Fairland launches AI-based residential heat pump with coefficient of performance of 7
The Chinese manufacturer stated that its new heat pump system is the first on the market to achieve a coefficient of performance of 7. The product offers a nominal capacity ranging from 11 kW to 16 kW and uses propane as its refrigerant.
Panasonic unveils new air-to-water heat pump for residential use
The Japanese electronics manufacturer said its new heat pump system is an ideal solution for centralised heating and domestic hot water installations. It offers a heating capacity of 9 kW to 16 kW and a seasonal coefficient of performance of up to 4.31 at low temperatures.
Enphase announces complete off-grid solar-storage system
Enphase Energy has introduced a complete off-grid solar and storage system that integrates batteries, microinverters, and generator control, with international rollout set for 2026.
Australia’s SolarCloud opens rooftop solar access to renters, flats
Australian startup SolarCloud has introduced a virtual rooftop solar ownership model that lets renters and apartment residents buy shares in existing commercial systems without installation or approvals.
New Zealand introduces building consent exemption for rooftop solar
New Zealand has exempted rooftop solar from building consent requirements, aiming to cut costs and simplify installation processes while maintaining compliance with national safety standards.
Colombia funds solar program for low-income homes with $2.1 billion
Colombia has approved COP 8.35 trillion ($2.1 billion) for its Colombia Solar program to equip 1.3 million low-income households with PV systems between 2026 and 2030.
Machine learning-based fault detection technique for bifacial PV
A UAE research team developed a hybrid 1D-CNN and random forest model to detect multiple faults in bifacial PV systems, including dust, shading, aging, and cracks. Using simulated I-V curves and a 180-day synthetic dataset, the model achieved up to 100% accuracy in general state detection and 97.6% in specific fault classification.
France adds 4.2 GW of solar in first nine months of 2025
Statistics from Enedis show that 4.2 GW of solar connected to France’s grid in the January-September period, including 82 MW paired with storage, marking a slight decline from 2024.
South Africa simplifies registration process for distributed PV
South African utility Eskom is urging consumers with grid-tied rooftop solar to register their systems and integrate them with the national grid, waiving registration fees until March 2026.
Optimizing solar-plus-storage operation for markets with imbalance penalties
Scientists in Japan have used a deep reinforcement learning–based AI model to calculate discrepancies between the planned and actual electricity supply volumes in PV-battery systems operating in markets where grid imbalances are penalized. Through a series of simulations, they found that the proposed methodology can reduce imbalance penalties by approximately 47%.
