Author: solarenergy

China’s top wafer makers have raised prices on key n-type sizes, pointing to a potential module price increase to CNY1 ($0.14)/W by 2026, amid efforts to curb loss-making competition. December 31, 2025 Vincent Shaw Coordinated wafer price increases and upstream supply discipline lead to a potential reset in China’s solar price chain. The country’s leading wafer makers have collectively raised wafer prices by about 12%, a move that market participants see as a test of whether the solar supply chain can reset prices after two years of oversupply-induced deflation. According to multiple reports, Longi, TCL Zhonghuan, Gokin Solar and Shuangliang…

Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) has commissioned a total capacity of 307.4 MW of renewable energy at Khavda in Gujarat, India. January 2, 2026 Uma Gupta By pv magazine India AGEL has commissioned a combined 307.4 MW of renewable energy capacity at its Khavda site in the Indian state of Gujarat, expanding its operational clean energy portfolio. With the operationalization of these projects, AGEL’s total operational renewable generation capacity has increased to 17,237.2 MW. The newly commissioned capacity includes 100 MW of solar energy, 176 MW of hybrid renewable energy capacity and 31.4 MW of wind energy. In a statement,…

In a new weekly update for pv magazineSolcast, a DNV company, reports that early 2026 will bring mixed solar conditions globally, with strong prospects in eastern Australia and eastern China, but cloudier than normal prospects for much of Europe, Asia and parts of the US early in the year. January 2, 2026 Solcast The first half of 2026 will bring a mixed outlook for solar globally, according to analysis from data scientists at Solcast. Seasonal forecasts from multiple weather agencies indicate a challenging start to 2026 for solar companies in Europe, but early signs of a sunny start to summer,…

The energy transition is often shaped through technology, policy and capital. Yet one message always emerged in the Women in Solar+ Europe 2025 (WiSEu Network) series: the transition will only succeed if it is also a human transition. Gender equality, diversity, equality and inclusivity are no longer marginal discussions; they are critical to how resilient, innovative and future-proof our industries can be. In the testimonies shared in 2025, neither women nor men spoke in abstract terms. They talked about lived experiences: outdated expectations, invisible barriers, moments of allyship, and leadership decisions that perpetuated or consciously challenged old power structures. Together,…

Perovskite solar cells are gaining attention as cheaper, high-efficiency alternatives to silicon solar cells, but defects in their thin films hinder charge transport, waste energy and reduce device stability. One approach to reducing these defects is a passivation treatment, in which simple salts or organic molecules are introduced into the perovskite film so that small molecules or ions bind to defect sites and limit their impact on electrical conduction. However, most existing characterization techniques only examine the film surface or provide average macroscopic measurements, making it difficult to confirm how well different passivation strategies work within the film volume. Researchers…

Chinese battery manufacturer LiTime has introduced its 12V 320Ah Mini Smart Self-Heating Battery, which offers an energy capacity of 4,096 Wh and a continuous output power of 2,560 W. January 2, 2026 Lior Kahana Chinese battery manufacturer LiTime has introduced a new battery called the 12V 320Ah Mini Smart Self-Heating Battery. The company’s new lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4) has a nominal capacity of 320 Ah. “It delivers an energy capacity of 4,096 Wh and a maximum continuous output power of 2,560 W,” the company said in a statement. “It supports 4P4S expansion, allowing for an energy capacity of 65.5…

A team from the University of Exeter has tested single-axis floating solar tracking systems at twelve sites in Britain. This showed that azimuthal tracking provides the greatest energy gain and the lowest levelized energy costs (LCOE). January 2, 2026 Lior Kahana Researchers from the University of Exeter compared east-west (EW), north-south (NS) and azimuthal single-axis tracking floating PV systems, simulating 10 MWp installations on lakes and reservoirs from northern Scotland to southern Cornwall, UK. Systems with a fixed tilt are included as a reference. Azimuthal tracking rotates a fixed-tilt array, similar to a turntable. “While Britain continues to prioritize wind…

Waaree Energies said it has secured an order for the supply of 1.5 GW of solar panels and has started production of newly installed PV inverter production lines. Earlier this week, the company surpassed 20 GW of approved solar panel manufacturing capacity after its Chikhli plant was added to India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), a requirement for participation in many domestic utility-scale projects. Waaree said the latest contract includes 1,000 MW of Domestic Content Requirements (DCR) compliant modules and 500 MW of non-DCR modules. The customer was described as a…

A team from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) has identified a structural mechanism by which adding small amounts of scandium to layered sodium manganese oxide cathodes slows degradation, which typically limits the life of sodium-ion batteries. January 2, 2026 Brian Public A new materials study from Japan shows that targeted scandium substitution in layered sodium manganese oxide can reduce the lattice voltage responsible for rapid capacity decay in sodium ion battery cathodes. The research focuses on layered sodium manganese oxide (Na₂⁄₃MnO₂), a high-capacity cathode material that is widely studied as a cheaper alternative to lithium-ion chemistry due to its abundance…

Wood Mackenzie’s solar module ranking for the first half of 2025 places JA Solar and Trina Solar joint number 1 and introduces a new “Grade A” benchmark focused on purchasing and project financing decisions. January 2, 2026 Vincent Shaw Wood Mackenzie has published its Global Solar Module Manufacturer Ranking for the first half of 2025, putting JA Solar and Trina Solar nearly tied for the top spot according to their weighted scoring model. JA Solar scored 91.7 points, narrowly ahead of Trina Solar with 91.6, in an assessment of 38 crystalline silicon module manufacturers on 10 core performance dimensions. The…