By embedding quality benchmarks into procurement and manufacturing incentives, policymakers are ensuring that India’s energy transition is durable, not disposable. The focus has moved from rapid installation to long-term reliability — a sign of sectoral maturity.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Iualia Meirosu, Group CFO & Board Member at Romania’s Enexus. She says that Romania’s renewable energy sector is no longer just for engineers – it’s a space where women and men can thrive across operations, finance, strategy, and project management.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that most of Australia experienced above-average solar irradiance in January 2026 due to a hot, dry airmass and clear skies, boosting PV generation despite operational challenges from elevated temperatures, bushfire smoke, and dust. In contrast, northern Queensland and far northern regions saw significant irradiance deficits from persistent monsoonal clouds and Tropical Cyclone Koji, causing widespread rainfall and localized power outages.

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.

Europe’s residential solar market is shifting from rapid rooftop PV growth to a more selective phase, with declining new installations but rising demand for upgrades like storage, smart energy management, EV integration, and balcony systems. Rather than retreating, households are reinvesting in complementary technologies that enhance flexibility, reliability, and self-consumption, redefining residential demand around integrated, intelligent energy solutions.

The global capacity of utility-scale batteries increased more than 12-fold between 2020 and 2024 to 124 GW, while average battery costs fell 58% over the period, according to the Electricity 2026 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Following their review of redox flow battery research, Norway-based scientists told pv magazine that despite its high upfront capital costs and lower energy density relative to metal-ion, the technology can offer safety, reliability, and scalability advantages for standalone, large-scale applications.

ACME Solar Holdings has signed 25-year 190 MW wind-solar hybrid power purchase agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) requiring 50% annual capacity utilization factor and 80% daily peak supply obligation.

A study of 1,000 sub-Saharan African households using off-grid PAYG solar systems found that 77% reduce their electricity use after the first year, leading to underused, often oversized systems. This persistent decline is driven by behavioural changes as well as economic constraints and highlights the need for solar designs and pricing that better match actual household energy needs.

Mexico is attracting US data centers seeking faster power connections, but these facilities will initially rely on firm gas generation from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), with renewables as a potential future option, Mexican energy expert Santiago Barcón told pv magazine.

Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Economy has launched a €3 million ($3.54 million) tender to support commercial and industrial (C&I) solar projects between 30 kW and 200 kW, with applications open until April 17.

A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-led initiative has installed hybrid solar-plus-storage systems at five health facilities in Burundi. A second phase of the scheme, due for completion this year, will power an additional nine district hospitals.

North Macedonia’s cumulative solar capacity passed the 1 GW milestone in 2025, with the market currently led by utility-scale and C&I installations. Looking ahead, all market segments are anticipated to move towards hybrid solar-plus-storage solutions following the introduction of a new energy law last year.

A four-year study found that overhead solar panels in an Australian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage but decreased fruit yield and blush coloration. While energy production and tree stress resilience improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops like apples and cherries.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to install 860 GW of solar capacity by 2040, led by utility-scale projects, with a further 2.2 TW of solar and wind expected between 2040 and 2060.

The Germany-based PV thermal process equipment and technology provider has launched c.Plasma Q Max to process up to 10,000 wafers per hour in high-volume TOPCon solar cell manufacturing lines.

Scientists at the European Commission Joint Research Centre tested two single-junction perovskite modules outdoors for one year and reported overall stable performance, supported by a new light-soaking preconditioning method to improve measurement reliability. While one module degraded significantly, the other maintained relatively stable efficiency with seasonal variations, highlighting the need for longer-term outdoor studies.

A global study finds climate change will sharply increase high-temperature risks, accelerate degradation, and raise costs for rooftop PV, with economically disadvantaged regions hit hardest. Researchers warn current IEC standards underestimate future risks, urging urgent updates to avoid stranded assets and rising electricity costs.

Fraunhofer scientists have announced two efficiency records for III-V tandem modules. The team says its 34.2% efficiency III-V germanium PV module is the most efficient solar module in the world, while its 31.3% efficiency III-V silicon PV module is a record in its class.

The US company said its Power Control software is designed to help installers reduce costs and streamline interconnection. Among its features is the ability to control aggregate system exports through software-based limits.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

An international research team used high-resolution electroluminescence imaging to quantify type-C cracks in 100 PV modules after 11 years of operation, linking crack distribution to real-world power loss. Concentrated cracks within individual cells were found to cause disproportionately high losses, highlighting the importance of cell-level crack analysis for effective PV maintenance.

The U.S.-based metrology equipment manufacturer has launched a non-contact photoluminescent imaging system to reveal defects and other non-uniformities in silicon, thin film, and III-V multijunction PV devices.

Rising silver prices are putting pressure on solar manufacturers, prompting greater focus on copper and other alternatives to reduce costs. Heraeus says it expects silver demand from photovoltaics to decline this year despite stable global installations.

UNSW researchers have developed a thermal-aware tracking algorithm that reduces solar module temperatures and UV exposure during inverter clipping and curtailment, slowing degradation without lowering AC output. Tested in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the strategy was found to lower module temperatures by up to 7.7 C.

Swiss analytics firm Pexapark finds January recorded roughly half the deal count and volume in new European power purchase agreements than the month prior.

The first phase of the MTerra solar project in the Philippines, set to be the world’s largest solar-plus-storage site once completed, has achieved initial synchronization and energization to the Luzon grid. Project developers are anticipating the project to being exporting power by the end of the month.

Spain installed 339 MWh of storage linked to PV self-consumption in 2025, up 119% year on year, according to APPA Renovables. The country added 1,214 MW of new self-consumption capacity, bringing the total to 9.6 GW.

The new compressor is described as the world’s most powerful single-unit compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, with a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and an efficiency of 88.1%.

The silicon batteries developed by the Spanish startup Silbat are spearheading the Research and Analysis of Long-Duration Energy Storage for Operational Resilience in Critical Military Infrastructures (ARMIC) project, covering Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7 to 8.