Technology and R&D

The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) says distribution grid investment has risen 51% since 2021, but warns that fragmented planning rules and regulatory distortions could limit efficiency and slow the energy transition.

Researchers in Spain developed a porous silica anti-reflective coating for solar panels that boosts optical transmission while balancing durability and mechanical stability through optimized sol–gel chemistry.

Credential compromise attacks allow adversaries to gain unauthorized access to PV systems by stealing or guessing valid login credentials, enabling them to manipulate operations, disrupt monitoring, or take control of critical assets. These attacks can lead to operational instability, reduced energy production, and safety risks, making strong authentication and access control essential for system resilience.

Entering a competitive small-scale energy storate field is Chinese maker Mova, well-known for its kitchen applicances and growing robotic homewares including vacuums and more.

A year-long study in the UK finds vertical bifacial PV systems achieve an up to 26.91% higher output during morning hours compared to traditional tilted PV systems. The vertical bifacial system bettered the tilted system across all four seasons, with average power gains as high as 24.52% during winter.

The German manufacturer said that its new air-to-water heat pump system uses propane as a refrigerant and is available in three variants with outputs of 5 kW, 7 kW, and 11 kW. The new product can reportedly achieve a coefficient of performance of up to 4.93.

Scientists in Chile have developed a low-cost, easy-to-deploy hydrogen system powered by end-of-life solar panels. The residential solution reportedly achieves a levelized cost of hydrogen of approximately $5.8/kg.

Analysis of longitudinal survey data has explored the link between intended and actual solar panel adoption in UK households. It finds that while most households that had intention of installing solar in 2012-13 were yet to do so by 2021-22, serious intention to install solar still increases the likelihood of adoption more than other factors such as income and environmental perceptions.

Atmoce’s new MI microinverter series connects two PV modules per unit while still providing module-level power optimization.

Ransomware attacks encrypt or lock critical PV system data and control platforms, preventing operators from accessing or managing their assets until a ransom is paid. These attacks can disrupt operations, reduce energy production, and create safety risks, making robust backups, segmentation, and incident response essential for resilience.