Author: solarenergy

The launch of the new product suggests Tesla could renew its focus on residential solar and expand its US leasing options to include Powerwall. January 16, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Tesla has introduced a new all-black solar module for residential use, according to information on the company’s website. “The Tesla Solar Panel combines sleek aesthetics and hidden electrical connections with powerful engineering, exceeding industry performance and quality standards,” Tesla said. “Featuring our proprietary frame design, the all-black module integrates seamlessly with the Tesla Panel Mount for a minimalist look, with no visible rails or clamps.” The modules are available in two…

Joint owners of the 2 GW Al Dhafra solar power plant Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, EDF Power Solutions and Jinko Power, together with off-taker Emirates Water and Electricity Company, issued the green bonds to refinance the plant’s existing debt obligations and support its continued operation. January 16, 2026 Patrick Jowett Long-term green bonds worth a total of $870.75 million have been issued to refinance the Al Dhafra solar power plant near Abu Dhabi. UAE. The bonds were issued by a consortium of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC),…

A research team at DGIST has developed a perovskite-based self-powered betavoltaic battery that they say achieves the world’s highest conversion efficiency for this class of devices, while maintaining long-term operational stability. The work focuses on applications that require continuous reliable power without external charging, such as artificial intelligence systems, Internet of Things devices and space exploration hardware that operate in harsh or inaccessible environments. The team, led by Professor Su Il In from the Department of Energy Sciences and Engineering at DGIST, focused on improving the performance of the radiation absorber, a key component in betavoltaic batteries that convert beta…

The factory will be located in Jeddah and will supply solar trackers throughout Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. January 15, 2026 Pilar Sanchez Molina American tracker manufacturer NextPower, formerly Nextracker, and Abunayyan Holding have completed the establishment of their joint venture in Saudi Arabia. NextPower Arabia will support the deployment of NextPower’s photovoltaic and tracking technology solutions in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Headquartered in Riyadh, the joint venture will also set up a solar tracker manufacturing plant in Jeddah with an annual capacity of 12 GW. The factory is currently being built on…

Axinar has launched SolBox, a direct PV water heating system that powers electrical resistance accumulators without thermal collectors. Designed for homes and businesses, it offers real-time monitoring, MPPT optimization and automatic grid backup. January 16, 2026 Pilar Sanchez Molina Greek heating specialist Axinar SA has introduced SolBox, a direct photovoltaic system designed to produce domestic hot water all year round without the need for thermal collectors. The system uses electricity generated by PV panels to directly power the electrical resistance of a water accumulator. It is entirely designed and manufactured by Axinar, utilizing the company’s in-house technical capabilities in both…

An international research team has developed a new two-dimensional perovskite interlayer based on a co-crystal engineering strategy for more robust perovskite films. It demonstrated improved performance in small-area perovskite solar cells and, in a 48 cm2 module, contributed to maintaining 95% of initial efficiency after 5,000 hours. January 15, 2026 Valerie Thompson An international research team has achieved record stability of perovskite solar panels under light, heat and UV loads with an industry-compatible chemistry-driven passivation technology. It is striking that a demonstration module of 48 cm2 retained approximately 95% of the initial efficiency after 5,000 hours of sunlight at 1…

Fortress powera manufacturer of energy storage and inverter technologies, releases two new hybrid inverters designed for both residential and light commercial applications. Envy Duo 21 and Solo 6.5K are hybrid inverters that can operate as single-home installations or as scalable multi-unit deployments. Envy Duo 21 hybrid inverter from Fortress Power “The launch of the Envy Duo 21 and Solo 6.5K marks a major step forward in our mission to provide powerful, flexible and easy-to-install solutions for every type of power system,” said Matthew Daniel, product manager at Fortress Power. “Whether for a large-scale residential project or a compact off-grid installation,…

The patent infringement case involved an unspecified TOPCon solar cell technology. January 15, 2026 Emiliano Bellini The headquarters of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, United States Image: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Chinese-Canadian solar panel manufacturer Canadian Solar has announced a “decisive victory” in its patent litigation proceedings against Singapore-based competitor Maxeon. According to Canadian Solar, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) ruled in its favor, declaring that “all of Maxeon’s claims against Canadian Solar alleging infringement of patents at issue in federal court…

The Italian company said the manganese-hydrogen battery it has developed is an advanced solution for long-term energy storage. The technology allows energy to be stored for many hours or even days, overcoming the structural limitations of lithium-ion batteries. January 15, 2026 Sergio Matalucci By pv magazine Italy And ESS news Taly’s Green Energy Storage (GES) has unveiled a new manganese-hydrogen flow battery aimed at industrial-scale applications, power grids and large renewable power plants. The company reports an efficiency of more than 75%, a lifespan of more than 10,000 cycles and a levelized cost of storage (LCOS) that is “significantly lower…

By Brad Kramer January 14, 2026 Duke Energy’s coal-fired power plant in Allen is now home to a pair of battery energy storage systems (BESS) that will serve customers in North and South Carolina. The utility brought its first system online in November, a 50 MW, four-hour facility located on Lake Wylie in Gaston County, NC, which cost approximately $100 million and was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. The final tests will be completed this month. Construction of a second BESS, a 167 MW, four-hour system – Duke’s largest – will begin in May on 10 acres where…