Martin Schachinger, founder of pvXchange.com, said PV module prices will depend on national and international demand trends in the coming months, with outcomes ranging from increases to stagnation or further declines. Almost anything is possible, but nothing is certain.

In a new monthly column for pv magazine, the LUT University describes how carbon dioxide removal may support reaching climate targets from a portfolio perspective.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that december brought striking contrasts in solar irradiance across Europe, with Northern Europe experiencing irradiance levels up to 30% below the already dim seasonal average, while regions south of Europe’s major mountain ranges saw irradiance up to 30% above typical levels.

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Brigite Gonçalves, Head of Utility-Scale PV Business Developer at Portugal’s EnergyCon. She says Women in the solar industry face unique challenges, such as underrepresentation in decision-making roles and the persistence of unconscious biases. “To achieve equity, the solar sector must prioritize structural changes, including accessible mentoring and sponsorship programs tailored for women,” she states.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

GCL Technology cut granular silicon production costs by 15% to CNY 28.17 ($3.87)/kg in the fourth quarter of 2024, down from CNY 33.18 in the previous quarter.

Australia’s Powerhouse has installed a 60 kVA off-grid solar array in northern Australia to power a remote EV charger. The project is part of the 7,000 km WAEV Network.

A total of 43 projects were selected from 79 applications in Portugal’s 2025 energy storage procurement. This included six projects from Spain’s Iberdrola, which secured nearly €20 million ($20.6 million) in public funding.

Czechia installed 967 MW of solar in 2024, driven by residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) projects, which accounted for 930 MW of the total, says the Czech Solar Association (Solární Asociace).

France deployed 4.6 GW of solar in 2024, bringing its total PV capacity to 22.12 GW. Grid operator Enedis says that self-consumption accounted for 35% of new installations.

The Italian manufacturer said its new Large Evo PL heat pump can achieve a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 4.17. The system can also reportedly deliver water temperature of up to 60 C and, when stacked in series, reach a maximum system capacity of 1,660 kW.

The Chinese company said that its new product has a drainage edge that ensures complete waterproofing. It can purportedly withstand wind speeds of 45 m/s and a snow load of 1 KN/m².

The Somali government has launched a tender to design, supply, install, and commission solar-plus-storage systems at 28 education facilities across two northwestern regions. Applications close on March 12.

Scientists in Peru have proposed a self-contained, deployable system that quantifies energy losses from dust accumulation on PV modules. It uses both artificial neural networks and electrical models for soiling loss prediction.

Conceived by an international research team, the model can also be utilized for hybrid wind-solar projects. According to its creators, it provides a practical solutions for land-use optimization and renewable energy planning.

The cell utilizes a heterojunction device as the bottom cell and a perovskite top cell integrating a hole transport layer made of nickel(II) oxide and methyl-substituted carbazole.

An international research team has assessed the worldwide status and potential of inland floating photovoltaic (FPV) installations, including analysis of the use of trackers and bifacial solar panels.

Algeria, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Tunisia have agreed to develop the Southern Hydrogen Corridor linking North Africa and Europe, while Sungrow Hydrogen has signed a deal to supply electrolysis gear for ACME’s 320 MW green ammonia project in Oman.

Scientists have proposed a building-integrated PV system that integrates airflow to cool the panels and control room temperature. The system, which also acts as a shading device, can reportedly mitigate drops in power generation efficiency without additional energy consumption.

A research team in Germany has proposed to use direct wire bonding to reduce silver consumption in heterojunction solar cells. The scientists used low-cost copper wires as electrodes with conductive paste applied in discrete pads to replace the traditional metallization and interconnection process.

Brazil’s national accreditation body, Inmetro, has authorized six labs across the country to test solar modules.

A consortium is installing an experimental linear solar park in shade house configuration in Vaucluse, southern France, using high-voltage direct current architecture to reduce electricity losses.

Scientists have measured the performance of PV modules under strong soiling conditions in Saudi Arabia and have identified the most suitable tilt angles for improving power generation. They have also found that a key role is played by rain intensity, dust, sandstorms, and cloud cover.

The Japanese manufacturer said its tandem cell utilizes a top perovskite solar cell with an efficiency of 22.4% and 81% infrared transmittance.

The researchers conducted a case study on a solid oxide fuel cell system deployed in a nearly zero-energy single-floor villa with a size of 80 m2 located in southern Italy. They found that, in particular conditions of photovoltaic production, the system is not only able to meet the home electric loads, but also to inject surplus energy into the network.

The Romanian Ministry of Energy has announced a new round of funding from the Modernization Fund dedicated to battery energy storage systems.

The 2 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) features 122 prefabricated storage units, designed and supplied by China’s BYD.

Big BESS battery energy storage systems (BESS) are booming in Australia, with almost 5 GW of projects under construction last year, according Rystad Energy. While encouraging, it reports that the volume remains insufficient to overcome growing rates of renewable curtailment.

From modest beginnings in 2011, Power Capital Renewable Energy (PCRE) has become one of Ireland’s foremost independent power producers (IPPs). Joint CEO and co-founder Justin Brown told pv magazine that despite Ireland’s challenging environment for solar, the company sees a lot of opportunity and is taking full advantage.

German scientists have identified 18 typologies of power purchase agreements for the renewable energy market. Their research is intended to support policymakers, scientists and investors in implementing their own PPA analysis and choices.