Solar News
Aggregated from PV Magazine, SolarPower Europe, Electrek, CleanTechnica. Updated every 4 hours.
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- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026market
Grid operators may reduce renewables penetration if data center growth continues unchecked, says ENTSO-E
A new report from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity explores the potential for data centers to become flexible assets in Europe’s electricity system, as well as how to manage grid planning and grid security.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026
Sunwoda completes large-scale fire test for ‘5 MWh Liquid Cooling ESS’
Sunwoda conducted a large-scale fire test of its 5 MWh liquid-cooled energy storage system, showing contained thermal runaway in one unit without fire spreading to adjacent systems under extreme UL 9540A conditions.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026policy
Argentina sees strong growth in solar distributed generation amid electricity price hikes
Argentina’s distributed generation sector is rapidly expanding due to higher electricity tariffs, lower equipment costs, and shorter solar project payback periods of around 3–4 years. Growth has accelerated since 2019, reaching over 4,000 user-generators and 143 MW installed, with strong private-sector-driven adoption.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026
Solar PV accounted for 29% of electricity generation in Chile in March, with instantaneous peaks reaching 75%
The latest bulletin from Generadoras de Chile highlights the continued expansion of BESS systems linked to solar plants, with over 2.5 GW in operation and an additional 6.3 GW under construction, amid rising renewable energy curtailment and transmission grid congestion in southern Chile.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026
Spain supports 4.2 GW / 8 GWh of pumped-hydro storage with €165 million
Spain is set to finalize a €670 million allocation under its Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Within this package, €165 million will support seven pumped hydro storage projects under the Boralmac II program, adding more than 4.2 GW / 8 GWh of capacity across five regions.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026market
U.S. solar panel manufacturers need to learn to solder
CEA’s 2026 manufacturing quality report finds that yield rates vary widely based on the age of solar module assembly facilities, with mature Chinese firms nearing 100% and U.S. outlier facilities ranging all the way down to 30%.
- PV Magazine· May 9, 2026policy
Bolivia presents new law to boost renewables, private investments
The new draft law on electricity and renewable energy, developed by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy, is entering its technical, legislative and public consultation phase, with anticipated changes to generation, transmission, distribution and regulatory frameworks.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
EU ban on Chinese inverters sparks strong response from Beijing
China strongly criticized the EU’s ban on Chinese inverters in EU-funded solar projects, warning it could damage trade relations, supply chains, and Europe’s energy transition.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026tech
Kalyon PV begins production at new TOPCon solar cell factory in Turkey
Kalyon PV has launched a new 1 GW solar cell factory in Ankara, raising its total cell production capacity to 2.1 GW
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
BVES: Speicherbranche wieder auf Wachstumskurs
Nach einem deutlichen Rückgang 2024 sind die Umsätze der Speicherunternehmen im vergangenen Jahr wieder deutlich gewachsen und werden wohl auch in diesem Jahr noch steigen, wie aus der Marktanalyse des BVES hervorgeht. Allerdings wächst aktuell die Unsicherheit in der Branche.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026market
Pacific ridge reversal brings Western U.S. solar conditions back to average in April
In a new weekly update for pv magazine , Solcast, a DNV company, reports that April 2026 marked a reversal from March’s widespread high irradiance across North America, as weakening Atlantic and Pacific high-pressure systems brought more cloud cover to the western U.S. and neutralized Mexico’s earlier sunshine gains, while the eastern U.S. remained sunnier and warmer than average. Meanwhile, Canada stayed under persistent cold, cloudy conditions linked to polar vortex disruptions, and coastal Texas saw significantly reduced irradiance due to tropical moisture and heavy rainfall.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Human-centered leadership in the age of AI: Why psychological safety and inclusive leadership matter for energy security
Women in Solar+ Europe (WiSEu Network) analyzes how psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and bias awareness influence decision-making, innovation, and energy security after hosting a workshop during the SolarPower Summit this week. Through interactive discussions and real-life scenarios, participants reflected on the growing importance of human judgment, trust, and collaboration in an AI-driven industry, highlighting that resilient energy systems are ultimately built not only through technology, but also through people and leadership.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026market
Chinese PV Industry Brief: JinkoSolar, Longi, Trina Solar, JA Solar post Q1 losses
China’s leading solar manufacturers all reported first-quarter net losses, despite improving margins and continued high shipment volumes across the sector.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
The Hydrogen Stream: Nel ASA launches new pressurized alkaline electrolyzer
Nel ASA states that its new electrolyzer can achieve an estimated turnkey full-scope cost of below $1,450 per kW for a 25 MW plant, with additional cost synergies expected at larger scales.
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
Wacker Chemie baut bis Ende 2027 rund 1600 Stellen in Deutschland ab
Der Münchner Konzern hat sich mit der Arbeitnehmervertretung auf einen sozialverträglichen Abbau geeinigt. Betriebsbedingte Kündigungen soll es daher nicht geben, wobei der größte Standort in Burghausen am stärksten vom Stellenabbau betroffen ist.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Palestine launches program for local authority solar projects
A program designed to finance solar projects for local authorities in Palestine has opened with an initial $25 million investment from the Palestine Monetary Authority in collaboration with Austria, Finland and Norway.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026tech
Spain accelerates rollout of energy communities
Spain has expanded its energy community programme with 20 new projects, bringing the national total to 262 and unlocking €108.4 million in EU-backed funding. Unevenly distributed across regions, the energy communities deployed in Spain to date combine solar generation, storage, efficiency, and mobility solutions, delivering 175.3 MW of PV capacity and involving more than 111,000 citizens.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026market
Germany risks €45 billion taxpayer hit on hydrogen overbuild, warns IEEFA
Germany risks leaving taxpayers liable for at least €34.7 billion ($40.8 billion) in unrecovered hydrogen infrastructure costs by 2055, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) says in a new report, putting the true regulated cost base at approaching €50 billion against the commonly cited €19.8 billion construction figure.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
New electrolyte tech enables stable operation of high-voltage sodium-ion batteries
U.S. researchers developed a meta-weakly solvating electrolyte that optimizes sodium-ion solvation structure, enabling faster ion transport, reduced side reactions, and improved interfacial stability in high-voltage sodium-ion batteries. This design significantly extends cycle life and outperforms conventional and localized high-concentration electrolytes by promoting more uniform and stable electrode–electrolyte interfaces.
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
Starkes Wachstum im Großspeichermarkt führt zu Batterie-Rekordzubau von über 2 Gigawattstunden im 1. Quartal 2026
Im ersten Quartal 2026 sind in Deutschland geschätzt 2,2 Gigawattstunden an Batteriespeicherkapazität neu in Betrieb genommen worden. Damit ist der Markt weiter um rund 38 Prozent gegenüber dem Wert des ersten Quartals 2025 gewachsen. Während der Photovoltaik-Heimspeichermarkt stagniert, verzeichnet der Großspeichermarkt ein starkes Wachstum von rund 120 Prozent. Er ist damit erstmals gemessen am Kapazitätszuwachs gleichauf mit dem Heimspeichersegment. Dies geht aus Analysen der Datenplattform "Battery Charts" des Instituts für Stromrichtertechnik und Elektrische Antriebe (ISEA) der RWTH Aachen hervor.
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
Flower baut Batteriespeicher mit 400 Megawattstunden in Hamburg
Das schwedische Unternehmen hat das 4-Stunden-Speicherprojekt nach eigenen Angaben zur Baureife gebracht. Die Netzanschlusszusage und alle erforderlichen Genehmigungen für das größte Speicherprojekt in einer deutschen Großstadt liegen vor.
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
Silbernes Modul von Futurasun jetzt mit bis zu 400 Watt verfügbar
Das italienische Photovoltaik-Unternehmen gibt den Wirkungsgrad des Moduls mit 20,02 Prozent an. Es ist für architektonisch und ästhetisch anspruchsvolle Photovoltaik-Anlagen gedacht.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Czechia considers stop to double taxation on solar, storage projects
The Czech government is reviewing proposals to streamline procedures for new solar power plants, including increasing the threshold for paying electricity tax to 100 kW and preventing double taxation on projects installing both solar and storage.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026tech
New research uncovers interface-level physical mechanisms driving UV degradation in TOPCon solar cells
New research from China reveals that ultraviolet degradation in TOPCon solar cells is governed by interface-level physical mechanisms involving hydrogen dynamics, defect formation, and charge evolution. These processes are strongly influenced by the design of the silicon nitride/aluminum oxide passivation stack, which determines long-term device stability.
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
Der deutsche Batteriespeicher-Markt 2026: Bankability ist mehr als ein Erlösmodell
Wer sich derzeit mit Batterieenergiespeichersystemen beschäftigt, gewinnt schnell den Eindruck eines Boommarktes. Mehr als 600 Gigawatt Netzanschlussanfragen, über 70 Gigawatt genehmigte Anschlusskapazitäten und Vermarktungsmodelle mit kurzen Amortisationszeiten prägen die öffentliche Wahrnehmung. In vielen Projektpräsentationen ist von Erlösen in Höhe von 200.000 Euro pro Megawatt und Jahr oder mehr die Rede. Batteriespeicher erscheinen damit als attraktive […]
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026tech
Bandgap-engineered indoor perovskite solar cell achieves 37.44% efficiency
An international research team has improved the performance of perovskite indoor photovoltaics by tuning the absorber bandgap to better match the emission spectrum of indoor LED lighting. The approach enables improved spectral alignment under low-light conditions, with devices demonstrating efficiencies of up to 37.44% alongside long-term stability exceeding 2,000 hours.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Bhutan tenders solar projects for healthcare facilities
Bhutan has kicked off a tender to develop 12.1 MW of rooftop solar across 73 public healthcare facilities in the country. The initial deadline to submit expressions of interest is May 29.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026market
Europe’s negative electricity price hours double in Q1 amid renewables surpluses, market imbalances
UK-based consultancy Ricardo, part of the WSP Group, reports that EU-27 day-ahead power markets saw 1,223 negative-price hours in Q1 2026, more than double Q1 2025, driven mainly by Spain, Portugal, and Greece, while Nordic markets fell back to zero after prior spikes. Germany’s April 2026 data shows negative prices aligning with large renewable forecast errors and likely curtailment during oversupply periods.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Meta, Amazon and J&J power Perigus Energy’s European CPPA portfolio
Perigus Energy has named Meta, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Flogas, and SWW Wunsiedel as corporate power offtakers, confirming that 204.85 MW – just more than 35% of its 578 MW operational portfolio – is contracted through corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs).
- PV Magazine DE· May 8, 2026
BGH-Urteil führt nicht zu Paradigmenwechsel bei Auszahlungen der EEG-Vergütung
Bereits im Februar hat der Bundesgerichtshof entschieden, dass eine systematische Einbettung der Vergütungsansprüche von EEG-Anlagen in das energiewirtschaftliche Abrechnungsjahr der Netzbetreiber rechtens ist. In der Auszahlungspraxis sind laufende Abschlagszahlungen dennoch weiter gängige Praxis, wie Rechtsanwalt Martin Masalton zur Einordnung des Urteils erklärte.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026tech
China TOPCon solar cell prices stabilize as holiday lull slows trading
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.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Solar backup power supports Ukrainian intensive care units during grid outages and cyberattacks
At the Solarpower Summit in Brussels, two Ukrainian representatives highlighted the role photovoltaics and battery storage can play in the country, as well as the lessons the European Union can draw from Ukraine’s experience of living through war. Particular emphasis was placed on systems installed at hospitals and schools.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
Remote Australian community secures permit for Sun Turtle solar and battery project
A remote Western Australia First Nations community with its sights set on reducing diesel dependence and energy insecurity has had a solar and 3.25 MW battery energy storage project approved for development.
- PV Magazine· May 8, 2026
SEG Solar to expand U.S. manufacturing with 4 GW solar module plant
The $200 million investment will bring the company’s total domestic production capacity to 6 GW by late 2026.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026
Ukraine: Erfahrung mit Cyberattacken, instabilen Stromnetzen und Solar-Ersatzstrom für Intensivstationen
Auf dem "Solarpower Summit" in Brüssel machen zwei Akteure aus der Ukraine deutlich, welche Rolle Photovoltaik und Batteriespeicher in dem Land spielen können und was die Europäische Union aus der Erfahrung unter dem Krieg lernen kann. Besonders relevant sind Anlagen auf Krankenhäusern und Schulen.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026market
Study finds PV plants reshape land surface conditions, reducing wind speed and increasing soil moisture
A China-based research team conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 147 studies on how solar PV systems alter land surface processes, covering 609 installations worldwide and 11 key climate variables. The results show mixed but mostly significant environmental effects, including reduced wind speed, albedo, and land surface or soil temperatures, alongside increased soil moisture, while air temperature changes remained largely non-significant.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
K2 Systems releases new mounting systems for ground-mounted PV
The German manufacturer launched two mounting systems for utility-scale solar projects and small- and medium-scale installations, respectively. Both are designed to streamline installation with simplified components and modular layouts.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
EU allocates 1.1 GW of electrolyzer capacity in third hydrogen auction, lowest bid comes in at €0.44/kg
The European Commission has allocated €1.09 billion in support through the third European Hydrogen Bank auction, selecting nine projects across seven countries. The procurement exercise was significantly oversubscribed with 58 bids from 11 countries. It awarded fixed hydrogen production premiums ranging from €0.44 ($0.51)/kg to €3.49/kg.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026
Batteriespeicher mit längerer Speicherdauer etablieren sich auf dem deutschen Tolling-Markt
Der von Blackrock unterstützte Entwickler Akaysha Energy gibt an, dass Kreditgeber 60 bis 80 Prozent vertraglich gesicherte Einnahmen verlangen, bevor sie Kredite für große Batteriespeicherprojekte in Deutschland bereitstellen. CCO Paul Curnow sagt, die Vertragsstrukturen, die Akaysha bei der Umsetzung von Batteriespeicher-Projekten in Deutschland einsetzen will, basierten auf den Erfahrungen in Australien.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Short circuit in nickel manganese cobalt batteries causes fire at UK BESS project
Project owner told ESS News that fire at one of the UK’s oldest grid-scale BESS projects was caused by fault with nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) technology used in some early UK BESS projects. The fire occurred days before scheduled augmentation to upgrade Rufford Colliery BESS site.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Large-scale heat pumps utilize excess heat from Microsoft data centers in Finland
Finnish energy company Fortum has switched on two industrial-scale heat pumps in southern Finland that will utilize excess heat from two local data centres belonging to Microsoft from next year. The company states data centre waste heat could cover around 40% of the total 2 TWh annual district heating demand of users in the area.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026tech
Sonnenkraft launches 480 W back-contact TOPCon solar module
The Austrian manufacturer said its new glass-glass module features 108 back-contact TOPCon half-cells and a power conversion efficiency of 23.52%.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026market
New record of negative electricity prices in France
Negative electricity prices are making a strong comeback in the French energy market. Driven by rising photovoltaic output and reduced nuclear flexibility, they dominated much of April, often falling close to the regulatory floor.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026market
Longer-duration BESS finds footing in Germany’s toll market
BlackRock‑backed developer Akaysha Energy says lenders require 60% to 80% contracted revenue before committing project debt to utility‑scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Germany – a threshold that structured offtake products borrowed from its home market can meet.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026tech
Sonnenkraft bringt Rückkontakt-Modul mit 480 Watt heraus
Das neue Modul des österreichischen Photovoltaik-Unternehmens hat einen Wirkungsgrad von 23,52 Prozent. Es handelt sich um ein Glas-Glas-Modul mit 108 Topcon-Halbzellen, die rückseitig kontaktiert sind.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Inside PV Manufacturing: SoliTek’s new fully automated module line in Lithuania
In the latest article of a new series on solar manufacturing facilities around the world, pv magazine presents SoliTek’s solar manufacturing facility in Vilnius, Lithuania. The company recently commissioned an upgraded 200 MW production line, as it transitions from semi-automated to fully-automated processes for critical assembly stages.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Autonomous photovoltaic vehicle Infinite Apollo validates urban circulation performance
In late April, a 200 km urban road test was conducted in Belgium under real-world traffic conditions and varying levels of solar irradiance to evaluate system performance in complex operational environments. The test serves as the final validation of the vehicle’s systems.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026tech
Prototype of PVT-driven dual-source heat pump with borehole thermal energy storage achieves coefficient of performance of 4.07
An international research team has developed and tested a hybrid energy system combining photovoltaic-thermal collectors, borehole thermal energy storage, and a dual-source heat pump to supply low-carbon heating for livestock buildings. The full-scale prototype, demonstrated on an Italian swine farm, showed high efficiency, strong seasonal performance, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels while enabling partial self-supply of electricity and heat.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026
Angebot an die europäische Politik: Klimaziele einhalten und Stromkosten senken
Auf dem „Solarpower Summit“ stellte der europäische Photovoltaik-Verband in einer Studie konkrete Ausbauziele für Photovoltaik, Windkraft und Speicher vor. Damit ließen sich Strompreise um 25 Prozent senken.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Iberdrola advances pumped-storage hydro station in Spain
The Valdecañas pumped-storage hydro plant in southwestern Spain has undergone a technical upgrade, increasing its operational capacity by 355 MW and adding a 15 MW/7.5 MWh hybrid battery system.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
South Korean utility to install 95 MW of solar at substations by 2030
Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) says it will install 95 MW of solar capacity across 500 substation sites nationwide by 2030, using surplus substation land to meet South Korea's K-RE100 public-sector renewable energy target.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Argentine football turns to photovoltaics
Two of Argentine's most popular football clubs - River Plate and Vélez Sarsfield - are advancing solar energy projects at their Buenos Aires stadiums to cut operating costs and expand on-site renewable generation.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Curtailment, negative prices push Greek small- and medium-sized PV asset owners toward bankruptcy
Continuous negative and zero wholesale electricity prices, weak demand, and Greece’s inadequate energy storage policy are leaving small- and medium-sized PV investors exposed, despite abundant solar resources.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026
Warum Flexibilität oft günstiger ist als neue Kraftwerke
Die Energiewende scheitert nicht am Mangel neuer Kraftwerke, sondern an der mangelnden Koordination bestehender Energieanlagen. Industriestandorte entwickeln sich zunehmend zu komplexen Energiesystemen mit Photovoltaik, Speichern, thermischen Prozessen und flexiblen Produktionslasten. Entscheidend wird die Fähigkeit, diese Assets systemisch zu orchestrieren und flexibel auf volatile Strommärkte zu reagieren, wie Flexality-Mitbegründer Dyke Wilke erklärt.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
German startup offers scalable AC system for bidirectional charging
Lade GmbH has unveiled an AC system that supports charging at up to 22 kW in both single-phase and three-phase configurations. The hardware is already designed to enable bidirectional charging in large-scale charging parks.
- PV Magazine DE· May 7, 2026
Kyte Powertech liefert mit Interface Transformator eine Schnittstelle statt vieler Systeme
Das irische Unternehmen, das zur Marke R&S Group aus der Schweiz gehört, bietet einen sogenannten Interface Transformator, mit dem sich Energieerzeugung, -speicherung und Netzanschluss in einer gemeinsamen Infrastruktur verbinden lässt. Diese integrierte Lösung bietet Kyte Powertech zufolge projektabhängig Einsparungen von etwa 10 bis 20 Prozent auf Infrastrukturebene.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
AlphaTracker launches hydraulic mechanism that locks trackers during strong wind gusts
The Portuguese manufacturer unveiled Maxi-Lock, an autonomous hydraulic mechanism that locks solar trackers during strong wind gusts or high-amplitude vibrations, and Smart-Slope, a universal joint-style system designed for uneven terrain. The company claims the technologies can reduce supply and maintenance costs, lower component counts, improve plant availability, and enable higher PV module integration in both conventional and agrivoltaic projects.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Australian researchers accelerate silicon wafer recycling using AI, robotics
Scientists from the University of New England’s Australian Institute for Strategic Artificial Intelligence are using artificial intelligence and powerful supercomputers to assess potential solvents to separate silicon wafers with minimal contamination.
- PV Magazine· May 7, 2026
Texas PV module production to exceed 15 GW in 2026
Propelled by a select group of high-capacity manufacturers including T1 Energy and Canadian Solar, Texas is set to exceed 15 GW of solar PV module production in 2026, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. silicon-based manufacturing and serving as the primary hub for the inaugural Solar Manufacturing USA conference in Austin this September.
- PV Magazine· May 6, 2026
Egypt’s National Bank takes 20% stake in Scatec’s Obelisk project
National Bank of Egypt has acquired a 20% equity interest in Scatec ASA's 1.1 GW Obelisk solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project, reducing the Norwegian developer's economic interest to 40% while leaving it in majority control through a layered ownership structure.