France plans 2.9 GW of PV tenders despite lower 2030 target
France’s new Multiannual Energy Program sets a 48 GW solar target for 2030 and outlines 2.9 GW of tenders through 2028, with industry saying the framework restores investment visibility and supports gigafactory plans.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: CNMIA reports flat solar cell, module prices
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) says wafer, cell and module prices remain stable, while industry operating rates are edging lower across leading and integrated manufacturers.
Risen Energy adds full liquid cooling to 131 kW/261 kWh C&I storage unit
Risen Energy says its new 131 kW/261 kWh commercial storage unit uses silicon carbide and full liquid cooling to improve efficiency, maintain output in hot conditions, and speed up installation.
‘Women need to own their path, because growth comes from skills, not labels’
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Iualia Meirosu, Group CFO & Board Member at Romania’s Enexus. She says that Romania’s renewable energy sector is no longer just for engineers – it’s a space where women and men can thrive across operations, finance, strategy, and project management.
Hot, dry start to 2026 lifts Australian PV, despite fires and monsoon losses
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that most of Australia experienced above-average solar irradiance in January 2026 due to a hot, dry airmass and clear skies, boosting PV generation despite operational challenges from elevated temperatures, bushfire smoke, and dust. In contrast, northern Queensland and far northern regions saw significant irradiance deficits from persistent monsoonal clouds and Tropical Cyclone Koji, causing widespread rainfall and localized power outages.
World’s fastest supercomputers probing future of sodium-ion batteries
Japanese researchers used supercomputer simulations to reveal how sodium ions form clusters and move within hard carbon anodes, identifying nanopore sizes and transition regions that control diffusion and rate performance in sodium-ion batteries. Their findings offer design guidelines for optimizing hard-carbon anodes to improve energy density, cycling, and commercialization prospects.
Can sodium-ion beat Li-ion in portable power? Bluetti Pioneer Na gives it a try
The world of batteries needs alternative chemistries to skirt weaknesses with lithium-ion. Sodium-ion is a big hope, and in portable power, Bluetti’s new product shows promise, and limitations.
Longi builds 27.25%-efficient back-contact solar cells with high-resistivity wafers
High-resistivity silicon wafers offer superior efficiency potential but are highly sensitive to edge recombination and mechanical damage, limiting their commercial use compared to more robust standard wafers. Researchers from Longi and Sun Yat-sen University demonstrated that integrating in-situ edge passivation unlocks this potential, significantly boosting back-contact solar cell fill factor and efficiency.
Private 660 MWh solar-storage project closes financing in South Africa
Naos‑1 is described as South Africa’s biggest private utility‑scale solar and battery storage project, designed to wheel power to industrial customers.
Germany awards 2.32 GW in large-scale PV tender
Germany’s latest tender for large-scale PV project concluded with an average final price of €0.0500 ($0.0593)/kWh. The procurement exercise was largely oversubscribed.
