Patrick Jowett
Sweden deploys 652 MW of solar in 2025
Sweden deployed less solar in 2025 than the year prior despite record growth in the large-scale segment. Solar association Svensk Solenergi predicts last year was likely the bottom of Sweden’s installation curve.
Netherlands’ 2025 solar additions estimated at 2.08 GW
Provisional estimates from Dutch New Energy Research indicate the Netherlands added 0.54 GW of residential solar and 1.54 GW of C&I and large-scale solar last year, taking the country’s cumulative capacity to just shy of 30 GW.
New hydrogel layer tackles solar module hotspots
A team of scientists has developed a novel hydrogel solar panel coating that is reportedly capable of lowering hot spot temperatures by up to 16.2 C, outperforming conventional hydrogels. The hydrogel also demonstrated superior durability and improved power output by up to 13%, according to the research group.
Serbia installs 134.3 MW of solar in 2025
Serbia had a record year for solar additions in 2025, led by deployment of large-scale plants. The country has a gigawatt-size project pipeline, although most remain in the earlier stages of development and are not expected to come online this year.
Nigeria awards first floating PV project
The 7 MW solar array will be built by the Nigerian unit of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation after the company won a contract awarded by Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency.
Ukraine deploys 1.5 GW of solar in 2025
The Solar Energy Association of Ukraine estimates around 1.5 GW of solar was added in the country last year, driven by growing interest in projects co-located with battery energy storage systems across market segments.
Agrivoltaics for tea plantations
CHN Energy, via its subsidiary Guohua Energy Investment, is constructing a solar project above a tea plantation in southwestern China, with the first 32 MW now connected to the grid.
UAE’s massive solar-plus-storage project set to redefine baseload power, says Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie highlights a groundbreaking 5.2 GW solar-plus-storage project in the UAE capable of delivering 1 GW of continuous baseload power, signaling a potential shift in renewable energy deployment despite high costs. The report also forecasts strong global solar growth through 2030, including the rise of residential “balcony solar” in the U.S. and expanded solar shares in Asia Pacific and the U.S.
Solar generates record 13% of EU electricity in 2025
EU solar generation increased by over 20% for the fourth year running in 2025, with its share in the energy mix surpassing coal and hydro. For the first time in history, solar and wind generated more energy in the EU than fossil fuels.
Self-assembling molecule for organic solar cells
A research team from Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a donor-acceptor-donor molecule that can spontaneously self-assemble into nanoscale structures and offer a more stable route to built-in p/n heterojunctions in organic solar cells.
