Gas-fired electricity two to three times costlier than renewable backups
A study by Forum Ökologisch‑Soziale Marktwirtschaft (FÖS), commissioned by Green Planet Energy, says electricity from gas plants could reach €0.67 ($0.78)/kWh, largely due to externalized costs, while renewable-based backups remain far cheaper.
Longi launches fire-resistant solar module for rooftop PV
The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, featuring back-contact technology and up to 24.8% efficiency. The company says the module adds enhanced fire-safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing.
Financial sponsors increasingly back European battery storage platforms
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are now an investable asset class, and infrastructure funds are acquiring developer platforms and financing large portfolios to accelerate deployment across Europe. Carlos Candil and Carlo de Haas of Lincoln International break down the trend
Involtics unveils GTSI single-phase hybrid inverter for homes
India-based Involtics has launched its GTSI series of single-phase hybrid inverters in 3 kW, 3.6 kW, 5 kW and 6 kW sizes for residential solar systems.
TOPCon solar modules show self-healing under UV stress
Researchers from Nanchang University and Trina Solar found that TOPCon solar modules exhibit metastable “degradation–recovery” under UV exposure, with light soaking fully restoring performance and no impact on real-world energy yield. Their findings highlight the need to refine UV testing standards to better reflect field performance and guide PV reliability assessments.
Australia fast-tracks solar ingot, wafer plant with ‘major project’ status
Plans to build Australia’s first large-scale silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Queensland have been put on the fast track by the federal government in a nod to the project’s potential to play a key role in supporting a domestic solar supply chain.
First attempt to build solar modules using polycarbonate encapsulant
Canadian researchers proposed a laminate-free solar module using polycarbonate instead of EVA and glass. The new encapsulation technique reportedly enables easy disassembly, reuse of solar cells, and open-source local manufacturing.
Chemical incidents halt Silfab Solar factory as US probe begins
South Carolina regulators and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are investigating Silfab Solar’s Fort Mill manufacturing plant after releases of potassium hydroxide and hydrofluoric acid within the same week.
Water-spray cooling can improve PV module efficiency by 28% in arid environments
An Algerian research team has developed a smart water-spray cooling system for PV panels that activates only when temperatures exceed a set threshold, boosting efficiency while minimizing water use in desert conditions. The system raised power output and reduced module temperatures, offering similar efficiency to continuous cooling but with far lower water consumption, pump operation, and costs.
Japan’s 27th solar auction concludes with average final price of $0.029/kWh
Japan has allocated 79 MW of PV capacity in its latest procurement exercise. The lowest price in the auction was JPY 0/kWh.
