Wood Mackenzie predicts 2-year decline in global solar inverter demand
Wood Mackenzie’s latest analysis expects market uncertainty in China, Europe and the U.S. to cause two consecutive years of contraction in the global solar inverter market, forecasting a fall to 577 GWac this year and 523 GWac in 2026.
US study maps utility-scale solar land use with new AI framework
US researchers say a deep-learning framework provides the most detailed picture yet of how utility-scale solar uses land, revealing unexpected efficiency gaps and clearer pathways for agrivoltaics and brownfield development.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: PowerChina launches 31 GW solar procurement
China Power Construction Corp. (PowerChina) has launched a 31 GW solar module tender for 2026 projects, split across n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), heterojunction (HJT) and back-contact (BC) technologies as part of a wider 97 GW renewables and grid equipment program.
Italy clears 710 MW of solar in Puglia, challenges regional PV rules
The italian government says it is fast-tracking utility-scale solar, approving about 710 MW of mainly agrivoltaic projects in Puglia while moving to curb regional limits on where PV plants can be built, sharpening tensions over land use and energy policy.
Amazon leads funding round for US silicon solid-state battery maker
Blue Current, which has a pilot production line in California, will use funding from an $80 million financing round led by Amazon to advance commercialization of its silicon solid-state battery technology for stationary storage and mobility applications in the United States.
India sees dramatic plunge in battery storage costs, ministry reports
Market trends suggest battery energy storage systems (BESS) will likely operate 1.5 cycles per day, bringing the effective storage cost down to just INR 2.8/kWh (0.031/kWh), the Ministry said on Monday.
UK government backs more than 180,000 heat pump installations
Subsidy support has driven heat pump adoption, with the pace of deployment increasing since early 2024. Second largest subsidy scheme to be wound down in 2026 leaving expanded boiler upgrade scheme as dominant support mechanism. Full details on UK government’s Warm Homes plan expected in early 2026.
Mauritius opens 2 MW hybrid solar tender
Mauritius’ Central Electricity Board is running a tender for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of rooftop solar systems, with an added option to procure battery energy storage systems. The deadline for applications is Feb. 2, 2026.
Maxeon expands legal action against Aiko and its distributors in Germany
Maxeon has filed a lawsuit in Germany claiming Aiko Solar, and four of its German product distributors, breached a patent related to its back contact solar technology. It is the third such lawsuit Maxeon has opened against Aiko.
Quality, bankability and how to reduce solar project failures
Leading experts from quality assurance and balance-of-system manufacturing were joined by a trio of CEOs at pv magazine Week Europe for a revealing discussion on building bankable projects. From glass breakage and soldering errors to significant variations in EPC quality, panelists found detailed auditing, a commitment to processes and an active approach to fault prevention are key to solar project quality in Europe and beyond.
