Author: solarenergy
New figures from grid operator Enedis show that France added 1,418 MW of new PV capacity in the first quarter of 2026, roughly equivalent to the first quarter of 2025, despite a broader sector slowdown due to regulatory changes and postponed tenders. April 17, 2026 Gwénaëlle Deboutte Image: Mustang Joe, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 By pv magazine France According to data from French grid operator Enedis, 1,418 MW of new photovoltaic capacity was connected to the country’s distribution network in the first quarter of 2026. This is largely in line with the 1,407 MW recorded in the first quarter of…
The country reached a cumulative installed PV capacity of 44.9 GW at the end of March, according to recent figures from Italian PV association Italia Solar. April 17, 2026 Sergio Matalucci By pv magazine Italy Italy installed 1,439 MW of new PV systems in the first quarter of this year, according to new figures from Italian PV association Italia Solare. As of March 31, 2,216,994 photovoltaic systems were connected in Italy, with a total installed capacity of 44,952 MW. “In the first quarter, after a slowdown in January, especially for systems above one megawatt, installations recovered between February and March,…
The expansion will bring the company’s total domestic cell capacity to 5.5 GW, strengthening its position as the largest commercial solar cell manufacturer in the United States. April 15, 2026 Ryan Kennedy By pv magazine USA Suniva has announced plans to invest $350 million in a new manufacturing facility in Laurens, South Carolina. The project is expected to start in the second quarter of 2027 and have an annual production capacity of 4.5 GW. Combined with production from the existing headquarters and factory in Norcross, Georgia, the expansion will bring Suniva’s total annual capacity to more than 5.5 GW. The…
The country’s seventh green energy auction will acquire rooftop, ground-mounted and floating solar projects in the Philippines, with a larger allocation in Mindanao. The Ministry of Energy plans to announce the reference terms for the auction in the second quarter of this year. April 17, 2026 Patrick Jowett The Philippines’ Department of Energy has confirmed that the seventh round of its Green Energy Auction (GEA) will kick off this year. An update from the department says it is targeting the publication of the terms of reference, which will provide potential developers with guidelines for participation, in the second quarter of…
South Korean media report that Malaysia’s OCI TerraSus, a subsidiary of Seoul-based chemical company OCI Holdings, is in talks with SpaceX for a multi-year polysilicon supply contract. April 16, 2026 Patrick Jowett Image: Steve Jurvetson/WikiMedia Commons Several South Korean media outlets have reported that Malaysia’s OCI TerraSus, a subsidiary of South Korean polysilicon maker OCI Holdings, is in talks with SpaceX for a multi-year polysilicon supply contract, citing industry sources. A spokesperson for OCI Holdings said this pv magazine the company is “unable to comment or provide further details at this stage” on rumors surrounding the polysilicon supply deal. The…
A research team in Germany developed a dynamic model of spray cooling for floating PV systems that links thermal behavior, electrical performance and active cooling, and validated it against a 750 kW installation. Simulations in four climates have shown that spray cooling reduces module temperatures by up to 42% and improves energy yield by up to 3.8%, with the benefits highly dependent on local conditions. April 17, 2026 Lior Kahana Researchers from Germany’s FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences have developed a new dynamic model for spray cooling for floating PV systems (FPV). “This work takes a system-level perspective on…
In a new weekly update for pv magazineOPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a brief overview of the major price trends in the global PV industry. April 17, 2026 OPIS According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report published on April 14, China Mono Premium – OPIS’ rating for mono-grade polysilicon used in the production of n-type ingots – fell 2.36% week-on-week to CNY 34.071 ($4.99)/kg, or CNY 0.072/W. Market insiders generally believe that the downward trend in polysilicon prices and the continued accumulation of inventories in China are continuing, with no clear signs of reversal at this point. One…
India-based Pur Energy has launched the PuREPower 3.0 Lite, an all-in-one lithium battery-based power backup solution positioned as a cleaner and more compact alternative to conventional inverter and lead-acid battery combinations for the residential segment. April 17, 2026 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India IIT’s Hyderabad-incubated Pur Energy has launched the PuREPower 3.0 Lite, an all-in-one lithium battery-based power backup solution positioned as a cleaner, more compact alternative to conventional inverter and lead-acid battery systems for residential use. The 3 kW system integrates an inverter, a 2 kWh lithium battery and AI energy management into a single wall-mounted unit. It…
This week, Women in Solar+ Europe gives the voice to Carla Vico, CEO of the French Green Solver. She says building an inclusive culture means valuing people for their work, responsibility and dedication, not their gender or background. “I don’t believe in affirmative action; I believe in creating equal opportunities and making merit-based decisions,” she says. April 17, 2026 Women in Solar+ Europe The solar energy, energy storage, EV charging and grid infrastructure sectors are still relatively young industries. Many of the companies operating in this space are built with diversity and inclusion as part of their DNA, creating a…
The Swiss Federal Government has launched a funding call for research projects in the field of energy and resource efficient industrial processes, including the circular economy related to solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and electrolyzers. The deadline for submitting preliminary applications is June 30. April 17, 2026 Patrick Jowett Image: Marco Pregnolato/Unsplash The Swiss Federal Office for Energy and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment have launched the first call for proposals under a new financing instrument targeting projects focused on energy- and resource-efficient industrial processes. Known as Swiss Research for the Energy Transition and Emissions Reduction (Sweeter), the…