Author: solarenergy

Tesla says the recall and replacement efforts stem from a battery cell defect that has led to safety concerns in both the United States and Australia. November 14, 2025 Marija Maisch By ESS news Tesla has one recall message for its fully integrated Powerwall 2 AC battery energy storage system and initiated a replacement program for approximately 10,500 affected units in the United States. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tesla has received 22 reports of overheating, including six cases of smoking and five cases of fire causing minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. Tesla said the…

Using the mask-and-plate copper metallization technique, scientists from the German research center have fabricated a 1.21 cm² perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell with a heterojunction bottom device. The cell achieved an efficiency of 19.35%, reportedly the highest value achieved to date for this cell type using galvanic front metallization. November 14, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) in Germany have applied the so-called mask-and-plate front metallization approach to the development of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells for the first time. “The novelty of this work is threefold: first, we achieve very small feature sizes…

Renewable energy is still growing faster than fossil fuels around the world despite policy changes in the United States, with oil demand possibly peaking “around 2030”, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The Paris-based IEA presented several scenarios for the future of energy in its annual World Energy Outlook – the first since it came under fire from US President Donald Trump’s administration over its oil forecasts. “The pace varies, but renewables are growing faster than any other major energy source in all scenarios, led by solar photovoltaics,” the agency, which advises mainly developed countries, said in its 518-page…

Italian grid operator Terna says solar installations from 2025 through October indicate a slower annual growth rate than in 2024. November 14, 2025 Massimiliano Tripodo Image: Jonathan Göhner, Unsplash By pv magazine Italy Italy installed around 4.81 GW of new PV systems in the first ten months of this year, according to new statistics from national transmission system operator Terna. The current growth trajectory indicates a potential full-year contraction compared to 2024, when installations reached 6.8 GW. Annual additions totaled 5.23 GW in 2023, 2.48 GW in 2022 and 0.94 GW in 2021. Terna reported that approximately 732 MW of…

Wuxi DK Electronic Materials (DKEM) has filed a patent lawsuit against Zhejiang Guangda Electronic Technology for allegedly infringing its patents on conductive silver paste. November 14, 2025 Vincent Shaw Wuxi DK electronic materials (DKEM) announced that its subsidiary, Zhejiang Soter Materials Technology, has filed a lawsuit in the Zhejiang High Court against Zhejiang Guangda Electronic Technology for allegedly infringing its conductive silver paste patents. DKEM is seeking an injunction to stop production and sales, the destruction of relevant production equipment and molds, and damages of 200 million CNY (27.5 million USD) for economic and legal costs. The Silicon Industry Department…

The European Commission has launched its first call to link suppliers and buyers to the Hydrogen Mechanism, while Italian researchers say solar, wind, storage and electrolyzers could cut island transport emissions by 90% and cut costs by almost a third. November 14, 2025 Sergio Matalucci The European Commission launched the first call for interest in the context of the hydrogen mechanism. The mechanism aims to connect potential suppliers with buyers of renewable or low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives such as ammonia, methanol, certain aviation fuels (eSAF) and eMethane. Bids can be submitted until January 2, 2026. On January 19, the European…

The US mounting systems supplier said its new product is designed to fit both Cee and Zee purlin frame structures. It features a bottom-facing adjustment screw. November 14, 2025 Lior Kahana Colorado-based metal roof fastener company S-5! has introduced a new clamp for solar carport applications. The new product, called S-5-CP, is designed to fit both Cee and Zee purlin frame constructions, while also eliminating the need for drilling holes. Cee and Zee purlins are cold-formed steel members used in the secondary frames of metal buildings to support roof and wall panels. C purlins are symmetrical and often used for…

The number of rooftop solar PV installations in the UK has reached 206,682 so far in 2025, a record for the sector that brings the total number of certified small-scale solar installations in Britain to 1.85 million.This is evident from the latest figures from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which has been monitoring annual installations of renewable energy on roofs for years. MCS notes that solar projects on the roofs of new construction have been “one of the key drivers” behind the growth; As of October 2023, solar deployment on new builds accounted for 32% of all rooftop solar installations,…

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say their polymer coating can be used to protect photovoltaic modules, due to its impermeability to gases. The team has shown that a 60 nanometer thick film can extend the life of a perovskite crystal by several weeks. November 14, 2025 Patrick Jowett A team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a lightweight polymer film that can be used as a protective coating on solar panels because it is virtually impermeable to gas molecules. Under laboratory test conditions, the nanometer-thick polymer was found to completely repel nitrogen and other gases.…

European engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company Greencells Group has signed a contract with Irish electricity supplier Electricity Supply Board (ESB) for an expansion of a solar power plant.Greencells will provide EPC services for Drombeg Phase 2, a 44 MW expansion of the 50 MW Drombeg Solar Park in County Kerry, Ireland. The company had already worked with ESB on the first phase of the solar power plant, which is expected to be commissioned in autumn 2025.The first phase of the project was granted planning permission in May 2019 and a contract was awarded at the second Irish Renewable Energy…