Solar

The U.S.-based commercial aerospace and defense technology company, announced a new $45 million facility in Colorado to manufacture solar array systems to serve the growing satellite market.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Yana Hryshko, Managing Consultant, APAC, Head of Global Solar Supply Chain Research at Wood Mackenzie. She says that PV industry in China the gender divide, while still present, feels less rigid than in Europe. “Women are active across various departments, including engineering, manufacturing, QA, sales, and research,” she states. “Although men remain the majority, the gap feels narrower than in Europe.”

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that record irradiance in western Europe boosted solar output in May, while low pressure and Arctic air suppressed irradiance and temperatures in the east.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, reports that FOB China wafer prices remained stable this week amid weak demand and low production. It says manufacturers continue to face margin pressure despite seasonal hydropower cost relief and traceability documentation premiums.

French energy cooperative Solarcoop has launched a solar router that redirects surplus photovoltaic power from self-consumption systems to electric water heaters or other resistive loads, and can also control additional devices such as heat pumps.

Scientists in Japan have developed a device that enables external magnetic field control of magnetic injection current in the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), a phenomenon not yet used in commercial solar cells. The research suggests a potential path toward regulating photocurrent in next-generation photovoltaic applications.

Researchers in India say that photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) systems offer greater performance stability than conventional PV systems in hot climates. Using irradiance and temperature data, the team applied a Random Forest model that predicted efficiency classes with 97% accuracy.

New Swiss research shows PV-powered homes can increase power consumption by up to 11% compared to non-solar households. This rise is linked to electric vehicle adoption or other high-usage appliances, which the study’s author notes is not inherently negative or wasteful.

A European team from industry and academia is integrating organic solar cells into woven polyester textiles for outdoor use, such as in tents or canopies. The Suntex project also focuses on improving the durability and efficiency of organic photovoltaics.

Inclusion of deployment figures sourced from Ofgem bring UK solar capacity close to 19 GW. Latest electricity generation data shows strong start to 2025 for solar.