Key takeaways from Solaire Expo Maroc
A pavilion dedicated to electric vehicles, a dominant Chinese presence and limited European representation shaped the solar trade show held Feb. 10 to 12 in Casablanca, Morocco. Local distributors warned of rising prices for Chinese solar equipment, while a booming commercial and industrial (C&I) segment, a nascent residential market, emerging storage demand and largely untapped solar potential underscored the sector’s direction.
French startup launches ‘universal’ home energy management system
PvPilot has introduced a home energy management system (HEMS) designed to be compatible with all major brands of solar equipment, targeting France’s fast-growing residential self-consumption market.
The prospects for ultra-high-temperature heat pumps
An international research team has reviewed emerging solid-state and gas-cycle heat pumps capable of reaching temperatures of up to 1,600 K, assessing their challenges, applications, scalability, and technology readiness levels. The researchers say these systems could outperform conventional high-temperature heating technologies by achieving coefficients of performance above 1.
Brazil targets 107 GW of solar by 2035 under energy plan
Brazil has opened consultations on its PDE 2035 energy plan, which projects 107 GW of solar by 2035 – including 78 GW of distributed generation – with battery storage reaching 7 GW, or 2% of the power mix.
South Africans are ‘off-gridding’
Research exploring off-grid practices in South Africa has defined three forms of off-gridding, with reasons for being off-grid varying depending on income background, in turn highlighting that decentralized energy transitions can reproduce existing inequalities.
Denmark deploys 1.55 GW of solar in 2025
Denmark had a record year for solar deployment last year, with new additions led by an uptick in ground-mounted, utility-scale solar. Cumulative capacity now stands at around 6.3 GW.
Hydrostor signs California offtake deal for 4 GWh compressed air storage
Hydrostor has secured a 50 MW/400 MWh offtake agreement with California Community Power (CC Power) for its Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, providing firm capacity to six of CC Power’s community choice aggregator members.
Optimal solar module row spacing for agrivoltaics across Europe
Researchers in Sweden developed a new methodology to optimize agrivoltaic systems across Europe, showing that row pitch, system type, and panel orientation must be tailored to local climate, crops, and regulatory constraints.
Hallett battery project reaches financial close in Australia
EnergyAustralia’s 50 MW/245 MWh Stage 1 Hallett battery energy storage system (BESS), co-located with a gas-fired power station, has reached financial close and is moving into the delivery phase.
New algorithm reduces solar module temperature during clipping, curtailment
UNSW researchers have developed a thermal-aware tracking algorithm that reduces solar module temperatures and UV exposure during inverter clipping and curtailment, slowing degradation without lowering AC output. Tested in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the strategy was found to lower module temperatures by up to 7.7 C.
