NexWafe, Talon PV sign 7 GW solar wafer supply agreement
Under the terms of the deal, Germany’s NexWafe will supply its ultrathin solar wafers to Talon PV’s planned 4.8 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing plant in Texas. Initial qualification work will take place at a pilot production line at Fraunhofer ISE’s Photovoltaic Technology Evaluation Center.
Samsung HVAC unveils inverter-driven residential heat pumps for cold climates
The US-based heating solutions provider said its Hylex inverter-driven heat pump offers 2–5 ton capacity, high efficiency, Wi-Fi control, and reliable cold-climate performance down to –25 C.
New Zealand selects 32 farms for solar and battery trial
New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has selected 32 agricultural businesses for its Solar on Farms program to test solar and battery systems across key sectors.
India adds 7.8 GW of open-access solar in 2025
India installed 7.8 GW of open-access (off-site C&I) solar in 2025, pushing cumulative capacity past 30 GW by year-end, according to Mercom India.
Agrivoltaics for regenerative agriculture
U.S. researchers are testing regenerative agrivoltaics at a farm in Southern California, combining solar panels with soil-restoring practices like composting, cover cropping, and no-till farming to enhance crop yields, soil health, and water-use efficiency. The pilot evaluates technical, ecological, and economic viability while exploring how this land-sharing approach can optimize food and energy production, reduce irrigation needs, and inform larger-scale deployment and policy frameworks.
South Africa adds 1.6 GW of solar in 2025
South Africa’s cumulative solar capacity likely exceeded 10 GW by the end of last year, according to analysis from the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association.
Rethinking solar and storage ROI: Beyond old efficiency assumptions
Legacy solar models focused on daytime production, but the shift to battery-driven self-consumption is creating a performance gap that puts long-term ROI at risk.
How to detect PV system underperformance using only AC-side inverter data
An Australian research team has developed a five-step, rule-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. Validated across more than 1,000 systems, the approach offers a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving reliability, fault response, and PV system performance.
New single-diode model tackles recombination losses in solar cells
UNSW researchers have developed an intrinsic-adjusted single-diode model that explicitly accounts for radiative and Auger recombination, improving I–V curve accuracy and reducing root mean square error by up to a factor of three. The model is claimed to better predict performance near open-circuit voltage and maximum power point.
Japanese utility launches residential battery demand response pilot
Kyushu Electric Power Co. will begin a demonstration project on March 1 using remotely controlled home batteries supplied by Sharp Energy Solutions to ease solar curtailment in southern Japan.
