Solar on canals reduces water evaporation by 70% and algae growth by 85%
The 1.6 MW Nexus pilot project in California has demonstrated that solar panels installed over irrigation canals can significantly reduce water evaporation and algae growth by 85%, while also showing operational efficiency.
Madagascar plans 46 solar projects totaling 932 MW
Madagascar’s state-owned utility Jirama and the country’s rural electrification development agency have signed 46 memoranda of understanding for new solar projects with a combined capacity totalling 932 MW.
China Datang brings online 500 MW solar farm for direct data center supply
The project is integrated into a larger 2 GW first-phase build-out combining solar, wind, and storage, and uses dedicated transmission lines plus market trading to match renewable supply with data center demand.
Japan reopens NEDO perovskite solar call with single-junction focus
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has opened a supplementary call for proposals on mass production of next-generation single-junction perovskite solar cells, with submissions due by June 3.
Study finds ‘relatively good’ agreement in worldwide solar cell calibrations, but flags key differences in testing methods
An interlaboratory comparison across nine metrology institutes found generally good agreement in solar cell calibration under the World Photovoltaic Scale, but still revealed measurable differences in short-circuit current, voltage, and power due to varying methods and conditions.
Free market, curtailment, and storage reshaping Brazilian solar sector
Brazil’s solar sector is entering a new phase marked by curtailment, grid constraints, and regulatory shifts, with growth increasingly tied to new business models and market dynamics. Industry leaders say storage will be central to this transition, enabling system integration, mitigating risks, and unlocking future demand.
French IPP building mini solar farms via low-voltage extension
Solvéo Energies has expanded its Bélesta-en-Lauragais solar plant to 3 MW with a new 300 kW unit, using a decentralized low-voltage “mini solar field” design.
The model enables faster permitting and grid connection while minimizing land use, despite slightly higher upfront costs.
The best performing utility-scale PV asset in Australia
The 204 MW Edenvale Solar Park in Queensland’s Western Downs region has been identified by energy consultancy Rystad Energy as the best performing large-scale PV asset in Australia last month.
Batteries: The game has changed – and it’s not what you think
A single benchmark no longer exists. In some cases, charging speed is what matters; in others, it is energy density, and in still others, cost and scalability. In other words, the battery is ceasing to be a simple component. It is becoming the transversal energy infrastructure of the next industrial cycle. And those who can control not only the technology but also production, integration, and the grid will have an advantage that will be difficult to recover.
Solar inverters can detect cyberattacks but no one sees the signal
A King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) researcher whose lab has demonstrated up to 100% accuracy using a single hardware counter tells pv magazine that firmware-level detection of inverter attacks is technically viable – but today’s communication standards do not transmit the firmware‑integrity signal to operators.
