Articles written by Pilar Sánchez Molina

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Markets & Policy
Spanish region announce tax on ground mounted PV The Spanish region of Castilla y León plans to extend its environmental impact tax to ground-mounted solar installations from 2027. Spanish solar association UNEF has criticised the proposal, arguing that PV projects already face multiple taxes and that the new levy lacks environmental justification.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 22, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Safety by design: PCS Considerations in mixed PV and battery energy storage systems Integrating PV and BESS equipment from different manufacturers provides deployment flexibility, but safe system operation requires designers to properly evaluate power control system (PCS) capabilities and account for independently operating energy sources.
Vahe Hayrapetyan
Oct 21, 2026
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Research & Development
Holosolis secures EU Innovation Fund support for 5 GW solar factory The funding is part of a €3.4 billion ($3.98 billion) EU initiative supporting 77 clean-tech projects, including heat pump and battery manufacturing facilities across Europe.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 20, 2026
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Cybersecurity
Markets & Policy
Germany recommends eliminating direct internet access to PV plant control systems Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) recommends eliminating direct internet access to PV plant control systems to reduce cybersecurity risks. It also calls for secure remote connections, multifactor authentication, regular software updates and periodic security checks.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 16, 2026
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Applications & Installations
Solaria plans 500 MW data center project powered by 350 MW of solar in Uruguay Solaria plans to invest $5.7 billion in a data center technology park in Uruguay, including 500 MW of data center capacity and 350 MW of solar PV. The government says it is the largest foreign investment ever announced in the country.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 15, 2026
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Research & Development
Study reveals up to 15% gap between expected and actual bifacial gains in utility-scale PV Researchers in Spain have found that the effective bifaciality of solar modules in utility-scale PV plants can be up to 15% lower than their nominal rating. Based on two years of operational data from a 50 MWp solar plant in Spain, with findings validated across four additional installations in Spain and the United Kingdom, the study highlights the influence of irradiance, temperature, mounting geometry and operating conditions on rear-side power generation.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 14, 2026
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Markets & Policy
European PPA prices rise 5% in September European PPA prices rose 5% in September, driven by higher forward electricity and gas prices, while Spain and Portugal recorded declines. Contracting activity rebounded, with 25 deals totaling 1.2 GW, alongside growing interest in hybrid PPAs and battery storage agreements.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 13, 2026
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Research & Development
Fraunhofer ISE demonstrates industrial heat pumps capable of producing steam at 160 C Fraunhofer ISE has demonstrated that high-temperature heat pumps can supply industrial process steam at up to 160 C and operate effectively in district heating networks. The research highlights the importance of system design, hydraulic integration and operating strategies for ensuring efficiency and reliability under real-world conditions.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 09, 2026
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Technology & Products
Spanish researchers reduce losses in organic solar cells by restricting emission angle Spanish researchers have developed an optical cavity that reduces Boltzmann losses in organic solar cells by restricting photon emission angles. The approach could help push single-junction solar cell efficiencies beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit.
Pilar Sánchez Molina
Oct 09, 2026