Work underway on ‘river’ heat pump complex in Massachusetts
The U.S’ largest district energy provider has started building a 35 MW heat pump complex in Massachusetts that will replace a natural gas boiler. The system will harness heat from the Charles River to produce carbon-free steam.
IFC plans investment in 97 Nigerian minigrids
International Finance Corp. (IFC) plans up to $16 million in financing for Nigerian developer Virtuitis to build and operate 97 solar minigrids, connecting more than 140,000 off-grid consumers by 2027.
Spanish start-up Bihar Batteries to commercialize sodium-ion batteries in 2026
The company has produced its first sodium-ion battery prototype and, in collaboration with Spanish research institute CIC energiGUNE, developed sodium-ion cell prototypes that have shown “very promising results.”
Australia’s Solar Sharer scheme could weaken case for batteries, says Rystad
Independent energy research firm Rystad Energy released analysis of Australia’s Solar Sharer scheme, which will give households three free hours of electricity in the middle of the day starting in July 2026.
Short circuit in cable causes fire at Taiwanese floating PV plant
Project contractor United Renewable Energy Engineering says 10 MW of the 192 MW site was preventatively shut down during the incident, which around 30 meters of cable line being damaged. The fire was brought under control within an hour, with the company anticipating no lasting damage to the surrounding area.
How to reduce PV module temperature with frame perforations
Scientists in China have investigated how frame perforations can help reduce the operational temperatures of solar modules through air cooling. Their findings show that the number of perforations must be carefully calibrated, and that more is not necessarily better.
Alfa Laval launches once-through steam generator for thermal storage
The Swedish company stated that its new product was designed for use in compact, molten salt energy storage applications, eventually in combination with PV power. In its standard configuration, it can reportedly withstand temperatures up to 400 C and pressures up to 60 bar.
Mexico leads Latin American countries in global silver production
Commodity Trading Club (CTC) says Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina together supply more than half the world’s silver output, a cornerstone metal for solar and clean-tech industries.
Forschungszentrum Jülich achieves world record 23.08% efficiency for copper-metallized heterojunction solar cell
The cell reportedly exhibits only a 0.4% efficiency loss compared to a reference device that underwent full silver metallization.
US study outlines gains and risks in agrivoltaic solar development
A new National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report says Massachusetts’ solar-on-farmland policy framework offers lessons for developers navigating both opportunity and regulatory complexity.
