PV industry

Despite debates in some parts of the world, we can expect environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) regulation to continue making headlines in 2025. Everoze Partner Ragna Schmidt-Haupt demystifies the key sustainability risks and opportunities for solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects.

Following the indictment of its chairman, Gautam Adani, in the United States over bribery allegations, questions are being asked about Adani Group’s ability to raise capital. With the charges related to solar, India’s PV industry has wider concerns. Adani Group refutes the allegations and says it is as robust as ever.

Maxeon Solar Technologies and Tongwei have settled a global patent dispute over shingled solar cell and module technologies, ending litigation initiated by Maxeon in Germany in 2023.

The PV industry is embracing artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) techniques to automate operations and maintenance (O&M) diagnostics and predictive analytics in PV systems. More transparency and standard definitions are needed, however, as US-based Sandia Labs scientists Joshua Stein and Marios Theristis explain.

Lawyers are doing brisk business as tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar technology moves into the mainstream. A series of patent infringement cases have been launched in the United States and Europe and their impacts are reverberating through the marketplace. How likely is it that winners will emerge?

Energy storage is the new solar for an increasing number of Chinese PV manufacturers. However, China still requires enabling policies for storage to provide the end-market volumes needed to bolster the fortunes of manufacturers old and new.

The Chinese module manufacturer announced the first shipments of its new ASTRO N7s ZBB-TF modules to Europe. The product has a power output of up to 460 W and a temperature coefficient of -0.29% per C.

The production of PV ingots and wafers remains the most highly concentrated of all the production stages in the silicon solar supply chain. Yet efforts to re-establish production in Europe and the United States are not for the faint-hearted.

Portable solar generators are making their way from the fringes of solar and energy storage to become a mainstream consumer item. The rise has been charged by a range of factors that have created massive brands. Where did the sector emerge from, who was buying before, who is buying now, and what’s next? Tristan Rayner reports.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now and is finding central applications in homes and businesses as they move from simple grid connections to self-generation, energy storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and load-shifting revenue streams. With AI everywhere, what’s the difference between advanced control, via simple algorithms, and true intelligence?