AC-Coupled vs. DC-Coupled
Growing applications for battery storage mean the optimal system design may not be the most obvious. Jakir Hossain and Mujtaba Abdelwahab of Storlytics Energy Storage present a simulation-based comparison of AC vs. DC coupling showing how realistic dispatch modeling rather than generic assumptions fundamentally changes BESS sizing, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcomes and architecture selection.
19 hours ago
Austria announces energy storage offensive, shifting solar subsidy focus
Austria plans to overhaul its solar subsidy framework from 2027, shifting support from standard PV systems toward battery storage, energy management systems and specialized solar applications. The government aims to accelerate storage deployment, with up to 8 GW of market-oriented capacity by 2030, while industry groups are urging swift implementation and clearer funding rules.
Aug 21, 2026
China’s Jiangsu province crosses 100 GW solar milestone
Jiangsu Province in eastern China has surpassed 100 GW of installed solar PV capacity, becoming the country’s first provincial-level region to reach the milestone, with distributed solar accounting for nearly 70% of capacity. The province plans further rapid expansion through 2030 and 2035, while upgrading grids, storage and digital systems to manage rising solar penetration and improve renewable-energy utilization.
Aug 21, 2026
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‘Inclusion means judging ideas on their merits’
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Janine Wirth, Founder and Managing Director of Germany’s Ilanco GmbH. As a woman in a male-dominated, engineering-driven industry, she has faced questions about how she could develop a technical solution without the “expected” background. She argues that inclusion means judging ideas by their potential and results—not gender, credentials, or who is traditionally expected to solve the problem.
Aug 21, 2026
Despite record U.S. heat in July, North American irradiance remains near average
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that, despite record-breaking U.S. heat, North America’s net solar irradiance in July 2026 remained near the long-term average, with 75% of the continent within 5% of normal. Wildfire smoke in the Pacific Northwest and isolated heavy rainfall in Texas and the Northeast suppressed solar resources, offsetting otherwise stronger-than-average conditions.
Aug 21, 2026
How to protect solar assets from wildfires
The number of forest fires across Europe is rising. Countries in Central and Northern Europe are also increasingly affected. This article presents a range of preventive measures to protect photovoltaic systems from fire and reports on experiences in France.
Aug 21, 2026
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BYD starts sales of 4.8 kW solar kits in Brazil
BYD has started selling 4.8 kWp solar kits through its 233 dealerships in Brazil, with packages covering equipment, installation, utility approval, and one year of insurance.
The kits use eight 600 W modules manufactured at BYD’s Campinas facility and are available to consumers regardless of vehicle ownership.
Chinese automotive glass giant announces vehicle-integrated solar roof
Fuyao Glass has confirmed mass-production capabilities for solar sunroof glass, with photovoltaic cells embedded in laminated automotive glass to power auxiliary vehicle loads. While reports have linked the technology to BYD models and cited high output and efficiency figures, these claims remain unconfirmed as Fuyao advances commercialization of vehicle-integrated PV.
Chinese scientists achieve record-breaking 24.0% efficieny for large-area perovskite solar modules
Researchers achieved a certified 24.0% efficiency on an 810 cm² perovskite module and 22.0% on a 0.72 m² module by combining high-saturated-vapor-pressure (SVP) processing with lead carboxylate passivation.
The approach also delivered strong durability, with modules retaining 96% of their initial efficiency after 2,200 hours of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and meeting International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 reliability requirements.
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AC-Coupled vs. DC-Coupled
Growing applications for battery storage mean the optimal system design may not be the most obvious. Jakir Hossain and Mujtaba Abdelwahab of Storlytics Energy Storage present a simulation-based comparison of AC vs. DC coupling showing how realistic dispatch modeling rather than generic assumptions fundamentally changes BESS sizing, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcomes and architecture selection.
19 hours ago
Solar powerhouse to storage leader
Chile is transforming in a bid to avoid becoming a victim of its own solar success. Developers have flooded the Atacama Desert with solar projects, turning Chile into a PV powerhouse but also drastically reducing revenues and driving some operators into bankruptcy. S&P Global Energy’s Ángel Cancino sees the country increasingly focusing on energy storage to rescue some of its overbuilt PV capacity.
Aug 21, 2026
New materials in the frame
Solar cells, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, and virtually every PV module component have seen rapid changes and improvements over the past 10 years. During that time, module frames have seen relatively little innovation and remain a simple piece of formed aluminum. However, quality concerns, supply chain diversification, domestic content rules, and emissions reduction requirements have frame manufacturers eyeing alternative materials. And while aluminum isn’t going away, suppliers of steel and glass composite frames argue these materials come with various advantages.
Aug 20, 2026
India’s model solar villages
India’s installed solar capacity has surged from 7 GW in 2016 to more than 150 GW in 2026 – a more than twentyfold increase. Driven primarily by large-scale solar projects, this progress has transformed India’s electricity mix and shown its ability to deploy solar at scale and at competitive costs. The next phase of India’s solar journey may see increased deployment of distributed generation, bringing economic benefits to rural communities, according to Shantanu Roy of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy.
Aug 19, 2026
Solar’s infrastructure obstacle
During the development of a recent utility-scale project in Texas’ ERCOT grid interconnection zone, Levona Renewables CEO Fernando Queiroz found his team spending more time evaluating transmission infrastructure, interconnection requirements, equipment availability, and utility procurement processes than discussing solar modules – a striking realization affecting project developers in the United States and beyond.
Aug 18, 2026
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Austria announces energy storage offensive, shifting solar subsidy focus
Austria plans to overhaul its solar subsidy framework from 2027, shifting support from standard PV systems toward battery storage, energy management systems and specialized solar applications. The government aims to accelerate storage deployment, with up to 8 GW of market-oriented capacity by 2030, while industry groups are urging swift implementation and clearer funding rules.
Aug 21, 2026
China’s Jiangsu province crosses 100 GW solar milestone
Jiangsu Province in eastern China has surpassed 100 GW of installed solar PV capacity, becoming the country’s first provincial-level region to reach the milestone, with distributed solar accounting for nearly 70% of capacity. The province plans further rapid expansion through 2030 and 2035, while upgrading grids, storage and digital systems to manage rising solar penetration and improve renewable-energy utilization.
Aug 21, 2026
The Hydrogen Stream: JCB Hydromax sets speed record for hydrogen-powered vehicles of any kind
In other news, Egyptian researchers developed new catalysts for hydrogen production from plastic waste. Asahi Kasei, Perdaman, and Sunfire also advanced electrolysis projects in Japan, Australia, and Germany.
Aug 21, 2026
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Growatt
Aug 21, 2026
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DMEGC
Aug 21, 2026
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Solar Promotion
Aug 21, 2026
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New materials in the frame
Solar cells, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, and virtually every PV module component have seen rapid changes and improvements over the past 10 years. During that time, module frames have seen relatively little innovation and remain a simple piece of formed aluminum. However, quality concerns, supply chain diversification, domestic content rules, and emissions reduction requirements have frame manufacturers eyeing alternative materials. And while aluminum isn’t going away, suppliers of steel and glass composite frames argue these materials come with various advantages.
Aug 20, 2026
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Kostal launches 25 kW battery inverter
Kostal’s Plenticore BI 25 is a 25 kW AC-coupled battery inverter for commercial and high-end residential systems, with three-phase backup power up to 25 kVA and peak efficiency of 98.3%. It supports three independent high-voltage battery connections and storage capacities from 5 kWh to 230 kWh.
Aug 21, 2026
BYD starts sales of 4.8 kW solar kits in Brazil
BYD has started selling 4.8 kWp solar kits through its 233 dealerships in Brazil, with packages covering equipment, installation, utility approval, and one year of insurance. The kits use eight 600 W modules manufactured at BYD’s Campinas facility and are available to consumers regardless of vehicle ownership.
Aug 20, 2026
Megasol equips its solar panels with anti-glare surface
The Swiss manufacturer has made its ZRM+ anti-glare surface a standard feature across all Level Up solar roof modules. The microstructured glass reduces glare while maintaining a matte finish and the system’s technical performance.
Aug 19, 2026
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Solar powerhouse to storage leader
Chile is transforming in a bid to avoid becoming a victim of its own solar success. Developers have flooded the Atacama Desert with solar projects, turning Chile into a PV powerhouse but also drastically reducing revenues and driving some operators into bankruptcy. S&P Global Energy’s Ángel Cancino sees the country increasingly focusing on energy storage to rescue some of its overbuilt PV capacity.
Aug 21, 2026
Austria announces energy storage offensive, shifting solar subsidy focus
Austria plans to overhaul its solar subsidy framework from 2027, shifting support from standard PV systems toward battery storage, energy management systems and specialized solar applications. The government aims to accelerate storage deployment, with up to 8 GW of market-oriented capacity by 2030, while industry groups are urging swift implementation and clearer funding rules.
Aug 21, 2026
China’s Jiangsu province crosses 100 GW solar milestone
Jiangsu Province in eastern China has surpassed 100 GW of installed solar PV capacity, becoming the country’s first provincial-level region to reach the milestone, with distributed solar accounting for nearly 70% of capacity. The province plans further rapid expansion through 2030 and 2035, while upgrading grids, storage and digital systems to manage rising solar penetration and improve renewable-energy utilization.
Aug 21, 2026
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AC-Coupled vs. DC-Coupled
Growing applications for battery storage mean the optimal system design may not be the most obvious. Jakir Hossain and Mujtaba Abdelwahab of Storlytics Energy Storage present a simulation-based comparison of AC vs. DC coupling showing how realistic dispatch modeling rather than generic assumptions fundamentally changes BESS sizing, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcomes and architecture selection.
19 hours ago
Advertisement
How to protect solar assets from wildfires
The number of forest fires across Europe is rising. Countries in Central and Northern Europe are also increasingly affected. This article presents a range of preventive measures to protect photovoltaic systems from fire and reports on experiences in France.
Aug 21, 2026
Solar powerhouse to storage leader
Chile is transforming in a bid to avoid becoming a victim of its own solar success. Developers have flooded the Atacama Desert with solar projects, turning Chile into a PV powerhouse but also drastically reducing revenues and driving some operators into bankruptcy. S&P Global Energy’s Ángel Cancino sees the country increasingly focusing on energy storage to rescue some of its overbuilt PV capacity.
Aug 21, 2026
Essential system testing every solar project needs for long-term performance
Comprehensive proactive testing across all operational stages, from commissioning to routine maintenance, is essential to identify hidden electrical, structural, and communication faults before they trigger severe safety risks, costly downtime, and lost energy revenue.
Aug 20, 2026
India’s under-construction renewable pipeline surpasses 150 GW
Renewable energy project pipeline remains strong with more than 150 GW of projects under construction as on June 30, 2026 even as bidding activity slows. However, curtailment concerns underscore the need for expansion in transmission network and storage capacity.
Aug 19, 2026
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Silicon dioxide coating boosts PV module light transmission, thermal performance
An international research team developed a porous silicon dioxide coating for PV cover glass that combines anti-reflection with passive radiative cooling, increasing solar transmittance while enhancing mid-infrared emissivity. The coating achieved 91.0% solar transmittance and 90% emissivity, with the researchers now planning module-level outdoor testing and studies of large-area scalability and durability.
Aug 21, 2026
Air bubbles boost cooling and hydrogen production in photovoltaic-thermal system
Researchers in India developed a PVT-hydrogen system using air-bubble injection to improve cooling, thermal and electrical efficiency, and hydrogen production. Tested outdoors in Tamil Nadu, the system achieved a peak thermal efficiency of 45.5% and hydrogen production of 15.5 ml/min.
Aug 21, 2026
PV life cycle assessment gets its most comprehensive data overhaul in more than a decade
IEA PVPS Task 12 has released a major update to the life cycle inventory data underpinning photovoltaic life cycle assessments, covering modern TOPCon and PERC silicon supply chains, CdTe modules, inverters, mounting systems, and updated reference installations. Based on 83 factory-level datasets and new simulation-based inventories, the report establishes a more comprehensive and current baseline for PV LCA, sustainability reporting, procurement, and environmental assessments.
Aug 20, 2026
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Press Release
Growatt
Aug 21, 2026
Press Release
DMEGC
Aug 21, 2026
Press Release
Solar Promotion
Aug 21, 2026
Technology & Products
Sponsored
CAB® Solar highlights solar cable hanger solutions for agricultural projects
At The smarter E 2026 in Munich, the company demonstrated its ModulAir® free-air cable hangers for solar projects, as well as its latest 3D locking hangers, which are designed to secure electric cables when used in locations with livestock.
Jul 29, 2026
Technology & Products
Sponsored
HyperStrong introduces C&I energy storage solutions at The smarter E 2026
The company emphasizes that its innovative configuration – splitting the standard 20-foot container in two – addresses weight and transportation issues common to traditional energy storage solutions.
Jul 27, 2026
Technology & Products
Sponsored
Topband showcases Ecosolex energy storage solutions at ees Europe 2026
At ees Europe 2026 in Munich, Topband presented Ecosolex, its dedicated brand for battery energy storage and smart energy management, together with C&I and residential energy storage solutions.
Jul 22, 2026
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