Author: solarenergy

Spain and Portugal recorded a rise in negative electricity prices in the first quarter, driven by strong solar energy generation and relatively low demand on the Iberian Peninsula. Further records are likely in 2026 as solar capacity grows, with more frequent price volatility expected across Europe. April 20, 2026 Pilar Sanchez Molina By pv magazine Spain Negative electricity prices reached a new record in the first quarter on the Iberian Peninsula, driven by record renewable energy generation. According to the latest quarterly report on the European electricity market from analytics firm Montel, Spain recorded 397 hours of negative prices between…

The battery manufacturing heavyweight showcased its latest sodium-ion products at ESIE 2026 earlier this month, expanding its business into grid-scale storage, AI data centers and long-life applications. April 20, 2026 Vincent Shaw By ESS news CATL unveiled a new sodium-ion battery for energy storage at ESIE 2026 in Beijing, expanding its sodium-ion offering from passenger cars, commercial vehicles and auxiliary power to utility-scale and commercial storage. The company presented the product on April 1 under the theme “Double Sodium and Lithium Stars Creating Complete Energy Storage Solutions.” According to a company spokesperson, CATL positioned the new product as the world’s…

Jinko Power signed a framework agreement with Zhongwei to develop a 1 GW data center in Ningxia, marking its entry into green computing under China’s ‘Eastern Data, Western Computing’ initiative. However, the project remains subject to approvals and funding review. April 20, 2026 Vincent Shaw Jinko Power announced on April 16 that it has signed an investment agreement with the Zhongwei Municipal Government to develop a 1 GW data center project in Zhongwei, Ningxia Province, marking the Shanghai-listed solar power plant operator’s entry into the green computing segment. The company said it will use its experience in renewable energy to…

As delays around the reform of the UK’s grid connection queue continue, energy regulator Ofgem and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have jointly written an open letter about the oversupply in the reformed queue.It invites industry to exchange views on whether additional measures should be taken to address the oversupply of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the grid connection queue, even after the Reforms of the National Energy Storage System Operator (NESO)..The letter acknowledges “significant delays” in the programwhich it attributes to data errors in historical connection agreements and the need to rework network studies and…

The Chinese manufacturer said its lightweight Light Diamond TOPCon module delivers 560W with an efficiency of 24.94%. April 20, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Chinese solar panel manufacturer JinkoSolar has launched a new lightweight TOPCon solar module for use in residential and commercial applications in buildings with limited load-bearing capacity. “JinkoSolar’s ‘Light Diamond’ lightweight, high-strength modules weigh just 7kg per square meter, representing a weight reduction of more than 40% compared to conventional double-glazed modules,” the company said in a statement. “The total module weight for a 1 MW project is only 28.6 tonnes, a reduction of approximately 20 tonnes compared to…

This, the CRU says, would avoid distortions arising from volumetric charging on ESUs, and create a level playing field between ESUs in the Internal Electricity Market (SEM) in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and between ESUs and other generation technologies providing the same services. It will also provide location signals for ESUs.Since 2020, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have been operating under a scheme introduced by the CRU as an interim decision stating that ESUs would only pay D-TUoS, and not both generator and demand fees, as previously required. However, the CRU now acknowledges that the decision “may not accurately reflect…

Italian authorities will offer 30 MW of floating PV capacity during the June 8 FER2 auction, reducing the quota after weak participation in the first round. April 20, 2026 Massimiliano Tripodo Enel’s floating PV test facility in Catania, Italy Image: pv magazine By pv magazine Italy The Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) plans to allocate a quota of 30 MW for floating photovoltaic systems on inland waterways in the latest round of the FER2 renewable energy tender mechanism. The auction round will take place on June 8. Under this auction regime, incentives are given to innovative renewable…

Researchers in Italy analyzed the performance of air-to-water heat pumps in Alpine regions, focusing on how start-up and defrost cycles affect efficiency under current and future climate conditions. Their simulations show that while warmer temperatures reduce defrost losses somewhat and improve efficiency modestly, start-up losses remain significant and continue to limit overall performance gains. April 20, 2026 Lior Kahana Scientists from Italy’s University of Trento have investigated the impact of start-up and defrost cycles on a PV-coupled air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) in the Alps, climate change hotspots characterized by rapid warming and complex topography. “The novelty of this study lies…

The new inverter is designed around standardized 5 MW and 5.5 MW PV subarrays with the aim of reducing system balance costs. It has a maximum efficiency of 99.0% and a high-voltage architecture up to 1,600 Vdc and 1,000 Vac. April 20, 2026 Vincent Shaw Chinese power transformer manufacturer TBEA has unveiled a 500 kW string inverter for utility-scale solar bases and integrated solar-plus-storage projects. The company said the TS500KTL-HV-C1 inverter is designed around standardized 5 MW and 5.5 MW PV subarrays and aims to reduce Balance-of-System (BOS) costs while improving network support capabilities. The new inverter uses a high-voltage…

Canadian utility Hydro-Quebec has announced the long list of bidders for its 300 MW solar tender. A total of 60 bids were submitted with a cumulative capacity of 481 MW. April 17, 2026 Patrick Jowett Image: Dad Hotel, Unsplash Canadian provincial utility Hydro-Quebec has announced that its 300 MW solar tender has been oversubscribed after receiving bids for 60 projects with a combined capacity of 481 MW. The utility’s solar tender has been launched last Maywhich offers long-term electricity contracts for new solar projects with a maximum installed capacity of 25 MW that can be connected to the integrated network…