Dutch province tests temporary solar shutdowns to ease grid congestion
A 2024 pilot study in the Dutch province of Zeeland found that homeowners who temporarily shut off their solar panels during peak generation reduced grid load by up to 57%.
Rebuild fire-devastated homes all-electric with solar
Stanford University professor Mark Z. Jacobson explains how the areas of Los Angeles that were recently hit by fire have now the opportunity to reduce energy bills and reconstruction costs by rebuilding only all-electric homes. “There is no reason to have both electricity and fossil gas in a building at the same time. There is nothing gas does that electricity doesn’t do better,” he states.
Solar, batteries, wind to make up 93% of 2025 US electricity capacity deployments
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects 32.5 GW of solar, 18.2 GW of energy storage, and 7.7 GW of wind will be deployed this year. These additions will make up nearly 93% of total new capacity, which is expected to hit a record 63 GW.
Key takeaways from Smart Energy Week 2025 in Tokyo
Smart Energy Week 2025 in Tokyo highlighted Japan’s shifting energy priorities, with officials promoting perovskite solar at PV Expo and companies showcasing solid-state battery tech at Battery Japan.
Eastern Europe sees solar gains as Western regions experience setbacks
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that February saw a stark contrast in solar conditions across Europe, with eastern regions benefiting from strong irradiance while western and southern areas faced setbacks due to storms and persistent cloud cover.
UbiQD developing novel encapsulant technology for solar modules
The U.S.-based quantum dot (QD) materials company is developing polymer encapsulation materials that reportedly have the potential to provide a relative power boost of 16% when integrated into crystalline silicon PV devices.
Solar growth drives cross-border cannibalization in Europe, says Enervis
Retail electricity prices in Europe are falling but remain above pre-war levels, according to energy market analyst Enervis. PV capture rates are also dropping sharply, with negative pricing hours expected to persist in the short term.
Ireland urges schools to avail of solar scheme before extended deadline
The Irish government is appealing to schools to apply for the second round of its solar for schools program before the March 7 deadline. More than 750 schools have been approved for funding in this phase to date.
The impact of different substrates on solar module performance
A research team has analyzed the effects of different substrates on PV module performance and has found that ground soil achieves the highest efficiency at 21.1%, followed by grass (19.6%), wood (17.95%), concrete (16.2%), roof tiles (14.3%), and iron sheets (11.5%).
FranklinWH launches 15 kWh residential battery
The 15 kWh aPower 2 battery can store input from solar, grid, generator and EV.
