Solar News
Aggregated from PV Magazine, SolarPower Europe, Electrek, CleanTechnica. Updated every 4 hours.
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- 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· 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, 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· 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, 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 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 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, 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 6, 2026tech
Neues Labor des Fraunhofer ISE soll Markteinführung der Perowskit-Silizium-Technologie beschleunigen
Im Labor »Pero-Si-SCALE« lassen sich innovative Zelldesigns auf industrielle Formate hochskalieren. Die Perowskit-Silizium-Tandemtechnologie gilt dabei aus Sicht der Freiburger Forscher als doppelter Hoffnungsträger: zum einen für noch effizientere Solarmodule, zum anderen für einen Wiedereinstieg europäischer Hersteller in die Photovoltaik-Produktion.
- PV Magazine· May 6, 2026tech
Fraunhofer ISE opens perovskite-silicon tandem scale-up lab
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has opened a dedicated lab in Freiburg, Germany, to scale perovskite-silicon tandem cell designs to large wafer formats using industry-standard processes.
- PV Magazine· May 6, 2026tech
How to retrofit commercial PV panels into photovoltaic-thermal modules
Researchers in Brazil found that retrofitting commercial PV panels into PVT systems can boost total efficiency to around 46–50%, but added thermal resistance limits heat extraction and slightly reduces electrical performance. Their experiments showed performance is capped by interface quality and system design, requiring improved heat extraction capacity.
- PV Magazine· May 6, 2026tech
Arctech debuts TOPCon photovoltaic pavement solution
Harmony-F solar flooring can withstand uniformly distributed loads of at least 2 tons and has a hardness above 7 on the Mohs scale, indicating high resistance to wear and abrasion.
- PV Magazine· May 6, 2026tech
Solex Energy plans 5 GW solar cell factory in India
The Indian manufacturer is investing around $420 million to expand its manufacturing footprint alongside efforts to advance high-efficiency PV technologies through its partnership with ISC Konstanz.
- PV Magazine· May 4, 2026tech
Japan reopens NEDO perovskite solar call with single-junction focus
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has opened a supplementary call for proposals on mass production of next-generation single-junction perovskite solar cells, with submissions due by June 3.
- PV Magazine· May 1, 2026tech
20-month field tests show tracker-based bifacial PV outpeforms fixed tilt counterparts with 13.5% higher ouput in desert enviroments
Qatari researchers found that bifacial 2P horizontal single-axis tracking PV systems in desert conditions produced up to 13.5% more electricity than fixed-tilt systems over long-term field testing in Qatar. The study also showed strong seasonal and technology-dependent performance, with tracker advantages varying with irradiance and weather conditions.
- PV Magazine· May 1, 2026tech
Inorganic perovskite solar cell based on tetraphenyl-porphine zinc interlayer achieves 82% fill factor
An international research team has proposed a perovskite solar cell architecture incorporating a thin tetraphenyl-porphine zinc interfacial layer to enhance surface potential, passivate defect states, and improve charge transport. The strategy leads to improved device efficiency and operational stability, enabling power conversion efficiencies exceeding 13%.
- PV Magazine· May 1, 2026tech
Australian researchers develop vapour-based manufacturing process for lead-free perovskite solar
Researchers at the University of Queensland have developed a scalable, lead-free perovskite solar cell manufacturing process that achieves record indoor-light efficiency while avoiding toxic materials and enabling flexible consumer electronics applications.
- PV Magazine· Apr 30, 2026tech
Scientists discover why lead-halide solar perovskites work efficiently despite being structurally ‘messy’
Researchers in Austria found that unusually high photovoltaic efficiency in lead-halide perovskites can be explained by internal electric fields generated at strain-induced domain walls, which separate charge carriers and enable long-range transport. Their experiments indicated that these effects arise from mesoscopic structural inhomogeneities rather than a uniform crystal structure, providing a general mechanism for charge separation in these materials.
- PV Magazine· Apr 30, 2026tech
New irrigation tech helps reduce water use in agrivoltaics
Spanish researchers found that combining agrivoltaics with regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) can cut tomato irrigation water use by about 50%, while improving land-use efficiency through simultaneous crop and solar energy production.
- PV Magazine· Apr 28, 2026tech
Cooling PV modules with hydrogel-coated paper
A Vietnamese research team has developed a low-cost passive cooling system for PV modules based on hydrogel-coated paper that combines water flow and interfacial evaporation to reduce operating temperatures. Outdoor tests showed temperature reductions of up to 14 C and efficiency gains of up to 16.8%, with stable operation achieved using both freshwater and natural seawater.
- PV Magazine· Apr 28, 2026tech
Longi announces world record efficiency of 28.13% for silicon solar cell
Longi claims to have achieved the world's highest efficiency for a silicon solar cell. The result was confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH).
- PV Magazine DE· Apr 27, 2026tech
Trina Solar erzielt mit 28 Prozent den weltweit höchsten Wirkungsgrad für Silizium-Solarzellen
Der chinesische Photovoltaik-Hersteller teilte mit, dass seine Topcon-kompatible Hybrid-Solarzelle mit Rückkontakt einen Wirkungsgrad von 28,0 Prozent erreichte. Das Ergebnis ist vom Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH) bestätigt worden.
- PV Magazine· Apr 27, 2026tech
Trina Solar claims world’s highest efficiency for silicon solar cells with 28.0%-efficient device
The Chinese manufacturer said its TOPCon-compatible hybrid back-contact solar cell achieved a power conversion efficiency of 28.0%. The result was confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH).
- PV Magazine· Apr 27, 2026tech
Premier Energies unveils 600-630 W all-black TOPCon solar modules
The Indian manufacturer said its new all-black panel series features a power conversion efficiency of up to 23.32% and a bifaciality factor of up to 85%.
- PV Magazine· Apr 27, 2026tech
Oxford PV says tandem solar could add up to 5 km to daily EV range
Oxford PV has joined Nissan’s SUITE consortium, advancing perovskite-silicon tandem solar tech that could boost vehicle-integrated solar EV range by an additional 3–5 km per day and push total daily solar driving range toward 15–20 km.
- PV Magazine· Apr 27, 2026tech
Chinese scientists build silver-free heterojunction solar cell with 25.2% efficiency
The research team developed a plasma interface engineering method to improve indium tin oxide layers, solving adhesion, contact resistance, and stability issues for copper electroplating. The optimized process enabled uniform copper metallization and boosted device efficiency to 25.2%, significantly outperforming untreated reference cells.
- PV Magazine DE· Apr 24, 2026tech
Trina Solar, JA Solar und Jinkosolar gründen Chinas ersten Photovoltaik-Patentpool für Topcon-Technologien
Chinas Solarindustrie hat unter der Federführung von Trina Solar, JA Solar und Jinkosolar ihren ersten auf TOPCon-Technologien ausgerichteten Patentpool ins Leben gerufen, um die Lizenzvergabe zu vereinfachen, Streitigkeiten zu reduzieren und die Koordinierung im Bereich des geistigen Eigentums im In- und Ausland zu stärken.
- PV Magazine· Apr 24, 2026tech
Chinese PV Industry Brief: DKEM seeks cash injection to scale up gigawatt-level production of copper metallization paste
DK Electronic Materials (DKEM) plans to raise up to CNY 3.0 billion (USD 413 million) via a private placement to fund PV paste, metal powder expansion, R&D, and debt repayment. The company is advancing high-copper PV paste toward volume production for TOPCon 3.0 cells.
- PV Magazine· Apr 24, 2026tech
Japanese scientists build all-perovskite tandem solar cell with 30.2% efficiency
The four-terminal tandem device relies on FAPbI₃ nanoparticles and a spectral splitting design, combining a 24.4% wide-bandgap top cell and a 21.5% narrow-bandgap bottom cell to reach 30.2% efficiency. The system improves light utilization by directing different wavelengths to optimized subcells.
- PV Magazine· Apr 23, 2026tech
Fraunhofer ISE develops colored film tech for patterned solar modules
Scientists at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have created a film-based system that applies color patterns and cutouts to PV modules using the institute's MorphoColor technology, enabling modules to imitate roof tiles, masonry, and facades with around 5% efficiency loss.
- PV Magazine· Apr 23, 2026tech
Manufacturing partnership brings new PV technology to U.S.-sourced solar
Solx’s Aurora hybrid module with Caelux’s perovskite glass aims to compete on performance beyond federal tax sunsets.
- PV Magazine· Apr 23, 2026tech
Trina Solar, JA Solar, JinkoSolar launch China’s first PV patent pool for TOPCon technologies
China’s solar industry has launched its first TOPCon-focused patent pool, led by Trina Solar, JA Solar, and JinkoSolar, to streamline licensing, reduce disputes, and strengthen IP coordination at home and abroad.
- PV Magazine DE· Apr 20, 2026tech
Jinkosolar bringt Leichtgewicht-Modul für Dachanlagen auf den Markt
Nur sieben Kilogramm pro Quadratmeter wiegt das Topcon-Modul „Light Diamond“ des chinesischen Photovoltaik-Herstellers. Es verfügt über eine Leistung von 560 Watt bei einem Wirkungsgrad von 24,94 Prozent.
- Electrek Solar· May 19, 2021tech
These light, thin, flexible solar panels ‘peel and stick’ to roofs
Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies has announced that it will commercially release its Maxeon Air solar panels this summer. The company says the Air solar panels are frameless, thin, lightweight, and conformable, with efficiency and performance the same as standard solar panels. more…
- Electrek Solar· Aug 28, 2015tech
SolarCity plans on producing $0.50/Watt solar modules with at least 20% efficiency
Yesterday SolarCity released a SEC filing listing the milestones its co-founders need to achieve to vest tranches of shares of their new performance-based compensation plan. The milestones reveal some ambitious goals for the solar installer. For example, the first milestone is to achieve a cost of production of $0.50/Watt for solar modules with at least 20% efficiency. more…