Patrick Jowett
Indonesia’ Pertamina to build 50 MW flexible PV production line in Indonesia
PT Pertamina Power Indonesia and HyET Solaris Netherlands are planning to construct a 50 MW pilot factory manufacturing the Dutch company’s lightweight and flexible PV products in Indonesia, with ambitions to scale-up to a GW-size manufacturing facility.
Ciel & Terre unveils new floating solar solution
The new floating PV structure removes traditional maintenance walkways between module rows to enable more solar modules to be installed per hectare. Ciel & Terre has also developed a motorized trolley system capable of rolling over the structure.
U.S. research finds PV can support bird, bat activities
A pair of research studies led by the Argonne National Laboratory have demonstrated how “ecovoltaic” installations in the midwestern United States are home to more bird and bat activities than nearby fields used for agriculture.
Africa’s largest off-grid solar-plus-storage project comes online in Angola
In Angola, 75.26 MWh of battery storage has begun operating as part of Africa’s largest off-grid renewable energy system to date.
Industry addresses UV degradation, hail risk in European solar modules
Industry leaders at pv magazine Week Europe 2025 said manufacturers are implementing measures to limit ultraviolet-induced degradation in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar modules and strengthen resilience to hail damage to protect performance and reduce financial risk.
Zambia tenders 25 MW solar project
An engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender is open in Zambia for a 25 MW solar project. The deadline for applications is Jan. 9, 2026.
Belize opens solar consultancy tender
The government of Belize is seeking a consultancy firm to help implement a 40 MW solar plus 20 MW/80 MWh battery energy storage project. The deadline to submit expressions of interest is Jan. 5, 2026.
‘Back contact will reach cost parity with TOPCon before end of decade’
During a pv magazine Week Europe 2025 webinar, panelists forecast back contact (BC) solar cells’ market share will draw level with TOPCon towards the end of the decade, before tandem technology begins large-scale momentum in the early 2030s.
IEA sets distributed solar, storage policy path for Ukraine
A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) recommends three strategies to accelerate the deployment of distributed solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Ukraine as the country works to increase its energy security.
Scatec switches on 273 MW of solar in South Africa
Norway’s Scatec has reached commercial operations of a 273 MW solar project in South Africa, the first to be completed from the country’s fifth bid window of its renewable energy procurement programme and the company’s first in the Western Cape province.
