Author: solarenergy
India’s Ministry of Energy has mandated that all battery energy storage system (BESS) projects supported under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) program meet a minimum local content threshold of 20%, with the aim of boosting domestic manufacturing and innovation. December 30, 2025 Marija Maisch By ESS news India’s Ministry of Power has issued a directive requiring a minimum of 20% local content in all battery energy storage system (BESS) projects implemented under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme supported by the Power System Development Fund (PSDF). The order, addressed to 15 beneficiary states and Indian state-owned energy company NTPC, is…
Research commissioned by the British government shows that rooftop solar panels can significantly influence fire behavior, especially when the height distance between the modules and the roof surface falls below critical limits. December 30, 2025 Patrick Jowett A research paper commissioned by the UK government has concluded that a more comprehensive approach to fire safety in rooftop solar installations is needed. The researchcarried out by Manchester-based fire and risk consultancy OFR Consultants, includes a literature review examining the extent to which rooftop solar systems alter fire dynamics or pose additional risks to roof structures and firefighting operations. It was found…
FranklinWH energy storage has received TIA-942 certification for its aPower battery storage system. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) telecommunications infrastructure standard for data centers specifies the minimum requirements for data centers, including site location, architectural, electrical, mechanical, fire safety and security requirements. TIA-942 guarantees the reliability and availability of equipment. Expanding the standard to home energy systems gives homeowners the confidence that they will have power when they need it, FranklinWH claims. Adopting the data center standard provides consumers and partners with transparent, objective assurance that the energy storage system performs to the highest standard of reliability and robustness, with…
In 2025, the UK solar and energy storage industry was booming with supportive legislation and record investment.It’s been a big year for UK solar, so we’re watching it Solar energy portal most read stories of 2025. See Britain’s biggest solar news and commentary below.Britain sets a new record for maximum solar generationOn April 1, between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m., the Britain has achieved a new record for maximum solar energy generation of 12.2 GW. By comparison, on April 1, 2024, Britain recorded a peak generation capacity of 5.71 GW, while the peak for all of 2024 reached 11.5 GW on…
A US solar industry group has laid out a nine-point policy agenda calling on New York City’s new mayor to accelerate the deployment of rooftop solar and batteries to address risks to grid reliability, energy costs and climate goals. December 30, 2025 William Driscoll By pv magazine USA The New York Solar Energy Industries Association did just that recommended nine ways for the administration of newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to accelerate the deployment of solar and storage in the city, in a “solar and storage playbook.” The playbook’s main proposal is for the city of 8.5…
Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earth elements is being mined 24 hours a day by a secretive and heavily guarded industry. The hills of Jiangxi province are home to most of China’s rare earth mines. The materials are used in a wide range of products, including smartphones and missile guidance technology. The booming industry is closely protected by Chinese authorities and media access is rarely granted. During a rare visit to the region last month, AFP journalists were followed and tailed by minders who refused to…
By SB staff December 29, 2025 Solar design software provider Solesca has released a new AI-powered system aimed at solving technical challenges on roofs. The company’s ARGUS 1.0 (Automated Recognition and Geometric Understanding System) is an in-house computer vision engine designed to detect, classify and report on rooftop obstacles in seconds. ARGUS brings AI automation to commercial solar. Named after a figure from Greek mythology, Argus was the giant who never slept, a symbol of ceaseless vigilance. Solesca’s ARGUS was created to bring that same ruthless precision to the design workflows of solar projects. By automatically scanning images and generating…
Agrivoltaic project developer Okovate Sustainable Energy has acquired the assets of Fundusola modeling platform born from Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon. This acquisition, supported by support from Okovate of The Schmidt Family Foundation, brings data-driven precision to the co-location of solar and agriculture. An agrivoltaic installation. Credit: Green Development Okovate is now integrating Fundusol’s proprietary modeling engine – an advanced technology stack designed to simulate the complex interactions between solar panel architecture and crop phenology – directly into its development pipeline. The acquisition allows Okovate to go beyond traditional development and become a technical data partner for the agricultural community.…
CATL announced that it expects a new trend where “sodium and lithium batteries shine brightly together.” December 29, 2025 Tristan Rayner By ESS news Chinese battery giant CATL has outlined broader and more widespread deployment of its range of sodium-ion batteries across multiple sectors, including battery storage. According to Chinese media reports, CATL confirmed its 2026 plans for its sodium ion batteries (SIBs) at its supplier conference in Ningde, Fujian Province of China, held on December 28, 2025. They include an expansion of applications to include energy storage, plus use in battery swapping systems, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. CATL…
By Brad Kramer December 29, 2025 This edition of Projects weekly highlights the CPV Backbone Solar project, a 160 MW facility developed by a subsidiary of Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) that has launched in Maryland. Additionally, BorderPlex Digital Assets plans to build one of the largest renewable energy facilities in New Mexico with the development of the 1 GW Project Green. And in M&A news, Altus Power has purchased a 234 MW portfolio of solar generation and storage assets in 18 states from investment firm Greenbacker, while Solar EPC acquired Moss Ellison Construction to strengthen its presence in Central Florida.…