Author
Blathnaid O’Dea
Blathnaid is Features Editor with pv magazine Global. Prior to joining the team in 2024, she specialized in writing feature-length articles about STEM careers. She also covered news, including some of Ireland’s renewable energy announcements over the past few years.
Advertisement
Articles written by Blathnaid O’Dea
Socket to the sun
Ten states in the United States have passed laws permitting plug-in solar, with more to follow imminently. Low-income households, renters and temporary workers under pressure from high electricity bills are welcoming plug-in solar as a low-cost, portable and convenient solution. Precise business models have yet to emerge and there are technical and regulatory teething problems to address, as industry figures tell pv magazine.
Sep 11, 2026
Ireland’s leap of faith to power data centers
Under Ireland’s Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP), 10 MW-plus data centers must provide at least 80% of their energy demand through new onsite renewable energy generation and storage. But whether data centers can meaningfully contribute to Ireland’s decarbonization depends on the success of its grid buildout, reports Blathnaid O’Dea.
Chile’s hybrid heroics
In 2024, Chile passed a law incentivizing battery development paired with utility-scale solar. This move quickly led to a flood of big battery project announcements, as the capacity payments model combined with arbitrage revenue means hybrid solar and storage is very profitable. By the end of 2026, Chile is expected to surpass 6 GW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) capacity.
Advertisement
Ireland’s PV capacity reaches 3 GW
“With continued investment in solar – across homes, farms, businesses and large grid-scale projects – Ireland is building a growing source of homegrown, clean electricity, and strengthening our energy security,” said Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien following the milestone.
Ireland’s sixth renewables auction puts solar to the test under new NZIA rules
The results of Ireland’s sixth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 6) are due to be announced on December 2. Leanne Donovan, Solar Ireland’s policy manager, told pv magazine that “cost competitiveness will remain the dominant factor” even with the new pricing framework.
Irish electricity generation by grid-scale PV up 51% in 2025
Grid-scale solar farms generated 1.1 GWh of electricity in 2025, 4% of the total and a 51% increase compared with 2024. Electricity storage output from pumped hydro and batteries contributed a small share. Coal fired power plant generation, meanwhile, decreased its share by 52% from 2024.
Advertisement
Students steer solar-powered racing cars to glory in American Solar Challenge
Following months of hard work on their solar cars, the winners of the Electrek American Solar Challenge 2026 were honored at a special awards ceremony held in Amarillo. Tesla is a long-time sponsor of the event, which is open to engineering students globally.
Advertisement