Magazine Archive 05 – 2025

As grid operators struggle to secure enough flexibility to accommodate more renewable energy, Sweden has an eye on home heating as a potential solution. pv magazine caught up with Caroline Haglund Stignor, from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Heat Pump Centre, to find out more.

Like solar panels, drones have become cheaper and more sophisticated – fast. ‘Drone-in-a-box’ operations offer PV project owners the option of having a resident drone on site, heralding a new era of automated utility-scale solar operations and maintenance (O&M).

The pv magazine Awards recognize excellence across the solar and energy storage supply chains, showcasing outstanding products and projects to a global audience. Entries are now open for the pv magazine Awards 2025 and we’ve already received some great submissions across all categories. Winners will be selected by a panel of expert jurors and announced in December 2025. Until then, we’ll be highlighting some of the quality entries vying for victory across seven categories.

While solar manufacturers may wish for stable module prices, numerous forces continue to shape the market. Philippe Macé, chief operating officer of the Becquerel Institute, presents findings from the Belgium-based consultancy’s most recent pricing report.

European solar manufacturers are struggling against low-cost competition from Asia and a severely oversupplied market. Many are still pushing for revival, as Valerie Thompson reports.

Europe stands at a crossroads in its efforts to revive solar manufacturing, with the European Union’s Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) providing the necessary tools and the Clean Industrial Deal, alongside growing geopolitical awareness, driving momentum. Christoph Podewils, secretary-general of the European Solar Manufacturing Council, looks at how those policies can put Europe back in the game.

Academics from the United Kingdom and Africa are working with renewable energy companies to develop a sustainable perovskite manufacturing hub in central Africa, aiming to commercialize locally produced solar modules.

Researchers are gaining a clearer understanding of the impact of thermal cycling on perovskite solar cells. Antonio Abate, a researcher at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), provides insight into the impact of thermal stress, including defect formation and potential mitigation measures.

A new report by the University of Freiburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) suggests that aesthetically pleasing integration can increase the social acceptance of solar, particularly in historic buildings. Andreas Wessels of the Fraunhofer ISE presents the findings of an interdisciplinary study.