Author: solarenergy

Research at one of the largest solar facilities in the Mojave Desert indicates that a rare annual plant is not only surviving, but thriving under a construction approach designed to preserve desert soils and seed banks. Researchers monitoring the Gemini Solar Project northeast of Las Vegas documented a sharp increase in the number and size of triangle milk vetch installations two years after the panel’s installation compared to pre-construction conditions. The work, led by ecologist Tiffany Pereira of the Desert Research Institute (DRI), is detailed in a study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution in late November 2025. The…

The U.S. Federal Patent Office rejected separate requests from JinkoSolar, Canadian Solar and Mundra Solar to invalidate intellectual property that First Solar claims is fundamental to the production of crystalline silicon solar cells. January 21, 2026 Ryan Kennedy The headquarters of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, United States Image: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 By pv magazine USA The director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied three separate review applications seeking to invalidate patents related to Frist Solar’s tunnel oxide passivated contact technology (TOPCon). JinkoSolar and Canadian Solar attempted to…

A research group from the European Commission’s Joint Research Center has developed a new PV climate classification, the first to take into account the annual yield and performance ratio. Their work resulted in 10 globally applicable clusters. “It challenges the assumption that many more classes are needed to capture the PV-relevant climate,” the researchers said. January 20, 2026 Lior Kahana A group from the European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC) has proposed a new classification of climate zones for PV systems. Unlike previous frameworks, the approach takes into account annual energy yield and performance ratio, making it directly relevant for…

Estuary power has brought online the Escape Solar and Storage project in Lincoln County, Nevada. The power of the 185 MWAC The 400 MWh solar battery storage project has been purchased primarily by casino and entertainment complexes operating on the Las Vegas strip. Escape solar and storage Escape Solar and Storage will provide 70 MW of solar energy to Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Las Vegas, with the remaining 115 MW of solar energy and 400 MWh of storage going to MGM Resorts International. “Estuary is proud to serve some of Nevada’s most recognized commercial and public energy customers with economical…

The Australian scientists designed the cell with a sodium sulfide additive to achieve a uniform distribution of sulfur and selenium, improving charge transport.This controlled elemental layering reduces energy barriers and defects, enabling a certified efficiency of 10.7%. January 20, 2026 David Caroll By pv magazine Australia University of New South Wales (UNSW) engineers have improved the performance of solar cells made from antimony chalcogenide (Sb2(S,Se)3), achieving a champion power conversion efficiency of 11.02% in the laboratory and a certified efficiency of 10.7%. Due to its optoelectronic properties, high absorption coefficient, material availability, and ability to be deposited at low temperatures,…

Silver prices hit a record high of $94.73/oz on January 19. Silver analyst Philip Newman explains pv magazine the metal could soon surpass $100/oz, increasing pressure on PV module manufacturers to reduce silver use. January 20, 2026 Emiliano Bellini The price of silver continues to rise, reaching an all-time high of $94.73 per ounce (oz) yesterday. For comparison, the average silver price in 2024 was $28.27 per ounce. “I think we could soon cross the $100 threshold,” said Philip Newman, director of British market research firm Metals Focus. pv magazine. “If the prices are this close, it seems very likely.”…

France-based IT services provider Cyllene has developed the RC-DC4/5G “Cyllene Box”, a networking device for PV power plants that manages multiple internet connections, encrypts data and supports compliance with the European Union Network and Information Security Directive (NIS 2). January 20, 2026 Gwénaëlle Deboutte By pv magazine France Cyllene has developed the RC-DC4/5G box, a device that can manage multiple Internet connections while encrypting data and facilitating compliance with the European Union’s Network and Information Security Directive (NIS 2). Recent warnings from the European Solar Market Council and SolarPower Europe have highlighted a growing concern: the cybersecurity of PV installations.…

Environmental groups are backing a coalition of renewable energy industry groups challenging the Trump administration’s actions preventing federal permits for wind and solar projects. The lawsuitfiled in December against the Department of the Interior by eight renewable energy groups, including Renew Northeastchallenges six actions by the Trump administration that unlawfully punish wind and solar energy development while elevating the fossil fuel industry. Today, environmental groups – Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Conservation Law Foundation, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Environmental Protection Information Center, National Wildlife Federation, New York League of Conservation Voters, and…

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has reported a material breakthrough that brings all oxide-based batteries closer to commercial use. The work focuses on the high costs and manufacturing challenges of solid garnet-type electrolytes, a key component in next-generation non-flammable lithium batteries designed to eliminate fire and explosion risks. All solid-state batteries replace conventional flammable liquid electrolytes with solid electrolytes, improving intrinsic safety in applications such as electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage systems. Oxide-based systems have attracted interest because they provide high energy density and avoid the toxic gas generation problems associated with sulfide-based solid electrolytes.…

China-based metallization paste supplier DK Electronic Materials says a major unnamed customer has used its high-copper content metallization paste to produce gigawatt-scale solar cells, combining copper paste with a seeded silver paste compatible with n-type and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) 3.0 processes. January 20, 2026 Vincent Shaw Silver paste from DKEM Image: Solamet In a recent note to investors, DK Electronic Materials (DKEM) said its high-copper metallization paste had achieved a gigawatt-scale production target at an undisclosed ‘strategic customer’, with the customer now moving to deploy the material across increased production capacity. DKEM’s unveiling comes as PV manufacturers and…