Hongyuan rolls out 40 µm ‘engineering-ready’ ultra-thin silicon wafers
Hongyuan Green Energy says it has produced a first batch of 40 µm monocrystalline silicon wafers that support full-size and half-cut formats, with slicing completed using the company’s in-house wafering equipment.
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.
France installs 5.9 GW of PV in 2025
The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 31.1 GW at the end of December.
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.
China switches on 1 GW of solar at 4,600 m above sea level
China’s SDIC subsidiary commissioned a 1 GW photovoltaic plant on the Yalong River in Sichuan, making it the world’s third-highest-altitude PV facility at 4,600 m. The project integrates with hydro assets to optimize energy output in the challenging plateau environment.
U.S. government cuts $83 billion in loans, reversing energy transition funding
The U.S. Department of Energy moved to de-obligate or revise billions in financing for clean energy projects while prioritizing natural gas and nuclear power.
Ikea, Svea Solar launch dynamic electricity tariff in Germany
Ikea is expanding its energy offerings in Germany with a dynamic electricity tariff in partnership with Svea Solar, changing every 15 minutes based on day-ahead market prices and available even to customers without its PV systems, storage solutions, or heat pumps.
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.
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.
Africa’s installed PV capacity estimated above 63 GW
The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has now identified 23.4 GW of operational solar projects across the continent but when taking into account Chinese PV export data, estimates total installed capacity in Africa could reach over 63 GW.
