German rooftop PV tender undersubscribed as prices hold
Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) awarded 155 MW of rooftop PV capacity at an average of €0.0956 ($0.11)/kWh, leaving nearly half of the 283 MW tender volume unallocated.
EU energy regulator opens consultation into PPA market
The European Union Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) is running a public consultation on the evolution of the bloc’s power purchase agreement (PPA) market to identify existing initiatives and challenges.
Philippines accelerates grid entry for 1.28 GW of solar
The Department of Energy of the Philippines says it is fast tracking 12 solar projects for grid entry in April in response to changes in the global oil markets caused by conflict in the Middle East.
Italy, Spain set solar records in March
AleaSoft Energy Forecasting finds the weekly average electricity price fell across most major European markets last week as gas prices dropped. Solar energy production increased in southern Europe, helping Portugal and Spain to record their lowest daily average prices since 2024 and 2013 respectively.
Solar above 60° North: The Arctic as PV’s next frontier
An IEA-PVPS report finds that solar power above 60° North is not only viable but rapidly expanding, driven by cold-climate performance gains, bifacial technologies, and rising energy security needs. While challenges like extreme seasonality, snow, permafrost, and scarce data remain, Arctic PV is emerging as a critical—and technically distinct—frontier for global solar deployment.
Solar parks reshape soil biodiversity, plant traits
A study of 20 solar parks in southern France found that soil biodiversity and respiration drop significantly under panels, especially in mown areas, while plant traits like height and leaf area can increase under grazing. The researchers highlighted that climate, management type, and solar shading all shape soil and plant responses.
RayGen rolls out 1 MW ‘solar hydro’ power plant in Brazil
Australian solar and thermal energy storage company RayGen says it has achieved a major international milestone with the commissioning of a 1 MW integrated solar electricity and hydro energy storage plant in Brazil.
UNSW unveils new ageing method to assess TOPCon solar module degradation
UNSW researchers developed a chemically selective, nitrate-based, single-sided accelerated ageing method for TOPCon solar cells that replicates the mildly acidic environment inside EVA-encapsulated modules. The proposed approach enables rapid, physically meaningful screening of front-side metallisation stability, reliably predicting module-level degradation and reducing development time and costs, according to its creators.
Italy targets 16 GWh storage auction under MACSE scheme
Italy’s energy regulator ARERA has approved a proposal from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security to target 16 GWh of storage capacity in the 2029 MACSE auction, while urging caution on final volumes to reflect existing pipeline capacity.
Extensive testing validates reuse of 23-year-old second-life polycrystalline solar modules
Researchers in Brazil tested second-life polycrystalline PV modules for two years and found they retained 87–88% of their original power, with minimal degradation and stable performance. Despite strong sustainability and circular economy benefits, economic incentives remain limited due to the declining cost and short warranties of new state-of-the-art silicon PV modules.
