alongside the first details of its flagship grid-scale energy storage. May 12, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news What was first announced in December 2025 has now been formally unveiled. Ford Motor Company has officially launched Ford Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on delivering U.S.-assembled battery energy storage systems (BESS) to utilities, data centers and large industrial and commercial customers across the United States. The move reflects Ford’s strategy to repurpose underutilized battery production capacity for electric vehicles and focus on “higher return opportunities” in…

Insurers tell it pv magazine that severe convective storms (SCS) will cause $60 billion in insured losses by 2025, a rising toll that has become the main force tightening capacity and raising prices in the solar insurance market. May 12, 2026 Brian Public Severe convective storms were responsible for at least 47% of global insured catastrophe losses by 2025, generating a total of $60 billion in losses, according to Gallagher Re’s recently published “Improving Underwriting for Renewable Assets” report. SCS and hail have accounted for more than $200 billion, or 42%, of all insured losses in the United States since…

A new solar PV plant is planned for Nottinghamshire, with public consultations for the 49.9MW plant starting yesterday.The Barrons Solar Farm is being developed by Perigus Energy, the European renewable energy platform launched by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on May 1, following the completion of its project. £1.25 billion acquisition of a portfolio from Ørsted.Barron’s Solar Farm is expected to be connected to the National Grid at the Gedling Substation via underground cabling. It is the first addition to Perigus Energy’s pipeline since its inception.The portfolio inherited by CIP includes onshore renewables in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Spain. It…

A severe shortage of power transformers is slowing grid expansion as developers face skyrocketing prices and four-year wait times for critical equipment. May 12, 2026 Ryan Kennedy The purchase of transformers is a decisive factor in whether a project can be completed on time. Image: Magnolia 677/Wikimedia Commons By pv magazine USA The battle for electrical infrastructure is reaching a fever pitch as energy developers and data center operators compete for limited factory production sites. A report from Reuters Events highlights that long transformer lead times are now determining the planning of energy projects across the country. According to PwC…

SoftBank’s mobile arm is gearing up to scale up its intriguing zinc-halogen battery cell chemistry to annual production of 1 GWh. May 12, 2026 Tristan Rayner By ESS news Japanese investment conglomerate SoftBank Group said its telecommunications arm, Japan’s SoftBank Corp, will build zinc-halogen battery cells and storage systems for the Japanese market and scale up to 1 GWh per year. Production of both batteries and solar panels will take place at SoftBank’s factory in Osaka, Japan, and the site will house both an AI data center and an AI hardware factory. On the battery side, it will collaborate with…

The 136 MW Itimpi II solar power plant is Zambia’s largest operational solar project to date. Elsewhere in the country, an investment agreement has been signed to add 250 MW of solar energy to the 100 MW solar power plant in Nambala. May 12, 2026 Patrick Jowett Zambian power generation company Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has powered the 136 MW Itimpi II solar power plant, which is billed as the country’s largest operational solar facility to date. Located in Kitwe in the north Zambiathe $125.8 million project was funded by CEC’s $200 million Green Bond. A statement published by the…

The Chinese manufacturer said the new TOPCon cell design enables partial replacement of silver with aluminum paste, while maintaining TOPCon efficiency of over 27% and compatibility with existing production lines. May 12, 2026 Vincent Shaw Chinese PV manufacturer Jolywood has started mass production of TOPCon low-silver solar cells at its factory in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. The new cell architecture, called Nano Armor Metal Inter-Contact (Namic), is designed to prevent aluminum diffusion into the silicon structure, while maintaining vertical conductivity and limiting lateral conductivity. This allows partial replacement of silver paste with cheaper aluminum paste in TOPCon metallization processes. Jolywood said…

Scientists in Morocco have devised an experimental-numerical model to quantify how fly ash pollution affects photovoltaic (PV) modules, capturing both optical losses and thermal effects. Their findings show that while dust layers can reduce panel temperatures, fly ash significantly degrades efficiency in a non-linear manner, highlighting the need for predictive models for real solar performance. May 12, 2026 Lior Kahana A research team from Morocco has quantified the impact of fly ash accumulation on PV modules using a combined experimental and numerical approach. By coupling experimental validation with numerical modeling, the group could provide a framework for assessing and predicting…