Author: solarenergy
In a new weekly update for pv magazineSolcast, a DNV company, reports that January 2026 was Europe’s coldest month since 2010, with Eastern Europe and Scandinavia enjoying above-average solar radiation under stable, dry air, while Britain, Spain and Portugal experienced record cloud cover and rainfall that sharply reduced PV production. February 20, 2026 Solcast January 2026 delivered Europe’s coldest January since 2010, an exception to warm global temperatures. At the same time, record warm sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean contributed to the formation of a succession of powerful storm systems. The result was a month of sharp…
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. February 20, 2026 OPIS Waffle prices continued to fall, marking a fourth straight week of declines and highlighting manufacturers’ increasing reliance on price concessions to boost sales and ease mounting inventory and cash flow pressures, market participants said. Free-On-Board (FOB) prices in China for n-type M10 and n-type G12 wafers fell 2.38% and 4.98% week on week, to $0.164/pc and $0.191/pc, respectively, according to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report published on February 16.…
Solar energy developer and independent power producer (IPP) Ampyr Solar Europe (ASE) has announced the acquisition of a 400 MW solar power plant.ASE will acquire the East Yorkshire Solar Farm (EYSF) from BOOM Power, which obtained development consent (DCO) for the project in 2011. May 2025. It will be connected to the electricity grid via a substation at the Drax Power Station.The solar power plant will be located between the hamlet of Gribthorpe, the villages of Spaldington and Wressle and the town of Howden, covering a total area of 1,445 hectares.Buffer zones and screen vegetation reduce the visual impact, while…
An Australian research team has developed a five-step rules-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. The approach has been validated on more than 1,000 systems and provides a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving the reliability, fault response and performance of PV systems. February 20, 2026 Lior Kahana A research group from Australia has developed a new rules-based method for detecting and classifying underperformance in PV systems using only inverter data from the alternating current (AC) side. The method has been validated using more than 1,000 PV systems across Australia, with more than…
General Motors has announced that it will offer this GM energy home energy management systems and home PowerBank batteries in leasing programs. Homeowners can lease GM Energy products, similar to leasing a vehicle. “We built GM Energy to unlock new benefits unique to electric vehicles. How incredible is it that a GM EV can power your well-equipped home, help manage your energy costs and work with the grid in the future?” said Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy. “With leasing, we’re breaking down a barrier and trying to make this technology available to every homeowner, not just GM EV…
The US startup has introduced a screen-printable copper paste for back-side metallization of solar cells, which can be air-baked and co-baked with standard front-side silver pastes using conventional manufacturing processes. The paste has been tested on TOPCon cells and has helped achieve 25% efficiency and has passed a 2000 hour moist heat test. February 19, 2026 Emiliano Bellini US-based Bert Thin Films (BTF) has unveiled a new copper paste for back-side metallization of solar cells. According to the manufacturer, the new paste can be screen printed and air baked, and can also be co-baked with commercial silver pastes for front…
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $350 million loan to Gulf Renewable Energy to build 194 MW of solar capacity, including two battery-integrated projects, in central Thailand. February 19, 2026 Patrick Jowett The Asian Development Bank has signed a $350 million loan to finance the construction of three solar projects in India Thailand. The loan facility will be provided to Bangkok-based developer Gulf Renewable Energy Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the holding company Gulf Development Public Co. Ltd. (GULF), to develop two solar-plus-storage projects with a combined capacity of 126 MW of solar and 151 MWh of storage,…
Researchers from Korea University have developed a machine learning framework that predicts solar cell efficiency based on wafer quality, enabling early screening of wafers and optimized production paths. Using more than 100,000 industrial data points, the approach combines predictive modeling, process optimization and explainable AI to support photovoltaic manufacturing. February 19, 2026 Emiliano Bellini Researchers from Korea University have a machine-learning model that can reportedly predict cell efficiency based on wafer quality. “We developed this industrial data-driven machine learning framework that uses more than 100,000 solar cell data points collected directly from a real mass production line,” said Seungtae Lee,…
The Iowa House Commerce Committee advanced the Local Generation Act (HSB 629) by a strong vote of 19-4, sending the legislation to the full House for consideration. The bill aims to provide families, farmers and small businesses with access to locally controlled community energy projects that lower electric bills, strengthen the reliability of the electric grid and keep energy investments rooted in Iowa communities. The committee vote marks important momentum for the legislation, which has received broad support from landowners, rural communities and voters across party lines concerned about rising electricity costs and growing economic opportunity in rural Iowa. Republican…
Investment and support could make small-scale space-based solar energy (SBSP) viable, with potential for electricity generated in orbit to participate in the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) programme, according to a new report. According to analysis, launch costs have the largest impact on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). February 19, 2026 Matthew Lynas Sending electricity to Earth from space-based solar power plants could be economically competitive by 2040, according to a feasibility study commissioned by the British government. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for small-scale solar power plants in orbit is expected to fall over the next decade,…