Opinion
The latest opinion and analysis from pv magazine.
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Blue wafers are fundamentally undermining U.S. solar manufacturing
The core debate shaping U.S. solar manufacturing isn’t just factory capacity, but whether facilities perform the critical P/N junction process on raw “gray” wafers or merely finish partially completed “blue” wafers imported from abroad.
Regulatory uncertainty threatens to slow German PV deployment in 2027
Germany’s PV sector remains buoyant in 2026, but regulatory uncertainty and tighter financing conditions are raising fears of a downturn. Without transitional measures, proposed limits on grid feed-in could trigger widespread insolvencies and a sharp market contraction in 2027.
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Inclusion by design: The leadership behaviours PV innovation needs
Women in Solar+ Europe reflects this week on the leadership behaviours needed to strengthen innovation, psychological safety and collaboration across PV research and industry, following its workshop at EU PVSEC 2026 this week, co-organised with WIP Renewables. The discussion connected inclusion with how expertise shapes decisions. Its conclusions offer practical direction for PV teams and cross-sector partnerships.
Dry August pushes Dallas soiling losses towards 2% as North American GHI diverges
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that August irradiance fell across the Great Lakes but rose across the Pacific Northwest, south-central United States, and Mexico amid contrasting weather patterns.
Dry conditions pushed Dallas soiling losses toward a record 2%, while Hurricane Lala brought extreme rain to Hawaii but left monthly irradiance only 4% below normal.
Very low cost rooftop solar slashes domestic energy cost – Part 3: African Countries
There are 54 countries in the African Continent. Rooftop solar photovoltaics is growing rapidly in some African nations, but uptake is highly uneven across countries and is not measured comprehensively across all nations. It is clear that South Africa is far ahead of the rest of the continent (71% of all rooftop PV in Africa), while Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco and Egypt are emerging as important markets. Despite Africa’s abundant solar resources, a large gap persists between current rooftop solar deployment and its potential, largely due to low residential electricity tariffs and limited access to affordable financing.
Sep 18, 2026
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Global residential storage market to hit 46.1 GWh in 2026
InfoLink Consulting expects global residential energy storage capacity additions to reach 46.1 GWh in 2026, led by Europe, Oceania, and Asia. Fox ESS, Sigenergy, and Deye ranked as the top three suppliers by shipment volume in the first half of 2026.
Overcapacity in modules, underdeveloped upstream: The next challenge for Indian PV manufacturing
Solar cell manufacturing is significantly more capital-intensive and technologically more challenging than module manufacturing, with manufacturers remaining reliant on imported equipment. Consequently, ongoing geopolitical uncertainties affecting equipment sourcing, coupled with plant stabilisation challenges following commissioning, could delay cell capacity additions across industry players.
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