UK opens door to plug-in solar boom
In its first monthly column for pv magazine, experts from UK-based consultancy Ricardo, part of the WSP Group, explain how UK will soon allow low-cost plug-in solar panels under 800 W to be installed without a qualified electrician, making home solar more affordable and accessible. These portable systems, expected on sale by summer 2026, could significantly boost household solar adoption while complementing the country’s wider renewable energy growth.
Sigenergy launches Hong Kong IPO
China’s Sigenergy has announced a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), with shares open to retail investors until April 13 and backing from major international asset managers.
Brazil approves first co-located solar and battery project
Brazil’s National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) has authorized a 5 MWh battery system co-located with a solar plant, setting a regulatory precedent for integrated storage.
Utility-scale sodium-ion arrives in Romania
Renalfa Power Clusters plans to combine newly acquired solar and battery assets in Romania into a hybrid project using lithium-ion and sodium-ion storage.
Titanium emerges as a vanadium alternative for redox flow batteries
A Japanese–Chinese team developed a titanium molten salt redox-flow battery using abundant titanium ions and molten salt electrolytes to enable high-voltage, fast, and stable grid-scale energy storage. The system demonstrates high efficiency of over 97%, strong cycling stability, and improved cost and scalability compared to vanadium-based batteries, with further optimization underway.
AI-enabled hacks expose remote shutdown risk in microinverters
IT security firm Jakkaru has identified a vulnerability in microinverters from AP Systems that could enable a “kill switch” scenario, potentially shutting down tens of thousands of inverters simultaneously and disrupting grid operations.
Greek utility completes 2.13 GW solar cluster at former coal mine
Greece’s PPC Group has finished construction of its 2.13 GW solar portfolio in northern Greece. The company is now working on its third large-scale battery storage facility in the area, with plans for two pumped-hydro storage projects also progressing.
Cornex unveils new 165 Ah sodium-ion prismatic cell for stationary energy storage
A new sodium-ion cell for ESS may further improve competitiveness in large-scale systems against the weight of the lithium-ion battery sector.
The Hydrogen Stream: Dutch electrolyzer merger forms Alquion
Battolyser Systems and VDL Hydrogen Systems have merged to form Alquion, while Ming Yang Smart Energy Group plans to invest more than $10 billion in hydrogen and renewable energy projects in Ethiopia.
Austrian manufacturer offers modular air-to-water propane heat pumps
Lambda Wärmepumpen GmbH said its Eureka heat pump series uses a patented fluid mechanics system that reportedly improves heat transfer by four to six times while maintaining a temperature difference of just 3 K between the air and the refrigerant. Its seasonal coefficient of performance ranges from 4.50 to 6.10.
