Solar

Scientists at the European Commission Joint Research Centre tested two single-junction perovskite modules outdoors for one year and reported overall stable performance, supported by a new light-soaking preconditioning method to improve measurement reliability. While one module degraded significantly, the other maintained relatively stable efficiency with seasonal variations, highlighting the need for longer-term outdoor studies.

Swiss analytics firm Pexapark finds January recorded roughly half the deal count and volume in new European power purchase agreements than the month prior.

The US company said its Power Control software is designed to help installers reduce costs and streamline interconnection. Among its features is the ability to control aggregate system exports through software-based limits.

Cross-border VPPAs expose corporates to Basis Risk, causing settlement price gaps and weakening confidence in these hedging tools, contributing to a 35% drop in European PPA signings in 2025 amid complex market conditions. The market is shifting toward more structured, domestic, and hybrid PPAs, supported by BESS and modern IPPs, to better manage risk and realign buyers, sellers, and lenders.

Fraunhofer scientists have announced two efficiency records for III-V tandem modules. The team says its 34.2% efficiency III-V germanium PV module is the most efficient solar module in the world, while its 31.3% efficiency III-V silicon PV module is a record in its class.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

The first phase of the MTerra solar project in the Philippines, set to be the world’s largest solar-plus-storage site once completed, has achieved initial synchronization and energization to the Luzon grid. Project developers are anticipating the project to being exporting power by the end of the month.

An international research team used high-resolution electroluminescence imaging to quantify type-C cracks in 100 PV modules after 11 years of operation, linking crack distribution to real-world power loss. Concentrated cracks within individual cells were found to cause disproportionately high losses, highlighting the importance of cell-level crack analysis for effective PV maintenance.

The new compressor is described as the world’s most powerful single-unit compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, with a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and an efficiency of 88.1%.

The U.S.-based metrology equipment manufacturer has launched a non-contact photoluminescent imaging system to reveal defects and other non-uniformities in silicon, thin film, and III-V multijunction PV devices.