Italy issues new fire safety rules for PV and storage systems
Italy’s fire service has introduced binding guidelines for PV systems up to 1,500 V, adding rules on storage, spacing, compartmentalization, and maintenance.
Tesla unveils new generation of utility-scale batteries
Tesla’s long-anticipated innovation in utility-scale battery storage has yielded two new products, marking a leap toward faster deployment, greater scalability, and higher energy density.
Photovoltaic trees can save forest cover
Research simulating a solar tree farm within a coastal forest in South Korea found that solar tree structures could preserve 99% of forest cover when compared to a fixed solar farm built in the same area, without sacrificing power output.
Saharan dust events can reduce PV power output in Mediterranean area by up to 50%
New research from Hungary shows that Sarahan dust events can reduce PV power output in five Mediterranean countries by an average of 25-40%. The scientists stressed the need for including real-time dust monitoring and cloud interactions in solar forecasting.
Novel MPPT methodology uses grey wolf hunting as inspiration
Researchers have developed a maximum power point tracking algorithm based on the social hierarchy and hunting strategy of grey wolves. When tested under realistic shading conditions, the grey wolf optimizer achieved an average MPPT efficiency of 98.15%, significantly outperforming conventional MPPT methods.
Bluetti debuts world’s first sodium-ion portable power station
The Pioneer Na will be available globally from mid-October, 2025.
France allocates 971 MW in ground-mounted PV tender
The French government has awarded 165 projects at an average price of €0.07948 ($0.09315)/kWh in its latest ground-mounted PV tender.
‘I’ve learned to let the mission speak louder than the doubt’
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Polina Vasilenko, founder and CEO of France’s HelioRec. She says that, even after more than two decades in energy sector, she still face bias and scepticism. “Sometimes people underestimate me simply because I’m a woman. Other times, they dismiss my work because it’s unconventional; floating solar doesn’t always fit within traditional views of energy infrastructure,” she states.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Top solar module makers report H1 losses
Longi, JinkoSolar, JA Solar and Trina Solar have reported net losses for the first half of 2025, as revenue fell despite strong shipments of high-efficiency modules and storage systems.
The Cybersecurity gap in solar and how to close it
In recent months, solar energy has been recognised by the EU Commission as critical grid infrastructure, with a growing awareness around cybersecurity in particular raising questions about Europe’s energy security. In this article, solar cybersecurity specialist Uri Sadot – Managing Director at SolarDefend and Elected Chairman of SolarPower Europe’s Digitalization Group – discusses what PV installers, developers, EPCs and system owners can do to better protect themselves – and the grid.
