China TOPCon solar module prices ease after 4-week rally on silver pullback, holiday slowdown
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.
Brookfield explores sale of solar developer X-Elio
Brookfield has appointed Santander and Barclays to manage the sale of X-Elio, valued at more than €4 billion ($4.7 billion) including debt. If completed, it would be the company’s second major divestment in Spain in two years.
World’s largest AI-powered battery storage cluster comes online in China
The multi-project cluster includes the world’s largest single-site electrochemical energy storage facility: the 4 GWh Envision Jingyi Chagan Hada Energy Storage Power Station.
French railway operator tests solar on train tracks
Swiss startup Sun-Ways is testing removable solar panels installed on an operational railway line through a pilot project with French railway operator SNCF in Switzerland.
Hong Kong–based startup launches glass-fiber composite solar module frames
Xilia Group has introduced composite frames for solar modules made from glass fiber–reinforced polyurethane. The company says the frames reduce weight, resist corrosion, and eliminate the need for grounding.
German researchers develop sodium-ion battery based on lignin
German researchers have developed a sodium-ion battery technology using lignin-based hard carbon as the negative electrode. The 1 Ah battery cell prototype showed no significant degradation after 100 charging and discharging cycles.
SMA releases new storage system for C&I solar
German inverter and battery manufacturer SMA Solar Technology AG has unveiled a modular lithium iron phosphate battery system for commercial and industrial applications, with capacities ranging from 89 kWh to 197 kWh and integrated cybersecurity features.
Guided-learning model for PV power forecasting without irradiance sensors
South Korean researchers have developed a guided-learning framework that accurately predicts PV power without requiring irradiance sensors during operation, using routine meteorological data instead. The model reportedly showed strong out-of-sample performance while outperforming conventional irradiance-based approaches, particularly under noisy or inconsistent data conditions.
Saudi Arabia could hit net-zero emissions by 2060, with 151 GW of solar
Saudi researchers outlined pathways for Saudi Arabia to reach net-zero power sector emissions by 2060, requiring up to 3.6% of land – mostly for onshore wind – with 151.3 GW of solar PV covering only 0.16% of the country.
Maxwell claims 26.92% efficiency for heterojunction solar cell
The Chinese PV equipment provider said the result was certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH). The cell was fabricated with Maxwell’s in-house heterojunction production-line equipment and an end-to-end process flow.
