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U.S. solar manufacturing and storage sectors set for record growth in 2026-2027
Coverage discusses speculative scenarios around ~$7B; treat as market chatter and see linked sources.
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- Federal manufacturing tax credits have accelerated solar manufacturing capacity growth.
- Global supply chain disruptions and trade policies impact U.S. solar production.
- Energy storage demand surges as renewable deployment expands rapidly.
- Significant domestic investment strengthens U.S. solar supply chains, reducing reliance on imports.
- Record energy storage growth supports grid reliability and renewable integration.
- Bridging the gap between capacity and output is key to meeting clean energy goals.
Non-lithium players Eos and ESS lean on future of US LDES deployment in Q1 2026 financials
Ford Energy, the new stationary storage subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, has signed a five-year, 20-GWh supply agreement with EDF Power Solutions.
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Track what changed, what held, and what to watch next across recent runs. Sorted by momentum.
US installed 9.7GWh of new BESS in Q1 2026, SEIA reports
The US installed 9.7GWh of new battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity, according to the US trade association group, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
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Why temperature records are being not only broken but smashed
The combined effects of a heat dome and climate change have brought extreme warmth to western Europe.
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Renewable energy sees double-digit growth in Trump’s second term
Renewable energy sources are continuing to grow their share of the electrical generation makeup in the United States, growing more than 11% in Q1 2026 when compared to the previous year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest “Electric Power Monthly” shows that the first quarter growth was led by utility-scale solar (up 23.9%), hydropower… The post Renewable energy sees double-d
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Solar-friendly dynamic pricing of electricity could cut California’s peak demand by several GW
Dynamic pricing of electricity along with price-responsive residential and commercial equipment would lead to a solar-friendly load shape, while reducing peak demand and customer bills, says a report from Berkeley Lab. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study has estimated that six types of electricity-using equipment responding to dynamic electricity rates could reduce peak electricity deman
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Nextpower gets into energy storage
From ESS News Nextpower has announced a major move into energy storage, with a stock exchange update that it has “entered a definitive agreement” to acquire Prevalon Energy, a US-headquartered joint venture between Mitsubishi Power Americas and EES, for up to $365 million in cash and stock. California-based Nextpower announced its corporate rebranding from Nextracker in November 2025, as it said i
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China cell prices hold steady amid mounting downward pressure ahead of SNEC
ree-On-Board (FOB) China TOPCon cell prices held steady amid stable week-on-week indications, as market participants continued to assess price direction ahead of the upcoming Shanghai International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Conference & Exhibition, commonly known as SNEC, in early June. According to the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report released on May 26, FOB China TOPCon M10
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All solar cell efficiencies at a glance – updated
The international research group led by Professor Martin Green from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia has published Version 68 of the “ Solar Cell Efficiency Tables ” in Joule . “One major change is that the Tables will be appearing ‘open access’ in the July 2026 issue,” Green told pv magazine . “This change reflects the growing photovoltaic impact in mainstream energy and the
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USITC extends tariffs on Chinese and Taiwanese solar imports
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to maintain trade protections on crystalline silicon photovoltaic products. The targeted trade penalties “counteract foreign market distortions” by applying antidumping duties on underpriced imports and countervailing duties to offset foreign government subsidies. Initial duties established during the original 2014 investigations reached rates as high
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Protecting heterojunction solar modules with UV-downshifting, UV-blocking
A German research team has investigated the UV-induced degradation (UVID) behavior of lightweight silicon heterojunction (HJT) solar modules utilizing encapsulants with different UV-transmission. Based on their findings, they have proposed a novel encapsulation architecture that combines UV-downshifting and UV-blocking encapsulants to ensure UV utilization and stability in lightweight SHJ solar mo
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AEMO and Transgrid approve Australia’s first 8-hour BESS for full operations
RWE has received official sign-off from the AEMO and Transgrid to operate Australia's first 8-hour BESS at full capacity.
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Battery storage key to solar project bankability in Africa
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly key to achieving solar project bankability in Africa, according to a webinar hosted by the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA). The second day of AFSIA’s four day e-conference on storage solutions focused on addressing the financial considerations when deploying solar energy storage across Africa. Zoë Pierre, Investment Principa
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Latest PV Module Reliability Scorecard shows unsettling uptick in failures
Independent testing lab Kiwa PVEL just published the 12th edition of its annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard. The digital resource is designed for solar industry stakeholders to access testing insights gained from the company’s flagship Product Qualification Program (PQP). The PQP, a comprehensive suite of extended reliability and performance tests, helps evaluate solar modules under… The post
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Sunshine Is Actually The Cheapest Fuel For Your Car
I wrote an article last week about how it’s much cheaper to charge my electric car than people think, or electric cars in general. I knew this would be the logical followup article. We don’t have solar, since we live in a townhouse where we don’t have control over our ... [continued] The post Sunshine Is Actually The Cheapest Fuel For Your Car appeared first on CleanTechnica .
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Energy price cap in Great Britain to rise by 13% from July
Average gas and electricity bill to jump to £1,862 a year from July until end of September, in part because of Iran war Households will face the steepest summer rise in energy charges in four years after months of soaring market prices caused the government’s energy price cap for Great Britain to climb by 13%. Under the cap the average gas and electricity bill will increase to the equivalent of £1
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Pexapark records 17 European PPAs for 966 MW in April
Swiss analytics firm Pexapark says two hybrid solar and battery energy storage power purchase agreements (PPAs) were among the 17 deals last month. European developers signed 17 power purchase agreements (PPAs) with a contracted capacity totaling 966 MW in April, according to the latest analysis from Swiss renewables research firm Pexapark . Last month’s deals included two hybrid solar and battery
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UK consumers likely to face higher prices ‘for many months to come’
Data shows even if Iran war ends, shop price inflation on rise, while only 16% of firms left unscathed by conflict Higher prices could persist over the summer even if ceasefire talks between the US and Iran bear fruit , consumers have been warned, with economic shock waves likely to be felt “for many months to come”. Disruption to global shipping, coupled with soaring prices for energy and raw mat
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BHP files: leaked memo shows miner backtracking on key climate projects in Australia – video
The world’s biggest miner has halted or delayed projects to cut vast amounts of emissions and has quietly war-gamed options to stall major climate investments in its Western Australian iron ore operations into the next two decades, according to documents leaked to the Guardian and ABC’s Four Corners. In a statement, BHP said its progress towards net zero emissions was dependent on technological sh
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UK records its highest ever May temperature
Scientists say record-breaking heat is a reminder of how climate crisis is affecting lives The fierce heat sweeping Europe over the bank holiday weekend has beaten the UK’s all-time temperature record for May, with highs of up to 35C still to come on Monday afternoon. A temperature of 33.5C was recorded at London’s Heathrow on Monday lunchtime, according to provisional data from the Met Offfice, b
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DAS Solar, UNSW build tunnel back-contact solar cell with 27% efficiency, lower silver content
Researchers from UNSW and DAS Solar developed a zero-busbar metal grid optimization approach for tunnel oxide passivated back-contact (TBC) silicon solar cells, enabling more efficient current collection at the rear surface while reducing silver consumption by 3–4 mg/W. The first TBC cells produced in mass manufacturing using this technique have demonstrated efficiencies exceeding 27%. A research
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EU understimating rooftop PV power generation
SolarPower Europe estimates that EU solar generation is significantly underreported, with actual PV output projected at 410 TWh in 2025 versus 275 TWh in official statistics. The group attributes the gap to incomplete rooftop PV registration, data transfer delays, and the difficulty of measuring self-consumed solar electricity. SolarPower Europe estimates that current rooftop PV generation is unde
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Recent public storylines
Crawlable detail links for recent public storyline pages.
- California Senate passes bill to allow plug-in solar devices
The California Senate has approved SB 868, known as the Plug and Play Solar Act, which permits portable solar generation devices with up to 1,200 W output to connect to buildings via standard 120 V outlets without requiring utility fees or permission....
- Fixed utility fees challenge rooftop solar economics, new flat-fee model offers alternative
In 27 U.S. states, mandatory fixed utility charges are increasing costs for rooftop solar and storage users by distorting price signals and reinforcing reliance on centralized grids.
- Global coal plant construction hits 10-year high in 2025 despite decline in coal power output
In 2025, nearly 100 GW of new coal-fired power capacity was added worldwide, marking a decade high driven mainly by India and China. However, global coal power generation fell by 0.6%, with significant output declines in these countries as renewables like wind and solar expanded.
- U.S. solar manufacturing and storage sectors set for record growth in 2026-2027
Coverage discusses speculative scenarios around ~$7B; treat as market chatter and see linked sources.
- UK government moves to fast-track clean energy projects amid political debate over climate policy
Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to introduce reforms to fast-track critical clean energy and infrastructure projects by limiting judicial reviews, designating key projects as of national importance to reduce delays.
- Data centers drive rising electricity demand, boosting solar adoption
U.S. data centers' electricity consumption has surged from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023, projected to reach up to 580 TWh by 2028.
- India and Egypt rapidly expand solar capacity in 2025-2026
India set a new quarterly record by installing 14.4 GW of solar PV in Q1 2026, nearly doubling its additions from the same period in 2025. Egypt installed 800 MW of solar capacity in 2025 and is projected to accelerate growth, with cumulative capacity expected to reach over 34 GW by 2035.
- Ford develops affordable EV to compete with China at secret California lab
Ford is intensifying its efforts to produce an affordable electric vehicle capable of competing with Chinese EV makers. At its secret lab in Long Beach, California, the company employs advanced manufacturing technologies to develop this new model. This move reflects Ford's commitment to expanding its EV lineup and addressing market demands for cost-effective electric transportation solutions.
- Battery storage and rooftop solar surge in Australia with record consumption share and installations
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) in New South Wales set new records by capturing 11.9% of state electricity consumption and reaching 1,240 MW charging power on 2 May 2026.
- Battery technology evolves with diverse goals amid long-duration storage challenges
Battery development is moving beyond a single focus on range, charging speed, and cost to multiple optimization paths reflecting varied objectives such as energy density, scalability, and grid integration.
- Western US grid advances with CAISO's extended day-ahead market and major solar-storage deal
On May 1, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) launched the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), enabling Western utilities to coordinate solar and storage resources 24 hours in advance.
- Countries chart new paths away from fossil fuels at Colombia summit
In late April 2026, Colombia hosted nearly 60 countries in Santa Marta for the first-ever conference focused on transitioning away from fossil fuels.
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