Applications & Installations
Among energy technologies, solar is unique in its flexibility and range of applications. Rapidly growing niches including floating PV and agrivoltaics are proving their worth alongside the more established rooftop and ground mount market segments.
Hybrid systems combining solar with energy storage and other generation technologies are also becoming more common, in the pursuit of 24/7 emissions free energy. And this brings our industry into more frequent contact with other concerns, that need to be carefully managed.
Advertisement
Latest News
The battery cost disconnect
For years, the battery energy storage (BESS) story has followed a familiar script: costs fall, deployment accelerates, economics improve. Even when cell costs rose and system prices briefly flattened during the 2021-22 lithium price spike, the narrative largely held. Paola Perez Peña, senior principal analyst at S&P Global Energy, examines why the latest jump in lithium prices has only had limited impacts on overall BESS costs so far.
Apr 02, 2026
Advertisement
Renewables-powered data centers feasible with sevenfold solar and wind overbuild, study finds
A LUT University study finds that data centers could be powered continuously by intermittent renewables like wind and solar when paired with backup generation and demand-side flexibility. However, achieving firm supply would require major overbuild, significant curtailment, and careful siting to keep costs competitive with other baseload sources.
Port of Valencia deploying PV on breakwaters
The Port of Valencia is deploying solar panels on breakwaters as part of the EU-funded Renewport project to advance renewable energy in Mediterranean ports. The pilot system aims to validate the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of large-scale vertical photovoltaics.
Fire strikes another German home with solar roof tiles
A house fire in Kleve, Germany involving integrated photovoltaic roof tiles required about 65 firefighters and lasted nearly five hours, with the blaze mainly confined to the roof and no injuries reported. Fire crews faced difficulties due to hidden hotspots and energized solar tiles that can continue generating voltage in sunlight.
Solar-powered floating shellfish farming tested in French lagoon
The SolarinThau project, which combines photovoltaic power generation with oyster farming, aims to test a new model that balances the energy transition, the preservation of maritime activities, and the sustainable development of the shellfish farming sector.
Visit us at Intersolar Europe
We are participating in Intersolar 2026 again this year! Visit us at our Booth Hall 2 A2.250 to discuss the latest trends within the photovoltaic industry with the pv magazine team.
June 23-25, 2026 | MUNICH, GERMANY
Advertisement
All Applications & Installations news
Renewables-powered data centers feasible with sevenfold solar and wind overbuild, study finds
A LUT University study finds that data centers could be powered continuously by intermittent renewables like wind and solar when paired with backup generation and demand-side flexibility. However, achieving firm supply would require major overbuild, significant curtailment, and careful siting to keep costs competitive with other baseload sources.
Port of Valencia deploying PV on breakwaters
The Port of Valencia is deploying solar panels on breakwaters as part of the EU-funded Renewport project to advance renewable energy in Mediterranean ports. The pilot system aims to validate the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of large-scale vertical photovoltaics.
Fire strikes another German home with solar roof tiles
A house fire in Kleve, Germany involving integrated photovoltaic roof tiles required about 65 firefighters and lasted nearly five hours, with the blaze mainly confined to the roof and no injuries reported. Fire crews faced difficulties due to hidden hotspots and energized solar tiles that can continue generating voltage in sunlight.
Advertisement
Solar-powered floating shellfish farming tested in French lagoon
The SolarinThau project, which combines photovoltaic power generation with oyster farming, aims to test a new model that balances the energy transition, the preservation of maritime activities, and the sustainable development of the shellfish farming sector.
Advertisement
India floats tenders for 1.2 GW of renewables with storage to ensure reliable peak power supply
Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) has invited bids for the development of 1.2 GW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected renewable energy projects coupled with energy storage systems (ESS), aimed at delivering 4,800 MWh (1200 MW x 4 hours) of assured peak power daily.
Solar-plus-storage microgrids now delivering competitive baseload power
Wood Mackenzie presented modelling for Ukraine, Ghana, and the Netherlands showing that 300 MW solar-plus-storage systems can deliver competitive, baseload-like power across very different grid contexts. Across all three countries, hybrid PV-plus-storage consistently outperforms conventional coal and gas in LCOE terms, highlighting faster deployability, strong cost declines, and superior resilience versus long-lead-time fossil infrastructure.
Advertisement
Advertisement