Author: solarenergy

New research from the University of New South Wales shows that the degradation of PV modules varies widely depending on system design and location, influenced by UV exposure, temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions. Tropical and desert regions face the highest stresses, highlighting the need for climate-specific testing and system design. April 2, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Utraviolet (UV) radiation has long been recognized as a major cause of PV module degradation. However, this factor is significantly underestimated in current testing standards, especially for modern system designs and areas of high irradiation. With this in mind, a group of researchers from the…

Midea has launched a compact indoor air heat pump for renovation homes and homes with limited space. The R290-based system offers power up to 4.45 kW, a coefficient of performance of 4.5 and smart PV-compatible controls. April 2, 2026 Emiliano Bellini China-based electrical appliance manufacturer Midea has introduced a new compact air heat pump designed for indoor installation, targeting residential applications with limited space and renovation projects across Europe. The new product deviates from conventional split heat pump designs by eliminating the need for an outdoor unit. Instead, it operates entirely indoors, using two ducts for air intake and exhaust…

SolarEdge has outlined a transition path to integrated 800 V (DC) infrastructure for data centers, arguing that older alternating current (AC) systems introduce inefficiencies that could limit the growth of AI workloads. It says rising demand for computers and next-generation NVIDIA GPUs increases the urgency, with data centers losing an estimated 10% to 30% of input power through multiple conversion phases. April 1, 2026 Blathnaid O’Dea SolarEdge has published a white paper laying out a definitive strategy to address a major electrification challenge that could limit the growth of AI data centers. The March 2026 report, “Powering the AI ​​Revolution:…

By Martin McConnell March 23, 2026 Built to last since 1955, bringing security to tracker supply with nationwide manufacturing. We deliver! This week on Projects Weekly, it’s been a banner week for new project energizations. Projects across the U.S. came online, including Origis Energy’s Wheatland Solar Project in southern Indiana, Idemitsu’s Azalea project in California, and rPlus Energies’ Blacks Creek Energy Center in Idaho’s most populous county. Nofar USA closed its solar acquisition from Pine Gate Renewables and PowerBank has announced the advancement of more than 42 MW of solar in New York. Sunraycer also began construction on two large-scale…

Researchers in India have shown that ion beam implantation enables precise boron doping in silicon solar cells, reducing defects and improving charge transport. The proposed approach could support more efficient and reproducible p-n junctions, which could provide a path to higher performance silicon photovoltaics. April 1, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from Panjab University in India have demonstrated a new method for doping silicon solar cells using ion beam technology, achieving improved electronic properties and reducing losses due to defects. “Defects in TOPCon and PERC solar cells often arise from conventional manufacturing processes such as thermal diffusion, radio frequency (RF) sputtering…

Chilean Energy Minister Ximena Rincón last week at the RE+ Southern Cone Summit called for a more proactive approach to renewables, storage and electrification, emphasizing the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and invest in supporting infrastructure. April 1, 2026 Luis Ini Chilean Energy Minister Ximena Rincón. Image: pv magazine/Luis Ini By pv magazine LatAm Chilean Energy Minister Ximena Rincón called on the country to take a more proactive role in promoting renewable energy, storage, electromobility and efficiency at the RE+ Southern Cone Summit in Santiago. Speaking at the March 25-26 event at the Estación Mapocho Cultural Center, Rincón…

Research from Germany analyzed sentiment in online news reporting to investigate how heat pumps are portrayed in German public discourse. It showed that while public perception is generally positive, it is neither uniform nor stable, and dropped significantly during the debates on the German heating law in 2023. April 1, 2026 Patrick Jowett Pumping heat are generally portrayed positively Germany According to new research, the media landscape has experienced periods of negative reporting in recent years. The research paper “Tracking public perception of heat pumps: a sentiment analysis of German news articles”, available in the magazine Energy and Buildingsexplains that…

By Brad Kramer March 24, 2026 The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) on March 19 denied an application for a $98 million solar project in Morrow County, Ohio. However, the board’s view of the project may have been influenced by a flood of fabricated public comments. The 94MW Crossroads sunbathing center was a proposed dual-use project by the developer Open road renewable energy sources cattle would also graze on the site. The company proposed to build the facility within a 726-acre project area in Cardington, Lincoln and Westfield townships. The OPSB determined that, based on the opposition to the project…

Rising energy costs are one of the biggest operational challenges businesses face today. Every month, utilities send bills that seem to climb higher, cutting into profit margins and making long-term financial planning harder. For North Carolina business owners, there’s a solution that transforms energy from an unpredictable expense into a strategic asset: commercial solar panel installation. 8MSolar specializes in designing and installing custom solar systems for businesses throughout North Carolina. We understand that every business has unique energy needs, facility constraints, and financial goals. That’s why we engineer each commercial solar system from the ground up, creating solutions that maximize…

Available in 80W and 108W versions with high-efficiency SunPower Maxeon cells, the kit offers wind resistance up to 25 m/s and is easy to install on unused boat surfaces, according to the manufacturer. April 1, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Italian PV module manufacturer Solbian has unveiled a new solar kit designed for installation on boat davits. “The solution offers both recreational sailors and maritime professionals a simple and efficient way to generate sustainable energy on board, making use of surfaces that often go unused,” said a company spokesperson. pv magazine. The SunBoard kit includes Solbian’s first rigid frame module, designed to…