Author: solarenergy

South Korean battery manufacturer Samsung SDI has announced that it will produce prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for stationary energy storage applications in the United States. The company will convert some existing lines at its EV factory in Indiana to make ESS batteries. Samsung currently operates from the StarPlus energy factory in Kokomo, Indiana. The site is a joint venture between Samsung and Stellantis and initially had an annual production capacity of 34 GWh. Samsung SDI’s prismatic LFP cells for ESS are packaged in a 20-ft container called the Samsung Battery Box (SBB) 2.0. The company launched the first…

Sunwafe says it has formally applied to reserve land in Asturias, Spain, for a 20 GW silicon wafer and ingot factory, backed by Chinese capital EIT InnoEnergy and a 200 million euro Spanish government grant. December 10, 2025 Pilar Sanchez Molina By pv magazine Spain Sunwafe has submitted a formal application to reserve land in the Asturias Industrial Logistics Activity Zone (Zalia) for a silicon ingot and wafer production facility. The company plans to reach a capacity of 20 GW by 2030. The government of Spain’s Asturias region said last week that Sunwafe’s application had been formally registered in accordance…

During a December 9 hearing that lasted more than three hours, fourteen witnesses, including farmers, contractors, solar developers, economists and major Wisconsin employers, testified in strong support for the local solar legislation (SB-559 and AB 493), highlighting how the legislation would lower energy bills for all Wisconsin residents, strengthen the electric grid and return decision-making power to local communities. The bill would create a community solar program that allows farmers and developers to build small-scale projects (typically 20 to 30 acres) that neighbors can subscribe to, expanding access to solar energy while avoiding larger developments that sometimes face local resistance.…

The new floating PV structure removes the traditional maintenance paths between module rows, allowing more solar panels to be installed per hectare. Ciel & Terre has also developed a motorized trolley system that can roll over the structure. December 10, 2025 Patrick Jowett French floating PV specialist Ciel & Terre has unveiled its new floating solar system WattRack. Designed to build high-power floating solar power plants, WattRack is a semi-rigid system that removes traditional maintenance paths between module rows through a compact design that allows the installation of more solar panels, with a density of up to 2.2 MW/hectare. It…

PT Pertamina Power Indonesia and HyET Solaris Netherlands plan to build a 50 MW pilot plant to produce the Dutch company’s lightweight and flexible PV products in Indonesia, with ambitions to scale up to a GW-sized production facility. December 10, 2025 Patrick Jowett Indonesian energy company PT Peramina Power Indonesia (PII) and Dutch thin-film PV specialist HyET Solaris Netherlands have agreed to work on the production of lightweight and flexible solar products in Indonesia. The two parties have signed a non-binding term sheet to explore a strategic collaboration aimed at bringing HyET Solaris’ flexible thin-film PV technology to large-scale production…

In Angola, 75.26 MWh of battery storage has become operational as part of Africa’s largest off-grid renewable energy system to date. December 10, 2025 Patrick Jowett Portuguese group MCA has powered an off-grid renewable energy system in Angola that includes 75.26 MWh of battery storage and 25.40 MW of solar energy. Billed as the country’s first and Africa’s largest off-grid renewable energy system, the Cazombo Photovoltaic Park is designed to rely on solar energy during the day and the battery bank for nighttime energy supply, ensuring no fossil fuels are consumed. The project will benefit more than 136,000 people living…

In response to the growing demand for solutions for low-bearing roofs, Chinese manufacturer DMEGC is presenting an IEC-certified lightweight 460 W module at France’s largest PV fair – EnerGaïa. December 10, 2025 Gwénaëlle Deboutte Chinese solar manufacturer DMEGC presented a new lightweight rooftop solar panel at the EnerGaïa fair in Montpellier, France. The DMxxxM10RT-54HBW-LV panel is specially designed for roofs that cannot accommodate standard modules. The new product is built on the classic size of 1,762 mm x 1,134 mm x 30 mm and has an output power of 460 W. With a weight of less than 7.5 kg/m², the…

Arch Solar announced that it recently installed a 191 kWdirect current solar energy project on a newly constructed affordable housing and community library complex in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The installation is expected to offset 38% of the site’s total electricity consumption. The project is part of a broader initiative by the City of Milwaukee to produce on-site renewable energy in underserved neighborhoods. Serving a low-income neighborhood with 93 townhouse-style apartments and a newly renovated public library, the project supports long-term affordability by directly reducing energy costs for residents, including units allocated for lower rent. “Ease of installation, centralized monitoring and consistency…

GCL Technology Holdings has set up a CNY2.06 billion ($287 million) partnership to acquire a 42.5% stake in Inner Mongolia Xinyuan Silicon Material Technology, a move that could signal emerging consolidation in China’s polysilicon sector. December 10, 2025 Brian Publicover Chinese polysilicon manufacturer GCL Technology Holdings Ltd. will set up a limited partnership worth CNY 2.06 billion to acquire a 42.5% stake in Inner Mongolia Xinyuan Silicon Material Technology Co., Ltd., leaving the granular silicon maker a non-wholly owned subsidiary, according to a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange this week. The move appears to indicate increasing consolidation pressure…

Poland’s State Environment Fund says developers requested PLN28 billion ($7.7 billion) for 20 GW and 122 GWh of storage projects – almost seven times the programme’s budget, with 183 projects eligible for financing. December 10, 2025 Marija Maisch By ESS news Poland’s National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) has shortlisted 183 energy storage projects for grants and loans, with a total value of PLN 4.15 billion allocated from the European Union Modernization Fund. This provides financing under the “Electricity storage facilities and related infrastructure” program, launched in April has now been completely exhausted, the government fund said…