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Researchers use virtual reality to increase understanding of agrivoltaics

Research from Denmark finds using immersive virtual reality can help citizens understand the dual-use logic of agrivoltaics. Participants in the research evaluated agrivoltaics as greener, more innovative and at least as acceptable as conventional solar parks.
Patrick Jowett
30 minutes ago
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India adds 3 GW of open-access solar in Q2

India added a record 3 GW of open-access solar capacity in the second quarter of 2026, taking cumulative installations to 36 GW. First-half additions reached nearly 6 GW, up 42% year on year, driven by strong C&I demand and regulatory deadlines.
Uma Gupta
37 minutes ago
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Norway installs 43 MW of solar in January-July

As Norway’s cumulative solar capacity moves closer to 1 GW, the country’s C&I market accounts for the majority of new installations while its residential market stalls.
Patrick Jowett
3 hours ago
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Sponsored

Two years at 5,200 meters: POWEROAD BESS proven in extreme altitude

At 5,200 meters above sea level, where extreme weather, unstable grid conditions, and limited site access make energy reliability a constant challenge, POWEROAD has achieved more than 800 days of stable operation for its Everest Base Camp energy storage project.
POWEROAD
3 hours ago
View article

Italy’s CNR presents bifacial PV tile based on spectral splitting

Researchers at Italy’s CNR developed a four-terminal PV tile that uses spectral splitting to direct visible and infrared light to GaAs and bifacial silicon cells, respectively. Outdoor testing confirmed reduced self-shading and enhanced albedo collection, while highlighting opportunities to improve optical efficiency and advance the technology toward commercial applications.
Emiliano Bellini
4 hours ago

Opinion & Analysis

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‘Inclusion means judging ideas on their merits’

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Janine Wirth, Founder and Managing Director of Germany’s Ilanco GmbH. As a woman in a male-dominated, engineering-driven industry, she has faced questions about how she could develop a technical solution without the “expected” background. She argues that inclusion means judging ideas by their potential and results—not gender, credentials, or who is traditionally expected to solve the problem.
Women in Solar+ Europe
Aug 21, 2026
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Despite record U.S. heat in July, North American irradiance remains near average

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that, despite record-breaking U.S. heat, North America’s net solar irradiance in July 2026 remained near the long-term average, with 75% of the continent within 5% of normal. Wildfire smoke in the Pacific Northwest and isolated heavy rainfall in Texas and the Northeast suppressed solar resources, offsetting otherwise stronger-than-average conditions.
Solcast
Aug 21, 2026
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Brandschutz für Photovoltaik-Anlagen nahe Wäldern

How to protect solar assets from wildfires

The number of forest fires across Europe is rising. Countries in Central and Northern Europe are also increasingly affected. This article presents a range of preventive measures to protect photovoltaic systems from fire and reports on experiences in France.
Felix Hübner
Aug 21, 2026
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China TOPCon cell prices jump on firmer upstream sentiment and rising export demand

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
OPIS
Aug 21, 2026
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PV+ articles

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AC-Coupled vs. DC-Coupled

Growing applications for battery storage mean the optimal system design may not be the most obvious. Jakir Hossain and Mujtaba Abdelwahab of Storlytics Energy Storage present a simulation-based comparison of AC vs. DC coupling showing how realistic dispatch modeling rather than generic assumptions fundamentally changes BESS sizing, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcomes and architecture selection.
Jakir Hossain, Mujtaba Abdelwahab
Aug 22, 2026
View article

Solar powerhouse to storage leader

Chile is transforming in a bid to avoid becoming a victim of its own solar success. Developers have flooded the Atacama Desert with solar projects, turning Chile into a PV powerhouse but also drastically reducing revenues and driving some operators into bankruptcy. S&P Global Energy’s Ángel Cancino sees the country increasingly focusing on energy storage to rescue some of its overbuilt PV capacity.
Angel Cancino
Aug 21, 2026
View article

New materials in the frame

Solar cells, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, and virtually every PV module component have seen rapid changes and improvements over the past 10 years. During that time, module frames have seen relatively little innovation and remain a simple piece of formed aluminum. However, quality concerns, supply chain diversification, domestic content rules, and emissions reduction requirements have frame manufacturers eyeing alternative materials. And while aluminum isn’t going away, suppliers of steel and glass composite frames argue these materials come with various advantages.
Mark Hutchins
Aug 20, 2026
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India’s model solar villages

India’s installed solar capacity has surged from 7 GW in 2016 to more than 150 GW in 2026 – a more than twentyfold increase. Driven primarily by large-scale solar projects, this progress has transformed India’s electricity mix and shown its ability to deploy solar at scale and at competitive costs. The next phase of India’s solar journey may see increased deployment of distributed generation, bringing economic benefits to rural communities, according to Shantanu Roy of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy.
Shantanu Roy
Aug 19, 2026
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Solar’s infrastructure obstacle

During the development of a recent utility-scale project in Texas’ ERCOT grid interconnection zone, Levona Renewables CEO Fernando Queiroz found his team spending more time evaluating transmission infrastructure, interconnection requirements, equipment availability, and utility procurement processes than discussing solar modules – a striking realization affecting project developers in the United States and beyond.
Fernando Queiroz
Aug 18, 2026

Highlights

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Researchers use virtual reality to increase understanding of agrivoltaics

Research from Denmark finds using immersive virtual reality can help citizens understand the dual-use logic of agrivoltaics. Participants in the research evaluated agrivoltaics as greener, more innovative and at least as acceptable as conventional solar parks.
Patrick Jowett
30 minutes ago
View article

India adds 3 GW of open-access solar in Q2

India added a record 3 GW of open-access solar capacity in the second quarter of 2026, taking cumulative installations to 36 GW. First-half additions reached nearly 6 GW, up 42% year on year, driven by strong C&I demand and regulatory deadlines.
Uma Gupta
37 minutes ago
View article

Norway installs 43 MW of solar in January-July

As Norway’s cumulative solar capacity moves closer to 1 GW, the country’s C&I market accounts for the majority of new installations while its residential market stalls.
Patrick Jowett
3 hours ago
View article

European PPA prices rise 2.3% in July

European PPA prices rose 2.3% in July, with gains in Great Britain and Italy offset by declines in the Nordics, Spain and Portugal. Contracting remained active, with 24 PPAs totaling 1.1 GW and nine battery storage agreements representing 865 MW.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
5 hours ago
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Technology & Products

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New materials in the frame

Solar cells, encapsulants, glass, backsheets, and virtually every PV module component have seen rapid changes and improvements over the past 10 years. During that time, module frames have seen relatively little innovation and remain a simple piece of formed aluminum. However, quality concerns, supply chain diversification, domestic content rules, and emissions reduction requirements have frame manufacturers eyeing alternative materials. And while aluminum isn’t going away, suppliers of steel and glass composite frames argue these materials come with various advantages.
Mark Hutchins
Aug 20, 2026
View article

Korean scientists unveil 10 kW chemical adsorption heat pump prototype

Korean researchers have developed a 10 kW chemical adsorption heat pump that uses waste heat at around 40 C to provide cooling for buildings, factories and data centers. The prototype features a high-performance adsorption bed, an electrochemical compressor with no moving parts and ammonia as a natural refrigerant.
Emiliano Bellini
5 hours ago
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Ecoflow unveils 5 kWh residential battery line

EcoFlow starts the rollout of its new Stream series with the Stream 5000 launching in the UK.
Tristan Rayner
Aug 21, 2026
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Websol expands TOPCon module capacity, further reduces silver use

Websol Energy System is upgrading a 600 MW PERC cell line to 750 MW TOPCon, raising its total cell capacity to around 1.35 GW by March 2027.
Uma Gupta
Aug 21, 2026
View article

Kostal launches 25 kW battery inverter

Kostal’s Plenticore BI 25 is a 25 kW AC-coupled battery inverter for commercial and high-end residential systems, with three-phase backup power up to 25 kVA and peak efficiency of 98.3%. It supports three independent high-voltage battery connections and storage capacities from 5 kWh to 230 kWh.
Sandra Enkhardt
Aug 21, 2026
View article

Solar recycler flags certification gap, reuse market concerns

Brett Henderson, CEO of Solar Panel Recycling (SPR), speaks with pv magazine about certification standards, recovery economics, and argues that some reuse channels are effectively exporting solar waste overseas.
Brian Publicover
Aug 21, 2026
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BYD starts sales of 4.8 kW solar kits in Brazil

BYD has started selling 4.8 kWp solar kits through its 233 dealerships in Brazil, with packages covering equipment, installation, utility approval, and one year of insurance. The kits use eight 600 W modules manufactured at BYD’s Campinas facility and are available to consumers regardless of vehicle ownership.
Alessandra Neris
Aug 20, 2026
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Markets & Policy

See all
View article

Solar powerhouse to storage leader

Chile is transforming in a bid to avoid becoming a victim of its own solar success. Developers have flooded the Atacama Desert with solar projects, turning Chile into a PV powerhouse but also drastically reducing revenues and driving some operators into bankruptcy. S&P Global Energy’s Ángel Cancino sees the country increasingly focusing on energy storage to rescue some of its overbuilt PV capacity.
Angel Cancino
Aug 21, 2026
View article

Norway installs 43 MW of solar in January-July

As Norway’s cumulative solar capacity moves closer to 1 GW, the country’s C&I market accounts for the majority of new installations while its residential market stalls.
Patrick Jowett
3 hours ago
View article

European PPA prices rise 2.3% in July

European PPA prices rose 2.3% in July, with gains in Great Britain and Italy offset by declines in the Nordics, Spain and Portugal. Contracting remained active, with 24 PPAs totaling 1.1 GW and nine battery storage agreements representing 865 MW.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
5 hours ago
View article

India hits $0.068/kWh tariff in 4-hour peak renewable power tender

SECI has discovered a lowest tariff of INR 5.99 ($0.068)/kWh in its 1.5 GW tender for four-hour assured peak renewable power. Waaree Energies secured 700 MW, while NTPC REL and ACME Solar won 500 MW and 300 MW, respectively.
Uma Gupta
6 hours ago
View article

US updates foreign inverter ban to include wired devices

The FCC expanded its national security Covered List rules to explicitly target Ethernet-connected inverters while creating a compliance pathway for 45X-eligible domestic manufacturing.
Ryan Kennedy
6 hours ago

Applications & Installations

See all
View article

AC-Coupled vs. DC-Coupled

Growing applications for battery storage mean the optimal system design may not be the most obvious. Jakir Hossain and Mujtaba Abdelwahab of Storlytics Energy Storage present a simulation-based comparison of AC vs. DC coupling showing how realistic dispatch modeling rather than generic assumptions fundamentally changes BESS sizing, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcomes and architecture selection.
Jakir Hossain, Mujtaba Abdelwahab
Aug 22, 2026
View article

Researchers use virtual reality to increase understanding of agrivoltaics

Research from Denmark finds using immersive virtual reality can help citizens understand the dual-use logic of agrivoltaics. Participants in the research evaluated agrivoltaics as greener, more innovative and at least as acceptable as conventional solar parks.
Patrick Jowett
30 minutes ago
View article

India adds 3 GW of open-access solar in Q2

India added a record 3 GW of open-access solar capacity in the second quarter of 2026, taking cumulative installations to 36 GW. First-half additions reached nearly 6 GW, up 42% year on year, driven by strong C&I demand and regulatory deadlines.
Uma Gupta
37 minutes ago
View article
Sponsored

Two years at 5,200 meters: POWEROAD BESS proven in extreme altitude

At 5,200 meters above sea level, where extreme weather, unstable grid conditions, and limited site access make energy reliability a constant challenge, POWEROAD has achieved more than 800 days of stable operation for its Everest Base Camp energy storage project.
POWEROAD
3 hours ago
View article

Quinbrook advances plans for polysilicon factory in Australia

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ plans to build a polysilicon plant in Queensland to supply solar panel manufacturers have taken another step forward following the recent signing of an agreement with the local government authority.
David Carroll
6 hours ago
View article

Utility-scale projects drive New Zealand’s solar rollout

New Zealand enjoyed a record year for solar additions in 2025, buoyed by the commissioning of seven utility-scale plants. An additional 930 MW of solar is due to come online over the next three years.
Patrick Jowett
Aug 21, 2026
View article
Brandschutz für Photovoltaik-Anlagen nahe Wäldern

How to protect solar assets from wildfires

The number of forest fires across Europe is rising. Countries in Central and Northern Europe are also increasingly affected. This article presents a range of preventive measures to protect photovoltaic systems from fire and reports on experiences in France.
Felix Hübner
Aug 21, 2026
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Research & Development

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The silicon recycling loop remains open

Retrieving silicon from end-of-life PV modules for reuse in solar applications relies heavily on small improvements. As scientists continue to chase that decimal point, AI and robotic labs might beat them to the goal.
Lior Kahana
Jul 20, 2026
View article

Researchers use virtual reality to increase understanding of agrivoltaics

Research from Denmark finds using immersive virtual reality can help citizens understand the dual-use logic of agrivoltaics. Participants in the research evaluated agrivoltaics as greener, more innovative and at least as acceptable as conventional solar parks.
Patrick Jowett
30 minutes ago
View article

Italy’s CNR presents bifacial PV tile based on spectral splitting

Researchers at Italy’s CNR developed a four-terminal PV tile that uses spectral splitting to direct visible and infrared light to GaAs and bifacial silicon cells, respectively. Outdoor testing confirmed reduced self-shading and enhanced albedo collection, while highlighting opportunities to improve optical efficiency and advance the technology toward commercial applications.
Emiliano Bellini
4 hours ago
View article

Silicon dioxide coating boosts PV module light transmission, thermal performance

An international research team developed a porous silicon dioxide coating for PV cover glass that combines anti-reflection with passive radiative cooling, increasing solar transmittance while enhancing mid-infrared emissivity. The coating achieved 91.0% solar transmittance and 90% emissivity, with the researchers now planning module-level outdoor testing and studies of large-area scalability and durability.
Lior Kahana
Aug 21, 2026
View article

Air bubbles boost cooling and hydrogen production in photovoltaic-thermal system

Researchers in India developed a PVT-hydrogen system using air-bubble injection to improve cooling, thermal and electrical efficiency, and hydrogen production. Tested outdoors in Tamil Nadu, the system achieved a peak thermal efficiency of 45.5% and hydrogen production of 15.5 ml/min.
Lior Kahana
Aug 21, 2026

Sponsored Content

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View article
Sponsored

Two years at 5,200 meters: POWEROAD BESS proven in extreme altitude

At 5,200 meters above sea level, where extreme weather, unstable grid conditions, and limited site access make energy reliability a constant challenge, POWEROAD has achieved more than 800 days of stable operation for its Everest Base Camp energy storage project.
POWEROAD
3 hours ago
View article
Sponsored

CAB® Solar highlights solar cable hanger solutions for agricultural projects

At The smarter E 2026 in Munich, the company demonstrated its ModulAir® free-air cable hangers for solar projects, as well as its latest 3D locking hangers, which are designed to secure electric cables when used in locations with livestock.
CAB Solar
Jul 29, 2026
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New Tongwei modules boost bifaciality toward 90%

The company showcased its new TNC 3.0 module series and BIFIMAX variants at The smarter E 2026, demonstrating high performance in low-light scenarios.
Tongwei
Jul 28, 2026
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Sponsored

HyperStrong introduces C&I energy storage solutions at The smarter E 2026

The company emphasizes that its innovative configuration – splitting the standard 20-foot container in two – addresses weight and transportation issues common to traditional energy storage solutions.
HyperStrong
Jul 27, 2026
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