Articles written by Mark Hutchins

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Applications & Installations
Notes from the field Across Europe, North America and high-latitude regions in Asia, agricultural operators face rising energy demand, volatile markets and increasing dependence on electrically driven processes. So why isn’t agricultural solar more popular? Based on her observations on an alpine dairy farm in Austria, complemented by additional insights from other farms in the region, Austrian agriculture consultant Maria Weissenböck finds there is a gap in approaches. Farms tend to approach solar as a risk management decision rather than as an energy transition measure.
Maria Weissenböck
Jul 09, 2026
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Markets & Policy
Who maintains Europe’s orphaned rooftop solar? Europe added 65.1 GW of solar capacity in 2025. It also lost 40,000 solar jobs – the first workforce contraction in nearly a decade, according to SolarPower Europe. Behind those job losses is a wave of installer insolvencies that is creating a problem the industry has been slow to acknowledge: a growing population of residential solar systems with no warranty support, no maintenance provider, and no monitoring.
Ben Hayden
Jul 08, 2026
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Markets & Policy
US solar trade and residential market continues to tighten Following the recent Trump-Xi meeting, our industry checks suggest there is little indication that proposed Section 232 actions on polysilicon are at risk of being withdrawn. Most market participants continue to expect the policy framework to move forward, although potentially at a lower tariff rate than initially anticipated. Industry contacts generally do not believe solar-specific trade policy was meaningfully addressed during the summit, with broader anti-China trade positioning still expected to continue.
Jesse Pichel and Lev Seleznov
Jul 07, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Documenting risk PV projects rarely fail because of vision, permitting or demand issues. They fail because of missing proof. Documentation gaps are becoming a key source of financing and execution risk. Intertek CEA Chief operating officer Jeffrey Burkett sees a clear pattern across the market: technically sound and commercially viable projects are still unable to close financing. Not due to fundamental flaws, but because critical documentation was not built up along the way.
Jeffrey Burkett
Jul 06, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Time to talk electrification Switching energy-hungry industries to processes that run on electricity is a key step in many regional decarbonization strategies, and one that will also ensure growing demand for renewable energy sources. For many industries electrification is already underway, and as grids gear up to better manage variable generation and supply shocks, the vulnerability of fossil fuel supply chains makes the case more compelling.
Mark Hutchins
Jun 29, 2026
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Markets & Policy
Escaping the energy straitjacket Europe’s split grid infrastructure and lack of central planning mean it fails to use its renewables. It is stuck in volatile prices driven by reliance on imported fossil fuels. Treating the system as one network rather than separate national grids would unlock PV, storage and wind, says Christian Kjaer, executive director at Supergrid Europe.
Christian Kjaer
Jun 24, 2026
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Bernhard Suchland in an office, with a city background.
Applications & Installations
Grids, solar and BESS – Balancing the buildout Solar installations in Europe have begun to slow, as markets struggle with high levels of variable generation. Batteries and grid infrastructure need time to catch up, and Bernhard Suchland, CEO at energy infrastructure developer Sunotec, sees the need for a more integrated approach to developing energy systems and networks across Europe.
Mark Hutchins
Jun 23, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Nextpower to acquire Zimmermann PV Steel in $378 million transaction US company Nextpower has announced plans to acquire German PV mounting systems supplier Zimmermann PV Steel, in a transaction worth around €330 million ($378 million) in cash and stocks. The deal is subject to closing conditions and regulatory review, expected to close in fiscal 2027.
Mark Hutchins
Jun 22, 2026
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Markets & Policy
Polysilicon prices in a fragile balance China’s photovoltaic market has shown tentative signs of stabilization over the past month, following an extended period of sharp price declines across the supply chain. The China Mono Premium – OPIS’ assessment for mono-grade polysilicon used in n-type ingot production – remained unchanged for a fourth consecutive week at CNY 34.071 ($5)/kg, or CNY 0.072/W. Before this stabilization, the benchmark had declined continuously for several weeks beginning in late February, falling by more than 33% from end-February levels.
Summer Zhang
Jun 22, 2026