Technology and R&D

Designed for power ratings of 29.9 kW and 50 kW with scalable capacity up to 216,9 kWh, the new system is aimed at businesses seeking flexible energy storage solutions without the complexity of installation

Chinese state-owned power group SPIC has launched a 1 MW / 4 MWh pilot, showcasing a long-duration energy storage alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries and compressed air energy storage (CAES).

Global solar growth is flattening in major markets as oversupply from China and India drives prices down and shifts competition from sheer volume to execution, policy alignment, and system integration. Across the U.S., Europe, and China, energy storage is becoming essential for project viability, making PV-plus-storage and strong EPC partnerships the new basis for winning projects in 2026 and beyond.

An international research group has conducted a literature review of capital expenditure-driven levelized cost of electricity optimization strategies for utility-scale PV systems. Tracking optimization, system voltage escalation, and advanced system design are identified as the most promising cost reduction areas. “The next wave of PV research must be LCOE-native, system-level, and deployment-validated,” a member of the research group said.

The Indian PV manufacturer has launched Conserv Augmensheet, a sheet encapsulant for insulation and sealing of busbar and junction box areas in solar modules. Supplied in reel format, the product supports automatic feed-in on fully automated module manufacturing lines, reportedly enabling higher productivity and consistent processing for solar module production.

A new Perspectives research study on the future of the global PV supply chain outlines how module prices, performance, and lifetimes could evolve over the next 25 years. The work reflects a collaboration among leading solar research institutions worldwide. One of the study’s authors, the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), told pv magazine that solar module and cell efficiencies could exceed 35% by 2050, with panel prices expected to drop by a factor of two.

The use of a novel roll-to-roll process and optimization technology resulted in polymer foils for use in colored PV modules in a potentially wide range of colors with low iridescence and low levels of efficiency loss.

China is on track to reach a fully renewable energy system by 2051, nearly a century earlier than the United States, according to a global study covering 150 countries.

By 2050, sodium-ion batteries with fast learning rates could deliver storage at 11–14 €/MWh – cheaper than lithium-ion at 16–22 €/MWh – while also offering higher energy-to-power ratios and high cycle durability, a new research finds.

New UNSW research found that about 20% of solar modules in large PV plants degrade much faster than expected. They recommend holistic strategies such as robust materials, advanced designs, and proactive monitoring to decouple degradation pathways and prevent cascading failures.