Articles written by Ryan Kennedy

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The Tandem PV demonstration module under test conditions
Tandem PV announces 30.4% efficient perovskite/silicon demonstration module The 100 cm² mini-module, featuring the company’s proprietary 4-terminal perovskite glass layer atop a high-efficiency Maxeon IBC silicon solar cell, is now in third-party certification. Company CEO Scott Wharton says the breakthrough paves the way for full-size modules that hit 28% efficiency later this year, aimed at the utility-scale market.
Ben Zientara
Jun 01, 2026
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Mapa de la ACP de Estados Unidos que muestra instalaciones de fabricación de energía limpia actuales y previstas.
The U.S. will have more than 950 clean energy manufacturing facilities by 2030: report A report from the American Clean Power Association says 825 existing clean energy manufacturing facilities currently support more than 215,000 American jobs at wages 35% higher than the average, contributing $31 billion to the U.S. GDP annually. The number of jobs is expected to grow to 374,000 by 2030.
Ben Zientara
Jun 01, 2026
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Lessons from the solar frontier Utility-scale solar projects are larger, interconnections are slower, and engineering decisions must anticipate regulation and supply chains years in advance. At the CT Solar Platform in Snyder, Texas – a 1.6 GW AC single-site development – the first phase, CT Solar One (110 MW AC), has been a test bed for integrating civil design, BOS optimization and domestic-content strategy. Levona Renewables led the development and engineering of the project and CEO Fernando Queiroz shares some key lessons.
Fernando Queiroz
May 30, 2026
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ContourGlobal inaugurates Chilean hybrid plant with 231 MW of solar and 200 MW/1.3 GWh BESS The Víctor Jara hybrid power plant in Tarapacá Region includes a battery storage system capable of delivering energy for 6.5 continuous hours after sunset. The project developer says the project is the longest-duration operational utility-scale BESS installation in Latin America.
Luis Ini
May 30, 2026
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U.S. International Trade Commission extends tariffs on Chinese and Taiwanese solar imports The federal agency decided to preserve existing antidumping and countervailing duties following a sunset review.
Ryan Kennedy
May 28, 2026
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A technician performs mechanical load testing on a solar module in the Kiwa PVEL testing laboratory
Kiwa PVEL’s 2026 solar module reliability scorecard reveals high failure rates amid incremental increases in performance For the first time in the independent testing laboratory’s 12-year history, no single module has achieved the coveted “top performer” rating in all tests, and a record 87% of manufacturers experienced at least one failure during testing.
Ben Zientara
May 28, 2026
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Paraguay launches first large-scale solar tender, marking historic shift in energy policy Paraguay has launched its first large-scale solar photovoltaic tender under Law No. 7599/2025, marking a key step in diversifying its electricity mix beyond hydropower. The 140 MW project, supported by the World Bank, includes grid connection via a 220 kV substation and opens the door to long-term renewable PPAs and future hybrid solar-plus-storage developments.
Luis Ini
May 27, 2026
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Colombia awards 1,546.9 MW of solar capacity in firm energy auction for 2029–2030 The Firm Energy Obligations (OEF) auction held in Colombia awarded 4,069.7 MW of new capacity scheduled to enter the system starting in December 2029. Solar PV accounted for 1,546.9 MW across 29 awarded projects, with individual plant capacities of up to 200 MW among the main beneficiaries.
Luis Ini
May 27, 2026
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Assessing Elon Musk’s massive 100 GW solar ambitions Elon Musk said SpaceX and Tesla teams are working separately to build 100 GW a year of solar manufacturing capacity in the United States, a process that he expects will take about three years. pv magazine USA’s Ben Zientara assesses the likelihood of these plans coming to fruition.
Ben Zientara
May 27, 2026