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.
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Latest News
Fighting coastal corrosion
Salt in the air can wreak havoc with projects that lack the necessary corrosion resistance, proving costly for asset owners or the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies that built them. Alexander Gebert, sales director at Tobsteel, argues that quality stainless steel fasteners can save costs for solar investors and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors in the long run.
Sep 25, 2026
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Australia backs goal of 150 million new rooftop solar systems globally by 2030
Australia has endorsed a global plan to double the number of homes in the world with rooftop solar, from 150 to 300 million by 2030 via the Global Rooftop Solar Declaration announced at the 2026 Pacific Pre-COP meeting in Fiji.
PowerChina switches on 1 GW PV-CSP hybrid plant in northwestern China
PowerChina has completed grid connection of a 1 GW hybrid solar project in Qinghai province, China. The facility combines 900 MW of solar PV capacity with a 100 MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant featuring eight hours of molten-salt thermal storage and a 20 MW electric heater to store surplus PV electricity.
High defect rates drag down solar performance and yield, finds report
HelioVolta’s 2026 SolarGrade PV Health Report, based on inspections of nearly 8 GW across over 1,500 solar projects in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, found widespread safety and quality concerns, with 87% of projects requiring urgent corrective action and 8% facing critical issues.
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Securing power, controlling costs: How onsite solar and storage shield commercial users from grid volatility
In an era of rising utility rates, grid congestion, and shifting power markets, commercial and industrial companies are increasingly turning to distributed generation. Mary Beth Mandanas, chief executive officer of Onyx Renewables breaks down how onsite solar and battery storage provide a physical hedge against gas price swings, lower structural energy costs, and deliver crucial speed to power.
Spain’s first pre-commercial marine solar demonstrator enters testing
BlueNewables has installed a 1 MW offshore floating solar demonstrator at the Port of Valencia, Spain, and has begun testing the system. The project comprises two 500 kW PV-bos platforms designed to assess the technology’s performance, operation and maintenance requirements, and integration into port infrastructure under real-world conditions.
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England and Wales lead western Europe’s record summer irradiance
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Western Europe saw its strongest summer solar resource since at least 2007 in 2026, with GHI 6.9% above average and England and Wales nearly 16% above average. Persistent heat domes brought clear, hot, and exceptionally dry conditions, with temperatures over 2 C above average and severe rainfall deficits, particularly in July.
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