Articles written by Mark Hutchins

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Markets & Policy
The Iberian BESS paradox On a Monday in April 2025, 60 million people across Spain and Portugal lost power. The blackout was no minor technical accident, and it exposed the Achilles’ heel of the Iberian energy transition. The system collapsed because it lacked sufficient storage, because synchronous generators were being displaced, and because the interconnection with France remains a bottleneck.
João Correia
Jul 24, 2026
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Markets & Policy
New rules for Poland’s grid Poland’s amended Energy Act – sometimes known as the Grid Act – came into force on April 30, 2026, introducing significant changes for grid connections to generation and storage. Poland’s Ministry of Energy estimates that the new regulations could unlock the potential to connect around 150 GW of new renewables and storage capacity. New possibilities for cable pooling have been welcomed, but asset owners also face a greater financial commitment when connections are issued and implemented. Energy law expert Piotr Mrowiec outlines the new rules and provisions.
Piotri Mrowiec
Jul 23, 2026
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Markets & Policy
Flexibility as an asset The Iberian Peninsula is emerging as a key test case for hybrid PV and battery storage, driven less by inherent project attractiveness and more by mounting pressure on standalone solar. As merchant exposure, price cannibalization and curtailment risks intensify, co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming a tool to stabilize revenues rather than unlock upside. In this context, aggregator contracts are evolving toward more flexible, merchant-driven structures. Everoze Partner Ana Bamonde explores this shift and what it means for the structuring, financing and operation of hybrid assets in Iberia.
Ana Bamonde
Jul 22, 2026
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Technology & Products
Scaling sodium storage Chinese battery integrator HyperStrong has signed a deal with CATL for 60 GWh of sodium-ion battery cells to be supplied over three years. This represents the biggest deal seen yet for the emerging battery technology. pv magazine caught up with HyperStrong Chairman and CEO Jianhui Zhang to discuss the company’s plans for implementation of sodium-ion battery systems.
Mark Hutchins
Jul 21, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Holistic approach wins for agrivoltaics There is growing interest across many regions in integrating solar installations into land already being used for agriculture. Lessons learned from early projects in both livestock and crop farming are stacking up. While best practices are emerging, it’s clear that each project requires an individual approach. pv magazine spoke with Jake Morin, chief product officer at Nextpower, about the state of the art in agrivoltaics.
Mark Hutchins
Jul 17, 2026
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Technology & Products
The swiftest route to scale US tandem cell startup Swift Solar acquired an extensive set of intellectual property earlier this year related to heterojunction (HJT) solar cell production from now-defunct manufacturer Meyer Burger. It is also now working with some of the experts who were key to developing the technology. pv magazine spoke with Swift Solar CEO Joel Jean and former Meyer Burger CEO Gunter Erfurt about the company’s plans to apply its newly acquired knowledge to manufacturing in the United States.
Mark Hutchins
Jul 16, 2026
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Markets & Policy
Avoiding IP issues Recent disputes involving tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell technology illustrate how patent enforcement can shape manufacturing strategy, constrain technology adoption, and create downstream ripples. Solar cell technology provides a useful lens for understanding how intellectual property (IP) risk operates across the US solar industry, as Isaku Begert, an associate at Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, explains.
Isaku Begert
Jul 14, 2026
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Large industrial polysilicon facility in Oman.
Markets & Policy
United Solar completes $1.6 billion raise for Oman polysilicon factory United Solar announced financial close on a $50 million equity investment from the International Finance Corporation. With this, the company says it has completed the $1.6 billion funding for the polysilicon factory it is currently working to bring online in Oman’s Sohar Free Zone.
Mark Hutchins
Jul 13, 2026
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Technology & Products
Spain targets wafer production Spain-based Sunwafe is planning a 20 GW ingot and wafer factory. The project is progressing quickly, with a site secured in northern Spain and a €200 million ($232.6 million) grant, newly appointed CEO Michael Pinto tells pv magazine.
Mark Hutchins
Jul 13, 2026