Pii Energy unveils plug-in 1.2 kW solar, 2 kWh home system
US-based Pii Energy has launched a plug-in solar-plus-storage kit designed for renters and apartment residents, priced at about USD 2,400.
UK brings forward CfD auction, backs balcony solar in Middle East response
Energy Minister confirms plan to accelerate renewables deployment including support for residential solar in response to conflict in Iran. Summer contracts for difference (CfD) auction quickly follows record allocation round for solar in February 2026.
Ukraine prioritizes solar-plus-storage in renewables auctions
Newly-implemented rules governing Ukraine’s energy market introduce solar-plus-storage systems as a separate auction category, ease regulatory barriers governing standalone storage projects and establish processes for renewable energy facilities located in Ukraine’s occupied territories.
Austria could harness 90 TWh of agrivoltaics using 5–16% of cropland
Austrian researchers conducted a techno-economic analysis of agrivoltaic systems and found that 5%–16% of the country’s cropland would be required to meet its solar electricity targets.
New framework promises unprecedented level of cybersecurity for SCADA systems
An international research team developed CyberSentry, a software framework using advanced deep learning and optimization techniques to enhance cybersecurity in SCADA systems for power plants and critical infrastructure. It combines feature selection, hybrid anomaly detection, and dynamic parameter tuning to detect diverse cyberattacks with 99.5% accuracy while minimizing false alarms.
Australia-backed rooftop solar to power remote Samoan communities
An Australia-supported project will install rooftop solar, batteries and a minigrid upgrade for remote communities in Samoa currently reliant on diesel, kerosene and wood.
Nanostructured silicon could push solar cells beyond Shockley–Queisser limit
The LEEMONS project is researching nanostructured silicon that uses low-energy electron multiplication (LEEM) to allow one high-energy photon to generate multiple electrons, reducing energy losses in solar cells. By creating ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers inside crystalline silicon via ion implantation, the scientists aim to boost solar cell efficiency beyond the Shockley–Queisser limit while keeping compatibility with existing manufacturing methods.
Waaree Energies begins construction of 10 GW ingot, wafer plant in India
Waaree Energies has started building a 10 GW solar ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in the Indian state of Maharashtra, aimed at strengthening the nation’s upstream solar supply chain.
Lessons from the solar frontier
Utility-scale solar projects are larger, interconnections are slower, and engineering decisions must anticipate regulation and supply chains years in advance. At the CT Solar Platform in Snyder, Texas – a 1.6 GW AC single-site development – the first phase, CT Solar One (110 MW AC), has served as a test bed for integrating civil design, BOS optimization and domestic-content strategy. Levona Renewables led the development and engineering of the project, and CEO Fernando Queiroz shares key lessons.
The Hydrogen Stream: Atome secures $420 million debt for Paraguay plant
Atome says it has secured a $420 million debt package for a $650 million low-carbon fertilizer project in Paraguay producing 260,000 metric tons (MT) per year, while Asahi Kasei says it has begun installing a 1 MW-class electrolyzer at Finland’s first commercial hydrogen refueling station.
