Author: solarenergy
Huawei and Sungrow are ranked as the world’s top two solar inverter manufacturers for the first half of 2025, based on Wood Mackenzie’s ‘Global Solar Inverter Manufacturer Rankings H1 2025’ report. The ranking assesses 23 leading manufacturers from seven countries based on eight performance criteria. Manufacturers accounted for approximately 90% of global shipping volume in 2024. “The 2025 global inverter landscape will be led by a diverse group of power electronics leaders who combine scale with innovation,” said Timothy Shen, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Competitive advantage is increasingly determined not only by shipping volume, but also by the…
Chinese manufacturer Fox ESS has launched a modular battery energy storage system with a capacity of 5.99 kWh that can be scaled up to 83.86 kWh per stack. January 6, 2026 David Caroll By pv magazine Australia Energy technology manufacturer Fox ESS has released its CQ6 high-voltage battery energy storage system which it claims offers a capacity of 5.99 kWh in a stackable design that makes it ideal for Australian homes and businesses. “The battery is a high-performance, scalable battery storage system,” said Fox ESS. “This flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of environments, whether suburban rooftops, regional properties…
Ampion manages the subscriptions for two new community solar projects recently brought online in Illinois by ENGIE North America. The Knox 2A and Knox 2B projects in Galesburg are 2 MWAC each. “Community solar is about more than just clean energy. It’s about ensuring that households – including those with the greatest need – share in the benefits of the shift to clean energy,” said Kristen Fornes, Head of Distributed Solar and Storage at ENGIE. “These projects in Knox County demonstrate how renewable energy can strengthen communities, reduce costs and create a healthier future for families.” More than 60% of…
China’s Longi says it will begin mass production of base metal PV modules in the second quarter of 2026, as rising silver prices increase pressure to reduce metallization costs. January 6, 2026 Vincent Shaw Chinese module manufacturer Longi has revealed that it will begin mass production of base metal PV cells in the second quarter of 2026, with rising silver prices and cost pressures on the solar manufacturing supply chain pushing towards copper-based metallization. The company announced in investor communications on January 5 that it has already started building some of the production capacity needed for the service. Longi described…
Researchers from Spain found that semi-transparent PV systems are only commercially viable up to around 50% transparency, as higher transparency greatly reduces efficiency and increases system costs. Their analysis shows that declining power density, and not system balance or financing factors, are the main driver of higher LCOE, even in high-radiation areas. January 6, 2026 Emiliano Bellini A group of scientists from the University of Jaén in Spain have conducted technical and economic analyzes to assess the cost competitiveness of semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) technologies and found that commercial feasibility is possible if the transparency level does not exceed 50%. “Unlike…
A new two-electron bromine chemistry sharply reduces corrosion and improves performance, opening a clearer path for network-scale zinc-bromine flow batteries. January 6, 2026 Vincent Shaw By ESS news Researchers from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed a new bromine-based flow battery chemistry that addresses one of the technology’s longest-standing barriers: severe corrosion caused by free bromine during charging. The team reports that the approach simultaneously extends cycle life and increases energy density, potentially improving the commercial prospects for zinc-bromine (Zn/Br) flow batteries for long-term energy storage. Bromine flow batteries are attractive for grid…
Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Japan Suiso Energy will build a 40,000 cubic meter vessel designed to meet global hydrogen demand in the 2030s. January 6, 2026 Patrick Jowett Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Japan Suiso Energy (JSE) have signed a contract to build the world’s largest liquid hydrogen tanker. The ship is expected to have a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters. It will be built at Kawasaki’s Sakaide factory in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kawasaki Heavy Industries said in a statement that the project will meet global hydrogen demand in the 2030s and form the basis of the future hydrogen supply…
By Brad Kramer January 5, 2026 Happy New Year and welcome to the first Projects weekly from 2026! We highlight Consumers Energy’s startup activities at Muskegon Solar in Michigan. Additionally, Seminole Financial completed the refinancing of a 26 MWdc solar project portfolio with Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI), and CPS Energy issued an RFP to acquire up to 500 MW of additional battery storage in the San Antonio region. Keep reading for all the fine details! Consumers Energy is flipping the switch on the Michigan solar project Consumer Energy has commenced operations at its Muskegon Solar facility in Michigan, the company’s…
Illinois’ first community solar project paired with a battery energy storage system in the Ameren, Illinois, territory is now online. A similar project was recently put online in the ComEd area. Cutting a snowy ribbon at Beard Solar in Illinois. The 6.9 MW Beard Solar project, located in Beardstown, Illinois, is accompanied by an 11.9 MWh energy storage system owned by Solar Illinois (ESI) shares and developed and designed in a collaboration between project developer US Solar and battery integrator Eneon-ES. “Beard Solar underscores the critical role that storage plays in modernizing our energy network and expanding access to the…
Spain will provide 90 million euros ($105.3 million) in financing for almost 1 GW of pumped hydro projects, adding 7 GWh of long-term energy storage (LDES) by 2035. Each project is eligible for a grant of up to €50 million and all work must be completed by June 30, 2035. January 6, 2026 Marija Maisch By ESS news The Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has approved a second call for grants for innovative pumped hydropower storage projects, with a total budget of €90 million under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR). The scheme…