rooftop solar

Scientists in Spain studied electricity demand data for the Kobe refugee camp in Ethiopia to optimize several minigrid scenarios, also integrating the use of electric pressure cookers. Their analysis showed that introduction of the cooker required an increase in PV capacity of up 68%.

The California State Assembly’s Appropriations Committee passed a bill that would renege more than a million commitments to the state’s rooftop solar customers.

At The smarter E Europe 2025, pv magazine Editor Mark Hutchins explored Fraunhofer ISE’s latest integrated PV innovations, including color-customizable flexible modules for buildings, and new agrivoltaic research combining solar with crop cultivation.

Scientists have placed mist nozzles inside a bifacial PV module and measured it under an extremely hot climate. The module was found to generate up to 37% more electricity on sunny days and up to 46% more on cloudy days compared to standard monofacial panels.

pv magazine is compiling a guide to home solar installations, aimed at those who are interested in installing but are new to the market and want to make an informed decision. We have spoken to associations, installers and industry specialists in major solar markets across the globe to compile best practice guidance and advice that aims to be applicable to home solar installations anywhere in the world.

The Aachen-based company has further developed its energy management system (EMS) under real-world conditions, to minimize the cyclic aging of its batteries.

The UK-based company said its new hybrid solution includes a stand-alone monobloc air-to-water heat pump with a nominal capacity of up to 16 kW and one of its boiler range. The heat pump system uses R32 (difluoromethane) as a refrigerant and has a coefficient of performance of up to 5.1.

pv magazine editor Matthew Lynas toured the startup corner at Intersolar Europe 2025, highlighting emerging businesses focused on flexibility, smart meters, software, and PV integrated with glass.

New research from the Netherlands has shown that product-service-system business models applied to the PV business encourage the use of high-quality PV products and maximizing system lifespan. Their alleged connection with circular economy principles, however, was found to be weak, with financial considerations being prioritized by customers.

Western Australian manufacturer Magellan Power has unveiled a new all-in-one residential energy storage system offering battery capacities from 9.6 kWh to 25 kWh and inverter capacities from 5 kW to 15 kW.