Magazine Archive

Easee has put its foot to the floor in 2026, completing a pilot project with Subaru that demonstrates the viability of solar-powered electric-vehicle charging in the harsh winter conditions of Canada’s Northwest Territories. It follows a collaboration between Easee and the Japanese car manufacturer in 2025 that saw the two companies deploy an electric vehicle charger on the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena, billed at the time as the world’s most remote electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. Adam Dunwoodie, technical manager at Easee UK, told pv magazine that locating the latest project in Canada’s Northwest Territories has enabled a pilot project to push the technology another step further.

Data from leading market intelligence providers show falling installation rates for residential PV across much of Europe. Renewable energy consultant Ben Hayden argues that these headline figures mask key trends in a market that is shifting rather than contracting, with plug-in solar and the prosumer segment presenting significant growth opportunities.

In the United States, commercial solar and energy storage projects offer plenty of opportunity, but developers must navigate supply chain bifurcation, shifting fire codes, and the end of the tax equity era to bring commercial projects online in 2026. pv magazine USA’s Ryan Kennedy moderated a panel discussion on the topic at Intersolar & Energy Storage North America in San Diego and shares these key takeaways.

Romania was one of the few standout European PV markets in 2025, recording growth amid an EU-wide decline that affected even the region’s biggest markets like Italy and the Netherlands. Irene Mihai, policy analyst at the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA), gives the lowdown on the country’s solar and storage outlook to 2030.

Copper metallization is emerging as one of the most closely watched technological shifts in solar cell manufacturing as producers seek to reduce costs and dependence on silver. Pure-copper metallization, whether in screen printing or plating, remains far from gigawatt-scale realization, but more companies are dipping their toes into the transitional step of hybrid silver-copper solutions.

Module manufacturers have struggled for more than two years with oversupply and prices often falling below production cost. Cost-cutting measures – such as reduced encapsulant thickness, thinner glass and thinner frames – can have widespread impacts on initial module quality and long-term performance. Recent test results for commercial products are raising concern.

Chicago-based startup Volexion makes drop-in graphene coating technology for commercial lithium-ion cathode materials used in electric vehicles (EVs) and standalone grid-scale storage. CEO Joe Adiletta told pv magazine he is dealing with international customers and partners, including cell manufacturers interested in the solution as an alternative to conventional cathode coating materials.

Price increases across all PV module technology classes were even stronger in February 2026 than forecast in January. Meanwhile, more political headwinds on both sides of the Atlantic mean the renewables industry has yet more work to do, writes Martin Schachinger of pvXchange.

In today’s geopolitical landscape, the most credible path to national, economic, and energy security is rapid electrification powered by renewables and smart grids, argues Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA).

Tolling was the fastest-growing BESS revenue structure in 2025, according to Modo Energy. The benchmarker’s European BESS 2025 report, published in March 2026, recorded 15 publicly announced deals, up from just three in 2024. Germany and the United Kingdom were the top markets for offtake agreements, followed by Italy and France.