Cost of living, government rebates accelerate Australia’s solar and battery booms
Recent studies forecast Australia is on the precipice of a rooftop solar and household battery boom, predicting record breaking installation numbers driven by falling battery and solar module prices, government rebates and cost-of-living pressures.
Optimizing endless PV-driven heat pump scenarios for costs, self-sufficiency
Researchers have used mixed-integer linear programming-based multi-objective optimization to optimize 30,912 unique scenarios showing heat pumps operating in combination with PV power. The optimization modeling was conducted under day-ahead spot market prices terms.
US solar developers secure over $1 billion for 1.4 GW of projects
US solar developers Soltage, Origis Energy, and rPlus Energies have secured more than $1 billion in financing across three major deals, signaling sustained investor confidence in utility-scale solar and storage despite US policy uncertainty. The transactions back more than 1.4 GW of solar and 1.8 GWh of battery capacity.
Hail risk remains top issue faced by solar projects
Hail damage remains a top risk to large-scale solar assets, according to an annual report from kWh Analytics.
Sunnova files for bankruptcy
US residential solar company Sunnova has entered into asset and power purchase agreements to support operations while it seeks a buyer.
Ukraine’s ‘twin cities’ project funds solar for community energy resilience
The Ukrainian government is launching a €2 million ($2.3 million) pilot project with the municipality of Grafenwörth, Austria, to expand solar infrastructure and enhance local energy resilience.
Rooftop PV may ‘unintentionally’ exacerbate urban heat
New research from Hong Kong confirms that rooftop PV systems significantly contribute raise daytime temperatures in urban environments. The scientists explained that, although their findings highlight important urban resilience considerations, they should not detract from the broader benefits of PV systems for energy sustainability and carbon reduction.
Deakin University launches virtual energy network trial for solar trading
Researchers at Deakin University have launched a first-of-its-kind project exploring how Australian households and small businesses with solar and or battery systems can sell their excess clean energy to others without the technology.
Liquid insulation for sustainable transformers
Liquid insulation is one of the ways of ensuring transformers – which convert electric power from high voltages to lower voltages – remain safe. Mineral oil, however, has been the main insulating liquid in industrial power systems to date and sustanaible alternatives are strongly needed.
Cyprus curtails more than half of renewables, including residential solar
Cyprus curtailed more than half of its potential renewable power in early 2025, including record residential solar cuts, as grid limits and a lack of storage strain its energy transition. Without swift investment in flexibility, analysts warn the country risks eroding public trust and delaying decarbonization.
