Hydrogen faces ‘year of reckoning’ in 2026, says Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie’s 2026 market outlook for hydrogen expects non-biological origin hydrogen to gain momentum and ammonia crackers to reach commercial scale but predicts the Middle Eastern market to retreat and the EU to abandon its industrial hydrogen mandates.
California introduces bill to legalize plug-in balcony solar
A new bill in California is designed to allow small plug-in solar systems to connect directly to household outlets by reclassifying them as appliances, removing utility interconnection and permitting requirements.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon prices jump over 9% as China supply tightens
Polysilicon prices in China rose sharply this week as reduced output, higher costs, and strong downstream demand pushed transactions above CNY 60,000 ($8,590) per metric ton (MT). Module prices, however, remained stable, supported by firm procurement and tight wafer supply.
Over 1 TW of renewables awaiting approval in Europe
Aurora Energy Research’s latest report says Europe requires €600 billion ($700.2 billion) of investment by the end of the decade, increasing to €1.5 trillion by the middle of the century, to support the expansion of the continent’s renewable energy.
Campaign group protests giant solar projects in Portugal
A campaign group in Portugal is challenging large-scale solar developments in Beira Baixa, Portugal. Developers of a proposed 867 MW solar site told pv magazine sustainability is central to the project, including biodiversity measures and tree planting at a rate 18 times higher than removals.
China’s Hefei BOE Solar Technology claims 27.37% efficiency for perovskite solar cell
The Chinese perovskite solar technology developer said the result is currently under testing by an unspecified third-party authoritative laboratory in China. The achievement is part of the company’s efforts to bring its perovskite cell technology closer to commercial production.
Ecuador plans 2.1 GW power auction with high share of solar
The Ecuadorian government has announced plans to tender 2,100 MW of new power generation capacity, with large-scale solar projects expected to account for a significant part of the mix.
Türkiye installs 4.7 GW of solar in 2025
Türkiye’s cumulative solar capacity is approaching 25 GW after another strong year for new deployments, led by installations for self-consumption in the commercial and industrial market.
Saudi Arabia reveals qualified bidders for 3.1 GW solar auction
Saudi Power Procurement Co. (SPPC) has announced the qualified developers for the seventh round of Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy tender program, featuring four solar projects with a combined capacity of 3.1 GW.
European solar manufacturers urge Italy to revise heterojunction tax rule
Eleven European solar module makers say Italy’s 2026 tax incentive unfairly favors heterojunction (HJT) technology, risks higher costs and limits competition across the PV market.
