Early Solar forecast: First half 2026 solar outlook
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that early 2026 will bring mixed solar conditions globally, with strong prospects in eastern Australia and eastern China, but cloudier-than-normal outlooks for much of Europe, Asia, and parts of the US early in the year.
UK solar on track for record CfD deployment in 2026
Total number of UK PV plants backed by contracts for difference (CfD) could more than double in 2026, if developers hit deadlines. Latest investment report from scheme contract company reveals solar holds the greatest number of contracts of any generating technology.
US market on course to hit 737.8 GW of solar by 2035
GlobalData’s latest analysis says the U.S. will add between 41 GW and 52 GW of solar annually until 2035.
Nepal issues tender for rural solar home system monitoring
Nepal’s Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) is searching for a consultant to undertake monitoring and quality assurance of rural renewable energy installations, including solar home systems. The deadline for expressions of interest is Jan. 14, 2026.
New digital twin for floating PV application uses artificial intelligence
Scientists have developed a floating PV digital twin system, trained on data from 155 physical experiments, using a two-tier artificial neural network (ANN) with a high-fidelity model and a reduced-order model. Predictive performance reached R2 values of 0.9996 for PV surface temperature and 0.9189 for power output.
Bangladesh seeking contractors for 220 MW solar project
Electricity Generation Co. of Bangladesh (EGCB) has issued a procurement notice for a forthcoming 220 MW solar project near its existing 75 MW Sonagazi facility. Once completed, the installation will be the country’s largest solar plant to date.
UK research calls for robust approach to rooftop solar fire safety
Research commissioned by the UK government finds rooftop solar panels can significantly influence fire behavior, particularly when the height gap between modules and the roof surface falls below critical limits.
Flexible front cover tested for glass-free CIGS devices
Researchers in Japan have developed an effective encapsulation with a PET front cover for copper indium gallium diselenide mini-modules. The lab devices withstood damp heat tests, retaining approximately 97 % of initial efficiency after 3,600 h.
China powers up world’s largest liquid air storage project
The 60 MW/600 MWh storage project is co-located with a 250 MW photovoltaic plant allowing for a high level of green energy self sufficiency.
Growing agri-PV tomatoes while producing hydrogen for smart windows
Scientists have simulated a residential building based on a real double-story house in the United Kingdom, combining rooftop agrivoltaics with onsite hydrogen production. Electricity generated by the solar system is used to produce hydrogen, which is then supplied to a hydrogen vehicle and insulated gasochromic smart windows.
