Opinion
The latest opinion and analysis from pv magazine.
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GenCost at Eight: how a decade of disruption reshaped the future of Australia’s energy system
What has a decade of disruption taught us about Australia’s energy future? Eight years of GenCost shows how technology trends and global events are influencing the transition to low-emissions electricity.
Jul 18, 2026
Western Europe sees strong irradiance gains during record June heat
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that record June heat was accompanied by a stark north–south split in Europe’s solar resource, with persistent high pressure boosting irradiance by up to 25% across western and southern Europe while Atlantic weather systems reduced irradiance by as much as 25% across Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland. The observed pattern broadly matched seasonal forecasts but with stronger-than-expected regional contrasts, highlighting exceptional solar gains in France, northern Spain and northern Italy alongside significant deficits in northern Europe.
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Giving away excess daytime solar for free
Australia is turning excess midday solar into a consumer benefit through free “solar sharer” electricity tariffs, enabling households to shift loads, charge batteries and EVs, and cut energy bills dramatically. With rooftop solar, storage, electrification, and smarter tariffs, Australia is showing how market innovation can integrate large amounts of renewable energy at low cost.
Where solar meets the soil: The multi-benefit potential of ecovoltaics and agrivoltaics
As global energy demands rise, emerging dual-use solar methods like ecovoltaics and agrivoltaics are proving that integrating photovoltaic panels with native habitats and agricultural land can generate renewable energy while simultaneously boosting biodiversity, conserving water, and securing steady income for landowners.
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Solar PV offers significant untapped potential for Finland
Despite its high-latitude, Finland is poised to build nearly 70 GW solar PV that complements rich wind power resources and outcompetes new nuclear power. A stream of energy system research reveals how the “midnight sun” and deep sector coupling makes solar PV the unexpected summer backbone of the Nordic nation’s carbon-neutral future to form a synergetic basis alongside wind power.
How EPCs can de-risk solar carport projects
Commercial solar carports represent an immense, high-growth market opportunity, but their complex heavy construction demands rigorous engineering, upfront soil risk pricing, and specialized expertise to protect thin margins from catastrophic project failures.
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