Solar

Twelve photovoltaic storage systems with capacities of 5 kW or 10 kW were included in the comparison, among them several new products, all of which achieved efficiency class A. A new study – also examining efficiency losses when storing electricity from the grid – highlights the importance of highly efficient battery storage. The researchers also took a closer look at the warranty conditions of the devices.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that destabilized polar circulation in February produced wet and cloudy conditions in some parts of North America, while the central and eastern regions enjoyed elevated irradiance under clearer conditions.

This March, Women in Solar+ Europe (WiSEu) is launching its International Women’s Day 2026 campaign: “Beyond 10X: Leadership Without Double Standards.” Inspired by a reflection from Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár: “I had to prove myself 10 times more than if I’d been born as a boy”, the campaign invites professionals across the solar plus industries to reflect on how leadership is evaluated and how subtle double standards can shape career trajectories.

Freight costs from the Far East to the U.S. and Europe have increased week-on-week, while almost 150 container ships currently unable to leave the Arabian Gulf due to the risk of sailing through an active conflict zone, according to analysis from ocean and freight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta.

The new product has a maximum wattage of 725 W, a maximum current of 22 A, and a maximum efficiency of 99.6%.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Global solar supply chains face renewed price pressure as weak post-holiday demand in China collides with high polysilicon stockpiles, pushing wafer costs lower and weighing on exporters ahead of policy changes.

Austrian researchers analyzed commercial ethylene vinyl acetate–polyolefin–ethylene vinyl acetate (EPE) solar encapsulants and found that products sold under the same label can have significantly different material structures and performance. While EPE offers better moisture barriers and thermal resistance than EVA and is rapidly gaining market share, the study warns that its long-term reliability and behavior vary widely and require deeper investigation.

Researchers reviewed 110 studies on cold thermal energy storage in liquid-air energy storage, finding that cold storage performance has a far greater impact on system efficiency than previously assumed. While phase change materials offer high theoretical efficiency gains, simpler packed-bed sensible heat systems are currently the most mature and cost-effective option, with further experimental validation needed to bridge the gap to large-scale deployment.

The 1 MW testing facility is located in Xuwei New Area, Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. It is designed to generate long-term field data on large-area perovskite modules in coastal conditions.